Apple believes the low-cost (well, relatively) Mac laptop expected to debut this week will be an “incredible value” that may convince a lot of Windows and Chromebook users to go Mac, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says in his latest “Power On” newsletter.
The Mac laptop is expected to have a 12.9-inch display, an aluminum chassis, an A18 Pro chip, reduced storage options, and a variety of fun color ways. However, with a price tag as low as (perhaps) $599, will have the following limitations, according to a a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo and in an email to MacRumors:
° Its maximum display brightness may fall below the MacBook Air’s 500 nits.
° It will lack True Tone, a feature that can adjust the color and intensity of the display to match the ambient light.
° It will be available in 256GB and 512GB storage capacities, but not 1TB or 2TB options.
° There be a potential 128GB model for educational institutions. ° The flash storage in the base model will apparently have slower read and write speeds compared to the latest MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models.
° It may lack fast charging features. might not be “fast-charge
° The keyboard may lack backlit keys.
° There’ll be no high-impedance headphones support:
° There’ll be no N1 chip: All of the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air models feature Apple’s custom N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. Instead, the laptop will likely have a MediaTek chip for wireless connectivity.
The lower cost MacBook is expected to unveiled during three days of product unveilings leading up to the “Apple Experience” event.
Speaking of the budget laptop, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says may come in a variety of colors , including yellow, green, blue, pink, silver, and gray. He adds that it’s expected to be manufactured with a cheaper, more efficient process while still keeping the frame made from the premium-feeling aluminum.
Gurman says it will be Apple’s first “low cost” laptop. Apple’s lowest priced Mac notebook right now is the MacBook Air, which starts at $999.
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