After seeing a fair share of leaks in recent weeks, Apple’s new entry-level laptop, the MacBook Neo, is finally official. The new model also appears to be the final device introduced during the company’s four-day launch week, rounding out its latest product announcements.
Positioned as Apple’s most affordable laptop to date, the MacBook Neo starts at RM2,499 and runs on the A18 Pro chip. It is also the only model to be offered in multiple striking colour options.
Design And Display
The MacBook Neo features a new aluminium enclosure with soft, rounded corners and a lightweight build at just 2.7 pounds. Apple offers it in four colours: Blush, Indigo, Silver, and a new Citrus finish, with matching Magic Keyboard accents and wallpapers to complete the look.
It sports a 13-inch Liquid Retina display with a 2408 x 1506 px resolution, 500 nits of brightness, and support for one billion colours. Apple also includes an anti-reflective coating to improve visibility under different lighting conditions.
Under The Hood
Apple powers the MacBook Neo with the A18 Pro chip, the same silicon family found in its latest iPhone Pro models. The chip includes a 5-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine, enabling faster on-device AI tasks such as photo editing effects and text summarisation.
The company also boldly claims that the Neo delivers up to 50% faster everyday performance compared to a bestselling PC with the latest Intel Core Ultra 5 processor. For AI workloads, it is said to be up to three times faster, while photo editing tasks can see up to twice the performance improvement.
Much like the MacBook Air, this laptop runs fanless, meaning it operates completely silently. Meanwhile, battery life is rated at up to 16 hours on a single charge.
Additional Features
The MacBook Neo includes Apple’s Magic Keyboard and a large Multi-Touch trackpad for gesture navigation. Selected models feature Touch ID for secure logins and Apple Pay authentication.
For video calls, the laptop features a 1080p FaceTime HD camera with enhanced image processing, alongside dual beamforming microphones designed to reduce background noise. Dual side-firing speakers support Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos.
The MacBook Neo includes two USB-C ports, both of which support charging and external display connectivity, along with a 3.5mm headphone jack. Wireless connectivity comes in the form of Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 6.
Software
The laptop runs macOS Tahoe out of the box, bringing built-in apps such as Safari, Photos, Messages, and FaceTime. Apple Intelligence features, including Writing Tools and Live Translation, integrate directly into the system while keeping data processed on-device where possible.
Continuity features allow users to pair the MacBook Neo seamlessly with an iPhone. Handoff, Universal Clipboard, and iPhone Mirroring enable cross-device workflows, while users switching from Windows can use their iPhone to transfer files, settings, and passwords.
Pricing And Availability
As mentioned earlier, the MacBook Neo starts at RM2,499, with education pricing set at RM2,099. Customers can order the MacBook Neo via Apple’s online store, the Apple Store app, Apple Store locations, and authorised resellers.
At this price point, the Neo is looking to be the company’s answer to Chromebooks and other lower-end laptop offerings. Needless to say, it will be a noteworthy option for students and maybe, to an extent, for working professionals as well.
(Source: Apple Malaysia press release)
