Apple intros MacBook Neo: $599 with an iPhone chip

[DukenukemX]

There are plenty of dirt cheap Windows laptops, but you aren't getting comparable specs to include the screen, webcam, weight and battery life for $500. The Neo's 2.7 pound weight and 13" size alone makes it great for middle schoolers who have to change classes every period. Nobody wants to lug around a 5+ lb, 15"+ FHD resolution laptop along with a charging brick since its battery won't last a full day.

Cheap Windows laptops as well as Chromebooks don't weigh 5+ lbs. This cheap $370 Lenovo is 3.5 lbs. This cheap $400 HP is 3.84 lbs. Also, do you think schools care about battery life and image quality? They only care about price and warranty, because kids will break them.

 

[ChadD]

Even at $500 with a $100 discount, it doesn't mean will jump all over the Neo. You can still buy two Chromebooks for the price of one Neo. Though I will admit, the Neo is 1000X times better than any Chromebook. Though a cheap Windows laptop is also 1000X times better. I think the reason schools went with Chromebooks was because they were easier to lock down while also still being cheaper than Windows. There are plenty of dirt cheap Windows laptops.

When is the last time you bought a cheap windows laptop?
They are fucking horrible. Always have been but its gotten a lot worse. Ship with W11 home, full of bloat, plastic bits that flex if you rest your pinky on them... buttons that WILL break eventually ports that are not even lined up right. Never mind the garbage decade old screens most of them have. To top it off they all have fans... crappy ass fans we would have called crap in 1992, blowing hot air if your lucky out the back more likely right down over your battery or into your nads if you were dumb enough to put it in your lap.

Windows laptops are all crap until you spend mac book air money. There is nothing I have seen from any windows OEM that compares to the neo build quality without spending twice as much. The air already compared really well to windows laptops simply due to the lack of quality in windows land. There are reasons to dislike Apple don't get me wrong, if you could wipe these and put Linux on them it wouldn't even be a question. At least a windows laptop doesn't have to stay that way.

 

[ND40oz]

Cheap Windows laptops as well as Chromebooks don't weigh 5+ lbs. This cheap $370 Lenovo is 3.5 lbs. This cheap $400 HP is 3.84 lbs. Also, do you think schools care about battery life and image quality? They only care about price and warranty, because kids will break them.

You just linked two absolutely terrible windows laptops, congratulations. They're both huge in overall size to put into backpack, terrible screens, bad webcams, the HP says it weighs 5.5 lbs, seriously, this is what you expect a 6th grader to whip out in each class to do their schoolwork? Schools have suggested specs for parents to provide their kids, besides Chromebooks, the Macbook Neo is definitely going to end up on the recommended list.

 

[Aurelius]

When is the last time you bought a cheap windows laptop?
They are fucking horrible. Always have been but its gotten a lot worse. Ship with W11 home, full of bloat, plastic bits that flex if you rest your pinky on them... buttons that WILL break eventually ports that are not even lined up right. Never mind the garbage decade old screens most of them have. To top it off they all have fans... crappy ass fans we would have called crap in 1992, blowing hot air if your lucky out the back more likely right down over your battery or into your nads if you were dumb enough to put it in your lap.

Windows laptops are all crap until you spend mac book air money. There is nothing I have seen from any windows OEM that compares to the neo build quality without spending twice as much. The air already compared really well to windows laptops simply due to the lack of quality in windows land. There are reasons to dislike Apple don't get me wrong, if you could wipe these and put Linux on them it wouldn't even be a question. At least a windows laptop doesn't have to stay that way.

This is hyperbolic, even if I still agree that the MacBook Neo is a cut above. You can find solid low-cost Windows laptops, and I could think of a few I'd point people to if they're in that market.

But it's hit or miss, and it's certainly easy to find systems with 1080p screens, loud fans, performance that makes the A18 Pro look quick, and real-world battery life that simply won't hold up. An example is the Acer Aspire Go 15 (it's Acer's only new system in the $599 price range): it has a larger display, 16GB of RAM and more storage, but it's also using a 1080p panel, a clearly cheaper build, and a years-old Core i5 that the A18 Pro will outperform (I've checked benchmarks, Apple's chip is faster even in multi-core). PCWorld's review of a similar 2025 model indicates that it only gets six hours of real use on battery, even with the screen brightness turned down.

