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MacBook Neo Can Only Drive One External Display at 4K 60Hz

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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Hands-On With the New MacBook Neo

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.

The MacBook Neo looks and feels a lot like the MacBook Air, because it's almost the same size and has an aluminum chassis. It's thicker than the ‌MacBook Air‌, but it has a 13-inch display, and it also weighs 2.7 pounds.

Apple designed the MacBook Neo from the ground up, and it comes in some fun colors like Silver, Indigo, Blush, and Citrus. Each of the notebooks has a color matched keyboard and trackpad, but the keyboard has no backlighting and the trackpad isn't the higher-end Force Touch trackpad Apple uses in its other Macs. It's a physical trackpad with an actual click rather than haptic feedback for presses, and it doesn't support multitouch gestures.

There is no notch, with Apple instead adopting an iPad-style design with thicker bezels that house the front-facing camera. Speakers are located on the exterior sides of the device, which is new, and Spatial Audio is supported. The MacBook Neo has a bit of a cheaper feel compared to the ‌MacBook Air‌ or MacBook Pro because of the thicker bezels and the changes to the trackpad, but it is still an excellent machine for the price.

Apple used the A18 Pro chip in the MacBook Neo, which is technically an iPhone chip. It was first introduced in the iPhone 16 Pro, and while it's a powerful chip, it doesn't match the performance of Apple's newer M-series chips. There's only 8GB RAM included, and 60GB/s memory bandwidth, half that of the ‌MacBook Air‌.

Apple says the MacBook Neo is up to 50 percent faster for everyday tasks than the bestselling PC with an Intel Core Ultra 5 chip, which is an apt comparison because this is aimed at people who might instead buy a lower-cost Windows laptop or Chromebook. The MacBook Neo is up to two times faster at photo editing, and three times faster when it comes to on-device AI workloads, according to Apple.

You get a Retina quality display, but only 500 nits brightness and no add-on features like True Tone or P3 Wide color. There are two USB-C ports, but only one is USB3 with DisplayPort 1.4 support. You can connect a single 4K 60Hz display to the MacBook Neo.

Battery life is a little low for a device the size of a ‌MacBook Air‌ with an A-series chip, and it lasts for up to 16 hours. Bluetooth 6 and Wi-Fi 6E are supported, so it is compatible with 6GHz networks.

We'll have more in-depth hands-on coverage of the MacBook Neo and Apple's other new products next week.
This article, "Hands-On With the New MacBook Neo" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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New M5 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro Get First Pre-Order Offers From Best Buy

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.

In regards to the upgrades, the MacBook Air features performance improvements thanks to the newest M5 chip, as well as Apple's custom N1 wireless chip for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 connectivity.

The new MacBook Pro includes M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, which are up to 30 percent faster when compared to the M4 generation, and up to 2.5x faster than M1 Pro and M1 Max. In terms of design, both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro keep the same overall designs as previous generations.

M5 MacBook Air

• 13-inch M5 MacBook Air (512GB) - $1,099.00 + $50 gift card


• 13-inch M5 MacBook Air (16GB/1TB) - $1,299.00 + $50 gift card


• 15-inch M5 MacBook Air (512GB) - $1,299.00 + $50 gift card


• 15-inch M5 MacBook Air (24GB/1TB) - $1,699.00 + $50 gift card

M5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro

• 14-inch MacBook Pro (M5 Pro/1TB) - $2,199.00 + $100 gift card


• 14-inch MacBook Pro (M5 Pro/2TB) - $2,799.00 + $100 gift card


• 16-inch MacBook Pro (M5 Pro/1TB) - $2,699.00 + $100 gift card


• 16-inch MacBook Pro (M5 Max/2TB) - $3,899.00 + $100 gift card

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "New M5 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro Get First Pre-Order Offers From Best Buy" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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MacBook Neo vs. MacBook Air Buyer's Guide: 40 Differences Compared

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.

Design

The MacBook Neo and the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ have similar dimensions. The ‌MacBook Air‌ remains thinner, but the MacBook Neo has a slightly smaller overall footprint owing to its smaller display. Both machines weigh 2.7 pounds (1.23 kg).

	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)

There are still some notable design differences. The MacBook Neo does not have a backlit keyboard or a haptic trackpad, and only has Touch ID when configured with 512GB of storage for an extra $100. They are also available in different selections of color options, with the MacBook Neo's color extending to the Magic Keyboard in a lighter shade.

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"

Display

The ‌MacBook Air‌'s display is slightly larger and supports True Tone and P3 wide color. Both are Liquid Retina displays with 500 nits of brightness.

