Why would anyone buy one of these overpriced, underpowered computers that runs on an OS that’s worse than Windows (which is really saying something).
If only there was some sort of high school economics principle that could help predict the fact that cheaper things always outsell expensive things.
I just saw them in person for the first time. It’s not surprising to hear that.
They are priced extremely well and seem to be built really well.
They also look great. It has all the great things about Apple without the cost.
I hope this line continues to be around for some time. It will likely be my wife’s next computer… if her m1 ever feels dated.
Oh boy, one of Apples products outsold other Apple products, what are the odds. 😱
Quick, clear the front page for this sensational news. 🤡
This is really hard core technology new for you right here! 🙄Sorry for the sarcasm, I just don’t think one Apple laptop selling more than another Apple laptop is interesting in any way.
Especially considering how predictable it is, since it’s their cheapest laptop at almost half the price of the cheapest MacBook Air.It’s interesting because it completely bucks the normal Apple trend where the best selling devices are their most premium offerings. People who buy Apple devices don’t usually want the cheapest base models, those folks usually turn to cheaper mid-market alternatives from other brands.
The fact that MacBook Neos are their top selling laptop is objectively sensational news precisely because, and to the contrary of your suggestion, it was not predictable at all.
Err have there ever been cheap laptop option from Apple for Apple customers to turn to?
For the last six years the MacBook Air was the cheapest option with the MacBook Pro being the premium option. During this time the more expensive MacBook Pro was the best seller between the two when you look at consumer sales.
Right but MacBook Air is still incredibly expensive compared to Neo or other cheap laptops. Just not in the same category.
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There’s an argument that the air is overpriced so it was worth paying more for a better option. Now that the cheap option starts at 40% cheaper than the cheapest air, it is a good value. I’m not making that argument as I have no stake or knowledge in apple sales, just throwing out possible reasons. I think it’s more likely that they are poaching Windows users to some degree.
Isn’t it their cheapest model?
Yes, and there’s clearly been a market for more affordable Apple products for a long time.
I run all Linux at home, but I an enthused about Apple silicon and I like the fact that macOS is certified UNIX, making a lot of aspects of working with it more similar to Linux than working with Windows.
I’m poor, but I plan on saving up and eventually getting one just so I have a functional modern Apple device for once in my life. (Other than when I was 12 and my parents bought a 66mhz PowerPC Macintosh)
I was thinking of getting one in the future for similar reasons. My current laptop is an Intel Mac from 2011 running Ubuntu (Windowmaker session). It runs macOS and Ubuntu well enough, but it does run hot and the fans are loud.
My only fear is that unlike previous MacBooks, when macOS expires the device could become e-waste rather than something I can install linux on.
Valid fear especially considering Asahi Linux is being developed for the M-series chips from Apple and this laptop is technically an A-series chip that they usually use in their phones. There’s no telling on if or when there could be even baseline Linux support for it!
I actually forgot that this machine isn’t M-series. Thanks for the reminder!
Not only cheapest, it’s the cheapest by far.
Exactly. So none of this is really surprising.
Yes, which is why this news is surprising.
I was making the complete opposite point, actually. That’s why it’s not surprising in the slightest. Just like cars, phones, and other tech. The base model moves the most. It’s always been that way. This is probably the least surprising headline I’ve heard about Apple in years.
The base model moves the most. It’s always been that way.
Except that it doesn’t, and hasn’t been that way in more than a decade. In any given Apple tech lineup the more premium options always sell the most. This is a surprising headline because it actually defies the expectation.
What you said would make more sense if you were comparing laptops across brands, but not when comparing Apple devices.
Can it also be the case that a lot of the buyers are first time Apple users that have never owned a macbook because of the price? So it’s an entirely new segment of users. Most people buying the flagship models are likely repeat customers.
Breaking News: company’s cheapest product outsells other products twice its’ price.
Since it uses a mobile chip is it any good for real tasks or is it very limited?
Their mobile chips are actually quite powerful, they might not be gaming beasts, but for simple laptop work they’d be very capable.
Apple could make a desktop OS for their phones that triggers when you connect it to a monitor with a USB C to HDMI cable like on Android, but if they did it well, itd just eat into laptop sales vs sell more phones.
But they could sell some more dongles/peripherals that way and possibly make bank.
Travelling? Don’t bring the laptop, just bring a small portable monitor and your phone.
Edit: they could even make a laptop shell you slide your phone into so you can get the whole laptop experience without paying for all the hardware in the phone a 2nd time.
It’s around the performance of an M1 Mabcbook pro. So like a 10th Gen. i9, but using basically no power.
Depends what your real tasks are. If they involve writing, researching, watching videos, filling out web exams, etc., yeah, very capable. If you’re compiling massive codebases, editing composited video, or recording several audio channels, obviously not. But that’s the pitch. If you’re a student and want a well built machine at a competitive price with a long battery life, they’re tough to beat.
My main computer is an M1 MBA and the performance of the Neo is overall about 15% worse than the original M1 MBA https://www.techradar.com/computing/macbooks/i-put-the-macbook-neo-through-the-same-tests-as-i-did-the-macbook-air-m1-i-think-the-results-will-surprise-you
Single core performance is better though, but with 4 fewer cores it falls behind in multi core.
My M1 is not laggy at all even in 2026 and I do an IT degree. It’s my primary machine and it dutifully does everything I throw at it. The only qualifier to my experience is I’ve not updated to macOS 26 (Liquid Glass) as 15 works just fine and I still get security updates.
My personal opinion is the Neo would be perfect for anyone going through college, with all sorts of productivity apps open and browser tabs, but don’t expect more from it.
I would describe it as limited.
Tim Cook and the entire Apple leadership must have Alzheimer’s.
They are repeatedly surprised by how every time they make a colorful and low end something it sells like gangbusters.
They are honestly caught off guard. Every time.
(Bring back the SE, you fucknuggets!)
By SE, do you mean the Macintosh, or the iPhone?
Apples low end something’s usually do not sell gang busters. Thats why they’re surprised here, because their cheapest tier of a given device line selling the most is pretty rare for them.
Apples low end something’s usually do not sell gang busters.
Like when they retooled the iPhone 5 into the 5c (that was a mistake).
Like the iphone 5c
