Are MacBook Neos discounted for the Amazon Spring Sale? Kind of!

It's not really on sale, but it's not NOT on sale, either. Let us explain.
 By 
Han Schneider
 on 
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macbook neo laptops in citrus and indigo
Mashable's tech editor was a fan of the colorful new budget MacBook. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Earlier this month, Apple released the MacBook Neo, a colorful new budget laptop that landed like a bomb in the laptop world. Priced at $599, the newest member of the MacBook family has been a magnet for hot takes in the tech world.

So, is the MacBook Neo on sale during the Amazon Big Spring Sale 2026? Technically, yes.

The MacBook Neo comes in two configurations: a base model with 256GB of storage for $599 and an upgrade version with Touch ID and 512GB of storage for $699.

Amazon has discounted the Touch ID version to $689.99, a whopping $9.01 discount.

So, while that's technically a reduction from the retail price, it's not much of a deal, even if it's the best price on offer. However, there is another way to save. If you qualify for Apple's famous education discount — students, teachers, and other educational professionals qualify — you can take $100 off the price and pick up this laptop for $499 or $599 by shopping direct with Apple.

The Amazon Big Spring Sale has lots more Apple deals

Through March 31, Amazon is running its Big Spring Sale, which features significant discounts across almost every category. As far as tech goes, we are seeing some great deals on some of our favorite brands, including Ninja, Jackery, Bluetti, and more. As for Apple, you can find a ton of iPads, Apple Watches, and MacBooks on sale. The beloved and sparkling new AirPods Max 2 are seeing a $20 drop in price, for example.

The AirPods Max 2 and MacBook Neo are both new as of March 2026, and they're both sneakily on sale during the BSS. The discounted price doesn’t directly advertise on the page, but we can verify the 512GB version with Touch ID is $9.01 off its typical list price of $699.

We don't expect either of these products to get any more price drops, but we'll be watching them like a hawk in case they do.

Is the MacBook Neo worth it?

macbook neo on display
Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

Even for $699, the MacBook Neo puts most Windows laptops to shame.

Mashable’s own tech editor, Timothy Werth, tested and loved the new budget laptop from Apple. “The MacBook Neo brings the premium features of a MacBook — Liquid Retina Display, the intuitive macOS, a sleek aluminum design — to an entirely new market segment: the budget laptop,” Werth said in his review. “And if you qualify for the $499 education discount, this is truly a laptop with no viable competition, full stop.”

Werth admits that professionals working with massive files, intense editing projects, or looking for horsepower should consider the MacBook Pro with an M5 chip — not the Neo. Instead, he says, “ the MacBook Neo is meant to be a baby's first laptop, and I mean that as a compliment. It's a starter laptop you might buy for a high school or college student.”

This budget laptop is meant for folks who mostly perform basic tasks like scrolling, streaming, and document editing. Still, Werth tested out the video editing software on the Neo with surprising success. Overall, it appears that 8GB of RAM in an Apple product with an A18 chip is still capable of quite a lot.

To top it all off, the colors honestly rule. You have your pick of indigo, blush, citrus, and silver; colors previously unseen for Apple laptops. 

Again, for the best possible price, folks in the education world should pursue the $100 education discount Apple offers

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

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Han Schneider

Han Schneider is a journalist who wants to talk about feeling better and what can help us get there. Whether that's product reviews and gift guides for the ADHD brain, deep dives into wellness trends that are actually worth their salt, or perseverating on the state of queer swimwear. Schneider has covered products and gift guides for Elite Daily, Refinery29, Allure, Best Products, Well + Good, and more. Currently, she serves as a lifestyle and wellbeing writer for hire, focusing on topics related to health, fitness, and overall wellbeing. 

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