Walmart is continuing its venture into the Mac sector by officially introducing the new $599 MacBook Neo. This development is not surprising, as Walmart has served as a testing platform for Apple’s more affordable Mac laptops, particularly those not equipped with the highest-end processors.
Walmart initially began retailing Macs two years ago with the launch of the M1 MacBook Air. At that moment, Apple had just released the M3 MacBook Air and had retired the M1 model, which had been initially sold alongside the pricier M2 MacBook Air. The M1 MacBook Air was originally listed at $699, but Walmart swiftly cut the price to $649 and often provided deals that lowered it to $599. Recently, however, the stock for the M1 MacBook Air has decreased, though Walmart has succeeded in maintaining at least one unit for sale at the $599 price.
Looking forward, Walmart has already made the new MacBook Neo available for pre-order in anticipation of its launch next week. This new option offers customers more than just a color choice; they can opt for a base model with 256GB of storage for $599 or a 512GB variant featuring Touch ID for $699.
It is crucial to mention that Walmart is concentrating on the sub-$1000 laptop segment and will not be offering Apple’s other latest Macs, like the $1099 M5 MacBook Air. Although Walmart does showcase a range of refurbished Macs on its site, these are sold by third-party vendors utilizing Walmart’s platform as a marketplace.
The new MacBook Neo is ready for pre-order starting today, with a planned arrival in stores on March 11.