Why a $599 MacBook may be the most enticing laptop for Windows 10 users later this year

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Apple could be developing a new budget-friendly MacBook for around $599. 
• Rumors state it would house an A18 Pro chipset — the processor found in the iPhone 16 Pro. 
• Despite corroboration by industry experts, information is speculative. 

About a month ago, rumors starting surfacing that Apple was developing a lightweight MacBook that runs on iPhone hardware. Notable Apple insider Ming-Chi Kuo supported the rumors in a post on X in July, claiming the company was currently working on a “more-affordable MacBook” running on the A18 Pro chipset — the same one found in the iPhone 16 Pro — instead of an M-series processor. 

Also: 5 Apple products you definitely shouldn’t buy this month (and 7 to get instead)

Tech news site DigiTimes claims to have recently spoken to an insider with intimate knowledge of this laptop, suggesting the device will cost somewhere between $599 and $699: much cheaper than the M4 MacBook Air’s starting price of $999.

Even more notable is the alleged timing of such a product: releasing this fall, just as millions of PC users are looking for a new computer when Microsoft pulls the plug on support for Windows 10. 

(Even more) lightweight

DigiTimes reports this new MacBook will sport a 12.9-inch display, slightly smaller than the MacBook Air’s 13-inch screen. What’s interesting is that this size closely correlates with what Kuo said a month ago. 

In fact, much of the information told to DigiTimes lines up with Kuo wrote. According to the report, components may enter “mass production” by the end of Q3 2025 (sometime in September). Then, the laptop will become “commercially available” by either late 2025 or early 2026, which, as MacRumors points out, is “similar to [Ming Chi Kuo’s] launch estimation.”

Also: Apple’s improved Siri voice assistant may finally have a release date – and I’m ready to ditch Gemini for it

Details, however, remain scarce. There’s much we don’t know, but it is worth mentioning that the future MacBook is rumored to launch in a variety of colors, including Pink, Blue, Silver, and Yellow, breaking the mold of what MacBooks look like. 

Perfect timing

Windows 10 support officially ends on October 14, 2025 as Microsoft aims to push users to Windows 11. If this laptop hits the market in November or December, not only would it be in the middle of the holiday season, but may also prove totally irresistible to Windows 10 users looking for a new device without all the bloat or unnecessary features. That said, it probably won’t be a perfect device.

MacRumors mentions the fact “that the A19 pro chip lacks Thunderbolt support”, meaning the future MacBook could only have regular USB-C ports. Thunderbolt ports have unique features like the ability to send out video signals to multiple monitors simulateanously and lightning-fast data trasnfer speeds. 

That could be a dealbreaker for some, but the advent of a low-cost MacBook cheaper than the Air may be too alluring to ignore.

The laptop isn’t the only rumored project. Kuo also claimed that Apple is working on a pair of smart glasses set to release in 2027. This pair will reportedly function similarly to Meta Ray-Bans, as it won’t have a heads up display. However, he suggested the glasses will provide audio playback, record video, and support “AI environmental sensing”, with multiple material and style options. 

Looking for the next best product? Get expert reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends.

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