Revealing the configuration of the cheap MacBook, using iPhone chip, LCD screen

(Dan Tri) - Apple is said to be developing a low-cost MacBook model aimed at students, with a price tag under $1,000.

Bloomberg news agency quoted close sources saying that Apple is developing a low-cost MacBook laptop, equipped with the iPhone's A-series chip, instead of using the M chip for Apple computers as it currently does.

Bloomberg 's source said that this low-cost MacBook will have a completely new design, with a screen size smaller than 13.3 inches (currently the smallest screen option of the MacBook Air), using LCD screen technology.

The low-cost MacBook is expected to use the A18 Pro chip, the chip Apple equipped on the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max duo (Illustration: Getty).

The source also said that this low-cost MacBook will most likely be launched in the first half of 2026, with a price ranging from 600 to under 1,000 USD. The reason for this price is because for 600 USD, users can buy a standard iPad with a separate keyboard Magic Keyboard Folio to be able to use it as a laptop.

However, the source did not reveal the type of chip that the low-cost MacBook will use. Some previous leaks said that the product will be equipped with the A18 Pro chip, the chip used on the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max duo.

Until now, MacBook laptops have used Apple's own M-series chips, but Bloomberg 's sources said Apple's tests showed that the chip on the iPhone can work optimally for computers and even achieve better performance than the M1 chip, which Apple launched in 2020.

In Geekbench performance tests, the A18 Pro scored 3,500 on single-core processing, just slightly lower than the M4 chip. However, the A18 Pro's multi-core processing score was only 8,780, significantly lower than the 15,000 score the M4 chip achieved in the same test.

Cheap MacBook is considered a product aimed at students or first-time MacBook users, helping them access the product at a "soft" price.

Earlier this year, market analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who regularly provides analysis and comments on new Apple products, said that Apple is developing a low-cost MacBook in a variety of colors, including silver, blue, pink and gold.

In mid-October, Apple also launched the MacBook Pro using the brand new M5 chip. Bloomberg sources said that Apple has also completed the MacBook Air using the M5 chip, and the MacBook Pro using the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are in the development stage.

It is not impossible that Apple will launch a low-cost MacBook along with a series of MacBook Air and MacBook Pro using the new M5 chip early next year.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/cong-nghe/he-lo-cau-hinh-macbook-gia-re-dung-chip-cua-iphone-man-hinh-lcd-20251105122636236.htm