Despite the global memory crisis worsening and rising DRAM prices rattling the PC and laptop industry, Apple’s entry-level MacBook plans remain intact, and so does its initially rumored price.
Citing supply chain sources, folks at Mirror Daily claim that Apple has “secured its memory supply,” which could be a reference to the long-term deals the company signs with memory suppliers for its products, and is on track to “launch a new entry-level laptop.”
Apple’s low-cost Mac is still coming
The report also mentions the annual shipments of the entry-level MacBook, expected to be between five and eight million units, which could account for 20-30% of the company’s total Mac sales (based on last year’s sales numbers).
This suggests that the company is taking the cheaper MacBook variant seriously. Of the total number of shipments, Quanta Computer (a Taiwanese firm) could supply about 2.3 million units (as part of the first batch of orders).
Apple’s long-term manufacturing partner, Foxconn, could also benefit from the new product. Powering the affordable MacBook model could be Apple’s reliable and powerful A18 Pro chipset, which does exceptionally well on the iPhone 16 Pro lineup.
“The price will be reduced to $699-$799,” mentions the report about the purported MacBook’s launch price. If that happens, Apple may grab a significant chunk of the mid-range Windows laptop market, helping it boost its annual Mac sales.
The price Apple doesn’t want to touch
Clearly, Apple has leveraged its unique position as one of the largest memory customers, and that has helped keep the expected pricing of the MacBook unchanged.
My concern, however, is that the discounted price of Apple’s 13-inch M4 MacBook Air (256GB), a laptop that’s much more powerful and capable, often breaches the mid-range segment. In December 2025, the device was available for $749.
Hence, the company should be cautious with the pricing of the entry-level MacBook, as it shouldn’t become a decoy model that boosts sales of the M4 MacBook Air.
Although the report doesn’t mention the entry-level MacBook’s expected arrival, other industry sources suggest a spring 2026 launch (around March, April, or May of this year). More details about the device should surface soon.