Apple MacBook Neo memory is capped at 8GB, and that's by design

In a surprise move this week, Apple announced the MacBook Neo, an affordable, lightweight 13-inch laptop with a Liquid Retina display, all-day battery life, A18 Pro processor, 8GB of memory, and storage options starting from 256GB. The surprise part comes from the $599 USD starting price, making it one of the most affordable hardware launches at a time when prices are increasing dramatically due to the current memory and storage crisis.

2

What makes the Apple MacBook Neo's release interesting and limiting from a hardware perspective is that it uses the A18 Pro chip, which previously powered the iPhone 16 Pro. Granted, the MacBook Neo is positioned as an affordable laptop for lightweight productivity, basic creator tasks, students, and everyday users who want something primarily for browsing, accessing emails, and streaming media.

One of the main criticisms of the device is its 8GB of RAM; however, it seems this might be the limit, or the only configuration available, based on how the A18 Pro mobile chip works. According to High Yield on social media, the TSMC InFO-PoP packaging features DRAM sitting on top of the SoC in a closed design.

And with that, there's no upgrade path, since the chip itself is designed specifically for 8GB of RAM, which is what you'll find in the iPhone 16 Pro. Interestingly, the use of a mobile chip designed for the iPhone is also why one of the two USB-C ports on the MacBook Neo is only USB 2.0, as the SoC can support only a single USB 3.0 10Gbps port.

Perhaps the Apple MacBook Neo signals the arrival of a new line of affordable laptops using Apple's mobile technology. Assuming this version is well received by the public and meets sales expectations, 2027 could see the arrival of a next-gen MacBook Neo powered by the iPhone Pro 17's A19 Pro chip, which features 12GB of RAM.