MacBook Neo Disrupts a PC Market in Decline, IDC Says

[MacRumors]

The global memory shortage that has already squeezed Mac mini and Mac Studio supply is now set to weigh heavily on the broader PC market, with IDC forecasting an 11.3% decline in global shipments for 2026.

According to IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker, conditions are expected to worsen progressively through the fourth quarter, when shipments are forecast to fall 20% year-over-year, with no meaningful relief expected before the end of 2027. Average selling prices are rising and PC manufacturers are struggling to maintain full product portfolios.

The first quarter of 2026 offered a deceptively encouraging signal, with shipments growing 3% versus the same period last year, but that strength was largely artificial; both consumer and commercial buyers pulled purchases forward ahead of anticipated price increases and availability constraints. Some of that first quarter momentum is carrying into the second quarter, but the remaining quarters are expected to deteriorate. IDC forecasts average selling price growth of 17% in 2026, and even as memory capacity expands over the next two years, pricing is unlikely to return to 2025 levels. TrendForce previously warned that surging memory and CPU costs could push mainstream laptop prices up by nearly 40% this year.

Against that backdrop, Apple's MacBook Neo has driven stronger-than-expected notebook demand and prompted IDC to revise its notebook forecast upward. Launched in March at $599, the MacBook Neo pairs the A18 Pro chip with 8GB of memory and targets the sub-$700 notebook segment. This market accounts for approximately 75 million units annually, nearly 40% of total notebook volume, which is a tier historically dominated by Windows and ChromeOS devices.

The MacBook Neo's competitive ripple effects cut both ways. IDC said the device is "putting real pressure on the entire PC ecosystem," and expects rivals to respond with new silicon, a more efficient OS from Microsoft, and aggressive promotional pricing. The competitive pressure from the MacBook Neo is providing a partial offset to broader price increases, keeping some low-cost notebook options alive, though the overall average selling price trajectory remains firmly upward.

While rising memory costs are pushing many PC vendors toward higher-priced systems or forcing specification cuts to defend lower price points, Apple has moved in the opposite direction. The memory shortage has had a more direct impact on Apple's higher-end Mac models, with Mac mini and Mac Studio models seeing configuration cuts and significant shipping delays as the company struggles to secure supply.

Article Link: MacBook Neo Disrupts a PC Market in Decline, IDC Says

 

[lepetitnicolas]

Apple followed their white rabbit and it worked.

 

[mrhick01]

If the fate of PC computing is left up to the likes of Nvidia and Microsoft, they will snatch computing out of human hands and place everyone under a perpetual subscription model. Who wants that?

Whether it was strategic bungling, product conservatism, wise planning, or some crazy combination of all three, Apple has a model of sane AI compute that can be secure and run from a desktop/laptop. They can potentially turn this wicked desire of massive AI power centers that hoard resources and make utilities more expensive for humans worldwide on its head.

Whoda thunk a $599 well-built computer could do that?

 

[hugodrax]

The end goal is dumb terminals and paying for timeshare services on multimillion dollar systems like in the 1970s before the PC revolution.

 

[IIGS User]

Everything got too expensive. From cars to computers and now people aren't spending their money unless they see real value in it.

The Neo came along at just the right time. Budgets are tight, people want perceived value. The Neo is relatively cheap. It's well constructed and it runs Mac OS.

Consumers often see Apple products as a "premium" purchase. Usually priced above the competition due to the fact it is a better product both from a physical and a software standpoint. The Neo offers both. No wonder it's selling in droves.

And what a way to "suck" people into the Apple ecosystem. Lots of people with iPhones who had only MSFT powered computers will get to see how easy it is to move between your phone and your computer with you iCloud account for things like passwords, email, etc. It brings in customers that will generate future sales.

If the new Siri is any good (that's a big IF) and it pulls together all the stuff on your phone and makes it so you're not dancing between your computer and your phone for all your stuff. Like you would have to do on a Windows box. It'll end up being revolutionary.

Kudos to Apple and whoever there came up with this one. It's clearly a winner.

 

[Astuces iOS]

With 8gb of ram, Apple shouldn’t allow it to run macOS 27 beta… every kid will install it and brick their mac

 

[raindogg]

All this for AI Farms no one wanted and will ultimately harm us all.

 

[djc6]

a more efficient OS from Microsoft

interesting, I hadn't thought that the memory shortage might result in developers prioritizing efficiency again, since we can no longer just throw more RAM at any memory leaks/etc.

 

[CharlesShaw]

MacBook Neo Disrupts Equilibrium Among Forum Readers, CharlesShaw Says

 

[Dirk Pieters]

Everything got too expensive. From cars to computers and now people aren't spending their money unless they see real value in it.

The Neo came along at just the right time. Budgets are tight, people want perceived value. The Neo is relatively cheap. It's well constructed and it runs Mac OS.

Consumers often see Apple products as a "premium" purchase. Usually priced above the competition due to the fact it is a better product both from a physical and a software standpoint. The Neo offers both. No wonder it's selling in droves.

