What did you say? I thought so...

Microsoft came out to counter the popularity of the MacBook Neo by supporting research from market analytics firm Signal65 that compared many Windows notebooks to Apple's new low-cost laptops, bringing in more value for money, more features, and superior performance in some ways.

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The main calibrated model is the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x, which starts at $549.99, around $17,500, or in a similar range to the MacBook Neo that starts at $499, around $16,000 for college students and $599, around $19,000 for general users.

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Signal65 research indicates that the IdeaPad Slim 3x has several advantages over the MacBook Neo, such as a 15.3-inch bigger screen versus 13-inch, 16GB of default RAM, while the initial 8GB MacBook Neo supports Wi-Fi 7, with a fully connected port over both USB-A, HDMI, and SD Card, as well as having a Backlit keyboard, touchscreen, and a fingerprint scan sensor as standard.

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On the performance side, the research also claims that the Snapdragon X1 in the IdeaPad Slim 3x achieves a Multi-core score on Cinebench 2026 by around 90% higher than the A18 Pro. In addition, battery tests from Tom's Guide indicate that Lenovo's notebook lasts 16 hours and 29 minutes longer than the MacBook Neo achieved 13 hours and 28 minutes.

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However, the MacBook Neo also has several strengths, such as a finer and brighter Retina screen, a full-body metal body, a 1080p webcam camera, as well as a Trackpad, and a speaker that many reviews view as better than Windows notebooks in the same price range. Apple's macOS and Ecosystem are also key selling points, especially those that are compatible with the iPhone, iPad, or other Apple devices.

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After all, despite the support of Microsoft and the clear goal of raising the Windows side, it reflects that the low-cost notebook market is becoming more competitive, which is good for consumers, because both MacBook Neo and Windows notebooks have pros and cons, depending on the budget, usage model, and Ecosystem that each chooses to use.

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Source: macrumors

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