 

[ChadD]

This is hyperbolic, even if I still agree that the MacBook Neo is a cut above. You can find solid low-cost Windows laptops, and I could think of a few I'd point people to if they're in that market.

But it's hit or miss, and it's certainly easy to find systems with 1080p screens, loud fans, performance that makes the A18 Pro look quick, and real-world battery life that simply won't hold up. An example is the Acer Aspire Go 15 (it's Acer's only new system in the $599 price range): it has a larger display, 16GB of RAM and more storage, but it's also using a 1080p panel, a clearly cheaper build, and a years-old Core i5 that the A18 Pro will outperform (I've checked benchmarks, Apple's chip is faster even in multi-core). PCWorld's review of a similar 2025 model indicates that it only gets six hours of real use on battery, even with the screen brightness turned down.

I have yet to see anyone point to an actual real world product that would be even half as good running windows without actually having a Mac air price tag.

Beyond that the neo is going to charge with the same USBC chargers people have all over their homes at this point for their phones. Everyone of these low cost windows laptops also has a power block that could double as a boat anchor. (that was also slightly but only slightly hyberbolic)

 

[Aurelius]

I have yet to see anyone point to an actual real world product that would be even half as good running windows without actually having a Mac air price tag.

Beyond that the neo is going to charge with the same USBC chargers people have all over their homes at this point for their phones. Everyone of these low cost windows laptops also has a power block that could double as a boat anchor. (that was also slightly but only slightly hyberbolic)

I'd say HP's OmniBook line and certain Lenovo IdeaPad Slim models would fit the bill, but you do have to be picky and won't get a decisive win. It's more that it's easier to find decent $600 laptops than it used to be. Apple's most consistent advantage is design: you aren't going to find a similarly-priced Windows laptop or Chromebook that looks or feels as good, and that matters more than some care to admit.

You do have a point about chargers... it's fun to think that you oculd grab virtually any charger at the airport duty-free store and know it'll work.

 

[ChadD]

I'd say HP's OmniBook line and certain Lenovo IdeaPad Slim models would fit the bill, but you do have to be picky and won't get a decisive win. It's more that it's easier to find decent $600 laptops than it used to be. Apple's most consistent advantage is design: you aren't going to find a similarly-priced Windows laptop or Chromebook that looks or feels as good, and that matters more than some care to admit.

You do have a point about chargers... it's fun to think that you oculd grab virtually any charger at the airport duty-free store and know it'll work.

I see these more like expanded ipads. The Ipad are popular but not that popular. They sort of plateaued sales wise. The NEO to me feels like something in the middle of Ipad and Macbook. It will be interesting seeing how well and who these sell to.

 

[1_rick]

I have yet to see anyone point to an actual real world product that would be even half as good running windows without actually having a Mac air price tag.

Will you accept sale prices? If so, the Snapdragon Asus Zenbook A14. It's normally $1000, but you can find it on sale (sometimes) at a huge discount. I got one for $579. It's super-thin, dead silent, and has a great display. Oh, and it has two USB 4 ports.

 

[ChadD]

Will you accept sale prices? If so, the Snapdragon Asus Zenbook A14. It's normally $1000, but you can find it on sale (sometimes) at a huge discount. I got one for $579. It's super-thin, dead silent, and has a great display. Oh, and it has two USB 4 ports.

You have a point there. You can find sales. Might be hit and miss but you can score a deal easier then you can with Apple stuff, buying 2 or 3 year old Apple things discounted at costco doesn't count. lol

 

[Aurelius]

Will you accept sale prices? If so, the Snapdragon Asus Zenbook A14. It's normally $1000, but you can find it on sale (sometimes) at a huge discount. I got one for $579. It's super-thin, dead silent, and has a great display. Oh, and it has two USB 4 ports.

I've used the A14 as well. Right now I wouldn't dare buy one unless it was on sale, but for $579 it's a good value. Just know that the MacBook Neo is likely still faster unless you get a higher-spec A14!

 

[DukenukemX]

When is the last time you bought a cheap windows laptop?

