Macbook Neo Review: Better than you Think!
Marques Brownlee reviews the MacBook Neo, Apple's new $599 entry-level laptop powered by the A18 Pro chip, arguing it's unexpectedly capable and potentially Apple's most disruptive product in over a decade. Despite being designed for basic tasks, the device delivers M1-equivalent performance at a significantly lower price point, making it a compelling alternative to budget competitors and older MacBook Air models. Brownlee provides a detailed breakdown of the Neo's strengths and limitations across different user categories, from students to content creators.
Key takeaways
- • The MacBook Neo delivers M1-level performance benchmarks through Apple's efficient A18 Pro chip, achieving over 8,500 multi-core Geekbench scores comparable to 2020-era MacBook Air models.
- • Apple's ability to mass-produce iPhone chips at scale enables them to offer a premium-feeling aluminum laptop with excellent build quality at $599, undercutting Windows and Chromebook competitors significantly.
- • The 8GB RAM configuration with swap memory (using SSD as virtual RAM) provides adequate performance for everyday tasks like web browsing, writing, and email, though heavy multitasking or SSD-filling over time may cause slowdowns.
- • Final Cut Pro can handle basic 4K video editing with simple cuts and color grading, but performance degrades significantly when using plugins, making it better suited for casual content creators than professionals.
- • The device excels for specific user groups including students (A+ rating), writers, photographers with external displays (B- rating), and casual users, but falls short for serious video editors, coders running local LLMs, and gamers.
- • Future iterations should include 12GB RAM, keyboard backlighting, and an ambient light sensor with True Tone—improvements that would make the Neo even more competitive without significantly raising the price.
Recommendations (4)
"Not only is this really good, I think it's potentially Apple's most disruptive product in the last 10 plus years."
Marques Brownlee · ▶ 0:10
"I have been impressed that you can legitimately open Final Cut Pro and do basic 4K edits, no problem."
Marques Brownlee · ▶ 9:39
Mentioned (10)
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