MacBook Neo

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MacBook Neo
MacBook Neo (logo).svg
MacBook Neo on display.jpg
Citrus and Blush-colored MacBook Neos on display at an Apple Store
Developer Apple Inc.
Product family MacBook
Type Laptop
ReleasedMarch 11, 2026(7 days ago) (2026-03-11)
Operating system macOS
System on a chip A18 Pro
Related
Website apple.com/macbook-neo

The MacBook Neo is a laptop in the Macbook series that is developed and manufactured by Apple Inc. It is the first Mac to use an A-series chip found in the iPhone rather than the M-series chips found in other Apple silicon Macs. The MacBook Neo is positioned as the entry-level MacBook, situated below the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. It was first announced on March 4, 2026, and released on March 11, 2026. It is currently the cheapest laptop Apple sells, with a starting price of US$599.

Contents

Overview

Apple introduced the MacBook Neo as part of its March 2026 product launches on March 4, 2026. [1] It has been posited that the strategy behind the MacBook Neo centers on mainstream users and students, offering an accessible and affordable device within the Apple ecosystem. [2] [3] According to an Apple marketing executive, the name "MacBook Neo" was chosen to feel fun, friendly, and fresh. [4]

The MacBook Neo is the most affordable laptop that Apple has ever sold, with a starting price of US$599. Pre-orders began at launch, with general release beginning on March 11, 2026. [2] [5]

The MacBook Neo's name and model identifier (A3404) was accidentally revealed a day early by Apple when regulatory documents for the MacBook Neo were published on Apple's website. [6] [7]

Specifications

Design

The MacBook Neo features an aluminum body design like the MacBook Air models, [8] a Liquid Retina display with black, uniform bezels. It is therefore the first MacBook since the 2022 13" M2 MacBook Pro to have a notchless display. It is available in four colors: Silver, Blush, Citrus, and Indigo. [9] The keyboard and feet are color-matched to the chassis. [10]

ColorName
Silver
Blush
Citrus
Indigo

Hardware

The MacBook Neo features a 13-inch Liquid Retina display with a resolution of 2408 × 1506 and has a ppi of 218. It has two USB-C ports (one running at USB 3 speed with support for DisplayPort  1.4, and one running at USB 2 speed), a headphone jack, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth  6. [5] It uses an Apple A18 Pro chip (previously used on the iPhone 16 Pro), [9] and has 8 GB of unified memory (not upgradeable), shared between the six CPU cores (two performance, four efficiency) and five GPU cores. It is the first publicly available Mac released with an A-series SoC rather than an M-series chip since the transition to Apple silicon. [a] [1] The 256 GB base models ships without Touch ID with a lock button in place of the fingerprint scanner; the 512 GB model includes Touch ID. [9] It can run one 4K display at 60 Hz (such as Apple's Studio Display at a scaled resolution). [12]

Because the Apple A18 Pro is an efficient low-wattage SoC, the MacBook Neo relies on passive fanless cooling and runs completely silently. [13]

Performance

Early performance tests done by Digital Trends show that the MacBook Neo outperforms the M1 Macbook Air with Geekbench results scoring 3,461 points in single-core and 8,668 points in multi-core tests, with a Metal score of 31,286 points in graphics benchmarks. [14] [15] The MacBook Neo also outperforms the M3 iPad Air in single-core tests. [15]

A photographer and video editor tested the MacBook Neo during professional workflows, and concluded that: "Editing 4K video on this computer is totally fine, even with every other app running." [16]

Technical specifications

  1. ↑ 5K at 60Hz is equivalent to 4K at 100Hz, 6K at 60Hz is equivalent to 4K at 144Hz, 8K at 60Hz is equivalent to 4K at 240Hz

Software

The MacBook Neo initially shipped with macOS Tahoe 26.3.1. A day-one update, 26.3.2, was released exclusively over-the-air for the MacBook Neo on March 10, 2026. [17] [18]

Repairablity

A report by iFixit found that the MacBook Neo is Apple's most repairable laptop in 14 years, highlighted with a screwed-down battery tray, lack of parts pairing, screwed-down keyboard, and modular ports and speakers. [19]

