Why Apple Named Its New Budget Laptop the MacBook Neo

For years, the entry point into the Mac ecosystem has been a significant financial hurdle for many students and families. That changed this week with the launch of MacBook Neo, marking the first time Apple has designed a laptop specifically to hit a lower price point.

The choice of the name “Neo” has sparked plenty of conversation among tech fans. Colleen Novielli, who serves as Apple’s director of Mac product marketing, explained the reasoning behind the moniker in a recent interview (via Tech Radar).

“We wanted something that felt fun and friendly, and fresh, and felt like it really suited the spirit of this product,” Novielli said. She noted that the goal was to create something that felt new rather than a watered down version of a more expensive machine. Novielli added, “I think some may draw parallels to the MacBook product that you’re referencing, but really, you know, MacBook Neo is an entirely new product that was, again, reimagined from the ground up.”

To achieve the $799 CAD price, Apple made some interesting hardware choices. Instead of using the M-series chips found in the MacBook Air and Pro, the Neo uses the A18 Pro chip. This is the same processor found in the iPhone 16 Pro. While it was originally designed for a phone, it provides more than enough power for everyday tasks like web browsing, school assignments, and photo editing.

The design is clearly aimed at a younger audience. The laptop comes in four distinct colours: Indigo, Citrus, Blush, and Silver. The Citrus and Blush options are particularly bold, and the colours even extend to the Magic Keyboard for a cohesive look.

Of course, a lower price does come with some trade-offs. The base model features 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage, which cannot be upgraded later. Apple has also swapped the high-tech haptic trackpad for a traditional physical trackpad to save on costs. You also won’t find a MagSafe charging port. Instead, the Neo has two USB-C ports for both power and accessories.

For those in the education sector, the value is even better. Students and teachers can pick up the MacBook Neo for just $679 CAD. Pre-orders are already open on the Apple website, and the laptops will start arriving in stores on March 11.