Apple has been facing a welcome dilemma: surging demand for the MacBook Neo has far exceeded expectations. Hence, the company faced a pressing decision: (1) ramp up production or (2) allow its stock of A18 Pro chips to run out.
Wisely, Apple has chosen the former.
Apple has doubled its MacBook Neo production plans after the laptop’s runaway success, my sources tell me…
MacBook Neo is now seen as a legitimate alternative to Chromebooks, powered by Google’s ChromeOS, as well as low-end Windows laptops. The cheapest member of the MacBook series is likely to lure more companies and students into adopting the MacOS ecosystem, broadening Apple’s user base.
This unprecedented popularity left Apple with an important decision to make: It could sell out of the Neo, thus forgoing sales but preserving profit margins. Or order up a new batch and face a severe cut in gross margins amid escalating DRAM prices and a higher cost-base for the core processor.
Apple recently made its decision and opted to put more units of the Neo in customer hands.
As a result, it’s now asking suppliers to prepare capacity for 10 million units of the debut version of the Neo, up from an initial estimate of 5 million to 6 million, my sources tell me.
MacDailyNews Take: Smart move.
Take the margin hit (there’s certainly enough headroom built-in to absorb more expensive chips) and keep selling Macs like hotcakes, Apple! The company would be smart to play the long game in which more Mac users not only benefits Apple services in recurring fashion, but also creates halo sales of high-margin iPhones, iPads, AirPods, HomePods, Apple TVs, etcetera…
Resorting to just saying “sold out” of MacBook Neo units until the next model would be a huge mistake. – MacDailyNews, April 7, 2026
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Good call, Apple! And BTW, the Neo is a great laptop, especially for the price.
MacBook Neo was planned and designed well before iPhone 16 Pro (with A18 Pro) ended production, so there’s a contract to continue producing A18 Pro for Neo. Like A17 Pro continues to be produced for current iPad mini. Also, A16 for current base iPad, and even ancient A15 for current Apple TV box. A19 Pro chips were being produced all along during the ramp before Neo’s release and now, as Neo production increases to meet demand ensuring Neo will be “in stock” by back-to-school shopping time. MacBook Neo helps alleviate some of the shortage (from RAM crisis) at the low end by offering less RAM per unit to customers who just want a competent Mac at affordable price. Apple should put some of those A18 Pro chips in a new desktop Mac, equivalent to Neo, to somewhat offset cancelled base M4 Mac mini. Put the Neo logic board in less expensive plastic case with passive cooling, similar to tiny Apple TV box. $499, $599 for 512GB SSD.