Why I Returned the MacBook Neo

[Pbwallstreet]

Inferior to what? That question has not been answered. Certainly a M5 Air or MBP screen is better but those devices are not in the same category as the NEO. Other than being MacBook. Compare Apples to Apples. There is no other machine in that price category with a screen that is superior to the NEO. By definition the NEO screen cannot be inferior as there is no other product, by Apple, in the same category. By your logic my MBP screen is inferior to the Studio Display which is inferior to the Studio Display XR.

I have looked at the NEO screen, used the machine, the keyboard, trackpad. Everything worked well and the display was excellent. The screen is no MBP, but neither is the rest of the computer. Especially when price is considered. A super high quality screen would have raised the price and would have defeated the goal of the NEO.

The screen is inferior to a MBA or MBP. They are all in the same product category: laptop.

I never introduced price as a metric. I am willing to spend more for a SUPERIOR screen.

I haven’t looked at all the Windows laptops out there because I’m not buying a Windows laptop. Irrelevant, FOR ME.

 

[mk313]

Imagine if I posted: “Wow, the Neo is Amazing!”.

If that were the case, you'd have the other half of the readers who are upset that anyone likes the Neo criticizing your decision. It's pretty much no win.

 

[boswald]

Returning my Citrus Neo - wife and I hate it.

Looks like antifreeze spilled onto it.

Getting a Blush Neo to replace for her.
View attachment 2613104

From what I've seen the Indigo version looks really nice.

 

[Technerd108]

If that were the case, you'd have the other half of the readers who are upset that anyone likes the Neo criticizing your decision. It's pretty much no win.

That is the real truth.

People are crazy. The OP writes an "opinion" on the Neo which has his real world experience something you can't get by research online and gets slammed.

As he said, if he would have the Neo is great the overall reaction or majority of posts would be positive and supportive of his point of view. Since he said the opposite the overall reaction is negative.

On top of the overall reaction being negative the posts are very pointed or personal for no reason.

I started reading and was like holy holy people are crazy.

I would want to know real world reaction, specially from people that didn't like the device. That way I could understand what I need to see if I feel the same way. It is valuable information for a consumer.

However, I feel the only way to know if something is going to work for you is to try it at home for at least a couple days and preferably about a week.

 

[raythompsontn]

The screen is inferior to a MBA or MBP.

Well, duh. That is common knowledge. They are not the same class of laptop.

They are all in the same product category: laptop.

Then get yourself a fully maxed out M5 Max. After all, anything less would be inferior even though all the MacBooks are in the same product category, laptop.

 

[Livewings]

That is the real truth.

People are crazy. The OP writes an "opinion" on the Neo which has his real world experience something you can't get by research online and gets slammed.

As he said, if he would have the Neo is great the overall reaction or majority of posts would be positive and supportive of his point of view. Since he said the opposite the overall reaction is negative.

On top of the overall reaction being negative the posts are very pointed or personal for no reason.

I started reading and was like holy holy people are crazy.

I would want to know real world reaction, specially from people that didn't like the device. That way I could understand what I need to see if I feel the same way. It is valuable information for a consumer.

However, I feel the only way to know if something is going to work for you is to try it at home for at least a couple days and preferably about a week.

Nope. A lot of people here can smell the BS from a mile away. We know OP wants to ride the hype because of FOMO. It’s a new shiny MacBook after all.

Why even buy the device when you already expected and knew you’re going to return it.

 

[Technerd108]

Nope. A lot of people here can smell the BS from a mile away. We know OP wants to ride the hype because of FOMO. It’s a new shiny MacBook after all.

Why even buy the device when you already knew you’re going to return it.

I didn't understand that context.

I can see buying it if you are on the fence and then when buying and using you determine it is not for you. This is what I thought and responded to.

If you already knew you didn't want it and bought it just to confirm that I think you could have done that at the store???

 

[AlaskaMoose]

I do not like when people abuse the return policy. Hope Apple cracks down on people who abuse it and limit returns

If you take your time and read in detail all the comments made in this thread, you will realize that in some it's already explained that Apple, just like other businesses has taken into account the rate of returns into its pricing structure. To simplify it, Apple is not losing any money by having such a return policy.

 

[rb2112]

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

In many US companies this is true, for some electronics, but not all. However, the company can see clearly (from the sales/return data) when they have someone likely to be abusing the privilege and make exceptions for that customer. Or reverse: I returned a monitor from Best Buy today outside the return period (after having bought another higher resolution display via their online site), but they still honored the return. I think the majority of consumers do their research, are mostly satisfied, and don't feel the need to return many electronics. I think more sales are made if people don't feel like they will be stuck with their purchase, I'd defer to business & psychology science for that answer.

 

[swamprock]

If that were the case, you'd have the other half of the readers who are upset that anyone likes the Neo criticizing your decision. It's pretty much no win.

This is the utter clown world we live in today... by design.

 

[rb2112]

Radio Shack used to be my first stop after paying my paper route bill on saturdays. Taught myself BASIC playing on the TRS-80 Model I. Still remember my first program (paraphrased)
10 PRINT “PBG4 Dude is awesome!!!”;
20 GOTO 10

(The semicolon in line 10 kept the Next print command from forcing a new line.)

I was coding up something quick last weekend and said to myself "In the old days I would just put a GOTO 10 and this algorithm would be done!"

 

[AlaskaMoose]

This is the utter clown world we live in today... by design.

Agree 👌

But there is something about the OP's thread that could be beneficial to others who may want to buy a Mac Neo. In my view regardless of which laptop I am planning to buy, I take into account what others tell about the product, specially their pros and cons about it. The OP mentioned how he feels about the Neo's screen, and there is nothing negative about his comments because not all of us have the same sense of vision.

