Apple will officially launch the MacBook Neo this Wednesday, March 11. Ahead of the release, journalists and influencers shared their hands-on impressions, first thoughts, and reviews of Apple’s upcoming budget-friendly laptop. Interesting enough, there seems to have been a general consensus about this laptop: This laptop is a steal for what it offers, and if you’re concerned about anything it doesn’t feature, you should be prepared to buy a more powerful MacBook.
From the early reviews, iJustine and Tyler Stallman are the most interesting ones to watch, as they showcase how one can edit videos and photos with the MacBook Neo even with several apps open in the background. While Apple seems to have primarily sent out the 512GB model for reviews, the only real difference between the 256GB and 512GB models is the addition of Touch ID on the Magic Keyboard. Therefore, whether you’re buying the entry-level model or spending $100 more, you’re still getting the same performance. After all, this laptop has 8GB of RAM, and Apple offers the same A18 Pro chip in both configurations.
If you need real power, this laptop isn’t for you
On The Verge’s review, as with a few others, the drawbacks of the MacBook Neo are the 8GB memory limitation, lack of keyboard backlighting, and slow 20W charger. Meanwhile, Bloomberg pointed out that it would have been nice if this laptop were slightly thinner than the MacBook Air or had more vibrant colors. While these are all fair points, and Apple might address some of these in a second generation (as the A19 Pro supports 12GB of RAM), it’s also important to note that if you require more RAM for daily tasks, you want a more true-to-color display, or you miss Apple’s Force Touch on the trackpad, then it means this laptop probably just isn’t for you.
This is where Apple draws a line between consumers switching from a Chromebook and or a Windows laptop and long-time Mac users. The goal here isn’t to attract someone who is looking to upgrade from an old MacBook Air or MacBook Pro — Apple wants to to break into a new price range to seek out new customers, knowing this won’t fit the bill for many current MacBook owners.
Other missing features, as noted by 9to5Mac, include a 1080p webcam without Center Stage support — unlike newer Macs with a 12MP Center Stage camera — Wi-Fi 6E instead of Wi-Fi 7, fewer microphones, and no Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking. Once again, these probably won’t be dealbreakers for anyone on a budget.
Is the MacBook Neo worth it?
From what reviewers have said, the MacBook Neo is the laptop to get if you’re in school or you just need a laptop for simple, everyday tasks. So, if you work with spreadsheets, like to listen to songs on a streaming service, check social media feeds, ask ChatGPT for help, and occasionally need a bit more power for light photo and video editing, this colorful new MacBook is worth considering.
One important note is that the A18 Pro isn’t a slouch compared to Apple’s older M-series chips. While the A18 Pro debuted on the iPhone 16 series, it’s significantly more powerful than the M1 processor, and for some tasks, it’s on par with the M2, M3, and even the M4.
While 8GB of memory will impact the longevity of this laptop somewhat, anyone who needs more power can spend a little more on a more recent MacBook Air. Now, we just have to wait and see how this laptop performs after months of use, how it handles software updates, and where Apple will take the Neo line in future generations.
