Apple Introduces Budget Laptop “MacBook Neo” Starting at $599 to Expand Mac User Base
Apple has unveiled a new low-cost laptop called MacBook Neo, priced starting at $599, or $499 for education customers, in a move aimed at expanding the Mac ecosystem and attracting more students, schools, and small businesses.
The new device is the most affordable laptop the company has released to date, marking Apple’s entry into a price segment it had largely avoided in the past, as Mac computers typically started above the $1,000 range.
Device Specifications
The MacBook Neo is powered by the A18 Pro chip, the same processor used in the iPhone 16 Pro, reflecting Apple’s strategy of leveraging the power and efficiency of smartphone processors in laptop devices. The energy-efficient chip enables the laptop to operate without internal cooling fans.
The device comes with 256GB of storage, with an upgrade option to 512GB, along with 8GB of memory, making it suitable for everyday tasks such as web browsing, running essential applications, and playing light games.
Alongside the new device, Apple also announced updates to its MacBook Air lineup, which now starts at $1,099 and is powered by the new Apple M5 chip. The company also refreshed its MacBook Pro models, which can be configured with the more powerful Apple M5 Pro and Apple M5 Max processors.
With this move, Apple now offers laptops across multiple price tiers—from entry-level devices designed for everyday use to mid-range models and high-performance professional machines.
Analysts say the strategy could intensify competition in the personal computer market, particularly with Microsoft’s Windows laptops as well as Chromebook devices powered by ChromeOS, developed by Google.
The new device could also help attract new users to Apple’s ecosystem of devices and services, especially given the strong integration between Mac computers and iPhone smartphones, encouraging users to rely on multiple Apple products within a unified digital environment.