A new, affordable MacBook is apparently about to be officially unveiled. Apple has announced a "special Apple Experience" for March 4, 2026, at 9:00 AM ET (3:00 PM CET), which will take place simultaneously in New York, London, and Shanghai. Everything indicates that an attractively priced entry-level MacBook will be presented at this event. Besides the expected price of under $1,000, the possible color options and the unusual technical specifications are generating particular interest.
The invitation to the event already provides a clear clue. The Apple logo appears there as a 3D graphic made of transparent discs in yellow, green, and blue. A leaker active on Weibo named "Instant Digital" explained that these exact colors are meant to hint at the color palette of the new MacBook. His post is considered indirect confirmation that the affordable model will indeed be unveiled on March 4th.
In parallel, well-known industry analysts had already commented. In June 2025, Ming-Chi Kuo said that a more affordable MacBook could be released in silver, blue, pink, and yellow. Mark Gurman of Bloomberg added in his recent newsletter that Apple had internally tested even more playful color options that go significantly beyond the previously typical, rather muted laptop colors.
Colors of the new MacBook: From yellow to dark gray
Color plays a central role in this MacBook's design. According to Kuo, silver, blue, pink, and yellow would be realistic options. This selection would fit well with the color strategy of the entry-level iPad and clearly position the MacBook as a youthful, accessible model.
Gurman goes even further. He reports that Apple has tested, among other colors, light yellow, light green, blue, pink, classic silver, and dark gray. At the same time, he emphasizes that not all tested variants will necessarily go on sale. Nevertheless, even a reduced selection would be significantly more colorful than the current MacBook lineup.
Should this be confirmed, it would be the most colorful Apple notebook since the iBook G3 era of the late 1990s. Back then, Apple offered colors like Tangerine, Blueberry, Indigo, Graphite, and Key Lime. The new MacBook would thus be returning to a period in which design and color were consciously the focus.
Technical specifications: iPhone chip instead of M-series
The affordable MacBook also appears to take a different technical approach. It is expected to feature a 12.9-inch display combined with an aluminum casing. The most striking feature is the processor: instead of an M-series chip, it is rumored to use an iPhone chip, presumably the A18 Pro.
This decision would clearly aim for cost efficiency. At the same time, it would clearly differentiate it from higher-priced MacBook models, which continue to rely on M-series processors. Despite this positioning, the A18 Pro should offer sufficient performance for everyday tasks.
Price and market positioning
The expected retail price is significantly below $1,000. A specific figure has not yet been mentioned, but this classification alone signals a clear strategy: the new MacBook is to be positioned as a true entry-level model.
With a lower price, a 12.9-inch display, an aluminum casing, and eye-catching colors, Apple would appeal to a target group that may not have previously opted for a MacBook. At the same time, the premium line with M-chips would remain clearly separate.
New entry-level MacBook with a clear strategy
The affordable MacBook, which is scheduled to be unveiled at the „Apple Experience“ on March 4, 2026, combines several striking features: a new color strategy, an iPhone chip instead of an M-series processor, and a price significantly below $1,000.
The combination of playful colors like yellow, blue, and pink, a 12.9-inch display, and an aluminum casing suggests a deliberately repositioned entry-level MacBook. Whether all the tested color variants will actually be released will be revealed at the official presentation. However, it's clear that this MacBook is likely to occupy a unique position within the product lineup. (Image: Apple)
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