Apple has a new contender in the ring. And if you grew up on fighting games, the reveal almost feels like that classic moment when the screen flashes: Here comes a new challenger.

Meet the MacBook Neo — Apple’s newest and most affordable laptop yet. Starting at just US$599 (US$499 for education), it aims to bring the Mac experience to a much wider audience.

Despite the lower entry price, Apple isn’t treating this like a stripped-down Mac. The new machine still carries a full aluminum design, a vibrant display, and Apple silicon performance — the same core pillars that define the modern Mac lineup.

The goal is simple: make the Mac more accessible without losing the parts that make it feel premium.

A colorful new entry

At first glance, MacBook Neo looks every bit like a modern Mac. It features a durable aluminum enclosure with soft rounded edges and weighs just 2.7 pounds, making it easy to toss in a backpack or handbag.

Apple is also leaning into color here. The laptop comes in four finishes: blush, indigo, silver, and citrus. The Magic Keyboard matches each colorway with lighter shades, creating a cohesive look across the entire device.

Front and center is a 13-inch Liquid Retina display with a 2408 × 1506 resolution, 500 nits of brightness, and support for one billion colors. Apple says the panel delivers sharper text and brighter visuals than most laptops in this price category.

It’s a display designed to make everyday tasks — browsing, watching videos, editing photos — feel a little more vibrant.

A18 Pro powers everyday performance

Under the hood, MacBook Neo runs on Apple’s A18 Pro chip — the same architecture that powers some of Apple’s most advanced mobile devices.

Apple says the chip delivers up to 50 percent faster everyday performance compared to the bestselling PC powered by Intel Core Ultra 5. For AI-heavy tasks like applying advanced photo effects or running on-device intelligence features, the system can be up to three times faster.

The chip also includes a 16-core Neural Engine for Apple Intelligence features and a 5-core GPU for graphics workloads. The system is completely fanless, which means silent operation even under load.

In practical terms, that translates to smooth multitasking across apps like Messages, Safari, Canva, Excel, and more.

Built for all-day use

Battery life is another highlight. Thanks to the efficiency of Apple silicon, MacBook Neo can run for up to 16 hours on a single charge.

The laptop also includes a 1080p FaceTime HD camera with improved image processing, along with dual microphones that use directional beamforming to reduce background noise during calls.

For audio, dual side-firing speakers support Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos for a more immersive listening experience.

The device features Apple’s Magic Keyboard and a large Multi-Touch trackpad, while select models include Touch ID for quick and secure logins.

Connectivity includes two USB-C ports for charging and accessories, a headphone jack, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 6.

The Mac experience, now more accessible

MacBook Neo ships with macOS Tahoe, complete with built-in apps like Safari, Photos, Messages, and FaceTime. It also supports Apple Intelligence features such as Writing Tools and Live Translation.

For users already in the Apple ecosystem, Continuity features make switching between devices seamless. Tools like Handoff, Universal Clipboard, and iPhone Mirroring let users move between Mac and iPhone without breaking their workflow.

With its $599 starting price, MacBook Neo now becomes the most affordable entry point into the Mac lineup — a position long rumored but never quite realized until now.

In fighting game terms, Apple didn’t just add another character to the roster.

It added one meant for a whole new set of players.

Pricing and availability in Singapore and the Philippines

In Singapore, the MacBook Neo starts at S$849 and S$729 for education. Customers can pre-order the new MacBook Neo from Friday, March 6.

In the Philippines, Apple’s friendliest-to-the-budget MacBook starts at ₱39,990 and ₱33,990 for education. They will be available soon on apple.com/ph/store and Apple Authorized Resellers.

ASUS’s ultrathin notebooks are back. As first revealed during CES 2026, ASUS has officially launched the Zenbook S16, a modest upgrade to the model of the same name from almost two years ago. Accompanying it is a lesser-but-just-as-capable sibling called the Zenbook 14.

ASUS Zenbook S16

Much like its predecessor, the latest Zenbook S16 is designed for ultra portability. In terms of thinness, the notebook measures only 1.1 centimeters. Plus, it weighs only 1.5 kilograms, making it a perfect addition to your daily kit.

As is always expected from the Zenbook S lineup, the Zenbook S16 will have a tactile Ceraluminum lid, bolstered by an EasyLift hinge for ease of use. It will also have an ErgoSense keyboard with dished keycaps.

The 16-inch 3K ASUS Lumina OLED screen has touchscreen capabilities, a refresh rate of 120Hz, and 500nits of brightness. For audio, it has a six-speaker Dolby Atmos system, including four front-firing tweeters and dual woofers.

Under the hood, the new notebook will sport an AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 chipset, which can deliver up to 50 TOPS. Combined with Radeon graphics, this processor is supported by 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

For battery, the notebook will have an 83 Wh battery, which can reportedly last over 21 hours.

ASUS Zenbook 14

Technically, this isn’t the Zenbook S14, but it bears a striking resemblance to that previous notebook, both in terms of design and hardware. For one, the new Zenbook 14 is 14.9mm thin and only 1.2kg light.

The 14-inch screen carries a WUXGA ASUS Lumina OLED display, putting out images in a 16:10 aspect ratio. The notebook also has an Ergosense keyboard and touchpad for more comfortable typing and more precise controls.

Under the hood, the Zenbook 14 trades the S14’s Intel chip for an AMD Ryzen AI 7 445 processor, capable of up to 50 TOPS. It will also have 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

For battery, the notebook will have a 75 Wh battery, reportedly capable of lasting over 15 hours of unplugged use.

Price, availability

The Zenbook S16 and Zenbook 14 are available now. They both come with a lifetime license of Office 2024 Home, one-year access to Microsoft 365 with cloud storage, and ASUS Warranty (consisting of two-year International Warranty and ASUS Perfect Warranty, plus one-year accidental damage protection).

The Zenbook S16 comes in Scandinavian White and retails for PhP 134,995. Meanwhile, the Zenbook 14 comes in Jade Black and retails for PhP 79,995.

We’re living in the week of Apple. Through the past few days, Apple launched a new iPhone, iPads, and now, MacBooks. But the week isn’t over, so the brand still has a few tricks up its sleeve. Now, on the cusp of its major event, a brand-new notebook lineup has seemingly been leaked ahead of time. Apple has accidentally leaked the name “MacBook Neo” on its official website.

While we’ve seen the launches of the new MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro, the year’s lineup of notebooks is still missing the highly rumored entry-level MacBook. Ahead of this week, the brand was tipped to launch a new lineup that brought the price of the notebook down and introduced quirkier colorway options. Judging by the invite for it, the event scheduled for March 4 seems to be the launch pad for this device.

Today, in a now-deleted mention on a regulatory document on the brand’s official website (via MacRumors), Apple has accidentally leaked a mention of a “MacBook Neo (Model A3404)”. Sadly, the mention did not include any details about this device. Plus, it was deleted soon after it was spotted by the public.

There isn’t much to say about this model yet, if it is indeed the budget-friendly MacBook that everyone is talking about. If anything, it’s been tipped that the lineup will feature a mobile chipset rather than the M-series silicon often prominent in the regular MacBook series. It will also add splashes of color by offering colorway options apart from the usual metallic choices.

Then again, March 4 (in the States) is right around the corner, so the device’s launch might only be a few breaths away.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s March 4 Event signals something BIG is coming