Back in 2024, Apple brought the MacBook Neo to market as a budget-friendly laptop powered by the A18 Pro chip. The device quickly became a top-seller thanks to its mix of affordability and strong performance. Now, early reports suggest Apple is working on an updated model set for the near future.
The next-generation MacBook Neo 2 will use Apple’s A19 Pro chip, which is currently powering the iPhone 17 Pro. However, Apple will probably use a slightly different version of the same chip for the laptop. While the iPhone 17 Pro’s chip features a 6-core GPU, the laptop variant is expected to come with a 5-core GPU setup.
Even with fewer GPU cores, the A19 Pro is a big leap over the previous generation. Testing shows it’s between 10-15% faster in core performance and up to 40% more powerful for graphics tasks. This boost is thanks to built-in neural accelerators on each GPU core, improving AI and machine learning capabilities.
Memory Boost and AI Features
One downside of the current MacBook Neo is its 8GB of RAM, which puts it behind the rest of the Mac lineup, where 16GB is standard. The new model will close this gap by offering 12GB of RAM, a significant improvement made possible by the A19 Pro.
This memory bump will also allow the MacBook Neo 2 to run Apple’s latest on-device AI software. These new models improve features like voice-to-text accuracy and let users customize how Siri sounds. The current model can’t do this due to its older hardware.
The original MacBook Neo comes in a range of eye-catching colors, including citrus, blush, indigo, and silver. Apple has hinted that it will continue to change up the color options for future versions, though no exact details have been shared yet.
The first-generation MacBook Neo hit stores in March 2024. With the new model expected to arrive in 2027, Apple will have a few years to work on refining the design and fully integrating the updated chip and features.