Apple March Event 2026: Everything You Need to Know About the MacBook Neo, iPhone 17e, and More
Saying hello
We give you the lowdown on all of Apple’s latest launches from its March event last week: the MacBook Neo, iPhone 17e, iPad Air with M4, MacBook Pro with M5 Pro/M5 Max, MacBook Air with M5, Studio Display, and Studio Display XDR.
During this time of year, those who are privy to the tech space know to expect some major drops from Apple, usually adding to its Mac and iPad family. But… nobody could have expected what they introduced last week. The hot streak started on 2 March with its introduction of the iPhone 17e and iPad Air with M4. It continued on 3 March with the launch of an all-new MacBook Air with M5 and MacBook Pro with two variations of the new M5 chip: M5 Pro and M5 Max.
Finally, the whirlwind week concluded with arguably the most impressive launch of all: the MacBook Neo. Arriving as the tech giant’s most affordable addition to its laptop lineup (priced from just RM2,499), the laptop opens up the world of Mac to a whole new demographic, expanding its magic to even more people around the world. Below, we introduce you to each of the new launches with all the key details you need to know!
MACBOOK NEO
The MacBook Neo arrives as the latest addition to the lineup of Mac devices, positioning itself as the choice for those seeking performance, durability, battery life, design, and most importantly, affordability, in one package.
COLOURS & DESIGN
As with any other Apple device, the 13-inch MacBook Neo is easy on the eyes with a durable aluminium enclosure available in four stunning colours: blush, indigo, silver, and a new citrus. Each colourway also arrives with colour-coordinated keyboards. It weighs in at just 1.2 kilograms, making it easy to tote around and perfect for everyday use.
DISPLAY
The MacBook Neo’s 13-inch Liquid Retina display supports one billion colours with incredible resolution and up to 500 nits of brightness. This means users will enjoy vibrant images and crystal-clear text at all times, no matter the time of day. Its display also comes with an anti-reflective coating for peak viewing comfort in all lighting conditions.
A18 PERFORMANCE
Equipped with the powerful A18 Pro chip and a silent fanless design, the MacBook Neo delivers up to 16 hours of battery life. It’s built to handle your entire to-do list effortlessly, from research and email management to comprehensive note taking and photo editing.
When it comes to speed, the MacBook Neo delivers. It works up to 50 percent faster for general tasks compared to the bestselling PC on the market with the latest Intel Core Ultra 5. Additionally, the MacBook Neo houses a 5-core GPU that supports clean, smooth graphics and a 16-core Neural Engine that provides fast and secure AI-backed tasks on your favourite apps and Apple Intelligence.
OTHER KEY FEATURES
On the MacBook Neo, users will find the iconic Magic Keyboard paired with a large new Multi-Touch trackpad. The latter allows clicking, scrolling, swiping, and pinching from anywhere on its surface. Those who opt for the MacBook Neo with Touch ID will also get easy access to secure login authentication and other features that require quick verifications. There are two USB-C ports (USB-C 2 for accessories and USB-C for 3 external displays) as well as an audio jack for optimal connectivity and accessory support.
As for the camera, the MacBook Neo is fitted with a 1080p FaceTime HD camera with optimised image processing for sharp video calls. Meanwhile, a dual mic system reduces background noise and isolates the user’s voice to keep things clear throughout calls. Its dual side-firing speakers also support Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos, creating an immersive sound experience when watching movies, listening to music, or playing games.
PRICING AND AVAILABILITY
The MacBook Neo will be available for purchase online and in stores soon. Prices start at RM2,499 and RM2,099 for education with additional technical specifications and configure-to-order options available online.
Learn more about the MacBook Neo here.
IPHONE 17E
The iPhone 17e arrives as an affordable and powerful addition to the iPhone 17 family, complete with a 48MP Fusion camera, MagSafe, a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display, and the A19 chip at its core.
COLOURS & DESIGN
The new iPhone 17e is available in three colours with a matte finish: black, white, and soft pink. Encasing the phone is an aerospace-grade aluminium body that is splash, water, and dust resistant with an IP68 rating. The Ceramic Shield 2 front cover also provides top-tier protection, working in tandem with the Apple-designed coating for prime scratch resistance and anti-reflection.
