185: MacBook Neo Is Here — Should You Buy Apple’s $599 Laptop?

Welcome back to The MacRumors Show. It is launch week, I have the new gear in-house, and I’m ready to dive into the MacBook Neo first.

I want to know if the tradeoffs are noticeable day to day, especially the trackpad, speakers, webcam, and mics.

I knew about the compromises going in, but in use it feels like a real Mac. Even with the A18 and 8GB of memory, I opened all my apps at once and could flip around instantly with only a brief hiccup, and I’ll daily-drive it to test long term.

Apple Silicon handles fast app switching well, and I think 8GB will be fine for the audience this targets. What really changes the game is the price, especially for students.

Exactly—nothing close to this feels this solid at the cost.

You are getting something that is nearly half the price of a MacBook Air, which opens up the ecosystem for many more people.

For everyday tasks, I doubt most people would notice a speed gap versus a base M5 Air. The webcam looks fine with good light and the mics did a great job cutting wind noise during a storm.

Lighting makes the biggest difference on calls, and compared to an iPad with a keyboard, the Neo feels like a complete computer at a similar out-the-door price.

This really blurs lines with the iPad; macOS is still my pick for work, and I’d love a simpler iPad lineup focused on touch-only. My kids love tablets, but even they’re getting curious about typing and a trackpad.

I use my iPad Pro as a companion—great OLED screen, better keyboard, perfect for travel—but I wouldn’t want to do my full-time job on it.

Here is the wild part: you can now pair an entry iPad with Pencil for tablet stuff and a Neo for keyboard work for not much more than a single kitted iPad or a base Air.

Used iPads are plentiful and last years, so that combo is very reachable.

Old iPads often outlive app support, which ends up being the only reason to replace them.

Looking ahead, a foldable iPhone is expected to run an iPadOS-like interface, and Macs are rumored to gain touch, which squeezes iPad’s role in the middle. macOS has been inching toward touch since Big Sur, and the Neo—with fun colors—feels like the Mac for iPad users.

If Macs get touch, I’d want a convertible or a mode that leans into a touch-first UI; poking the screen while the keyboard sits open sounds awkward.

Touch also removes a big hurdle for Windows and Chromebook switchers, and I expect a version of macOS tuned for it.

Neo ports are simple: think one external display up to 4K at 60 and one slower USB port, which suits its audience. The tiny side-firing speakers are better than they look—voices pop, music is a bit quieter—and I’d spend the extra hundred for the 512GB model with Touch ID.

I do not need one, but I still kind of want one.

Colors are fun—I have yellow and indigo—and the 500-nit Liquid Retina with Air-like bezels looks good, which makes the whole package great value.

How does the Studio Display XDR stack up against your old Pro Display XDR?

Image quality is better with mini LED and ProMotion, but I miss the larger size and the cool perforated back. It is fantastic yet very pricey, so most people should save their money unless they really want it.

I love my current Studio Display and do not feel the need to move up at that price.

Built-in camera and speakers are handy and free up desk space, and between the new and old Studio Display, the big changes are Thunderbolt, better speakers, and daisy chaining, which is pretty niche.

Daisy chaining could help multi-monitor users, but that is a small crowd.

On iPhone 17e, the hero pink is very subtle, and I could happily live with it thanks to MagSafe and Ceramic Shield plus the same main camera as the 17. The downsides are chunky bezels, no ProMotion, and a squarer feel than the Pro.

Does it actually feel different or just familiar with a few trims?

It feels more squared off, and the thick bezels are more jarring than missing the higher refresh rate.

For budget buyers comparing 17e and the still-sold iPhone 16, I would take the 17e for the newer chip and double the storage, even though the 16 has slimmer bezels, a brighter screen, and an ultrawide.

The 17e’s main sensor is tweaked, but differences are small; if you shoot a lot, storage matters more. On carriers, a 17 can be about a dollar more per month than a 17e, so I’d jump to the 17, and the Pro is roughly thirteen more if you need the telephoto and extras.

The 17 is the sweet spot for most people, while the Pro is worth it if you use the telephoto and the pro features.

Bottom line, buy what fits your budget—the 17e is still a very good phone if you can live without zoom. Tell us what you think of the new gear, and we will be back next week after I put the M5 iPad Air and MacBook Air through their paces.