It’s the most popular way right now to troll Apple’s new $599 MacBook Neo. And I keep seeing the comments all over TikTok and Instagram.
“The MacBook Neo is just an iPad with a keyboard.” Are the naysayers right? Not at all. Here’s why they’re totally off the mark based on experience testing Apple's budget laptop.
Where macOS still beats iPadOS
First, the MacBook Neo runs macOS 26, which is more robust and still better for multitasking than the improved iPadOS 26.
Yes, you can run multiple apps on screen at once with iPadOS 26 with Windowed Apps, and you get a more familiar trackpad pointer for the cursor. Plus, there are “traffic lights” now in the top left of apps for minimizing, closing etc; an enhanced Files app; Menu bars and a Preview app. iPadOS is more Mac-like than ever.
However, I still prefer macOS as you’re not limited to the number of apps on screen at once (it’s 12 for iPadOS). And macOS feels always-on, compared to the “parked” state for apps in iPadOS when you’re not using them.
macOS also gives you multiple Spaces, whereas iPadOS gives you a single workspace. I like seeing a birds-eye view of multiple Spaces at once in Expose mode.
From a hardware perspective, I like that you don’t have to buy a case for the MacBook Neo to protect it, and that you get two USB-C ports, compared to one for the iPads. The iPad can only support one external display, too, while the Neo can support two with the right accessory.
In addition, the trackpad itself on the MacBook Neo is considerably larger than on the iPad Air’s Magic Keyboard, which makes working simply more comfortable.
The iPad Price Trap
Second, people are ignoring the fact that the iPad + keyboard combo is super expensive if you want the same size screen.
The 13-inch iPad Air M4 starts at $799 without a keyboard — $200 more than the Neo. And that’s with half the storage! To be fair, this iPad has a faster chip and more RAM (12GB vs 8GB), so it might be the better option for you if you need to edit video.
However, if you jumped up to the same 256GB of storage as the Neo and added the Magic Keyboard, you’re now up over $1,200. For those scoring at home, that’s two MacBook Neos. Adding an Apple Pencil would cost over $100 more.
So what about the 11-inch iPad? It can be had with a keyboard for $599, but you’ll be stuck with a smaller display, a weaker A16 chip and (again) half the storage. I don’t know about you, but I would never use a tiny 11-inch iPad as my everyday laptop.
Bottom line
I understand why people are saying the MacBook Neo is an iPad with a keyboard. Just know that you’re wrong. They’re still very different beasts, and if you care about value first and foremost, the Neo is a no-brainer.
