Apples new budget MacBook Neo is already on sale for the first time ever
SAVE UP TO $9.01: The new Apple MacBook Neo is on sale on Amazon as of March 18. Save $4 on the 256GB base model (now $595) and about $9 on the 512GB version with Touch ID (now $689.99). Hey, it's something.
It ain't much, but it's honest work: Amazon just put the brand-new Apple MacBook Neo on sale for the first time since its March 11 launch. The 256GB base configuration is marked down to $595, and the upgraded 512GB version with Touch ID is sitting at $689.99 in — a savings of $4 and $9.01, respectively.
Amazon will probably dish out much better discounts on the MacBook Neo this summer during its Prime Day sale. (I can't see it getting dramatically cheaper than this between now and next week's Big Spring Sale.) But to date, this is the best deal on new models with no strings attached. Best Buy has some Neos that are around $20 off, but they're open-box, i.e. returned. The Apple Store will give you $100 off, but only if you're a college student, a parent of one, or school faculty.
The MacBook Neo is powered by a capable A18 Pro chip with 8GB of RAM. It's not as good for multitasking as a MacBook Air with more memory, but its perfect for folks who only have a couple tabs open at any given time. It can churn through basic tasks as fast as last year's M4 MacBook Air — think web browsing and sending emails. In heavier workloads like video editing, it's just as zippy as an M1 MacBook Air from 2020. It offers around 15 hours of battery life per charge.
Features-wise, the Neo comes with a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, a 1080p webcam, a clicky mechanical touchpad, and Dolby Atmos speakers. Its all-aluminum chassis comes in four colors: indigo, silver, blush, and a punchy "citrus" yellow-green. (Amazon's deal only applied to the silver one at the time of writing, but that might change by the time you read this.)
"For students, young people, and casual users, there's nothing else like [the Neo] at this price," writes Mashable tech editor Timothy Beck Werth, who rated it a 4.8/5. (Check out his full review.)
If you're not sure whether the Neo is right for you, read our analysis of how it stacks up against the new M5 MacBook Air and older M-series models.