The upcoming low-cost MacBook is shaping up to be one of Apple's most anticipated product launches of the year. And now, a few tantalizing tidbits from a reputed tipster have only increased the attractiveness of the soon-to-launch budget MacBook.
Apple's low-cost MacBook to sport a new manufacturing process
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman is out with another scoop today, detailing that Apple is looking to use a new manufacturing process for the aluminum shell of the low-cost MacBook. This aligns with previous reports that had suggested that Apple might leverage the thermal design elements of the iPhone 16 Pro, which used a graphite-clad aluminum substructure.
Elsewhere, Gurman notes that the low-cost MacBook would sport the A18 Pro chip that featured in the iPhone 16 Pro Max, a 12.9-inch screen, and come with bright colors, with Apple reportedly having tested light yellow, light green, blue, pink, classic silver, and dark gray color options.
Finally, the tipster believes the new low-cost MacBook could launch at a dedicated event in March. Do note that Gurman has already disclosed that the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBooks could launch in the first week of March. This means that next month could see the debut of a total of three different MacBooks.
Meanwhile, as per the reporting by Taiwan's Mirror Daily, Apple's new low-cost MacBook is expected to sport just 8GB of RAM, which is a hefty downgrade from the 12GB RAM that it was previously rumored to sport.
We've aggregated the low-cost MacBook's expected specs in a dedicated hub post:
- A USB 3.2 Gen 2 controller capable of speeds of 10Gb/s or 1.25GB/s.
- No Thunderbolt controllers.
- Apple is likely to use the aluminum chassis of the MacBook Air for its upcoming low-cost MacBook, albeit with reduced component specs.
- A haptic trackpad, but without a backlit keyboard.
- Priced between $699 and $799.
- Apple expects to record an annual sales volume of between 5 million and 8 million units for its new budget MacBook.
About the author: Writing is my one incontrovertible passion. Over the past six years, he has authored over 2,200 distinct articles on financial and tech-related topics, spanning nearly 1 million words. And he has been a member of Wcctech mobile team since 2025. As an alumnus of the University of Toronto, Rotman Commerce Program, I bring nuance, in-depth knowledge, and a unique perspective to every topic that I cover. When I'm not writing, I'm traveling the world, exploring hidden confectionaries and restaurants as an aspiring food connoisseur.
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