Adam Kos According to increasingly strong leaks, he is planning Apple "cheap" MacBook, which should be delivered to the market next year. With a price well below the $999 mark, it is intended to compete Chromebooks and cheap computers with WindowsBut what will he be able to do?
Display and design
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that cheaper MacBook will have a display size of approximately 13 inches (we really don't expect ProMotion). For comparison - MacBook Air offers a 13,6-inch display, so the new model could be a little smaller. For us, we would like to go back to the 12" diagonal it had MacBook from 2015, but the display will probably be slightly larger.
There is no information yet about the thickness of the device.macoh, but Apple probably won't emphasize an extremely thin design for a model that is aimed at a low price. Given that MacBook Air without a fan and with the M series chip it works without problems, however there is no reason for the new MacBook significantly thicker.
A-series chip
Apple plans in the new MacBooku use the A18 Pro chip, which first appeared in iPhonech 16 Pro. This chip is manufactured using the second generation of 3nm technology and offers 8 GB of integrated RAM and support for Apple Intelligence. It's fast, energy-efficient, and handles everyday tasks with ease.
iPhone 16 Pro Max
According to Geekbench 6 tests, it achieves single-core performance comparable to the M3 chip Ultra, while multi-core performance outperforms the M1, which Apple used in the first MacBooku Air with a chip Apple SiliconThe results of the Metal tests, which measure graphics performance, are also similar to the M1 chip's scores. So the performance won't be top-notch, but the work for which it will be new MacBook determined, it will handle it without any problems.
Versatile options
It's pretty simple to say that the A18 Pro chip will make it cheaper MacBook able to handle everything he can iPhone 16 Pro (Max). It will become a suitable alternative to the cheaper iPad with a keyboard and will offer support for features Apple Intelligence. Currently, the iPad is practically the only available option for a low-cost portable device that can serve as a “computer.” The new MacBook however, it will bring a solution with macOS place iPadOS.
MacBook Air
Tasks like browsing the web, watching videos, creating documents, editing photos, or light video editing will not be a problem. As well as some games, the chip also supports ray tracing. Apple However, it probably won't offer a large number of ports - one is expected USB-C, if it were good, then a maximum of two, similar to the case with MacBooku Air.
It could be interest you
The A18 Pro chip is very energy efficient and there will be enough space for the battery in the 13-inch body, so you can expect battery life at a similar level. MacBooku Air or even better. By the way MacBook Air It lasts a very nice 18 hours when watching video and around 15 hours when browsing the web.
MacBook 2026 specifications
- Display size: Approximately 13 inches (slightly smaller than 13,6″ for MacBook Air)
- Display type: Standard LCD, without mini-LED and without ProMotion (60 Hz)
- Colorful varianty: Silver, blue, pink, yellow (similar toMac)
- Chip: A18 Pro (from iPhone 16 Pro), manufactured with 3nm technology
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Performance: Single-core M3-level performance Ultra; Multi-core performance higher than M1 MacBook Air; GPU performance similar to M1
- Feature support: Apple Intelligence, running macOS, suitable for common tasks (web, documents, video, light photo/video editing)
- Ports: Probably 1 to 2 USB-C ports, no Thunderbolt
- Battery life: Similar or better than expected MacBook Air (approx. 15–18 p.m.)
- Price: "Significantly under $1,000", estimates are between $499-$799 (based on comparison to iPad Air and older M1 MacBookem, which can still be purchased in select markets for $599)
- Launch date: First half of 2026
