Apple Unveils $599 MacBook Neo with A18 Pro Chip
Apple has today unveiled the MacBook Neo, a new entry-level laptop starting at $599, as the company aims to broaden its reach in the PC market. This marks one of Apple’s most aggressive price points for a MacBook in years.
A18 Pro Chip and Design
The new MacBook Neo is powered by the A18 Pro chip, the same processor that debuted in Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro models in 2024. It features a 13-inch Liquid Retina display with a 2408-by-1506 resolution, 500 nits of brightness, and support for 1 billion colors. The display does not have a notch, offering uniform bezels similar to the iPad.
The MacBook Neo is available in four colors: silver, indigo, blush, and citrus. The aluminum enclosure is designed for durability, and the colored finishes extend to the Magic Keyboard and matching wallpapers.
Performance and Battery Life
Apple claims the MacBook Neo is up to 50% faster for everyday tasks compared to the bestselling PC with the latest Intel Core Ultra 5, and up to 3x faster for on-device AI workloads. It offers up to 16 hours of battery life on a single charge.
Specifications and Pricing
The MacBook Neo comes with 8GB of unified memory and is available in two storage configurations:
- 256GB storage: $599
- 512GB storage with Touch ID: $699
Educational pricing starts at $499. The box includes a 20W USB-C Power Adapter and USB-C Charging Cable.
Connectivity and Features
The MacBook Neo features two USB-C ports – one USB-C 2 port (up to 480 Mb/s) and one USB-C 3 port (up to 10 Gb/s) – and a headphone jack. It also includes a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, dual mics with directional beamforming, and dual side-firing speakers with Spatial Audio.
Comparison to Other Mac Models
At $599, the MacBook Neo is significantly more affordable than the M5 MacBook Air, which starts at $1099 for a 13.6-inch display and 512GB of storage with 16GB of RAM. The previous M4 MacBook Air is still available while supplies last for $899 with half the base storage.
Sustainability
Apple highlights the MacBook Neo as its lowest-carbon Mac, featuring 60% recycled materials, including 90% recycled aluminum and 100% recycled cobalt in the battery.
Availability
Pre-orders for the MacBook Neo start today, with deliveries and in-store availability starting March 11.
“We’re incredibly excited to introduce MacBook Neo, which delivers the magic of the Mac at a breakthrough price,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering [Apple Newsroom].
Worth a look