Apple launching a truly affordable MacBook was something many had been waiting for. The MacBook Neo was announced with a starting price of $599, making it the most accessible entry point into the MacBook lineup. At first glance, it sounds like a dream device for students, casual users, and anyone who wants macOS without spending nearly a thousand dollars.

But once you dig into the details, it becomes clear that Apple cut a few too many corners to hit that price tag. Some of these compromises make an older MacBook Air, especially the M4 model, a far better long-term buy.

The A18 Pro chip is not a true laptop processor

One of the biggest talking points around the MacBook Neo is its A18 Pro processor, which powered the older iPhone 16 Pros. While Apple’s mobile chips are incredibly powerful, they are still designed primarily for smartphones and tablets, not full desktop workloads. Now, most MacBook Air users never push the limits of their M-series processor, but it can still function as a decent workstation.

The M-series was designed for the MacBooks, so chips like the M4 offer better sustained performance, more GPU power, and improved efficiency for demanding tasks like video editing, coding, or heavy multitasking. Replace it with the Neo’s A18 Pro chip; it’s a great laptop for light tasks like browsing, writing, and consuming multimedia content, but it can’t match the performance of a dedicated laptop processor.

So if you plan to keep your laptop for years (as most MacBook owners do), the M-series MacBook Air simply has more headroom for versatile workloads.

MacBook Neo cuts too many features

To hit that sweet $599 price tag, Apple stripped out a surprising number of features. For starters, the base model doesn’t include Touch ID, something that’s been standard across most modern MacBooks. This feature is locked to the higher storage configurations, which is Apple’s cheeky way of pushing buyers towards the more expensive model.

But that’s not all, there’s plenty of other compromises here:

• No Thunderbolt support
• No MagSafe charging
• Limited port selection
• Only 8GB of RAM with no upgrade path.

These might seem like small omissions individually, but together they make the Neo feel much more like a stripped-down entry-level laptop. Older MacBook Air models, even ones from a couple of years ago, still offer a much more complete laptop experience.

No keyboard backlight is a bizarre skill check

Another surprising cut is the lack of a keyboard backlight.

This is one of those features you never really think about until it’s gone. Most laptops, including budget models, feature this by default. So working in a dim room, on a plane, or in a late-night study session suddenly becomes far less convenient.

Apple laptops have long been known for their great keyboards and usability, and removing such a basic feature feels like an unnecessary compromise. On the other hand, even older MacBook Air models have this practical feature.

Don’t know where every single key, punctuation mark, or numbers are on the keyboard? Apple just called that a skill issue.

Slower charging limits everyday convenience

Second, the MacBook Neo ships with a 20W charger, which is closer to budget smartphone charging speeds than laptop charging. Meanwhile, MacBook Air models support significantly faster charging and include MagSafe, making plugging in far more convenient. Whether you’re topping up between classes or grabbing a quick charge before a meeting, faster charging can make a big difference.

Again, this isn’t headline-grabbing stuff, but it’s the kind of quality-of-life feature that dramatically affects daily use.

Older MacBook Air models are already great deals

Perhaps the biggest reason to skip the Neo is simple: MacBook Air deals already exist.

An M3 or M4 may cost more upfront, but you get:

• A more powerful M-series processor
• Better keyboard and charging
• Thunderbolt connectivity
• Longer usable lifespan
• A more “complete” MacBook experience

The MacBook Air lineup has long been considered one of the best laptops for most people thanks to the perfect balance it hits with performance, battery life, portability, and design. And with the launch of the new M5 MacBook Air, older Air models will get discounts that bring them surprisingly close to the Neo territory. In other words, you’re paying a bit more, but getting a significantly better laptop. The MacBook Neo disappoints when you look at how well Apple handled another “low-cost” device.

Final thoughts

The MacBook Neo isn’t a bad device. It’s Apple’s attempt to bring macOS to a wider audience. For casual users who only need a device for browsing, email, and basic productivity, it will likely get the job done. But the deeper you look, the clearer the cracks become.

Between the weaker chip, missing features, non-backlit keyboard, and slow charging, the Neo starts to feel less like a great budget laptop and more like a stripped-down Mac. Ironically, Apple recently nailed the “budget Apple device” formula with the iPhone 17e, proving that lower-cost products don’t have to feel compromised. Unfortunately, the MacBook Neo doesn’t follow that same playbook.