The MacBook Neo has become the Surprise laptop from Apple's catalogWhat started as an entry-level device, designed to open the door to the macOS ecosystem at a more affordable price, has ended up triggering an unusual headache: the company It is not capable of producing enough units to meet demand.
In a matter of weeks, the Neo has gone from being the "cheap" experiment within the Mac family to a Product with waiting lists, lack of stock, and long shipping times in much of the world, including Spain and the rest of Europe. Its commercial success has pushed a supply chain already strained by the cost of memory and the manufacturing of advanced processors to its limits, and has exposed a critical issue: dependence on the A18 Pro chip. This situation is clearly reflected in waiting lists, lack of stock in multiple markets.
Overwhelming demand and a shortage of units in Europe
Since its launch, the MacBook Neo has positioned itself as one of the most attractive offerings in the brand's current catalog, largely due to its price below the psychological barrier of 700 euros in Europe. This figure puts the team head-to-head with many mid-range Windows laptops, a field in which Apple has barely competed until now.
In markets like Spain, the Neo has quickly put itself on the radar of students, office workers and home users They were looking for a lightweight laptop with good battery life and full access to macOS without the price tag of the MacBook Air or Pro. An aluminum chassis, various colors, and an integrated experience with iPhone and iPad have rounded out the offering.
Apple would have sized the first production batch around five or six million units, dividing the assembly between Quanta's plants and Foxconn in AsiaOn paper, a reasonable figure for a more experimental first generation. However, initial sales have been so strong that Tim Cook himself reportedly acknowledged internally that the Neo has registered One of the best launch weeks for a Mac among new customers, leaving that planning short.
The impact is already noticeable in European distribution channels. On Apple's website, many configurations show delivery times of several weekseven in base models. In physical stores, both company-owned and those of authorized distributors, the scene is repeated: small shipments arrive sporadically, sell out quickly, and the "out of stock" or "on request" signs reappear. This phenomenon is similar to other logistics and shipping problems that have affected the Mac range, such as the delays in shipments of other models.
This pattern extends to other key markets. In the United States, some Apple Stores in major cities are issuing warnings. waits of three to four weeks for certain colors and capacities. On platforms like Amazon, the simplest variants can arrive in a few days, while others experience delays of two to five weeks, an unusual situation for the Mac range.
The bottleneck: the A18 Pro chip and its use in the Neo
Behind this commercial success lies a very specific obstacle: the Limited supply of the Apple A18 Pro chipThis processor is the same one used in the iPhone 16 Pro, and Apple has decided to include it in all current MacBook Neo configurations, creating a direct dependency on a component with finite availability. There are already signs that the limited supply of the Apple A18 Pro chip It is affecting production.
Furthermore, the A18 Pro chip in the Neo isn't exactly identical to the one in the top-of-the-line iPhone. Everything suggests that Apple is using A18 Pro variants with a reduced GPUInstead of the six active graphics cores found in the phone, the laptop has only five. To the average user, the difference in graphics performance isn't dramatic for everyday use, but it's very important at an industrial level.
In the manufacturing of advanced chips, it's common for some units to be imperfect. Some processors have defects in one of their CPU or GPU cores. Instead of discarding them, manufacturers use a practice known as binningThe defective part is deactivated and the chip is sold as a slightly trimmed, but fully functional version for certain products.
Apple would have taken advantage of this binning to create the heart of the MacBook Neo: A18 Pro processors designed for the iPhone, which, due to minor GPU flaws, They do not meet the maximum specifications These specifications are required for mobile devices, but they are still more than sufficient for an entry-level laptop. The problematic core is disabled, leaving the GPU with five working cores, and the chip is recycled in the Neo.
This maneuver has a direct effect on costs. By reusing processors from batches already manufactured for iPhoneThe marginal cost for the MacBook Neo is lower than if Apple had to order new silicon exclusively for the laptop. Thanks to this "smart recycling" of the A18 Pro, Apple has been able to to price the Neo around 699 euros in Europe, maintaining an acceptable margin.
TSMC at its limit and a dwindling chip inventory
The problem is that the inventory of chips suitable for the Neo is not unlimited. Demand for the laptop has been so intense that the The A18 Pro "trimmed" mattress is selling out much sooner than expected. And producing more isn't as simple as pressing a button.
The A18 Pro is manufactured in the TSMC N3E node, high-density three-nanometer process which is currently almost at capacity. That same node is used for other high-end products, both from Apple and other manufacturers, which reduces the room for maneuver to increase production without affecting other lines.
Sources within the Asian supply chain suggest Apple faces two main scenarios if it wants to continue supplying MacBook Neo production without losing its position as an affordable laptop. The first would involve... pay a premium to TSMC To expedite the production of new A18 Pro wafers, they would secure priority access to a high-demand manufacturing line. This would help them regain momentum, but it would increase the price of a product whose main selling point is precisely its competitive pricing.
