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The $599 MacBook Neo is Apple's long-awaited colorful, lower-cost MacBook

March 5, 2026
•Ars technica
The $599 MacBook Neo is Apple's long-awaited colorful, lower-cost MacBook

So, here’s something that caught my attention — Apple’s finally got a colorful, lower-cost MacBook in the works. Andrew Cunningham from Technology reports that the new MacBook Neo is set to replace the 13-inch MacBook Air as Apple’s budget-friendly option. And get this — it's starting at just $599. That’s the same price as the old M1 MacBook Air, which you could find at Walmart, and way cheaper than the latest M5 MacBook Air. The Neo will be available for preorder today and hits stores on March 11, offering four vibrant colors — silver, indigo, blush, and citrus. Now, here’s where it gets interesting: Apple’s clearly aiming to shake up the entry-level laptop market with this one, making it more colorful and accessible. According to Andrew Cunningham, this move signals Apple’s recognition that many users want affordability without sacrificing style or personality. So, what’s the takeaway? Keep an eye on this space — Apple might just be changing how we think about budget laptops, and it’s pretty exciting.

Most of Apple's announcements this week have been fairly straightforward internal updates to existing products, give or take some big architectural changes to its high-end processors.

But Apple has saved its most interesting announcement for today: The MacBook Neo is a new lower-cost member of Apple's laptop family and will take over for the 13-inch MacBook Air as the company's entry-level laptop. The new laptop starts at $599, the same as the M1 MacBook Air that Apple has been selling through Walmart in the US, and much lower than the $1,099 starting price for the new M5 MacBook Air.

The new MacBook will go up for preorder today and be available on March 11. You'll be able to buy it directly through Apple's website and retail stores, as well as third-party retailers. It's available in four colors: silver, indigo, a pink-ish color called "blush," and the yellow-ish "citrus."

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Most of Apple's announcements this week have been fairly straightforward internal updates to existing products, give or take some big architectural changes to its high-end processors.

But Apple has saved its most interesting announcement for today: The MacBook Neo is a new lower-cost member of Apple's laptop family and will take over for the 13-inch MacBook Air as the company's entry-level laptop. The new laptop starts at $599, the same as the M1 MacBook Air that Apple has been selling through Walmart in the US, and much lower than the $1,099 starting price for the new M5 MacBook Air.

The new MacBook will go up for preorder today and be available on March 11. You'll be able to buy it directly through Apple's website and retail stores, as well as third-party retailers. It's available in four colors: silver, indigo, a pink-ish color called "blush," and the yellow-ish "citrus."

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The $599 MacBook Neo is Apple's long-awaited colorful, lower-cost MacBook | Speasy