Apple
Apple MacBook Neo
Apple's entry laptop from $699 — the first MacBook running an iPhone chip.
- Chip
- Apple A18 Pro chip 6‐core CPU with 2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores 5‐core GPU Hardware‐accelerated ray tracing 16‐core Neural Engine 60GB/s memory bandwidth
- Chip
- Apple A18 Pro
- Memory
- 8GB 8GB unified memory
- Memory
- 8GB
The decision
Where it wins
- All-aluminium build at $699
- A18 Pro delivers iPhone-class efficiency and battery life
- Cheapest credible path into macOS
Where it doesn't
- 8GB of memory and a 256GB base, neither upgradeable
- Display is a step below the Air
- A18 Pro is a phone chip — sustained workloads are not its job
Specifications
Structured product data, grouped by system.
Core hardware02
| Chip | Apple A18 Pro chip 6‐core CPU with 2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores 5‐core GPU Hardware‐accelerated ray tracing 16‐core Neural Engine 60GB/s memory bandwidth |
|---|---|
| Chip | Apple A18 Pro |
Memory & compute02
| Memory | 8GB 8GB unified memory |
|---|---|
| Memory | 8GB |
Display & media04
| Display | Liquid Retina display 13.0-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2 2408-by-1506 native resolution at 219 pixels per inch 500 nits brightness Support for 1 billion colors sRGB color |
|---|---|
| Display | 13-inch, 2408 x 1506 |
| Video Playback | Supported formats include HEVC, H.264, AV1, and ProRes HDR with Dolby Vision, HDR10+/HDR10, and HLG |
| External Display Support | Supports one external display with up to a native resolution of 4K at 60Hz 4 Simultaneously supports the built-in display at full native resolution USB 3 (USB-C) port supports native DisplayPort 1.4 speeds (up to HBR3) |
Power & thermal01
| Battery And Power | Up to 16 hours video streaming Up to 11 hours wireless web Built-in 36.5‐watt‐hour lithium‐ion battery 20W USB-C Power Adapter USB-C Charge Cable (1.5 m) |
|---|
Physical & connectivity01
| Size And Weight | Height: 0.50 inch (1.27 cm) Width: 11.71 inches (29.75 cm) Depth: 8.12 inches (20.64 cm) Weight: 2.7 pounds (1.23 kg) 6 |
|---|
Platform & software01
| Built-In Apps | App Store Books Calendar Contacts FaceTime Find My Freeform Games GarageBand Home iMovie iPhone Mirroring Journal |
|---|
Other specifications08
| Storage | 256GB 256GB SSD |
|---|---|
| Chassis | Aluminium, no plastic parts |
| Colours | Indigo, blush, citrus, silver |
| Storage Base | 256GB (512GB at $799) |
| Audio Playback | Supported formats include AAC, MP3, Apple Lossless, FLAC, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby Atmos |
| Operating System | macOS |
| Keyboard And Trackpad | Magic Keyboard 78 (ANSI) or 79 (ISO) keys including 12 full-height function keys – Not available, Touch ID Multi-Touch trackpad for precise cursor control and support for gestures Magic Keyboard with Touch ID |
| Charging And Expansion | One USB 3 (USB-C) port with support for: Charging DisplayPort USB 3 (up to 10Gb/s) One USB 2 (USB-C) port with support for: Charging USB 2 (up to 480Mb/s) 3.5 mm headphone jack |
Read the record
- Last source read
- Source on record
- apple.com
This is a market move as much as a product, and the mechanism is the chip: the Neo runs an A18 Pro, the same silicon family as an iPhone, which is how Apple got an all-aluminium MacBook to $699. For browsing, writing, email, streaming and light photo work it is genuinely enough, and nothing else at this price is built this well — the $799 tier belonged to premium Chromebooks and Apple has taken it back. Read the specification honestly before buying. Eight gigabytes of memory and a 256GB base are tight now and will be tighter in three years, and neither is upgradeable. The 13-inch panel is good but not the Air's. If you can stretch to the Air, do — but this is the first time the answer to "cheapest good Mac" is not "buy a refurbished one".
This is a market move as much as a product, and the chip is the mechanism: the Neo runs an A18 Pro — the same silicon family as an iPhone — which is how Apple got an all-aluminium MacBook to $699. For browsing, writing, email, streaming and light photo work it is genuinely enough, and nothing else at this price is built this well.
Read the specification honestly
- 8GB of memory and a 256GB base, neither upgradeable. Tight now, tighter in three years.
- The 13-inch panel is good but a clear step below the Air's.
- The A18 Pro is a phone chip — bursty work is fine, sustained workloads are not what it is for.
Why it still matters
The $799 tier had belonged to premium Chromebooks. Apple has taken it back, and for the first time the answer to "cheapest good Mac" is not "buy a refurbished one."
Who should buy
Students on a fixed budget, general-purpose home use, and first-time macOS buyers. If you can stretch to the Air, do — the memory and display headroom are worth it. If you can't, this is a real Mac, not a compromise pretending to be one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Apple MacBook Neo for?↓
What are the drawbacks of Apple MacBook Neo?↓
What does Apple MacBook Neo do well?↓
How much does Apple MacBook Neo cost?↓
What is the Fathom Layer design score for Apple MacBook Neo?↓
Alternatives to consider
See all alternatives →Memory on record
- Another option MacBook Pro 16" M4 Max
Up to 36-core CPU and 80-core GPU for heavy workloads
24GB unified memory, 36GB unified memoryDesign score 9.2/10 - Another option Apple MacBook Air (M5)
Completely silent under normal load
16GB 16GB unified memory Configurable to: 24GB or 32GBDesign score 9.6/10 - Another option Apple MacBook Pro 16" (M3 Max)
Equipped with a powerful M3 Max chip featuring a 16-core CPU and 40-core GPU.
Explore its evidenceDesign score 9.8/10
Where to buy
Purchase links may earn Fathom Layer a commission, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Further reading
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