{"id":126664,"date":"2026-05-08T17:22:05","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T17:22:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/2026\/05\/08\/macbook-neos-windows-rivals-are-coming-but-can-you-handle-their-shortcomings\/"},"modified":"2026-05-08T17:23:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T17:23:17","slug":"macbook-neos-windows-rivals-are-coming-but-can-you-handle-their-shortcomings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/2026\/05\/08\/macbook-neos-windows-rivals-are-coming-but-can-you-handle-their-shortcomings\/","title":{"rendered":"MacBook Neo&#8217;s Windows rivals are coming \u2013 but can you handle their shortcomings?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure class=\"c-shortcodeImage u-clearfix c-shortcodeImage-large\">\n<div class=\"c-shortcodeImage_imageContainer\">\n<div class=\"c-shortcodeImage_image\"><picture class=\"c-cmsImage c-cmsImage_loaded\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1280\/719.3798449612403;\"><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/a\/img\/resize\/09093a25e6c0d99afabfd258b8e3dfe034a50339\/2026\/03\/18\/66daff9c-bd63-4404-834b-2eaae70ee41f\/dsc09830.jpg?auto=webp&amp;width=768\" alt=\"MacBook Neo\"><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/a\/img\/resize\/d5b5954f9559eb56bb432af8fce61790a601586a\/2026\/03\/18\/66daff9c-bd63-4404-834b-2eaae70ee41f\/dsc09830.jpg?auto=webp&amp;width=1024\" alt=\"MacBook Neo\"><source media=\"(max-width: 1440px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/a\/img\/resize\/4ba7a8cc53fd04078e5a0f61e2bc8c15e2d0d50e\/2026\/03\/18\/66daff9c-bd63-4404-834b-2eaae70ee41f\/dsc09830.jpg?auto=webp&amp;width=1280\" alt=\"MacBook Neo\"><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div><figcaption> <span class=\"c-shortcodeImage_credit g-outer-spacing-top-xsmall u-block\">Kerry Wan\/ZDNET<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><em>Follow ZDNET: <\/em><span class=\"c-commerceLink\"><a rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/cc.zdnet.com\/v1\/otc\/00hQi47eqnEWQ6T9d4QLBUc?element=BODY&amp;element_label=Add+us+as+a+preferred+source&amp;module=LINK&amp;object_type=text-link&amp;object_uuid=f4f8101b-f546-44e2-a2e8-9e5e4a2c3611&amp;position=1&amp;template=article&amp;track_code=__COM_CLICK_ID__&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fpreferences%2Fsource%3Fq%3Dzdnet.com&amp;view_instance_uuid=f3bab3d5-8865-484c-a3f6-f3c0f3f46da9&amp;object_version=2fd6a69a-020f-4bf1-bc18-a4a3a816c361\"><span>Add us as a favorite source<\/span><!----><\/a><\/span><em>  On Google.<\/em><\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<h3>ZDNET Highlights<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The MacBook Neo raised the bar in the budget PC market. <\/li>\n<li>Current budget PCs are inferior to Neo. <\/li>\n<li>Google may be in a better position to compete with Neo than Windows.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr\/>\n<p>of apple <span class=\"c-commerceLink\"><a rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/cc.zdnet.com\/v1\/otc\/00hQi47eqnEWQ6T9d4QLBUc?merchant=05kie42h3YvHwjr4G1w80Qq&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FApple-2026-MacBook-13-inch-Laptop%2Fdp%2FB0GR6FHGXX%2F&amp;app_deeplink=1\" data-aps-asc-tag=\"zd-buy-button-20\" data-aps-asc-subtag=\"__COM_CLICK_ID__|null|dtp\"><span>$599 macbook neo<\/span><!----><\/a><\/span>    Windows was a shock to the PC market \u2013 and that&#8217;s a good thing. The most affordable MacBook ever brings a new experience to budget laptops, forcing Microsoft and its partners to respond with higher-end products that can actually compete. <\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s face it, the bottom line of the PC market is a bit disappointing: uninspiring displays, ugly form factors, and weak performance. Sure, you get what you pay for, but the Neo is so popular because it&#8217;s above its price point. In fact, since its release in March 2026, it has exceeded Apple&#8217;s projected numbers and has resulted in a backlog. <span class=\"c-commerceLink\"><a rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.apple.com\/shop\/buy-mac\/macbook-neo\"><span>On Apple&#8217;s official site<\/span><!----><\/a><\/span>. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Plus: We compared the MacBook Neo to its closest Windows and Chromebook rivals: Specs<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You can bet Microsoft is working on a follow-up. It&#8217;s only been a few months, but we&#8217;re starting to see the first PCs with similar specs at similar prices, including some rumored. We&#8217;ve already identified a handful of Windows PCs (and Chromebooks) that can take on the MacBook Neo, but how do they actually stack up?<\/p>\n<h2>Side by side<\/h2>\n<p>PC manufacturers have become accustomed to releasing products of a certain capacity in this price range. This means lower-resolution displays, less expensive construction materials like plastic instead of aluminum, and modest processor technology. When you put these laptops next to the Neo, the differences become apparent. <\/p>\n<p>For example, take a look at this laptop that looks like a solid competitor on the surface: LG&#8217;s <span class=\"c-commerceLink\"><a rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.anrdoezrs.net\/links\/9041660\/type\/dlg\/sid\/subid_value\/https:\/\/www.lg.com\/us\/laptops\/lg-15u50u-h.ar55u1-gram-laptop\"><span>Gram Book 15-inch<\/span><!----><\/a><\/span>    Because, you guessed it: $599. It&#8217;s a sleek looking laptop with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage \u2013 similar to the Neo. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"c-shortcodeImage u-clearfix c-shortcodeImage-large c-shortcodeImage-hasCaption\">\n<div class=\"c-shortcodeImage_imageContainer\">\n<div class=\"c-shortcodeImage_image\"><picture class=\"c-cmsImage\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1280\/718.8510959939531;\"><!----> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\" alt=\"lg gram book 15\" width=\"1280\" height=\"718.8510959939531\" fetchpriority=\"low\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div><figcaption> <span class=\"c-shortcodeImage_credit g-outer-spacing-top-xsmall u-block\">Kyle Kucharski\/ZDNET<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The processors are also comparable. The Gram Book has an Intel Core Ultra 5 115U in Intel&#8217;s Meteor Lake series from 2024, and the Neo&#8217;s A18 Pro chip is also from the same year. Additionally, the Gram Book has far more ports than the Neo: two USB-C, two USB-AS, an HDMI, a headphone jack, and a lock slot. <\/p>\n<p>But when you look at the details the Neo comes out ahead. Its display is smaller, but its resolution is 2408 x 1506 compared to 1920 x 1080 FHD on the Gram Book, which means it&#8217;ll look far sharper. The Gram Book&#8217;s matte display is surrounded by plastic bezels, while the Neo&#8217;s all-glass panel feels much more premium. The Neo&#8217;s aluminum construction also outperforms the Gram Book&#8217;s mostly plastic chassis. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Also: Framework Laptop 13 Pro vs. MacBook Neo: These Windows rivals are more similar than expected<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>And that&#8217;s not even mentioning the Neo&#8217;s Apple integration for iPhone users: quality-of-life features like Messages, FaceTime, phone mirroring, and AirDrop. The Windows Smartphone app doesn&#8217;t compare. <\/p>\n<h2>Is Google growing?<\/h2>\n<p>Neo certainly converted some Windows users, but it&#8217;s not the only alternative to Microsoft&#8217;s ubiquitous operating system. Google&#8217;s ChromeOS offers a lightweight, streamlined platform with some extremely affordable tools.<\/p>\n<p>I made the case that <span class=\"c-commerceLink\"><a rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/cc.zdnet.com\/v1\/otc\/00hQi47eqnEWQ6T9d4QLBUc?merchant=07ceq7iAfFfRlRYt8DCvPYM&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fproduct%2Flenovo-chromebook-plus-14-oled-2k-touchscreen-laptop-with-gemini-mediatek-kompanio-ultra-910-16gb-memory-256gb-ufs-seashell%2FJJGSHGLZ78%2Fsku%2F6630493\"><span>lenovo chromebook plus 14<\/span><!----><\/a><\/span>    The Neo is the closest Chromebook competitor, even doing some things better. It has a great OLED display, lightweight build, and great keyboard and speakers. Plus, the MediaTek Companio ARM-based processor is fast and battery-efficient. But it is more expensive. Neo still wins in terms of value. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"c-shortcodeImage u-clearfix c-shortcodeImage-large c-shortcodeImage-hasCaption\">\n<div class=\"c-shortcodeImage_imageContainer\">\n<div class=\"c-shortcodeImage_image\"><picture class=\"c-cmsImage\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1280\/720;\"><!----> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\" alt=\"lenovo chromebook plus\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" fetchpriority=\"low\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"c-shortcodeImage_caption g-inner-spacing-right-small g-color-black\">\n<div class=\"c-ShortcodeContent\">\n<p>lenovo chromebook plus 14<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <span class=\"c-shortcodeImage_credit g-outer-spacing-top-xsmall u-block\">Kyle Kucharski\/ZDNET<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>ChromeOS&#8217;s functionality is limited compared to macOS&#8217;s decades of maturity. But Google also definitely has plans to compete. Rumors of a ChromeOS redesign have been circulating for months, and Google has a big opportunity to compete with Apple in its smartphone integration. <\/p>\n<p>If Google can bring more Android features to ChromeOS, it will join Apple with native features that unify the laptop and smartphone experience \u2014 something Windows doesn&#8217;t have. He could be very big. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Also: The case to buy the MacBook Neo right now \u2013 especially for students<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One thing&#8217;s for sure: The MacBook Neo has led PC and Chromebook makers to set a new standard for budget devices, and that&#8217;s great news for consumers. We&#8217;ll see if Microsoft can bring devices in 2026 that can truly rival the king of budget computing. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n      (function() {\n        window.zdconsent = window.zdconsent || {run:(),cmd:(),useractioncomplete:(),analytics:(),functional:(),social:()};\n        window.zdconsent.cmd = window.zdconsent.cmd || ();\n        window.zdconsent.cmd.push(function() {\n          !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n          {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n          n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n          if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n          n.queue=();t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n          t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)(0);\n          s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script',\n          'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n          fbq('set', 'autoConfig', false, '789754228632403');\n          fbq('init', '789754228632403');\n        });\n      })();\n    <\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kerry Wan\/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a favorite source On Google. ZDNET Highlights The MacBook Neo raised the bar in the budget PC market. Current budget PCs are inferior to Neo. Google may be in a better position to compete with Neo than Windows. of apple $599 macbook neo Windows was a shock to<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":126665,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[677,1550,4405,29444,2863,8251,5776],"class_list":{"0":"post-126664","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-devotionals","8":"tag-coming","9":"tag-handle","10":"tag-macbook","11":"tag-neos","12":"tag-rivals","13":"tag-shortcomings","14":"tag-windows"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126664","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=126664"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126664\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":126666,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126664\/revisions\/126666"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/126665"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=126664"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=126664"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=126664"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}