The rumoured MacBook Neo 2 might be getting Apple to position itself for a major refresh of its entry-level laptop lineup. As per predictions made by Ming-Chi Kuo, TF Securities International's analyst, the successor to the recently unveiled MacBook Neo may include significant hardware upgrades such as a new chipset, more memory and even touchscreen support. The analyst does suggest that the next-gen model still won't launch for another year at least, though.

MacBook Neo 2 Expected Specifications

Apple could use the A19 Pro chip, which debuted in the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, inside of a MacBook Neo 2 or similar device as well, according to an investor call report citing Kuo. This would supersede the A18 Pro chip utilised in the upcoming MacBook Neo models.

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Additional specs that could be confirmed with the new laptop may also include the bump to 12GB of RAM from the currently offered 8GB-capable memory. It is claimed that the enhancement will provide better performance for intensive workloads.

Touch screen support could also be a big new addition. The report believes Apple might be able to use an integrated touch layer for the IPS panel, which would allow for such functionality without requiring extra thickness in the device.

macOS Touchscreen Optimisation Expected

The report also states that Apple may have some touchscreen-specific adjustments by the time MacBook Neo 2 launches in macOS. It is for this very reason that the Neo lineup of Macs may support touchscreens, though it comes on the heels of Apple potentially releasing an all-new Macbook with a touchscreen sooner rather than later.

That said, Kuo warns that the MacBook Neo 2 isn’t expected to arrive for at least a year, and the company’s plans could change between now and when such a device hits shelves.

Apple May Expand “Neo” Branding

In a separate story, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has speculated Apple could apply the “Neo” branding to additional inexpensive machines. Rename the Apple Watch SE lineup to be more like the Apple Watch Neo

MacBook Neo: Current Model Specifications

Last week, Apple announced the MacBook Neo with a few key additions.

Macbook Neo Specification

Feature

Details

Display

13-inch Liquid Retina

Processor

Apple A18 Pro

Battery

Up to 16 hours

Security

Touch ID

Input

Magic Keyboard with multitouch trackpad

The Indian price of the laptop is:

8GB + 256GB = Rs. 69,000

8GB + 512GB = Rs. 79,000

The device comes in Blush, Citrus, Indigo and Silver finishes.

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Benchmark Performance

Recently, the MacBook Neo popped up on Geekbench with these scores:

Single core: 3,980

Multi-core: 10,105

For reference, the iPhone 16 Pro Max scored 3,203 in single-core and 7,846 in multi-core tests based on Gadgets 360’s internal testing. Both devices are powered by Apple’s A18 Pro chipset, suggesting broadly similar performance on paper.