The MacBook Neo has only been in our lives for the past two days and already it has not only taken over the headlines in the Apple and tech news media, but it has been (I guess you could say) one of the trending topics in my brain too.
Over the past year, I have been thinking about replacing my iPad Air fifth generation with the Magic Keyboard now with said MacBook Neo. Before my iPad Air purchase, I was using a 2017 MacBook Pro without the TouchBar. I have not used or touched the thing in years, honestly.
With that said, what interests me most about this MacBook Neo is the fact that not only is it likely going to be great for a lot of high school and college students out there, but makes for an excellent entry-level MacBook opportunity for those who have wanted one for a while but weren’t willing to put up the money on a newer MacBook Air or MacBook Pro.
The fact that the MacBook Neo starts at $599 is an insanely good deal from Apple.
Another aspect for me personally is that part of me would like to get back into macOS and the Mac ecosystem again. I have not used a Mac since 2022 because in May 2022 I purchased my previously mentioned iPad Air with the Magic Keyboard case, which for me meant that my MacBook Pro’s days were over and I moved straight into the world of iPadOS.
The macOS apps I would look forward to using again on a MacBook Neo would be the following:
- Day One Journal
- MarsEdit
- CARROT Weather
- Pastebot
Of course, I hope to use apps like X (formerly Twitter) and Hulu from iPad by porting them over to the Mac. Not only is X still a good social network for me to have (despite the loss of Tweetbot years ago) because it allows me to focus on the news and content I prefer to follow these days.
When it comes to the overall look of the MacBook Neo, I absolutely love the fact that it comes in the indigo blue color. I always try to get a blue-colored Apple product when I get the chance and when it looks good, and the MacBook Neo’s indigo seems to fit that qualification and more.
However, I am surprised that it actually has a headphone port on it. Last I checked, it took “courage” to remove the headphone port from the iPhone several years ago. Perhaps Apple is truly going all-in with this entry-level MacBook?
Once the MacBook Neo is released on Wednesday, March 11, I do intend on testing it out at an Apple Store to see how it looks and feels, as well as how the keyboard is. For me, the keyboard has to be more than adequate, and for physical keyboards like the MacBook’s, desktop Mac Magic Keyboard, and the iPad’s Magic Keyboard case, Apple has very rarely let me down there.
What are your thoughts on the MacBook Neo? Do you plan on buying on (if so, you might want to hurry up and get your pre-order in)? Comment below or let us know on X at @appleosophy.
