These are the features Apple’s cheapest MacBook may miss
Apple’s low-cost MacBook may have numerous compromises to achieve a great price.
The new MacBook is expected to launch in several colors. | Image by GSMArena
While we were only guessing what the “special Apple experience” on March 4 is all about, Tim Cook confirmed it’ll be part of a busy week of premieres. One of those will almost certainly be the long-rumored budget MacBook, which could shake up the laptop market. Of course, that low price requires some tradeoffs, and we seem to have a list of those.
The various limitations of Apple’s cheapest laptop
Apple’s upcoming low-cost MacBook may have various downgrades, according to a recent leak (source in Chinese) from Chinese social media Weibo. According to leaked code from an unreleased build of macOS Tahoe, the laptop will have the following limitations:
- No high-impedance headphones support
- No True Tone display support
- No keyboard backlight support
- No fast charging of any sort
- A MediaTek Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip (like the one in the base iPad)
- Only 8 GB RAM
- 256GB and 512GB storage, with a potential 128 GB version for education buyers
- Slower SSD speeds compared to MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models
What remains unclear is whether Apple will offer an option to get more RAM with the new MacBook. The new laptop is expected to feature the same A18 Pro chipset used in the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Those phones also featured 8 GB RAM.
It’s all about the price
Apple is holding a “special experience” event on March 4. | Image by MacRumors
While the source of this new leak doesn’t have any track record, their information sounds plausible. Using the most basic components available is one of the tactics that could help Apple achieve a much lower price than its current models.
The only part of the list that would feel unusual is the rumored lack of a backlit keyboard. Even as Apple’s cheapest model, the new MacBook is likely to launch at a $599 base price, which would make it a mid-range laptop. Most of those laptops feature backlit keyboards. On the other hand, Apple’s Magic Keyboard for the base iPad doesn’t have a backlight.
How do you think those downgrades will affect the new MacBook?
We should see the new MacBook sometime next week, probably during Apple’s March 4 event. The device is rumored to feature a 13-inch display and a light aluminum body, which will be offered in a few fun colors.
Covering the basics
Even without a backlit keyboard, the new MacBook could be one of Apple’s most successful products. It sounds like its performance will be more than enough for most users, while the design could feel and look better than most of its competitors.
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