MacBook Neo - best Linux* Mac Apple sells?

[namename11]

I would be lying if I said the colors were not a huge part of me wanting this despite the specs, but I noticed it does NOT have Thunderbolt and the vulnerabilities that come with it free of charge, which could make it a decent Linux machine when (if?) Asahi starts to support it. My strategy here is basically what a lot of people are doing with Switch 2s. Buy it now, activate it, then wait for a "jailbreak" .

 

[Magsor]

MacOS is a great operating system—stable, polished, and genuinely pleasant to use—even if Apple keeps it locked down. Really depends on what you want from your machine. If you’re trying to play something like Cyberpunk or using VMs, this isn’t the platform for that. While Apple insists 8GB of RAM is “enough,” that stops being true fast in 2026. My grandma might not notice, but anyone doing more than email and photos definitely will.
That said, it could be decent for emulation, since most older consoles didn’t rely on huge amounts of RAM in the first place.

 

[namename11]

Really depends on what you want from your machine.

That's an easy one. Don't ask me to verify my age. Yes, Apple is already doing this.

The Neo is not going to be my main device or my secondary device, just something I want to tinker with because those colors are too good to pass up on.

 

[Magsor]

Is marcan still working on Asahi Linux?
Hector Martin (marcan) is no longer working on the Asahi Linux project. He resigned as the project lead on February 14, 2025, and explicitly stated he is no longer committing to working on the project or contributing code to the Linux kernel.

The primary reasons for his departure include a dispute over the integration of Rust into the Linux kernel, which led to significant friction with upstream maintainers, and a desire to step away from the intense demands of full-time development and community management. While he acknowledged that the project would continue, he paused his personal Patreon and directed supporters to the Asahi Linux OpenCollective instead.

Following his resignation, the project transitioned to a seven-person leadership team comprising Alyssa Rosenzweig, Davide Cavalca, Neal Gompa, James Calligeros, Janne Grunau, and Sven Peter. This new governance structure aims to ensure the project's sustainability by distributing decision-making power and focusing on upstreaming existing patches rather than relying on a single individual.

 

[realtimesave]

macbook neo is a toy for people that can't afford an air or a pro. I suggest getting at least a macbook air with 16GB or more RAM. They start at 1099.

 

[namename11]

macbook neo is a toy for people that can't afford an air or a pro. I suggest getting at least a macbook air with 16GB or more RAM. They start at 1099.

it does NOT have Thunderbolt and the vulnerabilities that come with it

Apple does not sell a more secure computer for those who want to use an alternate OS. I have an Air and a Pro, and they'll be fucking useless after macOS support ends because of these vulnerabilities, at least to me.