Apple’s decision to increase the starting price of the MacBook Neo from $599 to $699 arguably undermines the very reason the laptop exists.
When Apple introduced the MacBook Neo, it was positioned as the company’s most affordable Mac, offering an accessible entry point into the Mac lineup for students, first-time Mac buyers, and customers looking to move on from older Intel-based Macs. At $599, it filled a gap that had long existed in Apple’s notebook lineup.
With the new $699 starting price, that value proposition becomes much less compelling.
While the MacBook Neo remains Apple’s cheapest notebook, the $100 increase represents almost a 17% jump in price. For many buyers shopping at the lower end of the market, $100 can make a significant difference, particularly students and families who were the device’s most obvious audience.
The increase also narrows the gap between the MacBook Neo and the MacBook Air, making it easier for some customers to justify spending a little more on a higher-end model instead.
Apple recently said rising memory and storage costs mean it can no longer absorb the increases being passed on by suppliers, with CEO Tim Cook describing price increases as “unavoidable.” While that may explain the decision, it doesn’t change the fact that the MacBook Neo loses much of the affordability that made it stand out in the first place.
The MacBook Neo is still the least expensive way to buy a new Mac, but with its starting price now beginning with a seven instead of a five, it no longer feels like the bargain it was designed to be.