Hands-On With the New MacBook Neo

[MacRumors]

Apple introduced an all-new affordable Mac today, the MacBook Neo. Members of the media were invited to try the new device and other Apple products at events in New York, Shanghai, and London, and MacRumors' videographer Dan Barbera was in attendance. Dan was able to see the MacBook Neo in person, as well as other devices like the new Studio Display XDR.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.​

The MacBook Neo looks and feels a lot like the MacBook Air, because it's almost the same size and has an aluminum chassis. It's thicker than the MacBook Air, but it has a 13-inch display, and it also weighs 2.7 pounds.

Apple designed the MacBook Neo from the ground up, and it comes in some fun colors like Silver, Indigo, Blush, and Citrus. Each of the notebooks has a color matched keyboard and trackpad, but the keyboard has no backlighting and the trackpad isn't the higher-end Force Touch trackpad Apple uses in its other Macs. It's a physical trackpad with an actual click rather than haptic feedback for presses.

There is no notch, with Apple instead adopting an iPad-style design with thicker bezels that house the front-facing camera. Speakers are located on the exterior sides of the device, which is new, and Spatial Audio is supported. The MacBook Neo has a bit of a cheaper feel compared to the MacBook Air or MacBook Pro because of the thicker bezels and the changes to the trackpad, but it is still an excellent machine for the price.

Apple used the A18 Pro chip in the MacBook Neo, which is technically an iPhone chip. It was first introduced in the iPhone 16 Pro, and while it's a powerful chip, it doesn't match the performance of Apple's newer M-series chips. There's only 8GB RAM included, and 60GB/s memory bandwidth, half that of the MacBook Air.

Apple says the MacBook Neo is up to 50 percent faster for everyday tasks than the bestselling PC with an Intel Core Ultra 5 chip, which is an apt comparison because this is aimed at people who might instead buy a lower-cost Windows laptop or Chromebook. The MacBook Neo is up to two times faster at photo editing, and three times faster when it comes to on-device AI workloads, according to Apple.

You get a Retina quality display, but only 500 nits brightness and no add-on features like True Tone or P3 Wide color. There are two USB-C ports, but only one is USB3 with DisplayPort 1.4 support. You can connect a single 4K 60Hz display to the MacBook Neo.

Battery life is a little low for a device the size of a MacBook Air with an A-series chip, and it lasts for up to 16 hours. Bluetooth 6 and Wi-Fi 6E are supported, so it is compatible with 6GHz networks.

We'll have more in-depth hands-on coverage of the MacBook Neo and Apple's other new products next week.

Article Link: Hands-On With the New MacBook Neo

 

[zachz]

I really wish they colour matched it with the iMac colours, particularly the "yellow" since citrus looks... weird

Either way, amazing value, especially with the education discount, and the design looks fresh. I have a 16" MBP, but really want to get one of these as I've been contemplating getting an iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard to have something smaller and easier to take around... ah I don't know what to do.

 

[Plutonius]

I find it strange that Apple is highlighting the colors above anything else.

 

[appleguy123]

My hope for a radically thin Apple silicon MacBook lives on. 🙏🏻

 

[repoman016]

I find it strange that Apple is highlighting the colors above anything else.

Trying to reach the "we don't know what specs mean but that color is sick" crowd

 

[M4irmidnight]

“

Apple introduced an all-new affordable Mac today, the MacBook Neo. Members of the media were invited to try the new device and other Apple products at events in New York, Shanghai, and London, and MacRumors' videographer Dan Barbera was in attendance. Dan was able to see the MacBook Neo in person, as well as other devices like the new Studio Display XDR.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.​

The MacBook Neo looks and feels a lot like the MacBook Air, because it's almost the same size and has an aluminum chassis. It's thicker than the MacBook Air, but it has a 13-inch display, and it also weighs 2.7 pounds.

Apple designed the MacBook Neo from the ground up, and it comes in some fun colors like Silver, Indigo, Blush, and Citrus. Each of the notebooks has a color matched keyboard and trackpad, but the keyboard has no backlighting and the trackpad isn't the higher-end Force Touch trackpad Apple uses in its other Macs. It's a physical trackpad with an actual click rather than haptic feedback for presses, and it doesn't support multitouch gestures.

There is no notch, with Apple instead adopting an iPad-style design with thicker bezels that house the front-facing camera. Speakers are located on the exterior sides of the device, which is new, and Spatial Audio is supported. The MacBook Neo has a bit of a cheaper feel compared to the MacBook Air or MacBook Pro because of the thicker bezels and the changes to the trackpad, but it is still an excellent machine for the price.

Apple used the A18 Pro chip in the MacBook Neo, which is technically an iPhone chip. It was first introduced in the iPhone 16 Pro, and while it's a powerful chip, it doesn't match the performance of Apple's newer M-series chips. There's only 8GB RAM included, and 60GB/s memory bandwidth, half that of the MacBook Air.

Apple says the MacBook Neo is up to 50 percent faster for everyday tasks than the bestselling PC with an Intel Core Ultra 5 chip, which is an apt comparison because this is aimed at people who might instead buy a lower-cost Windows laptop or Chromebook. The MacBook Neo is up to two times faster at photo editing, and three times faster when it comes to on-device AI workloads, according to Apple.

