Apple unveils all-new MacBook Neo with A18 Pro processor, 8GB unified memory, 16-hour battery life, and a US$599 starting price

So I think that when emassey mentioned 512GB they were talking about the M3 Ultra model with that much RAM, not the Neo with 512GB storage, which would actually make more sense on this thread, so apologies if I'm mistaken, but I really read that as if someone with half a terabyte of RAM was concerned about swap.

Okay, I checked Activity Monitor and with a Word document and a webpage in Edge open on Windows and two tabs in Safari on MacOS, it says I have around 300 MB in swap and around 3.15 GB compressed RAM, which seems pretty good to me since the compression seems to have little impact on performance. And yes, I was talking about the MacBook Neo with 512 GB storage and 8 GB RAM, which is the first real Mac I've owned. And around 900 MB of RAM is available and being used as cache.

Someone smarter than me could say something different, but for the processes you are running swapping and memory compression are not supposed to happen.

Someone smarter than me could say something different, but for the processes you are running swapping and memory compression are not supposed to happen.

They are running a Windows virtual machine hosted by macOS as well as a browser on the host system with just 8GB of RAM, so in my opinion swapping is a totally reasonable expectation, and at just 300MB it's actually quite efficient even if some of the memory is also compressed.

I did not notice the word Windows there, so this is why I expected that swapping should not happen. Now it is clear.

Thank you for explaining. Even if there was a miscommunication, I still know more now than I did before my initial question.

His posts are 101% filled with condensed knowledge I didn't know I needed but am happier to know afterwards.

Hello,

I'm considering possibly getting the 512 GB SSD and 16 GB ram model, as I haven't used a Mac since 2011 or so. However, I need to know if the Mac can be made to not sleep when the lid closes. I use external keyboards, because due to hand strain issues, I don't find any laptop's internal keyboard comfortable. I know there was a program years ago called Ensomniac which was supposed to do this, but I'm not sure if it's a thing. I don't plan on running high powered tasks, but this ability is very important to me.

Mac does have great Dvorak keyboard support, which I'm looking forward to.

Quick note... The MacBook Neo only comes with 8GB of ram. If you want/need 16GB, the MacBook Air is what to look at.

I watched videos and read somewhere too that working on the mac while the lid is closed is one way to shorten your mac life. I am not fullly embracing this, yet thought it could be mentioned anyways.

Well he like the NEO. I am hearing good things from people in youtube. Long live cats.

I haven't watched Floss in ages! Didn't know he was still around. I love some of the bits he always does in his reviews though, like headphone reviews; promises not to sing, proceeds to sing horribly. lol Or how he always shouts out his cat.

I've stopped watching all these influencers though, because they're just putting out their oppinion, which may or may not be exagerated to get clicks. Also, they do not use their devices like we do. Flossy will usually just gloss over accessibility settings by saying something like "all your accessibility settings are on deck", because his audience doesn't typicllly need them.

Also, everyone has their own preferences. A few years ago I got a first gen Logitech Keys-to-Go BT keyboard based on the rave reviews it got here, and it ended up being the worst keyboard I've ever used! I hated the way it felt to type on and I ended up giving it to a neighbor who sold it and I got an Apple Magic Keyboard.

He does a nice job of calling a device trash if it is! Long live White Shoes.

I'm considering possibly getting the 512 GB SSD and 16 GB ram model, as I haven't used a Mac since 2011 or so. However, I need to know if the Mac can be made to not sleep when the lid closes. I use external keyboards, because due to hand strain issues, I don't find any laptop's internal keyboard comfortable. I know there was a program years ago called Ensomniac which was supposed to do this, but I'm not sure if it's a thing. I don't plan on running high powered tasks, but this ability is very important to me.

Unless you really need a laptop, my advice is for you to scrap the idea of getting the MacBook Neo and aim for the Mac Mini instead, which has much better hardware specifications for the same price. I spent years buying Apple computers with screens because I always assumed that macOS required them, until last year I was informed right here that Macs work just fine without a display or even a dongle to simulate one, as the firmware takes care of pretending that there's a 30" 1920x1080 display attached in the absence of a real display. That is part of the reason why I ended up getting a Mac Studio 9 months ago with no regrets so far, as it also includes an internal speaker so I just use it headless all the time.

