MacBook Neo hands-on: Apple’s $599 laptop feels shockingly great

The most interesting product Apple announced this week was its cheapest and least powerful laptop, the MacBook Neo. It’s just fascinating to see the company tackle an entirely new category — it’s not a premium ultraportable like the MacBook Air, and it’s not a computing powerhouse like the MacBook Pro. It’s simply an affordable $599 laptop. And after spending some time with it at Apple’s spring launch event today, I’m convinced it’s going to be a huge hit for the company.

For a $599 system, the MacBook Neo doesn’t look or feel like a budget machine. Its colorful aluminum case looks even more attractive than the MacBook Air and Pro’s, and at 2.7 pounds (the same as the Air), it’s easy to carry. I need to spend more time with its 13-inch screen, but at first glance it looks decently vibrant as well. It’s a shame Apple didn’t include a MagSafe charging port, but hey, at least the headphone jack is still around. And for many people, two USB-C ports should be plenty.

The downsides to the MacBook Air became more apparent as I used it. Its keyboard feels a bit flimsy —- it’s almost reminiscent of the old-school butterfly keyboards. And while its touchpad feels smooth and responsive, it lacked the sturdiness from the company’s more expensive haptic touchpads. And then there are the starting specs: For $599, the MacBook Neo comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Bumping up to $699 gets you 512GB of storage and a Touch ID button, but you’re still stuck with 8GB of RAM.

For a basic productivity machine, I suppose 8GB of RAM can work. But when coupled with the slower performance of the A18 Pro mobile chip, it’s unclear if the MacBook Neo will hold up over time.

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