Apple just dropped a $599 laptop that’s faster than most PCs—and it’s the most colorful MacBook yet.
John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, called the MacBook Neo “a breakthrough price” for Mac magic.
The 13-inch Liquid Retina display supports 1 billion colors and 500 nits of brightness, while the A18 Pro chip claims 3x faster on-device AI performance than Intel’s Core Ultra 5. But the $599 tag—Apple’s cheapest Mac ever comes with trade-offs: no fans, no USB-C hubs, and a fanless design that could bottleneck thermal performance during heavy workloads.
Today we welcomed MacBook Neo to the family.
— Apple (@Apple) March 4, 2026
Post to reveal one final delightful experience.
Available in blush, indigo, silver, and citrus, the Neo uses 60% recycled content and 90% recycled aluminum.
Education pricing drops it to $499, but the USB-C-only port strategy and lack of an SD card reader might frustrate creatives. Apple Trade In options are available, though pre-orders don’t start until March 4, 2026.
"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.
The 16-hour battery life and 1080p FaceTime camera are par for the course, but the A18 Pro’s 50% speed boost for everyday tasks isn’t enough to justify the price if you already own a modern Intel laptop.
The real question: Is a fanless, USB-C-only Mac worth $600 when Intel’s Core Ultra 5 laptops offer more ports and cooling?
Source: Apple