Apple appears to have prematurely revealed the name of its rumored lower-cost MacBook model, which is expected to be announced this Wednesday. A regulatory document for a “MacBook Neo” (Model A3404) has appeared on Apple’s website. Unfortunately, there are no further details or images available yet. While the PDF file does not contain the “MacBook Neo” name, it briefly appeared in a link on Apple’s regulatory website for EU compliance purposes.
Stop helping Apple marketers with their “genius” marketing.
artyom@piefed.social 2 weeks ago
I suspect it’ll come with 8GB RAM to ensure the price can’t justify it’s usefulness…
Xirup@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 weeks ago
Are you sure? Because at this moment with $400 you only get the RAM.
artyom@piefed.social 2 weeks ago
I’m positive, thanks. 2x8GB CL16 DDR5 RAM currently sells for ~$250.
Romkslrqusz@lemmy.zip 2 weeks ago
There’s more to a computer than RAM (or even ither specs), comparing what’s shown in the article to the low-cost option you linked the two systems are leagues apart in terms of build quality.
Wouldn’t be surprised if the battery life was miles apart too.
That cheap plastic HP laptop is destined to have its hinge mounts snap away from the upper palmrest through normal day-to-day use.
Ulrich@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
Sure, but having insufficient RAM sufficiently kneecaps it to the extent that the other specs don’t matter.
LOL at least if it’s hinge mounts snapped you could repair them. Can’t say the same for the $700 Macbook.
the_crotch@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
Then don’t buy one. Idk why people get so offended when a company releases a product they’re not personally interested in.
artyom@piefed.social 2 weeks ago
I have no intention of buying one.
People get offended when customers are swindled. And Apple are expert swindlers.
Aside from that, the choices other people make affect your choices available on the market. No better example than the headphone jack. Apple removes it and people scream DONT BUY IT IF YOU DONT LIKE IT, ignorant of the fact that not only this an option that’s no longer available, but that the market as a whole would follow Apple’s greedy lead until the only thing left is a handful of budget devices, for inexplicable reasons.
XLE@piefed.social 2 weeks ago
Apple heard you and released it for $599-699!
I’m not planning on touching them, but in this economy + the Apple tax, I’m almost impressed
Appoxo@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 weeks ago
The 17e or whatever new phone is supposedly available for 599 with 256GB of internal storage.
Homestly: If the phone i know little android competition in that price range witg comparable specs and polish.
But I’d still get one at a higher price because I don’t like Mr.WalledGarden
artyom@piefed.social 2 weeks ago
I only see a $600 option. What’s the $700 option?
Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 weeks ago
I got a 16GB RAM M4 MacBook Air for 600USD so it better be cheaper than that if it comes with 8GB…
vacuumflower@lemmy.sdf.org 2 weeks ago
Unified memory, so more efficient with that. Also MacOS has RAM compression.
I suppose more is better, and 8GB seems like bare minimum for something useful. But one should always mind that now (unlike before 2020) Apple’s hardware has caught up with their advertising in the fact that it’s really specifically optimized for the job.
It’s fine for an “Apple Chromebook” I think, especially if bulk orders for institutions will get different deals.
artyom@piefed.social 2 weeks ago
LMAO you actually bought into that 8GB = 16GB marketing nonsense
deliciEsteva@piefed.world 2 weeks ago
but is it pretty pink with an iconic apple on it? I think not.
sturmblast@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Spray paint
forwhomthecattolls@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
some computer shops have scrap computers with 8GB of RAM 💀
djdarren@piefed.social 2 weeks ago
I have an M1 mini with 8Gb of RAM that I use as my Home Assistant server. I’ve given 4Gb to HAOS running in UTM, and let Ollama use the rest to run a modest LLM for speech to text. It’s flawless.
I’m not suggesting that 8Gb is the gold standard or anything, but for some applications it’s still perfectly usable.
I have an M2 Air with 16Gb, and for what I need it to do, I couldn’t have any less, but the target market for a bargain basement entry level MacBook almost certainly won’t ever notice. It’ll literally just be a portal to access iCloud and whatever browser they use to get on their socials. And if they do find they need more, then Apple will happily sell them a new laptop.
Don’t get me wrong, I think Apple’s approach to RAM pricing has been criminal for years, and as a company they’re really figuring out how to plumb the depths of scumminess, but on this I don’t really see the issue.
With that said, the cost of an extra 8Gb to them is literally pennies, so withholding it is shitty. But it won’t really make that much difference to the average performance of the computer.
artyom@piefed.social 2 weeks ago
There’s no such thing as a “flawless” LLM
arcine@jlai.lu 2 weeks ago
One of the chief things that make macbooks commendable over PCs is the build quality. While I don’t doubt there are very many PCs with better hardware at that price point, often macs are superior by robustness, display resolution, and the quality of their keyboards and trackpads.
I hope this cheaper model doesn’t cheap out on that front. And if it also gets good Asahi Linux support, then it would get me to recommend it above anything else.
We will see soon enough.
Scrollone@feddit.it 2 weeks ago
I also used to prefer macOS over Windows, but now macOS is also utter shit, especially with Liquid Ass update.
So now Linux is the only good operating system.