Apple's Cheap MacBook: What to Expect in 2026

[Warped9]

So many of the ideas in this thread are totally at odds with "Apple's Cheap Macbook" and "Apple is aiming to better compete with cheap Chromebooks and Windows PCs."

A $599 US MacBook is not competing with a cheap Chromebook or Windows PC. It’s just not. Those who buy cheap do so because they either can’t budget for more or they simply aren’t convinced they need more or it’s not worth paying more. I see plenty of people like this. People who buy cheap Chromebooks or things like HP Streams are basically buying junk. If you want to do more than email and browse the net these things are essentially useless. And forget about doing more than one thing at a time on these things.

Seriously you’re better off buying a base iPad or equivalent Samsung tablet than buying a Chromebook or cheap Windows PC. You’ll get a lot more out of it.

A $599 US MacBook will be competing with mainstream Windows PCs. Because despite what some around here might think a MacBook Air isn’t considered a mainstream device in the mainstream market. It’s considered a premium device and rightfully so given the performance you’re getting. The M-series completely redefined the MacBook Air. Now if you want equivalent performance from a Windows laptop you have to pay similar MacBook Air prices.

 

[Bug-Creator]

There is quite a difference in performance of the M branded chips vs the A branded. Even a many years old M chip will often beat the latest A chips in many performance metrics.

So?
Even current macOS does run o.k. on older 2 core Intel systems like the 12" (you just have to take extra step install it), see no reason why something in line with a iPadMini and 8++GB shouldn't be able to do it.

 

[mannyvel]

Why buy an A-based macbook when you can get great used MacBooks for less?

I just saw a 32GB MBP 16" M1 Pro for like $750. At that point why not? 8GB M1 MBAs are like $325.

 

[bookcase]

I’ve lived with a M2 iPad Air (with Magic Keyboard) as a MacBook alternative for almost 2 years. And I hate to say, I’m not loving it. It’s fine for a non-work device, but I’m ready to trade it in and go back to a traditional MB that runs Mac OS. The last MacBook I truly loved was the 12” so this rumored cheaper alternative is appealing to me.

 

[turbineseaplane]

A $599 US MacBook is not competing with a cheap Chromebook or Windows PC. It’s just not. Those who buy cheap do so because they either can’t budget for more or they simply aren’t convinced they need more or it’s not worth paying more. I see plenty of people like this. People who buy cheap Chromebooks or things like HP Streams are basically buying junk. If you want to do more than email and browse the net these things are essentially useless. And forget about doing more than one thing at a time on these things.

Seriously you’re better off buying a base iPad or equivalent Samsung tablet than buying a Chromebook or cheap Windows PC. You’ll get a lot more out of it.

A $599 US MacBook will be competing with mainstream Windows PCs. Because despite what some around here might think a MacBook Air isn’t considered a mainstream device in the mainstream market. It’s considered a premium device and rightfully so given the performance you’re getting. The M-series completely redefined the MacBook Air. Now if you want equivalent performance from a Windows laptop you have to pay similar MacBook Air prices.

Ok .. that's fine, I don't disagree.

My point was that, very oddly, so many people think a "budget, lowest price, MacBook" is somehow going to be a modern 12" power user travel/executive slim and sexy high end product.

I'm skeptical of that.

 

[smulji]

hen Apple was making the first Apple silicon Mac’s they decided to break their pattern and not to call it the A14X, they decided to rebrand it as M1 instead. But that’s just marketing, it’s still an A14X. The M1 is just an “iPad chip” that they put inside of a Mac and that’s still what they do to this day.

I agree but an there is still quite a difference between an iPad chip and an iPhone chip with respect to CPU core count, GPU performance, amount of RAM, etc.

 

[Warped9]

Apple can call the iPhone 16e a “budget” phone, but it’s really not in the greater scheme of things. What it is a less daunting entry point for a lot of consumers. A genuinely budget smartphone is distinctly less money than a 16e.

The same will apple to the new MacBook. It won’t be a “budget” device, but rather a less daunting entry point to Apple’s desktop computer line.

 

[ikramerica]

If it offers a chromeOS dual boot or chromeOS in an emulator it will be useful for kids forced to have a chromebook at home due to school. Imagine a button to toggle between MacOS and ChromeOS, both remaining “live”

Still wouldn’t be able to bring it to school in some locked down environments, but we have a cheaper and lighter chromebook for school only and a larger screen better one at home for my son. The school one is locked down.

