Why I Returned the MacBook Neo

[Non-Euclidean]

Reality is you need to see for yourself at very least look at impartial reviews. Like all products a defective unit is entirely possible, so you return and try again or give up, is no more complex.

Majority seem good with the Neo as they likely have balanced expectations of a $599 MacBook. Apple's problem is this; Honor MagicBook Pro 14" 32GB, 1T, Intel Core Ultra 5 Processor 225H, Intel Arc 130T GPU, 3:2 OLED display (3120*2080) & 92Wh battery with a weight of 1.37kg. $870 out the door. This is not some cheap HP plastic junk, its a premium notebook at a great price point. Here in Asia Mac's have serious competition, that's only going to increase as now most providers now offer W11 & Linux.

Simple Apple can't compete with such pricing, but that's on them...

Q-6

For some reason, Apple's problem isnt the MagicBook. Its the devastating fact that they estimated 8 million for Neo sales and its now getting closer to 10 million. As it is, they are probably going to have to pivot to Neo2 sooner than expected.

 

[Queen6]

And the discussion wasn’t involving you. The screen is not acceptable to me.

Then buy an Air, case closed...

Q-6

 

[Queen6]

For some reason, Apple's problem isnt the MagicBook. Its the devastating fact that they estimated 8 million for Neo sales and its now getting closer to 10 million. As it is, they are probably going to have to pivot to Neo2 sooner than expected.

Different classes, 14" MagicBook sits between the MBA & MBP in the W11 world or Linux as that's a factory option at a better price point than Apple offers. Is a difficult direct comparison as both manufactures have positives & negatives. Deals here are aggressive, as said the MagicBook Pro is a lot of notebook for $870. Is also working for Apple too, Neo in an authorised reseller was priced at sub $500 USD, with tax out the door with approved discounts.

No doubt Apple has a knockout on its hands with the Neo 🙂 competition will react and that's good for all us end users. Apple being Apple they will update the Neo at its own cadence. Likely a balance of; finances, demand & current owners.

Q-6

 

[tomtad]

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

You keep repeating PPI like it settles the argument. It doesn’t.

PPI is the sampling limit of the panel. Your eye doesn’t see pixels in a vacuum... it sees contrast at the edge of those pixels. Air gap + reflections = reduced micro-contrast at edges. Reduced micro-contrast = edges look softer. Softer edges = text looks less crisp. That’s not opinion... that’s how vision works.

“People don’t notice the air gap” is totally untrue you have no data to support because you seem to have just made a general statement and it is also irrelevant. People do, and it’s one common knock on base iPads. Lack of complaints also ≠ absence of effect. Also, “clarity of text is only PPI” is flat wrong. If that were true, anti-reflective coatings and lamination wouldn’t exist on premium displays.

You’re describing theoretical sharpness. I’m describing what your eyes actually resolve.

You have still to post any evidence of this air gap and the screen not being laminated.

 

[Technerd108]

Different classes, 14" MagicBook sits between the MBA & MBP in the W11 world or Linux as that's a factory option at a better price point than Apple offers. Is a difficult direct comparison as both manufactures have positives & negatives. Deals here are aggressive, as said the MagicBook Pro is a lot of notebook for $870. Is also working for Apple too, Neo in an authorised reseller was priced at sub $500 USD, with tax out the door with approved discounts.

No doubt Apple has a knockout on its hands with the Neo 🙂 competition will react and that's good for all us end users. Apple being Apple they will update the Neo at its own cadence. Likely a balance of; finances, demand & current owners.

Q-6

Huawei Matebook 14 is supposed to be a a similar low cost high spec Windows laptop similar to the Neo with 24gb ram and Intel processor. This laptop would be a very serious competitor if it weren't for a couple of things. In the USA you can't buy one easily or with a warranty or support of any kind and it is a Chinese domestic brand so you can wonder about security issues again in US.

I see a few people bringing this laptop as a valid alternative to the Neo and for those outside the USA it could be but for a lot of us in the US it just isn't.

