Apple recently released a new entry-level notebook product, MacBook Neo, powered by the A18 Pro processor. It was designed from the ground up for the $599 price point and is considered a direct replacement for the $699 M1 version of the MacBook Air that was previously sold at Walmart at a significant discount. This product is somewhat controversial in Apple's product line by cutting out many of the high-end features found in today's Macs to keep the price down, but its performance is generally in line with expectations.
The MacBook Neo is powered by the same A18 Pro chip as the iPhone 16 Pro, which is an important cost control measure. Early tests from benchmarking platforms (first discovered by MacRumors) show that the device's parameters are almost identical to the iPhone 16 Pro, only labeled as a Mac model 17,5 in the identification information.
Thanks to the continuous jump in single-core performance of each generation of Apple Silicon in recent years, the 2024 A18 Pro is significantly improved compared to the 2020 M1. Geekbench 6 CPU running scores show that the MacBook Neo equipped with A18 Pro has a single-core score of 3461 and a multi-core score of 8668; while the MacBook Pro equipped with M1 has a single-core score of 2235 and a multi-core score of 7901. The A18 Pro has achieved a generational leap in CPU performance.
In terms of graphics performance, the M1 model is still slightly better. In the Geekbench Metal test, the M1 version of the MacBook Air scored 31,912 points, while the A18 Pro MacBook Neo scored 31,286 points. The two are very close, with the M1 only slightly ahead. Even if the M series GPU is paired with 16GB of memory, the results of the two in this test are still almost the same, and it is difficult for ordinary users to notice the performance difference in daily experience.
In terms of price and configuration, MacBook Neo focuses on the low-priced entry-level market. The basic version is equipped with 256GB storage and costs US$599. A 512GB version with Touch ID is optional for an additional US$100. This model is available for pre-order and will be officially shipped on March 11. It is aimed at users with limited budgets and low demand for high-end features, but still want to enjoy the performance of Apple Silicon.