Apple is planning to launch a version of its ultra popular MacBook Neo model with more RAM, which in the current climate could undermine the idea of behind its launch in the first place.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the second generation model would include a 50% increase in the amount of built-in RAM. The current model has 8GB of RAM, which is limited by modern standards. The next-gen model would have 12GB of RAM in order to be more able to handle Apple Intelligence tasks, according to the report today.
Considering the worries over RAM costs – due to the chips all being funnelled into AI data centres – that already caused Apple to increase the starting price from $599/£599 to $699/£699. Initially, Apple struggled to keep the notebook in stock, but it’s not clear how much the price increase has affected sales.
Adding more RAM is likely to require another price increase. That would likely affect the target audience even further. It would still be more affordable than the cheapest MacBook Air (which is now $1,299/£1,299), but would definitely undermine the accessibility.
Gurman also reports that Apple would fit the second-generation model with the A19 Pro chip in place of the current A18 Pro chip. That would unlikely command a price increases.
The colourful MacBook Neo earned a rave five-star review from Stuff when it arrived in early 2026. It earned praise for its stunning design, different storage options, quality hardware and excellent price points. Our reviewer did say that “8GB is a limitation that needs to be removed” and it does appear as if Apple is about to address that. But at what cost?
The review concluded: “The MacBook Neo’s compromises just aren’t issues for the vast majority of users and as such what is on offer here is an absolutely bargainous no-brainer. The Neo’s best feature is its design.”
Would those five stars be merited for a second generation if hundreds were added to the price point?
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