Apple introduced the MacBook Neo at the beginning of this month, and in my opinion – this has completely changed the MacBook series as we know it. If you have previously purchased a MacBook Air and you do not need 16GB of RAM for heavy multitasking – why not get the MacBook Neo now?

In my eyes, the MacBook Neo is as good a general-purpose laptop as the MacBook Air, and aside from more RAM, a much faster processor (although still thermally limited), and a larger screen, the MacBook Air does not seem to have much of an advantage at the moment. Here’s how I think it could be improved.

Better Display

Fortunately, this topic is already at the rumor stage and not a distant dream.

In 2028, it is said that the MacBook Air will switch to OLED, which will happen just two years after the MacBook Pro. This will be the fifth major Apple product following the iPhone, iPad Pro, this year’s iPad mini (according to rumors), and the redesigned MacBook Pro.

And while it will gain OLED like the MacBook Pro, it will probably not gain touch support. According to Mark Gurman from Bloomberg:

At this point, Apple has not yet decided whether to bring touch support to any Mac other than the MacBook Pro (this model is expected to arrive at the end of this year). Therefore, I have my doubts that touch support is being considered for Apple’s lowest-level Mac. It would make more sense for the popular MacBook Air to come first, but even that will not receive an iPhone-style OLED screen for at least two years.

Still, this would be quite a significant improvement for the MacBook Air and would place it well above the MacBook Neo.

One thing that is unclear in the rumors is whether this will be 120Hz. To me, it seems like an easy addition for this price range. People ultimately buy the MacBook Pro for the highest performance, better thermal characteristics, and to get the best – and the MacBook Air could easily incorporate 120Hz without affecting the MacBook Pro.

Better Thermal Characteristics

The MacBook Air is a passive-cooled machine and it needs to stay that way. However, there are many things Apple can do to enhance the performance of the MacBook Air without adding a fan.

For example, the iPad Pro uses graphite plates that dissipate heat through the Apple logo and a copper heat sink. The iPhone 17 Pro is also expected to come with a vapor chamber, which is also expected to come to the iPad Pro. It would be nice to see some thermal improvements made to the MacBook Air, as it is currently not managing heat effectively.

Improve the Design

Finally, I think the MacBook Air could be more radical. Now that it no longer has to focus on being Apple’s cheapest Mac as it has for the past decade, Apple can take the design further. Thinner, more portable, and more experimental.

Many people want something similar to the 12-inch MacBook, and I think a MacBook Air with a starting price of $1299 could push the limits of what is possible in the laptop form factor.

What would you like to see with the MacBook Air? Let me know in the comments.

My favorite Apple accessory recommendations:

  • Anker MagSafe/Qi2 Ultra Thin Battery Pack
  • AirPods Pro 3 (2x ANC compared to AirPods Pro 2!)
  • Anker Nano 45W Fast Charger with Smart Display
  • Anker 3-in-1 Prime 25W MagSafe Charging Stand
  • Logitech MX Master 4 Mouse for Mac
  • Satechi OntheGo 7-in-1 USB-C Hub

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