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Apple MacBook Neo
- Free, insured shipping
- Certified data erasure
- Paid within 2 business days
- No selling fees, unlike marketplaces
Announced on March 4, 2026, the Apple MacBook Neo is Apple's least expensive laptop ever. It's also the first Mac built around an A-series iPhone chip rather than an M-series processor, running the Apple A18 Pro in a 2.7-pound aluminum body. Apple sold it as a single model — A3404, 13-inch, 8GB of unified memory — with only two choices: 256GB or 512GB of storage, and one of four colors. Here's the part that trips people up, and it's the one thing you need to know before you quote: the storage tier also determines whether your keyboard has Touch ID. That's the easiest way to identify your model, and it's explained below.
Model number, storage tiers & colors
Unlike the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, which span several chip generations and screen sizes, the MacBook Neo has exactly one model number: A3404. The release year is 2026. Every unit is 13-inch, A18 Pro, 8GB unified memory. Only the storage and the color change.
MacBook Neo 256GB — with Lock Key
- Model number: A3404 · Release year: 2026
- Storage: 256GB SSD
- Keyboard: standard Magic Keyboard, 78 (ANSI) keys
- The top-right key is a plain Lock Key — it wakes, locks, and powers the Mac on and off, but has no fingerprint reader
- Original U.S. price: $599 ($499 education)
MacBook Neo 512GB — with Touch ID
- Model number: A3404 · Release year: 2026
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Keyboard: Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, 78 (ANSI) keys
- The top-right key is a Touch ID sensor — it unlocks the Mac with your fingerprint, authorizes Apple Pay, and signs in to apps and sites
- Original U.S. price: $699
The one-look identification test
- Open the lid and look at the key in the very top-right corner of the keyboard.
- Plain key with a small lock icon → you have the 256GB model.
- Smooth, slightly recessed square with no printed icon → that's Touch ID, and you have the 512GB model.
- You don't need to open any settings, find any serial number, or know anything technical. Apple only paired Touch ID with the larger drive, so the key tells you your storage tier.
Colors & part numbers
- Four finishes: Silver, Blush (light pink), Citrus (yellow), and Indigo (dark blue), each with a color-matched keyboard
- Color does not change the offer — report it only if we ask
- U.S. part numbers follow the pattern MHFxxLL/A (examples: MHFC4LL/A Silver 512GB, MHFE4LL/A Citrus 512GB, MHFG4LL/A Indigo 512GB)
- Internal identifiers, if you ever see them referenced: model identifier Mac17,5, board J700AP
Chip, memory & storage
Chip
- Apple A18 Pro — the same silicon family used in the iPhone, and the first A-series chip in a shipping Mac
- 6-core CPU: 2 performance cores + 4 efficiency cores
- 5-core GPU with hardware-accelerated ray tracing
- 16-core Neural Engine — this is what drives Apple Intelligence on the machine
- 60GB/s memory bandwidth
- There is no faster or slower variant. Every MacBook Neo has this exact chip.
Memory (RAM)
- 8GB unified memory — the only configuration Apple offered
- Unified memory is built into the chip package. It is not a stick, not a slot, and cannot be upgraded at purchase or afterward by anyone, including Apple
- If you've seen a MacBook Neo advertised with more than 8GB, it was described incorrectly
Storage
- 256GB SSD or 512GB SSD — soldered to the logic board
- Storage cannot be upgraded after purchase, which is exactly why the capacity you bought is a permanent value driver on this model
- Not sure which you have? Check the keyboard key described above, or click the Apple menu → About This Mac → More Info → Storage
Media engine
- Hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW
- Dedicated video decode engine and video encode engine
- ProRes encode and decode engine
- AV1 decode
- Video playback supports HDR with Dolby Vision, HDR10+/HDR10, and HLG
Display, camera & audio
Display
Liquid Retina display — 13.0-inch diagonal, LED-backlit with IPS technology, 2408 × 1506 native resolution at 219 pixels per inch, 500 nits brightness, with support for 1 billion colors and sRGB color. Non-touch.
Two absences worth stating plainly, because they surprise people used to other MacBooks: the Neo has no True Tone and no P3 wide color gamut. It's an sRGB panel, which is fine for browsing, streaming, and schoolwork but limits color-critical creative work.
Camera & microphones
1080p FaceTime HD camera with 1080p HD video recording and an advanced image signal processor with computational video. Paired with a dual-mic array with directional beamforming, supporting Voice Isolation and Wide Spectrum microphone modes.
Audio
Dual-speaker sound system with side-firing drivers, supporting Spatial Audio when playing Dolby Atmos music or video through the built-in speakers. Audio playback formats include AAC, MP3, Apple Lossless, FLAC, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby Atmos. A 3.5 mm headphone jack is included — worth noting, since it's one of only three physical connectors on the machine.
Keyboard & trackpad
Magic Keyboard with 78 (ANSI) or 79 (ISO) keys including 12 full-height function keys, plus a large Multi-Touch trackpad with gesture support.
