Windows PCs Rally as Apple Lands Budget MacBook Neo
Apple’s MacBook Neo, the company’s most affordable Mac, starts at $599 (or $499 for students) but has drawn a strong reaction from Windows makers. Acer unveiled the Swift Air 14 at $699 with a high-refresh 14-inch display, aluminum build, Thunderbolt 4 and long battery life, while Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon C for entry-level laptops starting around $300, with Acer previewing the Aspire Go 15 as another affordable option. ASUS signaled the reaction as an opportunity for competition. Tim Cook said demand for the Neo has been “off the charts,” underscoring a shift in the market as Windows rivals push cost-efficient, well‑rounded machines to close the price/feature gap.