Apple may be preparing to release an all-new affordable MacBook beyond its Air and Pro models, according to information shared by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Potentially arriving by the end of the year, this new MacBook could be the most accessible of all, trading in the opportunity to sport Apple's upcoming M5 chip for a surprisingly more modest option, the A18 Pro Bionic — the very same chip used by the iPhone 16 Pro.
Sound a little far-fetched? Perhaps not. We've actually been tracking reports of low-cost MacBook across a string of rumors dating all the way back to September 2023.
What is the MacBook SE?
Tentatively labelled the MacBook SE, this modestly priced MacBook has reportedly been in the works, with Apple exploring ways to cut down on costs to deliver a product that doesn't aim to challenge its typical Windows counterparts, but this time, the Chromebook.
Early rumors suggested that Apple would cut costs by adopting less premium materials and components during construction. One option may include adopting a rigid plastic chassis, as it did with the Apple Watch SE 3.
According to an article posted by Kuo to X, Kuo shares that the new MacBook's chassis could come in four potential case colors, including silver, blue, pink, and yellow.
Kuo also shares that this long-rumored MacBook is expected to enter mass production late in the fourth quarter of 2025 or in the early first quarter of 2026, suggesting a release next year, potentially unveiling it sometime in March 2026 during its annual Spring event.
MacBook SE: What's the point?
Challenging Chromebooks seems like an odd decision at first, but having delivered serious competition in practically every market there is, Apple has one frontier it's yet to conquer: the classroom.
Ask any college goer what the best laptop for students is, and you're bound to be met by a slew of arguments that favor Apple's MacBooks, but when it comes to K-12 education, the Chromebook reigns supreme.
However, should Apple follow through on its low-cost MacBook plans, even the best Chromebooks would have reason to worry.
While Chromebooks win on price and simplicity, an Apple alternative, even one running an A-series chip, could bring a much broader toolkit with it, cutting out the reliance on web apps, granting access to Apple Intelligence, and delivering a host of macOS content through a thriving App Store.
That said, putting a powerful and less narrow computing experience in the hands of students for less wouldn't just benefit those in education, but Apple, too.
Apple's ecosystem: Get them while they're young
Another huge benefit for Apple would be having its OS in K-12 classrooms across the country, developing an instant familiarity with macOS among a younger generation, and, in turn, challenging Windows' dominance as the "standard" operating system for computing.
A move like this isn't just about expanding on a classroom's toolset; it's about quietly rewriting digital instincts among younger generations, something that Microsoft similarly managed to pull off in the 90s with Windows 95.
While Google's follow-up efforts haven't exactly turned ChromeOS into a major player among wider users, it has helped to proliferate use of Google's Workspace suite and get many to trade purchasing office software for using the company's free alternatives, regardless of which OS they eventually move on to.
A low-cost MacBook isn't just about increasing sales — though Kuo does project it accounting for 5-7 million units in 2026 — it's about Apple laying new groundwork for long-term loyalty, and redefining what is seen as the "default" for a whole new generation of tech-savvy youngsters.
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