The current HP I use with a Ryzen 5500U. Made of aluminum and it's 16 inches. I spent less than $500 for it.

They are fucking horrible. Always have been but its gotten a lot worse. Ship with W11 home, full of bloat, plastic bits that flex if you rest your pinky on them... buttons that WILL break eventually ports that are not even lined up right.

What do you expect for sub $400 laptops? It's not like Apple doesn't have a history with bad design choices for their laptops.

Never mind the garbage decade old screens most of them have.

Excuse me, but who's got the decade old screens?

To top it off they all have fans... crappy ass fans we would have called crap in 1992, blowing hot air if your lucky out the back more likely right down over your battery or into your nads if you were dumb enough to put it in your lap.

Better than letting the SoC reach 113C.

Windows laptops are all crap until you spend mac book air money. There is nothing I have seen from any windows OEM that compares to the neo build quality without spending twice as much. The air already compared really well to windows laptops simply due to the lack of quality in windows land. There are reasons to dislike Apple don't get me wrong, if you could wipe these and put Linux on them it wouldn't even be a question. At least a windows laptop doesn't have to stay that way.

You just linked two absolutely terrible windows laptops, congratulations. They're both huge in overall size to put into backpack, terrible screens, bad webcams, the HP says it weighs 5.5 lbs, seriously, this is what you expect a 6th grader to whip out in each class to do their schoolwork? Schools have suggested specs for parents to provide their kids, besides Chromebooks, the Macbook Neo is definitely going to end up on the recommended list.

I have yet to see anyone point to an actual real world product that would be even half as good running windows without actually having a Mac air price tag.

Beyond that the neo is going to charge with the same USBC chargers people have all over their homes at this point for their phones. Everyone of these low cost windows laptops also has a power block that could double as a boat anchor. (that was also slightly but only slightly hyberbolic)

I'm going to lump you three together because you're basically stating the same thing. I wasn't trying to find the best laptop for under $400, but one I'm sure schools would rather consider instead of a $500+ laptop. If you want a $600 laptop that run Windows then there's plenty to find. My top find on Amazon was this HP OmniBook 5 16” Touchscreen laptop for $690. Yea, I know it's more than the base model Neo, but the Neo also comes in $700 price for what is 512GB of storage.

1. It's made of Aluminum, so no cheap plastic.
2. Backlite keyboard which the Neo doesn't have.
3. Touchscreen which the Neo doesn't have.
4. 16" inch display which as we know bigger is better. Neo has 13" inches.
5. 16GB of Ram vs the Neo's 8GB.
6. 1TB of storage vs the Neo's $700 512GB.
7. Intel 255U which is a respectable CPU. I could game on that CPU.

The only thing the Neo has going for it is the screen having a higher resolution and more nits. Neo's 2,408 x 1,506 at 500 nits, compared to the HP Omen's 1920x1200 display with a brightness of 300 nits. Neo clearly has a better screen if you can deal with 13" inches and having Vaseline smeared on the screen from the factory due to all the motion blur. I spent more time typing this up than searching for a $600 equivalent, but I'm sure it exits if I look.

 

[Lakados]

Apple is pushing these HARD for the classroom, holy crap.
I just got hit with their Safer Cleaners, Regulated Substances Specifications, as well as their Reliability Testing for Lab Environments, and Self-Repair Options

You know they want you when they volunteer a WHIMIS Sheet, and a Carbon Footprint estimation...

 

[Aurelius]

Excuse me, but who's got the decade old screens?

Not Apple. I have a 14-inch MacBook Pro with that panel, and I don't see ghosting. Apple might be due to upgrade the displays, but 120Hz is still 120Hz... and it's mini-LED, so the contrast is great for a non-OLED screen.

 

[ND40oz]

The current HP I use with a Ryzen 5500U. Made of aluminum and it's 16 inches. I spent less than $500 for it.

What do you expect for sub $400 laptops? It's not like Apple doesn't have a history with bad design choices for their laptops.

Excuse me, but who's got the decade old screens?
View attachment 790619

Better than letting the SoC reach 113C.



