Apple unveils MacBook Neo, its most affordable laptop

Apple has unveiled MacBook Neo, a new 13-inch laptop. Priced below Apple's existing MacBook line-up. Apple is positioning it as its most affordable laptop yet, aimed at bringing macOS and Apple silicon to a wider group of buyers.

MacBook Neo uses an aluminium enclosure and comes in four finishes: blush, indigo, silver and citrus. Apple says it weighs 2.7 pounds, and that the keyboard and desktop wallpapers are designed to match the colour options.

Display And Design

The laptop has a 13-inch Liquid Retina display with a 2408-by-1506 resolution and 500 nits of brightness. Apple says the panel supports 1 billion colours and includes an anti-reflective coating.

Apple is targeting everyday computing, with specifications aimed at students and cost-conscious buyers. It also points to audio and video features designed for video calls and hybrid work.

A 1080p FaceTime HD camera sits above the display. Apple says MacBook Neo has dual microphones with directional beamforming. Audio comes from dual side-firing speakers with support for Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos.

Apple Silicon

MacBook Neo runs on Apple's A18 Pro chip. Apple says it is up to 50 per cent faster for everyday tasks such as web browsing than "the bestselling PC with the latest shipping Intel Core Ultra 5". It also claims up to 3x faster performance on on-device AI workloads and up to 2x faster performance on tasks such as photo editing.

Apple says the laptop has a 6-core CPU, a 5-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine. It is also fanless, meaning it runs without active cooling.

MacBook Neo ships with macOS Tahoe and includes Apple Intelligence features integrated across the operating system. Apple also highlights built-in apps including Messages, Pages, Calendar and Safari, along with compatibility with third-party applications.

Continuity features with iPhone are also part of the pitch. Apple says users can work across devices with Handoff, Universal Clipboard and iPhone Mirroring. It also says people switching to Mac can use an iPhone to transfer settings, files, photos and passwords.

Battery And Input

Apple says MacBook Neo delivers up to 16 hours of battery life on a single charge. Its testing references wireless web browsing and video streaming, with results varying by configuration and use.

The laptop includes Apple's Magic Keyboard and a large Multi-Touch trackpad that supports gestures. Apple says some configurations include Touch ID for sign-in and purchase authorisation.

Ports And Wireless

MacBook Neo includes two USB-C ports and a headphone jack. Apple says both USB-C ports support charging, with external display output through the left-side port.

Wireless connectivity includes Wi‑Fi 6E and Bluetooth 6, according to Apple. The USB‑C-only approach aligns with a broader shift in the laptop market, as manufacturers drop legacy ports in favour of thinner designs.

Environment Claims

Apple says MacBook Neo is its "lowest-carbon MacBook" and contains 60 per cent recycled content. The company says the device uses 90 per cent recycled aluminium overall and 100 per cent recycled cobalt in the battery. Apple also says the enclosure is made using a forming process that uses 50 per cent less aluminium than traditional machining methods.

Apple says the packaging is 100 per cent fibre-based, and that 45 per cent renewable electricity is used across the supply chain when manufacturing MacBook Neo.

"We're incredibly excited to introduce MacBook Neo, which delivers the magic of the Mac at a breakthrough price," said John Ternus, Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, Apple.

MacBook Neo is available for pre-order in 30 countries and regions. Apple says the first units will begin arriving to customers next week.