Thought I would share an article posted by Macrumours. Some good news regarding sales of the Macbook Neo

https://www.macrumors.com/2026/03/20/apple-shares-mac-sales-achievement/

Is there a podcast on how VO works with the MAC and will work with NEO? Thanks.

I don’t think a podcast is really necessary here, because when you break it down, this is just another MacBook—one that a lot of blind users will likely consider because of its price point.

What really matters is how you plan to use it. If your needs are fairly light—web browsing, email, maybe some media consumption—then this device sounds like a very good fit. For that kind of everyday use, it should be more than capable.

However, if you’re looking at heavier workloads, like serious video rendering, that’s where things get more complicated. It *can* do that kind of work, but expectations matter. There was a very good review from an Australian journalist who assessed the MacBook Neo based on his own use case, and he was quite honest about its limitations. I’ll link that below so you can check it out.

To be honest, I preferred his review over most of the YouTube ones I’ve seen. A lot of those felt a bit unfair—people criticizing it for not doing things it was never designed to do. Not every machine is meant to handle high-end workloads. If you need that level of performance, you buy a more powerful computer. It really is that simple.

So the real question is: what do you currently use your computer for?

If it’s email, browsing, and a bit of writing, this machine should be more than enough. But if you’re doing heavy-duty tasks—say, working in Final Cut Pro—then you may run into limitations.

I’m not a Mac user myself, but I am interested in this topic, which is why I’ll be following this thread. So far, the most useful feedback I’ve seen has come from people who actually own the device. For example, Steven Scott from Double Tap has one, and he says it works perfectly well for his needs. I tend to trust that kind of feedback more, because he’s clear about what he uses his computer for. If it meets his requirements, then for similar use cases, it should be absolutely fine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCwBgOe2fDg

I never use one, but heard several podcasts on people using them. I am windows user. I am all about alt and control keys in windows. Also JAWS user. In the iPhone I know the basics of VO same for the iPad and watch. If I get one, want to have a nice experience. Mostly use for youtube, message, play in the internet, watch movies and listen to music, maby write info and something but not heavy use.I do all that in my desktop PC. Long live cats.

I've really have been considering getting the MacBook Neo, but I want to run a lot of AI, so the Mac mini's pretty my best option at that price, but I heard on other forums that VoiceOver runs great. I think Apple did great releasing this budget MacBook.

The one with the finger print is going out faster and people are getting it. I think it has 16 RAM. Long live cats. I also thinking and never use a MAC. Between needing a update to my windows 10 PC and the NEO. Will see how is my financess. Long live cats.

Interesting take about getting a Mac Mini. There's that whole debate about whether a screen is really necessary, but it makes sense why some blind people like the idea. Things like the BrailleNote Evolve, BrailleSense Optima laptop Etc don't have a screen because a blind person rarely needs one.

I also thought as of maybe 10 years ago you had to have a display connected to a Mac to use it, thus those dongles people plug in so the Mac thinks there's a display connected. When did that change? So could you now, just buy a Mini connect a keyboard you already have, boot it up and set up with VO and then be good to go? Does not having a physical display connected make the Mac sluggish?

If it's really just as easy as a Mac Mini/Studio and keyboard for a VO user, I'm surprised it's not more popular.

The Mac mini has been capable of going headless for more than two decades now. As I understand it, the issue referred to above where a monitor or dongle was required, when trying to use your Mac headless, had to do with running BootCamp to host a true Linux server.
Keep in mind, we're talking decades ago. No idea how that works these days. 🙂

HTH.

Is that a desktop? Can you connect it to a TV/PC screen? I have a Samsung, screen that is TV and my desktop is connected. Also can you just connect a wireless keyboard such as a logitech? How much is the mini? LLC.

Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
They are the same price as the Mac Neo, the base model version.

https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-mac/mac-mini

Only issue I have I have so many external and one internal hard drive in my main PC, where I have my music and audiobooks. Over 1000 books and over 4000 songs. Long live cats.

Make with transferring your internal hard drive files to an external hard drive. Then you can have them on your shiny new Mac mini.