I'm going to lump you three together because you're basically stating the same thing. I wasn't trying to find the best laptop for under $400, but one I'm sure schools would rather consider instead of a $500+ laptop. If you want a $600 laptop that run Windows then there's plenty to find. My top find on Amazon was this HP OmniBook 5 16” Touchscreen laptop for $690. Yea, I know it's more than the base model Neo, but the Neo also comes in $700 price for what is 512GB of storage.

1. It's made of Aluminum, so no cheap plastic.
2. Backlite keyboard which the Neo doesn't have.
3. Touchscreen which the Neo doesn't have.
4. 16" inch display which as we know bigger is better. Neo has 13" inches.
5. 16GB of Ram vs the Neo's 8GB.
6. 1TB of storage vs the Neo's $700 512GB.
7. Intel 255U which is a respectable CPU. I could game on that CPU.

The only thing the Neo has going for it is the screen having a higher resolution and more nits. Neo's 2,408 x 1,506 at 500 nits, compared to the HP Omen's 1920x1200 display with a brightness of 300 nits. Neo clearly has a better screen if you can deal with 13" inches and having Vaseline smeared on the screen from the factory due to all the motion blur. I spent more time typing this up than searching for a $600 equivalent, but I'm sure it exits if I look.

What don't you understand about the fact no middle or high schooler is going to carry a 16" laptop from class to class? Stop suggesting them, if it's bigger than 14" with a tiny bezel and/or over 3 lbs, it's way too big. These things have to be put into a backpack after every period and carried to the next class. So far the only real viable suggestion is this one because of a sale:

Will you accept sale prices? If so, the Snapdragon Asus Zenbook A14. It's normally $1000, but you can find it on sale (sometimes) at a huge discount. I got one for $579. It's super-thin, dead silent, and has a great display. Oh, and it has two USB 4 ports.

 

[Aurelius]

The early MacBook Neo reviews are out, and the verdict is pretty much what the realists expected: it's definitely not the fastest, but it's quicker than you think and possibly the best overall laptop in its price class.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lebRTqstI4


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW4DKLgDkaA

Interestingly, Engadget's reviewer dove into memory usage and noted that the Neo didn't use more than 80-85% of RAM even when he was trying to stress it with browser tabs, games, and photo edits. I still wouldn't rely on a Neo for serious media editing (Brian Tong notes that video encoding times can be long), but if you're the sort who cares about that... you were never going to buy a $600 laptop to start with.

The Neo is going to sell well. I don't know if it's going to reach frenzied demand levels, but it's such a contrast with the usual options in this price segment that it will garner a lot of attention. One point I've seen from analysts: this isn't just about catering to the immediate market, but fostering a new generation of users. If your parents give you a MacBook Neo when you're a teen, you're that much more likely to stay in the Apple ecosystem when you can buy a computer for yourself.

 

[Lakados]

The early MacBook Neo reviews are out, and the verdict is pretty much what the realists expected: it's definitely not the fastest, but it's quicker than you think and possibly the best overall laptop in its price class.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lebRTqstI4


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW4DKLgDkaA

Interestingly, Engadget's reviewer dove into memory usage and noted that the Neo didn't use more than 80-85% of RAM even when he was trying to stress it with browser tabs, games, and photo edits. I still wouldn't rely on a Neo for serious media editing (Brian Tong notes that video encoding times can be long), but if you're the sort who cares about that... you were never going to buy a $600 laptop to start with.

The Neo is going to sell well. I don't know if it's going to reach frenzied demand levels, but it's such a contrast with the usual options in this price segment that it will garner a lot of attention. One point I've seen from analysts: this isn't just about catering to the immediate market, but fostering a new generation of users. If your parents give you a MacBook Neo when you're a teen, you're that much more likely to stay in the Apple ecosystem when you can buy a computer for yourself.

On iOS apple doesn't keep open tabs in active memory; the focused tab is, but the others are temporarily cached. However, after a short while, they are unloaded, so they don't chew through RAM or start using the storage as a scratch disk.
I think they started doing a similar thing with MacOS a few editions back.

 

[1_rick]

I've used the A14 as well. Right now I wouldn't dare buy one unless it was on sale, but for $579 it's a good value. Just know that the MacBook Neo is likely still faster unless you get a higher-spec A14!

