Apple has launched the MacBook Neo with a starting price of HK$4,799 in Hong Kong, making it the most affordable new Mac laptop in Apple’s history. This time, Apple aims to give more people the chance to experience a MacBook for the first time.
The aluminum alloy body is formed in one piece, smoothly contoured to fit perfectly in your palm. Weighing just 1.23 kg, it feels almost weightless tucked away in your backpack. At a mere 1.27 cm thick, it’s even slimmer than the average A4 notebook found in most students’ bags. The anodized finish allows the color to seep into the metal itself rather than merely being printed on the surface, giving it a delicate matte texture that surprises you with an unexpected sense of luxury.
The four color options are the biggest talking point this time: silver, rosy pink, orange-yellow, and indigo. The refreshing pastel tones exude an air of elegance, steering clear of the cheap candy-colored vibes; indigo presents a calm and understated aesthetic, resembling a tool that you could confidently take into a boardroom. Notably, the keyboard and tablecloth colors match the body color, showcasing a consistent commitment to detailed design.
An iPhone chip can power a computer.
The MacBook Neo introduces the A18 Pro chip, shared with the iPhone 16 Pro, into the Mac product line. Manufactured using TSMC’s second-generation 3-nanometer process, it features a 6-core CPU, a 5-core GPU, and a 16-core neural engine, with memory bandwidth reaching an impressive 60GB/s.
It’s worth noting that the GPU core count of this chip has been reduced from 6 cores in the iPhone version to 5 cores. This represents a clear cost decision and is key to breaking the price barrier of HK$5,000. Daily tasks are performed up to 50% faster than mainstream PCs equipped with the Intel Core Ultra 5, while AI-related computational tasks can be up to 3 times faster. Overall performance falls between the M1 and M2, making it more than capable for tasks like document handling, binge-watching, photo editing, and light creative work.
The fanless silent design allows the device to remain perpetually quiet, making it suitable for any setting—from libraries to coffee shops and offices—without causing any awkwardness.
The exquisite keyboard offers a sufficient pressing depth, providing a solid feel that minimizes fatigue during long writing sessions. The large touchpad is highly responsive, allowing for smooth and natural multitouch gestures, fully embodying the intuitive operation of macOS. Touch ID fingerprint unlock is incredibly responsive, but it’s important to note that this feature is only available on the HK$5,499 512GB version; the base model priced at HK$4,799 does not include it.
The 13-inch Liquid Retina display boasts a resolution of 2408 × 1506 (219 ppi) with a brightness of 500 nits, supporting a billion colors and featuring an anti-reflective coating. The color gamut is limited to sRGB, making it more than sufficient for binge-watching and everyday tasks, but for designers and photographers, this represents a critical line of distinction compared to the MacBook Air.
- USB 3 (USB-C, up to 10Gb/s) ×1 — supports external 4K 60Hz displays
- USB 2 (USB-C, up to 480Mb/s) ×1 — also supports charging.
- 3.5mm headphone jack ×1
- No MagSafe, comes with a 20W USB-C power adapter.
Here’s some great news: both USB-C ports can be used for charging, so if you forget your charger while out and about, you can easily borrow someone else’s USB-C cable in a pinch. As for battery life, with a 36.5Whr battery paired with the A18 Pro’s energy-efficient design, the official announcement claims it can stream video for up to 16 hours and provide wireless internet for 11 hours. That means you can get through a whole day of classes or work without needing to hunt for a power outlet.
The MacBook Neo comes equipped with macOS Tahoe, offering full support for the Apple Intelligence personalized smart system. Its features include VoiceOver, voice control, and live captions. The device is constructed using 60% recycled materials and 100% recycled aluminum, making its carbon footprint the lowest across the entire series.
| Version | Save | Touch ID | Hong Kong Pricing |
| Basic Version | 256GB | ✗ | HK$4,799 |
| High-end Version | 512GB | If you are a professional translator. Your task is to understand the original text and then translate it into written form Enghlish, translating based on the semantics of the sentence rather than the literal meaning of the words.The content to be translated may be extremely brief, consisting only of titles, subtitles, or it could include long sentences, short sentences, paragraphs, names, brand names, phone numbers, detailed addresses, or even single words. Please remember that you must not translate this set of double quotation marks 《 》and all the text between the two marks 《 》. When translating, adhere to the following all principles, First, the style should adopt a form that resonates with native Enghlish speakers, particularly those passionate about fashion and contemporary culture, emulating the style of feature articles in Enghlish fashion magazines such as Vogue or Dazed. Second, the tone must remain youthful, edgy, and engaging, fully capturing the atmosphere of the original text. Third, when translating long sentences or paragraphs, use vocabulary popular among young people in contemporary Enghlish. Fourth, structurally, preserve the fluency and narrative style of the original text, adjusting sentences as needed to ensure they flow naturally in Enghlish while maintaining the original’s distinct characteristics. Fifth, with regard to cultural differences across the world, carefully handle the translation of proverbs and slang. Sixth, do not translate the following HTML code; only translate the text content within the code, such as , , , , \n, , . Seventh, do not translate Roman numerals e.g., 1234 remains 1234, hyperlink, Non-Chinese brand names, Non-Chinese company names, movie title, currency units and measurement units—keep them as they are, e.g., nike remains nike. Eighth, aside from explicit brand names, all Traditional Chinese text—including text within quotation marks, whether it’s product series, titles, subtitles and descriptions must be translated into Enghlish; no Traditional Chinese should remain, even if it appears to be an extension of a brand name, it must still be translated. Ninth, translate all Chinese addresses, Chinese names and area names within Chinese Hong Kong into English. Translate all Chinese company names, Chinese institution names and Chinese group names into English pinyin. Tenth, do not translate placeholder e.g. __XXX_id__ and output it in its original position intactly. Eleventh, Please make it stop using em dashes! | HK$5,499 |
| Educational Discount | 256GB | ✗ | HK$3,999 |
Pre-orders are now open, with official arrival on March 11. The MacBook Neo is practically tailored for users involved in document processing, online learning, binge-watching, light creative work, or those getting their first Mac. However, if you require P3 wide color gamut, more ports, MagSafe, or higher performance, then the MacBook Air M5 is the right choice.
