MacBook Neo hands-on: Apple build quality at a substantially lower price

March 5, 2026

Here's something that caught my attention — Apple’s finally shaking things up in the laptop world with the new MacBook Neo. Andrew Cunningham from Technology points out that for over two decades, Apple’s entry-level MacBooks hovered just around the $1,000 mark. But now, with the Neo starting at $599, Apple’s clearly aiming to reach a broader audience. And get this — despite the lower price, it still feels like an Apple product. Cunningham mentions that while the specs aren’t top-of-the-line — think less powerful chips and fewer premium features — it’s enough to make many consider a Mac who might have previously hesitated. The thing is, Apple’s experimenting with affordability without sacrificing that signature build quality. So, what does this mean? For one, Apple might finally be making a dent in the budget-friendly segment, and for you, it’s a sign to keep an eye on how much more accessible Apple’s ecosystem could become. Andrew Cunningham suggests that while this isn’t a powerhouse, it’s a clever move to broaden Apple’s reach.

NEW YORK CITY—Whether you're talking about the iBook, MacBook, or MacBook Air, Apple's most basic laptops have started at or within $100 of the $1,000 price point for over 20 years. Sure, the company had quietly been testing the waters with a Walmart-exclusive M1 MacBook Air configuration for several years, first at $699 and then at $599. But as far as what Apple would actively advertise and offer on its own site and in its own retail stores, we've never seen anything for substantially below $1,000.

The new MacBook Neo changes that. Apple has experimented with lower-cost products before, most notably with the $329 and $349 iPads and the old $429 iPhone SE. But this is the first time it has used that strategy for the Mac. The Neo starts at $599 for a version with 256GB of storage and no Touch ID sensor, and $699 for a version with Touch ID and 512GB of storage (each also available to educational customers for $100 less).

We had a chance to poke at a MacBook Neo for a while at Apple's "special experience" event in New York this morning, and what I can tell you is that this does feel like an Apple laptop despite the lower starting price. It definitely has some spec sheet shortcomings, even compared to older M3 or M4 MacBook Airs that you still might be able to get at a discount from third-party retailers or Apple's refurbished site—more on that in our full review next week. But it's priced low enough to (1) appeal to people who might not have considered a Mac before, and (2) to make some of its borderline specs feel reasonable, and that's enough to keep it interesting.

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