Apple may release a more affordable MacBook powered by an iPhone chip - the A18 Pro instead of the M-series
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that Apple will launch a cheap MacBook with the A18 Pro, the same chip found in the iPhone 16 Pro, most likely in late 2025 or early 2026. This would bring the price down below the current $999 for the MacBook Air.
Here's What We Know
According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple's accumulated successes have allowed it to think about an even more budget-friendly version of the laptop. The new model will likely feature a 13-inch screen and the A18 Pro - the same chip used in the iPhone 16 Pro, rather than the powerful M-series.
- 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) June 30, 2025
The $999 price tag for the base MacBook Air has remained unchanged since its release. Switching to a less powerful but still fast A-class chip will allow Apple to offer the laptop at a more "friendly" price point. According to preliminary reports, the release volume could be 5-7 million units in 2026 - indicating a possible mass-market policy for the company .
In the Geekbench test, the A18 Pro gets about 3500 points in single-threaded mode - only slightly behind the M4. The multi-core score (~8780) is lower (M4 - about 15000), but it is comparable to the first M1, still quite popular and productive.
Planned production start is late 2025/early 2026. The key question is how much lower the price will be compared to $999 for the MacBook Air, and whether users will be able to accept compromises for the sake of savings. Details like RAM capacity, screen type and ports remain unknown for now.
Source: @mingchikuo, 9To5Mac