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

Performance

The MacBook Neo is Apple's first Mac to contain an iPhone chip. The A18 Pro is still a capable chip, but the M5 is around 20% faster for single-core tasks and 80% faster for multi-core tasks. The M5 chip also has more than double the GPU throughput of the A18 Pro and features Neural Accelerators.

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

Battery and Charging

The ‌MacBook Air‌ has up to two hours of extra battery life over the MacBook Neo, along with support for charging via MagSafe 3 and fast charging.

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

Cameras, Speakers, and Microphones

The ‌MacBook Air‌ has a superior array of camera and audio hardware, resulting in a slightly better experience with video calls, listening to music, and recording audio.

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

Connectivity

The MacBook Neo's connectivity is more limited than that of the ‌MacBook Air‌. While both have two USB-C ports, the ‌MacBook Air‌'s are considerably more capable in terms of data transfer and external display support.

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

Other Differences

The most significant difference between the MacBook Neo and the ‌MacBook Air‌ is price: The ‌MacBook Air‌ costs $500 more. It is also much more configurable, with higher amounts of memory and storage available.

MacBook Neo	‌MacBook Air‌
	Ambient light sensor
256GB or 512GB storage	512GB, 1TB, 2TB, or 4TB storage
Starts at $599	Starts at $1,099

Which to Choose?

Choosing between the MacBook Neo and the ‌MacBook Air‌ primarily comes down to how demanding your needs are and how much you want to spend. The MacBook Neo is clearly positioned as Apple's most accessible notebook, delivering the core Mac experience at the lowest possible price. For users who primarily need a reliable computer for basic everyday tasks, the Neo provides enough performance. Its lower cost also makes it an appealing option for households purchasing multiple computers, such as for kids or family use.

For first-time Mac owners, the MacBook Neo is also likely to be the most sensible starting point. It offers the same software experience as Apple's more expensive laptops, allowing new users to explore the platform without a large financial commitment. In many cases, buyers moving from inexpensive Windows laptops or Chromebooks will find the Neo significantly faster and better built than devices in the same price range.

The ‌MacBook Air‌, by contrast, is aimed at users who expect higher performance, greater longevity, and a more feature-rich, premium experience. Its more powerful M5 chip, memory options, larger display, and significantly more capable connectivity make it far better suited to multitasking, professional workloads, and creative applications. Users who regularly work with large files, run demanding software, connect multiple external displays, or want a machine that will remain comfortable to use for many years will benefit from choosing the Air.

In practical terms, the MacBook Neo is best viewed as a budget entry point into the Mac lineup, while the ‌MacBook Air‌ remains Apple's mainstream ultraportable for most people. Buyers who simply want a dependable Mac for everyday computing can save money with the Neo, but those who want stronger performance, better hardware features, and a laptop that will scale to more demanding tasks over time should consider spending the extra money on the ‌MacBook Air‌.
This article, "MacBook Neo vs. MacBook Air Buyer's Guide: 40 Differences Compared" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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MacBook Neo Has Just 8GB RAM With No Upgrade Option

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.
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Get an iPhone 17e at No Cost With First Pre-Order Discounts From Cellular Carriers

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.

AT&T

At AT&T, you can get the iPhone 17e (256GB) for $5.99/month when you activate a new line or upgrade an existing line on one of AT&T's unlimited voice and data plan.



Specifically, you'll get up to $384.36 in bill credits on the 256GB iPhone 17e, or up to $404.36 in bill credits on the 512GB iPhone 17e. No trade-in is required for this deal.

Verizon

Verizon's deal has the iPhone 17e at no cost when you purchase the device on an Unlimited Welcome, Unlimited Plus, or Unlimited Ultimate plan. You'll also need to add a new line on one of these plans, and this is for the 256GB iPhone 17e.



Once you qualify, you'll see the promo credit applied to your account over 36 months.

T-Mobile

At T-Mobile, you can also get the iPhone 17e at no cost, but you'll need to trade in an eligible device on the Experience More plan. Otherwise, you can get the same offer when trading in an eligible device and add a line on most other plans.



If you're purchasing for a family, you can get four iPhone 17e models at no cost and four new voice lines for $25/line per month. You'll need to trade in four eligible devices on the Essentials plan in order to get this deal.

If you're switching to T-Mobile, you'll get the iPhone 17e at no cost and you won't need to trade in any device for this one.

Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

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This article, "Get an iPhone 17e at No Cost With First Pre-Order Discounts From Cellular Carriers" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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