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| Virtualized Windows 11 gaming on the MacBook Neo with 8 GB of RAM is quite impressive. Pictured: Dirt 3 running on the laptop. |
Apple’s new budget-friendly MacBook Neo was supposed to be held back by its smartphone DNA. Instead, it’s running Windows games at over 100 FPS. Here’s what just happened.
When Apple first unveiled the MacBook Neo, critics raised more than a few eyebrows. Unlike every other Mac laptop on the market, this value-focused machine doesn’t use a traditional M-series chip. Instead, Apple dropped a modified version of its A18 Pro inside – yes, the same mobile SoC that powers the iPhone 16 Pro series.
The immediate assumption? MacOS would choke on smartphone silicon. Gaming? Forget about it. Windows compatibility? Don’t even bother.
Turns out, assumptions can be expensive.
Buckle up, because independent testers have been putting the MacBook Neo (available on Amazon) through its paces – and what they’re finding is rewriting expectations for ARM-based laptops.
The A18 Pro Isn’t Playing Around
Let’s be clear about what we’re dealing with here. The A18 Pro inside the MacBook Neo isn’t a cut-down afterthought. It’s a purpose-tuned variant of Apple’s flagship mobile processor, and while it lacks the raw core count of an M3 or M4, it brings something unexpected to the table: efficiency-first performance that doesn’t quit.
Early benchmarks show the chip handling MacOS games with surprising composure. Titles you’d expect to stutter or throttle run smoothly, often maintaining steady framerates that rival entry-level gaming laptops from just a few years ago.
But the real story? That came when someone asked the obvious question: What if you run Windows on it?
Windows 11 on a MacBook Neo? Yes, And It Works
Tech YouTuber ETA Prime decided to find out exactly how far the MacBook Neo could be pushed. His tool of choice was Parallels Desktop, a virtualization app that lets Windows 11 ARM run alongside MacOS.
Now, before you ask – yes, there are free alternatives. UTM and VMware Fusion exist. But ETA Prime tested those and wasn’t impressed with the performance. So he stuck with Parallels, and that decision paid off.
Here’s the critical detail: Because this is Windows 11 ARM running through virtualization, there’s no x86 translation layer messing things up when you run native Windows-on-ARM apps. That means cleaner performance, fewer compatibility headaches, and surprisingly snappy responsiveness.
The only real limitation? RAM. The MacBook Neo ships with 8 GB of unified memory shared between the CPU and GPU. ETA Prime allocated 5 GB to the Windows virtual machine. That’s not a lot by modern standards, but what happened next still turned heads.
Gaming Benchmarks That Raise Eyebrows
Most low-to-mid-range Windows games ran smoothly on the MacBook Neo. Let me repeat that: Windows games. On a MacBook. With a phone processor.
Here’s the breakdown of what ETA Prime tested:
- Marvel Cosmic Invasion – resolution maxed out, average of around 60 FPS. Solid, stable, playable.
- Dirt 3 – 1200p resolution, High visual settings – averaged 75 FPS. That’s not “playable.” That’s genuinely good.
- Portal 2 – Medium settings, ran at over 100 FPS. Yes, triple digits.
- Skyrim – 1200p resolution, Medium visuals – held around 60 FPS. The 2011 RPG classic running smoothly on Apple’s “budget” laptop through Windows virtualization.
Now, not everything was perfect. GTA V didn’t stay in the playable range through Parallels. But here’s where the story gets interesting again – ETA Prime notes that using Crossover (which leverages a Wine container and Proton layer), you can run GTA V smoothly on the same hardware.
What This Means For Budget Laptop Buyers
Let’s step back for a second. The MacBook Neo is not positioned as a gaming laptop. It’s not positioned as a Windows machine. It’s positioned as Apple’s affordable entry point – the laptop for students, remote workers, and casual users who want the Mac experience without the Pro price tag.
But here’s what the benchmarks reveal: this thing has legs.
If you’re willing to spend an afternoon tweaking settings and installing Parallels, you can turn a sub-$1,000 Apple laptop into a surprisingly capable Windows-on-ARM gaming machine. Not for triple-A blockbusters at 4K, sure. But for the vast library of older PC classics, indies, and mid-range titles? Absolutely.
And for anyone wondering about app compatibility beyond gaming, resources like worksonwoa.com track which Windows-on-ARM applications run well – making it easier than ever to know what you’re getting into before you install.
The 8 GB Elephant In The Room
It would be irresponsible not to address the obvious limitation: 8 GB of RAM. In 2025, that’s tight. Allocating 5 GB to Windows leaves just 3 GB for MacOS, which means multitasking takes careful management.
But here’s the thing – the fact that this setup works at all is remarkable. Five gigabytes of RAM, a phone processor, and Windows games running north of 60 FPS? That’s not supposed to happen. And yet, here we are.
If Apple ever releases a MacBook Neo with 16 GB of memory, the conversation changes entirely. Until then, this is a proof of concept – and a genuinely impressive one.
Should You Buy A MacBook Neo For Windows Gaming?
Let’s be honest: if your primary goal is running Windows games, buy a Windows laptop. You’ll save yourself the virtualization headaches and get better native performance for the same money.
But if you’re already in the Apple ecosystem – if you want a lightweight MacBook for daily work, school, or content consumption – and you’re curious about dabbling in Windows games on the side? The MacBook Neo is far more capable than anyone gave it credit for.
The A18 Pro isn’t holding this machine back. If anything, it’s revealing how far mobile silicon has come.
You can check current pricing and availability for the MacBook Neo on Amazon, and for the full deep dive into Windows gaming performance, ETA Prime’s video above walks through every test, setting, and tweak in detail.
Bottom line: Apple built a budget laptop with a phone processor. The internet said it would fail. Instead, it’s running Skyrim at 60 FPS through Windows virtualization. Sometimes, it’s fun to be wrong.
Looking for Windows-on-ARM app compatibility info? Head over to worksonwoa.com to see what runs and what doesn’t before you install.