DISPLAY
The iPhone 17e comes with a bright and vivid Super Retina XDR display, equipped with OLED technology for watching movies, playing games, and more. It can achieve up to 1200 nits of peak HDR brightness, which means watching content, even on brighter days, should be no problem.
A19 PERFORMANCE
Powered by the A19 chip, the iPhone 17e can handle your entire to-do list and more, thanks to its 6-core CPU and 4-core GPU with Neural Accelerators. Meanwhile, the upgraded 16-core Neural Engine can take on large generative models, supporting Apple Intelligence and other AI models to run faster than on the previous generation. As for battery life, the iPhone 17e can last all day, thanks to its C1X modem that powers efficient performance, using less energy to do more.
CAMERA
On the iPhone 17e is a 48MP Fusion camera with an optical-quality 2x Telephoto lens, giving users two cameras in one. While the default mode sits at a sharp 24MP, users can also shoot at up to 48MP for even better clarity when needed. Portrait mode also gets some upgrades with an advanced image pipeline for depth and smooth bokeh. With this same system, the iPhone 17e can recognise people, dogs, and cats captured in regular photos, so it can be transformed into portraits with background blur even after capturing. As for video, the iPhone 17e supports the ability to record in 4K with Dolby Vision up to 60 fps. It can also record video with Spatial Audio for immersive listening as well as Audio Mix and wind noise reduction to enhance sounds or speech.
PRICING AND AVAILABILITY
iPhone 17e will be available in black, white, and soft pink in 256GB and 512GB storage capacities, starting at RM2,999. Pre-orders are open and availability will begin on 11 March 2026.
Learn more about the iPhone 17e here.
IPAD AIR WITH M4
With a faster CPU and GPU, the iPad Air with M4 lands with more memory and better performance. Editing, gaming, and carrying out Al-heavy tasks will prove to be a breeze, so users can bring their productivity anywhere.
COLOURS & DESIGN
The iPad Air with M4 is available in blue, purple, starlight, and space grey in both 11-inch and 13-inch models. As for storage, they are available with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB capacities.
M4 PERFORMANCE
The M4 chip brings the iPad Air’s performance to a new realm with an 8-core CPU and a 9-core GPU. It is up to 30 percent faster than iPad Air with M3 and can handle complex creative workflows with Apple Creator Studio, video editing on Final Cut Pro, and even graphics-heavy gaming. The new iPad Air with M4 also acts as a powerful AI companion with a faster memory bandwidth at 120GB/s, a powerful 16-core Neural Engine, and 12GB of unified memory. With all that in its engine, it performs three times faster than the Neural Engine in the M1 chip and comfortably supports on-device AI tasks, such as searching for subjects in photos or in-app AI features as well as Apple Creator Studio functions.
PRICING & AVAILABILITY
Pre-orders are now open and availability will begin on 11 March. Prices start at RM2,799.
Learn more about the iPad Air with M4 here.
MACBOOK PRO WITH M5 PRO & M5 MAX
The ever-powerful MacBook Pro has arrived with M5 Pro and M5 Max. It comes complete with a new CPU with the world’s fastest CPU core and a next-gen GPU, supporting Al-centric workflows and more with ease. Made for those who need the most out of their machines, the MacBook Pro was made to handle heavy workloads with ease. Now, with the M5 Pro and M5 Max behind it, users can expect a lot more in capabilities, speed, and performance.
M5 PRO AND M5 MAX DEBUT
Both chips deliver LLM prompt processing up to four times faster than their predecessors and AI image generation up to eight times faster than M1 Pro and M1 Max. As for graphics, both chips have an up to 50 percent increase in performance compared to M4 Pro and M4 Max. This is especially good news for designers and artists who work with 3D modelling and special effects. Finally, SSD performance doubles in speed, faster read/write speeds for accelerated workflows.
COLOURS & DESIGN
The new Macbook Pro is available in 14- and 16-inch models in space black and silver.
MACBOOK PRO WITH M5 PRO
Available with a starting storage of 1TB, the MacBook Pro with M5 Pro is the ultimate workhorse for coders, professional photographers, and editors. It also supports up to 64GB of unified memory for multitasking with up to 307GB/s of memory bandwidth.
MACBOOK PRO WITH M5 MAX
The MacBook Pro with M5 Max was made for those who truly need the most out of their laptops, such as engineers and data scientists. As for storage, it starts at 2TB and supports up to 128GB of unified memory with up to 614GB/s of memory bandwidth.
