- Apple finally made its most affordable MacBook official
- It is powered by Apple’s A18 Pro chip.
- This new MacBook starts at $599 / £599 / AU$899
After countless rumors, Apple has finally made its new entry-level MacBook Neo official. The iPhone 17e and iPad Air with M4 may have kicked off Apple’s launch week, but this new $599 / £599 / AU$899 MacBook will probably be the one to get people talking.
As expected, this MacBook doesn’t feature an Apple M-series chip, but is instead powered by an A18 Pro chip. Yes, the Apple-made silicon that first debuted in an iPhone is now inside a Mac and running macOS.
It looks a lot like Apple’s classic wedge-designed MacBook Air, a look I still really like, and this laptop comes in a range of four sweet colors (blush, indigo, silver, and a “fresh new citrus”). The invitations for the March 4, 2026 Apple Experience likely hinted at these colors.
The MacBook Neo comes with two USB-C ports, a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, and a headphone jack. The display is a 13-inch Liquid Retina with 500 nits of brightness and Apple claims a battery life of 16 hours, just two hours less than the new MacBook Air. The MacBook Neo also has a Multi-Touch Trackpad and the Magic Keyboard, although unlike the MacBook Air it does not have a backlight.
The $599 / £599 / AU$899 version comes with 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM and no Touch ID (with a lock button instead), while the $699 / £699 / AU$1,099 version has 512GB of storage with 8GB of RAM and Touch ID.
So what’s missing?
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The MacBook Neo packs a lot for its $599 / £599 / AU$899 base price, so what shortcuts has Apple had to take?
First, that cheaper model doesn’t have Touch ID on the keyboard; It only comes with the $699/£699/AU$1,099 512GB version. There are also no storage options of 1TB or more, only the 256GB and 512GB options.
The absence of a backlit keyboard could be one of the biggest practical limitations, making it difficult for students (its main target market) to type late at night. There’s also no MagSafe charging or Apple N1 chip (which is now standard on Apple’s latest MacBooks), meaning you only get Wi-Fi 6E.
Elsewhere, the 1080p FaceTime camera doesn’t have Center Stage, so it can’t move to follow you as you move, and in the UK and Europe the laptop doesn’t come with a charger or cable either.
Still, while these are all good, the MacBook Neo certainly has its charms, particularly in those bright colors, and is likely to be a strong rival to the Chromebook at that $599 / £599 / AU$899 starting price. Considering it starts at $499 / £499 / AU$749 for education, we can see this being a popular laptop in 2026.
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