Apple was rated as one of the best: new reviews on the MacBook Neo

New MacBook Neo – an affordable option for everyday tasks

Apple introduced the Neo laptop in four colors: silver, indigo, pink, and citrus. It is powered by the A18 Pro chip, already used in the iPhone 16 Pro, along with a 13‑inch display, up to 512 GB SSD, and 8 GB of RAM (the memory cannot be upgraded). This is Apple’s most economical laptop. The base model costs $599 in the U.S., but for students the price drops to $499.

Memory – “enough” for ordinary tasks
Antonio G. Di Benedetto from *The Verge* notes:

> “8 GB of RAM on the Neo fully cover the everyday tasks it was designed to handle.”

> The A18 Pro even outperforms the M1 MacBook Air in single‑thread performance – a key metric for browsing and working with Google Docs. With 256 GB SSD and 8 GB RAM, it’s adequate, though opening the “Applications” folder sometimes incurs a slight delay. For heavy creative apps, Neo falls behind pricier models, but that isn’t critical for its target audience.

Performance
Matt Elliot from *CNET* ran Geekbench 6 tests:

- single‑thread – 3,541 points;
- multi‑thread – 8,958 points.

These figures surpass M1 Mac computers, and the single‑thread result nearly matches the A18 Pro in the M4. This indicates high real‑world speed for Neo.

Design and sound
Chris Welch from *Bloomberg* praised the aluminum chassis, screen brightness, and the two speakers on either side of the laptop:

> “Neo looks, feels, and sounds like a genuine Mac. It’s an obvious choice for those looking for a simple yet reliable computer.”

Battery
Tom’s Guide tested endurance in continuous web browsing at 150 cd/m² brightness:

- discharge – 13 h 28 min.

This is “fantastic endurance” for the price segment, beating the Surface Laptop Go 3 (8 h 39 min) but falling short of the MacBook Air (15 h 28 min).

Drawbacks and verdict
Despite lacking Touch ID in the base configuration, MagSafe charging, slower USB‑C ports instead of Thunderbolt, and no backlit keyboard, most reviews agree: Neo remains an excellent choice.

Harry McCracken from *Fast Company* summed up:

> “The MacBook Neo is one of Apple’s best inexpensive products. Its innovations focus on affordability rather than new features. It’s the perfect Mac for kids and those who would otherwise have to settle for a relative’s junk. I wouldn’t be surprised if it sells out quickly.”