Everyone Wants to Know if the MacBook Neo Will Go on Sale for Black Friday

Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. We may earn a commission from these links. Here’s how we test products and why you should trust us.Product Shot ImageI am not the first person to point out that MacBooks are expensive, nor will I be the last. The irony is also not lost on me that Apple released the budget-conscious MacBook Neo earlier this year, only to swiftly raise the price from $599 to $689 a few months later as part of its blanket price increases across Macs.The Neo’s still cheap, but we’ve been waiting for it to go on sale on principle. A handful of Prime Days have come and gone without any discounts, but we suspect that it just might be a part of Amazon’s Black Friday deals. Chalk it up to a Christmas miracle.Designed as Apple’s answer to the Chromebooks and budget Windows laptops of the world, the Neo’s target audience is technically students. That being said, if you need a personal laptop for watching Netflix and doing your taxes, it’s a perfect choice, especially if you don’t want to shell out over $1,000 for a MacBook Air. Bump that figure up even more if you spring for a Pro.The Neo runs on Apple’s A18 Pro chip—the same one that powers the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max. If the idea of buying a laptop that runs on a phone chip gives you pause, your stress is better channeled elsewhere. While this isn’t the right device for someone who is planning to run heavy-duty software, it can handle standard internet browsing, video calls, and the like with ease. Just keep in mind that it only has 8GB of RAM, so it’s best-suited to basic workflows.Of course, this computer has the added benefit of four jazzy color options: blush and citrus for the bold, indigo for those more subdued, and silver for that classic MacBook aesthetic. Wrapped in an aluminum body with a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, the Neo weighs in at just 2.7 pounds (same as the MacBook Air) and is 0.5 inches thick. (For reference, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is 0.35 inches thick.)The Neo is available in silver, blush, citrus, and indigo.Despite our best efforts, we don’t quite know how Apple determines its deals for big sale events—which means if this laptop does indeed get discounted, there’s no telling exactly how deep the price cut might be or when it’ll hit. Maybe it’ll shave $100 off to get back to its pre-increase price, or maybe we could be looking at a sub-$500 MacBook for the first time ever.Whatever the discount may be, the Neo is undoubtedly a smart buy for anyone who wants a laptop that can handle all of the basics. Even at full price, it’s a fraction of the cost of a discounted MacBook Pro or Air, which reliably go on sale for Black Friday.If you’re not willing to wait for a potential Neo deal, a handful of other MacBooks are already on sale.