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- Apple may announce the launch of a new “cheaper” MacBook on March 4.
- It will probably come with the A18 chip found in the iPhone 16 Pro.
- Prices will start around $599.
Rumors of a new “cheap” MacBook have been circulating for years, but it looks like the laptop may finally launch in the next few weeks. On March 4, Apple is set to make a series of product announcements at a “special experience” here in New York, where I’m betting we’ll hear more.
Apple’s new affordable 13-inch MacBook is rumored to feature a lower-powered A18 processor instead of the typical M-series processor used in MacBooks – the same chip found in the iPhone 16 Pro. This will allow it to keep its cost low, especially if combined with more modest hardware such as a less attractive display and smaller form factor.
Also: Everything Apple may introduce at its March event: iPhone 17e, MacBook M5, new iPads, more
The A18 chip is a powerful piece of hardware, and while it doesn’t match the performance of the M-series processors found in the MacBook Air and Pro, it’s more than capable of handling the everyday use cases for which affordable laptops are designed.
So, how affordable are we talking? mark gurmanApple insider and Bloomberg author power on The newsletter believes the device will cost “less than $1,000,” which makes sense considering the build components. But the new model should still cost less than the MacBook Air, which can go as low as $749 during sales at third-party retailers like Amazon.
I’d estimate a starting price of around $599, keeping in mind that given the number of products in the extensive MacBook catalog (and the huge discounts available on refurbished products), anything more than that won’t be impressive enough to set it apart. However, $500 or less would make for a product that would compete directly with budget PCs and Chromebooks.
Also: How Nothing is planning to crash Apple’s March launch party
Apple’s entry into the budget laptop market will be a big change for the company, which has firmly held the premium tier for decades, but the product itself isn’t exactly uncharted territory. Apple released an ultra-thin 12-inch laptop called the MacBook in 2015, when it was still using Intel chips. However, the model did not last – perhaps both a little ahead of its time and not particularly well executed.
It was locked to 8GB of RAM, which wasn’t exactly cheap at over $1,000, had the infamous butterfly switch keyboard, and just a single USB-C port. Still, all this is an opportunity to learn how to do it right next time. If I had to guess, I’d say Apple will also call this upcoming device a “MacBook,” positioning it as an addition to its already successful brand line.
read the room
It’s no secret that, in this economy, consumers are spending less, upgrading more slowly, and becoming far more budget conscious. All this, combined with upgrade fatigue when yet another new laptop or iPhone is about to arrive to make your existing gear obsolete, makes expansion into this area of the market not only strategic but necessary.
But will mass production of a $500 laptop line dilute the brand’s premium image? Maybe, but Apple really has nothing to lose. The MacBook Air and Pro will continue to get incremental upgrades with the M5 chip this year, and the launch of a cheaper laptop will make up for the lack of major growth in its core lineup, but also give Apple access to market share in an area where it has historically been lacking: the budget sector.
Also: MacBook Pro vs. MacBook Air: We tested both models, and here’s which model to buy in 2026
So who is the intended demographic for this device? Obviously, students, but also budget-conscious users, kids and teens, or anyone looking for a portable travel device. The A18’s performance will make it suitable for general web browsing, everyday productivity tasks, and of course, integration with the iPhone, including FaceTime, Messages, and (hopefully) the Phone app.
However, there will be limitations. The A18 chip does not support Thunderbolt technology, so the ports on the device will be regular USB-C connections. Additionally, the display is unlikely to be as polished as the MacBook Pro’s Liquid Retina XDR. It’s unclear what kind of camera it will have (or whether it will have), but it’s also likely to be low-end.
But none of these things are deal breakers. Not every consumer needs to connect three displays at 8K; They need an affordable, battery-efficient device that can handle web browsing and integrate with the phone they already have. This may be exactly what this device is designed for.
