Apple has introduced the MacBook Neo, its cheapest-ever new laptop model, starting at $599. The device is designed to appeal to Windows and Chromebook users and runs on Apple's A18 Pro chip, typically used in iPhones.
Key Takeaways
Apple introduced the MacBook Neo, starting at $599, designed to compete with Windows and Chromebook laptops. The event also saw announcements for new iPhone models and updated MacBook Pro and Air devices featuring M5 chips. Apple is raising prices across its MacBook lineup due to rising memory costs.
The launch event took place in New York City on Wednesday, with John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, describing the MacBook Neo as “totally new” and built “from the ground up.” The laptop features a 13-inch display, a lightweight metal body weighing 2.7 pounds, and comes in four colors: silver, blush, citrus, and indigo.
The MacBook Neo is positioned to compete with affordable laptops from PC and Chromebook makers. It offers up to 500 nits of brightness, two USB-C ports, a headphone jack, and up to 16 hours of battery life. The base model comes with 256GB of storage, while the $699 version includes 512GB of storage and Touch ID.
Apple is also offering education discounts for teachers, students, or anyone with a .edu-affiliated email address. The MacBook Neo will be available for preorder starting Wednesday and will hit stores on March 11.
The event also showcased several other new products, including the iPhone 17e, which starts at $599 and features the A19 chip found in the base iPhone 17. The smartphone comes with 256GB of storage, MagSafe and Qi2 for wireless charging up to 15W, and a 48-megapixel camera.
Apple also announced new MacBook Pro models featuring M5 Pro and M5 Max chips designed for intensive AI tasks. These laptops offer significant performance improvements over their predecessors, with the ability to handle AI tasks up to 4x faster than M4-based machines and up to 8x faster than M1 models.
The new MacBook Air lineup includes a 13-inch model starting at $1,099 and a 15-inch model starting at $1,299. These models feature improved battery life, camera quality, and storage capacities compared to previous generations.
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