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| With the MacBook Neo, Apple offers a new entry-level laptop with a colorful aluminum body. |
Apple has officially entered the budget laptop arena with the all-new MacBook Neo, a device that has already disrupted the company’s lineup by offering a premium design at an accessible price point. Available for pre-order at $599 on Amazon , the MacBook Neo delivers features rarely seen in this price bracket, including a sleek aluminum unibody chassis, a vibrant 500-nit Liquid Retina display, and a large multi-touch trackpad. However, as the first wave of consumers await its arrival, industry focus is already shifting toward the future. According to renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is diligently working on a second-generation model—the MacBook Neo 2—which could address the current model’s primary shortcomings and introduce a feature long absent from the Mac lineup: a touchscreen .
Current Model: A Study in Trade-Offs
The first-generation MacBook Neo represents a significant strategic shift for Apple. Positioned as a direct competitor to cheap Windows laptops and Chromebooks, it prioritizes build quality and core experience over raw power . Unlike the plastic construction common among competitors, Apple has equipped the Neo with an aluminum unibody, ensuring it looks and feels like a premium product .
However, to achieve the $599 starting price, Apple made some notable compromises. The laptop is powered by the A18 Pro chip, the same processor found in the iPhone 16 Pro . While this chip delivers impressive efficiency and adequate performance for everyday tasks like web browsing and document editing, it lags behind the Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm processors found in similarly priced Windows devices. Furthermore, the device is limited to just 8GB of RAM, a configuration that power users and multitaskers may find restrictive .
Despite these trade-offs, early indications suggest the A18 Pro holds its own. Geekbench benchmarks reveal that the MacBook Neo’s single-core performance outpaces even the M3-powered MacBook Pro, showcasing the efficiency of Apple’s silicon architecture . For the target audience of students and casual users, the Neo offers a smooth experience, but its lack of future-proofing is evident when compared to the M5-powered MacBook Air .
Looking Ahead: The MacBook Neo 2 Rumors
According to a report by Ming-Chi Kuo, via MacRumors, Apple is already plotting a substantial upgrade for the Neo’s successor . While the current model is just hitting the market, the analyst predicts that the second-generation device, expected roughly a year from now, will address the two biggest critiques of the original: processing power and memory.
The most significant internal upgrade for the MacBook Neo 2 is rumored to be the jump to the Apple A19 Pro chip. This would align the budget laptop with the processor anticipated for the iPhone 17 Pro, promising a significant boost in both CPU and GPU performance . Equally important is the expected memory increase. Kuo suggests the Neo 2 will feature 12GB of RAM, a 50% increase over the current model. This upgrade would make the device far more capable of handling demanding applications and complex multitasking, narrowing the gap between the Neo and the more expensive MacBook Air .
The Big Gamble: A Touchscreen MacBook
The most intriguing rumor surrounding the MacBook Neo 2 is the potential addition of a touchscreen display. For years, Apple has resisted merging the Mac and iPad experiences, but that stance appears to be softening. Kuo reports that the second-generation Neo may feature a touchscreen, utilizing on-cell touch technology. This approach integrates the touch sensors directly into the IPS panel, allowing Apple to add touch functionality without increasing the device’s thickness .
This move would align with a broader Apple strategy. The company is expected to launch its first-ever touchscreen Mac—a high-end "MacBook Ultra"—later this year. Following that launch, a touchscreen-optimized version of macOS is expected to be available, setting the software foundation for devices like the Neo 2 .
The introduction of a touchscreen on a budget device raises interesting questions about Apple’s product segmentation. As noted by French tech site iPhoneSoft, a sub-$700 MacBook with a touchscreen could potentially cannibalize sales of the iPad Air paired with a Magic Keyboard, which costs significantly more . It would transform the Neo 2 into a device that blurs the lines between a traditional laptop and a tablet experience.
Performance Snapshot: How the Neo Stacks Up
To understand where the Neo 2 might land, it helps to look at the current performance landscape. The following Geekbench 6.5 multi-core scores illustrate the performance hierarchy within Apple’s ecosystem, highlighting the significant leap expected with the A19 Pro .
| Device | Processor | Geekbench 6.5 Multi-Core Score |
|---|---|---|
| Apple MacBook Air 13 | M5 (10-Core) | 17,072 Points |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | A19 Pro (Rumored) | 10,017 Points |
| Apple MacBook Air 2020 | M1 (Entry) | 8,622 Points |
| Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max | A18 Pro | 8,568 Points |
As the data shows, the jump from the A18 Pro to the A19 Pro is substantial, representing a performance increase of nearly 17%. While still behind the laptop-focused M5 chip, this upgrade, combined with 12GB of RAM, would make the Neo 2 a formidable contender in the budget space .
Conclusion: A Promising but Distant Future
For consumers debating a purchase today, the current MacBook Neo offers unbeatable value for those with modest needs. Its design, display, and build quality are unrivaled at this price. However, for those who need more power or are intrigued by the idea of a touchscreen Mac, the rumors surrounding the MacBook Neo 2 present a compelling reason to wait.
Given that the first-generation model is just entering the market and Apple’s plans are always subject to change, these rumors should be approached with cautious optimism . If Kuo’s predictions hold true, the MacBook Neo 2 could redefine what users expect from a budget laptop, finally bringing touch functionality and enhanced performance to Apple’s most accessible computer.