Resolved A lot of you are missing the Point of the NEO and the people who will buy it.

[Cyberguycpt]

I see some discourse around the Neo and why people would buy it over a Refurbished or new Air and wanted to share my point of view.

As someone who recently purchased a Neo, I can say I was in no way in the market to purchase a Laptop, and I think there is a huge percentage of people like myself. I owned a MacBook Pro a few years ago and ended up selling it as I didn’t find much value in it compared to the price it cost and how much I used it. So if it had not been for the Neo and getting it for $599 with the educational discount I simply would not have bought any MacBook. I can almost guarantee a huge user base of the Neo will be new first time Mac users or people coming back to the OS, and that’s definitely good for app development and OS support.

Another big group will be people who have been holding on to there aging MacBooks that finally find value in upgrading, especially the ones that aren’t comfortable with buying refurbished tech. Just saw a video on TT and a lady was replacing her MacBook from 2012, 14 years ago. Her own husband even tried to push her into an Air but she felt content with the Neo.

So far I’m liking my NEO, I thought there would be a learning curve since I haven’t own a Mac in a while I guess it’s just like riding a bike. I definitely think the Neo will be the best seller of all three Laptops this year and I’m looking forward to it getting some spec updates with the next iteration.

 

[bevsb2]

There are people on the forum strongly recommending a refurbished Air over the Neo. There seems to be a lot of interest in the Neo for multiple reasons and it will probably sell very well. My question to those saying get a refurbished Air instead is how many refurbished Airs are actually available. Very few listed on the Apple website which is the only place I would buy a refurbished device and they are a lot more expensive than a Neo.

 

[ivnj]

I am also waiting for NEO 2. If NEO 2 is still 599 but adds extra ram and ports or upgraded ports I might buy.

Aldo resale value is important. If NEO 1 gives at least half back then not bad. If less then no thank you.

Resale value is weird however. My M1 base 256/8 mini was worth 230 after four years almost exactly. My M4 mini base 256/16 is worth only 60 more at 290 after 1 year and 4 months and 8 days. Not even 1 and a half year.

But if it stays at 290 when m5 mini is out then it's not bad. Same for NEO if it's good resale then I might get NEO 2.

 

[Jeweller]

I am also waiting for NEO 2. If NEO 2 is still 599 but adds extra ram and ports or upgraded ports I might buy.

Aldo resale value is important. If NEO 1 gives at least half back then not bad. If less then no thank you.

Resale value is weird however. My M1 base 256/8 mini was worth 230 after four years almost exactly. My M4 mini base 256/16 is worth only 60 more at 290 after 1 year and 4 months and 8 days. Not even 1 and a half year.

But if it stays at 290 when m5 mini is out then it's not bad. Same for NEO if it's good resale then I might get NEO 2.

Seems like a stressful way to live, your way of thinking about price points. Why wait for the Neo 2 when you can have the Neo 1 today (if you even really need it)?

 

[JPack]

The product page and press release make it as clear as day it’s for new to Mac users.

All the comments about the missing features from MBA/MBP completely miss the point of the product. The price unlocks a huge number of PC users interested in a Mac but previously inaccessible due to price.

 

[snipr125]

The product page and press release make it as clear as day it’s for new to Mac users.

All the comments about the missing features from MBA/MBP completely miss the point of the product. The price unlocks a huge number of PC users interested in a Mac but previously inaccessible due to price.

I honestly don't think it will actually convert that many Windows/PC users to Mac OS, just purely because of habit and software compatibility. Also the Neo is not that cheap really at £600-£700, whereas you can get Windows laptops for a lot less.

 

[bapegg]

I have a Dell Inspiron laptop that is very comparable to the Neo in price. But the performance difference is very noticeable with the Neo outperforming the Inspiron. Plus the build quality between the two is huge.

The Neo is perfect for those that want to get into MacOS and those Mac users that don't need the power of a MBA or MBP.

