Apple might actually be getting ready to take affordable laptops seriously. The company is reportedly set to debut another entry-level MacBook early next year, according to a new report on Tuesday. If the timeline plays out, this would be the first time Apple has ever seriously taken on budget Windows laptops without watering down its MacBook Air branding.

Launch Timeline and Market Positioning

Apple will announce the 12.9-inch MacBook in spring 2026, presumably between March and May, claims a research note posted on market intelligence firm TrendForce this week. The laptop is reportedly aimed at students, first-time Mac users or those looking for a cheaper alternative than the MacBook Air to access macOS.

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Critical components were reportedly due to go into mass production no earlier than the third quarter of 2025, with final assembly ramping up later in the year. Apple is said to be banking on supply chain efficiencies and the economies of scale that come with shipments that will continue after launch to keep the price down.

Display and Design Expectations

The new MacBook is rumoured to sport a 12.9-inch display, which would be the smallest in (or at least for) Apple’s current MacBook lineup. The smallest MacBook available today is, for context, the 13-inch MacBook Air. The screen is the same size as some iPad Air and iPad Pro devices, suggesting that cost-cutting recycled parts may have been used.

Design-wise, the notebook would likely adhere to Apple’s established slim-and-light motif. It could also perhaps come in several bright colour options like blue, silver, pink, and yellow – analogous to recent MacBook Air and iMac marketing fancies.

Chipset, Performance, and Trade-Offs

Among the most significant changes may be under the hood. The lower-cost MacBook will be powered by an A18 Pro chipset rather than an M-series chip, the same processor that powers the iPhone 16 Pro lineup. The chip has a six-core CPU, a six-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine, delivering performance in everyday tasks on par with that of the original M1 MacBook Air.

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The device is rumoured to come with 8 GB of RAM and may be an attempt to save some costs by omitting the kind of premium features found on higher-end devices. Rumours speculate it may miss out on Thunderbolt support and instead offer only standard USB Type-C ports, with slower data speeds and a maximum of one external display.

Expected Pricing and Why It Matters

Pricing is the area in which this MacBook could have its largest effect. In the US, it is tipped to kick off from $699 to $799, which would be up to $300 below that of an entry-level MacBook Air. Such a divide might help to bring macOS within reach for the users who now settle for Chromebooks or budget Windows laptops.

If Apple strikes the right balance between performance, battery life and price, this low-cost MacBook could quietly achieve the status of one of the company’s most important hardware introductions in years.