Apple’s $599 MacBook Neo could disrupt laptop industry. Asus and Acer already answer

Apple’s budget laptop MacBook Neo with a starting price of $599 has caused a stir in the personal computer market. This was stated by Asus co-chairman S. Y. Hsu, whose comment is quoted by PCMag.

According to him, Apple has traditionally worked in the higher price segment, so the appearance of a relatively affordable model may change the balance of power in the market. However, pre-orders for the MacBook Neo opened on the eve of the official start of sales, which took place on March 11. According to media reports, due to high demand, the delivery time of the device has already increased to several weeks.

PC manufacturers discuss Apple’s response

S. Y. Hsu noted that the situation is being closely monitored by key industry players – Microsoft, Intel and AMD.

According to him, there are already active discussions within the PC ecosystem on how to compete with the new Apple device.

The head of Asus emphasized that such an aggressive price came as a surprise to manufacturers of laptops on Windows, who may now reconsider their own strategies.

Limitations of the device may affect demand

At the same time, Hsu believes that the popularity of the MacBook Neo may have certain limitations. He drew attention to the fact that the laptop is equipped with only 8 GB of unified memory, which cannot be increased. But 8 GB for MacOS is not the same as 8 GB for Windows (ed. note).

According to the head of Asus, this may scare off users who need higher performance or the ability to upgrade.

Hsu also compared the MacBook Neo to the iPad, calling it a device focused primarily on content consumption. He noted that Windows laptops are more often used for more resource-intensive tasks, so the usage scenarios of the devices may differ.

Відповідь від Acer

The company has introduced a new entry-level laptop – Go 16 Business Laptop (N25JJ3). The model is aimed at users who need an inexpensive work tool with basic features and a large amount of memory.

The cost of the Acer Go 16 Business Laptop (N25JJ3) is about $600 (approximately UAH 27,000 for a 16-inch laptop for work.

The basis of the laptop is the Intel Core 5210H processor. This chip belongs to the updated Intel line and is actually an upgraded version of the Intel Core i5-13420H processor.

According to the test data, the processor scores about 9,500 points. For comparison, the Apple A18 Pro chip, which is used in the MacBook Neo laptop, shows about 9,000 points in similar tests.

One of the features of the Acer Go 16 was the change in memory. The laptop is equipped with 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB solid-state drive.

Such a set is rarely found in budget models. The large capacity of the SSD allows you to store a significant number of files and programs without the need for external drives.

The weight of the device is about 1.8 kg. According to the manufacturer, the autonomy can reach approximately 10 hours without recharging.

Laptop market prospects

The global laptop market may face serious changes as early as 2026. Analysts expect a simultaneous decline in consumer demand and an increase in the cost of key components, which could lead to a significant increase in the price of devices. This is stated in a new report by the analytical company TrendForce.

According to experts, the cumulative increase in the cost of components can increase the price of mass laptops by almost 40%.

Increased cost of memory and storage devices

As a guideline, analysts consider consumer laptops with a recommended retail price of about $900. In such models, RAM and storage usually account for about 15% of the cost of all components (BOM).

However, due to a shortage in the memory market, this figure may increase to 30%. As a result, manufacturers will be forced to increase the cost of finished devices – according to estimates by TrendForce, the increase may exceed 30%.

CPU price hike

The price increase will also affect processors. According to supply chain analysts, Intel has already increased the cost of some entry-level and older-generation processors by more than 1.

In the future, the company may also revise the prices of chips in the mid-range and premium segments.

The processor is already one of the most expensive components in a laptop. If the price increase for CPU and memory continues, their combined share of the cost of components will increase from about 45% to 58%. For end buyers, this could mean a price increase of about 40%.