Everything Apple announced this week: MacBook Neo, iPhone 17e and more
Published: (March 4, 2026 at 09:52 AM EST)
6 min read
Source: Engadget
Source: Engadget
Apple’s “Big Week” Recap
Apple promised a “big week” of announcements, and it delivered: six new or refreshed devices plus more powerful chips for MacBook Pros. Below is a cleaned‑up markdown version of the recap, preserving the original structure and content.
iPhone 17e
Price & Storage
- Starting price: $599 (same as the iPhone 16e)
- Base storage: 256 GB (double the previous model)
Key Features
- MagSafe with Qi2 wireless charging up to 15 W (2× faster than iPhone 16e)
- 6.1‑inch Super Retina display with Ceramic Shield 2 – “3× better scratch resistance and reduced glare”
- C1X cellular modem – up to 2× faster than the C1 in iPhone 16e
- A19 chip (same as iPhone 17) → supports Apple Intelligence AI tools, runs iOS 26
- IP68 water‑ and dust‑resistance
- All‑day battery life
- Satellite‑powered features: Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages, Find My
Design & Camera
- Looks almost identical to the iPhone 16e
- Retains the 48 MP Fusion camera system
Availability
- Pre‑orders: Open now
- Colors: Black, White, Soft Pink
- Launch: March 11 in >70 countries/regions
iPad Air M4
Pricing & Storage
- 11‑inch: $599 (128 GB)
- 13‑inch: $799 (128 GB)
- Education discount: $50 off
Performance
- Powered by the M4 chip (≈2 years old, a generation behind the M5 in iPad Pro)
- RAM: 12 GB (up from 8 GB)
- Apple claims up to 2.3× faster than M1‑based iPad Air and >4× faster 3D‑pro rendering with ray tracing
Connectivity
- First iPad Air with Wi‑Fi 7 (N1 chip)
- 5G cellular support (C1X chip)
Design & Camera
- Same LCD panel as the previous two generations
- Unchanged rear camera and dual‑speaker layout
Availability
- Pre‑orders: Open now
- Colors: Blue, Purple, Starlight, Space Gray
- Launch: March 11 in 35 countries/regions
Apple MacBook Pro with M5 Pro & M5 Max
14‑inch MacBook Pro
| Configuration | CPU Cores | GPU Cores | RAM | Storage | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M5 Pro (base) | 15 | 16 | 24 GB | 1 TB | $2,199 |
| M5 Pro (max) | up to 18 | up to 20 | 24 GB | 1 TB | — |
| M5 Max | 18 | 32 or 40 | 24 GB | 1 TB | — |
| Base M5 (no Pro/Max) | — | — | 24 GB | 1 TB | $1,699 (↑ $100) |
- RAM upgrade: Up to 48 GB available
- Display: Unchanged Liquid Retina XDR
- Camera: 12 MP Center Stage front‑facing
- Connectivity: N1 chip → Wi‑Fi 7 & Bluetooth 6
16‑inch MacBook Pro
| Configuration | CPU Cores | GPU Cores | RAM | Storage | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M5 Pro (standard) | 18 | 20 | 24 GB | 1 TB | $2,699 |
| M5 Max (optional) | 18 | 32 or 40 | 24 GB | 1 TB | — |
- Same display, camera, and connectivity upgrades as the 14‑inch model
- Both memory and SSD are faster than previous generations
Chip Architecture
- M5 Pro & M5 Max built on a new “Fusion Architecture” that combines two dies into a single SoC for higher performance and efficiency.
Availability
- Pre‑orders: Open now
- General availability: March 11
MacBook Neo (Leaked & Confirmed)
- Price: Starts at $599 – Apple’s most affordable laptop to date
- Confirmed by Apple on Wednesday after earlier leaks
Summary
Apple’s week introduced:
- iPhone 17e – entry‑level flagship with upgraded storage, MagSafe, and AI‑ready A19.
- iPad Air M4 – refreshed with M4, 12 GB RAM, Wi‑Fi 7, and modest price stability.
