10 Life Hacks Every MacBook Neo Owner Should Know
The MacBook Neo is one of Apple’s most intriguing products in recent years. The company took the chip from the iPhone 16 Pro, put it in a flashy case, installed macOS, and voila: you have a brand-new MacBook for just $599 ( $499 with the education discount ). It’s an obvious choice for those looking for a basic Mac at a great price, but to achieve that price, Apple had to make some serious compromises. So, when you buy a MacBook Neo, you can’t expect the exact same user experience as a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro—though that doesn’t mean you can’t make some improvements yourself.
The MacBook Neo may be a stripped-down version of a Mac, but it’s still a computer, and any computer can be overclocked to its limits. So, I’ve compiled a list of 10 tricks every MacBook Neo owner should know—tweaks and strategies that will help your Neo last longer, boost performance, and bring it closer to the level of a flagship MacBook.
Increase your Mac’s RAM by optimizing storage.
This is an important point no matter what Mac you have, but it’s especially important when your hard drive is as small as the base MacBook Neo’s. While you might think you have the capacity to fill that 256GB of storage to capacity, you actually have much less space than you think. This is partly because macOS itself takes up a certain amount of storage (on my MacBook, for example, it takes up about 35GB), but even the free space you could use isn’t actually worth using.
You see, your Mac has 8GB of RAM. That’s not a lot. However, when macOS runs out of RAM, it won’t just stop working; instead, it will start using your SSD as additional storage—a process known as “swapping.” If you don’t have enough free space, problems will arise: macOS will slow down, apps will be less responsive, and the system may even warn you that you’re dangerously close to running out of space.
So, one of the best ways to make the most of your Macintosh Neo’s limited RAM is to limit the amount of storage it uses. Check the current status of your SSD by going to System Preferences > General > Storage . You’ll see complete information about your Macintosh HD, along with some storage optimization tips from macOS: for example, “Store in iCloud” if you have enough cloud space, or “Automatically empty Trash” if you tend to store large files in the Trash.
You can get more detailed information by clicking the (i) icon next to any of the file types listed below. For example, I have 226.43 GB of “Documents” files on my MacBook. I can see which files are the largest and delete the ones I no longer need.
Purchase an external SSD drive to expand your storage capacity.
If you’re running low on space on your limited drive, consider an external SSD . These devices are available in a variety of configurations, adding 1TB, 2TB, and even 4TB of storage. While less convenient than storing files locally on your MacBook, they’ll help you conserve space on your Neo to keep everything running smoothly. They’re also compact, and many connect via a single USB-C cable, eliminating the need for additional power cables or adapters.
Pair your Apple Watch for easy unlocking and authentication.
For years, Apple has equipped its MacBooks with Touch ID buttons. It’s a quick way to unlock the laptop, and it’s much more convenient than entering a password every time. While the Neo has Touch ID, the base model, unfortunately, does not. However, if you have an Apple device, it doesn’t matter.
You can pair your Apple Watch with your MacBook so that when you wear it, it automatically unlocks your Mac—just like Touch ID. To set this up, go to System Preferences, then find Apple Watch. Select “Allow Apple Watch to unlock your Mac,” then tap the switch next to your watch. Note that both your watch and your MacBook must be signed in to the same Apple account.
Use Activity Monitor to end resource-intensive applications and processes.
For me, someone obsessed with my Mac’s performance, Activity Monitor is my best friend. And it’ll soon be yours, too. This utility lets you see all the apps and processes currently running on your Mac and how much they’re using up your CPU, memory, power, disk, and network resources. While it may seem technically complex, don’t worry: the easiest way to use Activity Monitor is to see if any app is unexpectedly using too much power, memory, or CPU. For example, if Messages is at the top of the list and consuming significantly more power than any other app, you can probably tell something’s up. From there, you can force quit the app or click the app’s name in the list and hit the Stop (X) button in Activity Monitor to get things running again.
Use your iPhone as an enhanced webcam.
The MacBook Neo’s built-in webcam is actually quite decent—especially for a laptop in this price range. However, it’s not as good as those found in Apple’s M-series MacBooks. However, if you have an iPhone, it’ll be sufficient, as macOS allows you to use the camera for all your video calls. For setup instructions , see our guide here . You might just need a stand or mount for your Mac’s camera .
