MacBook Neo has a competitive starting price of $599, and for education customers, the $100 discount means Apple now has two compelling Macs for just $499.
Expand Expanding CloseMacBook Neo is the second Mac to hit the $499 education price point
Author
Zac Hall is a Senior Editor, covering Apple, AI, and the modern technology landscape.
He joined 9to5Mac in April 2013, originally as a writer and copy editor.
He later served as Lead Editor from May 2016 through December 2020, before shifting focus to creating the Space Explored website.
In 2015, Zac began co-hosting 9to5Mac Happy Hour, establishing the format of the site’s premier podcast, which he hosted for eight years.
In 2018, he created 9to5Mac Daily, providing audio recaps of Apple and technology news each weekday. He also created and hosted multiple seasons of the 9to5Mac Watch Time podcast, a health and fitness-focused interview series.
Zac currently focuses on writing for 9to5Mac. He is based in the lovely Gulf Coast town of Ocean Springs, MS, where he lives with his brilliant kids and Nova, his adventurous Cavachon rescue pup.
Contact: zac@9to5mac.com
The $599 MacBook Neo fine print: RAM limits, USB-C trade-offs, and Touch ID tiers
Apple just announced the new MacBook Neo, its most affordable Mac laptop by a lot. To achieve the $599 starting price, the new MacBook Neo makes a few compromises along the way. These are some you should be aware of when considering the MacBook Neo.
Expand Expanding CloseApple’s new iPhone 17e is now available for pre-order
Apple’s has opened up pre-orders for the newest member of the iPhone 17 lineup. The iPhone 17e is now available to purchase after first being announced on Monday. Apple will officially release the latest iPhone on Wednesday, March 11.
Expand Expanding CloseMacBook Neo is now official: A18 Pro chip, $599, four colors, more
Apple’s new MacBook Neo is now official. After already announcing six new products this week, Apple just unveiled the all-new MacBook Neo at its special “experience” in New York City. MacBook Neo is Apple’s first laptop powered by a chip that first appeared in an iPhone: the A18 Pro.
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Apple retail stores and corporate offices in UAE temporarily closed [U]
Apple has temporarily closed its corporate offices and five Apple Store locations in the United Arab Emirates following a significant escalation in Middle East conflict over the weekend.
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Anthropic adding voice mode to Claude Code in gradual rollout
Vibe coding is becoming voice coding with Anthropic’s latest Claude Code feature rollout.
Expand Expanding CloseApple promoting Mac gaming with three presentations at GDC next week
Apple is attending this year’s Game Developers Conference in San Francisco in an official capacity with three presentations on the calendar for March 11.
Expand Expanding CloseOpenAI releases GPT-5.3 Instant update to make ChatGPT less ‘cringe’
OpenAI has released an update to ChatGPT that it says should make its most commonly used model less “cringe” and more natural. Users should see fewer overly dramatic, jarring responses as a result.
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Audible expands subscription options with cheaper Standard membership tier
While Apple sits out of the subscription audiobook service game, Spotify and Amazon Audible are battling it out lately. Amazon just announced a cheaper Audible membership following Spotify’s recent investment into the spoken word space.
Expand Expanding CloseMore ‘MacBook Neo’ details leak ahead of official announcement
In addition to announcing six new products over the last two days, Apple has seemingly leaked the name of at least one more product we still expect to see revealed this week. Now it appears more than just the expected name has surfaced.
Expand Expanding CloseMacBook Neo leaks as name for low-cost model powered by iPhone chip
Apple is expected to announce an all-new, low-cost MacBook as soon as tomorrow, and MacBook Neo may be the official product name.
Expand Expanding ClosemacOS and iPadOS 26.3.1 software releases coming before new iOS 26.4 iPhone update
Apple confirms on its website that both iPadOS 26.3.1 and macOS 26.3.1 software releases are coming before the new iOS 26.4 iPhone update is released. This likely means that iOS 26.3.1 for iPhone is also confirmed.
Expand Expanding CloseThe M5 MacBook Air comes with a more powerful charger than previous models
Apple just upgraded the M4 MacBook Air with the more powerful M5 version, and the new and improved MacBook Air now includes a more powerful charger in the box.
Expand Expanding CloseApple announces M5 MacBook Air with 2x storage, $1099 starting price
Apple has officially announced the new M5 MacBook Air. While the starting price has increased by $100, it now comes with double the starting storage, faster SSD speeds, and higher top-end storage.
Expand Expanding CloseBenQ launches $999 glossy 5K 27-inch Thunderbolt 4 monitor to rival Apple Studio Display
While it may not be from Apple, there’s a new Mac display entering the market today. BenQ just announced its new 5K 27-inch glossy monitor, the MA270S, which looks like a great alternative to their awesome 5K 27-inch matte display monitor.
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Here’s where to download Apple’s new iPhone 17e wallpaper
iPhone 17e announcement day means a new Apple wallpaper has arrived. Fortunately, you don’t necessarily have to buy the new iPhone 17e if you just want to try Apple’s latest wallpaper on your iPhone.
Expand Expanding CloseFree Claude users can now use memory and import context from rivals
Anthropic is taking advantage of Claude’s recent increase in mindshare with a new memory import tool to encourage switching from competing AI chatbot systems.
Expand Expanding CloseiPhone 17e vs iPhone 16: Is the newer chip worth the older design?
Apple’s newest iPhone is also the most affordable iPhone, but whether it’s the best value depends on which features you value. Apple still sells the iPhone 16 alongside the new iPhone 17e. Here’s how the two lowest-priced iPhones compare.
Expand Expanding CloseiPhone 17e vs iPhone 16e: Five key upgrades
Apple just flipped the script and updated its entry-level iPhone after just one year. Here’s everything that’s new between the just-announced iPhone 17e and last year’s iPhone 16e.
Expand Expanding CloseApple releases iOS 26.4 beta 3 for iPhone with upcoming features
Apple has released the third iOS 26.4 beta version for iPhone. iOS 26.4 includes a number of exciting new features and changes, including AI-powered Apple Music updates.
Expand Expanding CloseApple debuts its 2026 spring accessory collection for iPhone and Apple Watch
The M4 iPad Air and new iPhone 17e aren’t the only Apple product announcements happening today. Apple also just refreshed its Apple Watch band and iPhone case lineup with a variety of spring colors.
Expand Expanding CloseApple officially announces iPhone 17e with MagSafe, 2x base storage, ‘soft pink’ color
Apple has officially announced the new iPhone 17e. This model includes Apple’s MagSafe wireless charging technology, unlike iPhone 16e which simply featured basic wireless charging without MagSafe accessory support. The new model starts at the same price as its predecessor while offering twice the storage.
Apple also has three color options this time: black, white, and a new soft pink.
Expand Expanding CloseSonos Play portable Bluetooth and AirPlay 2 speaker leaks early
It looks like Apple isn’t the only company with new products launching soon. A new Sonos Play portable Bluetooth and AirPlay 2 speaker has shown up online before actually being announced.
Expand Expanding CloseWhich new Apple product announcement this week are you most excited about? [Poll]
Apple product launch week starts Monday morning, according to Tim Cook, and 9to5Mac will be in New York on Wednesday for the special “experience” portion of the week’s announcements. With new iPhones, iPads, and Macs all rumored, which Apple product announcement this week are you most excited about?
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