MacBook Neo reigns supreme in a budget-laptop showdown

The Verge tests three budget Windows laptops (Asus Vivobook 16, Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x, and Acer Aspire 14 AI) against the MacBook Neo at $599. While the Windows machines offer more RAM and ports on paper, they lag in real‑world use due to dim, washed displays, middling keyboards/trackpads, and weak speakers. The Acer leads in battery life and ports, Lenovo has a decent keyboard but poorer audio, and Asus is the least compelling overall. The Neo wins on display brightness/color, trackpad precision, webcam clarity, and general usability, making it hard to beat at this price; among Windows options, Acer Aspire 14 AI is the best of the three, but still trails the Neo. Chromebooks are mentioned as alternatives, but aren’t as feature-complete. The bottom line: Neo dominates budget laptops for now, challenging PC makers to fix core corners without raising prices.