AMD Attacks Apple's MacBook Neo Over Native Gaming Support

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AMD is firing shots at Apple's MacBook Neo, lambasting its limited game compatibility compared to AMD-powered laptops. The fact is, PC games are more compatible with x86-based Windows systems than the Arm-based MacBook Neo. If gaming is a primary consideration, similarly priced Windows laptops like the HP OmniBook X Flip make much more sense.

Where things get a little bit fuzzier is how AMD chose the games in its comparison. AMD claims that "15 of the 20 top PC games" don't run on MacBook Neo natively, but only lists a total of 19 games in the splash page's footnotes. This list also includes an unnamed Far Cry title and misspells the name of Sid Meier's Civilization VII. What the 20th game is supposed to be is hard to surmise, but attached imagery suggests either Dune Awakening or Schedule 1.

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The official AMD graphic.

AMD also doesn't disclose how it compiled its top 20 list. There are a number of major games listed, including Cyberpunk 2077, Black Ops 7, Battlefield 6, Counter-Strike 2, but Steam's Top 20 also includes games like Path of Exile 2 and PUBG: Battlegrounds.

While third-party benchmarks suggest that the Apple A18 Pro's iGPU within the MacBook Neo is roughly comparable to the Radeon 740M iGPU in the HP OmniBook X Flip, that comparison falls apart for anything but a select few "MacOS-Ready" titles. Otherwise, Apple users must resort to cloud streaming, emulation or virtualization software that tanks game performance, or not playing at all.

That said, the Radeon 740M isn't exactly on the leading edge. For more compelling competition to the MacBook Neo in $600 price segment, we recommend prospective buyers look to more modern Ryzen AI powered laptops, many of which are available for under $700, or to wait for the upcoming wave of Intel Wildcat Lake-based devices.
Chris Harper

Chris Harper

Christopher Harper is a tech writer with over a decade of experience writing how-tos and news. Off work, he stays sharp with gym time & stylish action games.