In order to achieve a premium one-finger lift on MacBook Neo, Apple needed to go with a cheaper mechanical trackpad, killing two birds with one stone.

It’s simply physics at the end of the day. The MacBook Neo and MacBook Air weigh the same at 2.7 pounds, but according to iFixit (when describing the Neo’s chassis):

Together, its chassis, keyboard, and bottom cover are just 8g lighter than the Air’s. But the Neo’s screen is 48g heavier, and the solid chunk of metal that supports its trackpad makes up 7% of the laptop’s overall weight! The Neo’s full trackpad assembly is almost exactly twice as heavy as the M3 MacBook Air’s, too. 

In order to counter balance the heavy screen when opening the laptop, you need a solid front-end base that will keep the chassis in place. What better way than to make a heavy trackpad mechanism that complements the extra screen weight, right at the lip where you lift the lid? Apple achieves the premium lift, and also a cheaper bill of materials without compromising trackpad feel.

Cheaper and more premium - a paradox worth fighting for.