Last year, buying the cheapest MacBook Air from Apple could cost you nearly $1,000. This price tag puts the MacBook Air out of reach for many students and others seeking an affordable macOS-based alternative to Windows laptops. However, after years of introducing stripped-down versions of its best-selling products, such as the iPhone 16e, Apple launched the MacBook Neo earlier this year with a starting price of $599.
The MacBook Neo made a significant splash in the market shortly after its launch. In fact, the device was so well received that Apple reportedly struggled to keep up with demand. At just $599, buyers get a MacBook with an aluminum chassis and sleek design, powered by the A18 Pro chip, the same processor found in the iPhone 16 Pro lineup. If the base 256GB of storage isn't enough, customers can upgrade to 512GB for an additional $100.
For years, the $500 price segment was dominated by Chromebooks. Powered by Google's ChromeOS, these devices were initially designed for students and rely heavily on web applications and cloud storage rather than local file storage. They also tend to feature lower-performance processors and often struggle with demanding workloads and multitasking.