So for those comparing the Neo to the Matebook that comparison only works in certain markets.

However, there are some very nice Windows laptops in the $600 price range when you buy on sale or last years model and I have gotten 50% off and bought very nice all metal high quality and features laptop with plenty of ram and storage. Asus, HP, Dell, Lenovo all have big sales and so does Best Buy.

So the hardware is very good on the Neo but Windows laptops still can have good hardware competitive with the Neo.

The BIG difference is MacOS and a silent laptop. Most people buying from Windows world have never had a nice looking solid unibody FANLESS laptop and until you experience it you don't know how much of a "feature " this is. Surface tried with Intel fan less tablets but they weren't very successful. With the new QC chips this has changed but then you have handicapped version of Windows.

So I think the success of the Neo is in part the awesomeness of MacOS for the first time and having a fan less laptop for $599 which no other $599 laptop can offer and decent battery life.

 

[Queen6]

Huawei Matebook 14 is supposed to be a a similar low cost high spec Windows laptop similar to the Neo with 24gb ram and Intel processor. This laptop would be a very serious competitor if it weren't for a couple of things. In the USA you can't buy one easily or with a warranty or support of any kind and it is a Chinese domestic brand so you can wonder about security issues again in US.

I see a few people bringing this laptop as a valid alternative to the Neo and for those outside the USA it could be but for a lot of us in the US it just isn't.

So for those comparing the Neo to the Matebook that comparison only works in certain markets.

However, there are some very nice Windows laptops in the $600 price range when you buy on sale or last years model and I have gotten 50% off and bought very nice all metal high quality and features laptop with plenty of ram and storage. Asus, HP, Dell, Lenovo all have big sales and so does Best Buy.

So the hardware is very good on the Neo but Windows laptops still can have good hardware competitive with the Neo.

The BIG difference is MacOS and a silent laptop. Most people buying from Windows world have never had a nice looking solid unibody FANLESS laptop and until you experience it you don't know how much of a "feature " this is. Surface tried with Intel fan less tablets but they weren't very successful. With the new QC chips this has changed but then you have handicapped version of Windows.

So I think the success of the Neo is in part the awesomeness of MacOS for the first time and having a fan less laptop for $599 which no other $599 laptop can offer and decent battery life.

Similar to Apple Huawei offers multiple tiers, can just get better deals in Asia. Huawei is the most expensive provider, Honor while once a subsidiary of Huawei is now a separate entity. Honor has been on a mission to prove itself for several years and they are working hard at it... Providing some very disruptive products at solid price points. Have one of their top tier tablets, for the first time this is a notebook replacement; Snapdragon 8, 16GB/1TB, 13.3" 1000 nits, 8 speakers, KB & Pencil on a proprietary OS for less the price of a 512 Neo. In use is as fast as my 13" M1 MBP... Disruptive, but you wont see one of these in the US either, or the EU for that matter.

Huawei's folding notebook is state of the art, with an accompanying price point. Keep arguing with myself why not to buy one, but at close to $4K need a reason for that. Word, is they are selling at cost as they are so expensive to produce. Having tried one I can see why, is the future here, right now. Officially impressed...

macOS is a factor if you need, here most are now offering W11, two Linux distro's and a few have their own proprietary OS and is accelerating fast. Microsoft is going to be history soon enough in the consumer space, that's their own fault.

Security in the US, NSA's set up to look at you not me LOL. Banning Huawei IMO was just a trade for the keys to the backdoor as Huawei's HW is really good and can surpass Apple at a better price point. Is joke as Huawei own most of the patents for 5G/6G etc. as that's their core business so they still get paid out....

Q-6

 

[Pbwallstreet]

Then buy an Air, case closed...

Q-6

No.

 

[Pbwallstreet]

You have still to post any evidence of this air gap and the screen not being laminated.

I do? No, I don’t have to do anything.

