Why I Returned the MacBook Neo

[turbineseaplane]

So what?

YMMV

Exactly.

When you say "your mileage may vary" you are literally saying that we're going to have different opinions.
👍

 

[joshwithachance]

OP these Neos are going to sell out very fast and I can see stock being very low this year. Are you sure you allowed enough time to make your decision to return it?

OP definitely bought the Neo with the intention of returning it, solely based on FOMO.

 

[Boopsie101]

I would imagine Apple are using multiple suppliers for their panels, there may be better and worse panels that are all considered "within spec". Maybe some have slightly better viewing angles and colour saturation.

 

[DeepSix]

OP definitely bought the Neo with the intention of returning it, solely based on FOMO.

Well that's odd, I think the Neos are very solid devices especially as a secondary device. Like others have mentioned on here if I was traveling a lot, Id leave the expensive MacBook at home and use the Neo. Less stress when seeing others handling it. I always get anxious when I have others carrying my bags going through airports.

Especially on airplanes, I would never use my MacBook pro on one because it's such a tight space. Someone accidentally bumps into into it and there goes your expensive laptop.

 

[Macalway]

Neohate

Welcome to the new MacBook hate.

 

[Zazoh]

No, not the same at all. There are lots of LCDs with great viewing angles. It’s IPS after all. Here’s it’s a matter of degree. Judging by reports I had assumed the viewing angles would be the same on the MacBook Air, another IPS laptop, but it seems it isn’t the case. I will have to judge for myself though.

I'm looking at a side by side with a 13" MacBook Air, M3, I see no difference with viewing angles. The new screen doesn't go back as far as the other. Is that is what is being discussed?

 

[EugW]

I'm looking at a side by side with a 13" MacBook Air, M3, I see no difference with viewing angles. The new screen doesn't go back as far as the other. Is that is what is being discussed?

If so, that's great. I will have to check it out in person myself though, as it's clear various commenters in this thread have differing opinions.

 

[Fallforward]

I can understand returning a product where you aren't an experienced user and didn't know the specs ahead of time, not to mention didn't already have computers whereby you could cogently see where the Neo would fall. In my opinion. you don't fall into that category. You got caught up in the hype which can happen to some. And instead of taking a step back and getting some clarity, you dove head first into the hype.

I have also never really understood why so many here feel compelled to constantly tell strangers they returned an item to the store. People don't normally do that kind of thing but, it seems on MR it always has to be a a bigger fanfare than needed.

I have never really understood why so many here feel compelled to constantly tell strangers their posts/comments are dumb. My hypocritical response is also dumb, but hopefully you think "nice about it." 😆

 

[bapegg]

I have never really understood why so many here feel compelled to constantly tell strangers their posts/comments are dumb. My hypocritical response is also dumb, but hopefully you think "nice about it." 😆

Some people are just grumpy and hateful. I see it all the time on the different forums I am on and it doesn't matter what the subject is. It's always the same "product Y is total junk and you need to spend more for product X"

Most of us knew right away that the Neo isn't for everyone once the specs were released. And that is totally fine. What isn't fine is the rude/hateful attitudes.

Life is too short to argue with strangers on the internet.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Wasn't the 'Neo' for newcomers to macOS, Students, and the likes, versus long standing MacBook Air/Pro users?

The Neo is for
• new users,
• young students,
• old users with light needs,
• users with strictly limited funds,
• users wanting a secondary device for travel.

All those potential buyers are why Neo will sell well at its price points.

 

[MBAir2010]

so nice for me not to think of these computers on who makes them.
seems to me there really is not difference on what over-priced number run these machines

 

[Zazoh]

I have never really understood why so many here feel compelled to constantly tell strangers their posts/comments are dumb. My hypocritical response is also dumb, but hopefully you think "nice about it." 😆

You asked and that removes the hypocrisy to me. 😀

Most of our desires for information are actually desires for belonging and affirmation. That is why biases in news are favored over the alternative. Fox News v CNN.

