Apple has introduced a new entry point to its laptop lineup with the launch of the MacBook Neo. Positioned as a more budget-friendly option, the Neo brings Apple’s design language and ecosystem to a lower price bracket, but with a twist that makes it interesting.

ALSO READ: Apple Launches MacBook Air 2026 With M5 Chip In India, Check Features And Price

Instead of using an M-series chip, the MacBook Neo runs on the A18 Pro processor, the same chip that debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. That’s a notable shift, and it signals that Apple is experimenting with how far its smartphone silicon can scale into laptops.

The MacBook Neo features a 13-inch Liquid Retina display and comes in four colours: Blush, Citrus, Indigo and Silver. It keeps the essentials intact, including Apple’s Magic Keyboard, a multitouch trackpad and Touch ID for biometric authentication.

Apple claims the laptop can deliver up to 16 hours of battery life on a single charge, which should comfortably cover a full workday or classes without reaching for the charger.

In India, the MacBook Neo is priced at Rs. 69,900. Students can purchase it at a reduced price of Rs. 59,900 through the Apple Education Savings programme. In the US, it starts at $599 for retail customers and $499 under education pricing.

There is just one configuration available for now, offering 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

With the MacBook Neo, Apple appears to be targeting students and first-time Mac buyers who want a more affordable way into the Mac ecosystem without stepping into the higher price territory of the MacBook Air or MacBook Pro.

Pre-orders for the MacBook Neo have officially gone live today. The laptop will be available for purchase starting March 11 through Apple’s website as well as authorised retail stores.

Now here’s where things get interesting

The MacBook Neo runs on the same A18 Pro chip that powers the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Apple says this chip makes the Neo up to 50 percent faster at everyday tasks compared to a Windows laptop running on an Intel Core Ultra 5 processor. For certain AI-related tasks, the company claims performance can be up to three times faster.

The laptop comes with 8GB of unified memory as standard. Storage options include 256GB and 512GB SSD variants. Unlike the MacBook Air, there’s no option to configure it with more RAM, so what you see is what you get.

On the front, the MacBook Neo features a 13-inch Liquid Retina IPS display with a resolution of 2,408×1,506 pixels and a pixel density of 219ppi. It includes Apple’s Magic Keyboard, and Touch ID support is available on the 512GB model. The laptop runs on macOS Tahoe, the company’s latest operating system.

In terms of connectivity, the MacBook Neo supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 6. You get two USB Type-C ports. One is a USB 3.0 port with native DisplayPort 1.4 support, allowing connection to a single 4K external display. The other is a USB 2.0 Type-C port. Both ports can be used for charging. There’s also a standard headphone jack on the right side.

ALSO READ: Apple Launches MacBook Pro 2026 In India With M5 Pro And M5 Max Chips

The device is powered by a 36.5Wh battery and ships with a 20W USB Type-C adapter. Apple claims you can get up to 11 hours of web browsing or up to 16 hours of video streaming on a single charge.

Overall, the MacBook Neo feels like Apple’s attempt to offer a simpler, more affordable Mac experience. It trims down upgrade options but keeps the essentials intact for users who want a lightweight machine for everyday work and media consumption.