Apple has officially entered the budget laptop fray with the introduction of the MacBook Neo, a new device that starts at $599 and positions the company directly against low-cost Windows PCs. The price is roughly 45% lower than the newest MacBook Air, putting it closer to budget Windows alternatives.
Following months of speculation, the Cupertino-based company confirmed the device on Wednesday, showcasing what it describes as a deep integration of its hardware ecosystem. The MacBook Neo is designed to demonstrate that a processor originally built for a flagship smartphone can effectively handle the demands of macOS.
The MacBook Neo features an aluminum chassis and weighs just 2.7 pounds (1.23 kg). It is available in four colors: silver, blush, indigo, and an all-new citrus option.
The 13-inch display keeps the “Liquid Retina” name used on the MacBook Air, reaching up to 500 nits of brightness. However, the resolution drops slightly to 2,408 x 1,506 pixels. Apple has also left out support for the P3 wide color gamut and True Tone, and the panel remains a 60Hz IPS screen.
The device is equipped with a 6-core A18 Pro SoC, identical to the one used in Apple’s current flagship iPhones. The company says it performs better than the Intel Core Ultra 5 in routine web use and on-device AI processing, although no detailed comparison data was provided.
To reach a starting price below $600, Apple made a number of hardware trade-offs. The MacBook Neo features two USB-C ports, though only one supports USB 3.0 speeds and can drive a single 4K display at 60Hz using DisplayPort 1.4 equivalent output. The second port is capped at USB 2.0 speeds, and Thunderbolt connectivity is not included.
The camera system is a 1080p unit that doesn’t support Apple’s Desk View feature.
Apple identifies the memory and storage configurations as the key trade-offs that enable the reduced price.
The MacBook Neo comes with a fixed 8GB of RAM, with no option to expand beyond that. Storage is capped at a maximum of 512GB. The base model starts at $599 for the 256GB SSD version, while the 512GB model costs $100 more. Touch ID, accessible via a dedicated key, is exclusive to the higher-tier 512GB configuration.
Apple is offering an educational discount, pricing the base model at $499 for students. Pre-orders are available now, with general availability scheduled for March 11.
The announcement arrives alongside Apple’s recent upgrades to the MacBook Air, which now features an M5 processor, and the MacBook Pro line, now powered by M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. While reports suggest a touchscreen MacBook is in development, Apple has indicated that a 2-in-1 convertible model isn’t currently planned.
Comparison of MacBook Neo and MacBook Air
| Feature | MacBook Neo | MacBook Air M5 |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $599 | $1,099 |
| Chip / SoC | Apple A18 Pro | Apple M5 |
| CPU | 6-core CPU | 10-core CPU |
| GPU | 5-core GPU | 10-core GPU |
| Neural engine | 16-core | 16-core |
| Memory (RAM) | 8GB unified memory (fixed) | 16GB unified memory (up to 32GB) |
| Memory bandwidth | 60GB/s | 153GB/s |
| Storage | 256GB or 512GB SSD | 512GB – 4TB SSD |
| Display size | 13-inch | 13.6-inch or 15.3-inch |
| Display resolution | 2,408 × 1,506 | 2,560 × 1,664 (13-inch) |
| Brightness | 500 nits | 500 nits |
| Color support | 1 billion colors (sRGB) | P3 wide color |
| Camera | 1080p FaceTime HD | 12MP Center Stage |
| Keyboard | Magic Keyboard (no backlight) | Backlit Magic Keyboard |
| Trackpad | Mechanical trackpad | Force Touch trackpad |
| Ports | 1x USB-C 2.0, 1x USB-C 3.0, headphone jack | 2x Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe 3, headphone jack |
| External display support | 1x 4K 60Hz display | Multiple displays depending on config |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth |
| Battery life | Up to 16 hours video / 11 hours web | Up to 18 hours video |
| Weight | 2.7 lb | 2.7 lb (13-inch) |
| Touch ID | Only on 512GB model | Standard |
| Colors | Silver, blush, indigo, citrus | Silver, starlight, midnight, sky blue |
The launch of the MacBook Neo comes at a time when the traditional budget laptop market is facing supply-side pressures. Analysts at Gartner have warned that sub-$500 laptops could become extinct by 2028, partly due to ongoing memory shortages. The construction of AI data centers is consuming significant amounts of DRAM and NAND capacity, leading some low-cost notebook resellers to substitute SSDs with eMMC storage or SD cards.
Apple’s entry into the segment with the MacBook Neo runs counter to that bearish forecast, betting that a streamlined, fixed-configuration device can capture market share in a segment facing component scarcity.
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