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I Used the MacBook Neo for 6 Months — DON'T BUY IT!

Arthur Winer

34,436 views

The exact MacBook Neo configuration I've been living on for six months is linked above, with a discount attached. If you're leaning toward a refurbished MacBook Air instead, that option's linked there too, same discount 👇

Most reviews of Apple's cheapest laptop stop after a week. Six months later, I’m putting the $600 MacBook Neo to a real test: whether a budget machine can actually replace an Air, how 8GB of memory holds up under daily professional pressure, and whether you should buy it or skip it entirely.

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Timestamps:
0:00 - The six-month-old claim and the real test
0:33 - Build quality: chassis, hinges, and aging
1:39 - Keyboard, trackpad, and the missing backlight
2:11 - Weight beats specs: daily carry experience
2:29 - Screen, webcam, and the weak speakers
2:59 - Software: Mac OS Tahoe and the performance update
4:06 - 8GB memory: daily tasks vs heavy multitasking and swapping
5:51 - Storage: 256GB, cloud management, and internal upgrades
7:27 - Battery life, standby behavior, and charging habits
8:30 - Daily workflow: what works and what to avoid
9:35 - Pricing, value, and the refurbished market
10:06 - Who should buy it and who should skip it
11:10 - Neo vs. used or refurbished MacBook Air
11:51 - Final verdict after six months

20 Comments

@RFL9458 2 weeks ago

That’s a laptop for Google Docs and light tasks, I don’t know why reviewers try to edit a 8k video on this

@TearHere-w7n 2 weeks ago

Neo was never meant for heavy tasks, it's basically for people that do management jobs and students.

@konwartanmay 2 weeks ago

Why do you sound like Chatgpt?

@PLANETWATERMELON 2 weeks ago

I got the Neo and committed to never looking at the Activity Center. What you don't know doesn't bother and the Neo hasn't missed a beat. So far.....

@michaelbabiuk8758 2 weeks ago

It was a "day one" purchase as soon as it was available. (my version: Silver with 512 GB ssd). As Arthur stated, macOS 27.0 (Golden Gate) was a great OS upgrade for me so far. I solved the external storage problem and external ports with a hub (that attaches directly to the Neo) and populated it with a 512 GB microSD card. This purchase allowed me to keep my (when new) $2800 dollar M3 Pro MacBook Pro back home safe and sound and - like Arthur - delegate my CPU/GPU intensive projects to that "desktop" setup. BTW, wireless file transfer via AirDrop (with Golden Gate) is incredibly quick. Nice!

@mioszmarkiewicz2 2 weeks ago

You're talking about SSD degradation over several years of use. But have you heard anything about M1 MacBook Airs with 8GB of RAM having drive failures? Somehow, they’re still working after six years. People get worked up as if these drives were going to die after just a few months of use.

@Not-Anonymous-187 2 weeks ago

Everyone I talk to loves theirs. Yes, I use a Pro but this really fits the bill for 80% of the gen pop.

@gregoryedwards8781 12 days ago

Neo has really been amazing. I love the slightly smaller size .

@Borelli294 2 weeks ago

Amigo me tira uma dúvida, adquiri um MacBook Neo, é meu primeiro MacBook. Como sou muito alto a angulação máxima da tela é oque deixa confortável pra mim, porém tenho receio de danificar a dobradiça abrindo ele até o máximo, tem algum problema faz isso?

@lostalex77 2 weeks ago

I'll never understand the complaints about the backlit keyboard. I am literally typing this comment in a dark room, and I can easy see all the keys from just the light from the screen. and I never took any touch typing classes, I look at the key board when I type, no problem on my Neo. the screen totally provides enough light to see the keys.

@john905r5 2 weeks ago

At 3:27 mark I think he means Mac OS not IOS

@BingBangBye 1 day ago (edited)

For me, the lack of a lighted keyboard is a serious shortcoming. I'm also annoyed at the rattling noise when I tap on the trackpad.

@Searching4DMT 2 weeks ago

the weight is a big deal tbh. I've had a heavy MacBook Pro that I used to hate bringing with me to classes

@TheMarvelousMarshall 11 days ago

I am a teacher and often making teaching ppt or normal youtube videos will this work for me?

@armin88213 2 weeks ago

What's this upgrade he's talking about at 6:30? As far as I know, nothing is upgradable on the Macbook Neo

@KevinSundaburus-zg4xl 2 weeks ago

Why is this guy reading an Ai script?

@karlmall 5 days ago

Of course, video editing doesn't run quite as smoothly on the MacBook Neo with its A18 chip and 8 GB of RAM. Yet, what is truly impressive is that you can edit videos at all on such an affordable notebook.

@BrianSDare 11 days ago (edited)

ChatGPT wrote too much of your script, otherwise this is an enjoyable informative video

@bryans8656 2 weeks ago

I bought the base Neo when it released, and I think it is an excellent laptop. But after a short time I realized I underestimated my needs in a laptop. I ended up selling the Neo and buying a refurbished 13" M2 MacBook Air with 16GB memory, 512GB storage, and 98% battery life for $700US. I've only had it for a month but so far I can say I'm really pleased with it.

@Warped9 2 weeks ago

More than occasional video editing is not what the Neo was designed for. The forthcoming Neo 2 next year will likely have 12gb RAM—that will make a difference.