Apple launched its first low-cost laptop, the MacBook Neo, on March 4. Customers can now pre-order it. Sales start in India and other markets on March 11.
The MacBook Neo recently appeared on Geekbench. This gives a clear view of its performance before release. It uses the A18 Pro chip, the same one in the 2024 iPhone 16 Pro.
Geekbench lists the device as “Mac17,5”. It scores 3,461 in single-core and 8,668 in multi-core on Geekbench 6 for macOS. Moreover, it runs with 8GB RAM and a base frequency of 4.04 GHz.
For comparison, the iPhone 16 Pro Max scores around 3,200-3,400 single-core and 7,800-8,000 multi-core in similar tests. Therefore, the MacBook Neo delivers comparable power. In fact, it even outperforms older chips like the M1 in many areas.
The A18 Pro features six CPU cores, a five-core GPU in this laptop, and a 16-core Neural Engine. Additionally, it handles AI tasks at up to 35 TOPS. It builds on TSMC’s advanced 3nm process.
This marks the second recent Apple laptop on Geekbench. Earlier, a MacBook Pro (2026) showed up with the powerful M5 Max chip. That model includes an 18-core CPU and 128GB RAM.
Overall, the MacBook Neo brings strong performance at an affordable price. It runs the latest macOS 26.3.1. Thus, it suits everyday tasks, web browsing, and light creative work effectively.