 

[AppleFanatic10]

You ok?

 

[Meedoss]

Not surprised by the OP.
I found the mba screen average after using my ASD, sold it bought a Mac mini and a iPad Pro.

 

[Pbwallstreet]

Well, duh. That is common knowledge. They are not the same class of laptop.


Then get yourself a fully maxed out M5 Max. After all, anything less would be inferior even though all the MacBooks are in the same product category, laptop.

I have had a 16” MacBook M series Pro chip with lots of RAM as my work computer for 3 years. It’s great, thanks.

As has been discussed in this thread multiple times, I want a more portable laptop for travel and evening stuff. Tried the Neo, you know how that ended. And likely headed for a 14” MacBook Pro M5.

 

[Pbwallstreet]

Not surprised by the OP.
I found the mba screen average after using my ASD, sold it bought a Mac mini and a iPad Pro.

iPad Pros have GREAT screens. I have an iPad Pro M5.

 

[Pbwallstreet]

Nope. A lot of people here can smell the BS from a mile away. We know OP wants to ride the hype because of FOMO. It’s a new shiny MacBook after all.

Why even buy the device when you already expected and knew you’re going to return it.

How did I know I was going to return it.

 

[Pbwallstreet]

If you take your time and read in detail all the comments made in this thread, you will realize that in some it's already explained that Apple, just like other businesses has taken into account the rate of returns into its pricing structure. To simplify it, Apple is not losing any money by having such a return policy.

Have to laugh at “abuse the return policy.” I haven’t returned an Apple product in 20 years other than a first gen MacBbook Air defective out of the box as mentioned.

I returned the Neo because its screen wasn’t good enough. In other words, the product failed for me.

Let’s keep repeating the same thing over and over. Yes, I knew the specs. A non-p3 panel with almost identical PPI to a MacBook Air. Apple did not state the type of glass they used for the screen, or much of any details of the LCD panel, including whether it was laminated or not.

Therefore, critical parts of what makes a good screen were not known from written specs. In person, it took me 5 seconds to notice the poor viewing angles, washed out colours and slightly distorted content.

No amount of arguing, pushback, accusations, etc. will change the fact that THE NEO FAILED MY EXPECTATIONS.

 

[ipsedixit]

Diner: "Waiter, my steak dinner is overcooked."

Waiter: "You ordered meatloaf sir."

 

[Pbwallstreet]

Diner: "Waiter, my steak dinner is overcooked."

Waiter: "You ordered meatloaf sir."

Exactly the logic behind defending the MacBook Neo:

“Of course the screen isn’t great — it’s supposed to be worse.”

 

[ThailandToo]

I have to agree with @Pbwallstreet

The Neo is the lowest end Mac and the componentry is representative of that.

The screen is merely adequate and pales in comparison to all other Mac screens in a variety of noticeable ways.

Agree. The MBP display is so much better than MBA. And it makes sense the MBN is worse than the MBA.

 

[-BigMac-]

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.

Bro wants Macbook Pro 16” XDR screen performance, for the price of a lead-in Dell laptop🤣

 

[Mike Boreham]

Just watch Neo 2 coming next march.

- M6 CPU
- 16GB ram
- OLED
- 512GB storage
- $200 increase in price
- backlit keyboard

This is how Apple gets you, they slowly increase the price every year but they add in features.

Apple nearly always keeps the price of the base version any model the same as the previous year. It usually has spec bumps but rarely (never?) any significant new features.

(The M5 MBA case is different because Apple effectively stopped offering the 256GB base model with the introduction of the M5. The M5 MBA base has 512GB and is slightly cheaper than the 512GB M4 MBA).

 

[maerz001]

...seems like you did lol. Everyone likes trying and playing with the new hot toy. You knew exactly what to expect based on specs...what did you expect with this post. lol

Lol, where in the specs is the color shifting and pixel fuzziness mentioned?
That was the only thing he was complaining and a helpful hint for other buyers.
So be fair before you point the finger at someone

 

[Ghost31]

Even OP didn‘t claim it was „dim“ and it has the same PPI as the Air so how could it possibly be „pixelated“? As for viewing angles, I haven‘t heard anyone else complain about them, so i doubt they’re bad.

All this is basically OP rationalizing buying and returning a device he didn‘t need in the first place. Why we need a thread for this, I don‘t know.

We’re seeing more reviews coming in where they talk about the hit in picture quality even compared to the MacBook Air. Something we didn’t hear about at first

At about 3 minutes in

And just anecdotally, my wife and i were at the mall yesterday and stopped in for a second to take a quick look before heading to the food court. Yeah. The display was immediately noticeable as lower in quality. I’m used to pro devices but my wife has a MacBook Air and she was the first to remark on the “screen looking different”. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it and just said it “looked different”. I asked jokingly if she wanted to trade her air in for it and she said “absolutely not”. But then again…it’s just one little thing.

Personally, i think for the market they’re aiming for, the screen quality isnt a big deal. It hit a pretty magical price point and it’s going to get ALOT of newcomers from windows over to the Mac side so I’m very for that. If you’re comparing it to an air or a pro, you’re not the market for it anyway. I’ve seen people with m2 or m3 MacBook airs actually saying they wish they waited for the Neo and thinking about trading theirs in for it. To them i say…maybe dont? Lol backlit keyboard, better screen, faster processor, more ram. The air is better in a lot of ways. If i had an air, I wouldnt trade for a Neo obviously. That’s just trading down. I think people get caught up in the excitement of new products.