It boggles my mind why people are hating on the Neo so much. If it isn't for you then buy something else. No need to complain, bash, or hate on people that do buy the Neo.

 

[4sallypat]

.....
It boggles my mind why people are hating on the Neo so much. If it isn't for you then buy something else. No need to complain, bash, or hate on people that do buy the Neo.

Yes, agree!

From someone who has been in IT for over 30 years - Apple owner for over 40 years - I am just bewildered by all the negativity, fear mongering and telling strangers not to buy a Neo.

Very odd from where I come from and what my parents taught me values - supporting everyone's decisions on what fits and what doesn't.

 

[bapegg]

Very odd from where I come from and what my parents taught me values - supporting everyone's decisions on what fits and what doesn't.

I was raised the same way.

Going to show my age a bit. When I was going through school and the short time I worked in network administration, The backbone was always 100 Mbps and all clients were at 10 Mbps. Those that needed better performance used higher spec computers while everyone else used thin clients.

Like with anything, buy what you like and don't worry about what others buy.

 

[ivnj]

Seems like a stressful way to live, your way of thinking about price points. Why wait for the Neo 2 when you can have the Neo 1 today (if you even really need it)?

I don't need it right now. That is why I am waiting for a better version. If NEO 2 is better then it's worth replacing. If not I wait and keep what I have or go with something else.

 

[JPack]

I honestly don't think it will actually convert that many Windows/PC users to Mac OS, just purely because of habit and software compatibility. Also the Neo is not that cheap really at £600-£700, whereas you can get Windows laptops for a lot less.

I agree there's a lot of friction and won't be a wholesale exodus from Windows users - probably just a few million (single digits) users annually. And some of that will be cannibalization from iPad and MacBook Air.

Overall, the Neo will be a slow burn because it's the first‑time computer buyers (especially students) that will Apple will capture. What Neo will do is gradually rebalance the Mac/Windows ratio over the next 5-10 years.

 

[KPOM]

I agree there's a lot of friction and won't be a wholesale exodus from Windows users - probably just a few million (single digits) users annually. And some of that will be cannibalization from iPad and MacBook Air.

Overall, the Neo will be a slow burn because it's the first‑time computer buyers (especially students) that will Apple will capture. What Neo will do is gradually rebalance the Mac/Windows ratio over the next 5-10 years.

But even a few million is a big deal. Apple sold about 20 million Macs last year. And while there will be some cannibalization with the Air, there will also be upsells. Plus, in a few years some buyers will replace the Neo with an Air.

 

[Zazoh]

What gets me, is there are scores of people here saying you can’t do xyz on a Neo and 100s of us here already doing it. Even more strange is why come to a MacBook Neo category if you are not curious or interested in learning about the experience? It appears the few just come to be contrarians.

 

[Abazigal]

Somehow, I don't think Apple is losing any sleep over whether people buy a Macbook Neo or a refurbished Macbook. Either way, Apple wins.

 

[Apple_Robert]

What gets me, is there are scores of people here saying you can’t do xyz on a Neo and 100s of us here already doing it. Even more strange is why come to a MacBook Neo category if you are not curious or interested in learning about the experience? It appears the few just come to be contrarians.

It is always the case here on MR, which is rather perplexing given that it involves people who are supposed to be grown up adults. The spiteful and hateful rhetoric mostly comes from the MBP. The same kind of thing happened with the Air. For some reason, many in the MBP can't stand that people using cheaper computers are happy and able to do many of the same things those who use a Mac who are also complaining this, that, and the other isn't "pro" enough.

 

[montuori]

I have a theory about "the people who will buy it": my suspicion is that there is a strong effort on Apple's part to reach people outside of North America and Western Europe. It's just a hunch but consider:

- The price is very attractive. Not cheap but almost half of an entry level MBA and that's not nothing.
- The colors!
- The name: "Neo" is easily pronounced across lots of languages.
- The repairability. From what I've seen these are easily fixed without lots of specialized tools.

