GoKawiilThe effects of MacBook Neo continue to ripple through the PC industry this week.
As spotted by The Verge, Microsoft has introduced a new “Microsoft College Offer” initiative. Through this, college students in the US can score 12 months free of Microsoft 365 Premium and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with the purchase of an eligible PC, plus a free custom Xbox controller.
As announced in a blog post, Microsoft says the top PC makers have signed on to participate, including Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. Microsoft Surface laptops are also eligible (though they just got a lot more expensive).
A year of Microsoft 365 Premium usually costs $19.99/month or 199.99/year, while Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is $29.99. The Microsoft College Offer promotion, however, is only available to new subscribers. If you’ve already subscribed to either service, you’re ineligible for this offer.
“Microsoft usually runs back-to-school discounts for laptops over the summer, but it’s rare to see the company launch deals this early,” Tom Warren writes. “The timing feels like an early reaction to the $599 MacBook Neo, and the $100 discount that Apple gives eligible students in the US.”
College life is full in every sense of the word. Full schedules, full inboxes, full expectations. The pressure to keep up, stay productive and always be “on” is real. Windows is making it even easier to get ready for everything college brings – from job searches and exam prep to game nights and downtime with friends. Starting today, eligible U.S. students can get great deals on select Windows 11 PCs, plus the Microsoft College Offer with more than $500 in added value for free.
9to5Mac’s Take
MacBook Neo is an incredible value at its list price of $599 — but it’s even better for education buyers, starting at $499.
I don’t think this “Microsoft College Offer” will move the needle at all. Even if you ascribe full value to the Microsoft 365 Premium and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions, it doesn’t make a dent in the differences between one of these PCs and MacBook Neo — both in terms of overall quality and price.
Additionally, the offer of free Microsoft 365 Premium will be a moot point for some college students. Many universities in the United States offer “free” access to students (or free access to an equivalent service they must use instead).
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