A ‘MacBook Neo 2’ Is Reportedly on Deck for Early 2027 — with 12 GB of RAM
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Following this week’s unveiling of two new M6-powered Macs and Apple’s highly anticipated (and pricey) MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display, it appears Apple is now setting its sights on a successor to its most affordable Mac — the MacBook Neo.
While the MacBook Neo once shared that distinction with the Mac mini, it’s become the sole occupant of the “budget” category ever since Apple nixed the 256 GB Mac mini in May and then returned it as an $899 M6 model in August.
The MacBook Neo wasn’t immune to Apple’s June price hikes, going from its impressive $599 launch price to $699, but it’s managed to hold the line since (although Apple snuck the education price up by $50 this week).
Now, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman is predicting that Apple plans to refresh the MacBook Neo early next year, alongside what will undoubtedly be the M6 MacBook Air. That’s not too surprising, although it confirms that the MacBook Neo should settle into an annual update cycle.
Gurman isn’t saying much else right now, although he’s previously suggested the new model will stick with an A-series iPhone chip rather than moving into the M-series family. That’s likely to be an A19 Pro chip if Apple follows the same playbook it used for the original MacBook Neo, and Gurman’s suggestion that Apple plans to go with 12 GB of RAM would support that.
The current MacBook Neo uses an A18 Pro, and that’s one of the secrets behind its affordability. Apple has effectively been using “free” silicon in the MacBook Neo — “binned” A18 Pro chips that couldn’t go into an iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro Max. While it cost money to make those in the first place, Apple had to find somewhere to put them to use rather than simply discarding them.
It’s far from the first time Apple has done this. The iPad mini (A17 Pro) in 2024 leveraged leftover chips from the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, and there’s little doubt the A20 Pro in the new OLED iPad mini is the same story.
As things stand now, the A19 Pro is all but defunct. It’s still used in the iPhone Air, which hasn’t exactly been selling like hotcakes, but the other two devices that sported an A19 Pro — the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max — have been succeeded by A20 Pro-powered iPhone 18 Pro models. Meanwhile, the base A19, first used in the iPhone 17, has found a new home in the new Apple TV 4K. That’s very likely also a binned chip, although Apple hasn’t shared the exact specs.
Since the whole point of the MacBook Neo is to keep it as affordable as possible, it’s a safe bet that we won’t see any major improvements beyond the chip. A very dubious report suggested the next MacBook Neo could gain a touchscreen, but that appeared to be mere speculation, based on Apple’s desire to compete with Chromebooks, many of which offer touchscreens. Ming-Chi Kuo, who first floated the idea, quickly walked back that comment after more “industry checks” ruled it out.
As it stands today, the MacBook Neo arguably cuts all the right corners for its $699 price tag. The entry-level model lacks Touch ID (you’ll have to move up to the $799 512 GB model to get that), but it retains a solid aluminum build, a bright and colorful LED-backlit display, and impressive battery life. If anything, the oddest compromise is the dual USB-C ports, only one of which supports USB 3 speeds and an external display; the other port is limited to 480 Mbps USB 2 speeds.
That’s one subtle area in which Apple might be able to offer some improvements, but it might also be a factor of the A-series chips themselves, which have never had to drive more than a single USB port on an iPhone. The new MacBook Neo may also change up the color palette, replacing the current silver, blush, citrus, and indigo finishes with at least one or two new options. However, that’s also far from certain, considering this week’s M6 iMac offers all the same finishes as its 2024 predecessor.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]