And at heart it's a capable and well built Mac. We could argue forever about compromises but the reality is that this is a machine that'll do a whole lot of work.

I could be well off the mark and I'm in no way saying that non-US folks don't go out and buy a top of the line MBPs. I do think that selling to new(-ish) markets might require a particular set of features beyond what Apple has traditionally provided and the Neo seems to hit a few of the more obvious ones.

 

[Technerd108]

Of course for the Edu market where they also get bulk order discounts on top of EDU pricing. Also eventually these will hit refurbished Apple sales as well. There will be sales later this year. So this will tear into the Chromebook market more than Windows.

This is huge. I would much rather my kids use a Neo over a Chromebook and Googles tentacles into everything my child does and learns.

Also for those with limited funds who were relegated to either an iPad or a used MacBook can now get a MacBook with similar quality and features to the entry iPad. Non laminated screens are used on iPad and I don't see similar complaints as I do with the Neo.

The Neo lacks some key features like backlit keyboard, haptic trackpad, higher ram and bandwidth. The only thing I think Apple should include in future releases is backlight on the keyboard. Otherwise they need a delineation between lines or else everyone would just buy the Neo over the Air.

To me this makes the line of Apple products more clear between entry, middle and high end. Before the air was more confusing and now it sits clearly in the middle and the Pro is clearly at the top with each line having clear differences that in my opinion justify the cost differences between each and offer a lot of value at all price points!

I hope Apple continues to add even more value to the low end as it is beneficial for everyone and is something only Apple can do with hardware and software integration.

 

[davidg4781]

I have a Dell Inspiron laptop that is very comparable to the Neo in price. But the performance difference is very noticeable with the Neo outperforming the Inspiron. Plus the build quality between the two is huge.

The Neo is perfect for those that want to get into MacOS and those Mac users that don't need the power of a MBA or MBP.

It boggles my mind why people are hating on the Neo so much. If it isn't for you then buy something else. No need to complain, bash, or hate on people that do buy the Neo.

I have a feeling that the people hating on the Neo are "newer" Apple users that think they're better than everyone else and feel part of the elite. Maybe the ones that first grew up on iPhones in their teenage years and later on got a MacBook Air or Pro. And now they're seeing the "peasants" who are able to buy a very capable and nice looking Mac for $500.

And they moan about it missing features when a lot of our first iBooks and MacBooks didn't have them and we got along just fine.

I've read some of them saying they won't be able to open more than 5 tabs or run apps where he's my 2010 MBP with 26 tabs open. I don't remember how much RAM I had at that time but that was 16 years ago. But if that Mac could handle it, so could the Neo without breaking a sweat.

A few years ago when my mini died, I was left without a Mac. Actually that was around 2020, right before M1. I could not bring myself to pay that much for a Mac when all was doing was browsing websites, doing Word/Excel type work, banking, and playing some older games every few months. If the Neo was out, I absolutely would've bought that and would probably still be using it.

"Let them eat cake!" - Tim Cook, maybe.

 

[4sallypat]

It is always the case here on MR, which is rather perplexing given that it involves people who are supposed to be grown up adults. The spiteful and hateful rhetoric mostly comes from the MBP. The same kind of thing happened with the Air. For some reason, many in the MBP can't stand that people using cheaper computers are happy and able to do many of the same things those who use a Mac who are also complaining this, that, and the other isn't "pro" enough.

Oh yes I do still feel that "hate" for the iPhone Air on this forum - now I use Discord to get a neutral balance and healthy comments from like minded Apple owners (Yay The Area....).....

MR members who are in the staunch "pro" group seem to hate anything Apple makes for non pro folks - like the Neo.

Maybe they are NOT adults - rather they are children ?
If so, then I'd understand their views coming from uneducated and uninformed brains ?

 

[montuori]

If so, then I'd understand their views coming from uneducated and uninformed brains ?

