Apple has released its first new kind of MacBook in years: the Neo.
The computer is a lower-powered, lower-priced version of the MacBook Air. It costs $599, or $499 for students, or the same in pounds.
That is almost half the price of the bottom-end MacBook Air, which was previously Apple’s cheapest laptop and starts at $1,099.
The Neo comes with a host of drawbacks from its higher-end competitors. It uses Apple’s A18 Pro chip, for instance, which was originally introduced with the iPhone 16 range, as well as a less bright and detailed display.
But it also comes in a range of colours, which is not available on any other portable Mac made by Apple. Apple is offering silver, as well as a pink called “brush”, a yellow “citrus” and “indigo”.
Despite running on a chip previously only used in Apple’s phones, it runs the same version of MacOS as on the company’s higher priced computers, and should have access to most of the software’s features.
It is available to pre-order now and will go on sale from Wednesday, 11 March.
The computer seems to be focused on the education market and other situations where customers might need access to cheaper MacBooks. Previously, Apple has served that market with older versions of its computers, though it has been largely dominated by cheaper Chromebooks.
The announcement of the new MacBook is thought to be the final launch of a week that has seen a range of new Apple products. They include the new, cheaper iPhone 17e, as well as updates to Apple’s higher-end MacBook range and new displays.
