Apple has unveiled the MacBook Neo, its cheapest laptop to date, priced at $599. The device, equipped with processors known from iPhones and colorful casings, aims to directly challenge the dominance of Chromebooks and cheap Windows computers. This launch marks a radical shift in strategy for the Cupertino giant, which for years avoided the low-budget device segment, focusing on premium-class products.

Historically low price

The MacBook Neo debuts at a price of $599, and for the education sector this price is only $499.

New component strategy

The use of processors and chips from iPhones allowed for a price reduction while maintaining good performance.

Attack on the PC market

Apple challenges Windows laptops and Chromebooks in the budget and education segments.

Apple has officially entered the "era of affordability," presenting the MacBook Neo model during its March conference. The device, costing $599 (with an educational discount option down to $499), is a direct response to the market hegemony of cheap PC laptops. The MacBook Neo stands out with its bright color scheme and the use of integrated circuits identical to those used in iPhone smartphones, which allowed for a significant reduction in production costs while maintaining high energy efficiency. Analysts emphasize that the new strategy is an attempt to attack Chromebooks and budget units with Windows, which have so far dominated schools and among students. Although the device retains Apple's legendary build quality, the manufacturer had to make some concessions. The MacBook Neo has more modest display parameters and a limited number of ports compared to the more expensive Air and Pro models. Experts also point out the smaller base capacity of RAM and storage space, which is a technological compromise necessary to achieve such a low price. In 2008, Steve Jobs publicly mocked so-called netbooks, stating that Apple could not create a $500 computer that wouldn't be "junk." Today's launch of the MacBook Neo, after nearly two decades, revises that approach.Alongside the new laptop, Apple also showed the iPhone 17e, confirming the company's broader turn towards the mass consumer. Operating margin on these devices may be lower, but Apple is counting on profit from the ecosystem of services, into which new users will be drawn. Company representatives explain the name "Neo" as a symbol of freshness and a new beginning for the Mac line, which is intended to attract younger generations. „We wanted something that felt fun and friendly, and fresh, and felt like it really suited the spirit of this product” — Apple Representative

Mentioned People

  • Steve Jobs — Co-founder of Apple, whose earlier opinions about cheap laptops are recalled in the context of the new launch.