I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Neo was *better* but the A14 is quite nice. I'm using it about 50% as my daily driver for the last month, including doing C++ development.

 

[1_rick]

If your parents give you a MacBook Neo when you're a teen, you're that much more likely to stay in the Apple ecosystem when you can buy a computer for yourself.

I wonder how many people who work in offices using (say) Microsoft 365 but use a Mac at home. That seems like it'd be somewhat of a pain in the neck. So I could see people getting used to them in school but maybe switching back to Windows once they're in the real world. I dunno.

I'm not really trying to make an argument against Macs, but I wouldn't want one for myself.

 

[Axman]

I think they started doing a similar thing with MacOS a few editions back.

Yeah and it even works cross-platform, by that I mean it's not limited to Safari. I mainly use Brave on my Mac and it will also suspend unused tabs, and update them in the background when it has resources for it.

All of my desktop PCs have had a minimum of 32 gigs of RAM since...2012? When I say my craptastic Mac Mini doesn't feel less responsive for most tasks it's not like I have no frame of reference.

There are a couple of things that run a little choppy for a few seconds before it optimizes for them, like when I open up a folder with a hundred gigs of photos, but I've run into similar situations with other operating systems, too.

I just don't think this is a "sky is falling" moment for Apple, definitely not at this price. And I'm positive that when memory prices stabilize, they'll put out a 12 gig or 16 gig model, and get to sell this twice.

I wonder how many people who work in offices using (say) Microsoft 365 but use a Mac at home.

You can run Office on MacOS.

 

[1_rick]

You can run Office on MacOS.

Sure. But MacOS is different than Windows. As I said, I dunno how much that friction could get people to give up their Macs. I'm sure there's also a few people that would turn down a job where they had to use Windows because they prefer Macs.

 

[ND40oz]

I wonder how many people who work in offices using (say) Microsoft 365 but use a Mac at home. That seems like it'd be somewhat of a pain in the neck. So I could see people getting used to them in school but maybe switching back to Windows once they're in the real world. I dunno.

There's even a few of us Microsoft admins that use a Mac for work.

The early MacBook Neo reviews are out, and the verdict is pretty much what the realists expected: it's definitely not the fastest, but it's quicker than you think and possibly the best overall laptop in its price class.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lebRTqstI4


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW4DKLgDkaA

Interestingly, Engadget's reviewer dove into memory usage and noted that the Neo didn't use more than 80-85% of RAM even when he was trying to stress it with browser tabs, games, and photo edits. I still wouldn't rely on a Neo for serious media editing (Brian Tong notes that video encoding times can be long), but if you're the sort who cares about that... you were never going to buy a $600 laptop to start with.

The Neo is going to sell well. I don't know if it's going to reach frenzied demand levels, but it's such a contrast with the usual options in this price segment that it will garner a lot of attention. One point I've seen from analysts: this isn't just about catering to the immediate market, but fostering a new generation of users. If your parents give you a MacBook Neo when you're a teen, you're that much more likely to stay in the Apple ecosystem when you can buy a computer for yourself.

This Ars review is really good: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/202...-mac-get-by-with-an-iphones-processor-inside/

The interesting thing is he believes they are leaving performance on the table to keep it at 4w for battery life.

 

[Domingo]

I have a work laptop that's kind of a piece of shit. I'm half tempted to swap over to one of these vs. replacing it with another Lenovo. There are Mac versions of all my apps these days and I don't really need it to do much else.

 

[DukenukemX]

Not Apple. I have a 14-inch MacBook Pro with that panel, and I don't see ghosting. Apple might be due to upgrade the displays, but 120Hz is still 120Hz... and it's mini-LED, so the contrast is great for a non-OLED screen. Hardware Unboxed isn't some Apple reviewer that sits in dark part of YouTube.

You're telling me that you're better with looking at screens than Hardware Unboxed? Look again with your special eyes.

View: https://youtu.be/p2xo-hDCgZE?t=734

What don't you understand about the fact no middle or high schooler is going to carry a 16" laptop from class to class? Stop suggesting them, if it's bigger than 14" with a tiny bezel and/or over 3 lbs, it's way too big. These things have to be put into a backpack after every period and carried to the next class. So far the only real viable suggestion is this one because of a sale:

I'm back and I can spend a whole minute searching for a laptop that meets your requirements. Again, I'm going to spend more time typing this up than finding these laptops. I present to you Dell Inspiron 14 7445 2-in-1 Laptop 14" for $580.

