5 Tech Brands Trying To Compete With Apple’s MacBook Neo

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Amid the continued silicon disaster that has led costs of client devices to rise, Apple introduced the MacBook Neo, its least expensive laptop computer ever. The MacBook Neo was first introduced at a beginning worth of $599 for the 256 GB mannequin, and $699 for the 512 GB variant. Although Apple hiked its gadget prices in July in response to the memory crisis by including an additional $100 to every variant of the Neo, it nonetheless stays the most affordable MacBook mannequin you should buy model new. The MacBook Neo incorporates a 13-inch IPS show, 8 GB of reminiscence, 256 or 512 GB of storage, a 36.5 Wh battery, and a 1080p webcam in a light-weight 2.7 lbs bundle. 

With Apple lastly taking a stab on the entry-level laptop computer market, it was solely a matter of time earlier than different main laptop computer producers have been pressured to step up their sport to try to tackle the Neo. Because of its reasonably priced sticker worth, the MacBook Neo is solely a product that different tech corporations could not afford to disregard. Indeed, barely a number of months after its launch, a number of tech manufacturers have responded by introducing totally different laptops in an try and compete. 

If you are out there for an inexpensive laptop computer, there are fairly various alternate options which you can think about. To establish these 5 tech manufacturers attempting to compete with the MacBook Neo, we have finished our analysis by digging via producer web sites and information websites to search out corporations which have launched fashions that immediately goal Apple’s least expensive laptop computer.

Apple launched the MacBook Neo on March 4, 2026, and Dell did not wait lengthy to disclose its reply. The firm revealed towards the tip of May that it might launch a brand new XPS 13 mannequin beginning at $699. Given its portability and worth, it is clear that Dell was attempting to pitch the XPS 13 as a substitute for the MacBook Neo. In reality, Dell has a devoted web page on its web site that pits the 2 fashions towards one another. 

We’ve in contrast the XPS 13 and the MacBook Neo, and it is a fairly tight race between the 2. Although each fashions begin at $699 — $599 for college kids – Dell affords 512 GB of storage within the base variant, whereas Apple solely offers you 256 GB. The XPS 13 can be a tad lighter than the Neo, 2.2 lbs in comparison with 2.7 lbs. Screen-wise, you are additionally getting a greater panel on the XPS, because it not solely affords touch-screen performance but additionally 100% protection of the DCI-P3 colour house and as much as a 120 Hz excessive refresh charge. 

Dell’s XPS 13 additionally wins over the Neo by providing a backlit keyboard, extra configuration choices, and guarantees as much as 17 hours of battery life (vs. the Neo’s 16 hours). In addition to the XPS 13, Dell has additionally introduced the Dell 14S, one other potential MacBook Neo competitor, and it additionally has different fashions that may be thought-about alternate options, just like the $699 Dell 15.

Asus has additionally stepped up its sport, and is now yet one more tech model attempting to provide the MacBook Neo a run for its cash. The firm’s mannequin main the cost is the ZenBook 14. For context, the ZenBook 14 begins at $799, $100 costlier than the Neo. Despite a slight worth drawback, the Asus ZenBook 14 seems like competitor to the Neo. It comes with a barely greater 14-inch display screen, which helps 100% of the DCI-P3 colour house and makes use of OLED show expertise for inky blacks and richer colours, and you may configure it to incorporate touchscreen performance. 

While the MacBook Neo solely affords a headphone jack and two USB-C ports, the ZenBook 14 is extra versatile because it has a USB-A, HDMI 2.1, 3.5 mm headphone jack, and 4 USB-C ports. Its keyboard is backlit, which is one thing the Neo does not provide. The ZenBook 14 guarantees over 21 hours of battery life and is powered by both an Intel, AMD, or Qualcomm chip, with as much as 24 GB of reminiscence and 512 GB of storage, relying on the processor. 

Besides the ZenBook 14, the corporate additionally has different laptop computer fashions that may compete with the MacBook Neo. For instance, the Vivobook 16 sells at $619.99 and consists of 8 GB of reminiscence and 512 GB of storage, making it price contemplating in case you’re looking for cheaper alternatives to the MacBook Neo that offer better specs. Also, the Vivobook 14 (X1407QA) is one other worthy various.

Acer unveiled its MacBook Neo competitor, the Swift Air 14, at this 12 months’s Computex in Taipei, Taiwan. The Swift Air 14 additionally has practically the identical promoting factors because the Neo. For starters, its $699.99 beginning worth makes it fairly reasonably priced as properly, and it additionally is available in a skinny and light-weight bundle for portability. However, it affords some additional goodies that make it a worthy various.

