Apple eyes low-cost laptop to rival Chromebook and Windows PCs

• Apple’s initiative arrives as the company seeks to lure customers who might otherwise choose Chromebooks, Windows PCs, or even iPads, presenting an affordable option for those requiring basic productivity and web browsing capabilities.

Apple is preparing to launch its first budget Mac laptop, targeting students, businesses, and price-conscious consumers.

The new device, internally codenamed “J700,” is expected to debut in the first half of 2026 and is designed to compete directly with Google’s Chromebooks and entry-level Windows notebooks.

Sources familiar with the matter indicate the budget Mac will be priced “well under” $1,000—a significant move for Apple, whose Mac laptops have long occupied the premium segment.

The current entry−level MacBook, the M4 MacBook Air, starts at $999, or $899 with a student discount.

In testing phase

The new laptop is expected to feature a lower-cost LCD display slightly smaller than the current 13.6-inch minimum, and, notably, will run on an iPhone processor rather than a Mac-specific chip. This mark the first time Apple will equip a Mac with a smartphone processor, which, according to internal tests, can outperform the M1 chip used in recent MacBooks.

Apple’s initiative arrives as the company seeks to lure customers who might otherwise choose Chromebooks, Windows PCs, or even iPads, presenting an affordable option for those requiring basic productivity and web browsing capabilities. The device is currently in active testing at Apple and has entered early production with overseas suppliers.

Apple’s Mac division reported $8.73 billion in Q4 sales, narrowly topping analyst forecasts. The forthcoming budget Mac may help the company defend and expand its market share in the education and enterprise sectors, amid intensifying competition from lower-priced rivals.