My $599 Mistake: Why the MacBook Neo Beats the iPad

Is the iPad still the best secret to budget Apple computing, or has the new MacBook Neo officially taken the throne? In this PCMag Lab Report, we’re breaking down why buying a “cheap” iPad to use like a Mac laptop is actually a $600 blunder in 2026. You can find the products mentioned in this video linked below Apple 2026 MacBook Neo 13-inch Laptop with A18 Pro chip 256 GB https://zdcs.link/91wM4b Apple 2026 MacBook Neo 13-inch Laptop with A18 Pro chip 512 GB https://zdcs.link/9yPWgP *PCMag may get commission on this offer. Read more on PCMag.com Apple MacBook Neo vs. Apple iPad: Why I Regret My $600 Tablet Upgrade https://zdcs.link/QK8AAB 0:00 The Expert's Confession 0:41 The Cost Comparison: iPad vs. MacBook Neo 1:18 Performance & Internal Guts 2:11 Apple Intelligence & Future Proofing 2:21 Memory and Storage Math 3:04 Portability vs. Usability 3:45 Display Quality & Screen Size 4:14 Ports, Wireless, & Connectivity 4:56 Software: iPadOS vs. macOS 5:39 Final Verdict Read more on PCMag.com Add PCMag as a trusted news source https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=pcmag.com Check out PCMag's Amazon Storefront: https://zdcs.link/aNJxW2 Subscribe to PCMag's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PCMag Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PCMag Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pcmagofficial Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/pcmag LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pc-magazine/ X: https://x.com/PCMag #MacBookNeo #iPad11 #AppleSilicon #TechReview #MacBookVsiPad #PCMag #AppleIntelligence #LaptopReplacement #A18Pro #TechGuide #labreport