Use lightweight apps to make the most of your Mac’s limited RAM.
8GB of RAM isn’t much in 2026. ( It wasn’t much in 2022, either .) While I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Neo to anyone with basic computing needs (web browsing, email, messaging, etc.), the more tasks you run simultaneously on your MacBook, the greater the memory load. But not all processes are created equal: you can run more lightweight apps simultaneously than resource-intensive programs. So knowing which apps to use (and when) can greatly help your Neo experience.
Perhaps the easiest place to start is with your browser. Chrome is the most popular web browser in the world. However, it also consumes a lot of memory. Google isn’t overly concerned with making its browser lightweight and efficient, especially considering many users rely on it for its performance and extension library. But if you’re using a MacBook Neo, you might want to consider switching browsers. Safari is, frankly, a great choice in 2026, and since it’s developed by Apple, it’s optimized to work well with macOS. However, it’s limited compared to Chrome—while it does have extensions, there aren’t as many, so you might find it performs worse. In that case, I’d recommend Firefox: it offers a similar range of extensions to Chrome, but it’s lighter and offers greater privacy.
If you’re unsure how your favorite apps are impacting your system, launch them and open the “Memory” tab in Activity Monitor. You’ll be able to see exactly how much RAM each app is using and decide for yourself whether it’s worth using.
Purchase a USB hub to expand your Mac’s port options.
Even if you think you can get by with two USB-C ports on the MacBook Neo, you’re only really using one. The port closest to the hinge is USB 3.0, which can be used to connect to a display, charge, and transfer data at up to 10 Gbps. The other port, however, is USB 2, which can only charge and transfer data at 480 Mbps. That’s incredibly slow by today’s standards. Furthermore, if you connect a resource-intensive device to this port, macOS will pop up a message recommending you use a different port.
A USB hub can significantly expand your Mac’s capabilities. For example, this Anker hub features two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, and an HDMI port. This adds four USB ports and a video output to a MacBook that originally only had two. Other options are also available, such as this hub with an SD card slot.
Use Low Power Mode when running on battery power to extend the battery life of your MacBook.
The MacBook Neo seems to have pretty good battery life, but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. If your primary goal is to maximize battery life and you’re okay with a slight performance hit, you should use Low Power Mode whenever your MacBook is running on battery power, not just when the battery is low.
If you’ve saved your battery settings in the menu bar, simply click on the battery and then select “Power Saving Mode.” Otherwise, go to System Preferences > Battery and set “Power Saving Mode” to “On Battery Only.” Now, whenever you unplug your MacBook, it will run in Power Saving Mode. You may notice some slowdown and lag, but this will improve your battery life.
For maximum thermal insulation, use a solid surface.
It’s important to know that your MacBook Neo, like the MacBook Air, isn’t equipped with fans. Therefore, when you use the A18 Pro processor and it starts to get hot, macOS is forced to reduce (or limit) processor performance to prevent overheating. This is good for your Neo, but it’s not ideal for maximizing its performance.
To prevent the A18 Pro’s processor from overheating, be mindful of where you place your Neo while using it—especially during intensive work. Even though it’s a laptop, your lap is n’t the optimal surface for heat dissipation. Instead, try using the Neo on a flat, cool surface, which will help dissipate heat as efficiently as possible. If you need something that actively dissipates heat, consider a cooling pad, like this one from Targus . This pad has built-in fans that can further aid in cooling your device.
To improve performance, you can install a thermal pad (but you probably shouldn’t).
Here’s the thing: you can optimize your MacBook’s performance by installing a thermal pad inside to keep it cooler longer. This way, the heat from the chip will dissipate more easily, allowing you to run resource-intensive tasks longer before macOS deems it necessary to slow down. When YouTuber Zip Tie Tech tried this , he improved thermal performance by a whopping 19%—all by installing a small thermal pad on the back of the SoC component.
Just keep in mind that this involves opening your MacBook and installing something Apple doesn’t approve of. The risk here is quite low, other than accidentally damaging your device during the opening, but it does void your MacBook’s warranty , so only attempt this hack if you’re willing to take the risk.