MacBook Neo: Apple launches new compact MacBook starting at $599
Almost eight years have passed since Apple discontinued the 12-inch MacBook. Now, its compact form factor has returned in spirit with the launch of the MacBook Neo. Presented today during the 'Special Apple Experience' in New York, the MacBook Neo arrives just twenty-four hours after Apple updated the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with M5, M5 Pro and M5 Max chipsets.
Instead, the MacBook Neo eschews Apple M5 chipsets for the A18 Pro. First used inside the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, the A18 Pro powering the MacBook Neo contains 6 CPU cores and 5 GPU cores with a 16-core Neural Engine and 60 GB/s memory bandwidth. In short, the MacBook Neo ships with fewer GPU cores than Apple's last-generation Pro iPhones.
Setting that aside, the MacBook Neo also features a 13-inch IPS display that resolves at 2,408 x 1,506 pixels with a 219 PPI, 500 nits peak brightness and a 60 Hz refresh rate. Apple equips the device with just a 36.5 Wh battery though, which explains why the MacBook Neo is only rated for around 11 hours of web browsing. All this hardware is wrapped in a housing measuring 297.5 x 206.4 x 12.7 mm and weighing 1.23 kg to match the smaller MacBook Air (curr. $899 on Amazon), albeit with USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 Type-C ports.
The MacBook Neo starts at $599 with 256 GB of storage. Alternatively, Apple is offering a 512 GB version for $699 that adds Touch ID embedded within its power button. Both memory configurations ship with 8 GB of unified memory and a choice between Blush, Citrus, Indigo and Silver colour options. Pre-orders will start shipping on March 11.
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