Apple’s MacBook Neo is the talk of the town. It is being hailed as the best value-for-money laptop currently in the market. But budget-friendly doesn’t always mean user-friendly. We’ll have to dig a little deeper to see whether the device is truly worth it—or if ₹69,900 is still a steep price for what it offers.
First Impressions
All first impressions are focused on the look and feel of the device—and Apple’s MacBook Neo definitely stands out here. Most laptops stick to safe colors like silver or black, as has Apple with the other MacBooks, but they clearly decided to have a little fun with this one.
You get four color options: Silver, Citrus, Blush, and Indigo. Citrus is easily the most eye-catching of the bunch. It’s not painfully neon, but kind of like a faded lime color and while it may not be my first pick, I think it’s going to be pretty popular.
Apple didn’t stop at just the outer shell either. The keyboard keys are slightly lighter than the rest of the laptop, which gives the whole device a brighter, more playful look. Even the software carries the same color theme, with matching wallpapers and subtle accents across the system, making everything feel more cohesive.
In terms of build, it still feels very much like a proper MacBook. The body is made entirely out of aluminum, so despite the fun colors, it feels sturdy and premium in the hand. It’s also thin and lightweight, which makes it easy to carry around.
The display is another highlight. It’s sharp and quite bright, making it great for everyday things like browsing, watching videos, or getting work done. It may not be aimed at professionals who need perfect color accuracy, but for most people, the screen will be more than good enough.
It’s an undeniably pretty device—almost too pretty. Makes you think if Apple is weaponizing its good looks to hide the compromises in performance. But rest assured, we shall look at these aforementioned compromises in detail as well.
Real-World Limits
Looks can be deceiving. There are plenty of cautionary tales that warn us about that—proverbs like “All that glitters is not gold” or “Don’t judge a book by its cover” all urge us to look beyond the surface. And with Apple’s MacBook Neo, it’s not just about the looks—it’s also the surprisingly low price tag from Apple that makes you wonder what corners were cut.
To start off, there are just two USB-C ports and a headphone jack. And the speeds… well, one port is USB 3 (10 Gbps), while the other is practically prehistoric, using tech that hasn’t been standard since 2001. To put things in perspective, Apple’s Thunderbolt ports on the 2020 MacBook Air are 80 times faster, so you can imagine how painstakingly slow the one in the Neo is going to be.
A lot of other hardware choices feel a bit dated too. The trackpad is mechanical rather than haptic, and the keyboard doesn’t have backlighting. These are minor cuts though, not too big a deal personally. However, the touch ID is missing on the base model, which means logging in or using Apple Pay relies on an old-fashioned password. Now, entering a password manually is not such a labor-intensive task that people should be upset about this. But what annoys me here is that the Touch ID isn’t even that revolutionary a tech that they could not have managed to include it in the base model—considering it’s available in laptops models cheaper than this. Apple does work in mysterious ways though!
The webcam and speakers are slightly less capable than on a MacBook Air, though they’re still pretty good for everyday use and much better than other laptops in this range.
Under the hood, the MacBook Neo runs on Apple’s A18 Pro chip from the iPhone rather than an M-series chip made for Mac. For basic tasks, it feels snappy—apps open quickly, animations are smooth, and light games run fine. But once you start multitasking heavily or working with larger files, the 8 GB of RAM and slower SSD can really hold it back. The system works, but you have to be mindful of how many apps and tabs are open at once.
To buy or not to buy, that is the question!
If you’re looking to step into the Apple ecosystem, or just need a laptop for everyday tasks—watching shows, listening to music, or browsing the web—the MacBook Neo is a solid pick. But if you’re a designer, gamer, or someone who needs serious editing power, there are better options out there. A cheap, good-looking MacBook is certainly tempting, but the Neo really only shines when you view it as a budget laptop—and that too, budget by Apple standards.