The Swift Air 14 incorporates a barely bigger 14-inch IPS show panel with the next 120 Hz refresh charge, which is one thing you will not discover on the Neo. An Intel Core Series 3 processor powers this laptop computer, paired with 8 GB of LPDDR5X reminiscence (upgradeable to 16 GB) and as much as 512 GB of storage. With a 69 Wh battery, practically twice as a lot because the Neo’s 36.5 Wh cell, the Swift Air 14 guarantees as much as 19 hours of video playback. This mannequin affords you 4 ports: two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, one USB-A, and a headphone jack.

Apple affords the Neo in additional enjoyable colours than the MacBook Air and Pro, and Acer did not miss out on that element on the Swift Air 14 — along with black and silver, it is also obtainable in purple, blue, pink, and inexperienced. Besides the Swift Air 14, which was clearly launched to compete with the Neo, there are different fashions within the firm’s lineup that may tackle Apple’s laptop computer, just like the Acer Swift Go 15 and Aspire Vero Green.

Lenovo already has a well-diversified laptop computer portfolio that targets various kinds of customers and worth factors, from the entry-level client to customers looking for a premium high-end laptop computer. Despite that, the corporate responded to Apple’s launch of the MacBook Neo by launching a competitor, dubbed the Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe, that targets the identical sort of person. 

The Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe was launched on the IFA occasion held in Berlin, Germany. It’s an ultra-thin and light-weight laptop computer that sports activities both a 14-inch or 15-inch show. Lenovo offers you a alternative between a Qualcomm Snapdragon, Intel Core or AMD Ryzen sequence chip, and the reminiscence and storage are additionally configurable as much as 24 GB and 1 TB, respectively. For the show, you additionally get to select between LCD and OLED expertise. The Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe launched at a beginning worth of $699, though as of this writing, it is not obtainable to order simply but.

It will solely be available for purchase from November 2026. Taking notes from Apple’s MacBook Neo playbook, Lenovo can be providing the IdeaPad Vibe in colours that pop. However, it has gone a mile additional by providing a complete of seven colour choices. Besides the IdeaPad Vibe, there are different laptop computer fashions in Lenovo’s lineup that may compete with the Neo, such because the IdeaPad Slim 3i, IdeaPad Slim 5x and IdeaPad Slim 3x.

While MSI revealed its Modern 14S AI+ laptop computer at CES 2026 again in January (earlier than Apple unveiled the Neo), it was powered by Intel’s Core Ultra sequence chip. Then, as soon as Apple dropped the Neo in the beginning of March, MSI revealed a shift in technique at an occasion in Tokyo, revealing plans to introduce a funds non-AI+ Modern 14S powered by Intel’s Core Series 3 chip, indicating the corporate’s intention to compete with it. However, as of this writing, MSI has but to disclose when the Modern 14S shall be unveiled and what it’s going to price. 

But even earlier than the Modern 14S is launched, the Modern 14S AI+ can be a worthy competitor. The MSI Modern 14S AI+ is a skinny and light-weight laptop computer with an aluminum alloy chassis. With a beginning weight of three.09 kilos, it is heavier than the two.7-lb Neo, however solely by a slight margin. It incorporates a 14-inch display screen, and also you get to select between an IPS panel with a 48 to 120Hz refresh charge, in addition to a 60 Hz OLED panel. 

Unlike the Neo, MSI’s mannequin affords seven ports, together with HDMI 2.1, RJ45 Ethernet, a micro SD card reader, two USB Type-C ports, and two USB Type-A ports. The Modern 14S AI+ is but to launch within the U.S. Besides the MSI Modern 14S AI and Modern 14S, the corporate additionally has plans to launch the Modern 14 LE that can even compete with the Neo.

Even earlier than the MacBook Neo hit the market, there have been Windows and ChromeOS-powered laptops that you possibly can get for affordable. As a end result, to place collectively this listing of tech manufacturers which might be positioning themselves to compete with Apple’s entry-level MacBook, we targeted on extra than simply corporations which have laptops promoting for across the identical worth because the Neo. For a model to be chosen, it needed to have launched (or plan to launch) a mannequin or fashions particularly geared toward taking a stab on the MacBook Neo. We did so by checking the totally different fashions which were revealed by numerous laptop computer manufacturers since Apple launched the Neo in March. 

We’ve mentioned how a few of the MacBook Neo alternate options from every model stack up towards the Neo, however that does not imply the talked about mannequin is the one worthy competitor. For people who have not launched new fashions attempting to compete with the Neo, we went via their present laptop computer lineup to see if there’s at the least one mannequin that provides a strong general bundle that may compete with the Neo. We did not give attention to the value alone, so a few of the various fashions from these manufacturers are pricier than the Neo.