Future June 1st cohort member here. The news seems to be that Apple is already running out of A18 Pro chips for the MacBook Neo. They are literally using leftover (binned) chips from the iPhone 16 production run at TSMC. Odds are Apple will not pay extra to have more manufactured, so the best-case scenario is a newer generation MacBook Neo in late 2026 using leftover A19 Pro chips from the iPhone 17—or something similar that they have in surplus. The only reason they got the price down to $599 was likely because they already had those A18 Pro chips on hand. I’ve scanned the Maestro subreddit and all online sources where Maestro students post, and I have not found a single picture or line of text confirming that a student has actually received a MacBook Neo. My belief is that Maestro is marketing the MacBook Neo as the "standard" to set expectations as low as possible (i.e., a $600 entry-level laptop). Then, the vast majority—or even all—of the students actually receive an M3/M4 MacBook Air or better, prompting them to post positive reviews about the school on social media. It also likely helps create some artificial goodwill; many people probably weren't happy to click on an ad only to find out they have to wait until the first term ends to receive their laptop. Since I’m starting June 1st (which may apply to others looking for info here), I’ll probably get my laptop shipped around mid-to-late August 2026. The MacBook Neos will be long out of stock by then—they’re already taking a month to ship if you order now from Apple—and it will be too early for a Neo refresh. I’d wager most people starting within the next three to four months will be getting an M-series MacBook. P.S. Maestro uses a B2B supplier called Insight. When you check Insight’s website, the MacBook Neo isn't even listed as a product they sell, and the MacBook Airs they do carry are backordered. Don’t believe the hype about the Neos; this seems to be a calculated move to lower our expectations so we aren't disappointed when we "only" get a MacBook Air. Unless someone here actually received a Neo and can speak up, it seems they were, at most, only sent out temporarily, and that will inevitably end when A18 Pro stock runs dry.