Why the MacBook Neo May Not Be a Windows Laptop Replacement
The MacBook Neo seems to be the talk of the tech world right now. Apple has somehow managed to create a MacBook that does almost everything you could want from a MacBook, and it does it all for $599 ($499 with the education discount ). At that price, Apple’s next-cheapest computer, the $1,099 MacBook Air , seems almost unjustifiably expensive.
Part of the excitement around the MacBook Neo is fueled by how much it could change the budget and mid-range laptop market . Why spend $200 or $300 on a Chromebook when you can get a nearly full version of macOS for a little more? Likewise, if you’re put off by Windows’ obsessive use of unnecessary AI features and aggressive advertising, but have avoided Macs due to their high price, the Neo might turn you off PCs. In fact, much of the discussion surrounding the Neo is focused on how it could finally become the mid-range Windows laptop replacement the market has been waiting for.
But the $499 MacBook isn’t without its compromises. The Neo has certain limitations you might not be accustomed to from regular Apple Macs or your Windows PC: only 8GB of RAM, even if you upgrade to the 512GB model; the keyboard isn’t backlit; and the USB-C ports are outdated, meaning you won’t be able to charge the device as quickly or transfer data as quickly as others.
But if you’re switching from a Windows computer and are accustomed to a certain way of working, you might be wondering: can the MacBook Neo run Windows? The answer is likely yes—but you probably shouldn’t buy it for that purpose.
The MacBook Neo is not a perfect Windows replacement.
First of all, the MacBook Neo can’t run Windows natively. Those days are long gone, since Apple switched from Intel processors to its own ARM Apple Silicon processors. Intel-based Macs feature “Boot Camp,” which allows you to install Windows directly to a partition on the computer. Apple Silicon-based Macs require a third-party program to run Windows in a virtual machine.
One such program is Parallels, which has long been available to Mac users who want to run Windows while maintaining access to macOS. As it turns out, Parallels has confirmed its compatibility with the MacBook Neo, meaning that its A18 Pro processor can run Windows in a virtual machine. Problem solved, right?
Unfortunately, no. While Windows will run on the MacBook Neo in Parallels, it may not be ideal for many PC users. This is clearly stated in Parallels’ own statement: “For light, occasional Windows use, such as a legacy business tool or a Windows-only utility, the MacBook Neo may provide an acceptable experience. For resource-intensive Windows applications that require high CPU or GPU performance, this computer is not a suitable choice.”
Part of the problem is that a virtual machine running Windows 11 requires at least 4GB of RAM. The MacBook Neo is limited to 8GB, leaving little room for macOS. Parallels runs alongside macOS because it runs Windows 11 in its own window. It’s as if Windows 11 were an app on your Mac, alongside Safari, Messages, or Mail. Once you start running too many apps at once, you can easily overload your computer.
If you need to run Windows, check out these affordable laptops.
If you’re not particularly interested in Windows support and are simply looking for a functional laptop in the $500 or $600 price range, the MacBook Neo is a perfectly capable replacement for a comparable Windows computer. It will also run Mac-compatible Microsoft applications, such as Word, PowerPoint, and Teams. However, I wouldn’t recommend it to users looking for a device that also runs Windows and the Windows-only programs they’re accustomed to. If that’s you, you might want to consider budget and mid-range Windows laptops , such as the Acer Aspire 3 or Acer Aspire 16 .
If you still need access to both Windows and macOS, consider a different MacBook. For the same price as the Neo, you can find a MacBook Air with an M1 processor and 16GB of RAM . The Neo even outperforms the M1 in some respects, but the extra RAM will help you run Windows better in Parallels.