- MacBook Pro (14‑ & 16‑inch) – powered by new M5 Pro/Max chips, with higher‑end configurations and modest price bumps.
- MacBook Neo – a budget‑friendly laptop at $599.
All pre‑orders are live, with most devices shipping on March 11.
M5 MacBook Air
Apple
- Chipset: M5 (successor to the M4)
- Base storage: 512 GB SSD (up from 256 GB) – Apple claims “2× faster read/write performance” vs. the previous generation.
- Memory: 16 GB RAM, 153 GB/s bandwidth (28 % faster than the M4 MBA).
- Connectivity: New N1 chip delivering Wi‑Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.
Pricing & Availability
- 13‑inch model: starts at $1,099 (up from the $999 price of the M4 version).
- 15‑inch model: starts at $1,299.
- Colors: Sky Blue, Midnight, Starlight, Silver.
- Pre‑order: now open; ships in 33 countries/regions on March 11.
MacBook Neo
Apple
- Positioning: Entry‑level laptop, the cheapest Mac ever at $599 (or $499 for education).
- Chipset: A18 Pro (first seen in iPhone 16 Pro/Pro Max) – 6‑core CPU, 5‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine, 8 GB unified memory.
- Battery life: Up to 16 hours on a single charge.
Display & Ports
- Screen: 13‑inch Liquid Retina, 500 nits brightness, 1 billion‑color support.
- Ports: 1 × USB‑C 3, 1 × USB‑C 2, headphone jack (no MagSafe).
- Camera & Audio: 1080p FaceTime HD camera, dual mics, side‑firing speakers with Spatial Audio & Dolby Atmos.
Keyboard & Options
- Keyboard: Magic Keyboard with multi‑touch trackpad.
- Touch ID: Optional (+$100).
- Storage upgrade: +$100 for 512 GB (instead of 256 GB).
Performance Claims
- Up to 50 % faster on everyday tasks than the “bestselling PC with the latest shipping Intel Core Ultra 5” (8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD).
- Up to 3× faster on on‑device AI workloads (e.g., advanced photo effects).
Colors & Sustainability
- Colors: Silver, Blush (light pink), Citrus (light yellow), Indigo.
- Materials: Recycled‑aluminum enclosure – 60 % recycled content by weight (the highest for any Apple device).
Availability
- Pre‑order: now open.
- Launch: in stores across 30 countries/regions on March 11.
Hands‑on impression: Engadget senior editor Devindra Hardawar found the MacBook Neo generally positive, though the keyboard and trackpad felt less sturdy than those on Apple’s higher‑end models.
Studio Display & Studio Display XDR
Studio Display XDR (new)
- Size: 27‑inch 5K Retina XDR.
- Backlight: Mini‑LED with >2,000 dimming zones.
- Peak HDR brightness: 2,000 nits.
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz (up from 60 Hz).
- Stand: Tilt‑ and height‑adjustable (standard).
- Camera: 12 MP Center Stage with Desk View (shows face + desk).
- Connectivity: Thunderbolt 5 (daisy‑chainable) + Thunderbolt hub (up to 140 W charging).
- Audio: Three‑mic array, six‑speaker system with Spatial Audio.
- Pricing:
- Base: $3,299
- Nano‑texture glass upgrade: $3,599
Studio Display (refreshed)
- Size: 27‑inch 5K Retina.
- Brightness: Up to 600 nits, P3 wide‑color gamut.
- Camera: Upgraded 12 MP Center Stage with Desk View.
- Audio: “Studio‑quality” three‑mic array, six‑speaker system with Spatial Audio.
- Connectivity: Thunderbolt 5 (daisy‑chainable).
- Charging: Up to 96 W via Thunderbolt.
- Stand options:
- Tilt‑adjustable (standard).
- Height‑adjustable (+$400).
- Glass options: Standard glass (included) or nano‑texture glass (+$300).
- Pricing: $1,599 (base).
Availability
- Pre‑orders: Open now for both displays.
- General release: March 11.
This article originally appeared on Engadget: https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/everything-apple-announced-this-week-macbook-neo-iphone-17e-and-more-155617129.html?src=rss