Two more plain-language absences: the Neo's keyboard is not backlit, and the trackpad is a mechanical click trackpad with a physical hinge rather than the Force Touch trackpad used on the MacBook Air and Pro. Neither is a defect — they're how the machine shipped.
Ports & connectivity
The MacBook Neo has three physical connectors total. The two USB-C ports look identical but are not the same speed, which catches people out when they test the machine.
- One USB 3 (USB-C) port supporting:
- — Charging
- — DisplayPort video output
- — USB 3 data at up to 10Gb/s
- Supports native DisplayPort 1.4 speeds (up to HBR3)
- This is the only port that will drive an external display. If you tested video output on the other port and nothing happened, the laptop isn't broken — you used the wrong port.
- One USB 2 (USB-C) port supporting:
- — Charging
- — USB 2 data at up to 480Mb/s only
- — No video output from this port
- One 3.5 mm headphone jack
- External display support: one external display at up to 4K/60Hz, alongside the built-in display at full resolution
Stated absences on every MacBook Neo: no MagSafe charging port (it charges over USB-C only), no Thunderbolt or USB4 on either port, no HDMI, no SD or microSD card reader, no Ethernet, no touchscreen, no Apple Pencil or stylus support, no backlit keyboard, no Force Touch trackpad, no True Tone, no P3 wide color, and no Touch ID on the 256GB model. Memory and storage are both fixed and cannot be upgraded. Only one external display is supported.
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 6, 2× USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack, no MagSafe, no Thunderbolt, no card reader
Battery, build & more
Battery & charger
Built-in 36.5-watt-hour lithium-ion battery, rated by Apple at up to 16 hours of video streaming or up to 11 hours of wireless web browsing.
In the box: a 20W USB-C Power Adapter and a 1.5 m USB-C Charge Cable. Include both if you still have them — the "Charger Included" selector above accounts for it. Good news if you've lost yours: unlike the proprietary bricks that ship with gaming laptops, this is a common 20W USB-C adapter, so the value impact is small.
Size & weight
Height: 0.50 inches (1.27 cm)
Width: 11.71 inches (29.75 cm)
Depth: 8.12 inches (20.64 cm)
Weight: 2.7 pounds (1.23 kg)
Uniformly thin, with no wedge taper. Weight varies slightly by configuration.
Build & materials
Aluminum enclosure in one of four colors, made with 60% recycled content overall, including 90% recycled aluminum and 100% recycled cobalt in the battery. ENERGY STAR certified. The anodized finish scuffs like any aluminum MacBook — check the lid corners and the front lip, since those drive the cosmetic grade.
Repairability
Unusually for a Mac, iFixit rated the MacBook Neo Apple's most repairable laptop in fourteen years, citing a screwed-down battery tray rather than glued cells, a screwed-down keyboard, modular ports and speakers, and no parts pairing. That matters when you're selling: a Neo with a failed keyboard, port, or battery is far more economically repairable than an equivalent MacBook Air, which is reflected in what we can offer for damaged units.
Operating system
Shipped with macOS Tahoe and full Apple Intelligence support. Built-in apps include Safari, Mail, Messages, Photos, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, iMovie, GarageBand, Freeform, and iPhone Mirroring. A Neo running a newer macOS version is completely fine to sell.
Wireless
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 6. No cellular or WWAN option was ever offered.
Frequently asked questions
Option 1 — look at the top-right key (fastest). Open the lid. If the key in the very top-right corner of the keyboard shows a small lock icon, you have the 256GB model. If it's a blank, smooth, slightly recessed square, that's Touch ID—you have the 512GB model. Apple only paired the fingerprint sensor with the larger drive, so this single key tells you which option to select above.
Option 2 — flip the laptop over. Close the lid and turn it upside down. Etched into the aluminum in small text near the hinge, you'll find "MacBook Neo" and "Model A3404". If it says anything other than MacBook Neo, you're on the wrong page.
Option 3 — check it on screen. Click the Apple menu (the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen) → About This Mac. It will show MacBook Neo and the chip name Apple A18 Pro. Click More Info, then Storage, to see your exact capacity.
Need pictures? See our guide to finding your gadget's model or our laptop model number guide. You can also just contact us with a photo, and we'll identify it for you.
The definitive test: click the Apple menu → About This Mac and read the chip name.
• Apple A18 Pro → MacBook Neo. You're in the right place.
• Apple M1, M2, M3, M4, or M5 → that's a MacBook Air or a MacBook Pro, not a Neo.
Three physical tells, if you'd rather not open anything:
1. The charging port. Look at the left edge. The MacBook Air has a small oval MagSafe port that a magnetic charger snaps onto. The Neo has no MagSafe at all — just two USB-C ports and a headphone jack. This is the quickest check.
2. The keyboard backlight. Sit in a dark room and press a key. The Air's keys light up from underneath. The Neos do not — its keyboard has no backlight.
3. The color. Citrus (yellow) and Blush (pink) are MacBook Neo colors. Midnight, Starlight, and Sky Blue are MacBook Air colors. Silver exists in both, so silver alone doesn't settle it.