Eh. I'd put it out there that there's a hard to overcome bias toward believing that more money spent equates to better result (and we all want the best results). The same attitude crops up in lots of communities: if you spend more on a drum kit, you're a better drummer; spend more on a motorcycle, you are a more dedicated rider; and so on.

The "you can't do real work on a Neo" crowd is not any different than "you can't cook unless you have a fancy kitchen." Sure, you can't sous vide without gear just like you can't run a LLM without the hardware but that's just cherry picking a particular example and extrapolating to the entire field. Most pro cooks I know have craptastic kitchens (one, notably, with only two working burners on their 1970s era stove) but still crank out excellent food.

Biases run deep and are largely unconscious. I'd rather attribute the attitude to this than actual ignorance (or maliciousness).

 

[4sallypat]

Eh. I'd put it out there that there's a hard to overcome bias toward believing that more money spent equates to better result (and we all want the best results). The same attitude crops up in lots of communities: if you spend more on a drum kit, you're a better drummer; spend more on a motorcycle, you are a more dedicated rider; and so on.

The "you can't do real work on a Neo" crowd is not any different than "you can't cook unless you have a fancy kitchen." Sure, you can't sous vide without gear just like you can't run a LLM without the hardware but that's just cherry picking a particular example and extrapolating to the entire field. Most pro cooks I know have craptastic kitchens (one, notably, with only two working burners on their 1970s era stove) but still crank out excellent food.

Biases run deep and are largely unconscious. I'd rather attribute the attitude to this than actual ignorance (or maliciousness).

Well said and 100% agree - are you by chance a psychologist ?

My co-worker is a school psychologist and said pretty much the same you did but without the side by side comparisons.

Neo is definitely upsetting to many hard core Mac users probably due to the price point.

So happy that Neo is going to make inroads into education.

Our school district is purchasing 1000 base Neos for our staff and faculty which pretty much says a lot.

 

[bapegg]

I keep seeing comments about how the Neo is not for anyone on this forum and that is also wrong. There are plenty of us here that bought a Neo knowing what the specs are and also knowing the Neo fits our individual needs.

The Neo is not for everyone and that is perfectly fine. But the snobbery and bitterness against the Neo is crazy all because people aren't buying the top of the line MacBook. Not everyone needs top of the line.

 

[Cyberguycpt]

I keep seeing comments about how the Neo is not for anyone on this forum and that is also wrong. There are plenty of us here that bought a Neo knowing what the specs are and also knowing the Neo fits our individual needs.

The Neo is not for everyone and that is perfectly fine. But the snobbery and bitterness against the Neo is crazy all because people aren't buying the top of the line MacBook. Not everyone needs top of the line.

Exactly, like I said before, for me it’s the NEO or nothing at all. I’ve owned the MacBook Pro and that’s too much of a machine for what I do. I have an IPad Pro and IPhone Pro Max. What’s crazy is that not owning a Laptop in years I now realize how much better the experience can be on a computer over a mobile device in many cases, but not $1100 better or $2000 .

 

[chrono1081]

100% agree. Too many people don't realize what the average user needs/wants. This is a perfect laptop for so many people and at an affordable price, something Macs didn't have before.

I know people will say "But Air's go on sale and can be only a few hundred more!" but for a lot of people, a few hundred dollars puts them out of reach of a computer entirely. A few hundred is a lot to some people especially if they only need the basics.

 

[bapegg]

100% agree. Too many people don't realize what the average user needs/wants. This is a perfect laptop for so many people and at an affordable price, something Macs didn't have before.

I know people will say "But Air's go on sale and can be only a few hundred more!" but for a lot of people, a few hundred dollars puts them out of reach of a computer entirely. A few hundred is a lot to some people especially if they only need the basics.

I would have had to wait and save up to get the MBA. The Neo fits my needs and budget.

And I will freely admit that I did not need to get 24 GB of RAM in my M4 Mac mini. I also determined that I did not need all of the power of the iPad Pro so I replaced my 2018 Pro with a M3 Air.