Apple promised that it would have a "big week," and it has delivered. The company unveiled seven products this week, including the all-new MacBook Neo.
In a press release, Apple said the MacBook Neo achieves a "breakthrough" starting price of just $599 in the United States. Even better, the MacBook Neo starts at just $499 for college students and qualifying educational staff.
"We're incredibly excited to introduce MacBook Neo, which delivers the magic of the Mac at a breakthrough price," said John Ternus, Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. "Built from the ground up to be more affordable for even more people, MacBook Neo is a laptop only Apple could create."
Powered by the A18 Pro chip from iPhones, the MacBook Neo is up to 50% faster for everyday tasks like web browsing compared to the best-selling Windows laptop with an Intel Core Ultra 5 processor, according to Apple.
With up to 500 nits of brightness, the MacBook Neo's 13-inch display is "both brighter and higher in resolution than most PC laptops in this price range," Apple adds.
There are of course some limitations that come with lower pricing, including a non-upgradeable 8GB of RAM. And while the MacBook Air now starts with 512GB of storage, for a much higher $1,099, the MacBook Neo starts with 256GB of storage. If you want a 512GB capacity, and a Touch ID button, the MacBook Neo becomes $699.
MacBook Neo also lacks a backlit keyboard, MagSafe, and True Tone. The laptop also has USB-C ports instead of faster Thunderbolt ports, plus an inferior camera and fewer speakers compared to the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.
Overall, though, Apple says the MacBook Neo provides an "unprecedented combination of quality and value," making it "even more accessible to millions of people around the world." The laptop can be pre-ordered now, and it launches on Wednesday, March 11. Read our coverage of the MacBook Neo announcement to learn more.
