Report: Low-cost MacBook will arrive in ‘the first half of next year’
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple plans to launch a low-cost MacBook to “attract Chromebook and entry-level Windows PC customers” in the first half of 2026. The unnamed laptop is actively being tested at Apple and overseas production has reportedly begun.
Apple is rumored to be working on a cheap MacBook that would be priced lower than the $999 MacBook Air M4. Apple has never really competed in the “cheap” laptop market, instead promoting iPads or older models as affordable options. For example, Apple reached a deal with Walmart in 2024 to sell the M1 MacBook Air for $699, and the price was later reduced to $649 and now to $599. However, this model, originally released in November 2020 and featuring only 8GB of RAM, does not run Apple Intelligence and is not promoted by Apple.
This new inexpensive MacBook would be powered by an iPhone A-series chip instead of an M-series Mac chip. Early reports indicated that the chip would be an A18 Pro, but Apple has since released the A19 Pro in the iPhone 17 Pro. Gurman’s report does not indicate which A-series chip is used. Apple’s M-series chips are based on the A-series, but they are larger and faster, meaning they operate at higher temperatures than the A-series chips designed for mobile use. However, as Gurman points out, whatever chip is used in the new MacBook will perform better than the M1.
Gurman also states that the new MacBook will have “less advanced” components compared to those in the current MacBook line, and that the display will be a low-end LCD that is “slightly smaller” than the 13.6-inch MacBook Air. He also claims that the new machine will have “a completely new design”.
It has been reported that Apple aims to increase its Mac sales. In its recent fourth quarter 2025 financial report, Apple announced a strong quarter for the Mac with a double-digit year-over-year increase in sales. The introduction of this new inexpensive MacBook would be Apple’s first entry into the low-cost market. The customer for this laptop would be a general user whose primary tasks involve productivity applications, Internet access, and basic content creation.
