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The MacBook Neo

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Apple has done an amazing thing with the MacBook Neo.

The MacBook Neo is an Apple laptop aimed at the ordinary laptop user. That is, someone who uses a laptop for normal daily work, and not for stuff like heavy video editing or coding, etc.

This laptop will appeal to writers, students, and people who just want a family laptop to do normal things like homework, paying bills, video calls, and browsing the internet. It can also do a good level of gaming.

The specs are superb. Great hardware – certainly much better than anything you’d see in a Windows laptop at this price point. As for software, the Neo runs on the Apple A18 Pro chip, which is used to power the iPhone 16. Truly, we are living in incredible times – a laptop being run (and being run superbly) on an iPhone chip.

At €699, the Neo is supremely affordable. Features-wise, it stands head and shoulders above the Windows laptops in the same price range. And it certainly beats any and every Chromebook in that price range.

There are, of course, compromises. Compared to its bigger brothers, the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro, there are some things the Neo does not have.

For example, it does not have Thunderbolt ports; it has two USB ports instead – USB 2 and USB 3. But this does not matter. The typical person using a Neo will not care about this. (Thunderbolt ports ensure faster data transfer speeds, but if you’re not doing anything requiring such features (e.g. heavy video editing), you won’t care much about this.)

Also, unlike the Air and the Pro, the Neo can power only one external display. But this is also OK. I don’t see the typical Neo user having a need to connect their laptop to two monitors at the same time.

Like the Air and the Pro, the Neo has the Apple Magic Keyboard. However, unlike those two laptops, the Neo’s keyboard is not backlit. Again, I don’t think this is too much of an issue. Yes, it would be nice to have a backlit keyboard, but, when you consider the price of the Neo, this compromise is well worth it.

The speakers are also not as great as those in the other two MacBooks, but they do a decent job.

The Neo does not have True Tone – that feature that adjusts the lighting depending on the background. But, really, given its price point, you wouldn’t expect it to contain such a premium feature. And, another point: the Neo has 500 nits of maximum brightness.  This is a bit of a step down from the Air and the Pro, but it’s generally OK – with 500 nits of brightness, the screen still has good visual quality in direct sunlight or under harsh lighting.

There’s been a lot of comment about the Neo having only 8GB Unified Memory, with no option for upgrade. However, this is actually enough GB for the intended use case of the Neo. Various tests have shown that the Neo performs more than capably with normal tasks, only beginning to lag when pushed to take on tasks for which it is not intended, for example, editing heavy 4K videos or handling serious coding projects.

As for SSD storage, there are two options – 256GB and 512GB. The latter comes with an additional price tag of €100. The 256GB option also comes with Touch ID – that feature that lets you use your fingerprint to unlock your laptop, authorise App Store purchases, and pay with Apple Pay. Personally, I’d go for the 512GB, also for the benefit of having Touch ID. And yes, 256GB is a bit on the low side in this day and age, but if you’re already using iCloud, that really shouldn’t matter.

So, should you get the Neo?

  • If you already have a MacBook Air, I’d say don’t bother. The Air is a superior laptop, and just as light and portable. So, no need to get the Neo.
  • If you already have a MacBook Pro, also don’t bother. The Pro is a far superior product. However, it is quite heavy, compared to the Neo. So, if you want a second laptop, something lighter you can take on the road with you, then yes, get the Neo. The MacBook Pro can then stay home and be used for more complex tasks, and you can take the Neo when out and about.
  • If you’ve never had a MacBook before, and you’re in the market for a new laptop, then this is an extremely affordable entry into the high-quality world of MacBooks. Get the Neo; you’ll be glad you did. 

The Neo also comes in some wonderful colours. I love the citrus one. It’s sharp and eye catching, a fitting way to announce this new product.

Expect to see and hear a lot more about the Neo in the days ahead. Apple has created a truly great product.