It’s been years since I invested in one of the best laptops, but now my trusty Chromebook looks a little less worn. I’ve been toying with the idea of replacing the iPad Air with M3 for a while – until Apple unveiled the rather attractive MacBook Neo.
Apple’s first entry-level MacBook is one of three new models on the way (along with the M5 MacBook Air and M5 Pro MacBook Pro), marking Apple’s first budget MacBook starting at $599/£599/AU$899. Even though I’ve gone my entire life without owning an Apple laptop, the MacBook Neo puts me in a trance and I’m seriously tempted to abandon my original plan to convert to iPad for a number of key reasons.
The MacBook Neo puts the iPad in a very vulnerable position, especially as more users turn to iPads over MacBooks as a simpler option, primarily due to the laptop’s high price, which also allows them to save money on advanced features that they know will go unused. The Neo shakes things up, not only because of its value, but also because of its simple but plentiful tools – and I like what I see.
1. iPads and their accessories are extremely expensive
In terms of price, the MacBook Neo costs more or less the same as the best iPads, with the exception of the standard iPad range, which starts at a slightly lower price ($349/£329/AU$599). But it’s even more if you want the full gear, like the Apple Pencil (from $79/£79/AU$139) or the Magic Keyboard (from $249/£249/AU$399).
2. macOS offers a better experience
When it comes to operating systems, macOS is much more flexible than iPadOS in terms of multitasking and app availability, especially when it comes to offering full versions of apps like Adobe Creative Cloud. More often than not, iPadOS versions of popular apps aren’t as feature-rich in comparison, which isn’t a huge drawback if you’re using an iPad as a tablet, but rings alarm bells if you want to use it as a laptop, since iPadOS is designed to be a touchscreen first.
Historically, the iPad has also been late in rolling out its own versions of popular apps. It only debuted on WhatsApp in May 2025, and its official Instagram app followed in September 2025.
3. Same size, same fun colors…
The MacBook Neo comes with the same 13-inch screen as most iPad models and, for the first time in forever, comes with a variety of fun color options, just like the standard iPad line. Despite lacking a touchscreen, the MacBook Neo adopts similar design quirks: plus you don’t have to shell out more money to add a keyboard, what more could you ask for?
4. …and the same Liquid Retina display
Similar to the iPad Air’s screen size and color options, the MacBook Neo also features Apple’s high-resolution Liquid Retina display, which could easily have been compromised to lower the cost even further.
5. Solid battery life that gets you through
Besides the display quality, the MacBook Neo’s battery life is pretty solid for a basic laptop. Offering all-day battery life that can run on a single charge (up to 16 hours for continuous video playback), the Neo matches the iPad Air on the battery front.
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