OTHER KEY FEATURES
Proving itself to be the ultimate pro workload companion, the MacBook Pro arrives with up to 24 hours of battery life and a Liquid Retina XDR display that supports up to 1600 nits peak HDR brightness. Other highlights include a nano-texture option for its screen, Thunderbolt 5 ports, a 12MP Center Stage camera, studio-quality mics, a six-speaker sound system, and the Apple N1 chip for optimum Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.
PRICING & AVAILABILITY
The MacBook Pro with M5 Pro starts at RM8,999, while the M5 Max models are priced from RM14,999. Pre-orders will start soon.
Learn more about the MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max here.
MACBOOK AIR WITH M5
Performance and portability come together in the brand new Macbook Air with M5. With a faster CPU and next-gen GPU with a Neural Accelerator in each core, it can support complex Al workflows, creative tasks, and more. Available in 13- and 15-inch models, the MacBook Air with M5 comes with a brilliant Liquid Retina display, 12MP Center Stage camera, up to 18 hours of battery life, and an advanced surround sound system.
COLOURS & DESIGN
The MacBook Air arrives in four stunning colours: sky blue, midnight, starlight, and silver. Both the 13-inch and 15-inch models are incredibly portable and silent with a fanless design.
M5 PERFORMANCE
With the M5 chip, the MacBook Air can power through your daily workflows from simple to complex. The 10-core CPU and the up-to-10-core GPU with a Neural Accelerator in each core work together to offer up to four times faster performance for AI tasks than MacBook Air with M4. Multitasking is also a breeze with the M5 chip as it features faster unified memory with 153GB/s of bandwidth, coming in at 28 percent faster than M4.
Now with a standard 512GB of storage (double of the M4 generation), the MacBook Air has got tonnes of space for your projects, games, and memories. It goes hand-in-hand with its new SSD, delivering read/write performances at double the speed compared to the previous generation.
OTHER KEY FEATURES
The Liquid Retina display supports 500 nits of brightness and one billion colours, while keeping things looking crisp and vivid. It can also achieve up to 18 hours of battery life, which means you can stay on the go without having to lug your charger around with you all day. Those who rely on their camera for work and play will be depending on the 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View capabilities, great for show-and-tell sessions or even more engaging demos during calls. As for connectivity, it comes with two Thunderbolt 4 ports with support for up to two external displays and the new Apple N1 chip.
PRICING & AVAILABILITY
The 13-inch models are priced from RM4,699, whereas the 15-inch models start at RM5,499. Pre-orders will start soon.
Learn more about the MacBook Air with M5 here.
STUDIO DISPLAY & STUDIO DISPLAY XDR
The world of pro-level displays just welcomed a formidable new member with the introduction of the latest Studio Display and the all-new Studio Display XDR.
STUDIO DISPLAY
The Studio Display takes any workspace to the next level with its 27-inch 5K Retina display, 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View support, Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, and a six-speaker sound system. Its impressive display has over 14 million pixels, can reach up to 600 nits of brightness, and boasts P3 wide colour for accurate imagery. With its Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, users can daisy-chain up to four Studio Display models to build themselves a truly immersive and advanced setup. It comes available with standard glass or the optional nano-texture glass for those working in less-than-ideal lighting conditions.
STUDIO DISPLAY XDR
The Studio Display XDR enters the arena, fully replacing the Pro Display XDR, with a 27-inch 5K Retina XDR display. An advanced mini-LED backlight with over 2,000 local dimming zones is behind its greatness, coupled with up to 1000 nits of SDR/2000 nits of peak HDR brightness. A wide colour gamut also ensures true-to-life tones and optimum vibrancy. Everything is smooth-sailing on the Studio Display XDR, thanks to its 120Hz refresh rate and Adaptive Sync, which adjusts frame rates depending on the content shown.
PRICING & AVAILABILITY
The Studio Display with a tilt-adjustable stand starts at RM6,499. It can also be configured with a height-adjustable stand or a VESA mount adapter for custom desk setups. Meanwhile, the Studio Display XDR includes a tilt- and height-adjustable stand to fit into any workspace, and starts at RM13,499. Pre-orders are now available.
Learn more about Studio Display and Studio Display XDR here.
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