The second way would consist of reassign some of the wafers intended for other devices —for example, certain iPhone variants or other Mac models— and redirect them to the production of the A18 Pro with the GPU limited to five cores for the Neo. This option avoids paying such high factory premiums, but it requires adjusting the production capacity of other strategic products, something Apple usually only does in very justified cases. In addition, alternatives such as bringing new manufacturers into the supply chain, which would change the semiconductor landscape, are being explored.
To all this is added the increased costs in DRAM memory and materialsDriven largely by the race in artificial intelligence, which has skyrocketed the demand for memory chips. In a laptop whose differentiating factor is offering an affordable price, any increase in key components is immediately reflected in the margins. It's no coincidence that Apple has made a move in the purchase of RAM to try to secure supply.
Delivery delays and shortages in physical stores
The combination of much higher-than-expected demand, a constrained chip supply, and rising component prices is already impacting the daily lives of consumers. In Europe, those trying to get their hands on a MacBook Neo are encountering shipping dates that are extended by several weekseven for the base configuration of 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage.
In Spain, some physical Apple Stores acknowledge that They barely receive a handful of units per shipmentThe ones that arrive tend to be concentrated in standard colors and configurations, leaving customers looking for other finishes or versions with more storage on a waiting list or with the option of pre-ordering.
In other European markets, the pattern is very similar. In central and northern European countries, the MacBook Neo is beginning to be perceived as a a “scarce” product within the Mac catalogThis is unusual outside of very specific iPhone releases. The image of sold-out models is repeated both in the Apple online store and at major retailers.
Shortages are intensifying in emerging markets where Neo acts as the first truly affordable MacIn Vietnam, for example, Apple's own website shows lead times of three to four weeks for all configurations, and many retail chains have moved from the instant purchase button to a reservation system with deposits and waiting times that vary depending on the available stock.
Several distributors in the region speak of unprecedented peaks of interest for an Apple laptopWith hundreds of reservations in just a few hours and thousands of users signed up to waiting lists, this dynamic, though less intense, is also being seen in Europe, where the most affordable Mac in the catalog has acquired an aura of being a hard-to-find product.
What does the MacBook Neo offer to Spanish and European users?
Beyond the "it's sold out" narrative, the MacBook Neo's popularity in Spain and Europe can be explained by a combination of Affordable price, thoughtful design, and more than sufficient performance For everyday use. It doesn't aim to replace MacBook Pros or compete with workstations, but rather to cover tasks such as web browsing, office applications, studying, and multimedia consumption.
The entry-level configuration combines the A18 Pro chip with 8 GB of unified memory and 256 GB SSDOn paper, these figures may seem modest compared to some Windows laptops that offer more RAM in the same price range. However, the tight integration between hardware and software in macOS allows the computer to perform quite smoothly in typical scenarios.
The Neo handles multiple browser tabs open, video calls, office suites, and email management without major issues. Light photo editing and even some 4K video editing For non-professional use. It's not the ideal laptop for complex rendering, heavy data analysis, or intensive use of local AI models, but it more than meets the needs of students, home users, or professionals who don't require a professional-grade machine.
One of the aspects most valued by the European public is the real autonomy in a work or study dayThe MacBook Neo allows you to spend the day away from a power outlet with moderate use, a key advantage for university students and mobile workers. Its light weight and aluminum finish also make it a serious alternative to many plastic laptops in the same price range.
The device also integrates easily into the Apple ecosystem. Features such as AirDrop, Handoff, iPhone and Mac continuity, and using your phone as a camera They enhance the experience and provide an extra feature not listed in the technical specifications. This makes the Neo especially appealing to those who already own an iPhone and want to upgrade to their first Mac.
Criticisms: limited repairability and performance under sustained load
The commercial success of the MacBook Neo hasn't shielded it from criticism. One of the most frequent criticisms concerns the low repairability and limited expandability of the team. Manufacturers that rely on modular designs, such as Framework, have pointed out that Apple's approach makes both repairs and potential hardware upgrades extremely difficult.
In the Neo, the memory is soldered to the motherboard, so the The 8GB of RAM in the base version cannot be upgradedAccessing the internal components requires disassembling a significant portion of the chassis, involving a large number of screws and a process not designed for the average user. Replacing the screen, keyboard, or battery is also not particularly user-friendly.
Another technical limitation is related to the cooling system. The MacBook Neo relies on a active fanless designThis allows for a quieter and thinner laptop, but it also means resorting to the well-known thermal throttling when it's under heavy load for extended periods. During intensive tasks, the chip can reach temperatures around 100°C and reduce its frequency to remain within safe limits.
For the target user profile—browsing, office applications, multimedia, and some light editing—this is usually secondary, because the device rarely spends extended periods at maximum performance. However, those who intend to use the Neo for heavy workloads of compilation, data science, or prolonged creative work They may notice that the laptop falls short or loses performance after a while.
In response to these criticisms, proponents of the model point out that the system of unified memory and efficient use of swap on SSDs This allows the system to approach configurations with more RAM in many real-world uses. Even so, it's clear the Neo isn't designed for those seeking an easily upgradeable or repairable laptop, but rather for those who prioritize price, simplicity, and a closed user experience.