You get a Retina quality display, but only 500 nits brightness and no add-on features like True Tone or P3 Wide color. There are two USB-C ports, but only one is USB3 with DisplayPort 1.4 support. You can connect a single 4K 60Hz display to the MacBook Neo.

Battery life is a little low for a device the size of a MacBook Air with an A-series chip, and it lasts for up to 16 hours. Bluetooth 6 and Wi-Fi 6E are supported, so it is compatible with 6GHz networks.

We'll have more in-depth hands-on coverage of the MacBook Neo and Apple's other new products next week.

Article Link: Hands-On With the New MacBook Neo

“Thicker than MacBook Air”

Impossible! I was told in several videos by MaxTech that this was going to be the original 12 inch MacBook reborn ! Thin and light!

Jokes aside, I commented several times on those clickbait videos that it was not going to be the same thin frame and he told me I was wrong. Ha

 

[mschottg]

I thought it supported multitouch gestures.

 

[mistermacattack]

Apple's site says:

• Multi-Touch trackpad for precise cursor control and support for gestures

 

[bradman83]

If Apple spec bumps this in 12-18 months with an A19 Pro with 12 GB of RAM but keeps the price the same that will make this even more of a value.

 

[abatabia]

It sure is adorable. Really meant as a Chromebook alternative for students.

 

[abowlby]

Give me a Core i5 Ultra device over this any day. Far better multi-thread performance for sustained workloads, TB4 and PCIe support. And what does 50% better at everyday tasks mean? Like opening email? That has been instantaneous on laptops for 10 years, if not longer.

Yeah, just get an Air.

 

[MultiFinder17]

It's a physical trackpad with an actual click rather than haptic feedback for presses, and it doesn't support multitouch gestures.

Apple's spec site says that it does indeed support gestures.

 

[Ma2k5]

I was really hoping this would be for me but it’s not enough of a differentiator to a MacBook Air other than being a cheaper less able Air. If it was smaller (12”) and/or had more battery life but with the lower performance, I could justify buying it. If I had no MacBook Air, I may be tempted to buy this or would I have just got a cheaper M2/M3/M4?

Good for someone who doesn’t have a MacBook Air but can’t afford it - but who knows if it’s a good enough proposition compared to an older M model air given that it doesn’t seem to really beat the Air in portability or battey life.

 

[Eric_WVGG]

My hope for a radically thin Apple silicon MacBook lives on. 🙏🏻

yeah, I was hoping for a return of the 12" Macbook. All set to buy one as a burner/travel lappy.

Glad that this is here for the people who need it. Guess I'll have to take that $700 I put aside, roll it up and smoke it like ditch weed.

 

[Radeon85]

They've essentially made a netbook, a category that died out years ago and Apple said they would never enter.

 

[LeeW]

My wife is still using and refusing to part with her original M1 MacBook Air with 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD. It's better than this NEO but it will still do well for the majority.

People, many on here, will tell you they need more, they don't, they just want the latest and best devices. This is totally fine for the masses.

 

[MacMorrison]

They saw Microsoft's weakness with Windows 11 problems and took their shot.

 

[pettit03]

Magically connects to iPhone

Built from the ground up

😂

 

[Chomp81]

Same price as an iPad Air M4; interesting.
Of course, the difference is the keyboard, mouse and MacOS; but I can't see why to choose the Neo over the iPad Air

Thinking for someone not tech savvy

 

[turbineseaplane]

My wife is still using and refusing to part with her original M1 MacBook Air with 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD. It's better than this NEO but it will still do well for the majority.

People, many on here, will tell you they need more, they don't, they just want the latest and best devices. This is totally fine for the masses.

Shouldn't something new be a lot better than a 6 year old M1 MBA though?

 

[EM2013]

My wife is still using and refusing to part with her original M1 MacBook Air with 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD. It's better than this NEO but it will still do well for the majority.

People, many on here, will tell you they need more, they don't, they just want the latest and best devices. This is totally fine for the masses.

I’d rather pay more and have something that’ll be more capable, faster, and last longer than something cheap that’ll be slow in a few years.

 

[DPL145$]

Just waiting for the cry baby poser wankers to appear moaning how this can’t process 8k video files in an instant….damn, Apple produces a cheap notebook aimed at kids or those just wanting to write simple school papers, take notes, watch a youtube video and the poser crowd goes nuts with complaints. No this isn’t intended for major coding projects, photo and video editing and if you were a real heavy user you already know that fact and do not hang around chat rooms pretending you are……

 

[gthompson20]

"My wife is still using and refusing to part with her original M1 MacBook Air with 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD. It's better than this NEO but it will still do well for the majority."

It actually benchmarks better than the M1.

 

[EugW]

I still remember having to disassemble my MacBook to fix its sticking mechanical trackpad.

I am surprised. I would have guessed that a haptic trackpad is cheaper than a mechanical one with less chance of warranty work needed, but that may be incorrect if Apple is putting a mechanical trackpad in its cheapest Mac.

 

[abowlby]

They've essentially made a netbook, a category that died out years ago and Apple said they would never enter.

I used to have a soundboard with a clip of Steve Jobs saying "netbooks aren't better at ANYTHING."

I loved that quote and the way he said it.