1. Also Aluminum housing and weighs 3.7 lbs.
2. Touch screen which the Neo doesn't have.
3. Backlit keyboard, which the Neo doesn't have.
4. Double the ram and storage of the $600 Neo.
5. AMD Ryzen 5 8640HS with Radeon 760M, which means I can totally play games on this.
6. Two 10 Gbps USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports (supporting DisplayPort and Power Delivery) and two 5 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports. Which is better than the one USB 2.0 on the Neo.
7. It also contains a single HDMI port.

Again, just like the 16" HP it has a 1920,1200 screen that does 300 nits, which does make it worse than the Neo. Though I would argue the Macbooks screens are always a compromise with better image quality but much slower response time. It's also .8 lbs heavier than the Neo. Good chance the webcam and speakers are probably worse than the Neo, as most Windows laptops are. I don't think a single Windows laptop has speakers as good or better than Macbooks.

 

[ND40oz]

I'm back and I can spend a whole minute searching for a laptop that meets your requirements. Again, I'm going to spend more time typing this up than finding these laptops. I present to you Dell Inspiron 14 7445 2-in-1 Laptop 14" for $580.

1. Also Aluminum housing and weighs 3.7 lbs.
2. Touch screen which the Neo doesn't have.
3. Backlit keyboard, which the Neo doesn't have.
4. Double the ram and storage of the $600 Neo.
5. AMD Ryzen 5 8640HS with Radeon 760M, which means I can totally play games on this.
6. Two 10 Gbps USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports (supporting DisplayPort and Power Delivery) and two 5 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports. Which is better than the one USB 2.0 on the Neo.
7. It also contains a single HDMI port.

Again, just like the 16" HP it has a 1920,1200 screen that does 300 nits, which does make it worse than the Neo. Though I would argue the Macbooks screens are always a compromise with better image quality but much slower response time. It's also .8 lbs heavier than the Neo. Good chance the webcam and speakers are probably worse than the Neo, as most Windows laptops are. I don't think a single Windows laptop has speakers as good or better than Macbooks.

A 3.77 lb brick that requires a 65w charger with the already mentioned screen deficiencies. You're getting better but try again.

 

[Lakados]

What don't you understand about the fact no middle or high schooler is going to carry a 16" laptop from class to class? Stop suggesting them, if it's bigger than 14" with a tiny bezel and/or over 3 lbs, it's way too big. These things have to be put into a backpack after every period and carried to the next class. So far the only real viable suggestion is this one because of a sale:

I have a crap load of the Dell 3100 series. The little 11.6" screen may be annoying, but they break them with such alarming frequency that the larger units got too expensive to maintain.

 

[jbltecnicspro]

The early MacBook Neo reviews are out, and the verdict is pretty much what the realists expected: it's definitely not the fastest, but it's quicker than you think and possibly the best overall laptop in its price class.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lebRTqstI4


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW4DKLgDkaA

Interestingly, Engadget's reviewer dove into memory usage and noted that the Neo didn't use more than 80-85% of RAM even when he was trying to stress it with browser tabs, games, and photo edits. I still wouldn't rely on a Neo for serious media editing (Brian Tong notes that video encoding times can be long), but if you're the sort who cares about that... you were never going to buy a $600 laptop to start with.

The Neo is going to sell well. I don't know if it's going to reach frenzied demand levels, but it's such a contrast with the usual options in this price segment that it will garner a lot of attention. One point I've seen from analysts: this isn't just about catering to the immediate market, but fostering a new generation of users. If your parents give you a MacBook Neo when you're a teen, you're that much more likely to stay in the Apple ecosystem when you can buy a computer for yourself.

Thanks for sharing. I do agree that this is an excellent computer. I did wish it had more RAM but as I can see in the usage on the reviews it's not really a hindrance for the people this is for. It's even got headroom too. Good deal.

