Apple announces $599 MacBook Neo running A18 Pro chip — budget laptop features 16-hour battery and comes in fun colors

Apple has unveiled the MacBook Neo, a budget laptop powered by the A18 Pro chip, targeting Chromebook and low-end Windows users. The laptop boasts a 16-hour battery life, vibrant color options, a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, side-firing speakers with Dolby Atmos, and two USB-C ports. Priced at $599 for the 256GB version and $699 for the 512GB version with Touch ID, the MacBook Neo offers 8GB of RAM and Apple Intelligence support. Preorders are open now, with shipping starting on March 11. This release comes amidst a RAM shortage in the tech market, positioning Apple to attract more customers to its ecosystem.