alt Hacker NewsA kid looking for the best bang for the carefully saved buck would buy a used machine off eBay, for less than $599, and more capable. An M1 MBP 2021 with 16GB would cost about this much; an M1 Macbook Air, or an M1 Mac Mini with 16 GB would cost half as much. A ton of beefy, perfectly Linux-ready used laptops can be had for under $350.
So this is only for the kids who are obsessed not just with computers, but brand-new computers. Which is a different demographic.
It's also for parents who want to give their kids a "real computer" without breaking the bank.
My 12-year-old wanted a laptop to build mods for games. I got her a new M1 Macbook 8GB - $425 from Walmart, refurbished.
My 17-year-old wanted a laptop for college, but wasn't sure what she needed or wanted yet. I gave her my 2020 M1 MBP.
If either of those situations arose today, I'd get them a Neo.