Did the MacBook Neo Just Kill the iPad?

So early on, I built an entire YouTube channel focusing around how to use your iPad as a computer replacement. I mean, even Apple thought it could be done with their What's a Computer commercial focusing on the iPad. Whatcha doing on your computer? What's

a computer? I defended it, I dealt with all the OS limitations that came with it, especially early on before iPadOS 26, I pushed it all the way to its limits, and for me, and the way that I used the iPad, I was able to get it to become a computer replacement after years of trial and error and going through a rollercoaster of how to get from point A to point B from

a task perspective on the iPad. But Apple's introduction of the brand new MacBook Neo really kinda changes the narrative in terms of who should be getting an iPad, especially if you are dealing in that $500 to $700 to $800 range in terms of how much you could spend. But for the MacBook Neo, if somebody came to me and asked me and they said, I have $600, $700, what should I get in

the Apple store as a computer? I would kind of lean them towards getting an iPad Air because that was truly the only computer option that was available at that price point. But now that's changing with the $599 MacBook Neo. So in this video,

price point. But now that's changing with the $599 MacBook Neo. So in this video, I wanna break down exactly what the MacBook Neo means for the iPad lineup and how it changes who the iPad target customer is because I think the iPad now even though it's still gonna be a great device and very powerful for a lot of people, it's become a more niche device. Let's talk about it. But before we

continue, leave some comments down below about what you think about the MacBook Neo and what you think it's gonna do to the iPad lineup. Curious to know what you think. Is it gonna be good for the iPad, bad for the iPad? Is it

think. Is it gonna be good for the iPad, bad for the iPad? Is it

gonna kind of make the iPad Pro a better device overall or vice versa? Let's

talk about that in the comments below and maybe while you're down there, hit subscribe.

So let's contextualize the iPad a little bit, especially the entry-level iPad lineup, because the iPad used to be the entry-level computer up until that MacBook Neo. I mean, think about how Apple framed the A16 iPad with the Magic Keyboard. It was basically an education computer for students in the middle school, high school, college, because of what it could do with the power and at that price point. You know, putting the iPad

Pro off to the side, if somebody walked into an Apple store with $500 to $700, I would tell them, go get an iPad if you need a computer because you can get the A16 iPad, you can get the Magic Keyboard, you can get the Apple Pencil, and for less than $600, $700, you have basically a full-on computer experience to an extent, and you also have the versatility of it being a tablet

and an iPad. It was for students, for families, for casual users, for people that just use it for content consumption, but also some people that needed to get some work done could do it, especially when you attach the Magic Keyboard, and that's what made that iPad so enticing at that price point for Apple. But now that MacBook Neo is breaking that price barrier and it's kind of changing up what the recommendation

is gonna be moving forward. Because for roughly the same price as an iPad, whether you're getting a fully loaded kind of A16 iPad with a keyboard or if you're just looking for a plain M4 iPad Air at $600, instead of dealing with iPadOS and all the workarounds that come with it, you now get a full macOS experience with desktop apps, traditional multitasking, real file management, multiple USB-C ports, an actual keyboard that's

built into the device itself, yes, you're losing the touchscreen and the versatility of it also being a tablet, but for most people, this is kind of where they want to be with this thin, light, but still very productive, heavy kind of computer experience.

And while, yes, on paper, the iPad is technically cheaper, especially the entry-level one, the iPad has an iPad setup problem, especially if you're using it as your main computer.

I mean, even on the lower echelon, like I mentioned, the iPad itself is $350 for the base entry-level one. Then you gotta get the Magic Keyboard, which is another $250 Apple Pencil, then you're gonna spend another 70 to $120. So at

that point, you are spending that six to $700 on an entry-level iPad. And if

you start to add up with the iPad Air, starting at $600, Magic Keyboard for $300, your $600 iPad has now turned into a $1,000 iPad setup. And now you're looking over at the MacBook Neo, which is $600 and even cheaper through the Education Store. You're able to get it for $499 to $599, and it brings everything out

