What the MacBook Neo is, and what it isn’t
Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 8:25AM 
By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla
Apple launched its most affordable laptop ever yesterday, the MacBook Neo. It is a product that I believe has been in Apple’s pipeline for years and it is a significant product for a number of reasons.
While the announcement was met with mostly positive reactions—thanks to its lower price of $599 ($499 for students and teachers) and bold colors (the Citrus shade is sure to be copied by competitors and appliance makers); a quick look at Reddit and Threads reveals some negative reactions. Critics argue that the MacBook Neo falls short, pointing to issues like only 8GB of unified memory, the lack of a backlit keyboard, and the absence of MagSafe. They''re not getting it.
At the core of early confusion is a misunderstanding of what this device is and who it is for. So, let’s break it down.