Apple Faces Higher Costs Following MacBook Neo Success

InnovationConsumer TechApple Faces Higher Costs Following MacBook Neo SuccessByEwan Spence,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Ewan Spence covers the digital worlds of mobile technology.Follow AuthorMay 10, 2026, 05:08pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Members of the media view MacBook Neo laptop computers on display during an Apple unveil event, Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in New York (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) ,Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.The success of the MacBook Neo has caught the industry by surprise. With reports of low laptop availability in stores and parts in the supply chain, it appears to have caught Apple on the hop as well. Of course, Tim Cook and his team will continue producing the latest MacBook, but starting a new batch of Neo laptops comes with its own unique set of issues.Why Is The Cost Of The MacBook Neo Going Up?Apple made some unorthodox decisions to keep the MacBook Neo’s bill of materials, and therefore the price of the Neo, as low as possible, including a slower and lower-specced USB-C port, the bare minimum of memory needed to run macOS 26 Tahoe, no MagSafe charging, and an older style of LCD screen.The biggest saving was using binned A18 Pro chipsets originally destined for the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max. The chips were designed with 6 CPU cores and 6 GPU cores, but, as with any silicon manufacturing process, there is a failure rate. Those with 6 working CPU cores and 5 out of 6 GPU cores were set aside for the MacBook Neo.By using chips that had one failed GPU core—which had already been paid for as part of the iPhone production run—the Apple Silicon at the heart of each MacBook Neo was essentially free.How Much Profit Is There In The MacBook Neo?Apple opening up new production lines for the MacBook Neo brings this issue to the foreground; where do you get your new A18 P...