Home windows rivals to MacBook Neo are arriving – however are you able to deal with their shortcomings?

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ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The MacBook Neo raised the bar for the finances PC market.
• Present finances PCs are inferior to the Neo.
• Google could also be higher positioned to compete with the Neo than Home windows is.

Apple’s $599 MacBook Neo was a shock to the Home windows PC market — and that is an excellent factor. Essentially the most reasonably priced MacBook ever brings a brand new expertise to finances laptops, forcing Microsoft and its companions to reply with higher-tier merchandise that may truly compete.

Let’s face it, the low-end of the PC market is somewhat dismal: uninspired shows, clunky kind components, and lackluster efficiency. Certain, you get what you pay for, however the Neo is so well-liked as a result of it punches above its worth level. The truth is, since its March 2026 launch, it has been flying off cabinets, exceeding Apple’s projected numbers and leading to a backlog on Apple’s official site.

Additionally: We compared the MacBook Neo to its closest Windows and Chromebook rivals: by the specs

You possibly can wager that Microsoft is engaged on a follow-up. It is solely been a couple of months, however we’re beginning to see the primary PCs at comparable costs with comparable options, together with some rumored developments. We’ve already identified a handful of Home windows PCs (and Chromebooks) that might rival the MacBook Neo, however how do they really maintain up?

The side-by-side

PC makers have grown accustomed to releasing merchandise of a sure caliber on this worth vary. Meaning lower-resolution shows, cheaper construct supplies reminiscent of plastic slightly than aluminum, and modest processor expertise. Once you put these laptops subsequent to the Neo, the variations are obvious.

For instance, check out this laptop computer that looks as if a strong competitor on the floor: LG’s Gram Book 15-inch for, you guessed it: $599. It is a slick-looking laptop computer with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage — the identical because the Neo.

The processors are additionally comparable. The Gram E book homes an Intel Core Extremely 5 115U in Intel’s Meteor Lake sequence from 2024, and the Neo’s A18 Professional chip can also be from that yr. Moreover, the Gram E book has far more ports than the Neo: two USB-Cs, two USB-As, an HDMI, a headphone jack, and a lock slot.

However the Neo pulls forward if you take a look at the main points. Its show is smaller, however it has a 2408 x 1506 decision in comparison with the 1920 x 1080 FHD on the Gram E book, which means it would look far sharper. The Gram E book’s matte show is bordered by plastic bezels, whereas the Neo’s all-glass panel feels far more premium. The Neo’s aluminum construct additionally beats out the Gram E book’s largely plastic chassis.

Additionally: Framework Laptop 13 Pro vs. MacBook Neo: These Windows rivals are more similar than expected

And that is not even mentioning the Apple integrations the Neo has for iPhone customers: Messages, FaceTime, Cellphone Mirroring, and quality-of-life options like AirDrop. Home windows’ smartphone app does not evaluate.

Google rising?

The Neo actually transformed some Home windows customers, however it’s not the one various to Microsoft’s ubiquitous working system. Google’s ChromeOS gives a light-weight, streamlined platform with some very reasonably priced gadgets.

I made the case that the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is the closest Chromebook competitor to the Neo, even doing a couple of issues higher. It has a surprising OLED show, a light-weight construct, and unbelievable keyboard and audio system. Plus, the MediaTek Kompanio ARM-based processor is quick and battery-efficient. But it surely’s costlier. The Neo nonetheless wins on worth.

ChromeOS is proscribed in performance compared to the a long time of maturation that MacOS has beneath its belt. However Google additionally most actually has plans to compete. Rumors of a ChromeOS redesign have been circulating for months, and Google has a giant alternative right here to go head-to-head with Apple in its smartphone integrations.

If Google can deliver extra Android options to ChromeOS, it will be a part of Apple with native options that unify the laptop computer and smartphone expertise — one thing Home windows does not have. That might be large.

Additionally: The case for buying a MacBook Neo right now – especially for students

One factor is for certain: The MacBook Neo has pushed PC and Chromebook producers to set a brand new commonplace for finances gadgets, and that is nice information for customers. We’ll see if Microsoft can pull off gadgets in 2026 that may really rival the king of finances computing.