MacBook Neo release date, specs, and price – Apple’s “most affordable laptop ever”
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A new, more affordable MacBook option is here – the MacBook Neo. Industry insiders and leakers have been discussing this MacBook for a little while, and it was launched at Apple’s “special” March event as part of a flurry of new products announced by Apple during the same week. It was previously referred to as the ‘MacBook SE’ by some commentators, in a similar fashion to the budget-friendly iPhone of the past (we did get the iPhone 17e, but no new SE).
Regardless, MacBook Neo is the confirmed name, so we’re here to tell you all about its release date, specs, features, and price details following launch. Pre-orders for the device are already live on the Apple Store, as it launched at the exact time as other Apple tech in early March – including new M5 MacBooks such as the M5 Air, M5 Pro & M5 Max MacBook Pros.
MacBook Neo release date
Like the other Apple hardware unveiled surrounding the March event, the MacBook Neo is available for pre-order on March 4. It became available for pre-order as soon as Apple announced it. Then, on March 11, the budget laptop will be widely available at various retailers, which gives some time for fans to reserve theirs early before the full release date.
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Apple started rolling out announcements on March 2, building up to the March 4 event, where the MacBook Neo was unveiled. The event lacked a traditional keynote presentation and was instead a “special experience” taking place in three locations around the world – New York, London, and Shanghai – invite-only for press and media.
MacBook Neo specs & features
The MacBook Neo is a truly new product, so it makes sense that Apple has left it as the last to be announced during its special event week, which was otherwise filled with upgrades or alternatives for existing SKUs. In the same week where the MacBook Air was upgraded to M5, and the MacBook Pro was given M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, the MacBook Neo takes us in the other direction, “Built from the ground up to be more affordable,” says Apple SVP of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus.
| Specification | MacBook Neo |
|---|---|
| Processor | Apple A18 Pro – 6-core CPU (2 performance, 4 efficiency) and 16-core Neural Engine |
| Graphics | 5-core GPU with hardware-accelerated ray tracing and 60GB/s memory bandwidth |
| Memory | 8GB unified memory |
| Storage | 256GB or 512GB SSD |
| Screen size & resolution | 13-inch Liquid Retina display (LED-backlit with IPS technology), 2408 x 1506 resolution @ 219 PPI, 500 nits brightness |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz |
| Webcam | 1080p FaceTime camera, 1080p video recording |
| Speakers | Dual-speaker sound system with support for Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos |
| Battery & power | Up to 16 hours of video streaming, up to 11 hours wireless web 36.5Whr battery 20W USB-C power adapter w/ 1.5m cable |
| Expansion | 1x USB-C for charging, DisplayPort, USB 3 (up to 10GB/s) 1x USB-C for charging, USB (up to 480Mb/s) 3.5mm headphone jack |
| Colors | Silver, Blush, Citrus, Indigo |
| Other | Apple Intelligence, Magic Keyboard (256GB model), Magic Keyboard with Touch ID (512GB model) |
MacBook Neo price details
Unlike existing and new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air laptops, the MacBook Neo is only available in one size, 13-inch. On top of that, it is only available with one chip, the A18 Pro. That means there isn’t a wide amount of variation in the pricing, with only two different price tags to consider (the 256GB and 512GB models). As always, costs are also lowered in Apple’s special ‘for education’ pricing system. For regular consumers, however, here’s how much you’ll pay, minus any extras:
- MacBook Neo 13-inch (256GB) – from $599 USD / £599 GBP / $799 CAD
- MacBook Neo 13-inch (512GB) – from $699 USD / £699 GBP / $999 CAD
“And starting at just $599 and $499 for education, MacBook Neo is Apple’s most affordable laptop ever, providing an unprecedented combination of quality and value.”
Source: Apple
Spec differences between the 256GB and 512GB MacBook Neo
The 256GB and 512GB versions of the MacBook Neo are largely the same, and the most obvious difference between the two is the amount of storage space. Both offer the same amount of unified memory (RAM), at 8GB, and both feature the same Apple A18 Pro chip with a 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine, so nothing different there. However, there is one thing you’ll notice before you buy one – the different keyboard and trackpad options.
Apple fits 256GB versions of the MacBook Neo with its Magic Keyboard, featuring 78 (ANSI) or 79 (ISO) keys, 12 full-height function keys, and a Multi-Touch trackpad. All of this is also present in the 512GB, but the more expensive model comes fitted with Apple’s Touch ID technology, giving users the ability to use their fingerprint for unlocking the device and authentication.
How fast is the MacBook Neo? What other laptops does it compare to?
With a brand-new Apple chip, we’ll have to wait for more extensive testing to see exactly how the MacBook Neo compares to other laptops and previous MacBooks on the market. It won’t stand up to the latest MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models, but Apple has detailed some benchmarks in its announcement.
According to Apple, compared to a “bestselling PC” with the Intel Core Ultra 5, the MacBook Neo offers 50% better performance for everyday tasks such as web browsing, and it’s “up to 3x faster when running on-device AI workloads” such as AI image editing.
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