For a long time, there have been rumors in the tech world that Apple is going to launch a new budget MacBook very soon. Various leaks, rumors and reports from tech analysts were saying that the company is making a MacBook that will be relatively cheap and will be mainly aimed at students and general users. Finally, the wait is over with the new MacBook Neo.
This laptop has already started a lot of discussion in the tech community. Many people want to know—is this really Apple’s most affordable MacBook? How is its performance? Is it powerful enough for studies, office work or video editing? And the biggest question—can it really provide good value for this price?
Let’s take a detailed look at the design, performance, features and price of the new MacBook Neo.
Design: Premium feel in different colors
The MacBook Neo catches the eye at first sight. While maintaining Apple’s familiar minimalist design, some new colors have been used in it. This laptop is available in four colors—black, blue, silver, and the new Citrus color, which is quite bright and attractive.
The entire laptop is made of metal body, which maintains Apple’s tradition of premium build quality. It feels quite sturdy and high-quality when held in the hand. Although many people say that it is a bit thicker than the MacBook Air, it is still not very heavy.
The laptop weighs about 1.23 kg, so it can be easily carried in a bag. This can be quite convenient for those who carry a laptop to college, office, or library every day.
Display: 13-inch Liquid Retina screen
The MacBook Neo has a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, which is a version of the familiar technology used in Apple laptops.
The main features of this display are:
- 60Hz refresh rate
- sRGB color support
- 1 billion color display capability
- Maximum 500 nits brightness
The colors of the display look quite bright and vibrant when streaming videos or watching movies. Up to 4K videos can be played on YouTube and there is also HDR support.
However, one thing that may catch the eye of some users is the bezel around the display is relatively thick. While many modern laptops have almost borderless designs, the MacBook Neo does not have such thin bezels.
Still, the overall quality of the display is good and satisfactory enough for multimedia use.
Camera: Good value for online meetings
The laptop has a 1080p HD webcam on the front, which offers quite good performance for video calls or online classes.
The camera details are clearly visible when making video calls on platforms like Zoom, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams. In today’s era where online meetings and virtual classes have become commonplace, this camera can play an important role for many users.
Keyboard and Trackpad
The MacBook Neo uses Apple’s Magic Keyboard, which has long been known for its comfortable typing experience.
The keyboard features:
- Good key travel
- Comfortable typing experience
- Large multi-touch trackpad
- Various gesture support
However, one important feature has been omitted to reduce the cost—there is no backlit keyboard. As a result, typing in the dark or low light may be a bit difficult.
The laptop has Touch ID for security, but it is only available in the 512GB variant. The 256GB variant does not have this facility.
Ports and Connectivity
The MacBook Neo’s port options are limited, but sufficient for everyday use.
The laptop has:
- 2 USB Type-C ports
- 3.5mm headphone jack
One of them is USB 3 and the other is USB 2. Although the number of ports is not large, it may still be enough for most users.
Connectivity includes:
- Wi-Fi 6E
- Bluetooth 6
Speakers: Dolby Atmos support
The MacBook Neo has stereo speakers on both sides. These speakers support Dolby Atmos, which provides a good audio experience while watching movies or listening to music.
The sound quality is clear and balanced. The volume is also quite powerful when used in a small room.
Processor and performance
The most talked about aspect of the MacBook Neo is its processor. It uses a chip that is based on the technology used in the iPhone series.
Chip features:
- 6-core CPU
- 2 performance cores
- 4 efficiency cores
- 5-core GPU
This processor is capable enough for general use, browsing, office work, and multitasking.
Benchmark Results
The MacBook Neo scored the following in the tests:
Geekbench 6
- Single Core: 3432
- Multi Core: 8569
Cinebench 2026
- Multi Core: 1485
- Single Core: 513
These results suggest that the laptop can handle simple to medium-sized tasks with ease.
Video Editing Performance
Adobe Premiere Pro test showed that the MacBook Neo was capable of light 4K video editing.
It was not too difficult to run a 4K video footage of about 10 minutes in the timeline. The rendering time was about 5 to 6 minutes.
However, it is not suitable for heavy video editing, large projects, or 3D rendering.
Gaming
The MacBook Neo is not made for gaming. While it is possible to run some light games, it is still not an ideal laptop for gamers.
RAM and Storage
The laptop is available in two variants:
- 8GB RAM + 256GB Storage
- 8GB RAM + 512GB Storage
According to many users, a laptop at this price should have had at least 16GB of RAM.
Battery
The MacBook Neo has a 36.5Wh lithium-ion battery and 20W charging.
According to Apple’s claims:
- 16 hours of video playback
- 11 hours of web browsing
As Apple’s software optimization is generally good, the battery life is likely to be quite satisfactory in real-world use.
Price
The starting price of the MacBook Neo in India is around ₹69,900.
However, students can buy it for around ₹59,900 if they use the student discount.
MacBook Neo vs MacBook Air M2
Many users are wondering—should you buy the MacBook Neo or the MacBook Air M2?
If the MacBook Air M2 is available at the same price, then it is a good choice. Because it has a more powerful processor, a better design and better performance.
However, if the Air M2 is not readily available, then the MacBook Neo can be a good alternative.
Who is this laptop for?
The MacBook Neo is mainly suitable for three types of users:
1. Students
For studying, research and online classes.
2. Office workers
For email, meetings, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.
3. General users
For watching videos, browsing and light content editing.
All things considered, the MacBook Neo is a significant step forward for Apple. It is designed for users who want to get the MacBook experience at a relatively low price.
Although it has some limitations—such as 8GB of RAM, lack of a backlit keyboard and limited performance—Apple’s build quality and software optimization can make it a good investment in the long run.
With a budget of around 60 thousand taka, the MacBook Neo can become a strong competitor to many Windows laptops in the market.
