MacBook Neo: A New, Cheaper Alternative to the Air
On the third and final day of Apple Experience, the iPhone manufacturer unveiled its biggest innovation: the MacBook Neo. This new laptop targets those for whom the MacBook Air was previously too expensive.
Following the launch of the iPhone 17e and iPad Air, as well as the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air with M5 chips, Apple now introduced a completely new product. The company takes the heart of an iPhone and combines it with the capabilities of a laptop. The result? The MacBook Neo, which was designed to attract customers at a lower price.
MacBook Neo: A Rival to Cheap Laptops
The MacBook Neo is officially the most affordable member of Apple’s laptop family. After the company began selling the MacBook Air with M1 chip at selected dealers, there is now a more updated entry-level MacBook. Within the Neo lies a 13-inch display and an A18 Pro chip that powers the iPhone 16 Pro. Depending on which benchmark used, performance is most likely to fall somewhere between an M1 and M3. Further tests will reveal the exact values. Nothing stands in the way of using the AI functions from Apple Intelligence either.
The aluminum chassis also holds 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD. You can double the storage space and benefit from a keyboard with Touch ID by topping up. The latter is missing in the basic MacBook Neo configuration. However, the keyboard lacks a backlight. Apple has also cut corners on the trackpad.
The Neo also offers a multi-touch trackpad, while MacBook Air and Pro users can click using a modern Force Touch trackpad. Precise recognition and differentiation of how hard you press with your finger is missing on the highly affordable laptop.
The 13.0-inch IPS display offers a resolution of 2,408 x 1,506 pixels and a maximum brightness of 500 nits. Apple’s cost-cutting measures on the MacBook Neo ensure it works only within the sRGB color space. There is no P3 or Apple’s True Tone technology here. Apple also installed a 1080p FaceTime HD camera in the display frame — sans a notch.
In contrast to the more expensive MacBook Air, the Neo sports only two speakers and two microphones; while the Air has four or three (depending on the model). However, it still supports Dolby Atmos and 3D audio standards. A 3.5 mm connection for headphones has been retained. There are also two USB-C ports on the left side; while MagSafe is missing. One of the two ports offers USB 3 with up to 10 Gb/s, while the other port has to make do with USB 2 and 480 Mb/s.
The MacBook Neo supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 6 standards with its N1 chip for wireless connectivity.
Apple specified a battery life of up to 11 hours when surfing the web. When streaming video, the 36.5 Wh battery is said to last up to 16 hours. The chassis of the MacBook Neo is reminiscent of the current design language of the MacBook Air or Pro. Apple finally buried the wedge-shaped design. At 1.27 cm thick, it is slightly thicker than the 13-inch Air, but also weighs 1.23 kg. At 29.75 cm wide and 20.64 cm deep, it is slightly smaller than its big brother.
MacBook Neo: Price and Availability
Apple offers the aluminum case in silver, blush, citrus, and indigo. The MacBook Neo can be pre-ordered now from $599. For $100 more, Apple will offer the laptop with a 512 GB SSD and a keyboard with Touch ID. There are no other options available. Delivery begins on March 11, 2026.
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