MacBook Neo competitors launch in China for under 500 Euros

Apple's entry-level MacBook Neo is getting a whole range of competitors: manufacturers like Asus, Chuwi, Honor, HP, and Lenovo are introducing Windows 11 notebooks that cost the equivalent of 460 to 650 Euros. The MacBook Neo is available from around 610 Euros without discounts. The Windows competitor models are all equipped with new Core 300 processors, also known as Wildcat Lake.

Intel itself is launching Project Firefly, an initiative to drive down device prices. Processor performance and build quality are intended to be higher than in other typical budget notebooks. Microsoft may also contribute with Windows price reductions.

Asus already provided an outlook on such an alliance between notebook manufacturers, Intel, and Microsoft in March. However, the first orderable models have emerged outside of this alliance.

The only drawback: So far, the introductions are limited to China. Intel has confirmed upon request that Firefly notebooks are not yet intended for the West. However, affordable models with Core 300 are expected to appear in Europe starting in June.

Modern processors on board

Core 300 is the little brother of Intel Panther Lake, also known as Core Ultra 300. Core 300 uses the same architecture and Intel's current 18A manufacturing process, but it's scaled down for lower prices. Instead of 16 CPU cores, there are a maximum of six, the memory interface is halved, the graphics unit is smaller, and there are fewer PCI Express lanes.

The Chuwi Unibook is the cheapest new offering for the equivalent of 460 Euros. The 14-inch model is one of the few with the five-core Core 3 304. The memory configuration with 8 GB LPDDR5X-7467 RAM and a 256 GB SSD covers the essentials. The IPS display offers a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels in a 16:10 format. The connectivity is surprisingly versatile: there are plenty of USB ports, HDMI 2.0, Ethernet, an audio jack, and a microSD card slot. According to the manufacturer, even the Pro version of Windows 11 is pre-installed.

For the equivalent of 560 to 650 Euros, you can find notebooks in China with the six-core Core 5 320, 16 GB RAM, and a 512 GB SSD, such as Asus' Vivobook 14SE and 16SE, Honor's X14, and HP's Omnibook 3. In some cases, the resolution increases to 2560 x 1600 pixels and the refresh rate to up to 144 Hertz.

Intel wants to maintain a premium look

Intel's Project Firefly includes Lenovo's Lecoo Air 14 and HP's Omnibook Plus 14 at launch. The HP Omnibook Plus 14, with 16 GB RAM and a 512 GB SSD, costs approximately 760 Euros.

Here, Intel provides the blueprint for the underlying platform. Notebook manufacturers save money because they don't have to design their own platforms individually. “Optimize once, benefit globally,” Intel states in a press release.

Project Firefly draws inspiration from smartphones regarding motherboard layout and supply chains. The motherboards in the notebooks are modular and feature standardized connectors. According to Intel, this reduces the board area by five percent and the number of required soldered components by seven percent.

The notebooks are intended to maintain a premium look despite their slim designs. A closed thickness of under 14 mm even suggests metal casings; plastic casings are typically thicker to maintain stability. And HP promotes an included 65-watt gallium nitride (GaN) power adapter for fast charging.

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(mma)