Best MacBook Neo deals: Where to buy Apple’s cheapest MacBook

Is the MacBook Neo worth buying?

The MacBook Neo is ideal if you want the cheapest possible MacBook while still getting Apple’s macOS.

Reasons to buy

• Affordable price
• Long battery life
• Lightweight design

Reasons to skip

• Limited RAM options
• Fewer ports
• Less powerful than MacBook Air

People are drawn to the MacBook Neo for several key reasons: 

Affordability: The primary draw is the breakthrough price point. At $599, it is $500 cheaper than the current M5 MacBook Air. This low entry price makes it a “golden ticket” for those who previously found MacBooks too expensive. 

Premium Design and Build Quality: Despite its budget label, the Neo maintains Apple’s high manufacturing standards. It features an all-aluminum chassis with no plastic parts, a rarity for laptops at this price range. As our reviewer noted, it feels just as premium as a MacBook Air, avoiding the “cheap” feel of competing plastic PCs. It also comes in a variety of vibrant colors, including Indigo, Blush (pink), Citrus (yellow-green), and Silver. 

Sufficient Performance for Everyday Tasks: While it uses a mobile-class processor, the A18 Pro’s efficiency allows it to handle general productivity with ease. You’ll be able to write documents, create spreadsheets, build presentations, visit websites, check email, manage your calendar, video conference with people, and a lot more with ease on the MacBook Neo

Seamless Ecosystem Integration: For the billions of iPhone users, the Neo offers a low-cost way to access the Apple ecosystem. It supports native integrations like iPhone Mirroring, Universal Clipboard, and iCloud sync. It allows users to “go all-in” on Apple – combining a Neo, iPhone 17e, and Apple Watch SE – for a total cost significantly lower than previous years.

Portability and Battery Life: At 2.7 pounds and 0.50 inches thick, the Neo is highly portable . While its battery life is lower than the Air or Pro models, it still offers up to 16 hours of video streaming or 11 hours of wireless web browsing, which is sufficient for a full day of school or general work. 

Who should buy MacBook Neo

• Students and Schools: The $499 education price makes it a direct competitor to Chromebooks in the K-12 and college markets.
• First-Time Mac Buyers: It serves as an affordable “gateway” for iPhone users who want seamless integration (iCloud, AirDrop, iMessage) without spending $1,000+.
• Casual Users: Grandparents or anyone whose primary activities are web browsing, social media, and video calls.
• Secondary Device Owners: Pro users who want a lightweight, inexpensive laptop for travel or vacations.

Which MacBook Neo model should you buy? (256GB vs 512GB)

Foundry

The $599 Base Model

• Includes 256GB of storage
• Lacks Touch ID
• Best for students and light use

The $699 Model: 

• Includes 512GB storage 
• Adds Touch ID 
• Better for storage-heavy users

Our recommendation: The 512GB MacBook Neo is the better buy for most people thanks to Touch ID and extra storage.

Where to buy MacBook Neo

Michael Simon / Foundry

You can buy a MacBook Neo directly from Apple in the U.S. or at Apple U.K. You may, however, find a MacBook Neo in stock and discounted at one of these resellers. There are plenty of stores and Apple Premium Resellers around the world that offer discounts on new and old Macs, so it’s worth shopping around (read our Where to buy a Mac article for more advice).

We also recommend the following resellers:

U.S. retailers

• Want to buy a MacBook Neo from Apple? View the MacBook Neo in the Apple Store.
• Get an education discount: View the MacBook Neo in the Apple Education Store.
• View the MacBook Neo at Amazon.
• View the MacBook Neo at B&H Photo.
• View the MacBook Neo at Best Buy
• View the MacBook Neo at Walmart.
• You can find the MacBook Neo at Adorama.

U.K. retailers

• If you want to buy a MacBook Neo from Apple: View the MacBook Neo in the Apple Store.
• Save money if you are a teacher or student: View the MacBook Neo in the Apple Education Store.
• Get a Mac from Amazon where we often see discounts: View the MacBook Air at Amazon.
• AO.com also offers discounts from time to time: View the MacBook Neo at AO.com
• You may find the MacBook Neo at Argos, although we only tend to see deals in conjunction with events like Black Friday.
• View the MacBook Neo at Currys.
• View the MacBook Neo at John Lewis.
• We often see discounts on the MacBook Neo at Laptops Direct. .
• You may also find discounts on the MacBook Neo at Very.

U.K. Apple Authorised Resellers

• KRCS
• Insight
• iStore
• Select
• Western Computer
• Jigsaw

MacBook Neo price: What you should pay

The MacBook Neo starts at $599/£599, but deals can reduce the price depending on the retailer.
Typical price ranges:

Launch price: $599/£599
Good deal: $549-$579/£549-£579
Best seasonal deals: By Black Friday in November 2026 we could see prices drop to $529/£529 but we don’t expect them to go lower than that.