AMD claims its entry-level Ryzen AI laptops crush the MacBook Neo in gaming

Apple's MacBook Neo has been one of the biggest success stories of the year, with the company's budget and affordable laptop quickly becoming one of the most sought-after and recommended 'best-value' entry-level laptops for productivity, creator workloads, and more. With its vibrant 13-inch Liquid Retina display, the MacBook Neo's affordability and success stem from its A18 Pro processor, which previously powered the iPhone 16 Pro.

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It's unprecedented for an Apple device to dominate or make a splash in the budget and entry-level laptop space, and it's been such a disruptor that the competition is taking note. Case in point, a new marketing push from AMD for the latest Ryzen AI-powered laptops is all about how they're, well, better than a MacBook Neo.

Especially when it comes to gaming, where AMD says that the affordable AMD Ryzen 5 240 and its integrated Radeon 760M graphics can run all 20 of the 'Top 20 PC Games,' natively, while the MacBook Neo can only run five. AMD adds 'high frame rates' and 'advanced graphics' as features of its Ryzen AI processors; however, it's worth noting that the Radeon 760M struggles with a lot of modern games.

For example, based on existing benchmarks out there from outlets like Notebook Check, Assassin's Creed Shadows, Battlefield 6, Borderlands 4, Cyberpunk 2077, DOOM: The Dark Ages, Starfield, and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, all struggle to hit 30 FPS at 1080p even when running using Low graphics settings. And these are all games included in AMD's 'Top 20 PC Games' comparison, so even though they run, most PC gamers would probably find the experience unplayable. Now, the Radeon 760M is still a decent performer for an integrated GPU; however, it's better suited for smaller, less visually demanding titles.

Elsewhere, AMD highlights the advantages that Ryzen AI devices have over the MacBook Neo, including expanded I/O ports, more storage and memory, and touchscreen support. Throw in Wi-Fi 7 speeds and better performance when running creator-focused apps like Photoshop, and there's a case to be made; however, the big appeal for Apple's MacBook Neo is its remarkable $599 USD price point, impressive build quality, vibrant display, and no-fuss macOS ecosystem.