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The 14-inch M1 Pro MacBook Pro is a workhorse. I bought it in 2022 and never looked back. I spilled water on it a while ago, and things came to a head when I started having an issue with one of its USB-C ports. So I backed it up and took it to the Genius Bar for repairs.
Fortunately, the MacBook Pro issues occurred right after I bought the MacBook Neo, giving me the perfect opportunity to put Apple’s entry-level laptop through its paces. Here’s what I liked — and didn’t like — about it during the week my MacBook Pro was gone.
How different did my MacBook feel?
The MacBook Neo only has ports on the left side of its aluminum chassis.
Setting up the MacBook Neo didn’t take long. I already had a Time Machine backup for my MacBook Pro, so the switch was simple. And because the Neo uses the same MacOS software you see on other Apple computers, it felt right at home. However, there has been a noticeable shift in the hardware experience.
I went from a small 14.1-inch LED laptop to a 13-inch LCD laptop, which makes the Neo’s smaller size as well as the brightness and contrast differences immediately noticeable. There was also a reduction in RAM and ports that I could use. I now have 8GB of memory instead of 16GB, and I no longer have a MagSafe charging port or additional USB-C, HDMI, and SD card slots on the right side of my MacBook.
Fortunately, since I opted for the 512GB MacBook Neo, I didn’t have a hard time with storage and I still have Touch ID — the 256GB version of the MacBook Neo just doesn’t find it. But I really wish Apple had included a backlight on this flagship keyboard. However, after making some adjustments to my workflow, I continued my week with Neo.
Read more: The best MacBooks we’ve tested
My week with the MacBook Neo
The MacBook Neo’s distinctive color combination is sure to make it more enjoyable to use on a daily basis.
I create videos for my Instagram page and YouTube channel and work as a freelance writer. This means that my daily tasks include editing short vlogs using Adobe Premiere Pro, researching topics in Safari and Chrome, writing in Notion and doing some simple – but absolutely necessary – file management and invoicing using Google Workspace and Finder tools.
During an entire week of testing, the Neo stopped working only once (that’s when the Mac became unresponsive). It happened when I imported about 50 4K iPhone videos into a Premiere Pro project and applied effects to them on my editing timeline with about 20-25 browser tabs in the background. (Please don’t judge me; I have a few tab groups that make my life very easy.) To add some MacBook Pro context, I asked a lot of it and never saw it drop a frame, so I definitely had some adjusting to do.
But I have to say that the Neo was a decent replacement for my MacBook Pro. Yes, video exports took a little longer than usual. I had to restrain myself after my first beach ball experience. But after that, I didn’t experience any slowdowns or crashes. Bridget Carey, editor at large at CNET, had a somewhat similar experience with Her MacBook Neo.
Now, there are still some sticking points during my week, so let’s get to those.
My problem is with MacBook Neo
The MacBook Neo is supposed to ship with backlit keys.
The first issue for me – and one that I really hope Apple corrects with the next generation – is the lack of backlit keys. The keyboard on this laptop is just as good as the keyboard on my MacBook Pro.
I also felt like the Neo could use a slightly larger screen. I found myself squinting a bit when making precise cuts during editing and missed the extra screen the 14-inch MacBook Pro offers. Again, this isn’t a deal-breaker — the Neo lets you use a single external display — but if I were making a wish list for the next generation, I’d put it on it.
The 13-inch MacBook Neo’s screen has large bezels, which makes it look a bit dated.
The last issue I encountered was slow charging speed. The battery endurance on the Neo isn’t bad. Yes, it’s shorter than the MacBook Air and Pro, but it was enough to take to a coffee shop and work through a full writing block, complete a short video edit and export it for publishing.
But making sure it had power for the next day meant I had to stay tied to the charging port for at least an hour and a half. And this was with a faster 45W charger. The 20W adapter that Apple includes in the box takes 2.5 hours to charge the Neo to 100%, as we covered on our website MacBook Neo review.
When I first started using the Neo, I was expecting to feel hindered by only having two USB-C ports, but getting just that pair was easier than I thought. I edit from a USB-C SSD, so I reserve the slower USB port for charging and the faster port for external storage when it’s time to edit. However, I hope Apple puts a port on each side of the device instead of both on the same side next time.
What makes an entry-level MacBook feel good to me?
The DNA that these MacBooks share definitely shows in how they perform.
With all that said, my week with the MacBook Neo left me with a positive impression of Apple’s entry-level laptop. When I bought my first Mac, I chose the MacBook Pro because I wanted the best experience Apple had to offer and enough performance headroom that I wouldn’t need a new machine for a while. But for $1,700, I paid for the privilege.
The MacBook Neo costs only a fraction of what I paid for my MacBook Pro, and while it can’t match the Pro’s performance or likely useful lifespan, it did everything I needed it to do during the week I was without a Pro. It’s a well-balanced machine for anyone buying their first PC hoping to start a passion project and handle simple everyday computing tasks.
What will happen to my MacBook Neo? Well, I will find a new home with my partner. It’s moving from a Windows PC, and this will be the first device to run MacOS. I tested with it for a day and felt it would be useful for times when you need the desktop versions of Illustrator and Photoshop. Since she already owns an iPad, I’m excited to see what experience the Apple ecosystem will open up for her.
For me, I’ll stick with the 14-inch MacBook Pro M1. All the professional performance—and the larger screen and backlit keys—make my life as a creative easier. The MacBook Neo is a solid backup, but it’s not something I’ll pick up every day. If I had a 16-inch MacBook Pro, I could see the Neo becoming part of my setup, especially on days when I’m working from a café or want to write in bed, but that’s not the case, so I’ll switch back to the Pro for me.
