Apple’s new MacBook Neo has drawn strong reactions from across the tech industry, and one of the most interesting responses comes from a former Microsoft executive who once tried to build something similar long before Apple’s success with ARM-based laptops. Steven Sinofsky, who led Microsoft’s Windows division for years, recently spent time using the MacBook Neo and described the device as a major step forward for modern personal computing.
Sinofsky’s reflections go beyond a typical laptop review because he compares Apple’s achievement with Microsoft’s earlier attempt to push lightweight ARM computers through Windows 8 and the original Surface devices. As he tested the MacBook Neo, he said the experience reminded him of the computing direction Microsoft pursued more than a decade ago, when the company tried to introduce a new type of PC built around mobile processors and long battery life.
Steven Sinofsky, the former President of Microsoft’s Windows Division, shared his thoughts in a blog post where he reviewed the laptop and reflected on the history behind Microsoft’s ARM strategy. His post explains why the MacBook Neo triggered both admiration for Apple’s work and a sense of reflection about Microsoft’s own path.
“I am completely blown away by it. It is a paradigm shifting computer.”
During his testing, Sinofsky set up the MacBook Neo using his existing MacBook Air data and quickly loaded the same apps and files he normally uses for work. He said the laptop handled daily tasks smoothly and that most compromises in the design felt minor during real use, even when running many applications at once.
“All the compromises are totally acceptable and go unnoticed to me.”
Sinofsky also explained why the device made him think about Microsoft’s earlier ARM push, especially the Windows 8 era when the company introduced Surface devices powered by Nvidia chips. He argued that Microsoft already had the hardware capability at the time and believed the world was ready for that category of device.
“We had all the pieces and all the pieces worked then.”
Why Microsoft’s attempt struggled
Sinofsky believes the main challenge was not hardware but software and developer adoption. Microsoft attempted to move Windows toward a new application model designed for security, reliability, and better power efficiency, but many users and developers resisted leaving the traditional Windows app ecosystem behind.
“Where we were wrong was in moving the ecosystem to a new app model fast enough.”
Apple took a different approach over many years by steadily pushing developers toward modern frameworks and APIs. That gradual shift helped Apple prepare the Mac ecosystem for its ARM transition and allowed devices like the MacBook Neo to run modern software efficiently.
A new perspective on the MacBook Neo
Sinofsky believes the MacBook Neo shows how powerful a simple and affordable laptop becomes when the hardware and software ecosystem evolve together over time. He also sees the device as proof that ARM-based personal computers can succeed when developers and operating systems adapt to the platform.
“Neo doesn’t have to get better. It just has to stay excellent.”
He ended his reflections by acknowledging Apple’s achievement while also expressing pride in the work Microsoft’s teams attempted years earlier, writing that their vision for ARM computing arrived early even if the industry was not fully ready for it at the time.
