MacBooks have grown in popularity, and reports suggest that Apple may release a new variant, which will be the brand’s most affordable laptop to date. This comes after Ming-Chi Kuo stated in his post that the company is working on a new budget laptop powered not by an M-series chip, but by the upcoming A18 Pro processor, which is also used in the iPhone 16 Pro.
According to Kuo, Apple plans to mass-produce the new model in late 2025 or early 2026, with a target shipment of 5 to 7 million units during the launch year. With this, the company hopes to attract a large number of customers looking for entry-level laptops.
However, the full specifications remain under wraps. But Kuo states that the device will get a 13-inch display size similar to the current MacBook Air. The biggest change would be the introduction of A-series chips instead of traditional M-series chipsets. It also makes sense as Apple’s A18 Pro chipset offers a strong single-core performance (~3500 on Geekbench) and multi-core scores (~8780) comparable to the original M1 chip, which is still a relevant option, even today.
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Visually, the company may offer some flair with new casing colour options like silver, pink, and yellow, a possible nod to the design philosophy which we have seen with iMac and old MacBook models.
However, Kuo did not reveal the price range. Technically, Apple has never introduced a new MacBook priced below $999. However, if this new model is introduced at this price point, it is expected to significantly expand the Mac ecosystem.
Yet, it remains to be seen how Apple will strike a balance between cost savings and performance differences, as well as convincing customers that the A18-powered machine is both affordable and powerful enough to handle all of their daily tasks.