Three months with the MacBook Neo changed my mind about macOS

Three months with the MacBook Neo have made me rethink macOS. It is not so bad after all…

At the start of the year, Apple made its mark on the computing market by launching a new model: the MacBook Neo. Powered by an iPhone chip to keep costs down, it is aimed at people who are not bothered about having the trendiest specification sheet and simply want an attractive computer for everyday office work. During a RAM shortage, with the price of every high-tech product soaring, it comes as a genuine breath of fresh air.

For Romain, our much-loved editor-in-chief, who reviewed it at launch, the MacBook Neo is a landmark in Apple’s history. Having used it for three months, I can only agree, although I do have a few additional reservations. Above all, though, after 90 days with the machine, the thing that has struck me most is… macOS.

MacBook Neo at the best price

Base price: €699

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A lifelong Windows user

First, a little background. Nearly 30 years ago, I got my hands on my first computer: a Compaq Presario running Windows 95. I did not know it then, but that childhood crush would turn into a real passion, and eventually my career.

I have naturally replaced that antique since then, but remained loyal to Microsoft’s operating system. It was not until 2015, when I joined a company that swore exclusively by Apple hardware, that I properly used a MacBook for the first time. For two years, I had to work with a computer that brought me nothing but frustration and disappointment. This was not necessarily because the hardware was poor, but because macOS felt like an ergonomic absurdity to me. Nothing was where I expected it to be, and I spent part of my days searching Google for how to do something as basic as uninstalling software or typing a “²”.

Fast-forward to 2025. Microsoft announced the end of Windows 10, its update is suffering from “enshittification”, and my bad memories of macOS had stayed with me. I therefore decided to move away from American big tech and embrace the open-source world by giving Linux a serious try. There, I discovered desktop environments that transformed the way I use an OS, approaches very different from anything I had known before, and the pleasure of spending four hours digging through documentation to understand why something that takes two clicks in Windows does not work natively here. Do not worry: an independent developer has single-handedly maintained an open-source application for 20 years that replaces the feature.

It was in this context that I was offered three months with the MacBook Neo and the chance to rediscover macOS.

My view of the MacBook Neo after 3 months

From a technical perspective, the MacBook Neo is a remarkably surprising machine. I honestly did not think I would be able to do so much with a computer using an iPhone chip, yet here we are. Apart from demanding gaming - although the Neo successfully runs plenty of indie games - I did not need to switch on my desktop tower once during that period.

I do still have a few criticisms, starting with the keyboard, which has no backlighting. As a nocturnal creature, I am used to working in the dark, and because I am not especially familiar with the key layout on a Mac keyboard, this irritated me on countless occasions. The lack of biometrics, available if you pay €100 more, also proved inconvenient. Having to enter your password so regularly on a laptop in 2026 feels very vintage - and not in a good way.

Aside from that, the hardware never made me feel restricted. Admittedly, I noticed a few slowdowns when my photo-editing software was open alongside 18 tabs, but that is hardly surprising for a laptop at this price. macOS is lightweight and Apple knows how to optimise it, which is a genuine everyday advantage.

As is often the case with the Cupertino company, the build quality is what impresses. The chassis is faultless and, despite the slightly thick display bezels, not having to put up with a notch is a significant benefit compared with the rest of the range. The screen itself is very good; my only real complaint is its glossy panel, which is highly prone to reflections. If you work with your back to a bay window or outdoors, you will need to turn off dark mode unless you want to squint.

Despite this broadly positive experience, I do have reservations about battery life. Roughly 8 hours from 100 to 0, combined with fairly slow charging, is not really what one would call impressive. I expected more, especially as this is one of the strengths of the M chips in the MacBook Air.

In my view, that is precisely its main competitor. Refurbished MacBook Air M4 models can now be found at around €900, and the price difference is genuinely worthwhile. A better screen, better SoC, better connectivity, better battery life… simply better for €100 or €200 more, depending on the memory configuration. If buying second-hand does not concern you, the choice is quickly made.

