My first thought when Apple announced the MacBook Neo today was “okay, but why not just get an older Air?” If you’re thinking that too, you might be right. If you can find one.
The Neo starts at $599 with an A18 Pro processor, 8GB of memory, and 256GB storage, and ends at $699 with the same specs plus TouchID and 512GB of storage. It has two USB-C (not Thunderbolt) ports, a pretty basic-looking screen, a mechanical trackpad instead of haptic, and various other cost-saving measures. It’s the cheapest new MacBook you can get now.
Might get one to develop iOS apps
The real story isn't that old MacBooks still work - it's that Apple deliberately slows them down with software updates. The M-series chips are impressive, but planned obsolescence hasn't ended. They just got better at making you want to upgrade rather than forcing you.
The M1/M2 chips changed the game. Old MacBook Airs can still run circles around many new Windows laptops. Apple's vertical integration pays dividends.