Beware The MacBook Neo Rivals And Their 8GB Of RAM

InnovationConsumer TechBeware The MacBook Neo Rivals And Their 8GB Of RAMByBarry Collins,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Barry Collins is a tech journalist writing about PCs, Macs and games.Follow AuthorJun 01, 2026, 05:57am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.The XPS 13 is Dell's answer to the MacBook Neo DellPC manufacturers have started releasing rivals to Apple’s ultra-cheap MacBook Neo. But there could be a sting in the tail for buyers expecting Neo-like performance. Apple took the computing industry by surprise when it announced the $599 MacBook Neo in March and we’ve been waiting to see how the PC makers would respond. The major PC makers are using this week’s Computex show in Taipei to reveal their hands, with new laptop announcements from Dell and Acer so far.Dell And Acer’s MacBook Neo Rivals Dell’s answer to the MacBook Neo is to revive the XPS 13, which was previously something of a premium brand. The XPS 13 will start at $599 for “eligible students”—matching Apple’s entry-level price—though everyone else will be asked to pay $100 more for the entry-level model. The base configuration will feature a six-core Intel Core 5 320 processor, 512GB of SSD storage and only 8GB of RAM. Other, more expensive configurations will be available that include either 16GB or 32GB of RAM, faster processors and up to 1TB of storage. (Interestingly, Dell notes there will be a 256GB storage version available post launch.)That spec is fairly similar to Acer’s Neo alternative, the Swift Air 14. Acer’s official press release for the Swift Air 14 contains lots of “up to” specs, but The Verge reports that the cheapest entry-level model will be from the same Intel Core 5 family as the Dell XPS 13, include 8GB of RAM, while storage remains unknown. The press release says “up to 512GB of SSD” storage, so it’s a reasonable assumption the...