Every time Apple releases a new Mac, gamers ask the same question: “Can you actually game on it?” With the release of the MacBook Neo at $599, this question has become especially loud. After all, we’re looking at the cheapest Apple laptop in history, and one powered by an iPhone processor. Blogger Andrew Tsai decided to put it to the test and launched 10 games — from AAA hits to indie titles.
Can the new MacBook Neo replace a gaming laptop? An honest test with 10 top games
Is the MacBook Neo Powerful Enough for Modern Games
The MacBook Neo became a sensation even before it went on sale. Apple announced it on March 4, 2026, and it hit stores on March 11. The main intrigue is that this isn’t just a budget laptop — it’s the first Mac powered by an iPhone processor. Inside is the A18 Pro chip with a 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, and 8 GB of unified memory. The very same chip that previously powered the iPhone 16 Pro, just with one GPU core disabled.
MacBook Neo comes in four colors: Silver, Blush, Citrus, and Indigo. The most colorful Apple laptop since the legendary iBook G3 from 1999. Image: macworld.com
When Apple announced these specs, enthusiasts immediately had doubts: would it be enough? The answer turned out to be predictably vague — it depends on what for. Reviews that appeared on the very first day of sales quickly showed that the budget Mac handles work tasks much better than many expected. For comparison: in the single-core Geekbench 6 test, the Neo scored 3,535 points, outpacing both the MacBook Air M3 (3,082) and the Snapdragon X Plus competitor (2,486).
But gaming is a completely different story. Despite all of Apple’s efforts to position the Mac as a gaming platform, the gaming community has never embraced it with open arms.
Which Games Were Tested on MacBook Neo
Andrew Tsai took the MacBook Neo version with a 512 GB drive and decided not to limit himself to a couple of casual titles. His list included a wide variety of genres and demand levels:
Cyberpunk is one of the most popular games for Mac. Image: 9to5mac.com
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Minecraft
- World of Warcraft
- Control
- Resident Evil Requiem
- Resident Evil 2 (remake)
- Counter-Strike 2
- Elden Ring
- Dark Souls Remastered
- Mewgenics
In addition to these ten games, Tsai also tested Nintendo Switch emulation. The selection was as diverse as possible: it included native macOS games and Windows titles running through special programs like CrossOver or Game Porting Toolkit. This approach allows evaluating not one specific game, but the device’s overall gaming potential.
MacBook Neo Gaming Test Results
In short, the MacBook Neo performed better than most expected. But there’s a catch: the main bottleneck was the 8 GB of RAM. This is the ceiling — it cannot be upgraded — that’s a feature of the A18 Pro chip, originally designed for the iPhone.
Cyberpunk 2077 was more or less playable, but only at 720p. Image: Andrew Tsai
Native macOS games expectedly performed better than Windows titles running through emulator applications like CrossOver or Game Porting Toolkit. And in all cases, performance directly depended on how memory-hungry the game was. Cyberpunk 2077 launched, but was only playable on minimum settings at 720p resolution. Minecraft felt much more confident — from 50 to 300 frames per second at 1080p, depending on presets. The spread is huge, but for this game, it’s more than enough.
The new Resident Evil was unplayable due to low FPS. Image: Andrew Tsai
With Windows games running through emulator applications, the results were extremely mixed. Counter-Strike 2 was called “absolutely unplayable.” Meanwhile, Mewgenics ran, according to Tsai, “practically flawlessly.” That makes sense: it’s a simple 2D game using OpenGL.
Cyberpunk 2077 on MacBook Neo — possible, but only if you're willing to put up with 720p and minimum graphics settings
Why 8 GB of Memory Isn’t Enough for Gaming on MacBook Neo
The thing is, modern games are extremely hungry for RAM. AAA titles like Cyberpunk 2077 or Elden Ring easily consume 12–16 GB, while the MacBook Neo offers only 8 GB, which is also shared between the CPU and GPU. This is unified memory — an architectural feature of Apple Silicon that works as an advantage in everyday tasks but becomes a bottleneck in gaming.
Overall, gaming on MacBook Neo is possible, but with caveats. Image: Andrew Tsai
