Apple · Reviewed by Mrwhosetheboss · Published 2026-03-05
Based on a review by Mrwhosetheboss (accessed 2026-03-05).
Based on this review alone: buy it if you care about affordable entry point into apple's laptop lineup — just accept no keyboard backlighting.
The reviewer concludes that Apple is focusing on making both affordable entry-level products and more extreme high-end devices, with some questionable marketing practices. While products like the MacBook Neo and iPhone 17E make sense for specific budget-conscious or business users despite compromises, the MacBook Air remains the most recommendable laptop for most.
The review covers Apple's 2026 lineup, including the new MacBook Neo, updated MacBook Air and Pro models, the iPad Air, Studio Display XDR, and iPhone 17E. It examines the new pricing strategies, performance compromises, and feature updates across these various product categories.
The MacBook Neo makes a ton of sense as a new entry-level laptop despite its notable compromises, offering a premium feel at a low price. The all-aluminum chassis, sturdy hinge, satisfying keyboard, and multi-touch trackpad are unexpectedly good for a $599 machine, and the display is sharp and punchy. However, the lack of keyboard backlighting is a noticeable omission, and performance is significantly hampered by using an iPhone A18 Pro chip, slower SSD, and only 8GB of RAM, making it distinctly less agile for multitasking. If you are a student or casual user primarily needing basic productivity for Google Docs and YouTube, this laptop provides excellent value, especially with an education discount. If your workflow involves any serious multitasking or performance-intensive tasks, you should consider the more capable MacBook Air.
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The MacBook Neo is made of aluminum, feels fancy, has a sturdy hinge, satisfying keyboard, and multi-touch trackpad, feeling much better than other $599 laptops.
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The MacBook Neo's display is sharp and punchy, topping out at 500 nits, which is as bright as the more expensive MacBook Air, though the reviewer notes it could be a little brighter.
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The MacBook Neo lacks Touch ID on the base model, has a claimed battery life of 16 hours (compared to 18 on the Air), omits MagSafe, has only one fast USB-C port, and crucially, has no keyboard backlighting.
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The MacBook Neo uses an A18 Pro phone chip from an iPhone 16 Pro, paired with slower SSD storage speeds than the Air and half the RAM (8GB compared to 16GB).
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The reviewer personally felt the MacBook Neo was a distinctly less agile machine, noting that some things took a second or two to load and that gaming was choppy, suggesting it would get overwhelmed under pressure.
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The new MacBook Air now starts at $1099, an increase from its previous $999 starting price.
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The new MacBook Air features an M5 chip (10-20% more power), Apple's new N1 networking chip for improved Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and double the starting storage at 512GB, which is also twice as fast.
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MacBook Pros receive the N1 networking chip, doubled and twice as fast storage starting at 1TB, and M5 Pro/Max chips, with the M5 Pro offering around two times the system power of the base M5 and the M5 Max providing up to two times the graphics performance of the Pro.
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Apple's commercials claim 'Up to five times faster graphics' for the new MacBook Pros, but the reviewer found that the M5 Max's graphics performance is actually up to 20% higher than the M4 Max, with the 'five times faster' claim only applicable to a specific AI image generation task compared to an older model.
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MacBook Pros sold in the EU do not include a power brick, requiring users to buy it separately, without a corresponding price reduction in countries like the UK.
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The new iPad Air is updated with an M4 chip (instead of M3), 12GB of RAM (up from eight), and the same N1 networking chip, while maintaining its $599 price.
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The new $3299 Studio Display XDR replaces the $5000 Pro Display XDR, featuring a 120Hz refresh rate, mini LED technology, and includes a mic, webcam, speakers, and a tilt-and-height-adjustable stand, which its predecessor lacked.
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The Studio Display XDR is only 27 inches, replacing a 32-inch monitor, which the reviewer finds leaves a gap for professionals desiring a larger high-grade monitor.
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The $599 iPhone 17E doubles its storage to 256GB without a price increase and includes the latest A19 chip, N1 networking, Ceramic Shield 2 protection, anti-reflective coating, MagSafe with faster Qi2 charging, and a large battery.
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The iPhone 17E looks dated with thick bezels and a notch, has a 60Hz display, and features poor cameras including no ultra-wide, a traditional 12MP selfie, and a dated main sensor quality comparable to other current iPhones' ultra-wide cameras.
The MacBook Neo offers a premium build and a decent 500-nit display for its $599 price. While its performance (phone chip, 8GB RAM) and features (no keyboard backlight, limited ports) are cut back, it's suitable for light users like students, especially if an education discount lowers the price to $499.
The new MacBook Air, now starting at $1099, features an M5 chip for a modest performance boost, an N1 networking chip for better Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, and doubles the starting storage to 512GB, which is also twice as fast. The reviewer considers it the most recommendable laptop for most users, missing nothing essential.
The new MacBook Pros feature M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, offering up to twice the system power and graphics performance, and four times the AI performance compared to the base M5. However, the reviewer criticizes Apple's 'up to 5x faster graphics' marketing, revealing that the M5 Max offers only up to 20% higher graphics than the M4 Max.
The new iPad Air retains its $599 price while upgrading to an M4 chip, 12GB of RAM, and the N1 networking chip. This makes it a very powerful mid-range tablet. However, the reviewer suggests that most Air users would have preferred increased storage (256GB) over the performance boost.
The $3299 Studio Display XDR replaces the $5000 Pro Display XDR, offering a welcome update with a 120Hz mini LED panel, integrated mic, webcam, speakers, and an included tilt-and-height-adjustable stand. This makes it a much better value for professionals compared to its predecessor.
The $599 iPhone 17E doubles its storage to 256GB at no extra cost and includes the latest A19 chip, N1 networking, Ceramic Shield 2, anti-reflective coating, MagSafe with faster Qi2 charging, and a large battery. However, it features thick bezels, a notch, a 60Hz display, and significantly dated cameras, making it visually less modern and photographically weaker than current iPhones.
Apple introduced a new $599 MacBook Neo and $599 iPhone 17E as more affordable entry points. However, the MacBook Air's price increased to $1099, MacBook Pro models are more expensive, and the Studio Display XDR, while better value than its predecessor, is still premium. Some products also cut features like power bricks in the EU.
75/100 source quality
Mrwhosetheboss reviews Apple's 2026 product launches, highlighting a new focus on both affordable entry-level devices and high-end extremes. The $599 MacBook Neo offers a premium feel but significant performance and feature cuts, suitable for light users. The updated MacBook Air ($1099) gets an M5 chip, faster storage, and remains highly recommendable. New MacBook Pros feature powerful M5 Pro/Max chips, though Apple's performance claims are critiqued as misleading. The iPad Air receives a powerful M4 chip update, and the Studio Display XDR offers better value than its predecessor. Finally, the iPhone 17E ($599) doubles storage and gets core tech upgrades but has a dated design and poor cameras, appealing mainly to business users.
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