For six years, the tech world had a default answer to the question: “What is the best laptop for under $800?” That answer was almost always the M1 MacBook Air. Even as it aged, its fanless design and groundbreaking efficiency made it the gold standard for value.

First benchmarks for the 2026 MacBook Neo are in. See how Apple's $599 laptop stacks up against the M1 and M2 MacBook Air.

Benchmarks for the new MacBook Neo surfaced today, and unsurprisingly, CPU performance is almost identical to the iPhone 16 Pro. The MacBook Neo uses the same 6-core A18 Pro chip that was first introduced in the iPhone 16 Pro,

The A18 Pro — the same chip that powered the iPhone 16 Pro — now runs a Mac. Apple's most audacious pricing move in a decade. Apple has spent the better part of a decade building a hardware strategy around the idea that the best computers it makes should also be the most expensive.

Once the new low-cost MacBook launches this week, those wanting to buy a portable Mac will have a choice of three ranges: the MacBook, the MacBook Air, and the MacBook Pro.

The first reviews of the MacBook Neo were published today by selected publications and YouTube channels, ahead of the laptop launching on Wednesday. Available in Blush, Citrus, Indigo, and Silver, the MacBook Neo is powered by a version of the A18 Pro chip from the iPhone 16 Pro.

M5 Pro and M5 Max both use the same 18-core CPU die, but Pro uses a 20-core GPU die, and Max gets a 40-core GPU die. (Because the memory controller is also part of the GPU die, the Max chip still offers more memory bandwidth and supports higher memory configurations than the Pro one does.)