Apple unveils $599 MacBook Neo with iPhone A18 Pro chip in budget laptop push

Apple Inc. launched the $599 MacBook Neo in its most significant move yet into affordable laptops, aiming to compete with Windows PCs and Chromebooks for budget-conscious consumers, Bloomberg reported.

The device costs $400 less than any new-generation Apple laptop previously sold, significantly below the current $1,099 MacBook Air. The MacBook Neo will be available in citrus, silver, indigo, and blush colours, making it potentially attractive to both students and mainstream consumers.

The MacBook features a 13.0-inch screen, making it one of the smallest laptops produced by the company to date. In comparison, the MacBook Air offers a 13.6-inch display. The Neo runs on an iPhone A18 Pro chip, marking the first time Apple has used a smartphone processor in a Mac.

The release marks a significant change for Apple, which has been hesitant for decades to introduce a low-end Mac laptop. However, the speed of its iPhone processors enabled the company to reduce its prices noticeably without substantially compromising performance.

John Ternus, Apple’s hardware engineering chief, in a statement, said that the MacBook Neo was “built from the ground up to be more affordable for even more people.”

The basic model offers 256 gigabytes of storage, and a $699 upgraded version doubles this capacity and includes Touch ID for login and payment approval. Education buyers can also get $100 off each model, bringing the starting price to $499.

Apple began accepting pre-orders for the machine on Wednesday, with initial deliveries and in-store availability scheduled for March 11.

The device offers 16 hours of battery life, compared to 18 hours for the latest MacBook Air—a model equipped with an M5 chip. Its display reaches up to 500 nits of brightness and it weighs 2.7 pounds, matching the 13-inch Air.

The machine has 8 gigabytes of memory, or RAM, a 6-core CPU, or main processor, and a 5-core GPU, or graphics component, with no upgrades available. The specifications are comparable to an iPhone 16 Pro released in 2024.

Neo operates at speeds sufficient for everyday activities such as web browsing, word processing, photo editing, and videoconferencing. Even with the iPhone chip, the device still runs the same macOS operating system as other Macs.

The MacBook Neo is constructed from aluminum, the same high-quality material used in premium Mac laptops and desktops. It features a full keyboard and trackpad, supports WiFi 6E, and includes a 1080P FaceTime camera—specifications slightly below those of the Air and other Apple laptops. Additionally, it supports Bluetooth 6.

The device features two USB-C ports and a headphone jack for connectivity. It includes a 20-watt charger, similar to some iPhones. Bloomberg News reported that the lower-cost MacBook was in development in November.

The machine is more expensive than the cheapest Chromebooks and Windows PCs, which can cost between $200 and $600. However, compared to those products, Apple’s device is much more premium in terms of design, features, and internal components. The company claims its machine is three times faster for artificial intelligence than rival PC laptops.

Apple expects a surge of new customers visiting its stores to try out the new offering. Apple regards this as a chance to attract new customers into its product ecosystem, potentially leading to more sales of devices such as iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches.

The company, based in Cupertino, California, experienced a disappointing holiday quarter for Mac sales, with sales declining 6.7% to $8.39 billion. Analysts had expected sales to exceed $9 billion, the report said.

The launch concludes an extensive week of product releases for Apple, which introduced the iPhone 17e and M4 iPad Air on Monday, followed by new versions of the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and its Studio Display external monitors on Tuesday.

Later this year, Apple is set to once again defy tradition with plans for a touch-screen Mac.