Good things about a MAC, OK people might get shock coming from me. No more paying for JAWS, but keep hearing bad things about VO and the mac from users here. Would I be able to use google but learning how to do might be a major pain. My PC uses US A, I think that is the one that is bigger than US CB? Always get them confuse. LLC.

I think we probably have a perception of how buggy something is based on what we are doing with it and how time sensitive that is. For example, I use my phone almost entirely as a personal device - I listen to things on it, read things on it and use all the little utilities that make my life a little easier. On the whole if focus is a little loose or if notifications repeat weirdly on the lock screen or whatever else, it's annoying but not to the point of raising the blood pressure. On the Mac, I use it for work. If a web site I depend on suddenly becomes unusable, or if Safari locks up my whole Mac because it's not responding at a critical moment where I'm trying to rush in and address a production issue, or if an app just won't give me focus on what I need in a hurry then this has much bigger consequences for me. I would say using hte Mac has a profoundly negative impact on my health because I feel like I am constantly in a battle and it puts me at such a unfair disadvantage compared to my colleagues.

The tasks I do on my phone are simpler and rarely time critical.

I can see for certain tasks the Mac is probably fine. If I was using Mail and Safari, not using any complicated web apps etc then I might feel more kindly towards it.

Having said that I personally feel the first party apps on the Macs are inexcusably bad. I gave up trying to edit the date and time of a calendar appointment on my Mac the other day - I just couldn't get it to stay on the right day no matter how hard I tried. I switched to the phone and did it there instead. No doubt it can be done and no doubt it was my fault, but the Mac makes me feel stupid, it beats me down - it asks too much of me frankly.

But actually the times I have PyCharm open and I'm coding, running unit tests and so on, it can be quite pleasant. Well it would be if my typing wasn't so bad. And that adds to the frustration because you can see the potential is there.

Is that a desktop or a laptop? LLC.

Yes. USB A ports are the bigger, rectangular ones. The new Mac Mini does not have any of those, so you would need a USB A-C dongle to use any external drives that connect that way with a newer Mac, be it a laptop or desktop.

Also, the 512GB Neo does not have more ram than the 256GB one. They all have 8GB of ram. As stated by others though, this should be fine for light productivity and consuming content. The only difference with the more expensive Neo is the doubled storage and the Touch ID button.

OK I need to word this carefully in mind of the profanity policy on here, but that post above was supposed to be on a different thread.

Nuts. I think it would be just easy to get a desktop for windows with theUSC A ports. LLC.

Why do you want and/or need a USB a port? It seems like it would be really, really old hardware, unless I am missing something here?

Have 2 external TB where my movies are and also my headset is a USB a connected to my PC. Even the Samsung TV is a USB A, need to check that. Long live cats

Have 2 external TB where my movies are and also my headset is a USB a connected to my PC. Even the Samsung TV is a USB A, need to check that. Long live cats

Apple does sell USB-c to USB-a adapter dongles, which I own two personally but rarely use them since the Mac Studio still has two physical USB-a ports. In addition you can find USB hubs and USB-c cables for pretty much everything these days, as I even have cables for rare ports like the Micro-USB-b that are still used to provide both power and data to some external spinning hard drives. Therefore unless the cables with the USB-a plugs cannot be replaced on your devices, you may still get away just fine with the aforementioned USB-c hubs or adapter dongles.

Apple does sell USB-c to USB-a adapter dongles, which I own two personally but rarely use them since the Mac Studio still has two physical USB-a ports. In addition you can find USB hubs and USB-c cables for pretty much everything these days, as I even have cables for rare ports like the Micro-USB-b that are still used to provide both power and data to some external spinning hard drives. Therefore unless the cables with the USB-a plugs cannot be replaced on your devices, you may still get away just fine with the aforementioned USB-c hubs or adapter dongles.

Well, there you go then, Holger.

My horribly expensive Macbook Pro doesn't have any usb A ports on it either. I bought a little usb extender that gives me two of them plus an extra USB-C. So if you don't mind having a little dongle thing then it shouldn't be a big deal, assuming the Neo has enough power to cope with what's being plugged in.

Well I will let all know in December if I get one. Long live cats.