Apple just shook things up with the $599 MacBook Neo, so in this video I put it head-to-head with the MacBook Air M1 and focused on what actually matters: everyday performance, usability, battery life, and value. I also explain why Apple is even making a “cheap” Mac—because they want a bigger slice of education (Chromebooks are everywhere), and they’re clearly targeting the huge refurbished market where the M1 Air has been dominating. On design, the Neo is the fun one: four colors (blush, indigo, citrus, silver), a lightweight modern look, and a nicer-feeling “fresh” vibe—though it does skip a backlit keyboard, which the M1 Air still has (and that matters if you work at night). The Neo’s 13-inch Liquid Retina display and side-firing Dolby surround speakers are a legit upgrade for watching content. Performance is surprisingly strong too: the A18 Pro benchmarks higher in single-core than M1, so apps feel snappier day-to-day, and battery is realistically all-day (Apple claims 16 hours vs 15 on M1). My takeaway: the Neo isn’t trying to be a pro workstation—it’s Apple redefining value, and for most people it’s the smarter buy in 2026.