 

[zandor]

Apple is pushing these HARD for the classroom, holy crap.
I just got hit with their Safer Cleaners, Regulated Substances Specifications, as well as their Reliability Testing for Lab Environments, and Self-Repair Options

You know they want you when they volunteer a WHIMIS Sheet, and a Carbon Footprint estimation...

Not surprised. Chromebooks are killing it in the K-12 market from what I hear. They're cheap and they're basically the modern version of a terminal - totally centrally controlled and easy to centrally administer. Apple used to be the K-12 king. That's all we had when I was a kid. Apple II & IIGS in elementary and middle school, then Macs in high school. All of those were desktops or classic Mac all-in-ones in computer labs. That's what you got in the '80s and early '90s. Now they're way too expensive for 1:1 programs in schools. Macs are also a pain for remote administration. I use a Mac at work. Our laptop support team doesn't like them. Windows remote management is much easier for them.

At least they're making them more repairable. That partially explains why they weigh as much as an Air despite having worse specs and a significantly smaller battery. Hopefully some of that weight went into structural reinforcement. Kids are going to beat them.

 

[Aurelius]

I wonder how many people who work in offices using (say) Microsoft 365 but use a Mac at home. That seems like it'd be somewhat of a pain in the neck. So I could see people getting used to them in school but maybe switching back to Windows once they're in the real world. I dunno.

I'm not really trying to make an argument against Macs, but I wouldn't want one for myself.

Probably quite a few, but I see the opposite happening. If you’ve been using Macs at home and school for several years, Windows will feel like the outlier. Windows 11 isn’t exactly a welcome mat for Mac users.

 

[1_rick]

Windows 11 isn’t exactly a welcome mat for Mac users.

It isn't exactly a welcome mat for Windows users, either. The New Outlook is pure garbage. OneNote has been nagging me since September, I think, saying the current version is going read-only, and urging me to upgrade...which Office does silently and automatically, but OneNote? Oh no, it takes me to the Windows Store, where the upgrade requires admin privileges. Does whatever happy idiot is behind that not realize corporate users don't have admin?

Sorry...that struck a bit of a nerve.

 

[Aurelius]

You're telling me that you're better with looking at screens than Hardware Unboxed? Look again with your special eyes.

I do know how to read study publication dates and survey sizes, so I do have an advantage in perception on that front…

I know OLED and higher-than-120Hz panels will reduce blur. I know how the tech works. I’m just saying that it’s not the ghosting mania you claim it is. Have you actually used a modern MacBook Pro?

 

[zandor]

Probably quite a few, but I see the opposite happening. If you’ve been using Macs at home and school for several years, Windows will feel like the outlier. Windows 11 isn’t exactly a welcome mat for Mac users.

I use a Mac for work and Windows at home. Also use Linux for both. Most days I use all three, and I really don't care what OS I'm using. They're all fine. I really don't get why people rage so much about this or that. Maybe it's easier to switch from Win 10 to 11 when you use Mac, Windows and Linux on a daily basis? I use x86 machines at home because they're good for gaming, I can do custom builds and I can dual boot them between Windows and Linux. I'd totally do a Linux ARM build for my home server if the parts were easily available, cheaper, and the result would be better than x86.

 

[ND40oz]

Dr

I'd totally do a Linux ARM build for my home server if the parts were easily available, cheaper, and the result would be better than x86.

They're available, depends on what x86 processors you're comparing them to when determining if they are cheaper.

https://www.neweggbusiness.com/ss/ampere-altra-server-processor/id-113

 

[zandor]

Dr


They're available, depends on what x86 processors you're comparing them to when determining if they are cheaper.

https://www.neweggbusiness.com/ss/ampere-altra-server-processor/id-113

It's actually more of a "meaningfully better" problem in my case. Current home server is an i3-10100 and it's doing just fine. It plays NAS and does a few other light tasks.

 

[4saken]

I use a Mac for work and Windows at home. Also use Linux for both. Most days I use all three, and I really don't care what OS I'm using. They're all fine. I really don't get why people rage so much about this or that. Maybe it's easier to switch from Win 10 to 11 when you use Mac, Windows and Linux on a daily basis? I use x86 machines at home because they're good for gaming, I can do custom builds and I can dual boot them between Windows and Linux. I'd totally do a Linux ARM build for my home server if the parts were easily available, cheaper, and the result would be better than x86.