 

[1BadManVan]

The BIG difference is MacOS and a silent laptop. Most people buying from Windows world have never had a nice looking solid unibody FANLESS laptop and until you experience it you don't know how much of a "feature " this is. Surface tried with Intel fan less tablets but they weren't very successful. With the new QC chips this has changed but then you have handicapped version of Windows.

The fanless and silent laptop has definitely been such a game changer for the way i use mine. I almost forget about it until i go to grab my wife’s or kids windows laptop and do something on them while I’m sitting on the couch. Sitting around and doing a few updates and realize I’m blocking the fan on the bottom and the things are overheating and the fans screaming trying to catch up lol.

So i truly hope Apple can keep the air fanless, hopefully move to a Vapor chamber design in future iterations to keep up with the performance boosts. But i honestly can’t go back to a laptop that needs a fan lol

 

[I7guy]

The fanless and silent laptop has definitely been such a game changer for the way i use mine. I almost forget about it until i go to grab my wife’s or kids windows laptop and do something on them while I’m sitting on the couch. Sitting around and doing a few updates and realize I’m blocking the fan on the bottom and the things are overheating and the fans screaming trying to catch up lol.

So i truly hope Apple can keep the air fanless, hopefully move to a Vapor chamber design in future iterations to keep up with the performance boosts. But i honestly can’t go back to a laptop that needs a fan lol

This. Fanless and silent for general office work. It’s a game changer, especially with the long battery life. My other 3 windows laptops are not fanless nor are they silent.

 

[Geekett]

I was curious to know why the OP returned his MacBook Neo, but in the end disappointed by how numb it turned out. This guy is as agressive as his avatar : 🦈😬

 

[dzankizakon]

No it isn’t. It’s a result of a more reflective screen, delamination and reduced colour gamut.

"Delamination"?

"Text crispness" won't have anything to do with color gamut because macOS text renderer "only" uses 8 bit anti aliasing for text, so color gamut difference would be truncated when rendering text. MacOS renders greyscale for text anti-aliasing in 8 bits whether the target screen is XDR or lowest end screen.

No one is arguing that Neo's screen is the same as Air's, but to claim that TEXT CRISPNESS SPECIFICALLY on Neo is noticeably worse than on Air is simply placebo in my opinion. You're of course free to believe otherwise.

 

[Pbwallstreet]

"Delamination"?

"Text crispness" won't have anything to do with color gamut because macOS text renderer "only" uses 8 bit anti aliasing for text, so color gamut difference would be truncated when rendering text. MacOS renders greyscale for text anti-aliasing in 8 bits whether the target screen is XDR or lowest end screen.

No one is arguing that Neo's screen is the same as Air's, but to claim that TEXT CRISPNESS SPECIFICALLY on Neo is noticeably worse than on Air is simply placebo in my opinion. You're of course free to believe otherwise.

Placebo is pretending lamination, reflectivity, coatings, contrast and panel quality all stop existing because you’ve reduced display perception to one macOS anti-aliasing talking point. Text “crispness” is what your eyes perceive on the finished panel, not just how many grey values Core Text spits out before the screen makes a mess of them.

 

[dzankizakon]

Placebo is pretending lamination, reflectivity, coatings, contrast and panel quality all stop existing because you’ve reduced display perception to one macOS anti-aliasing talking point. Text “crispness” is what your eyes perceive on the finished panel, not just how many grey values Core Text spits out before the screen makes a mess of them.

Moving the goalposts again, aren't you. You wrongly singled out text crispness as a problem and now you think that completely changing the argument to ludicrously general "the panel is worse so eeeverything is worse" will make your initial point right. You're not convincing anyone with words like "delamination" and "coatings".

 

[Pbwallstreet]

Moving the goalposts again, aren't you. You wrongly singled out text crispness as a problem and now you think that completely changing the argument to ludicrously general "the panel is worse so eeeverything is worse" will make your initial point right. You're not convincing anyone with words like "delamination" and "coatings".

