2026 Macbook Neo

[Slowdown]

Lazada got what discount?

Refer to post #38 on this thread.

DBS Credit Card $80 discount for selected model.

 

[twosix]

$729 education price. Wow… windows laptop cannot fight lah.

 

[hereiam7788]

$729 education price. Wow… windows laptop cannot fight lah.

yes, this disrupts the windows laptop market completely.

now secondary school kids are all using iPad, soon, they may switch to this macbook NEO instead.

 

[xiaofan]

yes, this disrupts the windows laptop market completely.

now secondary school kids are all using iPad, soon, they may switch to this macbook NEO instead.

My daughter (Sec 2 student now) is using and Acer Windows laptop. The price was not cheap at S$683 with the low spec Intel N250 CPU, 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD, in early 2025.

MacBook NEO would have been a much better choice.

The school did the evaulations of Chromebook, iPad and Windows Laptop and eventually chose Windows Laptop.

I asked my colleagues and it seems to be a split between iPad and Windows Laptops.

My post in Jan 2025. She was using cheap Asus Chromebook recommended by school for P5/P6.
https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/threads/best-14-laptop-you-can-buy-for-820.7091606/

FYI on the laptop (PLD)used by my daughter:

1) P5/P6 (2023/2024): Asus Chromebook Flip CM1, AMD 3015CE, 4GB DDR, 64GB eMMC, 14 inch FHD Touchscreen. Three years warranty. Recommend by the school.

Bought in Dec 2022 at about S$400.

The CPU is much slower than Intel N100 but she only complained towards the end of P6. Now the laptop has been retired. I will say it is still usable for her school work but for sure not fast. She also used it for YouTube and online gaming like Bloxd.io.

2) Sec 1 (2025). The school recommends Acer TravelMate Spin TMB312RN-31 Convertible, upgrade to Intel N250 CPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, with Active Stylus Pen add-on. Three years carry-in Warranty. Price at S$683.40. With device management application installed by the school.

I will still follow the school's recommendation to buy the laptop.

 

[hereiam7788]

My daughter (Sec 2 student now) is using and Acer Windows laptop. The price was not cheap at S$683 with the low spec Intel N250 CPU, 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD, in early 2025.

MacBook NEO would have been a much better choice.

The school did the evaulations of Chromebook, iPad and Windows Laptop and eventually chose Windows Laptop.

I asked my colleagues and it seems to be a split between iPad and Windows Laptops.

My post in Jan 2025. She was using cheap Asus Chromebook recommended by school for P5/P6.
https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/threads/best-14-laptop-you-can-buy-for-820.7091606/

same 8gb and 256gb SSD on macOS can 100% perform better than windows.

 

[reddevil0728]

Because I own AAPL stocks. Not only a customer of Apple but also a shareholder too. And my company is also one of the many suppliers to them. It is in my interest to know that they are doing well. If I buys it, it is most probably going to be popular. Because I am a cheapskate. But I bought the iPhone 17 and Mac Mini M4 without second thoughts. Great value product will attract many customers.

so does that mean you will sell? since you bearish

 

[Slowdown]

so does that mean you will sell? since you bearish

I will buy more after the share price drops..... . Anyway, this is not MM section.

I think Macbook Neo is an interesting product. Just that it's competitor is older version of Apple product. This has always been the case for Apple. Their biggest competitor is themselves.

 

[symbiote28]

i wouldn't say this is an impulse buy but the capabilities of the Neo along with its price is a no brainer. bought:

Silver, 512GB for $899 with $100 off.
Indigo, 256GB for $734 with $125 off.

Both on Lazada. Coming later!

 

[xiaofan]

Apple next step: Mac NEO (or Mac Mini NEO) at US$399/499, A series CPU, 8GB, 256GB/512GB SSD.
https://www.cultofmac.com/news/mac-neo-desktop

Probably not going to happen anytime soon.

Technically Apple should be able to do this though. The HW Spec will be between Apple TV 4K and Mac Mini.

 

[leongws]

For purchasing through education store, do the student need to go down personally to collect the item from Apple Store?

I’m thinking of purchasing 1 set and collecting it on behalf of my daughter using her student pass. Now sure she need to be there also or I can just bring along her student pass as verification.

 

[hereiam7788]

For purchasing through education store, do the student need to go down personally to collect the item from Apple Store?

I’m thinking of purchasing 1 set and collecting it on behalf of my daughter using her student pass. Now sure she need to be there also or I can just bring along her student pass as verification.

no need. when u purchase online, they need to verify u via .edu email only u can purchase at educational price. Delivery they will not need to verify anymore.

 

[symbiote28]

Received! Gonna set up later after dinner.

 

[cherynsq]

Windows laptop has the longest time to do this strategy but why didn’t they ? Now apple has catchup

 

[xiaofan]

Windows laptop has the longest time to do this strategy but why didn’t they ? Now apple has catchup

Let's see how they respond this time.
https://www.windowslatest.com/2026/...eparing-a-response-to-apples-599-macbook-neo/

The estimated vendor market share for 2025 looks roughly like this:

• Lenovo – 27.2%
• HP – 21.3%
• Dell – 15.3%
• Apple – 9.2%
• ASUS – 6.9%

 

[hereiam7788]

Let's see how they respond this time.
https://www.windowslatest.com/2026/...eparing-a-response-to-apples-599-macbook-neo/

The estimated vendor market share for 2025 looks roughly like this:

• Lenovo – 27.2%
• HP – 21.3%
• Dell – 15.3%
• Apple – 9.2%
• ASUS – 6.9%

the reason why apple is always the winner is becos they have the advantage of own hardware + software which is the entire ecosystem besides just laptop/desktop.

it is price advantage ON TOP of everything.

this is something other vendors can never beat.

 

[twosix]

Received! Gonna set up later after dinner.

You doing reviews?

 

[szeli]

Windows laptop has the longest time to do this strategy but why didn’t they ? Now apple has catchup

what has happened to Windows on ARM? has been a few years now looking like doa..

 

[twosix]

what has happened to Windows on ARM? has been a few years now looking like doa..

Software compatibility issues.

 

[xiaofan]

what has happened to Windows on ARM? has been a few years now looking like doa..

Software compatibility issues.

Windows on ARM64 is still alive but apparently not up to the expectations of Microsoft/Qualcomm.

To me Qualcomm Windows on ARM64 laptops are just too expensive. HW is certainly good with the new Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Plus. But software is not that good due to compatibility issues -- this makes it difficult to justify the higher price.

Let's see if Mediatek can change that situation by coming out with lower cost options.

 

[szeli]

Windows on ARM64 is still alive but apparently not up to the expectations of Microsoft/Qualcomm.

To me Qualcomm Windows on ARM64 laptops are just too expensive. HW is certainly good with the new Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Plus. But software is not that good due to compatibility issues -- this makes it difficult to justify the higher price.

Let's see if Mediatek can change that situation by coming out with lower cost options.

I really doubt it. they essentially have to half their prices AND improve the built quality or in other words lose money to try and stay in the market