When I wrote about the Apple Mac mini M4 being the best deal in computing, I didn’t think Apple would one up itself less than two weeks later by launching the MacBook Neo, a laptop not only cheaper than the Mac mini, but also with much of the premium materials that MacBooks are known for.
Our MacBook Neo review called it the “best budget laptop you can buy”, thanks to its build quality, design, display and performance that are all “leagues ahead” of its Windows and Chromebook competitors — while also offering the full MacOS experience.
And while AU$899 is already quite a tempting price point, you can now save AU$50 during the ongoing Afterpay Day sales — available in most colour options from Aussie retailer Mwave.
My favourite part about the MacBook Neo is its much-improved repairability, with plenty of online content creators having demonstrated how easy the laptop is to take apart and reassemble — something MacBooks haven’t historically been known for.
AppleCare+ costs are also some of the cheapest among MacBooks, with a free battery service, AU$79 apiece for a screen repair and external enclosure damage, and AU$249 for other accidental damage. In comparison, MacBook Air and Pro service costs are AU$149 for the screen repair and external enclosure damage, and AU$429 for other accidental damage.
All in all, I reckon the MacBook Neo is a winner if you’re looking for a laptop that can do basic tasks like web browsing, media consumption, or even light gaming and video editing. The 8GB of RAM may not sound like much, but our tests found the laptop performed well enough to run most Mac apps with no issue. With that all-metal chassis, hi-res display, and its repairability, the MacBook Neo is hard to beat. And it comes in fun colours.
If, however, you are looking for something more powerful, the 13-inch MacBook Air M4 is currently discounted on Amazon for AU$1,394, which has 16GB of RAM and a much faster M4 processor.
