Apple To Release Low-Cost MacBook In 2026 To Compete With Chromebooks And Cheap PCs

Apple is planning to release a more affordable MacBook model next year, according to a new report from Bloomberg. The impetus behind Apple's decision to release a low-cost MacBook is so that it can more ably compete against an increasingly crowded field of capable and affordable PCs and Chromebooks. While Apple historically focuses on releasing premium products at premium prices, it also wants to ensure that its lineup doesn't overlook a large segment of buyers who simply have no interest in spending over $1,500 for a MacBook Pro.

The price of Apple's more affordable MacBook is said to be "well under $1,000." Apple will be able to keep manufacturing costs down, and its margins high, by utilizing lower-tier components. This means that the notebook won't house an M-series processor but will instead use an iPhone processor. The device will also boast a "lower end LCD display." Naturally, the device's form factor will be relatively small as well. The report notes that it will be smaller than the current MacBook Air, which has a 13.6-inch display. Notably, Apple in 2010 released a MacBook Air with an 11.6-inch display. It stands to reason that Apple's budget MacBook will fall somewhere between 11.6 and 13.6 inches. This, of course, isn't new territory for Apple, as the company released a 12-inch MacBook back in 2015.

For anyone concerned that a MacBook with an iPhone processor might be under-powered, that seemingly won't be an issue. "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," Bloomberg notes. "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."

Besides, even if Apple's budget Mac isn't as powerful as some of its current offerings, cost-conscious consumers care more about affordability than raw horsepower. With respect to pricing, it will be interesting to see how far Apple goes. If Apple truly wants to provide a compelling alternative to premium Chromebooks, it might have to price the device somewhere in the $600 to $700 range.

All told, it will be interesting to see if there's a sizable market for a lower-cost MacBook with performance trade-offs. Historically, budget Apple devices — with the iPhone mini line being a prime example — haven't exactly been runaway hits. Still, the market dynamics for laptops might be different than for smartphones.

Beyond the aforementioned low-cost MacBook, Apple has quite a few other updates to its Mac line in the works. Over the next few months, Apple is expected to release a brand new M5 MacBook Air, along with refreshed versions of the Mac mini and Mac Studio. You might also recall that Apple just two weeks ago announced a new MacBook Pro powered by its M5 processor.