Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- Macworld reports that Apple is expected to launch a new low-cost MacBook in March with an aluminum chassis and a price tag well below $1,000.
- The device can offer playful color options with a display just under 13 inches that can run on an iPhone chip for affordability.
- This affordable MacBook could make Apple laptops more affordable while maintaining premium design elements and a unique aesthetic.
While we wait for the new MacBook Pro M5s, Apple is reportedly preparing an all-new laptop that could be released in a few weeks. According to Mark Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter, Apple’s long-rumored budget MacBook is expected to arrive “as early as March” with a design that defies its price tag.
Gurman reports that the new laptop will cost “well under $1,000” but won’t have a cheap plastic design. The new MacBook will feature an aluminum chassis that introduces a new manufacturing process “designed to be faster and more cost-effective than that used in Apple’s current laptops,” according to the report.
Along with the aluminum skin, Gurman says the new MacBook will be available in “playful colors,” a stark contrast from the silver, gold, and space gray hues offered for years on the MacBook Air. Gurman offers several options, including yellow, light green, blue and pink, but doesn’t expect all of them to ship. It doesn’t offer any details on whether these colors will be bright or similar to the very light sky blue offered for the M4 MacBook Air.
In 2021, Apple was rumored to be developing a MacBook in different colors, but that machine never materialized. It’s unclear if this new low-cost MacBook is related to this rumor or a completely different project.
In addition, he reiterates the expectation that the new machine will run on an iPhone chip and have a display slightly smaller than the MacBook Air at “just under 13 inches.” The price of the laptop is estimated at 699 dollars.
Along with the low-end MacBook, Gurman says several other Macs are also set to be released in the coming weeks, including the M5 Pro/Max MacBook Pro, M5 MacBook Air, and M5 Max/M5 Ultra Mac Studio.
For the latest on the budget MacBook, keep an eye on our rumor superguide.