Apple unveils MacBook Neo — Its most affordable laptop ever at Rs. 69,900

According to the company, MacBook Neo features Apple’s signature design with a durable aluminium enclosure and is available in four colours — blush, indigo, silver and a new citrus shade.

The laptop comes with a 13-inch Liquid Retina display that delivers high resolution, brightness and support for one billion colours, making websites, photos, videos and apps appear vivid and sharp.

Powered by the A18 Pro chip, MacBook Neo is designed to handle everyday tasks such as web browsing, streaming, photo editing and AI-powered applications smoothly.

Apple said the device is up to 50 percent faster for everyday tasks like browsing compared with bestselling PCs powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra 5 processors. For on-device AI workloads, performance can be up to three times faster.

The laptop offers up to 16 hours of battery life on a single charge, enabling users to work or study throughout the day without needing to recharge.

MacBook Neo is equipped with a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, dual microphones and dual side-firing speakers with Spatial Audio, providing improved video calls and immersive sound.

The device also includes Apple’s Magic Keyboard for comfortable typing and a large Multi-Touch trackpad that supports intuitive gestures for precise navigation.

Running on macOS Tahoe, MacBook Neo supports built-in apps such as Messages, Pages, Calendar and Safari, along with seamless integration with the iPhone ecosystem and compatibility with third-party applications.

Apple said the laptop is its most affordable MacBook to date, starting at ₹69,900 and ₹59,900 for education customers in India.

“We’re incredibly excited to introduce MacBook Neo, which delivers the magic of the Mac at a breakthrough price,” said John Ternus. “Built from the ground up to be more affordable for even more people, MacBook Neo is a laptop only Apple could create.”

Design and display

MacBook Neo features a lightweight aluminium design weighing about 2.7 pounds, making it easy to carry in backpacks or handbags. The colours extend to the Magic Keyboard and wallpapers, creating a cohesive design aesthetic.

Its 13-inch Liquid Retina display has a resolution of 2408 × 1506, brightness of 500 nits and an anti-reflective coating for comfortable viewing in different lighting conditions.

Apple silicon performance

At the core of MacBook Neo is the A18 Pro chip, which allows users to run apps smoothly and handle tasks such as document creation, photo editing and AI-based functions.

The laptop includes an integrated five-core GPU for graphics performance and a 16-core Neural Engine to power Apple Intelligence features and other AI workloads. The device is also fanless, allowing it to run silently.

Battery life and features

Thanks to the efficiency of Apple silicon, MacBook Neo offers up to 16 hours of battery life, making it suitable for use in classrooms, offices or while travelling.

The device also supports Touch ID for secure login and authorising purchases using Apple Pay.

Camera, audio and connectivity

MacBook Neo features a 1080p FaceTime HD camera with improved image processing for clearer video calls. Dual microphones use directional beamforming to reduce background noise.

The laptop also includes dual side-firing speakers with support for Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos for immersive sound.

Connectivity options include two USB-C ports for charging or connecting accessories and external displays, along with a headphone jack. It supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 6 for faster wireless connectivity.

Seamless iPhone integration

MacBook Neo offers several Continuity features that allow users to work across Apple devices. Features such as Handoff, Universal Clipboard and iPhone Mirroring enable seamless transitions between MacBook and iPhone.

Environment-friendly design

Apple said MacBook Neo was built with sustainability in mind and contains about 60 percent recycled materials, including recycled aluminium and cobalt. The laptop is also manufactured using renewable electricity across the supply chain.

Pricing and availability

MacBook Neo is available for pre-order starting today in more than 30 countries and regions through the Apple website and the Apple Store app. Deliveries and retail availability will begin on March 11.

The laptop starts at ₹69,900 in India and ₹59,900 for education customers, and is available in blush, indigo, silver and citrus colour options.