Rediscovering macOS

During my first spell with macOS, I mostly used my MacBook docked with a monitor, keyboard and mouse. This time, I chose to use the MacBook Neo chiefly on the move, without accessories. That simple change in approach made me realise that I had not understood macOS at all.

With one hand on the trackpad and a thumb on the CMD key, the operating system suddenly makes complete sense. The way a full-screen app automatically creates a new virtual desktop makes using them far more instinctive than it is on Windows or standard KDE Linux. Before long, you naturally swipe three fingers across the trackpad: left to right to move between the different applications arranged according to your preferences, or upwards to display an overview of windows and scan all open applications at a glance. In laptop mode, when you are using only one screen, that simplicity and fluidity make a real difference.

macOS has also become much more mature since I first used it. At the time, I felt constrained by software options that were often incomplete or too expensive; here, I encountered none of that friction. I was not asked to download PeaZip to extract an archive, for instance, as Finder can finally open every file I needed during this period.

It is not perfect yet. I still find some shortcuts unintuitive, uninstalling an application lacks a confirmation prompt, and the Liquid Glass design is not always easy to read in places, on Tahoe 26.5. Overall, however, once you find your bearings, the system’s philosophy is devilishly effective.

After three months of intensive use, there is still one thing I have not got used to: the keyboard. In my articles, I regularly use French quotation marks, square brackets and sometimes a superscript number. Every time, I find myself trying every possible key combination before eventually finding the right one. I also still struggle greatly to distinguish between shortcuts using CMD, Option or Control, with or without the Shift key held down. Now imagine doing that in the dark on a keyboard without backlighting.

Another keyboard-related frustration is that I find the emoji pop-up painfully unresponsive, while using it with a mouse could be less sensitive. It is far too easy to click between two emoji and merely close the window.

Lastly, the Apple ecosystem’s lack of openness remains consistently dismaying. For example, being unable to transfer a file easily over USB from an Android smartphone is absurd. I know there are solutions, such as OpenMTP, but is it really too much to ask for a native feature in the OS? Fortunately, wireless solutions such as LocalSend are now plentiful.

Even after three months, it is clear that I am still missing out on many possibilities offered by third-party utilities. I installed neither Alfred nor Raycast, despite recommendations from power users, and my use ultimately remained very professional. Although I usually enjoy getting under the bonnet, I did not feel the need to do so here, and that is when I understood macOS’s greatest strength: providing a turnkey solution that is pleasant to use and hassle-free.

macOS made me rethink my workflow

After three months on the MacBook Neo, going back to a Windows laptop feels archaic. I may create virtual desktops, but their practicality is light-years away from what macOS offers.

Conversely, with the right configuration, Linux can deliver the best of both worlds. Some desktop environments go even further with tiling, which makes it very easy to manage windows and virtual desktops from the keyboard without ever touching the mouse. It requires completely relearning how to use a computer, but it is such a pleasure to feel that you are truly taking back control. Even so, macOS has major advantages over Linux, starting with its complete official software library. There is no need to install a third-party application to use WhatsApp, one of the world’s most widely used messaging services… But we will have the chance to discuss Linux in more detail in another article coming soon on Presse-citron.

So, would I recommend macOS, and a MacBook in particular? Absolutely. For ordinary people who do not want to delve into open-source code to send messages to their other half, it is unquestionably the best option. As for the MacBook Neo, it is a wonderful idea that has found the right balance to make the stratospheric rise in the cost of certain computer components almost painless. In that respect, I agree with Romain: the MacBook Neo will make Apple history and, we hope, will become a permanent entry-level model in the brand’s catalogue. I am even eagerly awaiting the next generation to see whether this model’s few missteps are swiftly corrected.

MacBook Neo at the best price

Base price: €699

Retailer	Discount	Price
Rakuten	-4%	€674	View offer
Amazon		€749	View offer
Cdiscount		€749	View offer
FNAC		€799	View offer
Rueducommerce		€799	View offer

See more offers