Apple’s cheap MacBook could be a nightmare for Windows 11

A new report has provided more information about Apple's rumored upcoming cheap MacBook, and it's not looking good for Microsoft and cheap Windows PCs. According to Bloomberg, Apple is spinning up production on a MacBook that's expected to cost "well under $1,000" that will ship in the first half of 2026 and feature Apple Silicon, a 13-inch display, and a premium aluminum chassis.

Murmurs about a cheap MacBook hit the internet earlier this summer, and at the time I called it the nightmare scenario for Microsoft and the mid-range Windows PC market. Up until now, Windows OEMs have gotten away with building uninspired, minimum effort PCs for the $500-700 price category, resulting in usually cheap feeling or poorly performing devices.

A new MacBook for anywhere near $700 is going to sell like hotcakes, potentially impacting the midrange Windows PC market considerably. It's fair to say that most people buying a PC in the $500-$700 price range aren't buying one because they love Windows, and any alternative that's good or better than what's on offer here is going to be preferred by many.

A cheap MacBook, running full macOS and complete with that premium Apple design is going to win out over any plastic or poor efficiency Windows laptop in the same price bracket. Bloomberg says the cheap MacBook will be powered by an A18 Pro SoC, which will give it performance similar to that of an M1 MacBook Air, but with the longest battery life ever achieved in a MacBook. That means it'll easily last over a day on a single charge.

It's also expected to feature a display slightly smaller than the one found in the MacBook Air. If I were a betting man, I'd wager it'll feature a 13-inch display, similar, if not identical, to the one found in the iPad Air. That's no slouch of a display, and while Apple is likely to remove the touchscreen, it'll still be good to look at, and that's all that matters to most people.

Simply put, there isn't a Windows laptop that you can buy new for $600-$700 that will match this MacBook. The closest competitor is Microsoft's Surface Laptop 13-inch, but even that is $899 with a significantly lower-resolution display. The only Windows laptops that even come close to competing are slightly older ones that are on sale, like the ASUS ZenBook A14, which has a 1080P OLED screen and all-day battery life for $699 (or less) on sale.

Ultimately though, given how dire Windows' reputation is these days, I don't think it matters if there are PCs that compete head to head with a cheap MacBook. A lot of people will simply choose a MacBook over a Windows PC simply because the MacBook doesn't run Windows, and more than ever people are scrambling to abandon Microsoft's enshittified OS.

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