Same. And concur.

 

[Okatis]

If your parents give you a MacBook Neo when you're a teen, you're that much more likely to stay in the Apple ecosystem when you can buy a computer for yourself.

Gives me super iBook vibes (in a good way) but even that was pricey. I think it's the student focus and wallpaper shown on all the promotional images being very Mac OS 9 like, which transports me back to my distant Apple evangelist self, before they got so mainstream.

Like back then they pushed education markets hard (it was one of the things Jobs identified as a core strength when he returned) and there was an underdog enthusiasm from fans. Also helped they had much better PC hardware and the software didn't feel like a hot mess (albeit cross-OS compatibility was shit).

What soured me was the increasing walled garden approach and aspirational market they captured. With the iPod its competitors were pretty open and had objectively more features (even if the UX was overall inferior) and even back then it was clear Apple wanted/needed you to fully buy into their products/software. You just couldn't do things how you want, only how Apple wanted.

I think through the 00s Macbooks remained a great product though and OSes got far better with compatibility. But then in the 2010s, post iPad, each iteration got worse by removing I/O and making memory and storage soldered and having various hardware flaws. OS-wise it was still alright for the most part (also have to give them credit for the late switch to their own performant chips). At least with Neo the neutered features are reflected in the price, which feels refreshing.

 

[DukenukemX]

A 3.77 lb brick that requires a 65w charger with the already mentioned screen deficiencies. You're getting better but try again.

I'm not sure how the 65w charger matters since you need one for the Neo? Anyway, Dell 14 Plus Laptop for $650.

1. 14", Non-Touch, 2.5K, IPS, WVA, Anti-Glare, 300 nits which makes this a bit higher in resolution than the Neo but is also 300 nits while the Neo is still 500 nits.
2. Aluminum housing
3. 16GB ram with 512GB storage.
4. Intel Ultra 5 226V with Arc graphics, which again means I can play games on this.
5. Charges with USB-C port.
6. 3.42 lb
7. Four USB ports with one Thunderbolt 4 port with DisplayPort™ 2.1 and Power Delivery.
8. HDMI 2.1 port
9. WiFi 7 compared to the Neo's WiFi 6e.

I used Gemini to find this cause I'm lazy. The only downsides is that the Neo does have a brighter screen and it weighs .5 lbs more than the Neo. At literally everything else, the Dell 14 Plus is a better laptop.

 

[ChadD]

I'm not sure how the 65w charger matters since you need one for the Neo?

The neo charges with any 20w USBc charger. Just like the ones most people have multiples of plugged in all over the place for their phones.
If your out and need a charge you can borrow someones phone charger... or buy one at an airport and throw it in your pocket.

You don't need to carry around a wall wort. I wouldn't suggest using one... but I'm pretty sure you could buy a charger for a neo at a dollar store if need be. lol
And yes I see your updated dell has usbc charging as well. (edit oh didn't read that still needs a 65w charger, usbc but still not just a phone charger)

 

[Lakados]

The neo charges with any 20w USBc charger. Just like the ones most people have multiples of plugged in all over the place for their phones.
If your out and need a charge you can borrow someones phone charger... or buy one at an airport and throw it in your pocket.

You don't need to carry around a wall wort. I wouldn't suggest using one... but I'm pretty sure you could buy a charger for a neo at a dollar store if need be. lol
And yes I see your updated dell has usbc charging as well. (edit oh didn't read that still needs a 65w charger, usbc but still not just a phone charger)

The 65w Dell usb C charger is standard unit for just about everything, they also ship it with their 15w Chromebooks. They come in handy I keep a few in my desk as spare chargers for just about everything.

 

[ChadD]

The 65w Dell usb C charger is standard unit for just about everything, they also ship it with their 15w Chromebooks. They come in handy I keep a few in my desk as spare chargers for just about everything.

Sure you have lots of machines around. 20w chargers non computer people have lying around everywhere already.

 

[Lakados]

Sure you have lots of machines around. 20w chargers non computer people have lying around everywhere already.

Yeah…..
But they are kinda old and shitty and most are very low amperage. Probably a better fire starter than a laptop charger.