Everyday Performance Meets Long Battery Life in Apple’s MacBook Neo

Apple just revealed the MacBook Neo, a laptop that offers the full Mac experience at a price most people can afford. Starting at $599, this device provides opportunities for students, families, and anyone new to the Apple world without breaking the bank.

The Neo will be powered by the A18 Pro chip, which is also found in the latest iPhones. That decision helps to keep costs down while still providing adequate speed for daily chores. Browsing the web is 50% faster than most Windows laptops in this price range, photo editing is substantially faster, and on-device AI tools can handle tasks such as organizing your notes or cleaning up images without requiring them to be uploaded to the cloud. The processor includes a 6 core CPU, a 5 core GPU, and a 16 core Neural Engine to ensure that all of the magic happens smoothly.

At the center of the design is a 13-inch Liquid Retina display with a respectable 2408 by 1506 resolution, bright enough to reach 500 nits, and a 1 billion color range for clear text and vibrant graphics. There is no notch that obscures the vision, and an anti-glare coating makes it simpler to use in brighter surroundings. Apple offers four colors: blush, indigo, silver, and citrus, all of which look great on the aluminum body; the Magic Keyboard also matches.

The chassis is manufactured from 90% recycled aluminum and cutting-edge techniques have decreased material waste in half. The weight comes in at a comfortable 2.7 pounds, making it easy to transport; the rounded corners help with grip; and because it is fanless, you can operate it in complete silence. The Multi-Touch trackpad is huge and allows you to click anywhere on its surface, making it ideal for scrolling, swiping, and pinching. The keyboard is ideal for typing, and Touch ID is available with the $699 edition, which includes 512GB of storage.

According to Apple’s tests, the battery life lasts up to 16 hours when browsing the web or streaming videos. There are dual-sided speakers that support Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos for fuller sound. A 1080p FaceTime camera and directional microphones combine to keep background noise out of your calls.

Connectivity-wise, you get two USB-C ports: one for USB 3 speeds and external display output, and the other for USB 2. There is also a headphone jack. Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 6 manage wireless connections. There is no MagSafe port, so charging is done via the USB-C port.

If you own an iPhone, you’ll like Continuity, which allows you to work seamlessly between your iPhone and Mac. Handoff allows you to start something on your MacBook Neo and continue where you left off on your iPhone. The Universal Clipboard also simplifies copying and pasting between devices. You can even mirror your iPhone to your MacBook Neo, allowing you to watch and interact with it directly on your Mac. For those making the jump to Mac for the first time, you can use your iPhone to quickly migrate all of your settings, files, images, passwords, and more, all without lifting a finger.

The base configuration includes 8GB of unified memory and a 256GB SSD, positioning the Neo below the MacBook Air in the lineup. Pre-orders begin immediately on Apple’s website and app in 30 countries, and shipments begin on March 11th. Education pricing reduces it to $499, and Apple is also currently running trade-in programs to get you credit toward the purchase.