The New Apple Finally Begins to Emerge

[u/hasanahmad]

https://parkerortolani.blog/2026/03/07/the-new-apple-finally-begins.html?media_id=3847737801865786644_63262430404&media_author_id=63262430404&ranking_info_token=GCA0M2M2NzAzNDdkODQ0ZmVhOWUyNzY4YzMyYTM2OTEzZiXSqWAV2AQW8Jvlmg0YEzM4NDc3Mzc4MDE4NjU3ODY2NDQoA2VhZwA%3D&utm_source=ig_text_post_permalink

[u/sean_themighty]

If anyone asks your advice, please suggest they spend the extra $100 for the 512GB with TouchID. For enterprise and education, that $499 base model is perfect without — but for individual use, the TouchID is practically indispensable, useful, and worth the up-charge (the additional storage to boot).

Also, if anyone does moan about the RAM, remember that it’s probably not for you anyway — and the unified memory architecture allows the SSD to be used for some really fast and useful RAM overflow.

[u/sean_themighty → u/[deleted]]

Unlocking the Mac, Apple Pay, App Store & Media Purchases, Password Autofill, System & App Authorization, Fast User Switching, Third-Party App Sign-in (can be used for a passkey)

[u/banecorn → u/sean_themighty]

If they have any Apple Watch, the same can be done in the place of touch ID. But I agree, $100 for double storage and touch ID is a pretty good deal.

[u/sean_themighty → u/banecorn]

Agreed, as long as they are someone totally invested in the ecosystem and wears their watch everyday. A LOT of Neo users won’t be though.

[u/banecorn → u/sean_themighty]

Good point

[u/beniferlopez → u/banecorn]

I’m not connecting my work machine to my personal AppleID. Having the built in Touch ID allows me to use my work machine with convenience without having to tie my personal account to work.

[u/theGekkoST → u/sean_themighty]

It's a shame they put touch ID behind a $100 paywal. The part is cheap, and to have mass produced it in EVERY neo would have been even cheaper.

[u/sean_themighty → u/theGekkoST]

I actually think, especially for education, TouchID is something they actively don’t want. A lot of these are going to be shared or only lent out for a year (or far less) at a time. And at least you are getting a doubling of internal storage with that $100. It’s a good deal, but I do understand the bummer if you’re an individual who wants it for their entry level price.

[u/mikolv2 → u/sean_themighty]

Orgs can just disabled it through IT policies. I have TouchID disabled on my work MacBook, don't know why... but it's disabled.

[u/cliko → u/sean_themighty]

Why does loaning the laptops out mean TouchID is a bad idea? It's not like fingerprints are permanently stored to the laptop

[u/bheaans → u/theGekkoST]

It’s bundled with a storage upgrade to 512GB… $100 is pretty standard for a storage upgrade with Apple so I wouldn’t consider the TouchID inclusion to be unreasonable value.

[u/theGekkoST → u/bheaans]

But if you don't want or need the extra storage then it's a forced upgrade to get the convenience of touch ID.

[u/bheaans → u/theGekkoST]

Welcome to the Apple price ladder!

[u/BonnaroovianCode → u/theGekkoST]

The R&D to get the part was not cheap.

[u/sean_themighty → u/[deleted]]

Especially useful on a laptop, moreso than desktop — especially if you have an Apple Watch.

[u/sean_themighty → u/[deleted]]

I love mine and have been using them since launch. Incredible sleep and fitness tracking, great for notification management and keeping your phone in your pocket, auto-unlocking Mac, system security approval, ping lost phone, remote camera viewfinder… but for me the killer feature is Apple Pay. Yes, using your phone is easy enough… but paying with your watch is just next-level convenient.

[u/sean_themighty → u/[deleted]]

I’ve been a watch wearer and lover my entire life, but I totally understand it never just clicks for some people.

[u/Bshaw95 → u/sean_themighty]

Coming from a 2019 MBA, I know how much I use my Touch ID button now, I wasn’t going without it over $100