Apple on Wednesday announced its cheapest laptop, the MacBook New. Starting at $599, the new laptop is targeted at students or users who do basic everyday tasks, instead of intensive workflows like 3D rendering or video editing.

The 13-inch MacBook Neo has a Liquid Retina display with 2408-by-1506 resolution, 500 nits of brightness, and support for 1 billion colours. It comes in four colours – blush, indigo, silver, and citrus. It weighs only 2.7 pounds, and it can easily be carried in a backpack or handbag.

It is powered by the A18 Pro chip, the same chip that powers the iPhone 16 Pro, enabling Apple to set a very low price, instead of the M5 that powers the latest MacBook Air. According to Apple, the A18 Pro makes the MacBook Neo “up to 50 percent faster for everyday tasks than the bestselling PC with the latest shipping Intel Core Ultra 5.” It is also “up to 3x faster for on-device AI workload2 and up to 2x faster for tasks like photo editing,” the company says.

Apple says the new MacBook Neo can deliver up to 16 hours of battery life on a single charge. The laptop has the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID for easy and quick secure login authentication. It features a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, dual mics, dual side-firing speakers with support for Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos produce immersive listening and viewing experience.

In terms of connectivity, there are two USB-C ports, a 3.5mm audio jack, Wi-Fi 6E for wireless connectivity, and Bluetooth 6.

The MacBook New base model comes with 256GB of storage, while an upgrade to the $699 model expands the storage to 512GB, plus Touch ID. Pre-order is underway with availability starting Wednesday, March 11.

Image: Apple