Apple just pulled off an amazing feat by releasing their most affordable MacBook to date. The MacBook Neo is a bit of a milestone, marking the first time a Mac has been powered by an iPhone chip.
It is powered by the A18 Pro that first appeared in the iPhone 16 Pro, and running macOS. Apple claims it is up to 50% faster for everyday tasks compared to the bestselling PC running the latest Intel Core Ultra 5.
It also reportedly offers triple the speed for on-device AI tasks and double the performance for things like photo editing. This MacBook comes with 8GB of RAM, with a base storage of 256GB that can be upgraded to 512GB.
The hardware looks solid too, featuring a 13-inch Liquid Retina display with a crisp 2408 x 1506 resolution, 500 nits of brightness and anti-reflective coating. If you are not a fan of the notch, you are in luck, as this model uses uniform, iPad-style bezels instead. It is a portable little machine as well, weighing in at only 1.22kg and it is using an aluminium chassis.
It comes in a range of finishes including Silver, Indigo, Blush, and Citrus. Apple has even extended these colours to the Magic Keyboard in lighter shades. Take note that the 256GB model does not come with Touch ID, only the 512GB model does.
For connectivity, you will find a couple of USB-C ports on the side. One is a USB-C 2 port for basic tasks, while the other is a faster USB-C 3 port for quicker data transfers. There is also a traditional headphone jack for those who have not gone fully wireless yet.
It packs 16 hours of battery life, 8GB of unified memory, and support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 6. You also get a 1080p front-facing camera, dual mics with directional beamforming, and side-firing speakers that support Spatial Audio.
Pricing and Availability
The pricing is where things get really interesting. The MacBook Neo starts at RM2,499, with an even lower price of RM2,099 for education pricing. Apple says that customers will be able to place their orders very soon.