Apple’s MacBook lineup could be in for a major shakeup. The company is reportedly planning on releasing a new laptop that can compete with Windows laptops in the budget market. Such a laptop could bring the Mac to a whole new class of users.
This new, low-cost MacBook could be a very popular one, which means you’ll want to keep track of its developments. Well, look no further. This article will keep track of the rumors and reports of this upcoming product, as well as offer our perspective on the device, so keep an eye on this page for the latest.
A18 Pro MacBook: Release date and name
According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is expected to start production of the new A18 Pro MacBook Pro at the end of the fourth quarter of 2025 or in the early stage of the first quarter of 2026. If Kuo is using Apple’s financial calendar, the end of Apple’s Q4 2025 is on September 27. So, it might be possible that the laptop is available for the 2025 holiday shopping season.
No reports have been made about the official name of the laptop, but you can assume it won’t be part of the MacBook Air line. It’s being referred to as the A18 Pro MacBook, based on the chip it could have. Apple could simply call it “MacBook,” reviving the name of the discontinued 12-inch MacBook that was targeted at a similar market.
MacRumors reported that the identifier “Mac17,1” was found in the code of Apple Intelligence. This identifier does not correspond to any known Macs, nor does it follow the convention of any upcoming Macs. It’s assumed that this is referring to the A18 Pro MacBook.
A18 Pro MacBook: Design
We haven’t heard much about the design of the A18 Pro MacBook, but we can make some assumptions based on the discontinued 12-inch MacBook.
When Apple offered the 12-inch MacBook, it had a simple design that was not unlike the current MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air. So, it’s safe to assume that the design of this new laptop will follow Apple’s current MacBook form, though it might be lighter and thinner than the current Air to create some distance between the two lines.
Apple’s goal with this laptop is to make it affordable compared to the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, and one way to cut costs is to make a plastic case instead of an aluminum one. However, since Apple is working to make its products carbon-neutral, it’s doubtful that it would use plastic. So, like the 12-inch MacBook, it’s likely Apple will either use aluminum or some other recyclable or carbon-free material.
Apple currently uses a Liquid Retina (LED-backlit display with IPS technology) display in the MacBook Air, an upgrade over the original Retina displays Apple last used with the 13-inch MacBook Pro in 2022. It’s possible Apple could revert to a Retina display with squared-off corners for the A18 Pro MacBook, though it’s more likely that Apple shaves cost by using a smaller display.
A18 Pro MacBook: Features
We haven’t heard much about the features of the A18 Pro MacBook, but for now, we can make some guesses based on the target market and what Apple does and has done with the MacBook lineup. Given the seemingly lower price of this new laptop, we can assume it will lack features found in the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.
The feature set is another area where the 12-inch MacBook can provide some insight. The 12-inch MacBook had only one USB-C port, and it’s possible Apple could go a similar route, possibly with the inclusion of a MagSafe port for charging.
It’s also possible that Apple opts not to include a built-in camera. Over the past several years, Apple has promoted the Mac’s Continuity Camera feature that lets you use an iPhone as a Mac webcam, as well as the upcoming macOS Tahoe Magnifier app. Apple could promote this as a webcam solution. This would be a drastic change, since it’s been a long time since Apple shipped a laptop without a camera, but it could be a possibility in order to meet the company’s price goal.
Apple is expected to begin using its own Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips in the iPhone 17, so it’s likely the same chips will make their way into the A18 Pro MacBook. There’s also a chance this new model has cellular connectivity using Apple’s C1 or C2 modem.
A18 Pro MacBook: Processor and specs
Another way to meet the pricing goals for this new MacBook is to use a chip that isn’t as robust as the chips used in the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. The initial report stated that Apple will use an A18 Pro, the same chip that is currently in the iPhone 16 Pro. The A-series chips are used in iPhones, while M-series chips are in Macs. Both chip families are based on the same general architecture, but the M chips generally offer more processing power.
An A18 Pro can technically do everything an M-series chip can, but it will be slower. When comparing Geekbench 6 benchmarks, the A18 Pro offers single-core performance that’s on par with the M3. However, because the A18 Pro has only 6 CPU cores, its multi-core performance is slightly behind the M1, which has 8 CPU cores. If Apple keeps everything the same, the A18 Pro MacBook will perform like an M1 MacBook Air, which, for a lot of people, has more than enough processing power.
A18 Pro MacBook: Performance
Results are expressed as Geekbench scores. Higher scores/longer bars are faster.
The A18 Pro has 8GB of RAM, which Apple has said is the bare minimum required to run Apple Intelligence features. So, this new laptop will have at least 8GB of RAM and possibly 16GB, like the other MacBook models. Since the iPhone doesn’t offer RAM upgrades, we don’t know what Apple could charge for extra memory.
As for graphics performance, the A18 Pro has a 6-core GPU, and its Metal score in Geekbench 6’s Compute benchmark is similar to that of the M1 found in the MacBook Air. It’s not a cutting-edge performer, but it’ll handle everyday tasks without any issues. Since Apple’s other MacBooks all start at 256GB of storage, it’s nearly certain this model will come with 256GB of storage as well.
A18 Pro MacBook: Price
Apple’s goal is to sell 25 million MacBook units a year, which would be a 5 million increase from the current 20 million. A 25 percent increase is significant, so to move 5 million units, Apple will need to price the A18 Pro MacBook significantly lower than the lowest price in Apple’s current laptop lineup.
The cheapest laptop Apple sells is the $999 MacBook Air. However, Walmart still sells the M1 MacBook Air with a 256GB SSD for $649 and as low as $599. The A18 Pro MacBook has been thought of as a replacement for this Walmart model, though it’s hard to believe it would be that cheap. A price that falls between $729 and $849 seems like it would fit into the MacBook lineup.
Author: Roman Loyola, Senior Editor, Macworld
Roman is a Macworld Senior Editor with over 30 years of experience covering the tech industry, focusing on the Mac and other products in the Apple ecosystem. He is also the host of the Macworld Podcast. His career started at MacUser, where he received Apple certification as a repair technician (when Apple did that kind of thing). He's also worked for MacAddict, MacLife, and TechTV.