Apple has unveiled the MacBook Neo, its first MacBook aimed squarely at budget buyers. Priced from Rs 69,900, it undercuts the updated MacBook Air, which now starts at Rs 1,19,900. The Neo branding had surfaced briefly in Apple’s documentation ahead of launch, hinting at the announcement.
With this model, Apple is targeting students and households, segments typically dominated by affordable Windows laptops from brands like Asus and HP, as well as Chromebooks.
Specs and features
The MacBook Neo comes in bright colours such as Indigo, Citrus, and Blush, along with Silver. It retains a premium touch with a recycled aluminium body and a fanless design similar to the MacBook Air.
It features a 13-inch Liquid Retina display with a 2408x1506 resolution and up to 500 nits of brightness, though it does not support ProMotion high refresh rates.
Instead of Apple’s M-series processors, the Neo runs on the A18 Pro chip — the same processor used in the iPhone 16 Pro. The chip includes a 6-core CPU (2 performance and 4 efficiency cores) and a 5-core GPU. The laptop comes with 8GB RAM and offers storage options up to 512GB, starting at 256GB.
It packs a 36.5Wh battery, with Apple claiming up to 16 hours of video streaming. A 20W charger is included in the box.
Cost-cutting measures
To achieve the lower price, Apple has made some compromises. The MacBook Neo has a non-backlit keyboard, two USB-C ports (USB 3 and USB 2), and omits the MagSafe charging port found on higher-end models. It includes an HD camera and a dual-speaker system, compared to the 12-megapixel camera and quad speakers on the MacBook Air. Touch ID is available only on the 512GB variant.
Price and availability in India
In India, the MacBook Neo starts at Rs 69,900 for the 256GB version and Rs 79,900 for the 512GB model. Pre-orders are open on Apple’s website, and sales begin on March 11, 2026.
