Test du MacBook Neo : il va cartonner et c’est mérité

The MacBook Neo represents a historic shift for Apple, marking the release of their most affordable laptop to date. Positioned at a starting price of €699—or €599 for students—this device is designed to disrupt the mid-range market currently dominated by brands like Samsung, HP, and Lenovo. While it does not outperform the MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, it offers a high-quality experience for its target audience: students and casual users. **A New Strategy: iPhone Silicon in a Mac** The MacBook Neo introduces a new product line, following the precedent set by the Mac Studio. It suggests a potential "Neo" family of more accessible products, such as an Apple Watch or iPad Neo. The most significant technical innovation is the use of an iPhone chip—the A18 Pro—inside a Mac for the first time. This is the culmination of a six-year strategy that began with the transition to Apple Silicon. Because iPhone chips have become so overpowered for mobile use, they are now capable of running macOS smoothly. **Premium Build and Design** Despite the lower price, the MacBook Neo maintains a high-end feel. It features an aluminum chassis, the same keyboard found in the MacBook Air, and a centered trackpad. The 13-inch Retina display is slightly smaller than the 13.6-inch Air, but the difference is negligible. Notably, the Neo lacks the "notch" found on higher-end models, offering a clean, rectangular screen. It is exceptionally thin and light, providing a premium experience that avoids the "cheap" feeling of many plastic PC competitors. **Performance and Daily Use** In real-world testing, the MacBook Neo handles typical student and office tasks with ease. It remains fluid while running Word, PowerPoint, Chrome with multiple tabs, and communication apps like FaceTime and Messenger simultaneously. Although it only has 8GB of RAM, macOS optimization ensures that active applications remain responsive. One of the most impressive aspects of the A18 Pro chip in this form factor is thermal management. Because the chip was designed for the cramped interior of an iPhone, it barely generates heat when placed inside a large laptop body. Even under heavy stress, the device remains cold to the touch. **Technical Sacrifices and Limitations** To reach the €699 price point, Apple made several compromises: * **Keyboard:** The keyboard is not backlit, making it difficult to use in dark environments. * **Security:** Touch ID is absent from the base 256GB model; users must enter passwords manually unless they own an Apple Watch. The fingerprint sensor is reserved for the 512GB version. * **Storage:** The 256GB model only offers about 192GB of usable space after system configuration, which may fill up quickly. * **Connectivity:** There are two USB-C ports, but they operate at different speeds. One is USB 3 (5Gb/s), while the other is a slower USB 2. This is because the iPhone chip is technically limited to managing a single port stream. * **External Displays:** The device is limited to 4K output, often capped at 30fps, making it better suited for portable use than a desktop setup. * **Charging:** Charging is notably slow. While Apple recommends a 20W charger, the device can handle 30W, yet it still takes over two and a half hours for a full charge. **Benchmarks and Gaming** For more technical users, the benchmarks present a mixed bag. In single-core performance, the A18 Pro is excellent, even surpassing the M3 because it is based on the newer M4 architecture. However, in multi-core tasks, GPU performance, and AI processing, it falls below the older M1 chip. This makes it unsuitable for heavy 4K video editing but perfectly fine for "casual gaming." Games like *The Sims* and *Balatro* run without issue, and more demanding titles like *Oceanhorn 2* can maintain 60fps on medium settings. **The "Second Generation Theorem"** The reviewer notes that Apple often releases first-generation products with obvious omissions—like the lack of 3G on the first iPhone or cameras on the first iPad—only to fix them in the second iteration. The MacBook Neo fits this pattern. Future versions will likely include 12GB of RAM, Touch ID across all models, and backlit keyboards. However, the current model is still highly recommended for its intended audience. **Conclusion and Recommendations** The MacBook Neo is not for "geeks" or professionals who worry about RAM saturation or Thunderbolt compatibility. It is for those who want the Mac ecosystem and build quality at a PC price point. The final recommendation is to spend an extra €100 for the 512GB model to secure the Touch ID sensor and more storage, which will help the device last longer. If an older MacBook Air (M2 or M3) is available on sale for a similar price, it remains a more versatile choice. However, as those older stocks disappear, the MacBook Neo stands as the best affordable laptop Apple has ever produced, likely becoming a major success for the 2026 market.