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Microsoft reveals major price increase for all Surface PCs as RAM crisis continues
(www.windowscentral.com)
this post was submitted on 13 Apr 2026
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Lol, just as Apple released their lowest cost laptop ever at $600
Not really sure how big of a difference it makes but isn't the memory on the Neo on the same die as the processor? The A18 Pro is also likely a lot of old binned chips that they've been collecting for a year. I wouldn't be surprises if this completely isolated them from the rising memory costs. Apple really lucked out on the timing of their release. Not that the Neo wouldn't have been an amazing value regardless either way.
Not actually on the same die, but in the same package, stacked on top using TSMC's Integrated Fan-Out Package on Package (InFO-PoP).
So the memory still needs to be sourced from memory manufacturers, sent to TSMC, and then have TSMC package it all together in a single package. It's unclear whether they had locked up this supply at pre-AI prices, though. The underlying A18 Pro chip/package was annoinced and launched about 18 months ago, so if they had the manufacturing pipeline set up for that they might have kept the contractual rights to continue buying memory at the old prices.
let me guess... it's got less processing power than an iPod Nano.
Looks quite the opposite to be fair
if it can't run more than 10 active tabs (and a basic program work related program) simultaneously it's a piece of shit.
And it uses literally the same exact hardware as the iPhone 🤣
I honestly feel that's less of a diss on the Neo and more of a statement on how overpowered phones are now, especially considering the limitations placed on mobile OSes.
Some of the same hardware, yes.
But also - the CPU/GPU in the iPhones are insane.
Compared against a bunch of laptops in the price class from dell, HP, etc and the single-core performance is like 50% higher on the iPhone CPU in the macbook neo.
I can't wait for more ARM CPUs that hit these specs for a reasonable price.
ARM cpus are great for battery life and aren't saddled with decades of legacy support, what they are not is a physics bending device. It's not a geekbench benchmark that is going to change the reality of physics. Now, if one's use of a computing device is circumscribed to opening web pages, then the iPhone is the device for you. Also, don't forget to breathe in and breathe out.
As someone who was very excited about ARM several years ago and still is using ARM for half of my homelab equipment, it's unfortunately rapidly become irrelevant. x86 CPUs can now run as efficiently at the same TDP while still beating it in performance with all the benefits of x86. Unless something unforeseen changes, I probably won't be buying any more ARM machines for homelab/server use. Still using what I already own, of course.
RISC-V seems cool though, but not sure that it will be more attractive than x86.
I'm still excited, ARM is still a gen ahead of x86 in power constrained situations, for energy efficiency, where peak compute is not a requirement. That illusion fades away fast though, when one multitasks or needs a non hardware accelerated pipeline. For single purpose devices like game consoles, that advantage in power consumption looks mighty sweet. Let's see what AMD conjures up for the next gen PS6 or as a response to Lunar lake. The mobile ecosystem, especially Apple, have a vertical integration that makes HW development more agile as they are not saddled by decades of legacy support and tech debt.
This seems nonsensical to me. It's physically impossible for ARM competitors to match the performance of Apple ARM?
Not to mention that we're talking about their lowest-specced CPU here and there are far more powerful ones.
Those single core performance numbers are entirely benchmaxxed and don't reflect real world performance or reality at all
EDIT: downvoters in denial. They get better synthetic Geekbench numbers compared to some of the latest desktop x86 processors ("beats" 7950X and "meets" 9950X), but get absolutely smoked by those same processors in real use. Maybe your only use of a computer is running Geekbench idk.
Where the heck are you getting these results from because there's absolutely no way these results are real. The M5 Max doesn't even get anywhere near the 9950X much less the A18 Pro.
That's exactly my point, yeah. It's ridiculously benchmaxxed.
A18: https://browser.geekbench.com/v6/cpu/8650702
9950X: https://browser.geekbench.com/processors/amd-ryzen-9-9950x
7950X: https://browser.geekbench.com/processors/amd-ryzen-9-7950x
Honestly, do people actually treat geekbench results with anything more than a pinch of salt outside of mobile? I thought people at least use Cinebench for this.
I'd guess the downvoters do. The apple fanboys really trying hard to convince themselves that their phone is faster than a 9950X 😂 they'll cling to anything that feeds the delusion
Well this is the company that claimed to be on par with a 4090 after all...
https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Apple+A18+Pro+%28MacBook+Neo%29&id=7232
Not exactly, it's a binned version. 5 GPU cores instead of the 6 on the iPhone. Still, it's pretty impressive for what it's able to do.
Seems you let you bias take over rather than actually knowing why you’re talking about.
Except I'm factually correct.
Your words were correct but not your laughing smug face. You said it like it was some kind of own when really it was complementing iPhone’s.
I’ll hate on all the companies in the world, but I’ll do it based on facts and not allow my bias to make me look like a clown, as it did for you here.
Just try and be better is all I ask, else we may as well go hang around on r/conservative with all the other folk that don’t fact check and have no integrity.
And I'm supposed to be the biased one who looks like a clown?? 🤣
Brother, we aren't talking about phones, we are talking about laptops. Yes, it is a huge own.
As you've admitted, I'm factually correct.
The laptop is extremely mediocre. I wouldn't want a laptop made from an Android phone, either.
Your one downvote isn't a ratio...
Whatever dude. You’re not going to bring me round to your warped bias view and I’m not going to instil any integrity or common sense into you so let’s go our separate ways as there’s nothing more to be said.
No hard feelings you silly cunt 😂. For what it’s worth I hope you have a wonderful day.
I'm just correct, sorry. Not sure why you take the fact that Apple is selling a laptop made from phone hardware so personally? Apparently stating truth is bias and being a clown. 🤔
🥱
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and its STILL insultingly expensive for what it is.
A laptop with one of the worst modern keyboards with a dated ARM phone soc.. Where have I heard that before.
If the pinebook can exist for $200 in tiny volumes, the macbook with its massive production volume is absolutely a slap in the face. The BOM on that thing can't be more than $200-250 even with the wasteful packaging and marketing.
That should be filling the $399 space the eee pc laptops did. The costs should have diminished down by now.
Huh? The CPU has still one of the highest single core performance benchmarks on the market, especially considering it's fanless. The keyboard is also really good as they got rid of the butterfly in 2019, it is unfortunate, it has no backlight, and RAM is limited to 8 gigabytes. Otherwise, a good deal with how good the screen and speakers are, and solid aluminum build quality
Man, not OP so I do agree with everything else you said but the keyboard is only passable. Compared to laptops at this price range it is really good but overall? No way that keyboard can be considered good with that god awful key travel. I love my Neo for light tasks but no way I'm using that for any serious typing work.
Gee mister I bet you sure do love paying phat margins on commodity goods.
To quote Allan Sugar, you've bought in to the mugs eyeful.
Nah, I buy used ThinkPads for cheap.
well, yeah, duh.