The $599 MacBook Neo is real! Where to preorder and how to knock $100 off right now

I've been covering MacBook deals for over a decade. Throughout all those years, not once do I recall seeing a current-gen MacBook selling at or near the $599 price point. Well, all that's about to change with the introduction of the MacBook Neo.

Priced at $599, the MacBook Neo is Apple's most affordable MacBook. It's powered by Apple's A18 Pro chipset and sports a 13-inch Liquid Retina (2408 x 1506) display, 8GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, and 1080p FaceTime HD camera. The 2.7-lb. laptop is available in Indigo, Blush, Citrus, and Silver. There's the option to add TouchID and a 512GB SSD for a total price of $699.

MacBook Neo preorders are open now. The laptop will be widely available starting on March 11. Currently, the Apple Store is the only retailer with MacBook Neo preorders. However, I suspect we'll start seeing preorders from Amazon and Best Buy in the very near future. If you're a student or teacher, you can preorder the MacBook Neo from $499 via the Apple Education Store. Otherwise, I would expect Amazon's Apple storefront to be one of the first retailers to offer MacBook Neo deals.

MacBook Neo

Apple 13" MacBook Neo: $599 at Apple

The MacBook Neo is Apple's most affordable Mac. The $599 laptop sports a 13-inch Liquid Retina (2408 x 1506) display, A18 Pro chipset, 8GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, and 1080p FaceTime HD camera. There's also the option to add TouchID and a 512GB SSD for a total price of $699. The 2.7-lb. laptop is available in Indigo, Blush, Citrus, and Silver.

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Apple MacBook Neo: $599 at Amazon

Amazon's product page for the MacBook Neo is live. However, it's currently listed as unavailable. We suspect MacBook Neo preorders at Amazon will go live soon. As a reminder, Amazon is usually the first retailer to offer dollar-off discounts on new Apple products.

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MacBook Neo: Specs

With its unprecedented $599 price tag, the MacBook Neo could easily be the laptop of the century. Sure, there are some concessions — you can only get 8GB of RAM — but it's an amazing price for what's likely to be an excellent laptop for students and mainstream users.

Tom's Guide Global Editor-in-Chief Mark Spoonauer went hands-on with the MacBook Neo and called it the most disruptive laptop since the original MacBook Air. He says the MacBook Neo feels sturdy thanks to its aluminum design. He also said it's ergonomically sound with a spacious touchpad and comfortable keyboard. Just keep in mind that the keyboard isn't backlit.

The 13-inch screen looks vibrant and offers 500 nits of brightness, which is the same as the MacBook Air. We haven't tested its performance yet, but Apple claims that the A18 Pro is up to 50% faster than the bestselling PC with the latest Intel Core Ultra 5 chip and up to 3x faster for on-device AI workloads. You also get a 5-core GPU for playing games. On the battery front, it's expect to last for up to 16 hours, which would blow Windows and Chromebook out of the water.

MacBook Neo Deals

Given how affordable it is, I suspect it might be awhile before we see any significant MacBook Neo deals. But I do expect to see retailers take at least $50 off the new laptop in the coming weeks. I recommend keeping an eye on Amazon's Apple storefront as that's where I suspect the first dollar-off deal will appear.

Additionally, the Apple Education Store is selling the MacBook Neo for $499. Or you can trade-in an eligible Apple product for a credit toward the purchase of your MacBook Neo. For example, trading in my old Apple Watch 8 (GPS/45mm) would shave $90 off the cost of the MacBook Neo.

Keep it locked to Tom's Guide for our full review of the MacBook Neo and for all the latest updates on deals and preorders.