MacBook Neo (May, 2026)

A18 Pro processor, 2 performance cores, 4 efficiency cores, 5 GPU cores, 8GB of RAM

Results:

For users whose primary job is not computer-centric (trades, teachers, etc): recommended.

As a travel laptop or secondary device: recommended with reservations.

Customers who intend to use the Mac with a monitor regularly: not recommended.

In general, we find the MacBook Neo to be an ideal choice for mobile users whose jobs are not primarily on computers, for example, grounds crew, skilled trades, and similar roles. For users whose work is mostly computer-based, the Neo is an acceptable choice but should be evaluated relative to the Air. Performance is good for most office tasks - web/email performance is fine, but notably lags in computationally intensive tasks, the rest of the line-up. Connectivity is limited: just one USB-C port is full speed and can support an external monitor, while the second port is more limited and should be considered usable only for charging or slower peripherals. The A18 Pro’s 8 GB memory limitation is a concern for longevity; ideally, a future Neo product will support 12 GB or more, but the price is incredibly attractive.

Dock & Display Recommendations: Limited to 1 external, via the primary USB-C port
Both the Dell P2724DEB & Dell P3424WEB allow 3440x1440 at 60Hz, provide enough power, and the included camera, microphone, speakers, and ethernet function as expected.
StarTech TB5USB4 provides enough power, supports one external display, networking, and all peripherals like mouse, keyboard, and headphones work as expected

Benchmarks - macOS 26.4:

Excel 16.108.3 (lower is better):
80.94 seconds for 10 iterations
The first iteration took 2.91 seconds, but the 10th iteration took 17.08 seconds.
Pronounced increase in FFT (sub-second to over ten seconds) and Regression (1.8 seconds to 5.6) benchmarks. Decline is likely due to thermal throttling

Mathematica 14.3.0 (lower is better):
Pi: 35.7 seconds
Primes: 2.3 seconds
Matrix: 118.0 seconds

R 4.6.0 (lower is better):
Matrix Multiply: 15.5 seconds
Monte Carlo: 47.9 seconds
Base Aggregate: 6.8 seconds

Swift 6.3.1 compilation: 146 seconds total, 49, 48, 49 seconds per run (lower is better)

GeekBench 6.5.0 (bigger is better): 3,566 single core, 8,646 multi-core

FaceTime: camera is bright and clear.
Note: no camera notch in the menubar.

Speakers: acceptable but not impressive.

Displays:

Limited to 1 external, via the primary USB-C port. Can use both an internal and a single external display at the same time. Thunderbolt, including Thunderbolt displays and docks are not supported, but some “Thunderbolt” displays, like the Apple Studio Display (2026) and many Dell displays, will downgrade to a USB mode.

In testing, results with Dell displays over USB-C were significantly better than using an HDMI adapter. We have not verified these differences when using a docking station.

Dell P2422H over USB-C to HDMI cable was acceptable at 1920x1080. This is a basic monitor. The displays that support USB-C in are a better choice.

Dell P2724DEB over USB-C connected at 3440x1440 at 60Hz. Camera, microphone, and speakers all worked. Ethernet was detected. Notebook received power.

Dell P3424WEB over USB-C connected at 3440x1440 at 60Hz. Camera, microphone, and speakers all worked. Ethernet was detected. Notebook received power.

The same Dell P3424WEB over USB-C to HDMI cable connected at 30Hz. Camera, microphone, and speakers were not available over HDMI. Use the USB-C connection instead.

Dell U3425WE over USB-C connected at 3440x1440 at 100Hz. Speakers and Ethernet were detected, notebook was receiving power. This display does not have a camera or microphone.

Docks & Adapters:

StarTech TB5USB4 supports one external display, mouse, keyboard, and Ethernet. Other peripherals, like headphones and external drives, worked as expected

Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter supports one external display while also connecting a standard USB device and a USB-C charging cable

CalDigit TS5: supported with one external display (via USB-C to HDMI), mouse, and keyboard. Ethernet does not work. Thunderbolt downstream peripherals will not work.

StarTech USB-C Multiport Adapter - supports one external display, mouse, keyboard, and Ethernet. Can be used in clamshell mode if an external power supply is provided