Apple is reportedly preparing an updated version of its MacBook Neo laptop, powered by the A19 Pro chip found inside its iPhone 17 Pro smartphone series. Rumoured to be launching sometime next year, this second-generation MacBook Neo should offer higher overall performance, as well as more RAM.
According to former Bloomberg journalist and Taiwan tech reporter Tim Culpan, the new MacBook Neo will be equipped with a version of the A19 Pro SoC launched in 2025. If correct, the new MacBook Neo would see a noticeable bump in compute performance and memory capacity. The A19 Pro features six CPU cores split into two performance cores clocked up to 4.26GHz, and four efficiency cores clocked at up to 2.6GHz. These are complemented by six GPU cores clocked at up to 1.62GHz, as well as up to 12GB of LPDDR5X-9600 memory. The latter is the really big deal here, as the current Neo tops out at a limiting 8GB.
For comparison, the current MacBook Neo uses Apple’s A18 Pro, which, while also boasting six CPU cores and five GPU cores (five active out of a six-core GPU design), the RAM capacity tops at just 8GB, which can be limiting in some instances. As such, if Apple releases this updated version, users will gain 50% memory capacity in addition to approximately 15% single-core, 20% multi-core, and 37% GPU performance uplifts. Note that these gains are based on Geekbench scores seen on iPhones, so the MacBook Neo may fare even better if cooled correctly.
That said, Culpan indicated that Apple may go the same route with the A19 Pro, taking advantage of partially defective silicon that only offers five working GPU cores. This should still be faster than the current MacBook Neo, but not as impressive as the uplift mentioned above.
Culpan added that since the TSMC N3E node used to manufacture the A18 Pro is effectively sold out due to its high popularity, Apple may be forced to pay a premium to jump the queue, which could result in increased costs that are then passed to consumers in the form of higher prices. Apple’s latest budget laptop took the market by surprise, launching at £599 (£499 for students), and making some similarly priced x86 competitors look silly. Culpan said even Apple was surprised by the MacBook Neo’s reception.
Its main problem is the limited RAM, especially as it can’t be upgraded, but an A19 Pro-based device with 12GB of RAM would go a long way toward solving that one.
