Despite weak hardware, MacBook Neo gets vote of approval from fans and media
Apple made the MacBook Neo official on March 4. The company had to make many hardware concessions to get the MacBook Neo price to $599. Some of these compromises include a mobile A18 Pro SoC, only 8 GB of non-expandable RAM, no Touch ID in the base model, and no keyboard backlighting. Despite these apparent weaknesses, the MacBook Neo has been quite well received by both the media and users.
Taking a look at r/macbook, it is clear that people are interested in the MacBook Neo primarily as a cost-effective upgrade from old MacBook models and a more premium alternative to cheap Windows laptops and Chromebooks. One user, a “lifelong Windows user”, mentions that they bought the MacBook Neo as a replacement for their bulky Windows gaming laptop. The user chose the MacBook Neo for its battery life and added portability.
Another user explained how the MacBook Neo is the perfect computer for their sister, who is going to start grad school. The sister is already deeply entrenched in the Apple ecosystem with an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, etc. This is exactly the market segment that Apple is targeting with the MacBook Neo. People who need an affordable laptop for basic tasks like web browsing and who already have some Apple products are the perfect customers for the MacBook Neo.
So, Windows laptop OEMs should be scared of the MacBook Neo, as the current crop of $600 Windows laptops just can’t compete with the new MacBook. This is the same sentiment that independent tech media is echoing. From Dave2D and LTT to Hardware Canucks, the MacBook Neo has received a ton of praise from some of the biggest outlets.
All in all, the early impressions of the MacBook Neo are quite positive. It remains to be seen how well the laptop holds up during use. We are especially interested in seeing the performance of the A18 Pro in macOS and the battery life from the small 36.5 Wh battery. So, please stay tuned for our comprehensive review.
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