Breaking News:A budget MacBook with a $599 price tag on its way to threaten Windows’ dominance, according to multiple reports– What Just Happened

According to multiple industry sources, such as Ming-Chi Kuo, Bloomberg, and TrendForce, Apple is working on a budget MacBook that will share many of the same specs as the MacBook Air, except that it will have an iPhone chipset instead. Apparently, the upcoming low-cost MacBook will be powered by the Apple A18 chipset, which is found in the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Moreover, sources say it could cost as low as $599, which is a market dominated by Windows laptops and even some Chromebooks.

In this article, I will tell you everything you need to know about the rumored budget MacBook.

Note: This article is based on leaks and rumors and also partially reflects the writer’s own opinion. As such, it should be taken with a grain of salt.

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Apple is reportedly working on a budget MacBook that could cost as low as $599

Ming-Chi Kuo, a highly reliable Apple leaker, was the first to break the story of this budget MacBook in mid-2025. According to the tipster, this MacBook will feature a 13-inch display, slightly smaller than the MacBook Air’s 13.6-inch screen. Therefore, the display will probably use a new panel that may not be as good as the one in the latter, which is understandable, given that it is expected to be a low-cost device. These reports are also corroborated by TrendForce, one of the leading market researchers.

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, this MacBook will be powered by the Apple A18 Pro chipset that originally launched with the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. This will allow Apple to save costs tremendously; but don’t expect it to be paired with 16GB RAM, especially with the ongoing memory crisis. Moreover, this chipset is definitely capable of running Apple Intelligence, so expect this low-cost MacBook to have it as well.

Therefore, the budget MacBook will probably have 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Ming-Chi Kuo believes the chassis of this low-cost MacBook will be available in silver, blue, pink, and yellow colors. The tipster suggested that Apple is planning to add this model to mass production by Q1 2026 and ship five-to-seven million units in 2026.

TrendForce believes Apple will go with a spring window, so it may launch by the end of March 2026. As for pricing, DigiTimes, a premier Taiwanese media outlet, believes this budget MacBook could be launched between $599 and $699. It’s a market where Windows laptops dominate, and the arrival of this low-cost MacBook could seriously challenge Windows’ dominance.

Besides, trust in Windows 11 is at an all-time low after heaps of issues, including shutdown bugs, Notepad errors, and such plagued Windows 11 earlier this year. There’s no better time to introduce a budget MacBook than now.

Ming-Chi Kuo is highly reliable in the industry when it comes to Apple leaks, which leaves little room for doubt. However, this is still an unconfirmed report, so take it with a grain of salt.

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