Apple Unveils MacBook Neo, Priced at USD 599, Targeting Budget PC Market
- tech360.tv
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Apple has unveiled the MacBook Neo, a new lower-priced laptop starting at USD 599, aiming to broaden its reach in the price-sensitive personal computer market. This launch comes as rival companies face tighter supplies of memory chips.
The MacBook Neo is powered by the A18 Pro chip, the same processor that first debuted in the company's iPhone 16 Pro models in 2024. This marks one of Apple’s most aggressive entry points into the PC market in many years.
Priced at USD 599, the device is considerably cheaper in both nominal and inflation-adjusted terms than Apple's previous non-Pro, non-Air MacBook. That model debuted in May 2006 at USD 1,099, roughly USD 1,750 in today’s value.
Customers can pre-order the device starting Wednesday, with deliveries and in-store availability beginning March 11, Apple said.
Francisco Jeronimo, vice president of client devices at IDC, commented, "The real question is not whether Apple can sell a MacBook at this price (because it will be one of the most sold Macs ever if they can deliver), but how it balances cost, performance, and brand positioning while maintaining the premium experience that defines the Mac."
The new MacBook is not Apple's initial venture into this price point. The organisation previously created a special USD 699 MacBook Air for Walmart, utilising its M1 chip which originally debuted in 2020.
The MacBook Neo directly targets users of Google-powered Chromebooks and lower-end Windows devices. Microsoft's efforts to shift to more battery-life-friendly chips, made with Arm technology, have not ignited a sales boom in this segment.
This foray into the mid-range personal computer segment could help Apple broaden its reach among students and first-time buyers.
Amid a global memory chip crunch, the new MacBook Neo comes with only 8 gigabytes of unified memory. This amount is half the 16 gigabytes in the M4-based MacBook and less than the 12 gigabytes in the iPhone 17 Pro.
Global personal computer and smartphone markets remain highly price-sensitive after several quarters of uneven demand. Hardware manufacturers continue to navigate fluctuating component costs, particularly for memory chips.
Apple this week launched its USD 599 iPhone 17e with higher base storage and refreshed its MacBook Air and Pro lineup. These updates include new M5 chips and standard configurations with larger memory.
The MacBook Neo is a new lower-priced laptop from Apple, starting at USD 599.
It is powered by the A18 Pro chip, also found in the iPhone 16 Pro models.
The device aims to challenge Google Chromebooks and lower-end Windows PCs.
Source: REUTERS
