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Why I Returned the MacBook Neo

ikramerica said:
You basically claimed the viewing angles were as bad as an lcd calculator though as if that was fact. That even moving your eyes was a problem.

In reality it’s not that bad. I checked one out yesterday. Normal directional viewing is fine. Like any gloss screen it starts to lose it at angles as reflections compete with the picture.

But I agree the screen is dam small. I couldn’t use it.
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You are creating a strawman argument. I never compared it to a calculator and never said anything like that.

In reality the viewing angles are bad. The screen is washed out at any angle. The content slightly distorted at any angle. All of this has been repeated multiple times and clearly explained regarding the Neo’s non-laminated, less anti-refflective sRGB screen.

If you think it’s good… if you can’t tell a difference, great. Carry on.
 
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I’d rather have Apple try to optimize the M processors so they have comparable if not better battery life than the A-series iPads.

I don’t get the buzz around Neo when you can buy a superior and better quality MacBook Air within hundreds of dollars price difference. I wonder if a Steve Jobs run Apple would have ever gone this route.
 
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Shrek11 said:
I’d rather have Apple try to optimize the M processors so they have comparable if not better battery life than the A-series iPads.

I don’t get the buzz around Neo when you can buy a superior and better quality MacBook Air within hundreds of dollars price difference. I wonder if a Steve Jobs run Apple would have ever gone this route.
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Why Buy an Air when you can get a superior MacBook Pro for hundreds of dollars more.
 
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Pbwallstreet said:
Got my Neo today. Put it through some paces, and just got back from the Apple Store to return it.

Why I returned it:
  • The screen size is just a little bit too small for my liking. The 13.6” MBA size is a better size for me. I could sort of live with this, if it wasn’t for:
  • The screen quality is just not good enough for me. Two main issues with it: the viewing angles are noticeably worse than a MBA and MBP screen and the clarity and crispness of the text and graphics is noticeably not as good as a MBA or MBP. Everything looks slightly blurred on screen in comparison to Apple’s Pro devices and even compared to the MBA.
The Neo’s screen made me feel like I was stepping back in time. I can’t go to a screen like that when I use devices like the iPhone 17 Pro Max, the iPad Pro M5, the MacBook Pro M series, and a M3 MacBook Air.

I did side by side comparisons with the same content as well just to make sure my eyes weren’t playing tricks on me.

Overall really nice device though. Great build quality, nice keyboard and trackpad, decent sounding audio, ran apps well, etc.

UPDATE: I BOUGHT THE NEO BECAUSE I AM LOOKING TO REPLACE MY 15” M3 MBA WITH A SMALLER DEVICE AS THE MBA IS MY NON-WORK PERSONAL LAPTOP. I BOUGHT THE NEO TO PUT IT THROUGH ITS PACES AT HOME OVER A SEVERAL DAY PERIOD, NOT A FLEETING HANDFUL OF MINUTES IN A RETAIL STORE. I INTENDED TO KEEP IT AND DON’T REGULARLY RETURN PRODUCTS TO APPLE. THE SPECS OF A SCREEN ARE NOT ENOUGH TO KNOW AHEAD OF TIME WITHOUT USING THE DEVICE WHETHER IT’S ACCEPTABLE OR NOT.
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Totally understandable. At $500 - $700, Apple obviously had to make compromises, and it sounds like one of those cuts was the Neo's screen. Too bad; I had heard rave reviews about the screen -- even comparing it to a MacBook Air. I guess one shouldn't believe all the hype on YouTube!

Either way, are you now thinking about the 13" MacBook Air? I just bought the 15" M5 MacBook Air and am okay with the screen. And mind you, I just recently returned an 14" M5 MacBook Pro. The screen quality was top-notch, but the text size was just too small!

Best of luck to you whichever way you go!
 
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randywsandberg said:
Totally understandable. At $500 - $700, Apple obviously had to make compromises, and it sounds like one of those cuts was the Neo's screen. Too bad; I had heard rave reviews about the screen -- even comparing it to a MacBook Air. I guess one shouldn't believe all the hype on YouTube!

Either way, are you now thinking about the 13" MacBook Air? I just bought the 15" M5 MacBook Air and am okay with the screen. And mind you, I just recently returned an 14" M5 MacBook Pro. The screen quality was top-notch, but the text size was just too small!

Best of luck to you whichever way you go!
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Interesting about the MBP for you. We have posted in this thread a review of the Neo by Max Tech showing the difference between a Neo and MBA screen and he even states that the Neo makes the MBA screen look like an OLED in comparison. This is in relation to much darker blacks, more contrast, and effectively double the colour spectrum on the Air.
 
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DeepSix said:
You may want to re-consider returning it. Laptop prices in general are expected to sky rocket this year. Wouldn't surprise me if Apple jacked up the price. Get the Neos while they're still selling at this bargain price.

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Exactly, more reason to get the MBA now whilst they are reasonably priced.
 
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Pbwallstreet said:
Why are you pretty sure.
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Because having used it, it doesn't appear to have one. If you even slightly tap the screen you get blooming for example so the front surface is clearly attached to the screen.

Compared to an iPad for example which clearly has a non laminated screen with air gap.
 
tomtad said:
Because having used it, it doesn't appear to have one. If you even slightly tap the screen you get blooming for example so the front surface is clearly attached to the screen.

Compared to an iPad for example which clearly has a non laminated screen with air gap.
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You’ll get blooming on non-laminated screens.
 
tomtad said:
OK, I’m just saying this is different from the only non laminated display I know of which is the base iPad.

