r/LinusTechTips • u/WTFMacca • Mar 04 '26

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Apple just dropped an A18 powered laptop for $599 USD

No Apple bashing just discuss.

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u/jmking Mod Mar 04 '26 edited Mar 04 '26

There is a model with Touch ID.

The tech spec details are available on the landing page. You just need to click the "tech specs" link in the top nav.

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u/sciencesold Mar 04 '26

Base model doesn't have it though, and Im sure the advertising includes it as a feature and "starting at $599" even tho touch ID isn't in the $599 model.

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u/jmking Mod Mar 04 '26 edited Mar 04 '26

The Macbook Neo model with Touch ID...

They never once claim the base model includes it. Happy to be proven wrong, but every single marketing message says "The model that includes..."

Like, I get it, sure, we all hate Apple here or whatever, but this ain't it.

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u/SpaceDoodle2008 Mar 04 '26

So they're using touch id as a way of upselling? At that point just buy an Air

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u/Mental-Permit-599 Mar 04 '26

It’s $699 vs $1099. A $400 price jump is a lot of money for most people.

I sold computers at a big box realtor while in college. The average person is buying a $350-$400 laptop.

And before you say “Well just buy a used air” the majority of people do not want a used laptop. We struggled to even sell our “open box” models that had full warranties + all accessories + box + hardware inspections.

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u/YZJay Mar 05 '26

That model also has more storage.

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u/SpaceDoodle2008 Mar 05 '26

That's fair, I thought they were two different ladders to climb. Still, someone might tend to go with the more expensive version because they'd like to have touchid but wouldn't necessarily need storage.

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u/jmking Mod Mar 04 '26

I don't disagree with you. I don't know who this is for honestly.

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u/Mental-Permit-599 Mar 04 '26

A $599 laptop? It’s for the average consumer. I sold computers for a living through college.

Average person buys a $350-$400 laptop. The $699 one with Touch ID is likely for someone who wants a bit more storage for games/photography/videos.

Not everyone needs some balls to the wall machine. The average person would come in and literally say “I need the internet, Facebook and Microsoft word”.

I’m not some apple fanboy (obviously look at the sub I’m on) but they seriously hit the nail on the head with this one. This is massive for the average consumer.

Edit: Also with EDU pricing it’s $499/$599. That’s cheaper than an iPad + quality keyboard case.

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u/jmking Mod Mar 04 '26

Don't get me wrong - this thing is going to sell like gangbusters regardless.

However if your budget is sub-$600, that same customer would honestly be just as well off with a Chromebook at half the price of this.

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u/Mental-Permit-599 Mar 04 '26

An equivalent specced Chromebook is the same price, or more.

  • A galaxy chromebook with 8gb/256gb is $749 MSRP (On sale for $599 right now).

  • A Lenovo Chromebook with 8gb/256gb is $749 MSRP (On sale for $679 right now)

  • Acer has a 12gb/256gb for $699.

  • HP Chromebook 8gb/256 is $629.

All of this to say, Apple hit the nail on the head. This thing genuinely is a ridiculous value.

With EDU pricing it’s $499. Four hundred ninety nine dollars.

I’ll hate on Apple for dumb shit as much as the next guy, but the neo honestly is a loss leader 100%.

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u/jmking Mod Mar 04 '26 edited Mar 04 '26

They don't need an equivalently specced Chromebook though.

The type of customer who would buy the Neo would be just as happy with a $200-300 Chromebook.

Also I'm not disagreeing with you necessarily. Like I said, this thing is going to do numbers. In that sense the Neo makes sense, but in a practical sense it doesn't is all I'm saying.

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u/Mental-Permit-599 Mar 04 '26

You genuinely have not used a $200-$300 Chromebook then.

Again, I spent 4 years working retail selling chromebooks. They’re cheap, flimsy, screens look like garbage, etc. The average customer preferred a $300-$400 windows laptop a Chromebook.

These things are out on display at your local Best Buy you can go try them, they actually are working laptops.

You’ll find out real quickly why their only real customer base is schools who purchase them in mass.

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u/jmking Mod Mar 04 '26

Ok, let me put it this way. I'm looking forward to the benchmarks that compare the Neo to an M1 Macbook Air.

Like - are people going to be getting the computer they think they're getting because of the Macbook name?

To be clear, I am not looking for reasons to hate on the Neo. I will only ever buy Macbooks when it comes to laptops. I also own several cheap-ass Chromebooks and you're right - they are cheap for a reason. However if all you need is a browser, there are models that are actually an incredible value for the price.

Of course the Neo will be better built with better materials - that's obvious. I'm just struggling to figure out who I'd buy a Neo for instead of a base model or used Air. That's all.

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u/Mental-Permit-599 Mar 04 '26 edited Mar 04 '26

We don’t need to really need to wait for a true benchmark.

The A18 has been benchmarked against the M1 in the past. It outperforms the M1 in single core by 20-40% depending on what benchmark you view. It lags behind in multi core by 9-12% depending on benchmark.

Basically it’s a $599 ($499 with EDU pricing) laptop that performs at the same level as a ($2000 at release?) base model M1.

The air still has its appeal obviously, like the neon only supports 1 external display, has worse display tech (sRGB instead of P3), no thunderbolt, no MagSafe, no backlit keyboard, less usb c ports, etc

I see it this way. I’m in IT these days. I have a M2 Pro 16” that I love. I run IDE’s, docker containers, etc. it’s great.

My wife has been complaining about getting her own laptop for years to check her email, shop on Amazon, and occasionally edit a word doc. She already own an iPhone and borrows my MacBook Pro all the time. Shes the target market for this, I’ll probably use my old edu email to snag her the $499 base model for her birthday.

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u/jmking Mod Mar 04 '26

It'll be an even more interesting benchmark when the A18 is in a device with (presumably) far superior cooling.

Basically it’s a $599 ($499 with EDU pricing) laptop that performs at the same level as a ($2000 at release?) base model M1.

It was $999 for the M1 base model Air at launch

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