 

[taliz]

So?
Even current macOS does run o.k. on older 2 core Intel systems like the 12" (you just have to take extra step install it), see no reason why something in line with a iPadMini and 8++GB shouldn't be able to do it.

The person I quoted argued that the performance was more or less the same. It's not.

 

[MacMikePro]

There is quite a difference in performance of the M branded chips vs the A branded. Even a many years old M chip will often beat the latest A chips in many performance metrics.
They have more cores, better GPUs, more cache etc etc.
It's like the difference between a desktop chip and a laptop chip.
The downside is they cost more and require more power, which is why you don't see them in the iPhone.

Of course the M chip is more powerful than the equivalent A chip, there’s also a lot of metrics where the A18 Pro is more powerful than an M1 for example, so that’s not the point. The point is the chip is based on the same architecture, putting macOS on an A chip is not a big deal, where everyone here thinks it is. Apple puts the best chip inside the most appropriate product, the iPad line has 3 different variations of the chip because that’s what works best for each. And the A18 Pro is the most appropriate chip for this MacBook.

 

[MacMikePro]

I agree but a there is still quite a difference between an iPad chip and an iPhone chip with respect to CPU core count, GPU performance, amount of RAM, etc.

Of course, but none of those differences make the A18 Pro a bad choice for this MacBook, the chip is still overkill for the intended use of this laptop. There’s an equal amount of difference between the M1 Pro and the M1 Max, the M1 Max has more CPU cores, better GPU performance, more RAM etc but no one was saying that the M1 Pro is not good enough for a MacBook Pro. And that’s my point, the A18 Pro is perfectly adequate for a cheaper MacBook.

 

[hans1972]

what -doesnt- make it the same as any other a18 based platform? the form factor?

The form factor (screen, keyboard, trackpad can't be separated), the operating system, the applications, don't support touchscreen, the name, it will be under the Mac headline on the website, it will be placed around other Macs in the stores.

If it looks, behaves and is names as a Mac, it's a Mac. The internal doesn't really matter to non-technical people.

 

[snakes-]

Budget Notebook will have too many compromises.... Low Ram, Storage, Cache, No Touch ID, still a notch. But my first thought was wow but after some weeks i think its like the iPhone air something new that don't work.

 

[Warped9]

Hyperbole has existed long before the internet and social media came into being. But the assumptions and straw men mindset so many make based on scant information never ceases to amaze me.

The iPhone Air is not a failure even if it isn't selling quite as expected. Considering Apple likely sells tens of millions of these things adjusting production down a bit doesn't mean a thing. It's done all the time without the media reporting it and blowing it way out of proportion.

The new MacBook isn't going to be a MacBook Air or Pro, but that doesn't mean it's already a write-off, just as a base iPad isn't a write-off because it's not an Air or an iPad Air isn't a write-off because it's not a Pro. If the new MacBook doesn't suite your needs or you have the cash to get an Air or Pro then fine, go for it.

There are lots of things on the market I would never spend my money on, but that doesn't mean I can't see the value it might have for someone else. Hell, I sell far more Windows computers than I sell Macs even though I would never buy a Windows machine myself. That said I don't push Mac on anyone either because I recognize that Mac isn't the solution that suits everyone.

 

[turbineseaplane]

The new MacBook isn't going to be a MacBook Air or Pro, but that doesn't mean it's already a write-off, just as a base iPad isn't a write-off because it's not an Air or an iPad Air isn't a write-off because it's not a Pro. If the new MacBook doesn't suite your needs or you have the cash to get an Air or Pro then fine, go for it.

We have no idea what it's actually even going to be!

Aren't we getting a little ahead of ourselves in here, deciding who it's for, who will buy it, will it sell, "if it doesn't suit your needs - fine"?

It seems like we need to actually see what they release here.

 

[MacMikePro]

Budget Notebook will have too many compromises.... Low Ram, Storage, Cache, No Touch ID, still a notch. But my first thought was wow but after some weeks i think its like the iPhone air something new that don't work.

No, that is not “too many compromises” this laptop is gonna be geared towards people who literally use a web browser for 99% of their daily use, but also email and word docs and other light uses. This is not gonna be geared towards video editors etc. 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage is plenty for this kind of user. This laptop will essentially be like the base M1 MacBook Air except faster, and that laptop still works great today for most users.

