First MacBook Neo Benchmarks: A18 Pro Matches iPhone 16 Pro CPU, Rivals M1 Air
Mar 6th 2026
Early Geekbench results put the MacBook Neo with the A18 Pro at 3461 single-core, 8668 multi-core and 31286 Metal, showing CPU parity with the iPhone 16 Pro and multi-core performance similar to the M1 MacBook Air.
- The MacBook Neo uses the 6-core A18 Pro from the iPhone 16 Pro but with one fewer GPU core.
- Geekbench results show 3461 single-core, 8668 multi-core, and a Metal score of 31286.
- Multi-core performance is roughly on par with the M1 MacBook Air while single-core performance is substantially higher and closer to M3 or M4 levels.
- The Neo's slightly lower Metal score versus the iPhone 16 Pro is consistent with the missing GPU core.
- Apple markets the Neo as a low-cost laptop for everyday tasks; it starts at $599, is available for preorder, and launches March 11.