The new MacBook Neo is Apple's most affordable Mac notebook, and at $599, it's priced the same as the iPhone 17e. For teachers and college students, it's even more affordable at $499.
To offer a Mac at such a low price, Apple had to make some compromises, and there are some features that the MacBook Neo is lacking compared to the next most expensive Mac notebook, the MacBook Air.
Processor
- A18 Pro Chip - Apple is using an A-series chip instead of an M-series chip in the Neo. It has the A18 Pro chip that Apple debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro, but it is a binned version. It has a 6-core CPU and a 5-core GPU, while the iPhone 16 Pro chip had a 6-core CPU and a 6-core GPU.
- RAM - The MacBook Neo has 8GB RAM with no option to pay for more. All other Macs start with 16GB. It still supports Apple Intelligence, because 8GB is the minimum for it.
- Memory bandwidth - Apple's chips use unified memory that's available to the CPU and GPU. Memory bandwidth in the Neo is 60GB/s, less than half that of the MacBook Air.
- Storage - The MacBook Neo starts with 256GB of storage, and there's only a single 512GB upgrade. Other Macs support much higher capacity SSDs.
- Wi-Fi - The MacBook Neo has Wi-Fi 6E, but not Wi-Fi 7 because Apple did not include its new N1 networking chip.
Battery and Charging
- Battery capacity - The MacBook Neo is almost the same size as the MacBook Air, but it has a shorter battery life. It lasts for up to 16 hours when streaming video, while the MacBook Air lasts for up to 18 hours. The battery has a 36.5-watt-hour capacity, while the MacBook Air has a 53.8-watt-hour battery.
- Battery size - Since the MacBook Neo is thicker than the MacBook Air, it has even more room for a battery, but Apple didn't max out on battery life, which is likely a cost cutting measure. Apple is using older battery technology or a smaller battery. Battery life should theoretically be even longer because the A18 Pro chip doesn't draw as much power as the M5.
- No MagSafe - The MacBook Neo is limited to USB-C charging, and it does not include a MagSafe port.
- No fast charging - Apple ships the MacBook Neo with a 20W power adapter, and there is no mention of fast charging support.
Ports
- USB-C - There are two USB-C ports, one that's USB 3 and one that's USB 2. The USB3 port supports DisplayPort 1.4 and up to 10Gb/s transfer speeds, but the USB 2 port is limited to 480Mb/s.
- Display support - The MacBook Neo only supports a single external display at 4K 60Hz, though it may be possible to connect another with a third-party DisplayPort adapter.
- No Thunderbolt - There are no Thunderbolt ports on the MacBook Neo because Thunderbolt is not supported.
- No Studio Display - Since the Neo does not have Thunderbolt and is limited to 4K displays, it is not compatible with the Studio Display.
Design
- Display size - The MacBook Neo has a 13-inch display size, so it is Apple's smallest Mac notebook. The MacBook Air has a 13.6-inch display.
- Bezels - There is no notch on the Neo, but it does have thick iPad-style bezels at the top, bottom, and sides of the display. The bezel hides the FaceTime camera.
- Thickness - The Neo is just a little smaller than the MacBook Air when it comes to length and width, but it is thicker at 0.50 inches (vs 0.44 inches for the MacBook Air).
Display
- No True Tone - The MacBook Neo does not support True Tone, which is the white balance feature that adjusts the temperature of the display to match the ambient lighting in the room, making it easier on the eyes.
- No P3 Wide color - sRGB is supported, but P3 Wide color is not, so the MacBook Neo won't have colors that are as true to life as other Mac notebooks.
- No ProMotion - Unsurprisingly, the MacBook Neo is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and it does not support ProMotion.
Trackpad and Keyboard
- Backlighting - There is no backlight for the keyboard.
- Touch ID - Touch ID is not included with the base 256GB model, but you can get it by paying an extra $100 for the 512GB model.
- Trackpad - There isn't a Force Touch trackpad, with Apple instead adopting a less complicated physical Multi-Touch trackpad. The button on the trackpad is an actual button, rather than a virtual button with haptic feedback. There is no pressure-sensing feature, Force clicks, or pressure-sensitive drawing option.
Speakers and Camera
- FaceTime Camera - The MacBook Neo has a 1080p FaceTime HD camera like older Macs rather than the newer 12-megapixel Center Stage camera Apple has been adding to its newer models. There is no Center Stage or Desk View.
- Camera light - There's no little light to alert you when the MacBook Neo camera is on, with Apple instead displaying a warning on the menu bar.
- Speakers - The MacBook Neo has a dual-speaker sound system with speakers that are on the outer sides of the device. The MacBook Air has a four-speaker sound system with richer sound, but both the Neo and the Air support spatial audio.
- Microphones - There are only two microphones, but Voice Isolation and Wide Spectrum are still supported for better clarity for calls.
- Headphone jack - There's a 3.5mm headphone jack, but it does not have support for high-impedance headphones.
MacBook Neo Pros
Even though the MacBook Neo has a simplified feature set compared to other Mac models, the price can't be beat. $599 for a Mac is an incredible deal, and the A18 Pro chip is more than adequate for daily use and the type of work that students do.
It's not the best choice for 3D rendering, running local AI models, video editing, or similar creative tasks, but it will do those things at a basic level. It's an ideal MacBook for anyone who doesn't need more than a machine for web browsing and other light work, and it will do everything an iPhone can do. These days, that's quite a bit.
For more on the differences between the MacBook Neo and the MacBook Air, we have a dedicated comparison guide.
The MacBook Neo is available for pre-order now, and it is set to launch on Wednesday, March 11.
