A $599 MacBook might be coming and Windows laptops should be worried

MacBook Air is already comfortably placed at $999. The base now offers 16GB of unified memory, which is double that of the previous generation. It gets a powerful M4 chip and improved battery performance. A new report now claims that Apple is planning a new low-cost MacBook, with the price starting as low as $599. Mass production of some components will start as early as Q3 2025.

The low-cost MacBook from Apple could get a $599 price tag

The timeline of the mass production hints that Apple could break cover of the new affordable MacBook by late 2025 or early 2026. Details from the DigiTimes report claim the only difference between the rumoured MacBook and the MacBook Air will be the size. The upcoming MacBook may offer a 12.9-inch panel, making it reasonably smaller than the 13.6-inch screen on the current M4 MacBook Air.

Furthermore, the report mentions that the affordable MacBook will feature an A18 Pro chip. This is the same SoC present in the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. This corroborates a recent note from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The price range of the laptop could be between $599 and $699. If true, this marks an interesting strategy from Apple to capture the sub $700 market. This should be a lucrative offering to students. However, it’s unclear what the new laptop will be called.

Mass production in Q3 2025

Furthermore, the report notes that the mass production will happen in the third quarter of 2025. The final assembly could happen at one of Quanta’s facilities in Q4 2025. This means Apple may launch its low-cost MacBook around late 2025 or early 2026. 

The only other option from Apple in the said price range is the M4 Mac Mini, but it’s not equal to a laptop and lacks the portability factor. If Apple indeed launches the sub-$600 MacBook, it should compel the competition to launch models in this range. Besides this, Apple is reportedly planning to launch an OLED MacBook Pro model in late 2026.