MacBook Neo has a competitive starting price of $599, and for education customers, the $100 discount means Apple now has two compelling Macs for just $499.

The new MacBook Neo is Apple’s most affordable laptop by $500.

At $499 for , MacBook Neo is a 13-inch laptop with 256GB storage, 8GB RAM, and an Apple A18 Pro chip that first debuted inside the iPhone 16 Pro.

It features two USB-C ports, one of which is used for charging, and up to 16 hours of battery life.

Education customers can opt for the 512GB storage model, which adds Touch ID, for $100 more, bringing the edu price to $599.

The is Apple’s next lowest-priced laptop in the line, which starts at $999 for edu shoppers (and retails for $1099 at standard pricing).

You absolutely cannot beat the MacBook Neo as a value machine for education customers. The $499 price covers everything you need: the Mac, trackpad and keyboard, and display.

Apple does have a second Mac that also costs $499 for education shoppers, though. The M4 Mac mini has the same edu price, a faster chip, double the RAM with 16GB, and more ports including three Thunderbolt, two USB-C, HDMI, and Ethernet.

The catch? You need to bring your own mouse, keyboard, and display. It’s also a Mac desktop, not a laptop, which makes the MacBook Neo such a compelling offer.

Both Macs retail for $599 standard outside of the education store. However, below the regular price. We’ll likely see the MacBook Neo go on sale occasionally as well.

For $499, which is the better value for students to you? Share your thoughts in the comments.