MacBook Neo: Initial benchmarks reveal the potential Apfelpatient

The first benchmarks for the MacBook Neo have surfaced. This gives us a concrete first impression of just how fast Apple's new budget notebook actually is. The results are hardly surprising, but they are still interesting because they confirm expectations quite accurately.

The comparison with the M1 MacBook Air is particularly interesting. This is because the M1 MacBook Air is still considered by many to be the benchmark for a fast and efficient Apple notebook for everyday use. The MacBook Neo now positions itself precisely in this category. In some areas, it comes close to the M1, and in one important aspect, it clearly surpasses it.

The MacBook Neo takes a different approach than the regular MacBook Air models. Apple doesn't use a traditional M-series chip, but rather the A18 Pro, the same chip first introduced in the iPhone 16 Pro. The MacBook Neo uses the same 6-core CPU, but with one fewer GPU core.

Even before the first benchmark results were available, it was therefore expected that the CPU performance of the MacBook Neo would be almost identical to that of the iPhone 16 Pro. At the same time, it was clear that the graphics performance would have to be somewhat lower. The benchmarks that have now surfaced confirm this.

The first benchmark results of the MacBook Neo

The benchmark results known so far for the MacBook Neo are as follows:

Single-core score: 3461
Multi-core score: 8668
Metal score: 31286

This gives a good indication of the device's capabilities. These three figures alone suggest that the MacBook Neo should perform very well in everyday use. The strong single-core performance is particularly noteworthy, as it plays a significant role in typical daily tasks.

Comparison with the iPhone 16 Pro and other Apple devices

For better comparison, benchmark values from other devices are also available, which can be meaningfully placed next to them:

MacBook Neo – 3461 Single-Core, 8668 Multi-Core, 31286 Metal
iPhone 16 Pro – 3445 Single-Core, 8624 Multi-Core, 32575 Metal
M1 MacBook Air – 2346 Single-Core, 8342 Multi-Core, 33148 Metal
M4 MacBook Air – 3696 Single-Core, 14730 Multi-Core, 54630 Metal
M3 iPad Air – 3048 Single-Core, 11678 Multi-Core, 44395 Metal
iPad 11 – 2587 Single-Core, 6036 Multi-Core, 19395 Metal

The comparison clearly shows how the MacBook Neo fits into the market. Its CPU performance is almost exactly on par with the iPhone 16 Pro, which makes sense since both devices are based on the same 6-core A18 Pro chip. The MacBook Neo's Metal score is slightly lower. This is also unsurprising, as it has one fewer GPU core than the iPhone 16 Pro.

MacBook Neo compared to the M1 MacBook Air

The comparison with the M1 MacBook Air is particularly important because it best shows how strong the new model really is as a budget Mac.

Single-core performance is significantly higher than the M1

In the single-core test, the MacBook Neo achieves 3461 points, while the M1 MacBook Air scores 2346 points. That's a clear difference. The MacBook Neo's single-core performance is therefore not only significantly higher than the M1's, but also more in line with newer chips like the M3 or M4.

This is particularly relevant because many everyday tasks benefit greatly from good single-core performance. These include, for example:

Surfing the Internet
Working with document apps
Streaming videos

A high single-core speed is particularly well suited for this type of use.

Multi-core performance is on par with the M1

In the multi-core test, the MacBook Neo achieves 8668 points, while the M1 MacBook Air scores 8342 points. This means the multi-core performance of the A18 Pro in the MacBook Neo is comparable to that of the M1 chip in the MacBook Air.

This is an important point because it shows that the device not only responds quickly to short, individual tasks, but also remains competitive under typical combined everyday workloads. At the same time, however, it also becomes clear that the MacBook Neo cannot keep up with newer MacBook Air models in this area. The M4 MacBook Air, with 14,730 points in the multi-core test, performs significantly better.