Timeline

Timeline of portable Macintoshes
Mac transition to Apple siliconiMac ProApple WatchiPadiPhoneMac ProPower Mac G5Power Mac G4Power Mac G3Power MacintoshCompact MacintoshMacBook NeoMacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Air (Apple silicon)MacBook Air (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Air (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Air (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)12-inch MacBookMacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Air (Intel-based)MacBook Air (Intel-based)MacBook (2006–2012)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook (2006–2012)MacBook Air (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook (2006–2012)PowerBook G4PowerBook G4PowerBook G4iBook G4iBook G4PowerBook G4iBook (white)iBook (white)iBook ClamshelliBook ClamshellPowerBook G3PowerBook G3PowerBook G3PowerBook 3400cPowerBook 1400PowerBook 2400cPowerBook 500 seriesPowerBook 5300PowerBook 190PowerBook DuoPowerBook 500 seriesPowerBook 500 seriesPowerBook 500 seriesPowerBook 500 seriesPowerBook 150PowerBook DuoPowerBook DuoPowerBook 180PowerBook 160PowerBook 140PowerBook DuoPowerBook DuoPowerBook 180PowerBook 160PowerBook 160PowerBook 140PowerBook Duo 230PowerBook Duo 210PowerBook 170PowerBook 140PowerBook 100Macintosh PortableMacBook Neo
See also: List of Mac models

Notes

  1. ↑ The first Mac to use an A-series chip was the Developer Transition Kit with the A12Z Bionic. It was only available for developers to assist with the Mac transition to Apple silicon. [11]

References

  1. 1 2 "Say hello to MacBook Neo". Apple Newsroom (Press release). Apple Inc. March 4, 2026. Retrieved March 4, 2026.
  2. 1 2 Larsen, Luke (March 4, 2026). "The Colorful MacBook Neo Is Apple's Cheapest Laptop Ever". Wired . Retrieved March 4, 2026.
  3. ↑ Owen, Malcolm (March 4, 2026). "MacBook Neo is Apple's new entry-level notebook". AppleInsider . Retrieved March 4, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Apple is ready to fulfill your MacBook Neo desires — on demand, the name and more". TechRadar. March 4, 2026. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  5. 1 2 Faulkner, Cameron (March 4, 2026). "Here's where you can preorder Apple's budget-friendly MacBook Neo". The Verge . Retrieved March 4, 2026.
  6. ↑ Rossignol, Joe (March 3, 2026). "Apple Accidentally Leaks 'MacBook Neo'". MacRumors . Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  7. ↑ Price, David (March 3, 2026). "Whoops! Apple accidentally reveals 'MacBook Neo'". Macworld . Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  8. ↑ Hardawar, Devindra; Ingraham, Nathan (March 4, 2026). "The $599 MacBook Neo is Apple's cheapest Mac laptop yet". Engadget . Retrieved March 4, 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 Charlton, Hartley (March 4, 2026). "Apple Announces $599 'MacBook Neo' With A18 Pro Chip". MacRumors . Retrieved March 4, 2026.
  10. ↑ Cunningham, Andrew (March 4, 2026). "The $599 MacBook Neo is Apple's long-awaited colorful, lower-cost MacBook". Ars Technica . Retrieved March 4, 2026.
  11. ↑ Welch, Chris (June 22, 2020). "Apple announces Mac mini powered by its own chips for developers". The Verge. Retrieved March 7, 2026.
  12. ↑ Hardwick, Tim (March 5, 2026). "MacBook Neo Compatible With New Studio Displays, But There's a Catch". MacRumors. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
  13. ↑ Andreas Osthoff (March 11, 2026). "Apple's MacBook Neo has arrived - Our initial impressions of the $599 MacBook - NotebookCheck.net News". NotebookCheck.net (notebookcheck.net). Retrieved March 12, 2026.
  14. ↑ Vikhyaat Vivek (March 9, 2026). "Apple's budget MacBook Neo is already outrunning the M1 MacBook Air in early tests". MSN (msn.com). Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  15. 1 2 Vikhyaat Vivek (March 6, 2026). "Apple's budget MacBook Neo is already outrunning the M1 MacBook Air in early tests - Digital Trends". Digital Trends (digitaltrends.com). Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  16. ↑ Mendes, Marcus (March 10, 2026). "Photographer Tyler Stalman tests the MacBook Neo with pro photo and video workflows". 9to5Mac. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
  17. ↑ Hall, Zac (March 10, 2026). "Apple releases macOS 26.3.2 software update for MacBook Neo". 9to5Mac. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  18. ↑ Clover, Juli (March 10, 2026). "MacBook Neo Will Have Day One Software Update". MacRumors. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  19. ↑ "MacBook Neo Is the Most Repairable MacBook in 14 Years". iFixit. March 17, 2026. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
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