Gadronics
MacBook Neo has a competitive starting price of $599, and for education customers, the $100 discount means Apple now has two compelling Macs for just $499.
Apple now has a $499 Mac laptop for education customers
The new MacBook Neo is Apple’s most affordable laptop by $500.
At $499 for education customers, MacBook Neo is a 13-inch laptop with 256GB storage, 8GB RAM, and an Apple A18 Pro chip that first debuted inside the iPhone 16 Pro.
It features two USB-C ports, one of which is used for charging, and up to 16 hours of battery life.
Education customers can opt for the 512GB storage model, which adds Touch ID, for $100 more, bringing the edu price to $599.
The new M5 MacBook Air is Apple’s next lowest-priced laptop in the line, which starts at $999 for edu shoppers (and retails for $1099 at standard pricing).
MacBook Neo is Apple’s second $499 Mac for students
You absolutely cannot beat the MacBook Neo as a value machine for education customers. The $499 price covers everything you need: the Mac, trackpad and keyboard, and display.
Apple does have a second Mac that also costs $499 for education shoppers, though. The M4 Mac mini has the same edu price, a faster chip, double the RAM with 16GB, and more ports including three Thunderbolt, two USB-C, HDMI, and Ethernet.
The catch? You need to bring your own mouse, keyboard, and display. It’s also a Mac desktop, not a laptop, which makes the MacBook Neo such a compelling offer.
Both Macs retail for $599 standard outside of the education store. However, Apple’s M4 Mac mini is regularly discounted (like right now) below the regular price. We’ll likely see the MacBook Neo go on sale occasionally as well.
For $499, which is the better value for students to you? Share your thoughts in the comments.
