Apple is gearing up to launch its first budget MacBook, targeting cost-conscious buyers of Chromebooks and entry-level Windows laptops. The affordable notebook, aimed at students, businesses, and everyday users, is said to focus on web browsing, document work, and light media editing.
Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:
Code-named J700, the machine is currently in active testing at Apple and in early production with overseas suppliers. The Cupertino, California-based company plans to launch it in the first half of next year, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the product hasn’t been announced.
The move would represent a strategic shift for Apple, which has historically focused on premium devices with hefty profit margins. The company also has vowed not to chase market share with lower-end offerings.
Apple plans to sell the new machine for well under $1,000 by using less-advanced components. The laptop will rely on an iPhone processor and a lower-end LCD display. The screen will also be the smallest of any current Mac, coming in at slightly below the 13.6-inch one used in the MacBook Air.
This would mark the first time that Apple has used an iPhone processor in a Mac, rather than a chip designed specifically for a computer. But internal tests have shown that the smartphone chip can perform better than the Mac-optimized M1 used in laptops as recently as a few years ago…
[T]he upcoming model will be an entirely new design, rather than a discounted older machine.
In schools, Apple’s entry-level iPad paired with the Magic Keyboard Folio is a popular setup, costing roughly $600 combined. The new Mac would fall in a similar range but offer better battery life, the greater flexibility that comes with the macOS software and an integrated keyboard. That could appeal to students and consumers alike.
MacDailyNews Take: An A19 Pro-level chip can certainly power a MacBook – and very efficiently, too. With the M5 MacBook Air also on deck, 2026 will be a banner year for Apple’s indomitable Mac!
All scores below are from Geekbench 6. Data is aggregated from user-submitted results and reviews; real-world variance can occur due to thermal throttling, software, or configuration. Higher scores indicate better performance.
Geekbench 6: Apple A19 Pro vs. Apple M1
| Metric | Apple A19 Pro (iPhone 17 Pro) |
Apple M1 (MacBook Air/Pro) |
A19 Pro Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-Core | ~3,900–4,020 | ~2,200 | +77% |
| Multi-Core | ~9,700–11,000 | ~8,200–8,500 | +15–30% |
| GPU Compute (Metal) | ~45,000–46,000 | ~20,000–22,000 | +110–130% |
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Given Walmart sells the MacBook Air M1 with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD today, will the new A19-powered MacBook be cheaper?
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Apple-MacBook-Air-13-3-inch-Laptop-Silver-M1-Chip-Built-for-Apple-Intelligence-8GB-RAM-256GB-storage/715596133
I hope so. I mean, the A19 is billed as being faster, and the MacBook Air M1 already has a smaller screen than the 13.6=inch of the MacBook Air M2, M3 and M4.
But Apple already has a Mac at the USD $599 price point and had has for years – plus it has iPads and keyboards that match this $600 or so price, per the article.
Will Apple sell this new machine for $500, so there is a clear difference?
I suspect not, sadly. But we can live in hope!
They aren’t going to sell a laptop with a chip from 2020 (M1) in volume. The A19 should pick up the slack for Apple Intelligence assuming they aren’t going with 16GB of RAM as the base. I think it’ll start at $599, roughly halfway between the entry-level iPad and the base M4 MacBook Air.
Brilliant.
air mid pro
Young people all have iPhones and want more Apple devices in their lives.
Hard to justify a high-end MacBook which they don’t need, but easy to say yes to a $599 YouthBook. So smart to capitalize on this latent demand, and get iPhone users into the Mac ecosystem younger.
long requested future for OS popularity
Apple’s idea of budget and the way the rest of the world views it are two different things.