MacBook Neo is a new low-cost design not a stripped-down version of MacBook Air or Pro. Only two configurations and no other customizations: 256 GB storage for $600 or 512 GB storage and Touch ID for $700. +256 GB for $100 I think is standard Apple price so Touch ID is "free". I use my MBP closed with an external monitor so rarely use Touch ID. But I find 512 GB is a bit low for me -- I think for my parents who don't download games or movies and everything is on the cloud 512 GB is just fine.

Neo uses an Apple A18 Pro chip with a 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine and has 8 GB memory, period. A-series processors have only been used on iDevices until now.

iPad (A16)
iPad mini (A17 Pro)
iPhone 16/Plus/e (A18)
iPhone 16 Pro/Pro Max (A18 Pro)

Both iPhone 16 Pro/Pro Max have 8 GB memory though 6-core GPU still I expect a MacBook Neo will have close to the same performance.

I don't really have anything to compare with but I guess for web-heavy usage (web sites, web apps) this is quite fine and same for non-professional workloads -- Apple Pages, Numbers, Keynote should work great. Probably GarageBand too. Maybe not iMovie. My parents basically only use the web browser so MacBook Neo performance should still be fine.

There is somewhat a lack of ports and no really fast ports but for low-end use that shouldn't be a problem. With an attached monitor leaving the USB 2 port for charging or an external SSD I would find it very limiting. It would probably force me to upgrade to 1 TB SSD and use some sort of Network Attached Storage. I suppose a dock ($150 or so) would also work though once again not sure the high-speed port can do an external monitor and external SSD (both connected to the dock).

Supports one external monitor at 4K and 60 Hz along with the internal monitor. Would be fine for my parents as they only have one monitor. In practice an external monitor and a MBP monitor together is a bit rough as the display sizes are so different. At best I can relegate the MBP monitor to status screens or similar but I'm too used to having two external monitors.

So I guess as a PC replacement for my parents the $600 MacBook Neo should be fine.

But let's a different tack. Since my parents I don't think will use the MacBook portability -- my dad uses his iPad and my mom her iPhone -- a Mac mini ($600 for M4 chip, 16 GB memory, 256 GB SSD) may be better even if the SSD is smaller. They can reuse their PC keyboard and mouse (might require adapters) and I guess they'd do that even with a Neo. I'm more comfortable that the M4 chip and more memory will help a Mac mini stay useful longer than a MacBook Neo.

I think in a college setting where you want to bring a computer around to various places then the Neo is a nice cheap and capable enough computer. Also maybe for kids if they have their own iPad and you're graduating them to a real computer then Neo seems to fit.