March 15, 2026

The MacBook Neo's a winner

1 hour 49 minutes

David and Nilay bought new computers this week, as the MacBook Neo turned out to be a surprisingly great cheap Apple laptop. The hosts discuss their experiences with the machines, from the processor to the keyboard to the mess that is MacOS Tahoe. After that, they talk about the future of Xbox, Project Helix, and what it might mean for every gaming PC to become an Xbox... and for the Xbox to become a gaming PC. Finally, in the lightning round, it's time for Brendan Carr is a Dummy, the latest on Paramount and Warner Bros, Grammarly's sloppelgangers, and more.

Further reading:

MacBook Neo review: the Mac for the masses

Asus chief says Macbook Neo's affordable pricing came as a shock to the entire PC market — compares $599 notebook to a tablet and content-consumption device

The MacBook Neo is surprisingly easy to disassemble and repair.

From 2007: Ballmer Laughs at iPhone

Apple Studio Display XDR review: a great, but expensive, pro option

The iPhone 17E is good, but you probably shouldn’t buy it

iPad Air review 2026: the M4 and other chip bumps make a difference

Apple is going high-end with new ‘Ultra’ products next

iPhone Fold rumor: iPad-like multitasking, but no iPad apps and no Face ID

Microsoft’s next Xbox, Project Helix, won’t reach alpha until 2027

Microsoft’s ‘Xbox mode’ is coming to every Windows 11 PC

Microsoft says you should build next-gen Xbox games by building them for PC.

FCC chair blasts Amazon after it criticizes SpaceX megaconstellation

Brendan Carr on X

FCC chief tells CNBC WBD-Paramount merger deal is ‘cleaner’ than Netflix’s, will be approved ‘quickly’

Grammarly is using our identities without permission

Grammarly is turning off the expert review AI feature that stole our identities

Grammarly will keep using authors’ identities without permission unless they opt out

The Live Nation settlement has industry insiders baffled

Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus review: This again

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