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Upcoming Budget MacBook Seen Within Apple as 'Incredible Value'

Dinozero said:
It’s rare, for sure! The first $320 iPad you could get for sale around $299 was pretty crazy when it came out.
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Even that could probably run macOS fine. Seriously all the iPads need is a dual iPadOS and macOS option. This way when the toddler use iPadOS their can transition into macOS on the same device just have to add a Smart Keyboard cover.

I forgot multi-user profiles in iPadOS would also be beneficial.
 
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HouseLannister said:
Oh yeah. Bring on the dim screen, inadequate storage, slow processor, and Tahoe. Everything a consumer wants!
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This might surprise you, but this budget laptop is not aimed at pro users. I expect the confusion comes from the industry standard that high-end technology is usually included in low-end products. I can see how having a neck beard might obscure that view, so it's all very understandable.
 
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syklee26 said:
not sure about other Apple products, but i think this will cannibalize iPad air market big time.
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Oh, you are right! Tim Apple should have considered this before creating a new product. That type of critical thinking was likely never considered before the company invested millions into this spur-of-the-moment product. You should definitely work for Apple! What an asset you'd be!

They also ought to consider hiring only people with at least a GED-level knowledge of business for their highest positions. It's mind-boggling that they don't already do this!
 
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vertsix said:
It’ll be $799 and with 8GB RAM, and they think we’re gonna love it.
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We are looking at replacing a 10-year old MacBook Air for shared use while we travel - to check email, web sites, use Google docs, etc. This is definitely something that interests us. And we will probably buy one each or our grand kids as their first computer. Because it does not fit your needs does not mean it does not fit the needs of others.
 
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macdisciple said:
We are looking at replacing a 10-year old MacBook Air for shared use while we travel - to check email, web sites, use Google docs, etc. This is definitely something that interests us. And we will probably buy one each or our grand kids as their first computer. Because it does not fit your needs does not mean it does not fit the needs of others.
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I could not agree more. All this talk of this having "no value" ... I don't agree.

Value is subjective.
 
At least we know it will be 12gb ram minimum…. Apple won’t release anything new that can’t run their “amazing” non-existent AI that’s been promised for 2 years (I know 8gb is the minimum AI in its current iteration)
 
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wanha said:
it's rather unlikely that this is aimed at existing Mac users. They're going after price conscious non-consumers, young folks in particular.
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"non-consumer young folks"? Who is that? Schools? You're saying this big announcement is for the Education sector and not consumers?
 
wanha said:
macOS quality has slid quite a lot, but every time I have to use Windows on my wife's PC I feel I am trapped in a hellish alternate universe. In my experience, the UX between the two is still HUGE.
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That's because you're used to MacOS. I use both but Windows 90% of the time and I feel like you do when using MacOS.

It's all relative.
 
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If this thing is reasonably priced (for Apple) and doesn't have some last minute dealbreaking drawbacks, I thinks it's a genius product.

IMHO this is not a product aimed at someone who wants an all-around Mac. There's the MB Air for that. I think it has a fantastic value for people who already have a competent/powerful Mac (i.e. a MBPRo or a desktop Mac) but want to have something to take around that's light, functional and with a keyboard; and also cheap, in case it gets damaged. In sales terms I think that it will be a win for Apple, because it's not an instead product, but an also one.

I have a 14" MB Pro for work and a Mini at home, and I can perfectly see myself taking this thing with me to give lectures, attend meetings or just go to my relatives home and advance some light work. Just use an iPad for that, you say? Sorry, but I want MacOS and a terminal window. And a proper keyboard.

About performance: If it does have an A18 Pro, that thing will be almost as fast as M4 in single core, and about as fast as M1 in multicore and GPU performance. Doesn't look bad to me for its use case. And there's plenty of M-series machines with 8GB RAM out there, so I don't think that would be very limiting on the short term. If it had 12GB, that would be golden, but regardless.

Ironically, of all the mentioned possible downgrades... I think a non-backlit keyboard would be the most missing feature for me. 🙂
 
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macdisciple said:
We are looking at replacing a 10-year old MacBook Air for shared use while we travel - to check email, web sites, use Google docs, etc. This is definitely something that interests us. And we will probably buy one each or our grand kids as their first computer. Because it does not fit your needs does not mean it does not fit the needs of others.
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You could probably get a $400 Windows laptop and do what you need to do. You might even be able to get one that has memory slots and a replaceable SSD so you can, unlike any MacBook, upgrade it as time goes by with more RAM and storage.

If an 8GB/256GB MacBook is going to last you 10 years, then your needs are very, very minimal.

Also, not sure how old your grandkids are, but keep in mind they're going to want to play games. Getting the lowest possible spec laptop isn't going to make then happy in a few years.
 
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DEMinSoCAL said:
"non-consumer young folks"? Who is that? Schools? You're saying this big announcement is for the Education sector and not consumers?
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no. targeting non-consumption means targeting people who heretofore weren't buying Macs, presumably because of the high price tag. They're a segment of the market that weren't your customers before.

Young people not only are almost always more price sensitive, but they're also a key demographic to capture for the future. If you let them all just get used to ChromeOS, you may risk not being able to convert them into Mac users later.
 
wanha said:
no. targeting non-consumption means targeting people who heretofore weren't buying Macs, presumably because of the high price tag. They're a segment of the market that weren't your customers before.

Young people not only are almost always more price sensitive, but they're also a key demographic to capture for the future. If you let them all just get used to ChromeOS, you may risk not being able to convert them into Mac users later.
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I'm still confused...non-consumer and non-consumption? How young are you talking about because almost no one under 16 has the money to buy their own laptop. Not trying to be difficult, but I just don't understand who you're talking about?
 
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NachoNoir said:
About performance: If it does have an A18 Pro, that thing will be almost as fast as M4 in single core, and about as fast as M1 in multicore and GPU performance. Doesn't look bad to me for its use case. And there's plenty of M-series machines with 8GB RAM out there, so I don't think that would be very limiting on the short term. If it had 12GB, that would be golden, but regardless.
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Did you miss the time when literally everyone on the globe cheered Apple for making 16GB the minimum RAM on Macs? Nobody really wants to start 2026 with a new 8GB MacBook for north of $500. Do you remember Netbooks from like 10+ years ago? Small, minimal resourced laptops you could take anywhere? When's the last time you've seen a netbook sold? It was a failed concept.
 
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Can we stop with the price comparisons to discounted or refurbished/used MBAs? This low cost MB will itself be discounted or available refurbished/used after launch. The only fair comparison is MSRP because the discounts when they arrive will likely be proportionate. That is, unless you absolutely have to buy a laptop right now.
 
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The people moaning about the non-lit keyboard…you’re not supposed to be looking at the keyboard when you type anyways. Look at the screen. Homekeys have markings for a reason. Seems to me some folks need to go take a typing course
 
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