Apple has a new budget-friendly laptop aimed at students, casual users, and anyone who wants a Mac without paying premium prices. The MacBook Neo stands out as the most affordable MacBook in Apple’s current lineup, with a starting price of $599. Even at that entry-level cost, it delivers a surprisingly polished package, including a colorful aluminum unibody design, a bright 500-nit display, and a large multi-touch trackpad—features that are often missing from similarly priced laptops.
That said, the first-generation MacBook Neo does come with a couple of drawbacks that could matter to power users. One is performance. It’s powered by Apple’s A18 Pro chip, the same processor found in the iPhone 16 Pro, and it’s considered noticeably slower than many Intel, AMD, or Qualcomm processors commonly used in competing laptops around this price point. The second limitation is memory: the MacBook Neo is capped at 8GB of RAM, which can feel restrictive for heavier multitasking, creative work, or more demanding apps.
Now, fresh speculation suggests Apple may be preparing meaningful upgrades for a follow-up model, often referred to as the MacBook Neo 2. The rumors point to two major improvements designed to address the biggest concerns around the original model: more power and more memory. The next version is expected to move to the Apple A19 Pro chip, which is anticipated to debut in the iPhone 17 Pro. Alongside that, the Neo 2 may jump to 12GB of RAM—a 50% increase over the current 8GB configuration—potentially making it a much more comfortable laptop for everyday productivity and moderate workloads.
Another rumored change could be the one that gets the most attention: a touchscreen display. The talk is that Apple may integrate the touch layer directly into the IPS panel, meaning the laptop shouldn’t become thicker just to support touch. If accurate, this would mark a notable shift in how Apple positions its entry-level MacBook, especially for users who like tapping, swiping, and navigating more directly.
The timing is also worth noting. A higher-end MacBook Ultra is expected to be Apple’s first touchscreen Mac, potentially arriving this fall. If that happens, a touchscreen-optimized version of macOS would likely be ready by the time a MacBook Neo 2 launches. Even so, the Neo 2 itself may still be at least a year away, and as always with early leaks, plans could change—so it’s best to treat these details as informed rumors rather than confirmed specs.
If Apple does deliver on these upgrades—A19 Pro performance, 12GB RAM, and a touchscreen—the MacBook Neo 2 could become one of the most compelling low-cost Mac options yet, especially for buyers who want modern features without stepping up to more expensive models.
