Apple didn’t add any kind of MagSafe charging on the MacBook Neo, meaning that the company’s affordable 13-inch notebook only ships with two USB-C ports for topping up the battery and data transfer. Unfortunately, the $599 starting price will bring some compromises, with one of them being that the two ports won’t deliver the same bandwidth. In short, if you want the fastest speeds when moving heaps of files, you’ll have to avoid one of these ports.
Fortunately, the MacBook Neo can be charged with both USB-C ports, it’s just one of them that will operate at a slower bandwidth
On the MacBook Neo’s ‘Tech Specs’ page, we get to know a little more about what consumers will get for $599. Where every other portable Mac in Apple’s current lineup is equipped with some kind of Thunderbolt port, the MacBook Neo takes a different approach, with both of its USB-C ports limited to up to USB 3.0 speeds. This means that the maximum speeds experienced on one of these ports will be 10Gb/s, or 1.25GB/s, or 1,250MB/s.
As for the second USB-C port, it is limited to USB 2.0 speeds, or 480Mb/s, or 60MB/s. While Apple can be criticized for kneecapping the speeds on the MacBook Neo, the technology giant has limited its more expensive iPhones to the same bandwidth. For instance, the significantly more expensive iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max top out at USB 3.0 speeds, while the iPhone Air’s USB-C port is retained at USB 2.0 speeds.
We understand why these trade-offs are present because we mentioned in our detailed roundup that the MacBook Neo features an A18 Pro, which doesn’t support any Thunderbolt controller. The lack of this feature will result in slower speeds from both USB-C ports, so if you want something a tier faster than the $599 portable Mac, we recommend getting the M4 MacBook Air at the bare minimum.
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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