Buying a new MacBook has never been cheap. Even the oldest models from 2024 cost around £800 (approximately €930), while alternatives like Windows PCs or Chromebooks can easily be found for under €300.
For this very reason, Apple has introduced a more affordable solution: the MacBook Neo.
This model starts at £599 (around €700), which is around £500 (≈ €580) cheaper than the MacBook Air with the M5 chip. But has Apple made too many compromises for this lower price?
Premium design, no compromise on looks
At first glance, the MacBook Neo looks much more “luxurious” than its price suggests. There’s no cheap plastic like many other laptops in this category – instead, the body is made of quality aluminum and comes in four modern colors.
The 13-inch Liquid Retina display is sharp and colorful. The 1080p camera is solid for video calling, while the speakers with Spatial Audio provide a pretty impressive sound experience for this category.
Unexpected performance from a “phone chip”
To reduce costs, Apple has used the A18 Pro chip – the same one found in the iPhone 16 Pro – instead of M.
However, in real-world use this is not a problem. The laptop easily handles multiple applications simultaneously, video editing in iMovie, and multimedia consumption.
This is not a laptop for serious professionals, but for everyday use (email, internet, movies, basic applications) it is more than sufficient.
Solid battery, but not perfect
Apple promises up to 16 hours of use, but in practice the real figure is closer to 10+ hours – still very good for everyday use.
Compromises to be aware of
To achieve this price, several restrictions have been made:
Only 8GB RAM (no expansion)
Storage options: 256GB and 512GB
Touch ID is missing on the base model (you have to pay +£100 ≈ €115 for the 512GB version)
No MagSafe port for charging
Only two USB-C ports
Charger not included (must be purchased separately, around £20 ≈ €23)
The keyboard is not illuminated.
Mechanical trackpad (not Force Touch)
User experience
Despite these shortcomings, the MacBook Neo offers a very good experience. The keyboard is comfortable, the trackpad is accurate, and the overall performance is satisfactory.
The MacBook Neo is not for heavy-duty tasks like 4K editing or professional graphics processing. In these cases, you're better off choosing a MacBook Air or Pro with an M.
But for everyday users, this is one of the most balanced laptops on the market.
With a price tag of around €700, Apple is finally offering a “budget” MacBook without sacrificing core quality. And that could make the Neo a huge success in the market. /GazetaExpress/
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