GoKawiilis a reviewer covering laptops and the occasional gadget. He spent over 15 years in the photography industry before joining The Verge as a deals writer in 2021.
The MacBook Neo is basically the M1 MacBook Air all over again. That laptop changed the game in 2020, and became the default option for just about anyone who wanted a great all-around thin-and-light laptop and could spend $1,000. The M1 Air was good enough that you could still buy a new one until last month. The Neo takes its place as Apple’s cheapest laptop, with a starting price of $599 and enough power to handle everyday tasks and last all day on a charge. It’s designed to entice students and first-time laptop buyers into Apple’s world. It will.
The Air is still better than the Neo in pretty much every way, but even the cheapest MacBook Neo is good enough to be the go-to Apple laptop for a lot of people. Actually, not just the go-to Apple laptop; the Neo’s hardware simultaneously embarrasses an entire class of affordable (and even far pricier) Windows laptops, as well as just about any Chromebook. And the thing runs on an iPhone chip.
The Neo is “it just works” at a lower price. The 13-inch screen is vivid, bright, and pleasant to look at. It even gets bright enough to comfortably use outside in all but direct glare. The speakers sound full for their size, and cranking the volume can fill a small room with music. They don’t get as loud or bassy as the four- and six-speaker setups in pricier MacBooks, and by comparison they sound thinner, but for dual side-firing speakers they’re A-OK. And the Neo’s speakers are much better than the average ones found in cheap or even midrange Windows laptops. Just be mindful that you’re likely to muffle them when grabbing the sides of the Neo.
Component report card Screen: B
Webcam: B
Keyboard: C
Trackpad: A
Port selection: D for #donglelife
Speakers: B
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