That $599 price tag Apple’s budget MacBook was rumored to carry last August? It’s looking shakier by the day.
When supply chain sources first floated the number, it made sense on paper — nearly as cheap as the M1 MacBook Air got during its Walmart clearance run, and enough to open Apple’s laptop lineup to a whole new tier of buyers. But component costs have moved against Apple since then, and two areas in particular are proving stubborn (via DigiTimes).
The memory problem
Memory is the bigger headache. Prices have climbed steeply over the past year, and the relief valve that many in the industry were counting on — increased output from Chinese memory makers — hasn’t materialized the way anyone hoped.
Those suppliers are maxed out and focused on domestic customers. Apple, which historically had enough purchasing leverage to sidestep the worst of these cycles, is feeling it this time. Tim Cook said as much on a recent earnings call, noting that while Q1 2026 exposure was limited, the pressure would build through Q2 and beyond.
Batteries are piling on. Cobalt — a key ingredient in lithium battery production — has gone from around $21,500 per metric ton in early 2025 to north of $56,000 after the Democratic Republic of Congo banned exports. That’s a 161% increase. Battery module prices alone jumped 10–15% just in February.
It looks like a $599 price tag is off the table
Put it together, and the $599 dream has largely been revised out of circulation. Current estimates from within the supply chain put the likely price between $699 and $749.
Which creates a real awkward situation for Apple. The M4 MacBook Air starts at $999 — but it goes on sale, gets discounted through education pricing, and regularly dips below that in retail. A budget MacBook creeping toward $749 starts looking less like a category opener and more like a shelf prop designed to nudge buyers toward the Air anyway.
What the cheaper model is still expected to bring: an A-series chip borrowed from Apple’s iPhone line, a slimmer and lighter build than the current Air, and a smaller screen. Respectable specs — just not quite the disruptive entry point the rumor mill had us expecting.
