Apple's new low-cost MacBook Neo is equipped with the A18 Pro chip that Apple first used in the iPhone 16 Pro, and it's the first Mac that has an A-series chip.Using an iPhone chip in a Mac comes with some downsides, like external display support.The MacBook Neo supports a single external display with a 4K resolution and 60Hz refresh rate.
The MacBook Neo will not work with the new Studio Display and Studio Display XDR that Apple announced yesterday because both of those are 5K displays, but it will work with affordable USB-C 4K display options from companies like LG, Dell, and Samsung.There are two USB-C ports in the MacBook Neo, but only one supports DisplayPort 1.4 for an external display.An external monitor will need to be plugged into the appropriate port, which is the USB 3 port closest to the rear of the device.
There is no Thunderbolt support, which is what other Macs use for multiple displays, and how the Studio Display options connect.Adding a second display might be possible using a third-party DisplayLink adapter, as has been the case with other Macs with display limitations, but this has not been tested yet.While there's official support for just one external display, the MacBook Neo can at least drive the extra display and its own built-in display at full native resolution.
The MacBook Neo has a 13-inch Retina display with a resolution of 2408 x 1506 at 219 pixels per inch.The MacBook Neo is priced starting at $599, and it is available for pre-order today from Apple's website.The new Mac will launch on March 11.
Read More
