Apple has introduced the MacBook Neo, a new entry-level laptop aimed at making the Mac experience more accessible with a significantly lower starting price.
According to an official announcement by Apple, the device will start at $599 globally and Rs 69,900 in India, making it the most affordable MacBook the company has released to date.
The laptop is powered by the Apple A18 Pro chip and features a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, a fanless design, and up to 16 hours of battery life. Apple says the device is designed for everyday users seeking reliable performance for tasks such as browsing, streaming, productivity work, and light creative projects without paying the premium price typically associated with Mac laptops.
Pre-orders for the MacBook Neo have already begun, with availability starting March 11 through Apple’s online store, retail outlets, and authorised resellers in several regions.
Apple said the laptop combines a durable aluminium body with lightweight portability, weighing about 2.7 pounds. It will be available in four colours — blush, indigo, silver, and a new citrus shade — which the company describes as its most colourful MacBook lineup yet.
The device’s 13-inch Liquid Retina display offers a 2408×1506 resolution, 500 nits of brightness, and support for one billion colours. Apple says the screen provides higher brightness and resolution than many laptops in the same price range, along with an anti-reflective coating designed to improve visibility in different lighting conditions.
At the heart of the laptop is the A18 Pro chip, which Apple claims delivers significant performance improvements compared with mainstream PC laptops in the same category. According to the company, the MacBook Neo can be up to 50% faster for everyday tasks such as web browsing compared with the bestselling PC powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra 5 processor.
For more demanding workloads, Apple says the device can deliver up to three times faster performance in on-device artificial intelligence tasks, including advanced photo editing and other AI-powered app features. The chip includes a 16-core Neural Engine, enabling Apple Intelligence features while processing user data locally for privacy.
The MacBook Neo also includes a five-core GPU to support graphics-intensive activities such as gaming and creative projects. Because the system is fanless, it operates silently.
Other features include Apple’s Magic Keyboard and a large Multi-Touch trackpad for gesture navigation. Selected configurations come with Touch ID for secure login and authentication for Apple Pay.
For video calls and meetings, the laptop offers a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, dual microphones with directional beamforming to reduce background noise, and dual side-firing speakers supporting Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos.
Connectivity options include two USB-C ports, a headphone jack, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 6 support.
The laptop runs macOS Tahoe, which comes with built-in apps such as Safari, Pages, Messages, and Calendar. Apple says the operating system also integrates Apple Intelligence tools, including Writing Tools and Live Translation, along with enhanced privacy protections.
Apple also highlighted sustainability features, saying the device contains 60% recycled materials, including 90% recycled aluminium in the chassis and 100% recycled cobalt in the battery. The packaging is entirely fibre-based and designed for easy recycling.
“MacBook Neo delivers the magic of the Mac at a breakthrough price,” said John Ternus, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering.
In India, the MacBook Neo starts at Rs 69,900, with an education price of Rs 59,900. Pre-orders are currently open, with shipments and in-store availability beginning March 11.
Source: ANI
