Club Benefits
Since the MacBook Neo launched in early March it's proven to be so popular that Apple quickly ran out of stock and is doubling production orders. The budget-friendly laptop 'shocked' PC makers and it's clear Windows has some real competition in the space.
Thus, it's probably not too surprising to see Microsoft commission a report from Signal65 comparing some wallet-friendly Windows 11 laptops against the MacBook Neo.
As you might expect, the study comes out largely in favor of Windows laptops.
Signal65's report particularly highlights the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x, HP OmniBook 5, Lenovo Yoga 7i, and HP OmniBook X Flip as veritable contenders to the Neo. All of these come in multiple configurations, including different screen sizes and processors, which greatly affect price and capabilities.
But here's the problem: there's a lot of cherry-picking in the comparisons that undermines the point of the research.
Missing the point of the Neo
The MacBook Neo is clearly designed for people looking for a budget-friendly laptop to get them through school, work or day-to-day tasks. It's meant to be a lightweight, portable option.
And straight away, that means we have to immediately ignore half of Signal65's list. Both the Lenovo Yoga 7i and HP OmniBook X Flip cost $1,099 and $949, respectively. There is no comparison in terms of affordability when the laptops you're suggesting are nearly double the cost.
Meanwhile, portability seems to have been ignored in favor of battery life (more on that below) and storage. The MacBook Neo features a 13-inch Liquid Retina display and only weighs 2.7 pounds. It measures 11.71" x .50" x 8.12". Meanwhile, every laptop that Signal65 highlights features a 15.3- or 16-inch display, meaning they are all larger than the Neo.
As an example, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x, the cheapest and "smallest" laptop highlighted, weighs a whopping 3.52 lbs compared to the Neo. It's also measurably larger at 13.51" x 9.42" x .67-.70" — but the Signal65 report fails to showcase any dimensions or weights.
Comparing battery life
Notably, Signal65 has a series of tests that the show the Windows PCs beating the MacBook Neo when it comes to battery life from 12% to 56% improve power efficiency.
Here's where highlighting larger laptops lets the study fall in favor of Windows. A larger chassis means you can stuff a bigger battery in there.
In Tom's Guide testing, the MacBook Neo lasted a fairly robust 13 hours and 28 minutes, solidly in the top end of our comparison to other budget laptops we've tested.
We haven't reviewed every laptop Signal65 highlights or even those configurations. We have looked at smaller versions, so lets compare those to see what a smaller battery can do against the Neo.
Specifically we're looking at the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x (15.3"), HP OmniBook X Flip 14 (Intel Core Ultra 5), and the HP OmniBook 5 14.
Laptop | Battery Life tested |
|---|---|
MacBook Neo | 13 hours and 28 minutes |
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x (15.3" display) | 16 hours and 29 minutes |
HP OmniBook X Flip 14 (Intel Ultra 5) | 8 hours and 32 minutes |
HP OmniBook 5 14 | 16 hours and 2 minutes |
Alternatives
Look, not everyone wants to join the Apple ecosystem. I personally swore off Apple laptops after three different hard drive failures in a two year period.
Fortunately, there are Windows options if you want. Some of them still feature premium design and a lower price. A few have higher storage.
If you need recommendations check out these three MacBook Neo rivals. If you need more data, we've benchmarked a number of budget laptops and compared them to the Neo. Don't forget about the Neo versus Chromebooks, the original super-cheap laptop.
And of course, if you like Apple there's the MacBook Air, which you can get in the M5 version or seek out the less expensive refurbished MacBook Air M4.
Finally, we want to hear from you — would you pick up the MacBook Neo as your next budget laptop? Or does Windows offer you something better? Let us know in the comments box below.
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More from Tom's Guide
- Microsoft is hiding Windows 11's 'eyes' — here's how to find Copilot Vision (and fully delete it)
- Apple just 'doubled' MacBook Neo production but its budget laptop could still face a price hike — here's why
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