Windows 11 on the MacBook Neo: a doable stunt, but not practical
Tom’s Guide tests running Windows 11 on Apple’s $599 MacBook Neo via Parallels Desktop. Using 4GB of vRAM and 2 CPU cores, Windows runs but feels slow—benchmarked with Geekbench (2770 single, 4090 multi) and a 4K-to-1080p HandBrake test (~23:24), notably slower than macOS. 3DMark tests freeze in the VM, and storage constraints (split 256GB into 128GB per OS) and the need to buy Parallels ($119/year) plus Windows Home license ($139) push total costs toward roughly $857. Given the compromises, it’s not worth the effort for a budget MacBook; a native Windows laptop is a better buy.