Graphics performance is slightly lower

In the Metal benchmark, the MacBook Neo achieves 31,286 points. The iPhone 16 Pro scores 32,575 points, and the M1 MacBook Air 33,148 points. The MacBook Neo's slightly lower score compared to the iPhone 16 Pro is easily explained by the fact that it has one fewer GPU core.

Even compared to the M1 MacBook Air, the MacBook Neo's graphics performance is slightly lower. This isn't a major issue for simple everyday tasks. However, for more graphics-intensive applications, it clearly indicates that the device isn't designed for demanding creative workflows.

What the MacBook Neo is designed for

The benchmark results align well with the target audience Apple apparently has in mind for the MacBook Neo. The device isn't really intended for tasks where exceptionally strong multi-core performance is crucial. According to the classification, these tasks primarily include:

Video editing
Music production
3D modeling
similar challenging tasks

In such areas, stronger multi-core performance makes a bigger difference. That's precisely where the MacBook Neo doesn't excel.

Instead, the device excels at typical everyday tasks. Its high single-core performance is particularly well-suited for this. This is beneficial for the presumed target audience, as everyday use is more about responsiveness in individual applications than maximum sustained performance under heavy load.

Apple deliberately avoids comparing the MacBook Neo to other Macs

It's also striking how Apple markets the MacBook Neo. The company doesn't emphasize direct comparisons to other Macs, iPads, or iPhones in its marketing materials. Instead, Apple focuses on positioning the device against Windows PCs and Chromebooks in a similar price range.

This shows quite clearly how Apple understands this model: as an affordable MacBook for the mass market and not as competition to its own more powerful devices.

Apple's marketing claims regarding performance

In its marketing materials, Apple says that the A18 Pro in the MacBook Neo is up to 50 percent faster in everyday tasks than the best-selling PC with the latest Intel Core Ultra 5.

Apple also mentions two further performance promises:

Up to three times faster with AI workloads on the device
Up to twice as fast in photo editing

With this, Apple is clearly focusing on typical usage scenarios that are relevant for an affordable everyday notebook, and not on professional applications.

So far, there is only one benchmark result

It's also important to note that so far there is only one benchmark result for the MacBook Neo. This means that later average scores may change slightly once more devices are tested.

Nevertheless, the figures so far seem plausible. The values correspond almost exactly to what was expected beforehand. The A18 Pro delivers nearly the same CPU performance in the MacBook Neo as in the iPhone 16 Pro, while the graphics performance is slightly lower due to the smaller GPU configuration.

Price, pre-order and sales launch

The MacBook Neo starts at a price of €699. Pre-orders are available now. The official sales launch is scheduled for March 11th.

This clearly positions Apple's notebook in the lower price segment. This also explains why the company is targeting the device against similarly priced Windows laptops and Chromebooks rather than more expensive MacBooks.

MacBook Neo benchmark: Strong in everyday use, clearly positioned

The first benchmarks of the MacBook Neo paint a fairly clear picture. The device uses the same 6-core A18 Pro chip as the iPhone 16 Pro, but has one less GPU core. Accordingly, the CPU performance is almost on par, while the graphics performance is slightly lower.

Compared to the M1 MacBook Air, the multi-core performance is roughly the same, but the single-core performance is significantly higher. This makes the MacBook Neo particularly suitable for everyday tasks such as web browsing, document applications, and video streaming. It's not really designed for video editing, music production, 3D modeling, or similar tasks.

Apple itself doesn't compare the MacBook Neo to other Macs, but rather to Windows PCs and Chromebooks in a similar price range. According to Apple, the device is up to 50 percent faster than the best-selling PC with the latest Intel Core Ultra 5 for everyday tasks, up to three times faster for AI workloads on the device, and up to twice as fast for photo editing.

Even though only a single benchmark result is available so far, and average values could still shift slightly later, the current figures are exactly in line with expectations. With a starting price of €699, ongoing pre-orders, and a sales launch on March 11, the MacBook Neo should be particularly attractive as an affordable entry point into the Mac world. (Image: Apple)