Apple's market impact and strategy
The MacBook Neo has not only altered Apple's internal lineup; it has also The sub-700 euro laptop segment has been shaken upThis is a market segment previously dominated by Chromebooks and mid-range Windows laptops. Entering this price range with a full-fledged Mac and a chip like the A18 Pro has been a move that hasn't gone unnoticed by competitors.
For years the Mac has been associated almost exclusively with a premium product, expensive and geared towards creative or professional profilesWith the Neo, that image is nuanced: a "workhorse" Mac appears, designed for educational institutions, small businesses, and households that previously ruled out an Apple laptop due to cost. Suddenly, the macOS ecosystem becomes more accessible to those who don't want to or can't afford an Air.
For Apple, the benefit isn't measured solely by units sold of this laptop. Every buyer of a MacBook Neo is a new potential user of services, accessories and future renewalsA student who enters the platform with a Neo can eventually end up with a MacBook Pro, a high-end iPhone, an iPad, or an Apple Watch, reinforcing the circle of loyalty that the company has been cultivating for decades.
This move aligns with previous attempts to launch a more affordable Mac. In the past, Apple explored a laptop project based on the iPhone 13's A15 chip (internally codenamed J267) that never reached the market because the Performance and memory management were not sufficient to support a full Mac experience. The lesson was clear: a significant leap in power was needed before making a big bet on a budget laptop.
The A18 Pro has marked that turning point. In single-core performance, it surpasses the M1, and in multi-core performance, it approaches it, further reducing the gap between processors traditionally used in mobile devices and those designed for computers. The MacBook Neo has become the A practical demonstration that a well-utilized "iPhone" chip can easily power a general-purpose laptop for most users.
How can Apple solve the A18 Pro problem?
Given the current scenario, Apple is forced to rethink how it manages the MacBook Neo success and A18 Pro shortage without destroying the price-margin formula that has made it so attractive. Several courses of action are on the table, none of them perfect.
One possibility would be to maintain the current price and accept tighter marginsPaying more for new batches of A18 Pro chips and for components like memory. This move would preserve the image of a truly affordable Mac, avoid a sudden drop in demand, and solidify the Neo's position against similarly priced Windows laptops, but at the cost of reduced profitability per unit.
Another way would go through adjust the catalog and available settingsFor example, Apple could eliminate the 256GB storage version and push users toward slightly more expensive models with 512GB, where the cost of components is more spread out. Internally, they are also considering reorganizing certain variants, limiting some color options, or introducing minor hardware changes to optimize the use of available chips.
Meanwhile, the company is already reportedly working on a Neo evolution based on the future A19 chipLeaks and supply chain analysts suggest that Apple is preparing a new generation of MacBook Neo with an A19 Pro chip and 12GB of unified memory, likely within about a year.
The logical approach would be to repeat the A18 Pro strategy: use the full version of the A19 Pro for the higher-end iPhones and reserve it for the Neo. variants with the cut-down GPUby reusing chips that don't pass the most demanding filter. This would allow for diversification of the supply and reduce the pressure on a single chip version.
In this context, the following has also been raised to give more variety to the Neo rangeCurrently, the available configurations share the same A18 Pro chipset, differing only in storage, memory, and features like Touch ID. Looking ahead to the A19 generation, several analysts envision a more tiered range of options:
- An entry-level model with a standard A19 chip, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD, without some extra features.
- A mid-range version with A19 Pro, 12 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD.
- A higher-end model with A19 Pro, 12 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD.
This structure would allow Apple playing with chips of different ranges and availabilityThis reduces the risk of everything depending on a single type of A18 Pro or A19 Pro. Furthermore, it would offer more price points for users with a slightly larger budget who want to upgrade without going for a MacBook Air or Pro.
However, the upcoming A19 also presents its own technical challenges. The basic chip would not include a USB 3 controllerThis would force Apple to include an external on-board controller in the entry-level model if it wants to maintain full-speed USB-C ports. In contrast, the A19 Pro chips would include this controller, making it easier to offer USB 3 speeds on both ports without additional components, a feature better suited to the mid-range and high-end versions.
In any case, the big dilemma is the timing. If Apple brings forward a potential "Neo 2" with A19 too much, it risks... cool down sales of the current modelEspecially if it's leaked that there will be a significant leap in memory and chip quality in the short term. But if it delays that transition too much, it will remain trapped for longer in a situation of high demand, A18 Pro supply problems, and squeezed margins.
Meanwhile, the company is preparing for its next quarterly results, where it is expected to offer more details about the The real impact of the MacBook Neo on Mac's numbers And, above all, how he plans to manage the dependence on a limited supply of A18 Pro chips without sacrificing the Neo's positioning as an affordable Mac.
As things stand, the MacBook Neo has become a curious case within Apple: a laptop designed for democratize access to the Mac world This has strained the manufacturing capacity of next-generation chips, lengthening delivery times and forcing the company to review its production strategy, pricing and future of the range, just as interest in Spain, Europe and other markets continues to grow and shows no signs of slowing down.
