The MacBook Neo’s $599 price is notable, but hardly unprecedented. Hello again, and welcome back to Fast Company’s Plugged In.

The $599 MacBook Neo is the company’s first true budget product. Why now?

First there was the iPhone 17e, then a refreshed iPad Air followed swiftly by souped-up MacBook Pros, and now, to finish things off, Apple has dropped the MacBook Neo, a bargain-basement laptop that can be yours for just $599.

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) has put some cheap products on the market. Some say it may be to dodge a shortage of high-end chips, which are expensive. Others say Apple’s more expensive stuff won’t sell. It announced products that are at the low end of what it has ever charged for them.

After this past week, it may feel like we’re in a topsy-turvy world of cheap Apple products. For those reading this article on their shiny new, bottom-end MacBook Neos, I’ll try not to include anything that eats away needlessly at your 8GB of RAM.

The company introduced updates to the iPhone, iPad Air, and MacBook lineup while debuting a new $599 MacBook Neo aimed at budget buyers.

On paper, it looks like accessibility. In practice, it raises a more interesting question: is Apple becoming more relatable, or simply redefining what “affordable” means in an era of economic squeeze?

You don’t have to buy the best, most expensive Apple products. It’s okay to get the cheaper ones. Of course, some people can only afford the less expensive products, but tech has taken on such a role in our daily lives that having the best has become a matter of status and self-worth.

Is the MacBook Neo the next iPhone 5C, or is it a tremendous value destined for success? I have a few thoughts.

PC companies are scrambling to respond to Apple's surprise entry into the budget laptop market, Asus CFO Nick Wu says—and rivals like Microsoft, Intel, and AMD are all "seriously discussing" how to compete.