Though I primarily consider myself to be a Windows users, I do have uses for a Mac. I already own a 15-inch MacBook Air, which I use at home, but I’ve been searching for something that I can take with me on the road—something smaller, lighter, and cheaper. With Apple’s announcement of the MacBook Neo, I think I’ve found it.
Today, Apple debuted its new MacBook Neo, a 13-inch laptop that weighs just 2.7 pounds. he new Neo offers all the features I’ve been seeking in another Mac. Here’s why I plan to grab one.
First up, the Neo is an ideal machine to take with me when I travel. Not too tiny but light enough for me to use at a hotel, at an airport, and especially on a plane flight (those pull-down trays don’t give you much room).
While traveling, I already carry my main Windows laptop in my backpack. I’ve been looking for a MacBook that I can add to my pack without creating too much extra weight or bulk. Sounds like the Neo is the right candidate for that job.
Despite the size, the screen quality is no slouch. You get a Liquid Retina display with a 2,408-by-1,506 resolution and 500 nits of brightness. The resolution and brightness are important to me as I sometimes have to work in darker or dimmer conditions, such as on a plane.
Apple’s other more powerful MacBooks are now outfitted with the company’s latest M5 chip. In contrast, the Neo sports an A18 Pro, the same chip that powers my iPhone 16 Pro. And that’s fine with me. I won’t be using the Neo for any heavy-duty video editing or other CPU-intensive tasks. I plan to test the Neo in my local Apple Store before I buy it to see how it fares. But I expect the performance to be more than enough for my needs.
A couple of other features excite me, especially as my wife and I embark on one of our regular trips. The Neo is built with an aluminum design that Apple touts as durable. That means it should hold up through wear and tear as I lug it from one spot to another.
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I’m also a stickler for battery life. As laptops have become thinner and lighter, battery life has suffered as a result. I’ve owned a few Windows laptops where I was lucky to get five or six hours out of a single charge. Here, Apple promises “all-day” battery life–a hefty 16 hours before you need to juice it up again. Though electrical outlets are more ubiquitous at airports and on airlines, you can’t always count on them to work. So I need to know that the battery will last long enough for me to finish my work.
I’ll sometimes use my MacBook for video calls, which frees up my Windows laptop for other tasks. For this, the Neo includes a 1080p FaceTime HD camera. There’s a headphone jack for wired audio if I want to listen to music or podcasts or watch a video. Two USB-C ports let me easily charge the unit or connect an external gadget. And Wi-Fi 6E completes the package so I can connect wirelessly at airports and hotels.
The Neo comes in four colors: blush, indigo, silver, and citrus. After using Windows laptops that typically are painted a dull black or grey, I enjoy using a MacBook with a splash of color.
So far, the only unknown factor is the keyboard. As a quick and hard typist, I tend to pound away at the keys, so I need a keyboard that’s comfortable and durable. With today’s crop of thin and light Windows laptops, keyboard quality often suffers. That’s why I usually stick with Lenovo for my core machine.
The Neo is outfitted with Apple’s Magic Keyboard, the same style used on other MacBooks, including my Air. I’m a fan of the Magic Keyboard, and if the one on the Neo feels and performs as expected, I should be happy with it. But that’s another reason I aim to try out the Neo in person when it pops up at the Apple Store.
And that brings me to probably the best part of all—the price tag. The Neo starts at $599 for the version with 256GB of storage and rises to just $699 for the 512GB flavor with Touch ID. That’s a budget-friendly price that should attract of a lot of buyers, me included.
You can already pre-order the Neo at Apple’s website. But if you want to first try it out in person the way I plan to do, it will hit the stores on Wednesday, March 11. If all goes well, that’s likely when I’ll buy one so I can have it ready for my next trip.
About Our Expert
Lance Whitney
Contributor
Experience
I’ve been working for PCMag since early 2016 writing tutorials, how-to pieces, and other articles on consumer technology. Beyond PCMag, I’ve written news stories and tutorials for a variety of other websites and publications, including , ZDNet, TechRepublic, Macworld, PC World, Time, US News & World Report, and AARP Magazine. I spent seven years writing breaking news for as one of the site’s East Coast reporters. I’ve also written two books for Wiley & Sons—Windows 8: Five Minutes at a Time and Teach Yourself Visually LinkedIn.
I’ve used Windows, Office, and other Microsoft products for years so I’m well versed in that world. I also know the Mac quite well. I’m always working with iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and Android on my various mobile devices. And these days, I write a lot about AI, so that’s become another key area for me.
My wife always jokes about all the tech products we have around the house, but I manage to put them to good use for my articles. I like Lenovo computers, so I own a couple of Lenovo desktops and several laptops. I have three MacBooks and a Mac mini. For my mobile life and work, I use an iPhone 16 Pro, iPad Pro, and iPad mini as well as an Apple Watch. But since I write about Android, I own several Android phones and tablets. Like any tech person, I have a cabinet full of cables, wires, and assorted mysterious gadgets. And when it’s time to take a break from writing, I have an old Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii, both of which I use for exercise and fitness games.
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