Apple could be bringing colorful MacBooks back to the lineup. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the company is working on a budget-friendly MacBook that may come in colors like silver, blue, pink, and yellow, reminiscent of the color options currently available for the iPad.
By offering a low-cost MacBook, Apple wants to lure away customers from Chromebooks and entry-level Windows PCs, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The new model is expected to cost somewhere between $699 and $899, making it one of Apple's most affordable notebook options in years. To hit that price point, Apple will reportedly use the A18 Pro chip from the iPhone 16 Pro, rather than the more powerful M-series chips found in current MacBooks.
A recent report from analyst Jeff Pu backs up Kuo's earlier claims, adding that the device will feature a 13-inch display and could enter production late this year or early next year.
It wouldn't be Apple's first experiment with colorful MacBooks – the now-discontinued 12-inch MacBook was originally available in Rose Gold and Gold, among other options. But since then, MacBook colors have been relatively conservative. Current MacBook Airs are offered in Silver, Starlight, and Midnight, with the newest M4 models adding Sky Blue.
Apple has given other Macs an uplifting color treatment. The 24-inch iMac burst onto the scene in 2021 with seven vibrant colors (pink is one of them), and bringing the same philosophy to a budget MacBook makes sense, especially if Apple is targeting students and first-time Mac buyers.
To keep costs down, Apple will likely make some other compromises. Reports suggest the new MacBook could feature an older design, a lower-quality display, and perhaps even a single USB-C port. That last detail would be particularly controversial, since the original 12-inch MacBook was widely criticized for having only one port.
Pu's report suggests Apple is planning a spring 2026 launch for a new low-cost MacBook, alongside the more affordable iPhone 17e and a refreshed 12th-generation iPad.
Whether buyers will accept the trade-offs in exchange for a colorful MacBook remains to be seen. But if Apple can find the right price and performance balance, a sub-$900 MacBook in fun shades could appeal to a market segment the company hasn't targeted in years.
