The new budget MacBook is the best thing Apple has released in years
Apple MacBook Neo
Score: 5/5
Pros- Unbeatable value
- Colourful, compact design
- Great performance for the price
- No backlight on keyboard
- Need to buy the 512GB model for Touch ID
- No charging plug included
Where to buy
Apple £599.00 Buy nowWhat is the Apple MacBook Neo?
The MacBook Neo is the cheapest laptop Apple has ever sold, making it the new entry point into the company’s computer lineup. It starts at only £599, which is almost half the price of the MacBook Air (M5), but that price drops further to £499 if you’re eligible for Apple’s education discount, making it tremendous value for students.
There are some compromises, of course. Rather than being powered by Apple’s powerful M-series of processors that run the rest of the MacBook models, the Neo uses the A18 Pro, which is the same as what you’ll find inside the iPhone 16 Pro. It also has fewer USB-C ports for charging and accessories, the keyboard isn’t backlit, and the trackpad doesn’t have haptic feedback.
However, the MacBook Neo is one of the most exciting products Apple has launched in the last decade. From its accessible price and colourful aluminium body, to its respectable performance and selection of software surprises, there’s little reason not to buy one if you’re a student or someone looking for a great-value everyday laptop.
Design and usability
Score: 5/5
The Apple MacBook Neo is a delight in terms of design, and I don’t say that lightly. I loved the old standard MacBook, and I was disappointed when Apple discontinued it nearly 10 years ago. This model is everything I wanted the resurgence of the regular MacBook to be, and more.
It’s cute, colourful and wonderfully compact, resulting in a design that’s hard to fault. The aluminium body gives it a premium appeal, which is rare at this end of the market, where plastic bodies are prevalent. The colour matching of the Apple logo on the lid, the trackpad, and the keyboard to the rest of the body gives a lovely, unified finish.
Four colour options make the Neo more “fun” than its more expensive siblings, too, with Blush and Citrus stepping away from Apple’s norm, while Silver and Indigo keep things a little more serious if you prefer. The Neo is extremely portable, weighing the same as the 13.6-inch MacBook Air, and with smaller overall dimensions, it’s barely noticeable in a bag or under your arm.
The one thing that lets the Neo down is the lack of ports, with only two USB-C connectors sitting close to each other on the left edge. There’s no MagSafe charging, either, unlike on both the MacBook Air and Pro (M5), but you do get a headphone jack.
Keyboard and touchpad
Score: 4.5/5
The keys have a decent level of travel
Anyone who recalls the 2017 MacBook will know it was plagued by a keyboard that wasn’t quite up to the job, but that’s not the case here. The MacBook Neo has the same ‘Magic Keyboard’ as the Air and Pro, and as someone who writes thousands of words a day, I can attest to the fact that it’s a brilliant typing experience.
You get satisfying clicks and a reasonable amount of feedback, and while it doesn’t offer the same key travel as a mechanical keyboard, there’s nothing to stop you connecting an external one via Bluetooth or one of the USB-C ports.
The small arrow keys can be a little annoying, but you do get full-sized function keys, with a convenient lock button in the top-right corner. The higher-storage model turns this lock key into a Touch ID button, like you’ll find on the Air and Pro, which allows for quick unlocking and authentication for passwords and payments with your fingerprint.
My review model didn’t have Touch ID, and while I thought I’d miss it coming from the MacBook Pro (M5), I didn’t. I set my Apple Watch to unlock the Neo, which reduced the number of times I had to enter my password.
There’s no backlight on the keyboard, so that’s something to consider if you want to use it in the dark. Otherwise, the large and responsive trackpad lacks haptic feedback, but in use, I found neither absence to be a deal-breaker.
Display and audio
Score: 4.5/5
Open the smooth, curved-edged lid of the MacBook Neo, and you’ll be greeted with a 13-inch screen, which is the same display used by the MacBook Air.
The MacBook Pro, on the other hand, uses a different display technology called mini-LED. It’s brighter, with more vibrant colours, but it costs almost three times as much.
There’s no True Tone feature on the Neo, either, which automatically adjusts the display to the lighting in your environment to help reduce eye strain. Still, the Neo’s display is more than good enough for casual web browsing, watching content and writing, with punchy colours and a good level of detail.
The black bezels surrounding the display are also chunkier than they are on the MacBook Air and Pro, but this has the added benefit of fitting the webcam within this space, eliminating the need for a screen notch. As a result, the border is much more uniform around the screen, which I prefer.
Meanwhile, sound performance is surprisingly effective from the dual stereo speakers positioned on either side of the Neo. You don’t get the same depth as you would on the MacBook Pro, but the sound quality did the job for watching a film or taking a video call.
