Apple's new MacBook Neo trades performance for price, using the iPhone 16 Pro's A18 Pro processor to deliver a $500 discount compared to the base M5 MacBook Air. While it won't match the multi-core power needed for video editing or gaming, the laptop excels at everyday tasks that most users actually perform. Browsing, writing, and music playback will run smoothly thanks to the A18 Pro's strong single-core performance.

Benchmarks show the A18 Pro scoring 3,250 in single-core Geekbench versus the M5's 3,680, but real-world performance depends on thermal management in the laptop form factor. The MacBook Neo launches March 11, 2026, with storage limited to 256GB or 512GB options. Users who need Touch ID must pay an extra $100 for the larger storage tier, which bundles both features together.

For writing, this is what you need: a full-size MacBook keyboard. The MacBook Neo targets users upgrading from iPads or those new to the Mac ecosystem, offering Apple's premium build quality at an entry-level price point. While power users will still prefer MacBook Air or Pro models, the MacBook Neo should satisfy the majority of consumers who primarily browse the web, write documents, and stream music.