Industry observers note that apple’s $599 laptop looks, feels, and sounds premium in ways that similarly priced Windows laptops never even tried to match. It’s no surprise that the PC industry scrambled to muster a response, with the initial volley breaking cover at Computex – spearheaded by Dell’s $699 XPS 13, a fresh notebook that rightfully mopped up in our Best of Computex awards. The MacBook Neo is a revelation, full stop.
In a fresh development, it borrowed the parts of the MacBook Neo that matter most, giving it a leg up against rival MacBook Neo competitors… though one thing may wind up being the XPS 13’s Achilles heel in the long run, because of Windows itself. Here’s the exciting part: Dell clearly understood the assignment.
The report highlights that it’s all about the feel, man. I’ve been using the MacBook Neo for a month, after decades of buying cheap Windows laptops under $500, so I can speak firsthand to its appeals.
In a fresh development, they’re pokey, plasticky slabs of uninspired sadness – utilities that let you pay bills and email grandma more than something you’re excited to crack open. Cheap Windows laptops feel like crap.
As part of the ongoing story, you want to use it. The MacBook Neo isn’t.
In a fresh development, the all-aluminum chassis is just the beginning – the screen is pixel-packed and vibrant, the sound is punchy, the battery lasts forever, the touchpad feels great, and the recycled iPhone processor delivers primo single-core performance, meaning everything is responsive and apps open lickety-split. Apple relentlessly focused on the aspects that make a laptop pop.
Industry observers note that the parts of the MacBook Neo you can see or feel all feels great, the exact opposite of the traditional cheap Windows laptop experience.
The report highlights that dell clearly studied from Apple’s playbook. I haven’t touched it, but on paper, the Dell XPS 13’s scant 2.2-pound weight and 17 hours of claimed battery life rival the Neo, while the OLED display and backlit keyboard trump it. (See? You get a little more for the extra $100.). The Dell XPS 13 isn’t exactly a cheap Windows laptop at $699, but it’s what passes for it in 2026.
As part of the ongoing story, i’ve always advised loved ones to spend more on the parts you spend all day physically interacting with – the screen you look at, the mouse you touch, the chair you sit in all day, et cetera. The visceral experience of connecting with your device matters so much more than whether your processor or SSD moves a file two seconds sooner. That matters.
According to the latest update, dell always has with its XPS lineup, and that now extends down to the entry-level $699 XPS 13 – regardless of whether or not it’s aping the MacBook Neo. I have little doubt the XPS 13 will be incredibly appealing to budget Windows PC buyers. Hell, I’m interested myself (though you should always wait for reviews, kids). Apple clearly gets that.
Industry observers note that my only concern mirrors another MacBook Neo design decision: The Dell XPS 13 only includes 8GB of RAM, as the memory crisis rages on.
Industry observers note that there are two major reasons for that. The MacBook Neo doesn’t just feel good under your fingertips, it feels good in minute-to-minute use.
The report highlights that single-core performance influences your PC’s speed and responsiveness. The Dell XPS 13 uses a fresh Intel Wildcat Lake processor built to enable cheap laptops. Even if it can’t match the Neo, I’m sure it’ll work fine in day-to-day use. First, the MacBook Neo’s processor is an iPhone castoff that prioritizes single-core performance.
In a fresh development, roman used the MacBook Neo to edit the Macworld Podcast’s YouTube video — something you’d hate to do on an 8GB Windows laptop.
Industry observers note that using the MacBook Neo as a daily driver has been a revelation because Apple’s MacOS handles memory allocation and app switching so much better than Windows does. The Neo’s combination of a fast CPU and MacOS’s fantastic memory management lets it punch so, so far above its weight class. The memory, though.
According to the latest update, it didn’t break. I’ve used my Neo the same way I use my blinged-out tech industry PC, hot-swapping between Apple TV streams, Xbox Platform release Pass platform releases, Spotify, Discord, and a tab-laden Chrome instance throughout the day. My Macworld pal Roman Loyola pushed his MacBook Neo to the limit, subjecting it to 4K video editing workloads and opening a whopping 59 browser tabs at once.
As part of the ongoing story, it never falters. It always feels fast. It never sputters.
Industry observers note that i’m sure there’s a ceiling to what you can do with it, but with so much headroom, there’s a good chance you’ll never get anywhere near it.”. Roman summed it up well: “[The MacBook Neo] is a great Mac for everyday tasks, and will even handle the occasional pro app.
In a fresh development, i’m not joking – the focus is on “performance, reliability, and craft” after years of bloat led to user outrage and Linux migrations. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s big project for 2026 is to make Windows 11 less shitty.
The report highlights that even if the rest of the Dell XPS 13 experience holds up to the MacBook Neo’s lofty fresh standards, I would be utterly shocked if it feels as good in minute-to-minute use. Windows 11’s memory handling is egregiously bad compared to MacOS.
In a fresh development, i don’t necessarily agree – as a Chromebook advocate surrounded by normal people who use computers as necessities, not hobbies, an 8GB Windows laptop holds up perfectly fine for basic tasks and web browsing with a handful of tabs open. Many of my colleagues refuse to use a Windows PC with 8GB of RAM, claiming those machines bog down to unusable speeds.
In a fresh development, i think the Dell XPS 13 will shine brightly if used in that way, feeling and looking fantastic all the while.
In a fresh development, i could never multitask the way I can on the MacBook Neo with any of my past $500 laptops, and Microsoft is a big part of the reason why, not just the devices. But I suspect Windows – and thus the XPS 13 – will crumble the second you throw punishing workloads at it.
The report highlights that it feels like Windows fell victim to the same pattern, and until Microsoft fixes it, cheap Windows laptops fundamentally can’t match the MacBook Neo’s user experience, no matter how heavenly their devices is. Interestingly, in an interview this week, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said “we never got there” in terms of programs optimization during the prime PC era – developers just assumed the next generation of processors will be ever-faster, rather than tweaking their programs to run better.
According to the latest update, hopefully the changes come fast and furious because Dell understood the assignment. The XPS 13 mirrors the MacBook Neo’s most appealing devices decisions. Heck, it even outshines Apple in some ways! Microsoft is working on making Windows better.
In a fresh development, they’ll still need to be used like cheap laptops. The MacBook Neo is a cheap laptop that looks, feels, and handles like a premium experience. That’s a huge difference. But until Windows gets its act together, MacBook Neo rivals aren’t even playing the same system update.
As part of the ongoing story, he specializes in graphics cards and tech industry, but covers everything from security to Windows tips and all manner of PC devices. Brad Chacos spends his days digging through desktop PCs and tweeting too much.