Apple launches $599 MacBook Neo to rival Chromebooks and Windows PCs

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Apple introduced the MacBook Neo on Wednesday, a more affordable addition to its laptop lineup starting at $599. The move aims to expand its presence in a price-sensitive PC market, especially as competitors deal with constrained memory chip supplies.

This budget-friendly laptop marks one of Apple’s boldest moves into the PC market in recent years. It is powered by the A18 Pro chip, the same processor found in the company’s iPhone 16 Pro models introduced in 2024.

At $599, it’s significantly cheaper—both in actual dollar terms and when adjusted for inflation—compared to Apple’s previous non-Pro, non-Air MacBooks. The latter was launched in May 2006 at $1,099, which would be roughly $1,750 today.

While this isn’t Apple’s first entry at this price point, the company previously released a special $699 MacBook Air for Walmart, equipped with its M1 chip that debuted in 2020. That came after discontinuing other M1-based models.

The new MacBook targets users who typically opt for Chromebooks or low-end Windows devices, regions where Microsoft’s efforts to boost sales through more energy-efficient, Arm-based chips haven’t yet resulted in a significant demand spike.

This move into the mid-range PC segment could help Apple reach more students and first-time buyers.

Due to a global shortage of memory chips, the new MacBook only includes 8 gigabytes of unified memory—half of what the M4-based MacBook offers and less than the 12 gigabytes found in the iPhone 17 Pro.

After several quarters of unpredictable demand, both the PC and smartphone markets remain highly sensitive to pricing. Hardware manufacturers continue to navigate volatile costs for components, particularly memory chips.

Earlier this week, Apple released a $599 iPhone 17e with increased base storage and refreshed its MacBook Air and Pro lines with new M5 chips, offering larger memory configurations. These moves are part of its strategy to maintain market share amid stiff competition, rising memory costs, and a softening PC market.