Also, this laptop is literally gonna replace the M1 MacBook Air, I can guarantee that Apple will stop selling that laptop once they release this new MacBook.

 

[Warped9]

It seems like we need to actually see what they release here.

Which is essentially what I meant.

No, that is not “too many compromises” this laptop is gonna be geared towards people who literally use a web browser for 99% of their daily use, but also email and word docs and other light uses. This is not gonna be geared towards video editors etc. 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage is plenty of this kind of user. This laptop will essentially be like the base M1 MacBook Air except faster, and that laptop still works great today for most users.

Also, this laptop is literally gonna replace the M1 MacBook Air, I can guarantee that Apple will stop selling that laptop once they release this new MacBook.

Yep.

 

[turbineseaplane]

@Warped9

What I will say here, is that I'm excited to see what this is.

I just don't find myself worked up in any direction about it since we do not know what it will be.

(not at all saying you are worked up ... I don't mean that .. just that some seem to be?)

 

[Warped9]

@Warped9

What I will say here, is that I'm excited to see what this is.

I just don't find myself worked up in any direction about it since we do not know what it will be.

(not at all saying you are worked up ... I don't mean that .. just that some seem to be?)

No problem.

 

[IvyKing]

What I will say here, is that I'm excited to see what this is.

I just don't find myself worked up in any direction about it since we do not know what it will be.

I'm very intrigued as well, for me the important unanswered question is what market is Apple going for. My guess would be education, which suggests aiming for ruggedness, nothing fancy with cameras, 256G storage, 8 - 12G RAM and good WiFi. What I would hope for the education emphasis is more effort on updating Pages/Keynote and Numbers along with more options for drawing, such as irregular polygons and arcs (angle and radius).

 

[JohnC1959]

Why buy an A-based macbook when you can get great used MacBooks for less?

I just saw a 32GB MBP 16" M1 Pro for like $750. At that point why not? 8GB M1 MBAs are like $325.

Though soon enough after this new low cost mac comes out there will be sales on them and eventually used ones that can be bought for much lower costs. The new vs used question isn't new to this new low cost mac but is a standard questions for all computers (and pretty much everything non-computer too).

 

[JohnC1959]

I'm very intrigued as well, for me the important unanswered question is what market is Apple going for. My guess would be education, which suggests aiming for ruggedness, nothing fancy with cameras, 256G storage, 8 - 12G RAM and good WiFi. What I would hope for the education emphasis is more effort on updating Pages/Keynote and Numbers along with more options for drawing, such as irregular polygons and arcs (angle and radius).

Far from just education. Countless many out there don't need much more than email, web and a few other things. They've been using dirt cheap Windows machines so far, but having an iPhone they've pondered a Mac but can't afford one -- until maybe now with this low cost Mac. This opens up brand new Mac users for Apple.

 

[Piggie]

I'm pretty sure Apple won't do it, but I'd love to see $499

I'm sure it would make sense.
Apple then has a good chance at converting to being a multi product Apple person.
Once they have the Mac, they may get an iPhone, an iPad and a Watch in the future.

Plus, they may well start paying Apple for subscriptions to various services.

IMHO it's a long term win to get a person onto a MacBook, and not lose them totally by them buying a PC laptop.

 

[ikramerica]

Never ever.
Plastic contradicts Apple's requirements for the material; it has significantly poorer thermal conductivity than aluminium and, at the same material thickness, significantly lower stability.

If they use plastic instead of aluminium to save $20, they're lost!

So you are saying the guts of an iPhone 15 Pro would get so hot that it would melt a polycarbonate case?

My iBooks would beg to differ. Those faster G3s and G4s ran hot, as did the Airport chips. My 15ProMax has no fan either.

Returning to the iBook name and marketing would be a great move.

And whoever said Steve would roll over in his grave was silly.

Steve gave us the iBook and the mini, entry level plastic computers. And didn’t he give us the iPhone 5c?

 

[ikramerica]

So a look at BestBuy and there are 10x as many laptops for sale in the 13-13.8” size than in the sub 13” size. The bulk of those are 13.3”. But at 14” there are 2x as many as 13.3”.

So 13.3”-14” sounds like the right move. Screens will be plentiful and lower priced and it hits the sweet spot of the small laptop market.