A18 Pro MacBook Release Date, Specs, Features, Price and Everything We Know So Far

With Apple's major October hardware announcements—including the M5-powered 14-inch MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro—now in the rearview mirror, all eyes are turning to the next big thing. While the immediate future holds software updates, a series of persistent reports points to a new, game-changing product: a lower-cost MacBook rumoured to be powered by an A18 Pro chip.

This new machine would not replace the MacBook Air but would create a new entry-level category for Apple, finally offering a true budget-friendly laptop. Here is everything we know so far about its potential release date, specs, and features.

The A18 Pro MacBook: A New Price Point for Apple

The single most exciting rumour about this new MacBook is its price. While the MacBook Air currently starts at $999, this new model is aimed at a completely different market. Multiple sources suggest an aggressive starting price, potentially between $599 and $799. This would put it in direct competition with high-end Chromebooks and budget Windows laptops, targeting the student and education markets that Apple has been keen to recapture.

A New Strategy: Why an A18 Pro Chip Makes Sense

Instead of using a more expensive M-series chip, this budget MacBook is expected to use the A18 Pro—the same 6-core chip found in the 2024 iPhone 16 Pro. While this may sound like a downgrade, performance benchmarks for the A18 Pro are surprisingly strong. Reports indicate its single-core performance rivals that of the M3 or M4 chips, while its multi-core performance is on par with, or even slightly better than, the M1 MacBook Air. This is more than enough power for everyday tasks like web browsing, streaming, and word processing.

This move would allow Apple to reduce costs significantly while still delivering a fast and efficient experience, leveraging the advanced 3nm A18 Pro chip that has already been mass-produced for the iPhone line.

A18 Pro MacBook: Rumoured Specs and Features

To hit its aggressive price point, this laptop would see limitations in other areas. Here is what rumours suggest for the base model:

• Display: A 12.9-inch or 13.6-inch screen, similar to the current MacBook Air.
• Memory: A base of 8GB of RAM.
• Storage: A 256GB SSD.
• Ports: This is a major area of difference. The A18 Pro chip does not have a Thunderbolt controller. Instead, the laptop would likely feature a single USB-C port, limited to USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gb/s) speeds.
• Branding: It is unclear if this would be a new 'MacBook Air' or a revival of the standalone 'MacBook' branding.

A18 Pro MacBook: Potential Release Date

Do not expect this for the holidays. The original report mentioned a "late 2025 or early 2026" window, and new information supports this. Rumours point to component production ramping up in late 2025, with a final launch in the first half of 2026, possibly in the spring. If the launch is delayed further into 2026, it is possible Apple could opt to use the newer A19 Pro chip from the iPhone 17, which is said to offer a modest 12-14% performance boost.

The Software Train: What to Expect in November

While we wait for that new hardware, the beta train never stops. Apple is expected to kick off November by releasing its 'point-one' updates: iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS 26.1, and more. With beta testing wrapped up, the updates will likely be released this Monday, 3 November or Tuesday, 4 November.

Almost immediately after, Apple will likely seed the first betas of iOS 26.2, iPadOS 26.2, and macOS 26.2. These 'point-two' updates typically arrive for a public release in mid-December. We are still waiting on Apple's promised U.S. passport feature in the iPhone's Wallet app, which could be part of iOS 26.2.

Other Hardware and Pluribus

Looking further ahead, other products are rumoured for late 2025 or early 2026. These include a new version of the Studio Display (with an A19 Pro chip and mini-LED backlighting) and a new Pro Display XDR.

Finally, Apple has been heavily promoting its upcoming sci-fi drama series Pluribus, which hails from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan. The first two episodes of Pluribus will be released on Apple TV on Friday, 7 November.

While a November release is off the table, the rumoured A18 Pro MacBook is poised to be one of Apple's most disruptive products in years. By sacrificing premium features like Thunderbolt for a highly accessible price point, Apple could finally have a true answer to the Chromebooks dominating the education market.