Abstract created by Good Solutions AI
In abstract:
- Macworld studies Apple is growing a price range MacBook utilizing an A18 Professional or A19 Professional chip, anticipated to launch by early 2026 with pricing between $599-$849.
- This inexpensive laptop computer goals to compete with Chromebooks whereas sustaining premium aluminum design and providing playful colours like yellow, inexperienced, and blue.
- The gadget could characteristic a 12.9-inch Retina show, 8GB RAM for Apple Intelligence, and superior connectivity together with Wi-Fi 7 and potential mobile help.
Apple’s MacBook lineup could possibly be in for a serious shakeup. The corporate is reportedly planning on releasing a brand new, low-cost laptop computer that may compete with Chromebooks and Home windows laptops within the price range market. Such a laptop computer might carry the Mac to an entire new class of customers.
The brand new MacBook could characteristic an aluminum design in playful colours, an A19 Professional chip, Extremely Retina XDR OLED show, fewer ports, and Apple’s C2 modem.
This new, low-cost MacBook could possibly be a highly regarded one, which implies you’ll wish to maintain monitor of its developments. Nicely, look no additional. This text will maintain monitor of the rumors and studies of this upcoming product, in addition to supply our perspective on the gadget, so control this web page for the most recent.
New A19 MacBook: Launch date
- March 4, 2026 – potential
Apple is scheduled to host three “Apple Particular Experiences” on March 4 within the U.S., U.Okay., and China. These periods, that are anticipated to supply media hands-on time with new merchandise, might present the perfect setting for the price range MacBook’s debut.
Apple’s low-cost MacBook has been rumored for a while, with Apple leaker Jon Prosser describing a brand new colourful MacBook Air again in Could 2021, that by no means materialised, however over the previous yr rumors have remerged suggesting that Apple does have one thing completely different coming.
In June 2025, credible analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, indicated (in Chinese language) that Apple would begin manufacturing of the brand new low-cost MacBook on the finish of the fourth quarter of 2025 or within the early stage of the primary quarter of 2026. It’s value emphasising that these dates consult with the manufacturing course of reasonably than the announcement or delivery timeframe. If manufacturing started in October 2025 then it’s believable that the price range MacBook will arrive in early 2026, doubtlessly unveiled at a spring occasion, or within the run as much as Apple’s March 4 ‘Expertise’.
In November, 2025, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple is planning to launch a “low-cost laptop computer to rival Chromebooks and Home windows PCs” within the first half of 2026. He stated it was at present in testing at Apple and “in early manufacturing with abroad suppliers.”
On February 8, 2026, Gurman reported that the low-cost MacBook shall be accessible “within the first half of the yr.” He didn’t supply any specifics. After which, on February 15, he wrote that Apple’s long-rumored low-cost MacBook is anticipated to reach “as early as March,” with a design that defies its price ticket.
What is going to the brand new MacBook be known as?
No studies have been made in regards to the official identify of the laptop computer, however you’ll be able to assume it received’t be a part of the MacBook Air line. It’s being known as the A18 or A19 Professional MacBook, primarily based on the chip it might have. Apple might merely name it “MacBook,” reviving the identify of the discontinued 12-inch MacBook that was focused at the same market.
Foundry
New A19 MacBook: Design
- Playful colours
- Aluminum chassis (not plastic)
Based on Mark Gurman (in February 2026), Apple’s low-cost MacBook can have a design that defies its price ticket.
Apple’s purpose with this laptop computer is to make it inexpensive in comparison with the MacBook Air and MacBook Professional, and one solution to reduce prices is to make a plastic case as a substitute of an aluminum one. Nonetheless, since Apple is working to make its merchandise carbon-neutral, it’s uncertain that it could use plastic, preferring to make use of aluminum or another recyclable or carbon-free materials. Due to this fact, it’s no shock that the brand new MacBook, in accordance with Gurman, can have an aluminum chassis.
There shall be a brand new manufacturing course of “designed to be each quicker and less expensive than the one used with Apple’s present laptops,” in accordance with Gurman.
Together with the aluminum shell, Gurman studies that the brand new MacBook shall be accessible in “playful colours.”
The next colors are indicated: yellow, mild inexperienced, blue, silver, darkish grey, and pink. Which, within the case of yellow, inexperienced and blue, does appear to match the brand Apple designed for the invitations to the particular occasions on March 4.
Apple
Again in June 2023 analyst Ming-Chi Kuo advised the next colours: silver, blue, pink, and yellow.
