Apple reportedly working on low-cost MacBook that would start from just $599

Apple is reportedly working on a low-cost MacBook that would be priced as low as $599, which is $400 cheaper than its MacBook Air that retails for $999.

The biggest difference between the purported new $599 MacBook and the $999 MacBook Air will be in the size of the laptop, with the new $599 MacBook said to sport a 12.9-inch display, compared to the 13.6-inch panel on the MacBook Air. Apple is reportedly looking at $599 to $699 pricing, with the new MacBook said to feature the A18 Pro chip, the same SoC that's inside of the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max smartphones.

Apple is reportedly looking at launching its new low-cost MacBook sometime in Q4 2025 or Q1 2026, and it could make quite the splash if and when it does arrive. The $599 pricing will be a huge deal for students and Apple fans that don't want to shell out close to, or over $1000 on a new laptop.

Digitimes forecasts that Apple's "Back to School" promotions will help lift MacBook Air shipments by 2.2% quarter-on-quarter, and 10% year-over-year in Q3 2025, compared to an estimated 3.2% sequential decline across the broader notebook market that includes laptop competitors like Lenovo, HP, and Dell.

If we do see the launch of the new low-cost $599-$699 MacBook in Q4 2025, we could expect annual shipments between 5 million and 7 million units, which would boost Apple's total MacBook volume from the current 17 million to 18 million units by a hefty 30% to 40% moving forward.