GoKawiilOur editor-in-chief Chance Miller has been testing the MacBook Neo for just under a week, and his review described it as “a truly great Mac at an unbelievable price.” Other reviewers clearly share his view. While there are of course compromises, everyone agrees that this machine leaves all of the Windows competition in the dust …
Engadget says that the Neo puts every $600 Windows PC to shame.
I really don’t know how Apple did it. The MacBook Neo is a $600 laptop that doesn’t feel like an afterthought, which is a curse that has befallen so many cheap Windows notebooks. Sure, it has a slower A-series processor and it’s limited to 8GB of RAM. But the MacBook Neo still feels as deeply considered as Apple’s most premium hardware. Its screen, trackpad and overall usability is so far ahead of the competition, every Windows PC maker, including Microsoft, should be ashamed.
Stuff echoed that contrast, adding that this is the Mac most people need.
The look and feel is probably the biggest triumph – it has the same aluminium finish that you’d expect from a MacBook Air and many would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between a silver Neo and the silver Air. There’s certainly no PC out there that is as good-looking […] The positives outway the negatives significantly. Just as the entry-level iPad is the iPad most people need, so this is the Mac most people need. Most of us just want to answer emails, write scripts, work out a budget. And if that’s you, you’re just about to bag a bargain.
CNN said it was the most exciting piece of tech tested in years.
The MacBook Neo is the most exciting piece of tech I’ve tested in years, with the potential to be the best MacBook for everyone who doesn’t already own one […] A dozen tabs in Chrome or Safari stayed responsive as I jumped around Drafts, Slack, Todoist, Photos and Messages while Music blasted Charli XCX’s “365” in the background […] The most amazing thing about the MacBook Neo is how great it is for audio and video, something I never expected to say about a $599 laptop […] For everyone who is looking for a great 13-inch laptop that doesn’t make you think as hard about your budget or financing options, the MacBook Neo is the one for you.
The Verge finds it hard to believe it’s powered by an iPhone chip.
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 […] I’ve tested much more expensive Windows laptops that make major compromises on their screen, speaker, keyboard, trackpad or webcam quality — or more than one, so the fact that the Neo has no major flaws is a big deal […] The Neo is the new default recommendation for students and laptop newcomers who want something easy to use with minimal fuss.
CNET says it’s the perfect first laptop for students, though does recommend upgrading to the model with Touch ID if budget permits.
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