Ever Trend Zone This week we heard news from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo about Apple entering a new segment of the laptop market. The company is reportedly working on a new MacBook at a lower starting price than the MacBook Air, and will clearly pack the A18 Pro chips found on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
A cheap MacBook is certainly a welcome addition, but the questions really stand out. Does Apple do that properly, or will it act as another decoy model?
The rumored refresh
To sum up quickly, the inexpensive MacBook uses a 13-inch display, packs an A18 Pro chip, and comes in four colors the same as Apple’s entry-level iPad (blue, yellow, pink, silver). We will participate in mass production in the fourth quarter of this year or the first quarter of 2026.
Ultimately, there are precedents on both sides. When Apple introduced its redesigned entry-level iPad in 2022, it started at $449, and is not incredibly affordable compared to its predecessor, which costs at least $329.
Certainly, Apple has created an inexpensive iPad that looks very visually similar to the luxury iPad Air, but it wasn’t even a particularly great deal either. Especially considering the fact that the iPad was on regular sale at the time for $499, there’s only $50 left in price difference to get M1 chips, laminated displays and more. Two years later, the iPad now starts at just $349, and often sells for $299. This is much more competitive.
What does Apple cut?
People are generally speculating that this new entry-level MacBook will start between $699 and $799, which seems fair depending on Apple’s position.
Last fall, Apple updated all MacBook Air models to start with 16GB of RAM, providing potential hints for what can be cut from the A18 Pro-e-powered MacBook: Unified Memory.
I was able to see this entry-level MacBook holding 8GB of RAM.
However, Apple can also reduce some great capabilities from an entry-level MacBook. It can all cut additional USB-C ports, touch IDs, center stage webcams and battery capacity.
New MacBook: Good value?
Of all these cuts, I think Touch ID might be one of the toughest things in the stomach for most people. That said, there is a precedent. Apple’s base model M4IMAC does not come with a touch ID keyboard.
If your MacBook comes in for $699 with 8GB of RAM and these feature cuts, the bargain may not be that bad. $799 makes it a much tougher sale. Given all of the fluctuating tariffs, Apple might not think it’s too low from the start, so the $799 MacBook is far more likely.
For $799, it comes with 8GB of RAM and reduces a ton of major Mac features, which may not be the best value. After all, MacBook Airs tend to sell at that price level. The M4 MacBook Air (starting with 16GB of unified memory) is currently on sale for $849, and just a few days ago I saw the M3 MacBook Airs (with 16GB of unified memory) for just $699.
Another thing worth mentioning is that this MacBook definitely has an education discount of $50 to $100, with a starting price of $699-$799 for US students of $599, $649, $699, or $749.
summary
Obviously, these transactions aren’t open 24/7, but they provide photos of what can already be present in the market. Ultimately, Apple’s biggest competitor for this cheap MacBook is an online retailer offering discounts on older MacBook Air models.
I would be happy to be surprised if Apple releases a cheap MacBook without cutting too many important features. Ultimately, this MacBook is still 3-9 months away from its release, so much is still on air. Kuo predicts that Apple will sell between 5 and 7 million units of this MacBook model in 2026, suggesting that it is confident that Apple will be out.
What do you think about the rumors about cheaper MacBooks? Do you think Apple has a great balance? Please let us know in the comments.
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