A19 Professional MacBook: Show
- 12.9-inch show – rumored
Apple at present makes use of a Liquid Retina (LED-backlit show with IPS know-how) show within the MacBook Air, an improve over the unique Retina shows Apple final used with the 13-inch MacBook Professional in 2022. It’s potential Apple might revert to a Retina show with squared-off corners for the A19 Professional MacBook, although it’s extra doubtless that Apple shaves price through the use of a smaller show.
On August 11, DigiTimes reported that the laptop computer can have a 12.9-inch show, barely smaller than the 13-inch MacBook Air.
New A19 MacBook: Processor
- iPhone chip: A19 Professional or A18 Professional – anticipated
One other solution to meet the pricing targets for this new MacBook is to make use of a chip that isn’t as sturdy because the chips used within the MacBook Air and MacBook Professional. When Kuo first mentioned the price range MacBook in his June 2025 report, he said that Apple will use an A18 Professional, the identical chip that was within the iPhone 16 Professional. Now that the A19 arrived with the iPhone 17 that is most likely the extra doubtless chip. Learn extra about what the iPhone 17 can inform us in regards to the MacBook that would use the identical chip in: Is Apple’s rumored low cost MacBook hiding in plain sight?
The A-series chips are utilized in iPhones, whereas M-series chips are in Macs. Each chip households are primarily based on the identical normal structure, however the M chips typically supply extra processing energy.
An A19 Professional (and A18 Professional) can technically do the whole lot an M-series chip can, however will probably be slower. When evaluating Geekbench 6 benchmarks, the A18 Professional provided single-core efficiency that’s on par with the M3. Nonetheless, as a result of the A18 Professional has solely 6 CPU cores, its multi-core efficiency is barely behind the M1, which has 8 CPU cores. If Apple retains the whole lot the identical, an A18 Professional MacBook will carry out like an M1 MacBook Air, which, for lots of people, has greater than sufficient processing energy. Ought to Apple use an A19 Professional we will count on one thing even higher.
It should draw comparability with the iPad fashions which can be powered by Mac chips, although.
MacRumors reported, in December 2025, that references to an A18 Professional MacBook appeared in a set of leaked Apple recordsdata.
New A19 MacBook: Connectivity
Apple is utilizing its personal wi-fi networking chip, the N1 within the iPhone 17, bringing Bluetooth 6, Wi-Fi 7, and Thread. It’s doubtless the identical chips will make their method into the A19 Professional MacBook.
There’s additionally an opportunity this new Mac can have mobile connectivity utilizing Apple’s C1, C1X or but to launch C2 modem. The C2 is more likely to help mmWave.
Except for this, it’s rumored that the price range MacBook can have fewer USB ports than the MacBook Air (which has two USB-C and a magsafe charging port). This low-cost MacBook could not help Thunderbolt.
New A19 MacBook: Digital camera
It’s additionally potential that Apple opts to not embody a built-in digital camera. Over the previous a number of years, Apple has promoted the Mac’s Continuity Digital camera characteristic that allows you to use an iPhone as a Mac webcam, in addition to the upcoming macOS Tahoe Magnifier app. Apple might promote this as a webcam answer. This could be a drastic change, because it’s been a very long time since Apple shipped a laptop computer and not using a digital camera, however it could possibly be a chance with a view to meet the corporate’s value purpose.
New A19 MacBook: Efficiency
Outcomes are expressed as Geekbench scores. Greater scores/longer bars are quicker.
We don’t but have the benchmarks for the A19 Professional, however the A18 Professional has 8GB of RAM, which Apple has stated is the naked minimal required to run Apple Intelligence options. So, this new laptop computer can have no less than 8GB of RAM and probably 16GB, like the opposite MacBook fashions. For the reason that iPhone doesn’t supply RAM upgrades, we don’t know what Apple might cost for additional reminiscence.
As for graphics efficiency, the A18 Professional has a 6-core GPU, and its Metallic rating in Geekbench 6’s Compute benchmark is much like that of the M1 discovered within the MacBook Air. It’s not a cutting-edge performer, however it’ll deal with on a regular basis duties with none points. Since Apple’s different MacBooks all begin at 256GB of storage, it’s almost sure this mannequin will include 256GB of storage as properly.
New A19 MacBook: Value
The most affordable laptop computer Apple sells is the $999 MacBook Air. Nonetheless, Walmart nonetheless sells the M1 MacBook Air with a 256GB SSD for $649 and as little as $599. The A19 Professional MacBook has been regarded as a substitute for this Walmart mannequin, although it’s laborious to consider it could be that low cost. A value that falls between $729 and $849 looks like it could match into the MacBook lineup.
There are claims that the low-cost MacBook might begin at $599, which might permit Apple to compete with Chromebooks and Home windows laptops.
Gurman studies that the brand new laptop computer will price “properly underneath $1,000.”
Our estimation could be across the center of these two figures, round $749.
