Apple could develop low-cost MacBooks that could be on par with Chromebooks in the education sector — and they could hit the market as early as 2024.
When you think of the best affordable laptops for students, an expensive MacBook Air or MacBook Pro probably isn’t the first device that comes to mind, so this is a surprising development. We’re pretty excited about the prospect of Apple entering the budget-friendly student laptop market.
According to Mac RumorsApple could launch the lower-priced MacBooks as a separate line from its existing MacBook Air and Pro devices, with the lower-priced models having the same metal casing but made from “different” — presumably cheaper — materials and components. MacRumors adds that we could see these cheaper MacBooks as early as next year.
My prayers have finally been answered
Of course, this is all speculation, and it’s the first time we’ve heard of Apple targeting the low-cost laptop market, so it’s best to take this news with a grain of salt.
It would be exciting to see Apple start producing cheaper laptops as even the lowest priced MacBooks can still be quite expensive for many students. Chromebooks currently dominate the budget laptop market, but if Apple launches new MacBooks at similarly affordable prices, Chromebook makers could be in for a real battle.
Until we hear more, we won’t get our hopes up too much, but I personally love the idea of budget-friendly MacBooks. Living almost exclusively in the Apple ecosystem, I’ve been hesitant to buy a MacBook because of the high price, but I’d certainly be tempted by a more wallet-friendly option.