Apple's new MacBook Neo starts at just $599, or $499 for college students, but the company insists it made no design compromises. In an interview with architecture publication Dezeen, Apple's vice president of industrial design Molly Anderson emphasized that the laptop is 'undeniably a MacBook' and crafted from premium aluminum, not plastic.

Anderson said it was crucial for the Neo to feel like part of the MacBook family while having its own personality, available in fun colors like Blush and Citrus. However, Apple did have to make compromises in other areas to hit the lower price point, including limiting the base model to 8GB of RAM and omitting features like MagSafe and backlit keys.

Despite these limitations, the MacBook Neo will likely appeal to students and customers needing a Mac for everyday tasks like web browsing and document editing. Pre-orders began March 4 ahead of the March 11 launch, positioning the Neo as Apple's most affordable MacBook option yet.