Apple has unveiled a new budget laptop, the MacBook Neo, priced at $599, as the tech giant moves to compete more directly with Chromebooks and low-cost Windows PCs in the global laptop market.
The MacBook Neo is powered by the A18 Pro chip, the same processor used in Apple’s iPhone lineup, marking one of the first times an iPhone-class chip has been used in a MacBook.
The laptop features a 13-inch display (2408 × 1506 resolution), 8GB of RAM, and storage options of 256GB or 512GB. It also includes a Magic Keyboard, multi-touch trackpad, a 1080p webcam, two USB-C ports, and a headphone jack, along with speakers supporting Dolby Atmos and spatial audio.
Apple said the device is aimed at students and first-time laptop buyers, a market segment currently dominated by Chromebooks and entry-level Windows devices.
To keep the price lower than most MacBooks, Apple removed several premium features. The MacBook Neo does not include Thunderbolt ports, MagSafe charging, or upgradeable RAM, and fast charging is not supported. Customers can pre-order the laptop immediately, with deliveries and in-store availability starting March 11, the company said.
Industry analysts say the new model represents Apple’s most aggressive push yet into the budget laptop market, which has long been dominated by cheaper Chromebook and Windows devices used widely in schools and emerging markets.