You’re confusing precision with goalpost-moving. My point was always about perceived text crispness on the actual display, not a lab discussion about macOS anti-aliasing in isolation. If the panel has worse reflectivity, contrast, lamination/coating characteristics, and colour performance, the final image can look softer. That isn’t “everything is worse,” it’s basic display perception. Also, obsessing over one typo because you can’t address the broader point is weak sauce.

 

[Queen6]

Moving the goalposts again, aren't you. You wrongly singled out text crispness as a problem and now you think that completely changing the argument to ludicrously general "the panel is worse so eeeverything is worse" will make your initial point right. You're not convincing anyone with words like "delamination" and "coatings".

Neo's display is decent for its price point, it's sRGB coverage and viewing angles are good and proved to be so. Expecting the same quality as notebooks at twice if not three times the price is an unrealistic expectation. Neo is a $599 entry level Mac that's disrupting the notebook market, much to the surprise of the Windows PC providers.

Those needing absolute colour accuracy & viewing angles are looking at the MBP in the Mac lineup, not the base entry level Neo. Have looked at multiple Neo's across Apple stores & authorised resellers, for the price they are good enough. Want more easy; Apple and others have many options, equally all at higher price points...

Q-6

 

[Mainsail]

The MacBook Neo is a great option for a lot of people:

• Students
• Professionals that have employer provided computers and just need a simple personal computer for home use
• People with a nice Desktop Mac that want something simple for on the go computer
• Budget conscious folks that don't need much more than an iPad, but prefer MacOS to iPadOS

My nephew and his girlfriend just bought two MBNs for their personal use. They both have work computers. The computers won't be delivered for a couple of weeks, but I think they will be fine with the MBN. With the EDU discount, they got two MBNs for the price of one MBA....not bad.

 

[eltoslightfoot]

Neo's display is decent for its price point, it's sRGB coverage and viewing angles are good and proved to be so. Expecting the same quality as notebooks at twice if not three times the price is an unrealistic expectation. Neo is a $599 entry level Mac that's disrupting the notebook market, much to the surprise of the Windows PC providers.

Those needing absolute colour accuracy & viewing angles are looking at the MBP in the Mac lineup, not the base entry level Neo. Have looked at multiple Neo's across Apple stores & authorised resellers, for the price they are good enough. Want more easy; Apple and others have many options, equally all at higher price points...

Q-6

You even stated the right upgrade product. I don't think the MBA would even work for the best screen. It's great, but it isn't the screen on the MBP lineup.

But the Neo is dang impressive at the low end of things. Compare it to the crap screens in the Windows world, and it isn't even a competition. Neo FTW.

 

[Queen6]

You even stated the right upgrade product. I don't think the MBA would even work for the best screen. It's great, but it isn't the screen on the MBP lineup.

But the Neo is dang impressive at the low end of things. Compare it to the crap screens in the Windows world, and it isn't even a competition. Neo FTW.

Neo is decent and kills the competition at this price point. Me I'm not in the market equally not going to rain on a genuinely good product that keeps up with far more expensive HW. Think that's the crux of the matter with the whiners who are just pissed off as they paid a lot more for the same basic performance.

No dog in this fight as my 13" tablet with KB fulfils my portable needs with Snapdragon, 16GB/1TB & proprietary OS. If in the market a Neo would be a serious consideration as you get Apple's build quality, support as at a known price.

 

[Technerd108]

My $599 Neo laptop or MacBook that cost as much as an iPad air not the Pro should have a screen as good as a MacBook Air with full AR coating and P3 color gamut and True Tone, oh wait those screens are expensive!

The Neo screen is one of the largest cost in the laptop. Apple doesn't make a bad screen on any device. They have varying degrees of quality and features based on price. Look at the difference between the Air display and Pro. Huge, huge difference. The Pro is by a wide margin a better screen, not to mention speakers and everything else. Seems like Apple sets hardware definitions based on price and name, like Pro.

So one can expect the basic low end MacBook Neo to have a screen similar to the base model iPad. If you compare them they are very similar. No P3 or true tone. Yet a lot of people love the base iPad with it's air gapped tablet display and don't complain about the lack of AR coating and air gap or no P3, etc. It is praised for having a great screen at it's PRICE.

