Cheaper than the Air: Budget MacBook allegedly planned for 2026
Apple has so far barely undercut the 1000-euro mark with new laptops. This is allegedly changing with a cheaper model series – without an M-chip.
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Apple is apparently planning to shake up the laptop market more strongly soon – with a new budget MacBook series. According to a report, it will be priced significantly below the 1000-dollar or 1000-euro mark, which the MacBook Air M4 is currently positioned at in its entry-level variant. Apple is currently testing such a 13" laptop with the codename "J700". Preliminary production stages have already begun.
As Bloomberg reports reports, citing informed sources. Sales are therefore scheduled to begin in the first half of 2026.
A-chip instead of M-chip for budget MacBook
According to the information, the new Mac will distinguish itself from more expensive MacBooks through a simpler LC display with a diagonal of around 13 inches. Furthermore, Apple will use an – likely somewhat older – A-series chip generation instead of an M-processor. This would also be the first freely available Mac in recent years that does not contain an M-chip. However, newer A-chips have long been similarly performant for many tasks as the early M-chip generations.
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With such a product, Apple would enter into direct price competition with budget laptops from the Windows world for the first time. It would also be an alternative to Apple's own iPads, which have so far served this price segment, for example, for school use. Laptops offer longer battery life and a more flexible desktop operating system than Apple's tablets.
Rumors about a new entry-level MacBook have been circulating for some time. The A18 Pro, which debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro in autumn 2024, is being considered as a possible chip. In addition, bright colors are being discussed, which have not been seen on Apple laptops for a very long time, including pink and yellow.
Apple has so far been entirely dedicated to the premium segment
Apple has practically never left the premium segment with its laptops. The only recent outlier is the five-year-old MacBook Air M1, which was mainly sold through Walmart in the US – for under 700 US dollars. Apple has recently significantly upgraded its entry-level MacBook models, with the MacBook Air M4 and most recently the MacBook Pro M5. For the end of 2026, another upheaval appears to be imminent in the manufacturer's laptop division – according to reports, a MacBook Pro with an OLED touchscreen is in the works.
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