TL;DR
- Apple has launched the MacBook Neo, its most affordable laptop yet, starting at $599 ($499 for education).
- It is powered by the A18 Pro chip from the iPhone 16 Pro, making it the first Mac to use an iPhone SoC.
- The 13-inch laptop features 16 hours of battery life, a 1080p FaceTime camera, and runs macOS Tahoe.
The iPhone 16 Pro was launched in September 2024, going head-to-head against Android flagships like the Google Pixel 9 Pro and the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Apple’s lead in SoC performance is no secret by now, and the company is capitalizing on its success by putting the iPhone 16 Pro’s chip in a laptop. Meet the new Apple MacBook Neo, powered by the Apple A18 Pro chip.
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The new MacBook Neo is Apple’s newest and cheapest laptop, lowering the price barrier to owning a Mac. Instead of featuring an M-series processor like the MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, the MacBook Neo packs the Apple A18 Pro chip, last used in the iPhone 16 Pro. The chip’s performance headroom is enough to handle everyday tasks, like browsing the web and streaming content, as well as editing photos, exploring creative hobbies, and using AI capabilities across apps.
Apple is even claiming that the A18 Pro is up to 50% faster for everyday tasks like web browsing, and up to 3x faster for on-device AI workloads, compared to the “bestselling PC with the latest shipping Intel Core Ultra 5.” However, the company doesn’t specify which exact laptop it is comparing to. The testing was done on a MacBook Neo with A18 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 8GB of RAM (unified memory), and 256GB SSD, compared to an Intel Core Ultra 5-based laptop with Intel Graphics, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage, and the latest Windows 11 Home update.
The MacBook Neo features a 13-inch Liquid Retina (2,408 x 1,506 resolution) display with 500 nits of brightness and an anti-reflective coating. The laptop features an aluminum build, keeping it weighing just 1.22 kg.
With the MacBook Neo, Apple is promising 16 hours of battery life on a single charge. It also comes with a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, dual mics, and dual side-firing speakers with Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos support. The MacBook Neo also features Apple’s Magic Keyboard (surprisingly color-matched to the body) and a large multi-touch trackpad.
Ports include two USB-C ports (one USB 3.0 and the other USB 2.0) and a headphone jack, while Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 6 round out wireless connectivity.
Even though the MacBook Neo features an iPhone chip, it runs macOS Tahoe.
The MacBook Neo comes in 256GB and 512GB storage models, both featuring 8GB of RAM. However, the 512GB model features a Touch ID sensor for convenient fingerprint-based unlocking. A 20W USB-C power adapter and a USB-C cable are included with either model.
Apple MacBook Neo pricing and availability
The biggest selling point of the MacBook Neo is its price, which starts at just $599 for the 256GB model, making it Apple’s most affordable laptop ever. Education users can get it for $499. The 512GB model costs $699 retail and $599 for education users.
Pre-orders begin today, with availability beginning Wednesday, March 11. You can get it in Blush, Indigo, Silver, and Citrus colors.
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