And what a way to "suck" people into the Apple ecosystem. Lots of people with iPhones who had only MSFT powered computers will get to see how easy it is to move between your phone and your computer with you iCloud account for things like passwords, email, etc. It brings in customers that will generate future sales.

If the new Siri is any good (that's a big IF) and it pulls together all the stuff on your phone and makes it so you're not dancing between your computer and your phone for all your stuff. Like you would have to do on a Windows box. It'll end up being revolutionary.

Kudos to Apple and whoever there came up with this one. It's clearly a winner.

Could not agree more. Apple hit the nail on the head with pretty much everything: design, price, timing of release and naming of the device.

Calling it MacBook Neo instead of just MacBook really gave it that extra bump. Genius.

 

[con2apple]

Of course, this also puts pressure on Apple to finally develop better software.

Because if the message at WWDC is, “Half the upgrades are only available for 16 GB+” or the Neo is already considered obsolete by 2027, then Apple is going to face massive problems.

 

[hugodrax]

All this for AI Farms no one wanted and will ultimately harm us all.

They AI farms are not for you/us. That's the mistaken assumption people are making and the Media is insuring to keep the messaging going that all these AI farms are for chatbots.

The AI farms will be used for mass surveillance and future technical enforcement systems.

 

[now i see it]

Blame it on Open Ai. They started this ai data center buildout frenzy

 

[triumvirate]

interesting, I hadn't thought that the memory shortage might result in developers prioritizing efficiency again, since we can no longer just throw more RAM at any memory leaks/etc.

This was something I’ve been thinking about lately. Developers will be forced to constrain the RAM requirements of their apps if the RAM issue continues on into 2027/2028 or beyond. I’d say Microsoft would be forced to write more efficient code, but I could also say that unicorns will bring you $5 million.

Either way I’m glad I dropped in for a 24gb MBA this year lol

 

[Mikegwald]

With 8gb of ram, Apple shouldn’t allow it to run macOS 27 beta… every kid will install it and brick their mac

Are you new to Mac? You have a lot to learn. macOS 27 will run even better than 26 on the same hardware.

 

[dominiongamma]

Are you new to Mac? You have a lot to learn. macOS 27 will run even better than 26 on the same hardware.

Still doesn’t excuse Apple putting only 8 gb of Ram in the Neo, Apple should give the option to add more

 

[StuBeck]

Not sure why its just Microsoft people are talking about with efficient code. Other developers have to do it too. I'm sure its not available now, but I bought a mini desktop earlier this year with Win 11 and 16 GB of RAM for $110, with laptop versions available for around $200-250. They won't be as good as the Neo, but its also got some headroom in RAM the Neo doesn't have.

I also hope the RAM crisis will be over at some point, I remember the issues in the 90s and 2000s which lasted a bit and then the manufacturing ramped up again.

 

[racerhomie]

With 8gb of ram, Apple shouldn’t allow it to run macOS 27 beta… every kid will install it and brick their mac

Get some sleep dude. The world is still working fine with 8GB of RAM

 

[Biro]

Still doesn’t excuse Apple putting only 8 gb of Ram in the Neo, Apple should give the option to add more

Wrong. More RAM means higher prices… which destroys the Neo’s reason for being. The Neo works just fine for those who are buying it. But many want “just a little bit more.” The base MacBook Air with 16 GB of RAM is on sale now for $899. There’s the machine for you. I just bought one myself.

 

[jlc1978]

Still doesn’t excuse Apple putting only 8 gb of Ram in the Neo, Apple should give the option to add more

While that would be nice it would likely place it too close in price to the base Air and competing with it; and since 8GB is fine for the target audience it keeps the Neo as an attractive affordable Mac option to PCs. If someone wants 16GB there is the Air at a higher price.

 

[MilaM]

Dear Apple, please bring back the 27" iMac. The Mac mini + Studio Display combo is too expensive. Thank you.

 

[Happy_John]

Still doesn’t excuse Apple putting only 8 gb of Ram in the Neo, Apple should give the option to add more

The SoC is prebuilt. Using prebuilt SoCs from a product line is why Apple can hit the price point it does with the Neo. It is not possible to give the option of adding more.

 

[Happy_John]

Dear Apple, please bring back the 27" iMac. The Mac mini + Studio Display combo is too expensive. Thank you.

You're just given a reason why Apple are not in a hurry to bring back 27" iMacs.

 

[carswell]

The thing about the Neo that no Windows knockoff can offer -- it's a huge factor in the Neo's success -- is that it's an affordable entry into the Mac universe.

The knockoffs will sell well because they'll be perceived as offering good value but they'll also steal sales from more expensive models. Am guessing that's not so much the case with the Neo.

 

[Spock]

With 8gb of ram, Apple shouldn’t allow it to run macOS 27 beta… every kid will install it and brick their mac

You are like a broken record, macOS 27 will run just fine with 8 gb of ram. You are thinking in x86, 8 gb of ram is fine for most tasks with Apple Silicon.