After using MacBook Neo, it’s clear Windows needs to rethink its PC strategy (and fast) – ZDNET

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ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Apple’s new MacBook Neo will disrupt the budget PC market.
• PC makers will need to adapt. 
• This market disruption is good for innovation.

Apple’s new MacBook Neo inserts a wedge into the budget laptop market. It’s a product category traditionally dominated by Windows PCs, and Microsoft has been quite comfortable in this space for a long time — its only real competitor being Chromebooks.

The MacBook Neo is a $599 laptop ($499 with the educator discount) that disrupts the market, bringing a trimmed-down version of the premium build MacBooks are known for to this lower price point. Yes, there are trade-offs to get the price this low, but Apple has done a good job at managing them. 

Review: MacBook Neo

For starters, the Neo comes with the A18 processor, an iPhone chip, instead of the M-series processors in the rest of the MacBook lineup. This setup means the Neo is a little less powerful for high-end workflows, but very well-equipped for everyday tasks, such as working in the browser, multitasking across apps, and using iPhone integrations like FaceTime, Messages, and Phone Mirroring. 

Secondly, the hardware is a little more modest, but in ways that make sense. There’s no backlighting on the keys, the trackpad is mechanical (not haptic), and the display is a little less flashy, but all of these features are often better than the options in budget Windows competitors. 

The result is a more accessible MacBook experience directed at the user group Apple has previously failed to court. This group includes kids, students, casual users, and seniors — many of whom already have iPhones. With the full suite of iPhone integrations on the Neo, the device is a logical entry point into Apple’s full catalog. The Neo can also help Apple snare younger users and secure them as future customers.

Windows needs to adapt 

Microsoft still dominates the consumer laptop market, but the company is at a crossroads with its now-ubiquitous operating system. With over a billion users, Windows 11 — Microsoft’s sole operating system product — is not exactly popular these days. 

Bloated, crammed with upsells, and with AI inserting itself at every opportunity, it’s no surprise some users would consider making the jump to Apple’s side of the yard. For $599, that option is a lot less of a commitment. 

Also: A $500 MacBook Neo might’ve saved me from my college laptop nightmare

There’s some evidence to suggest this situation is not getting any better, either. According to ZDNET senior contributing editor Ed Bott, Microsoft has been planning a move to a subscription-based Windows model for some time now, at least for the Pro version. With the overwhelming success of the subscription model in nearly every other market, it’s likely Windows will shift eventually, too.

Such a move would be unpopular, but frustrated users have limited options: switch to Apple’s ecosystem (which brings its own considerations), transfer to a Chromebook, or commit to learning Linux. Many of these people will consider an Apple product for the first time, and the Neo could be the reason to jump. 

What I’d love to see from future PCs

Microsoft needs to face the music: it no longer dominates the budget PC space. Similarly priced PCs and Chromebooks will be compared to the MacBook Neo, and their prices will be scrutinized differently. 

Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of PCs and Chromebooks at the same price (and lower) that offer more RAM, more storage, and higher-performing processors than the Neo, but those features don’t carry the same weight with everyday users. The Neo has a fantastic webcam, nice display, and, most importantly, it pairs with their iPhones in a way PCs can’t. To put it simply: the Neo is cooler. 

These users want to access their family and classmates’ group chats on a laptop, to transfer photos and videos from their phones, and to use Continuity to play mobile games on the big screen. These users aren’t running LLMs locally or editing 8K video projects. For these users, the Neo’s vibe factor is exponentially greater than a clunky PC with a dingy matte display. 

I hope Apple’s injection of cool into this market space will spur some creativity and competition from PC manufacturers to create products that respond to the Neo. How about a $599 PC that comes in bright colors, with a solid battery, and a unique build?

Also: MacBook Neo vs. Windows and Chromebook: Comparing its closest rivals by the specs

The Neo isn’t going to unseat Microsoft’s grip on consumer PCs, but it’ll be a slow burn. These laptops will be used in educational settings, and Apple is banking on hooking young users with the iPad-to-Neo-to-MacBook pipeline — planting the seeds for future sales.

The Neo isn’t perfect

Let’s not twist the narrative. Apple employs many of the same tactics as Microsoft, namely creating problems to sell the solution (the meager 256GB of storage on the Neo is the perfect on-ramp for an iCloud subscription). Apple will likely continue to position itself as ‘the alternative’ to Windows — and it is — but its products have their own considerations. 

As much as Windows PCs are in your face, MacBooks are much more locked down. They are harder to repair on your own, parts are strictly monitored, and the update cycles are relentless. While we’re seeing DIY repairability and modularity in some PCs, Apple Care has a near-monopoly on MacBook upgrades and repairs. 

Also: How to qualify for Apple’s education discount – including for the $499 MacBook Neo

I also have concerns about the MacBook Neo’s longevity, especially as these devices are likely to take a beating. They’re not cherished luxury tech items safely folded up on a desk for their lifespans — Neos are going to be thrown around in the classroom and tossed around job sites. 

The Neo has a pretty solid build, but I’m sorry to say it’s likely we’ll see stacks of orange laptops in five to six years with missing keys, busted trackpads, and questionable display artifacts. This is a set of issues that Apple will need to address in subsequent generations. 

All in all, I’m excited to see how PC manufacturers respond to Apple’s launch, and strongly believe that, whether the Neo is a device for you or not, it’s good for the market. A little disruption is a good thing for stale markets.