MacBook Neo

Reports about a low-cost MacBook started emerging after the WWDC 2025 event. Early rumors suggested the use of an A18 Pro chip, and a 13-inch (330 mm) screen size. In November 2025, it was reported that Apple was planning an affordable Mac notebook, to launch in 2026 to compete with less expensive Windows laptops, and Chromebooks.

In February 2026, MacRumors reported on color options, key features, and release timing.

A day before its launch, the rumored low-cost MacBook's name and model identifier were accidentally revealed a day early by Apple, revealing the name "MacBook Neo" via regulatory documents published on Apple's website.

Apple introduced the MacBook Neo as part of its March 2026 product launches on March 4, 2026. The laptop was described by reports as an entry-level model aimed at mainstream users and students. According to an Apple marketing executive, the name "MacBook Neo" was chosen to feel fun, friendly, and fresh.

The MacBook Neo is the lowest priced laptop that Apple has ever sold. At launch, the MacBook Neo sold with a starting price of US$599, or US$499 for those who qualify for education pricing, such as students and school staff. Pre-orders began on March 4, 2026, with general availability beginning on March 11, 2026. The starting price was increased by US$100 on June 25, 2026, amid global memory shortages.

To lower production costs, Apple used binned A18 Pro chips retained from iPhone 16 Pro production. On these chips, one of the six GPU cores was defective and had been rejected during manufacturing. With that core disabled, the chips were configured as five-core GPUs for use in the MacBook Neo. Because Apple had already paid for the chips during iPhone 16 Pro production, they carried no additional procurement cost.

Initial MacBook Neo production consumed Apple's entire stockpile of approximately five million binned A18 Pro chips. Apple subsequently expanded production to around ten million units in total, requiring an additional A18 Pro fabrication run.

The Neo was designed with several other cost-reduction measures to achieve its lower price point. The computer is limited to 8 GB of memory, and uses a less advanced screen, while omitting several features found on higher-end MacBook models, including a backlit keyboard and a Force Touch trackpad, instead using a mechanical trackpad mechanism.

The MacBook Neo features an aluminum body design like the MacBook Air models and a Liquid Retina display with black, uniform bezels. It is the first MacBook to have a notchless display since 2022.

Apple used an aluminum extrusion process for the MacBook Neo's enclosure, forming the material close to its final shape before machining. Higher-end MacBook models use aluminum blocks that are cut down to shape with CNC milling, a process that requires more machining time and removes more material, increasing cost.

The Neo is available in four colors: Silver, Blush, Citrus, and Indigo. The keyboard, trackpad, ports, and feet are color-matched to the chassis.

The MacBook Neo has a 13-inch (330 mm) Liquid Retina display with a resolution of 2408 × 1506 pixels, a pixel density of 219 pixels per inch, 500 nits of brightness, and support for 1 billion colors. Compared with the entry-level MacBook Air, the display is slightly smaller, lacks True Tone, and uses the sRGB color space rather than Wide P3. It includes a 1080p camera, while other current MacBook models use a 12-megapixel camera.

It includes two USB-C ports: one USB 10Gbps port with support for DisplayPort 1.4 and one USB 2.0 port. It also includes a 3.5 mm audio jack, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 6. The MacBook Neo supports one external 4K display at 60 Hz. It has two microphones with directional beamforming and two side-firing speakers with support for Dolby Atmos, fewer microphones and speakers than found on higher-end MacBook models.

The computer uses the Apple A18 Pro, a system on a chip (SoC), previously introduced in the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max. It has 8 GB of unified memory shared by a six-core CPU, consisting of two performance cores and four efficiency cores, and a five-core GPU. The MacBook Neo is the first Mac sold with an A-series chip rather than the more powerful M-series since the transition to Apple silicon. The A18 Pro's low power consumption allows the MacBook Neo to use a passive, fanless cooling system.

The 256 GB base model lacks Touch ID and uses a standard lock button in place of the fingerprint sensor. Touch ID is included on the 512 GB model.

Early benchmark testing by Digital Trends recorded Geekbench 6 scores of 3,461 points in single-core performance and 8,668 points in multi-core performance, along with a Metal graphics score of 31,286 points. …

The MacBook Neo received generally favorable reviews following its release. Reviewers praised its price, aluminum enclosure, display quality, battery life, and performance for everyday tasks, describing it as a strong entry-level Mac and a competitive option for students and first-time Mac users. Reviewers also noted that the laptop retained Apple's build quality despite its lower price.

Criticism focused on the compromises made to reach its price point. Reviewers cited the fixed 8 GB of memory, lack of a backlit keyboard, mechanical trackpad, limited port selection, and the absence of Thunderbolt support and a wide-color (P3) display. Several reviewers found the A18 Pro processor well suited to web browsing, office work, and media consumption, while noting that sustained professional workloads were better served by Macs with M-series processors.

After using the MacBook Neo for a month, CNET reported that the base model's 8 GB of memory became a limitation when multitasking or using memory-intensive applications, although it continued to perform well for lighter workloads.

Following the MacBook Neo's release, Microsoft commissioned a study comparing Windows laptops with the MacBook Neo as part of a marketing campaign promoting Copilot+ PCs. Macworld characterized the campaign as an indication that Microsoft viewed the MacBook Neo as a significant competitor.