Performance and configurations
Score: 4.5/5
The Neo comes in just two storage options, both with the same memory
The MacBook Neo uses the A18 Pro chip, which is the same processor inside the iPhone 16 Pro from 2024. This is a different setup from the other MacBooks, as they all run on Apple’s M-series laptop chips, with the latest being the M5.
Essentially, there’s less power here than the MacBook Air and Pro, and that’s especially true when you consider that there is only 8GB of memory and no option to pay extra and add more.
Still, as far as everyday performance goes, the MacBook Neo had no issues. It was fast enough for web browsing, writing, listening to music and watching movies. Open a few too many tabs (I’m talking about 30) and export large image files on Photoshop at the same time, and you’ll need to be considerate of its limitations, but for day-to-day use, the Neo has been excellent so far.
Despite having no choice of memory, there are two storage options available: 256GB and 512GB. Both models run on macOS 26 Tahoe, which is the latest version of Apple’s laptop software, with Apple Intelligence supported for features like Priority Notifications and Priority Inbox.
A useful software addition is that the menus and other aspects, such as the mouse cursor, are colour-matched to the colour of the laptop you choose. It took me right back to the feeling I got when I used my first MacBook 20 years ago.
Battery life
Score: 4.5/5
Unfortunately, no charger is included in the box
The last thing to talk about is battery life. Apple claims the Neo will offer 11 hours of web browsing or 16 hours of video streaming, but if we’re talking general use, you just want to know if it will get you through a working day or a few lectures.
Longevity depends on what you do on a laptop, and every user is different, but with the majority of my time spent browsing and writing, I didn’t find myself running for the charger. I used 30 per cent battery in three hours when I was writing this review with the screen at 50 per cent brightness, so it would easily see me through an eight-hour working day.
A charging plug doesn’t come in the box, however, so you will need to use one you already have or factor one into the final cost. Since it isn’t fast-charge compatible like other MacBooks, a cheaper 20-watt brick will suffice.
Technical specifications
If you’re after more power than the MacBook Neo offers, such as a larger display or the option to configure the memory, the MacBook Air (M5) is the obvious step up. There’s a £500 price difference, but here is how the MacBook Neo compares.
Should you buy the Apple MacBook Neo?
If you’re looking for an everyday laptop for work or you’re a student who needs a laptop for studying, the MacBook Neo is an unbeatable value proposition.
It offers more than enough power for daily tasks, is enclosed in a colourful and compact design, with a great overall user experience. There’s so little I don’t like, in fact, that my pink Neo is going to take the place of my larger and heavier MacBook Pro for the foreseeable future.
This is Apple’s best-value release in years. It’s a massive play for the US tech giant, and one that will undoubtedly pay off, hooking more people into its ecosystem and likely tempting them towards buying more of its gadgets in the future.
Yes, if:
- You want a fun, premium and compact laptop
- You’re looking for a laptop for general tasks
- You want a laptop that’s half the price of other MacBooks
No, if:
- You do intensive tasks like video editing
- You need a large screen
- You want multiple ports, like an HDMI or SD card reader
Apple MacBook Neo FAQs
How I test MacBooks
I have reviewed Apple’s MacBooks for a decade, but I’ve been using them for twice as long, picking up my first MacBook the year I started university. Over the years, I’ve switched regularly between the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. There hasn’t been a standard MacBook since 2017, so this latest model is nine years in the making.
I’m familiar with what every MacBook is capable of, when a step up in power is necessary and what you get for your money, whatever model you choose. When I review MacBooks, I consider five testing metrics: design and usability; keyboard and touchpad; display and audio; performance and configurations; and battery life.
It’s also about real-world use rather than just scores on a spreadsheet. I use each one as my main laptop, which involves typing reviews, image editing, general web browsing, emails, admin and using it on the move. This gives me an idea for what each MacBook is capable of, how long the battery lasts and how it handles more intense tasks.
What is the release date of the Apple MacBook Neo?
The Apple MacBook Neo was announced on 4 March 2026 and goes on sale on 11 March 2026.
How much does the Apple MacBook Neo cost?
The Apple MacBook Neo starts at £599 and offers 256GB of storage. The 512GB model costs £699. Both are £100 cheaper if you are eligible for Apple’s education discount.
What configurations does the MacBook Neo have?
The MacBook Neo comes in two storage options: 256GB and 512GB. Both have 8GB of RAM, with no option to upgrade.
Does the MacBook Neo come with a power adapter?
Who is eligible for Apple’s education discount?
Apple’s education discount applies to any new or current university students, as well as parents buying for them. It is also available to all teachers and education staff at all levels. To qualify, you will need to prove your eligibility, typically through UNiDays.
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