Apple fans have already had plenty of reasons to celebrate this week with the release of several new devices, but the tech giant may have saved the best for last.
The iPhone maker has now unveiled a brand new budget MacBook aimed at students.
At £599 ($599 US price), the MacBook Neo is a quarter the price of the new £2,199 ($2,199) M5 MacBook Pro and almost half that of the £1,099 ($1,099) MacBook Air.
And, for the first time, fashion-conscious tech enthusiasts will have a range of stunning colours to choose from.
The MacBook Neo’s aluminium frame will be available in ‘blush‘, a pastel pink, ‘indigo’, a deep blue, ‘citrus’, a yellow-ish green, and silver.
The computer is powered by Apple’s A18 Pro chip, the same powerful processor found in the iPhone 16 Pro.
The student-focused laptop promises to be perfect for video calls with a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, 1080p front camera, and speakers that support spatial audio.
John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, says: ‘We’re incredibly excited to introduce MacBook Neo, which delivers the magic of the Mac at a breakthrough price.’
Apple’s new £599 budget MacBook Neo is available in four bright colours: Silver, Blush, Citrus, or Indigo
The student-focused laptop also features a 13-inch display, a 1080p front camera, and speakers that support spatial audio
Mr Ternus adds: ‘Built from the ground up to be more affordable for even more people, MacBook Neo is a laptop only Apple could create.’
The laptop starts at £599 for a 256GB model without Touch ID, while the 512GB model with Touch ID costs £699 (£599 US price).
The cost of the basic model can be reduced even further to just £499 ($499 US price) with an education discount, making this Apple’s cheapest ever laptop.
This latest release continues Apple’s renewed push to break into the budget electronics market.
The MacBook Neo comes only days after the release of the wallet-friendly iPhone 17e, which also starts at just £599 ($600).
Despite its incredibly low price point, the MacBook Neo is made of lightweight and durable aluminium rather than cheaper plastic.
According to veteran Apple reporter Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, Apple has created a new manufacturing process that allows the shells to be made faster and cheaper, allowing for such a low price.
That aluminium shell can also come in one of three new, bright colours, which extend to the Magic Keyboard and Multi-Touch trackpad.
The MacBook Neo is powered by Apple’s A18 Pro chip, the same powerful processor found in the iPhone 16 Pro
Fans of retro tech can celebrate as Apple has finally reintroduced the headphone jack, supporting wired earbuds and other accessories
Besides the bold new look, the MacBook Neo boasts an array of features that could make it a great choice for any student on a budget.
Apple claims that its battery supports 16 hours of continuous use, meaning that it should last all day without needing to charge.
And at just 1.2 kg (2.7 lbs), the laptop is small and light enough to slip into a bag.
Fans of retro tech will also have reason to rejoice as Apple has finally introduced an AUX headphone jack, supporting wired headphones and other accessories.
MacBook Neo is available to pre-order starting today, with availability beginning Wednesday, March 11.