Store. You're able to get it for $499 to $599, and it brings everything out of the box. You have the keyboard, the trackpad's already built in there, you have the display, the charger, the two USB-C ports, like I mentioned, You have a headphone jack, which is something that iPads don't have anymore, which is kind of mind-blowing when you think about it. So the value conversation of the iPad, even with iPadOS 26

and the floating windows and the beauty of it kind of being this mesh between MacOS and iPadOS, the conversation is a lot harder for the iPad, especially at that below iPad Pro level. So what this means for the iPad and the lineup, especially sub the iPad Pro is that the iPad is becoming an ultra specialized device. So

it's still gonna shine with all that creativity work, that creative workflow, being able to use the Apple pencil with drawing, design and note taking. It's still gonna be used in education settings with media consumption. You can still use it as a portable display and as a companion for Mac OS. And the iPad will still be a tablet and it'll still be amazing at tablet things. But most people were trying to turn

that cheaper kind of computer alternative, which was the iPad to become your computer. And

trust me, I know what that's like, cause I've tried to do that for over 10 years now at this point with the iPad Pro. So I do think we're entering this space where the iPad is starting to get a little bit of an identity problem, especially again with iPadOS 26, giving us those macOS-like features like the task menu bar, the new file management, as well as the floating windows. And the iPads,

for the most part, will still be more powerful from a raw power perspective and a Geekbench score because they're running M chips. For instance, the M4 iPad Air on paper is much, much more powerful than an A18 Pro chip in the macOS computer.

But for most people, the target audience of the people that are gonna be getting this laptop this MacBook Neo, are not really gonna care about that raw and sheer power. They just want something familiar that's gonna work like a laptop, act like a

power. They just want something familiar that's gonna work like a laptop, act like a laptop, look like a laptop, and then be able to be used in that kind of productivity environment with floating windows and everything that comes with that. And what Apple's saying with this new MacBook Neo release is that if you're looking for a cheap laptop, just get a MacBook Neo because that's gonna be the easiest thing for somebody

to get when they walk into an Apple store. And like I said, there are still plenty of things that the iPad can do that Macs just can't do right now because of the touchscreen nature, the Apple Pencil, the portability, the versatility of it all, but it's just becoming a much more specialized device and it requires a very specific type of user to wanna use an iPad over something like a Mac computer.

And I am working on another video talking about how this is actually good for the iPad Pro specifically at that higher echelon price point but for the rest of the iPad lineup, I do think the MacBook Neo is going to kind of cannibalize all those users that were kind of on the fence before because like I said, at $600, you now just get a MacBook Neo, kind of plug and play and

you're good to go versus getting an iPad with the keyboard, with the Apple Pencil, with lower base storage, with a weaker chip, which is the A16 chip versus the A18 Pro. So it just makes a lot more sense to recommend the MacBook Neo

A18 Pro. So it just makes a lot more sense to recommend the MacBook Neo at $600. So I do think that the MacBook Neo, it's not gonna kill the

at $600. So I do think that the MacBook Neo, it's not gonna kill the iPad per se. It actually frees it a little bit because the iPad was always a victim comparison in terms of is it an iPad is it a MacBook it can do kind of MacBook things but it's still an iPad and there's still a lot of limitations I think now for most people an iPad is an iPad it's

gonna remain that way and not a lot of people like myself are gonna continue to forcefully try to use it as a computer again iPad Pro is a little bit of a different story but I do think that MacBook Neo is actually in that positive for iPads overall I just think it is going to cut into iPad sales because the MacBook Neo is gonna sell like hotcakes but let me know with

a comment down below what you think is MacBook Neo worth it is it going to replace iPads is it gonna replace any other type of MacBook? Is there a world where maybe both of them make sense for people? Always curious to know what your thoughts are when it comes to this because I've been an iPad lover for a decade now at this point and yes, the MacBook Neo is cool, but it's

a little sad to see that maybe there's gonna be a lot less people using iPads now that MacBook Neos are out. But that'll do it, everybody. If you made it to the end, leave a little dolphin. And if you guys wanna watch more videos like this one, like our continued coverage of everything Apple, watch one of these videos right here. Until next time, I'm Fernando. Peace.