Apple is engaged on a extra reasonably priced model of the MacBook that is powered by an A-series iPhone chip somewhat than an M-series Apple silicon chip. We have rounded up the entire rumors concerning the new machine, which is anticipated subsequent 12 months.
Design
The upcoming low-cost MacBook will have a 13-inch show (roughly), in keeping with Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Which means it is going to be proper across the identical measurement because the 13-inch MacBook Air that Apple already sells.
Apple used to have an excellent skinny 12-inch MacBook and there have been some on and off rumors through the years suggesting it may see a revival. A skinny and light-weight MacBook with an iPhone chip in it does not appear out of the realm of risk.
The primary model of the 12-inch MacBook had a low-power Core M chip, and it got here out in 2015, properly earlier than Apple transitioned to Apple silicon. There have been no followers inside and that saved it skinny and quiet, a design that Apple has continued with the MacBook Air.
An A-series chip wouldn’t run as scorching as an M-series chip, and it will want even fewer warmth dissipation options. Despite the fact that thinner and lighter usually means dearer with Apple gadgets, which may not be the case with an iPhone chip in a physique the dimensions of the MacBook Air.
Colours
Apple reserves stately colours for its “Professional” machines, and sometimes makes use of enjoyable colours for its lower-cost merchandise. Rumors recommend that the low-cost MacBook could possibly be made obtainable in silver, blue, pink, and yellow. These shade choices truly sound much like the colour choices that Apple gives for the iMac, so we could possibly be taking a look at iMac-style shades.
Chip
Kuo says the low-cost MacBook will use an A18 Professional chip, and we have additionally seen indicators of a MacBook with an A18 Professional in Apple’s code, so all indicators level to the A18.
The A18 Professional is the chip that Apple launched within the iPhone 16 Professional. It makes use of a second-generation 3-nanometer course of and for an iPhone chip, efficiency is spectacular.
There is a 6-core CPU with 4 efficiency cores and two effectivity cores, together with a 6-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine for AI-based duties. In Geekbench benchmarks, the A16 Professional has a median single-core rating of 3451, and a multi-core rating of 8572. For comparability, the M4 chip within the iPad Professional earns a single-core rating of 3694 and a multi-core rating of 13732.
The A18 Professional outperforms the M1, which is the chip that Apple saved round in a lower-cost model of the MacBook Air for a number of years.
So an A18 MacBook would not be too far off from the M4 Mac/iPad chips by way of single-core efficiency, however there can be a distinction in multi-core efficiency.
Thermal Design
The iPhone 16 Professional has a thermal structure that mixes a titanium body with a graphite clad aluminum substructure, and a few components of that construct may translate to a MacBook.
RAM
Macs begin with 16GB RAM, however the iPhone 16 Professional has 8GB RAM, the minimal for Apple Intelligence. We will anticipate an A18 Professional MacBook to have no less than 8GB RAM so it could assist Apple Intelligence, but it surely’s attainable Apple will give it the 16GB that every one Macs have.
Ports
The A18 Professional chip within the iPhone 16 Professional fashions does not assist Thunderbolt, so the MacBook will likely be restricted to USB-C (10GB/s) and will not provide Thunderbolt speeds. That may restrict show connectivity, so it is doubtless the A18 Professional MacBook will solely assist a single exterior show.
Worth
The MacBook Air with M4 chip is priced beginning at $999, and it comes with a 10-core CPU, an 8-core GPU, 16GB RAM, and a 256GB SSD. The A18 Professional MacBook could possibly be a pair hundred {dollars} inexpensive, although we now have no perception into pricing proper now.
Apple most likely will not need to undercut its iPad pricing. The low-cost iPad with A16 chip begins at $349, and the iPad Air with M2 chip begins at $599. A value round $599 to $699 may take advantage of sense as a result of it would not be as costly because the MacBook Air or iPad Professional, however would are available in at or simply over the iPad Air’s price.
$599 can be on par with a number of the extremely rated Chromebook choices that folks usually buy for college use. $599 can be the price of the iPhone 16e, Apple’s most reasonably priced iPhone that makes use of a barely much less highly effective A18 chip.
Launch Date
Kuo says Apple goes to start out producing the low-cost MacBook late within the fourth quarter of 2025 or early within the first quarter of 2026. That will align with a spring 2026 launch timeline.
