Louie Mantia, Jr.Mar 5
Those MacBook Neo colors suck so bad. I can’t believe how badly they suck.
Show threadLouie Mantia, Jr.

I know to make it cheaper while keeping their margins, they have to cut costs. And I know that I’m never going to be the target market for an “entry level” Mac ever again. But—

sRGB is a dealbreaker for me. Apple devices have been exclusively wide color gamut (P3) for a while now, and having a sRGB device in 2026 is a little embarrassing.

Mar 5 at 12:25amWeb
Show threadLouie Mantia, Jr.Mar 5

What ultimately rubs me the wrong way is that the MacBook Neo page doesn’t make it look like it’s the cheap Mac, even though that’s what it is. I think it’s ultimately OK if they want to make tradeoffs. Mechanical trackpad, sRGB color display, whatever.

But then why not market it like, “MacBook Neo — Finally, a cheap Mac.” Lean into it!

Show threadMJ+Mar 5
@louie I think it’s never Apple’s strategy to label their product as “cheap” or “incomplete but to offer a more attractive price”, even though they are slowly walking into that field
Show threadLouie Mantia, Jr.Mar 5
@voyager What... makes you think I didn’t notice Apple’s strategy is to chose not to go that route? The whole point of my post was that they SHOULD do that despite them not. (???)
Show threadMJ+Mar 5

@louie I am talking about marketing strategy…I think it’s never their option.

I understand their concern that “once you tell them you sell cheap products just for cheap then you are the brand to sell cheap products like all others”. Again I am not judging this concept is right or wrong

Show threadLouie Mantia, Jr.Mar 5
@voyager Again, what makes you think I don’t understand what their marketing strategy is ??
Show threadMJ+Mar 5

@louie I never imply that "you don't understand" something.

What I want to add is Apple's concern for the interest of discussion. I love discussion in Fedi and never want to attack or challenge someone. In case I omitted the post, no, I didn't see my point was mentioned so I put it here. I've been following you quite some days and loved your work. I don't know what you may undergo or in case my lang in the post didn't look quite right, all I want is just chit-chatting, not attacking someone

Show threadLouie Mantia, Jr.Mar 5

@voyager Excuse me for being a little snappy here but— what’s the point of the post? I think my original post expresses an understanding for what they are doing and what they could do instead without you saying that it’s not in their interest to do that.

I don’t think Apple needs anyone to defend them. I don’t think you’re doing that. It seems like you’re just saying it to say it? When you replied, were you talking to me? If so, what are you trying to tell me that I don’t know already?

Show threadDane DeasyMar 5
@louie @voyager I think they were just trying to converse with you about the topic.
Show threadJames DempseyMar 5
@voyager @louie Although it's not an entirely recent strategy for Apple. The iPod shuffle launched 21 years ago with small capacity and no screen or click wheel.
Show threadJames DempseyMar 5
@voyager @louie (and it sold well enough that the iPod shuffle remained in the product lineup with 4 generations over 12 years.)
Show threademi_dubyuMar 5

@voyager @louie

But that’s exactly how they market the iPhone e series: “value packed” “a good buy”.

And I would argue the 17e is less compromised in relation to the 17 than the Neo is in relation to the Air.

Show threadtxtx 🇪🇺Mar 5
@louie It's funny how they present it as one of the top features: "One billion colors. Open up and say wow."
Show threadLouie Mantia, Jr.Mar 5
@txtx It’s extra funny because assuming 256 levels per channel, sRGB is only 16,777,216 colors. The tech specs page says “support for 1 billion colors” but it’s hard to know what they mean. That’s the same word-for-word claim they make for the Studio Display XDR on its tech specs page.
Show threadLouie Mantia, Jr.Mar 5
@txtx (I mean, the same is true with Display P3 assuming 8-bit depth. If it’s... 16- or 24-bit then sure. But “1 billion” is specific.
Show threadDaniel BarberMar 5
@louie @txtx It probably means they're using 10-bit color; 1,024 x 1,024 x 1,024 = 1,073,741,824.
Show threadLouie Mantia, Jr.Mar 5
@db @txtx I do not like “probably.” It either supports 10-bit or it “simulates” 10-bit with dithering. Apple is very guilty of doing that in the past for cheaper models.
Show threadtxtx 🇪🇺Mar 5
@louie The display is not *against* a billion colors, it just can't show them. That's totally supportive. /markeringdepartment
Show threadJames DempseyMar 5
@louie Except the entry level iPad. It is still sRGB.
Show threadLouie Mantia, Jr.Mar 5
@jamesdempsey DAMN, really? I know it’s not a point of pride for them but I feel like they can’t just tuck this information away on the tech specs page.
Show threadJames DempseyMar 5
@louie I couldn't even find it on the Tech Specs page for the iPad. The only place I saw it was on the comparison page:
Show threadLouie Mantia, Jr.Mar 5
@jamesdempsey Right, actually that’s where I found the Neo note too. God, that’s so bad. They’re deliberately hiding it.
Show threadGabe SalkinMar 5
@louie not that they should be compared against the PC competition, but even getting 100% sRGB displays below $700 is rarer than you think.
Show threadLouie Mantia, Jr.Mar 5
@gabesalkin Sure, and like, fine. But don’t HIDE IT unless you look at the comparison page, you know?
Show threadA. Lee Bennett Jr.Mar 5
@louie I’m admittedly not a color space expert. I thought I read the Neo does P3 and Adobe RGB, rather than sRGB. Is that correct or no? And what is the difference between the two?