MacBook Neo: Reviews, Performance & PC Comparison – 2026’s Budget Laptop?

A simple copper foil modification is dramatically boosting the performance of Apple’s novel MacBook Neo, with some users reporting a 60 frames-per-second (fps) experience in the graphically demanding game Fallout 4, according to reports surfacing online.

The unexpected performance gains, first highlighted by Italian tech reviewer Andrea Galeazzi, involve placing a small piece of copper foil inside the MacBook Neo’s chassis. Although the exact mechanism isn’t fully understood, the modification appears to improve thermal dissipation, allowing the A18 Pro chip to maintain higher clock speeds for longer periods. Galeazzi initially shared the discovery on his Facebook page, noting the significant improvement after retesting the device.

The MacBook Neo, released earlier this month, has been the subject of intense scrutiny, particularly regarding its gaming capabilities. A recent test by Andrew Tsai for 9to5Mac examined the laptop’s performance across ten games, including Cyberpunk 2077, Minecraft, and Elden Ring. The review acknowledged the machine’s surprising ability to handle some titles, but noted that its 8GB of unified memory often proved to be a limiting factor. Cyberpunk 2077, for example, required all settings to be lowered to the minimum and a resolution of 720p to achieve playable frame rates.

Sky TG24 reported the MacBook Neo as potentially the best “economical” laptop of 2026, while HDblog.it described a three-week testing period as a “new beginning for ‘economical’ laptops.” However, reviews have also pointed to compromises, including the lack of a backlit keyboard, a limited number of USB-C ports, and a base storage capacity of only 256GB.

The discovery of the copper foil fix has sparked debate online, with some questioning Apple’s thermal management design. Altroconsumo.it recently published a comparison between MacBooks and PCs, but did not specifically address the thermal issues or the copper foil workaround.

Andrea Galeazzi has continued to engage with the community regarding the issue, responding to comments and sharing further observations on his social media channels. He recently posted a video addressing “dissing, counter-dissing and MEAN COMMENTS” related to the topic, indicating a significant level of online discussion.

Apple has not yet commented on the copper foil modification or the underlying thermal issues. It remains unclear whether the company will address the issue in a future software or hardware update.