In brief: The MacBook Neo's price makes it a potentially serious threat to the Windows laptop ecosystem. However, its memory, processor, and cooling system are clearly not meant for playing high-end games. Still, the $599 notebook's surprisingly high repairability makes doubling game performance simple with a couple of straightforward cooling mods.
YouTuber ETA Prime recently explained how installing copper plating over the MacBook Neo's CPU and connecting an external thermoelectric cooler can substantially enhance gaming performance. Furthermore, the modifications are relatively easy, requiring minimal disassembly.
A stock MacBook Neo pairs the same processor that powers the iPhone 16 with just 8GB of unified RAM and a simple thermal pad for cooling. With these specs, even mid-range games, such as No Man's Sky, only achieve around 30 frames per second at an upscaled resolution of 1,408 x 881 with medium graphics settings while hitting the laptop's thermal limit of 105 degrees Celsius.
Also read: The MacBook Neo is a $500 Wake-Up Call for the Entire PC Industry
However, unscrewing the bottom plate and replacing the built-in graphene pad with a copper plate, an Arctic TP-3 thermal pad, and some thermal paste can provide transformative benefits. No Man's Sky's framerate nearly doubles to around 60 fps with temperatures falling to approximately 85 °C. Moreover, the modifications fit within the original cover, leaving the MacBook Neo's outward appearance unchanged.
This mod is possible due to the laptop's historically low price and decent repairability. Although iFixit only gave the MacBook Neo a repairability score of 6, the website's review called it the most repairable MacBook in 14 years. Replacing crucial components such as the battery and keyboard is simple, and OEM parts will be compatible once third-party manufacturers make them available.
ETA Prime also suggests an additional modification that requires no disassembly. Purchasing an external thermoelectric cooler, which functions like a liquid cooling system, and attaching a cooling pad to the bottom of the laptop over the CPU can drop idle temperatures into the 20s and keep them in the 70s while under load.
With the framerate unlocked, No Man's Sky exceeds 90fps while Fallout 4 can achieve 60 despite requiring a compatibility layer. Cyberpunk 2077 also maintains a playable 30fps at what appears to be low graphics settings, but Red Dead Redemption 2 was still a bridge too far. Meanwhile, Geekbench scores increase by over 15%.