Macbook Neo could be a big shakeup for Windows, Android, and other OEMs

This is more a flow of consciousness post, but I’ve been reading and watching a ton of Macbook Neo reviews, and:

• It’s shockingly capable. I was expecting a really low-tier machine (ala an i3 Windows device), and I’m impressed with what these reviewers and others have been able to pull off on it. Minor video editing, lots of applications open, some very casual gaming, it’s impressive at the price point.
• It’s built well. I was expecting compromises abound, but short of the RAM amount, USB, and Keyboard backlight – there’s less than I expected.
• It’s just macOS. No compromises here from a usage perspective, you get the full customization of the macOS experience. I was expecting some sort of iPad/macOS hybrid, and it’s not that at all.

The question is, are Windows OEMs scared? Right now, the sub-$600 Windows world isn’t great. Machines filled with (still) lots of machine or OEM specific bloatware, McAfee, plastic, bad keyboards/track pads, poor screens, etc. Not to mention the overall Windows 11 gauntlet of “features” and built-in Ads that just do not exist on macOS. Yes, Snapdragon helps from a stability and power perspective, but there’s lots about the platform that feels really stuck.

Paul’s article on “Android Laptops” today had me thinking too, and I think the Neo is a better buy than any of these, because even if you use it to mostly run iOS apps – you’re still getting more iPad optimized apps than you are on the Android side (where short of 1st party Google apps, it doesn’t feel like anyone is thinking about tablets). I could see schools also replacing fleets of Chromebooks too (however, ChromeOS does have better device management – a big selling feature and required feature for them).

I really hope this is the device to shake up personal computing a little, because it feels like it. Apple has officially entered the budget market, and I hope the competition (and Microsoft) steps up to meet it.