TECH NEWS

Windows rivals to MacBook Neo are arriving - but can you handle their shortcomings?

https://www.zdnet.com/a/img/resize/aa4d8f5967eb1b77c1bb4bf69ad86c03ab74c23b/2026/03/18/66daff9c-bd63-4404-834b-2eaae70ee41f/dsc09830.jpg?auto=webp&fit=crop&height=675&width=1200

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ZDNET's key takeaways

  • The MacBook Neo raised the bar for the budget PC market.
  • Existing budget PCs are inferior to the Neo.
  • Google may be better positioned to compete with the Neo than Windows is.

Apple's $599 MacBook Neo was a shock to the Windows PC market -- and that's a good thing. The most affordable MacBook ever brings a new experience to budget laptops, forcing Microsoft and its partners to respond with higher-tier products that can actually compete.

Let's face it, the low-end of the PC market is a little dismal: uninspired displays, clunky form factors, and lackluster performance. Sure, you get what you pay for, but the Neo is so popular because it punches above its price point. In fact, since its March 2026 release, it's been flying off shelves, exceeding Apple's projected numbers and resulting in a...

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