Couple that with anonymity and poof - here we are. If we were all at a back yard BBQ and were face to face, the conversations would be much more amenable.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Shortcomings? Compared to what? A more expensive and higher specification machine? Is a Ford Ranger a shortcoming over a F-250? Completely different products.

A NEO is what it is. You can compare the product to others, you cannot claim shortcomings just because the device does not have a feature. That feature never existed in the device from the beginning.

I generally agree with the comment. However in 2026 8 GB of RAM is a shortcoming, period.

 

[mblm85]

Can I ask.... and I've always wondered about this: what are American consumer's rights to return goods, particularly used goods?

Here in the UK, even though we still have the EU directive enshrined in our Consumer Rights Act, our right of return doesn't seem half as generous.

Americans on here seem to be able to fully use goods for days, and still be able to take them back. Is that right? Or is it just an Apple thing?

 

[mk313]

Can I ask.... and I've always wondered about this: what are American consumer's rights to return goods, particularly used goods?

Here in the UK, even though we still have the EU directive enshrined in our Consumer Rights Act, our right of return doesn't seem half as generous.

Americans on here seem to be able to fully use goods for days, and still be able to take them back. Is that right? Or is it just an Apple thing?

I think it's an Apple (and other companies as well) thing. But at least where I live, companies are able to set their return polices, they just have to display them prominently. So you can say 'Final Sale, no returns' and people are stuck with ti (although if they used a credit card, they can dispute the charges & the credit card company decides what to do based on the evidence.

 

[profcutter]

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.

Thanks for posting this. I think it’s helpful for folks who are thinking this could be a cheap upgrade path, especially if they have an aging intel machine. Funny that of all the compromises, it’s the screen that really does it. I wonder why they didn’t just opt for a slightly higher res so they wouldn’t have to scale.

 

[Zazoh]

I think it's an Apple (and other companies as well) thing. But at least where I live, companies are able to set their return polices, they just have to display them prominently. So you can say 'Final Sale, no returns' and people are stuck with ti (although if they used a credit card, they can dispute the charges & the credit card company decides what to do based on the evidence.

Yep. Costco for example, has unlimited return policies on items. Electronics are 90 Days so even more generous than Apple.

Some places require a receipt and specify the days, other will allow you to return and swap or return for store credit if no receipt.

Personally I think some of the policies are actually too generous, because a generous policy means we are ALL paying for it. The stores are not loosing money.

 

[Dirk Pieters]

Can I ask.... and I've always wondered about this: what are American consumer's rights to return goods, particularly used goods?

Here in the UK, even though we still have the EU directive enshrined in our Consumer Rights Act, our right of return doesn't seem half as generous.

Americans on here seem to be able to fully use goods for days, and still be able to take them back. Is that right? Or is it just an Apple thing?

I was wondering the same thing. Sounds like you can just buy stuff, give it a try, return it and get your money back.

 

[Sully]

I feel like with Apple, you get what you pay for. They’re very good at pricing. Much like a casino, the house always wins.

Cool machine, but it is what it is.

 

[Dirk Pieters]

I feel like with Apple, you get what you pay for. They’re very good at pricing. Much like a casino, the house always wins.

Exactly. Playing with the configurator always ends with “but for a bit more I could have this” and there you go levelling up. Either that or they force you to level up the M chip if you check a certain amount of ram.

Same story with quite a few EV configurators now, where you can only get all the options if you choose the larger battery pack. If you want all the options but don’t need the range, you’re left behind.

 

[aries81]

Confused as hell what he was buying. Why not read specs before buying or looking at the store?

Because hype.

 

[Dirk Pieters]

Because hype.

And because the American Apple Stores have this return policy where you can buy, try, return and get your money back.

Sounds like zero risk and a fun way of trying new toys that you have no intention to buy anyway.

 

[Abydos]

something tells me if I wrote the comment that came to mind I would be banned until the heat death of the universe, oy vey has to suffice

 

[conmee]

Neohate

Welcome to the new MacBook hate.

"Welcome to the party, pal!" #iphonemini #iphoneair 😉

 

[actcyclist]

Buying a device when you knew you wanted a different screen and returning it. I suppose you can, you get your money back, but who has the time for such things?