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Apple MacBook Model With A Series Chip, Affordable Price Tag to Launch in Early 2026: Report

Apple MacBook Model With A-Series Chip, Affordable Price Tag to Launch in Early 2026: Report

Apple’s rumoured entry-level MacBook model could allow the Cupertino company to capture a larger market share.

Written by Dhruv Raghav, Edited by David Delima | Updated: 12 August 2025 16:29 IST

Apple MacBook Model With A-Series Chip, Affordable Price Tag to Launch in Early 2026: Report

The alleged affordable Apple MacBook model might not be part of the Air lineup

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Highlights

MacBook Air M1 (2020) is the cheapest Apple laptop on sale
Apple’s A18 Pro chip currently powered the iPhone 16 Pro-series
The company is yet to confirm the launch of the laptop

Apple is reportedly developing a new entry-level MacBook model, which will neither be part of the company's Air nor the Pro lineup. This is not the first time that such information has surfaced online. Recently, a market analyst predicted that the Cupertino-based tech giant is working on a cheaper laptop, which will be powered by the same chipset that powers the current flagship iPhone Pro models. The new report also sheds some light on the expected price and launch timeline of the purported MacBook.

Entry-Level Apple MacBook Price, Launch Timeline (Expected)

According to a report by DigiTimes, the rumoured entry-level MacBook model's price could start at $699 (roughly Rs. 61,306), which could be available to students at $599 (about Rs. 52,535). Apple will reportedly either launch the laptop by early 2026. As of today, the cheapest Apple laptop on sale in India is the MacBook Air with the M1 chip, which was launched in 2020.

In the past, market analyst Ming-Chi Kuo shared information regarding the purported entry-level MacBook model, sporting a 13-inch display. This affordable Apple laptop might not debut as part of either the Air or the Pro lineup. It is said to be powered by Apple's A18 Pro chip, the same as the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

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Kuo predicted that mass production for the affordable Apple MacBook model would begin by the fourth quarter of 2025 or the first quarter of 2026, in line with the latest leak. The A18 Pro chip supports the Apple Intelligence suite of artificial intelligence (AI) functionalities, and it is safe to assume that the upcoming laptop could offer some of the same AI-powered features.

As of today, the most affordable Apple laptop sold in India is the MacBook Air M1 (2020), which comes at a starting price of Rs. 54,990. Like its latest laptop, Apple also supports AI-enabled features on its most affordable laptop, too. It sports a 13.3-inch display with a 60Hz refresh rate and 2,560×1,600 pixel resolution. The base variant comes with 8GB of RAM, paired with a 256GB of SSD storage.

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Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020) Laptop

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Value for Money

Good
Familiar design
P3 colour gamut display
Excellent performance
Runs cool and quiet
Very good battery life

Bad
Low-resolution webcam

Read detailed Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020) review

Display size 13.30-inch

Display resolution 2560x1600 pixels

Touchscreen No

Processor Apple M1

RAM 8GB

OS macOS

Hard disk No

SSD 512GB

Weight 1.29 kg

More Apple Laptops

iPhone 16 Pro

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display 6.30-inch

Processor Apple A18 Pro

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 48-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS iOS 18

Resolution 1206x2622 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 16 Pro Max

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Massive screen size
Brilliant display
Performance beast
Camera Control is a boon
Fantastic battery life

Bad
Big phone for one-hand use
Expensive
No Apple Intelligence at launch
Slow-wired charging support

Read detailed Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max review

Display 6.90-inch

Processor Apple A18 Pro

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 48-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS iOS 18

Resolution 1320x2868 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

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Further reading: Apple MacBook Air M1 2020, Apple MacBook, Apple MacBook Air M4, Apple, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max

Dhruv Raghav

Email Dhruv Raghav

Dhruv Raghav is currently working as a Senior Sub Editor at Gadgets360. He has previously covered the North American financial markets as a Headline News Correspondent for a major news agency. After taking a sabbatical to prepare for the Civil Services examination, he returned to journalism to cover tech policy, with a special focus on AI laws and online gaming regulation. Now, he is back in Gadgets360 to write features and edit stories. To unwind, he likes to spend time with his PS5, listening ...More