Apple may have just made you rethink your next laptop, as this cheaper MacBook may arrive soon

For a couple of months, rumors have been showing up online that Apple is prepping a new, more affordable MacBook model. Now, a new leak is hinting at the potential price this MacBook may be available for. 

First, we heard about this ‘affordable’ MacBook in late June from a Ming-Chi Kuo report indicating that Apple was working on a 13-inch laptop that should be more affordable. The device is slated to compete with Chromebooks and potentially drive MacBook purchases up. 

Now, a new report coming from Asia is corroborating Kuo’s prediction and suggesting this affordable MacBook may be priced between $599 and $699. Currently, the cheapest MacBook, the MacBook Air, starts at $999 (13-inch version). 

The report also adds that the laptop may sport a 12.9-inch display, which would make it a tad smaller than the MacBook Air’s 13.6-inch screen. Reportedly, some components are expected to enter mass production by the end of Q3 of this year. And yep, this could mean full system assembly may begin before the end of the year.

This would indicate that the laptop may be available for purchase in late 2025 or early 2026, which more or less matches Kuo’s prediction. 

Meanwhile, annual shipments of the affordable MacBook could reach between 5 million and 7 million units, according to market projections. This could potentially boost Apple’s total MacBook sales volume by reportedly 30 to even 40%.

According to Kuo’s earlier report, the MacBook may use Apple’s A18 Pro chip (the processor powering the iPhone 16 Pro). This, if true, would mark the first MacBook ever powered by an iPhone chip. So far, Apple’s MacBooks powered by Apple silicon have sported the M-series chips with more cores, greater memory capacity, and improved external display support.

Apart from that, this mysterious MacBook may come with an ultra-thin and lightweight design. Colors that are rumored for it include Silver, Blue, Pink, and even Yellow, which may be super fun, in my opinion. 

One thing that’s worth noting is that this affordable laptop may lack Thunderbolt support, as the A18 Pro chip doesn’t support it. If this is the chip that powers the laptop, this would mean the device would come with regular USB-C ports. 

I personally think that having an affordable MacBook is a great idea by Apple. Not everyone needs the power of a Pro model, and a cheaper option could open the door for more people to try a Mac. The fun colors sound like a nice bonus, too. If it’s light, fast enough, and easy to carry, I can see it becoming really popular.