Also not this page: the 12-inch MacBook (2015–2017), which is much older and has a single USB-C port; and any MacBook Pro, which has HDMI, an SD card reader, and Thunderbolt ports the Neo doesn't have. If you're unsure, browse all MacBook models or request a custom quote and we'll route you correctly.
Common findings on this model and how to grade them:
• Cracked or dead screen — mark defective screen. Still very much worth selling.
• Battery that drains fast or won't hold a charge — mark defective battery. To check yours: Apple menu → System Settings → Battery → Battery Health.
• Trackpad that won't click — the Neo uses a mechanical hinge trackpad, so this is a known wear point. Mark defective keyboard/touchpad.
• A USB-C port that won't charge or won't output video — first confirm you tried the correct port (only the USB 3 port carries video). If it's genuinely dead, mark defective hardware.
• Dents or deep scratches in the aluminum — cosmetic grade only, not a functional defect.
• Refurbished units — check the "Refurbished device" box; we still buy them, including Apple Certified Refurbished stock.
• Still locked to an Apple Account — see the last FAQ. You genuinely need to fix this before shipping.
One thing that works in your favor here: because iFixit found the Neo to be Apple's most repairable laptop in over a decade — screwed-down battery, modular ports and speakers, no parts pairing — damaged Neos are cheaper to bring back into service than a damaged MacBook Air, and our offers on defective units reflect that.
The only thing that changes an offer after the fact is an inaccurate description, so err toward honesty. Our how it works page explains what happens at inspection.
1. Storage tier. The 512GB model is worth meaningfully more than the 256GB, and the gap doesn't close over time. Storage is soldered and can never be added, so a 512GB Neo will always be the more capable machine. The Touch ID keyboard that comes with it adds to that premium — buyers specifically look for it.
2. Cosmetic condition of the aluminum. With no configuration options to differentiate units, condition does more work here than on most models. Lid corners and the front lip are where the damage shows.
3. Screen condition. No cracks, no pressure marks, no dead pixels.
4. Battery health. Check it under System Settings → Battery → Battery Health before you grade.
5. The original 20W adapter and USB-C cable. Include them. The impact is smaller than on other laptops since these are common parts, but it still counts.
6. Original box. Not required, but it helps.
Worth knowing if you've only ever traded in at Apple: a lot of MacBook Neo owners never realize there's an alternative that pays actual money. Apple Trade In gives you store credit toward another Apple purchase — not cash, and it declines devices with cracked screens or other damage outright, offering only free recycling instead. Gadget Salvation pays cash, buys damaged units, and has been doing it since 2008. You get a firm price up front, free insured shipping, certified data erasure, and payment within two business days of delivery — with no listing fees, no payment-processor cut, no shipping disputes, and no strangers meeting you in a parking lot.
Timing matters too. The Neo is an annual, entry-priced product, so its resale value steps down noticeably each time Apple refreshes the line. For context, see our guides on calculating what your MacBook is worth, how and where to trade in an Apple MacBook, how Apple Trade In works online, and every laptop liquidation option compared.
Because the Neo was built for students and sold at education pricing, we see these in volume from schools and districts. If you're clearing out a classroom, lab, or one-to-one program, see school buyback, corporate buyback, and bulk selling.
Before you ship:
1. Back up your files. Use Time Machine with an external drive, or make sure everything is synced to iCloud. Remember that with 256GB or 512GB of soldered storage, whatever is on the machine is the only copy unless you've backed it up.
2. Sign out of iMessage and FaceTime, and deauthorize the Mac in the Music app under Account → Authorizations → Deauthorize This Computer.
3. Unpair Bluetooth accessories — AirPods, mice, keyboards — under System Settings → Bluetooth.
4. Erase the Mac and turn off Find My in one step: Apple menu → System Settings → General → Transfer or Reset → Erase All Content and Settings. Enter your password when prompted. This signs you out of your Apple Account, disables Activation Lock, and wipes the drive together. It's the method Apple recommends and the only one you need.
5. Confirm it worked. After the erase, the Mac should restart to the "Hello" setup screen. If it asks for an Apple Account password to continue, Activation Lock is still on — stop and complete step 4 properly before shipping.
6. If the Mac came from a school or workplace, ask their IT team to release it from Apple School Manager, Apple Business Manager, or MDM enrollment first. Otherwise, it re-enrolls on setup and stays locked to their organization.
7. Remove any firmware password if one was ever set.
Every drive that reaches us is wiped to certified standards regardless — see our data erasure protocols.
Packing note: at 2.7 pounds and half an inch thick, the Neo is light, but the lid is thin. Don't let the power adapter press against the screen in transit, and pad all six sides. Full guidance is on our shipping instructions page.
Getting paid: shipping is free and fully insured using the prepaid label we provide. Once your MacBook arrives and passes inspection, payment is issued within about two business days via PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, or a check mailed to you. No selling fees are deducted — the offer you accept is the amount you receive, in cash rather than store credit.
Ready to move on from your MacBook Neo? Select your storage size and condition above for an instant cash offer. You can also browse all MacBook models, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro.