Cupertino grabs an aging A18 Pro from parts bin to power its latest attempt at an entry-level MacBook

You'll soon be able to get a MacBook that's cheaper than many budget PCs. Apple on Wednesday unveiled the MacBook Neo, a $599 exercise in cost cutting powered by the same silicon as an iPhone 16 Pro.

The 13-inch notebook is Apple's most affordable and colorful yet, with a design that closely resembles that of the pricier Air, which itself got an M5 refresh earlier this week. The Neo is available in four shades of anodized aluminum: blush (pink), indigo (dark blue), citrus (yellow), and silver. 

While similar in design to the Air, the Neo is both thicker at 0.5 inches of z-height and smaller than the Air, which rocks a slightly larger 13.6-inch display.

Apple has clearly prioritized build quality with the Neo as most ...