Apple Recently launched new MacBook Neo , focusing on more affordable prices and lightweight designs, making Mac For the first time, notebook computers have significantly lowered the entry barrier. This new product not only uses the iPhone-level A18 Pro chip, but also makes many users start to rethink Mac and iPad the boundary between. Not long after the new machine was released, news about the next generation MacBook Neo began to appear on the market.
Well-known analysts revealed that the second-generation MacBook Neo may usher in an important change in the future. Not only will the hardware specifications be upgraded, but the overall usage may also be different from current Mac notebooks. If this rumor comes true, there may be new changes in how MacBooks interact in the future.
▲Image source: Apple
The second-generation MacBook Neo is rumored to be launched next year and is expected to support touch screens
Apple recently released a new MacBook Neo. The biggest feature of this notebook is that its price has been significantly reduced. It was launched with a starting price of 19,900 yuan, and the educational discount price has been reduced to 16,900 yuan, making it the most accessible laptop in the current Mac series.
The positioning of MacBook Neo is quite clear, targeting the student and daily user market. Apple hopes to compete with Windows entry-level laptops and Chromebooks through lower prices, while also allowing more people to enter the Mac ecosystem.
Although this laptop is aimed at entry-level users, the overall design still continues Apple’s consistent quality. The body is made of aluminum metal structure, the appearance style is rounded and lively, and a variety of color options are available. The keyboard also uses the Magic Keyboard in the same color as the body, and the overall visual style is younger than that of past MacBooks.
▲Image source: Apple
As for the display, MacBook Neo is equipped with a 13-inch Liquid Retina display. Unlike the MacBook Air, it uses an iPad-like equal-width bezel design instead of bangs, so the overall picture looks simpler.
▲Image source: Apple
In terms of hardware specifications, the biggest feature of MacBook Neo is the use of the A18 Pro chip. This processor was originally developed for the iPhone 16 Pro and is now introduced into the MacBook product line, making this notebook the first Mac to use A-series chips.
The memory part provides 8GB and is paired with the storage space of the basic model. Other features include 2 USB-C ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a 1080p video lens, dual microphones, and a dual speaker system that supports spatial audio. The official claims that the battery life can be up to 16 hours. Although the overall specifications are entry-level, it still has good practicality for documents, web pages, audio-visual entertainment and student groups.
▲Image source: Apple
However, when the first-generation MacBook Neo was launched, there was one feature that did not appear, and that was the touch screen. Apple has long separated the way Macs and iPads operate. The MacBook uses a keyboard and trackpad for operation, while touch operations are mainly left to the iPad. This is also the reason why MacBook has never introduced a touch screen.
▲Image source: Apple
However, this strategy may change in the future. Well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo mentioned in a report last year that the second-generation MacBook Neo may include touch screen functionality. According to him, Apple is evaluating the possibility of introducing touch controls into this entry-level laptop.
If this plan comes true, MacBook Neo 2 may use a touch technology called On Cell Touch. This technology features touch sensors integrated directly into the upper structure of the display panel, rather than adding a separate touch layer. This kind of design can reduce the thickness of the screen and also reduce the weight, which is very important for laptops.
In fact, many Windows laptops have already introduced touch screens, including products from brands such as HP, Lenovo, Acer, and ASUS, which all provide touch operation options. For Apple, adding touch functionality does have some appeal if the MacBook Neo is to compete with these products.
▲Picture source:HP
In addition to the touch screen, the hardware specifications of the second-generation MacBook Neo are also likely to be upgraded. Analysts predict that the new generation is likely to use the faster A19 Pro chip and increase the memory to 12GB. This configuration will greatly improve multitasking and AI application capabilities, and will also allow this entry-level notebook to maintain better performance in the next few years.
It is worth noting that the relevant specifications are still in the discussion stage. According to sources, Apple is still evaluating the final configuration of the second-generation MacBook Neo as of September 2025, so changes may still occur in the future.
▲Image source: Apple
Conclusion
The launch of MacBook Neo symbolizes Apple’s attempt to redefine the entry-level Mac market. Through lower prices and simplified hardware configurations, Apple not only hopes to attract students and general users, but also allow more people to enter the macOS ecosystem.
If the second-generation MacBook Neo does add a touch screen in the future, it will be an important change in Mac history. In the past, Apple has avoided allowing Macs to support touch operations, but as market competition intensifies and macOS and iPadOS interact more and more closely, this line seems to be slowly blurring.
Regardless of whether touch functionality is eventually added, what is certain is that the Neo series is likely to become a new entry-level family in Apple’s product line in the future, and MacBook Neo may be just the first step in this strategy.
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Source: KOCPC Chinese