I like that Apple committed to the colors by changing the colors of the keycaps, too. Regardless of which you choose, the keycaps are lighter than the rest of the device, which gives it a unique look. It makes everything feel lighter and more playful, which makes it easier to compare to a Chromebook. The rounder corners of the display and chassis add to that playfulness too.
Of course, Apple also takes the colors into the software, just like with the modern iMac. So, not only are my fingers surrounded by Citrus as I use the MacBook Neo, it’s also on the screen. The wallpaper features the color, of course, as do dialog buttons, folder icons, and highlighted text. It’s subtle, but it’s something only Apple can do, as the company owns both the hardware and software.
One of my favorite aspects of the MacBook Neo's design is the lack of a notch in the screen. I like small bezels as much as anyone else, but I really dislike the camera notch in the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Here, Apple managed to do without it. The bezels are around an eighth of an inch thicker than the MacBook Air's bezels, and it also uses a smaller camera module, due to the lack of an ambient light sensor. So, no True Tone that automatically adjusts the color temperature of the screen—although it can still automatically adjust brightness based on the light in the room.
Photograph: Luke Larsen
As you expect in an Apple product, there's no compromises with build quality. It's a full-aluminum device that feels every bit as premium and sturdy as a MacBook Air. The MacBook Neo and MacBook Air are very close in size too. The Neo is marginally thicker than the Air at 0.50 inches, but they're the exact same weight at 2.7 pounds. The MacBook Air is slightly deeper and wider than the MacBook Neo, but not by as much as you might think given the difference in display size. Even though Apple calls both of them “13-inch” screens, the MacBook Neo is over a half-inch smaller diagonally. So, while the resolution of 2408 x 1506 means fewer overall pixels, the Neo maintains a high pixel density of 219 pixels per inch. The MacBook Neo is not only sharper than the competition, it's also brighter. Using a colorimeter, I tested it at 509 nits, which is twice as bright as many of the cheap laptops in this price range that top out at 250 or 300 nits.