Ignoring all of the other benefits a Neo owner would get over a Windows laptop as Windows laptop would have a 300 nit screen with 40% color gamut, cheap construction and materials, plastic screens, poor Webcam, fans, poor battery life, poor sound, etc. But it might have more ram and storage and backlit keys.

Then we can talk about things like recall in Win 11 and all the benefits of MacOS over Chrome OS or Windows.

You start stacking the benefits of the Neo and they far outweigh the negatives. And the Neo will only get better over time ensuring a cheap Mac for everyone for years to come.

Of course Apple has to make compromises to hit the price and doesn't want to cannibalize the Air and Pro lines. So depending on your needs the Neo may or may not meet them.

For me personally I would rather spend more on an older gen but still new MBA because of its excellent screen and everything else. It is the perfect balance of features I need but nothing I don't and if I wanted more but don't need a Pro processor I can get one and save some money.

Apple has positioned themselves perfectly to be attractive to consumers at every demographic of the market. It is brilliant and a good thing.

For the OP I don't dispute your personal experience one bit and I regret that your experience was not what you wanted. Since the display is rather important to you then I would highly suggest seeing if you can find a deal on a new base model M4/5 MBA and it may cost more but you will be happy with the screen unless Promotion is important or deep blacks then the Pro m series any gen would be best.

Good luck. Buying tech is tricky and extremely subjective. You obviously know what you want and the Neo is too cheap to meet your needs. Hopefully you can find a resolution that fully suits your needs in a budget you can afford. I am so broke it will be a while before I could even afford a Neo so at least you have the ability to purchase something new.

 

[DeepSix]

Lots of Neo buyers are returning their Neos because they know once the neo 2 comes out shortly theirs will be obsolete and worth pennies on the dollar.

 

[dzankizakon]

You’re confusing precision with goalpost-moving. My point was always about perceived text crispness on the actual display, not a lab discussion about macOS anti-aliasing in isolation. If the panel has worse reflectivity, contrast, lamination/coating characteristics, and colour performance, the final image can look softer. That isn’t “everything is worse,” it’s basic display perception. Also, obsessing over one typo because you can’t address the broader point is weak sauce.

It's not a typo, it's a desire to make an imaginary difference large by using big words and failing. You're inventing stuff that doesn't exist.

 

[SteveDmbp]

Lots of Neo buyers are returning their Neos because they know once the neo 2 comes out shortly theirs will be obsolete and worth pennies on the dollar.

Really ???....surely that is still a year away since Neo only recently came out

 

[Pbwallstreet]

It's not a typo, it's a desire to make an imaginary difference large by using big words and failing. You're inventing stuff that doesn't exist.

You’re trying to argue by reducing a display to a font-rendering variable because it’s the only angle you can argue. The rest of us are talking about the actual screen in front of our faces — reflectivity, contrast, optical bonding/lamination, coating quality and panel characteristics. Same text signal, worse optical path, worse perceived result. This isn’t “imaginary”: it’s just inconvenient for your understanding of displays.

 

[Mainsail]

Lots of Neo buyers are returning their Neos because they know once the neo 2 comes out shortly theirs will be obsolete and worth pennies on the dollar.

Please provide evidence that the Neo is being returned more often than other Apple devices because of the possible update to the chipset. To the contrary, there are shortages of the Neo, and consumers are forced to wait 2-3 weeks for on-line purchases.....which indicates there isn't a large stock of returned computers.

It seems like you might have taken a rumor about running out of chips and turned it into an unsupported statement about high returns. Logically, what percentage of Neo buyers even know the difference between an A-series and M-series chip....let alone care about a possible update down the road?

My nephew just bought two Neos, one for himself and one for his girlfriend. He has a BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering and works at a national research laboratoy, so he is not completely naive about technology. Anyway, he didn't give these rumors a moments thought.