Do we have evidence the display is non-laminated on the Neo?
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I did some digging and found a few things that suggest it is not laminated. One reason for that is repairability and another is it’s cheaper to manufacture.

My experience with the Neo’s screen suggests it’s not laminated.
 
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Pbwallstreet said:
Interesting about the MBP for you. We have posted in this thread a review of the Neo by Max Tech showing the difference between a Neo and MBA screen and he even states that the Neo makes the MBA screen look like an OLED in comparison. This is in relation to much darker blacks, more contrast, and effectively double the colour spectrum on the Air.
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Yeah, I must have heard wrong!
 
tomtad said:
Because having used it, it doesn't appear to have one. If you even slightly tap the screen you get blooming for example so the front surface is clearly attached to the screen.

Compared to an iPad for example which clearly has a non laminated screen with air gap.
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I challenge you to PRESS on the screen of an iPhone 17 Pro or a new MacBook Pro or even a new MacBook Air. There's almost no blooming at all.

A laminated display has the screen layer bonded directly to the front glass with a transparent adhesive, so the whole assembly behaves more like a single solid piece and pressing on it usually causes little to no visible rippling or “blooming.” A non-laminated display, by contrast, has a small air gap between the cover glass and the actual display panel, so when you press on the surface the outer layer can flex more independently and onto the pixels beneath it, making pressure distortion aka "blooming" more noticeable. The key technology difference is that lamination physically removes that gap and optically couples the layers in a uniform piece, which improves rigidity, reduces parallax and internal reflections, and generally makes the screen stable under touch or pressure.
 
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Macalway said:
How many posts is it now OP? 30, 40?
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Why should I be subjected to your judgement about discussing a computer on the Internet?

No, it isn’t up to my standard. Yes, I saw your original unedited post which is:

“All aboard folks! Climb up on the hate train!

How many post is it now OP? 30, 40?

Tell us how it's not up to your standards. As I type this on my Neo, I'm just wondering....”
 
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Well I’m keeping my MacBook neo. It’s perfect for us at this price point. Anybody wants something different, there is an entire market out there. But I think Apple is going to turn the laptop business on its head with the neo, even as some people dish on it. (At the price point there are compromised as compared to another price point)
 
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My advice; get the laptop that meets your needs now and don't spend too much time trying to predict the future. By the time your Neo is obsolete, our AI overlords will have assimilated you into the hive mind anyway. I am sure you will be fitted with the necessary nano-probes at that time.....free of charge.

Back to the topic. A good laptop is a real pleasure. For most people, their laptop is the device that drives productivity, so user experience is important. This experience is not just a matter of specs. It is also driven by hardware features (keyboard, trackpad, screen, ports, etc.), OS, Apps, and eco-system. At $499 EDU, the Neo is going to open the door to the Apple user experience to many people. If you need a laptop now and you will be productive on the Neo, I say go for it. You could wait until next year and hope they goose up the RAM or add a backlit keyboard, but you need to be productive now. So, don't over think it. At $499, it is a screaming deal.

On the other hand, if you have serious doubts that the Neo will cut it, then make the larger investment in a MBA. Honestly, you won't regret that decision either. If you are a college student, my rule of thumb: Business/Econ/Liberal Arts majors will be fine with a Neo. STEM and Design majors should probably consider an MBA or MBP. Remember, in a rare pinch, most universities have computer resource centers all over campus....so, there are options if you find yourself underpowered.
 
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Pbwallstreet said:
Why should I be subjected to your judgement about discussing a computer on the Internet?

No, it isn’t up to my standard. Yes, I saw your original unedited post which is:

“All aboard folks! Climb up on the hate train!

How many post is it now OP? 30, 40?

Tell us how it's not up to your standards. As I type this on my Neo, I'm just wondering....”
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Ha ha, you are quick 😀 Most of my posts are very quickly edited, as it dawns on me no one wants to hear me rant.
 
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Mainsail said:
My advice; get the laptop that meets your needs now and don't spend too much time trying to predict the future. By the time your Neo is obsolete, our AI overlords will have assimilated you into the hive mind anyway. I am sure you will be fitted with the necessary nano-probes at that time.....free of charge.

Back to the topic. A good laptop is a real pleasure. For most people, their laptop is the device that drives productivity, so user experience is important. This experience is not just a matter of specs. It is also driven by hardware features (keyboard, trackpad, screen, ports, etc.), OS, Apps, and eco-system. At $499 EDU, the Neo is going to open the door to the Apple user experience to many people. If you need a laptop now and you will be productive on the Neo, I say go for it. You could wait until next year and hope they goose up the RAM or add a backlit keyboard, but you need to be productive now. So, don't over think it. At $499, it is a screaming deal.

On the other hand, if you have serious doubts that the Neo will cut it, then make the larger investment in a MBA. Honestly, you won't regret that decision either. If you are a college student, my rule of thumb: Business/Econ/Liberal Arts majors will be fine with a Neo. STEM and Design majors should probably consider an MBA or MBP. Remember, in a rare pinch, most universities have computer resource centers all over campus....so, there are options if you find yourself underpowered.
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I agree except I would put the needs for many business and especially econ programs in the STEM category due to the way they have evolved over the years. Some of them are basically full applied data science programs.

In general Neo seems like a great first computer for "casual users". If you already have a computer, it's probably not going to feel like an upgrade unless it's a old MacBook 11". If you already have a Pro, I hope it feels like a downgrade as otherwise your Pro sounds not very Pro.
 
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