Apple Launch Week always delivers at least one headline-grabber. This time, it’s the MacBook Neo, positioned as a more affordable entry into the MacBook lineup without sacrificing the clean design and everyday performance Apple fans expect.
Sign up for the BestReviews newsletter: Exclusive deals and expert picks, in your inbox.
The MacBook Neo is designed to bring essential Mac performance to more users at a lower starting price ($599 for a 13-inch screen). It's powered by Apple's A18 chip (a step down from the more powerful M5, but around half the price and still powerful enough for gaming, AI and productivity apps, Apple says). It gets up to 16 hours of battery life per charge and is heavily marketed toward students. The new lineup of fun colors is sure to appeal to a younger user base.
In this article: iPhone 17e, iPad Air and MacBook Air
The Neo is getting tons of buzz, but it wasn't the only announcement. Here’s what Apple has officially launched so far during the March event.
The iPhone 17e joins the lineup as a more accessible model, designed to deliver iPhone performance at a lower price point (starting at $599). Apple positions it as a streamlined option that still includes the latest-generation chip for fast performance and efficiency. It's durable, with an aluminum frame and scratch-resistant front, and includes wireless charging and a powerful battery with up to 26 hours of video playback. The camera isn't as powerful as higher-end iPhones, but does offer 2x telephoto zoom and 4K video.
The updated iPad Air brings Apple’s M4 chip to the Air lineup, delivering a significant performance boost for multitasking, creative work and productivity. M4 means this iPad now has Apple Intelligence, Apple's proprietary AI, built-in. It also has 50% more memory than other models, making it more than twice as fast. It comes in two sizes — 11- and 13-inch — starting at $599.
The new MacBook Air is just as lightweight and portable as this line is known for (2.7 pounds and less than half an inch thick), but now powered by Apple's most powerful M5 chip — making it up to four times faster than a MacBook Air powered by an M4 chip, and nearly 10 times faster than a MacBook Air with an M1 chip. With up to 18 hours of battery life and Apple Intelligence built in, it's a daily workhorse you can use for school, work or play. It comes in 13- and 15-inch sizes and starts at $1,099.
Apple's most powerful laptop now has three even more powerful options. Get it charged by the M5, M5 Pro or M5 Max chip for the most performance you've ever been able to take on the go. This laptop has a new feature: a Neural Accelerator built into its GPU core specifically to speed up AI tasks, so work requiring AI is faster and more energy efficient. Even with all its powerful features, it gets up to 24 hours of battery life. The new MacBook Pro comes in 14- and 16-inch sizes with three chip options and starts at $1,699.
Subscribe to BestReviews on Substack for the top trending product news of the week.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.
