In this video I’m talking about Apple’s new MacBook Neo, and honestly, it’s the kind of Mac I’ve been waiting to see Apple make for everyday folks. The big headline is the price: $599, or $499 for students. That’s a major shift for Apple, and it tells me they’re aiming straight at the budget Windows laptop and Chromebook crowd—especially students, casual users, and anyone who mainly needs email, web browsing, and streaming. To hit that price, Apple made some very real trade-offs, and I walk you through them. The Neo uses an A18 Pro chip (more like what you’d find in an iPhone) instead of an M-series processor, and some premium conveniences are missing—no Thunderbolt, no MagSafe, no backlit keyboard, and no Force Touch trackpad. But you still get a solid aluminum design, a bright display, and that clean macOS experience that a lot of people prefer. My takeaway: this could become the “default” laptop for a lot of people, as long as you understand what you’re giving up—and what you’re getting in return.