Intel Just Dropped a “MacBook Neo Killer” with 16GB RAM for Less Than Apple’s Laptop

Sales have kicked off for the first laptops running Intel’s Wildcat Lake processors. Several big-name manufacturers (ASUS, Honor, and HP) have already launched devices based on the Core 5 320 chip, and a little later, Chinese company CHUWI will join in with an even more budget-friendly model. All of them are being positioned as direct rivals to Apple’s MacBook Neo, and when it comes to memory and price, there’s definitely something worth looking at.

The new Wildcat Lake lineup is architecturally close to the higher-end Core Ultra 300 (Panther Lake), but it’s been noticeably trimmed down. The Core 5 320 itself packs six x86 cores in a “2 performance + 4 low-power efficiency” config, 6MB of L3 cache, and 4MB of additional memory-side cache. The integrated Xe3 graphics are capped at two cores, and the NPU delivers 16 TOPS. The chip supports LPDDR5X-7467 or DDR5-6400 RAM, runs at a 15W base TDP, and can boost up to 35W. So, this is strictly an entry-level chip.

First out of the gate is the Honor Notebook X14 2026 Combat Edition, selling in China for 4,299 yuan (about

$600).For that price, you get a 14−inch IPS screen with 1920×1200 resolution (16:10), 300 nits brightness, and a 60Hz refresh rate, along with 16G Bof RAM and a 512GB SSD. Honor claims the 60Wh battery delivers up to 13.5 hours of run time at standard brightness.At the same time, we’ve also seen the ASUS Fearless 14SE 2026 for $597 and the HP OmniBook 3 for $662. Both machines pack the same Core 5 320 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB drive.

Compared to the base MacBook Neo with its 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD for $699, these Chinese newcomers look pretty compelling: double the memory and double the storage for less money. Sure, the MacBook Neo runs on Apple’s own ARM chip, has a brighter display (up to 500 nits), and brings its own ecosystem strengths to the table. But when it comes to pure value for money, the Wildcat Lake devices have a stronger argument.

A little later, CHUWI will join the party with the UniBook, pushing the price even lower — claimed at $449. The savings come from a smaller Core 3 304 processor (5 cores / 5 threads, boost up to 4.3GHz), 8GB of soldered LPDDR5X with no upgrade option, and a measly 256GB PCIe 3.0 SSD. Otherwise, it’s a 14-inch IPS screen at 1920×1200 with full sRGB coverage, a 53.38Wh battery, active cooling, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, a white backlit keyboard, and Windows 11 Pro. For now, all these announcements and launches are limited to the Chinese market. Expect manufacturers to show the same models for Europe and other regions by late spring or early summer.

Do you think it’s worth skimping on the processor to get 16GB of RAM in a MacBook-like laptop, or would you rather pay extra for a more polished ecosystem and a better display? Drop your thoughts in the comments.