Should You Upgrade to the MacBook Neo?

Apple have just launched something genuinely new - the MacBook Neo, starting at £599. That's the cheapest Mac laptop they've ever sold, and by quite a margin. For years, the cheapest way into the Mac world was a MacBook Air at around £999. That's suddenly changed.

But cheaper doesn't always mean right for you. Here's how to think about it.

What is the MacBook Neo?

It's Apple's new entry-level laptop - a 13-inch MacBook with a colourful aluminium design, a Liquid Retina display, and up to 16 hours of battery life. It comes in Silver, Blush, Citrus, and Indigo, with a colour-matched keyboard.

The key difference from other Macs is that it runs on an A18 Pro chip - the same chip as the iPhone 16 Pro - rather than Apple's M-series processors. That's how Apple has kept the price so low.

So who's it actually for?

The MacBook Neo is genuinely brilliant for certain people. If you've always wanted a Mac but found them too expensive, this is the one. You get the full macOS experience - reliable, secure, well-designed - without the premium price tag.

It's also a great fit for students, for anyone using their laptop mainly for browsing, email, video calls, and documents, and for iPhone users who've been thinking about switching to Mac. The A18 Pro chip means Apple Intelligence works across both devices seamlessly.

Who should look elsewhere?

If you use your Mac for more demanding work - editing photos or videos, running multiple apps at once, anything creative or professional - you'll want a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro instead. The Neo only has 8GB of memory, which is enough for everyday use but can feel stretched with heavier workloads.

It's also worth knowing the Neo doesn't have a backlit keyboard or Thunderbolt ports - reasonable trade-offs at this price, but worth knowing before you buy.

Is it a good machine?

For what it's designed to do, absolutely. It's well-built, it's fast for everyday tasks, the display is lovely, and the battery life is excellent. The price is genuinely remarkable for what you're getting.

Not sure if it's the right one for you?

That's exactly the kind of conversation we can have in a session. Bring your questions, tell me what you use your Mac for, and I'll give you a straight answer on whether the Neo makes sense - or whether it's worth spending a bit more.