2026-03-05 01:42:12
Apple's new low-cost MacBook Neo is equipped with the A18 Pro chip that Apple first used in the iPhone 16 Pro, and it's the first Mac that has an A-series chip.

Using an iPhone chip in a Mac comes with some downsides, like external display support. The MacBook Neo supports a single external display with a 4K resolution and 60Hz refresh rate.
The MacBook Neo will not work with the new Studio Display and Studio Display XDR that Apple announced yesterday because both of those are 5K displays, but it will work with affordable USB-C 4K display options from companies like LG, Dell, and Samsung.
There are two USB-C ports in the MacBook Neo, but only one supports DisplayPort 1.4 for an external display. An external monitor will need to be plugged into the appropriate port, which is the USB 3 port closest to the rear of the device. There is no Thunderbolt support, which is what other Macs use for multiple displays, and how the Studio Display options connect.
Adding a second display might be possible using a third-party DisplayLink adapter, as has been the case with other Macs with display limitations, but this has not been tested yet.
While there's official support for just one external display, the MacBook Neo can at least drive the extra display and its own built-in display at full native resolution. The MacBook Neo has a 13-inch Retina display with a resolution of 2408 x 1506 at 219 pixels per inch.
The MacBook Neo is priced starting at $599, and it is available for pre-order today from Apple's website. The new Mac will launch on March 11.
This article, "MacBook Neo Can Only Drive One External Display at 4K 60Hz" first appeared on MacRumors.com
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2026-03-05 01:30:55
Apple introduced an all-new affordable Mac today, the MacBook Neo. Members of the media were invited to try the new device and other Apple products at events in New York, Shanghai, and London, and MacRumors' videographer Dan Barbera was in attendance. Dan was able to see the MacBook Neo in person, as well as other devices like the new Studio Display XDR.
2026-03-05 01:20:42
Apple just kicked off pre-orders for the new M5 MacBook Air and M5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro, and Best Buy already has a few offers on these notebooks. You can get a $50 Best Buy gift card when pre-ordering the MacBook Air and a $100 gift card when pre-ordering the MacBook Pro.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
In order to get these deals, you need to pre-order one of the newest MacBooks at Best Buy with a valid e-mail address. The e-gift card will be sent out after you receive the eligible MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, or after you pick it up in a Best Buy store.
2026-03-05 01:17:07
The MacBook Neo is now Apple's entry-level MacBook, undercutting the MacBook Air by $500. To deliver such a dramatically lower price, the MacBook Neo has a significant number of tradeoffs. Here's everything that's different between the two devices.

Apple's introduction of the MacBook Neo expands the company's laptop lineup with a far more affordable entry point, sitting well below the MacBook Air in both price and capability. While the two machines share a similar size and lightweight design, they are aimed at very different types of users. The MacBook Neo focuses on delivering the essentials of the Mac experience at the lowest possible cost, while the MacBook Air offers significantly more performance, features, and flexibility.
| MacBook Neo | MacBook Air | |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 0.50 inch (1.27 cm) | 0.44 inch (1.13 cm) |
| Width | 11.71 inches (29.75 cm) | 11.97 inches (30.41 cm) |
| Depth | 8.12 inches (20.64 cm) | 8.46 inches (21.5 cm) |
| MacBook Neo | MacBook Air |
|---|---|
| Available in Silver, Blush, Indigo, and Citrus | Available in Silver, Sky Blue, Midnight, and Starlight |
| Touch ID on 512GB models only | Touch ID |
| Magic Keyboard or Magic Keyboard with Touch ID | Backlit Magic Keyboard with Touch ID |
| Color-matched Magic Keyboard | Black Magic Keyboard |
| Mechanical Multi-Touch trackpad | Haptic Force Touch trackpad with pressure-sensing capabilities |
| Display "notch" |
| MacBook Neo | MacBook Air |
|---|---|
| 13-inch Liquid Retina display | 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display
(15-inch model also available) |
| 2408 by 1506 pixel resolution | 2560 by 1664 pixel resolution |
| sRGB | Wide color (P3) |
| True Tone technology | |
| Thicker display borders | Slimmer display borders |
| MacBook Neo | MacBook Air |
|---|---|
| Apple A18 Pro chip | Apple M5 chip |
| Made with TSMC's second-generation 3nm process (N3E) | Made with TSMC's third-generation 3nm process (N3P) |
| 6-core CPU | 10-core CPU |
| 5-core GPU | 8-core GPU |
| Neural Accelerators | |
| 8GB unified memory | 16GB, 24GB, or 32GB unified memory |
| 60GB/s memory bandwidth | 153GB/s memory bandwidth |
| MacBook Neo | MacBook Air |
|---|---|
| Integrated 36.5-watt-hour lithium-ion battery | Integrated 53.8-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery |
| 16-hour battery life | 18-hour battery life |
| MagSafe 3 charging | |
| Fast-charge capable with 70W USB-C Power Adapter or higher | |
| Comes with 20W USB-C Power Adapter | Comes with 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max |
| MacBook Neo | MacBook Air |
|---|---|
| 1080p FaceTime HD camera | 12MP Center Stage camera |
| LED webcam indicator light | |
| Desk View support | |
| Dual-speaker sound system | Four-speaker sound system |
| Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking when using supported AirPods | |
| Dual-mic array with directional beamforming | Three-mic array with directional beamforming |
| MacBook Neo | MacBook Air |
|---|---|
| Wi-Fi 6E connectivity | Wi-Fi 7 connectivity |
| One USB 3 (10 Gb/s) port and one USB 2 port (480 Mb/s) | Two Thunderbolt 4 ports (40 Gb/s) |
| Support for one 4K external display at 60Hz | Support for two 6K external displays up 60Hz or 4K at 144Hz |
| 3.5mm headphone jack | 3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones |
| Magnetic MagSafe 3 charging port |
| MacBook Neo | MacBook Air |
|---|---|
| Ambient light sensor | |
| 256GB or 512GB storage | 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, or 4TB storage |
| Starts at $599 | Starts at $1,099 |
2026-03-05 01:08:18
Apple made some compromises to sell a Mac notebook at $599, including cutting back on RAM. While all other Macs start at 16GB RAM, the MacBook Neo is equipped with 8GB RAM and no option to upgrade to more memory.

With the A18 Pro chip from the iPhone 16 Pro models and 8GB RAM, the MacBook Neo is able to run all Apple Intelligence features, but as AI gets more advanced and Apple adds new capabilities, there's a chance it could fall behind.
8GB RAM ensures the MacBook Neo is affordable, especially with the current memory shortages that are causing prices to soar. It's also the RAM in the iPhone 16 Pro.
Apple's MacBook Air used to have an 8GB option, but in October 2024, Apple updated it to add 16GB RAM to the entry level machine. Since then, no Mac has shipped with less than 16GB.
Though it only has 8GB RAM, the MacBook Neo is a powerful machine for everyday tasks like writing, web browsing, and schoolwork, and it's more than capable of light photo and video editing.
Pricing on the MacBook Neo starts at $599, and it is available for pre-order.
This article, "MacBook Neo Has Just 8GB RAM With No Upgrade Option" first appeared on MacRumors.com
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2026-03-05 00:52:12
Apple's latest iPhone, the iPhone 17e, went up for pre-order this morning, and as always you can find numerous offers on the newest Apple smartphone from cellular carriers. This includes savings from AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Shoppers should remember that all of the offers below are pre-order deals on the iPhone 17e, which is set to launch on March 11.