Apple released the MacBook Neo, its cheapest MacBook yet, starting at $599 for a 256 GB SSD and 8 GB RAM, $499 for students, and $699 for a 512 GB model with Touch ID. Tim Cook called demand “off the charts,” and an ASUS executive called the launch a shock to the Windows PC industry.

Acer answered with the Swift Air 14, priced at $699 in the U.S. It runs a new Intel Core Series 3 CPU, sports a 14‑inch 120 Hz 1920×1200 panel, up to 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, aluminum chassis and quad DTS:X Ultra speakers. Wi‑Fi 6E, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a USB‑A and a 3.5 mm jack, plus a 70 Wh battery promising up to 19 hours video playback, arrive in colorful finishes starting August.

Qualcomm introduced the Snapdragon C, a processor aimed at entry‑tier laptops priced from $300, touting breakthrough power efficiency. Acer previewed the Aspire Go 15, the first device to use the new chip, featuring a 15.6‑inch 1920×1080 screen, up to 8 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, recycled plastics and a 1080p webcam, though pricing and launch timing remain unclear.

ASUS chairman Jonney Shih told shareholders the company can learn from Apple’s cost‑efficient strategy and sees the Neo as an opportunity. Competitors now push lower‑priced, high‑spec Windows laptops to recapture budget‑conscious buyers, tightening the market and forcing tighter margins across the consumer notebook segment in the global.