MacBook Neo 2: Here’s everything we know so far

Apple released the all-new MacBook Neo earlier this year, and it’s been a resounding success by all indications. Here’s everything we know so far about what’s next for Apple’s most affordable laptop …

MacBook Neo 2 features

A19 Pro chip

The current MacBook Neo is powered by the A18 Pro chip, which is the same chip used in the iPhone 16 Pro. As reported by Bloomberg, Apple is working on a next-generation MacBook Neo powered by the A19 Pro chip.

In terms of performance, the A19 Pro is about 10-15% faster than the A18 Pro in single-core and multi-core CPU tests. The jump in GPU performance is even bigger, with benchmarks showing an up to 40% boost for the A19 Pro. This is because every GPU core in the A19 Pro has Neural Accelerators built in.

The A19 Pro chip is also used in the flagship iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air.

According to reporter Tim Culpan, Apple will likely use a “binned” version of the A19 Pro chip in the MacBook Neo. While the A19 Pro chip in the iPhone 17 Pro has a 6-core GPU, the MacBook Neo version of the chip will likely have a 5-core GPU.

More memory

One of the compromises of the MacBook Neo is that it has 8GB of RAM. The rest of Apple’s Mac lineup nowadays starts with 16GB of RAM.

The next-generation MacBook Neo won’t jump all the way to 16GB of RAM. Instead, it’s expected to offer 12GB of RAM thanks to the aforementioned A19 Pro.

As I wrote in my review, I don’t think it’s a huge limitation that the MacBook Neo has just 8GB of RAM. Still, an increase for the next-generation model is a great improvement.

New AI features

The combination of the A19 Pro chip and 12GB of RAM upgrades should also unlock support for Apple’s more powerful on-device AI model announced at WWDC. This model enables a more accurate dictation experience and new options for customizing the Siri voice.

The current MacBook Neo doesn’t support this feature because of its A18 Pro chip and 8GB of RAM.

New colors

The MacBook Neo is available in an array of fun colors, including citrus, blush, indigo, and silver. Bloomberg reports that Apple’s plan is to “periodically” update the MacBook Neo with new colors.

There aren’t any details on which colors the next-generation MacBook Neo will be available in.

MacBook Neo 2: Release date and wrap up

Apple released the current MacBook Neo in March. Tim Culpan reports that the A19 Pro version of the machine is slated for a release sometime in 2027.

What changes do you want Apple to make with the second-generation MacBook Neo? Are you a MacBook Neo user? Let us know down in the comments.

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