Apple reviving “MacBook’ with a18 processor?

[Cmaier]

What can we expect from Apple's rumored new 2026 MacBook?

Analyst Ming–Chi Kuo has suggested that Apple plans to launch an all–new MacBook next year, powered by an iPhone processor....

9to5mac.com

Speed would be fine for most people (especially since thermals much better in a notebook); but I bet they don’t increase the RAM.

 

[Joelist]

So we have more blind guessing from Kuo. Why would Apple put such a SOC into a MacBook when the M series is actually designed for that form factor and you are already seeing things like M series in iPad Pros.

 

[Yoused]

iPhone 16 Pro starts at the same price as a MacBook Air. They have different features, but it is hard to see Apple gaining from using an Axx in a MacBook. The only possibility would be a notebook that has a GSM/CDMA transceiver in it, which some people do want, but that would only make sense if the cell signal circuitry was integrated into the A-series SoC in a way that would make it not-cost-effective to have a separate radio chip for M-series processors – which creates issues for the iPad Air/Pro.

This idea is just not making sense.

 

[Cmaier]

I could see them doing it, but only to make a very low cost product for students and such. I don’t know that they care about having a mac at that price point, though, since they have iPads for that market.

 

[leman]

I would find this surprising. Is Ax Pro series really that much cheaper than Mx? Something that would be interesting is abandoning base Mx and make the Ax Pro beefier, but then why not just call it Mx and say "hey, we made the best iPhone yet by putting an Mx chip in it"?

 

[Roller]

So we have more blind guessing from Kuo. Why would Apple put such a SOC into a MacBook when the M series is actually designed for that form factor and you are already seeing things like M series in iPad Pros.

Normally I'd agree with you about blind guessing, but apparently there's reference to this in Apple code somewhere. That doesn't mean it's a done deal, but it's more solid than just Kuo saying that it's going to happen. I do think that an ultra low cost MacBook would help draw people to the Apple ecosystem, though I'm not sure this is the best way to do it.

 

[Yoused]

I would find this surprising. Is Ax Pro series really that much cheaper than Mx?

A18Pro: 2P/4E/6GPU. That would be one less GPU core and 2 less P cores compared M4 base (which usually has one GPU core turned off). This could be quite adequate to run a bottom tier MBA, and Apple produces a lot more A-series cores than M-series. It is not unimaginable that they might just move the base MBA to the A-series, especially with the improvements they keep making to E-core perfomance.

 

[Cmaier]

As @Roller noted, it’s not just a blind guess that this might happen.

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an...

www.macrumors.com

 

[swk9]

I've been in favor for such Mac for a while as I think the A chips are more than good enough now. I thought they should've made a Mac Micro with an A chip as well but Apple just made the Mini a bit smaller. But the mini desktop market is a niche one anyway and the laptop market is where it's at.

I was hoping for a MacBook 12" successor but looks like it'll have a 13" display instead. Will it be noticeably thinner and lighter than the Air still? I loved the 12" outside the performance. I could even live with a single USB-C port, although I think it'll be better if the headphone jack is replaced with an extra USB-C port.

As @Roller noted, it’s not just a blind guess that this might happen.

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an...

www.macrumors.com

Kuo also specifically stated a company supposedly responsible for the casing production along with the selection of colors, that sounds like he's been tipped off with that info from the supply chain which tends to be a bit leaky.

 

[dada_dave]

As @Roller noted, it’s not just a blind guess that this might happen.

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an...

www.macrumors.com

Fascinating. I wonder what they used to confirm the iPhone chip? Probably an insider source given that they kept it under wraps. I have to admit the prospect of a 17,1/2 Mac Pro was starting to dim already, but this would appear to be the final nail in that particular coffin. Still, should be an interesting device.

 

[leman]

Thinking about it some more, what would make sense is to use the overproduction of the iPhone chips for this. Could be that Apple executives see less demands for high-end iPhones than expected and hope to turn it into profit.

 

[casperes1996]

Almost certainly happening. The 17.1/2 identifiers fit nicely with this product.

My biggest question isn’t really with performance but rather connectivity. What kind of IO potential can be expected from A18 Pro? And will 8GB ram once again be the baseline? That would mean no Xcode code prediction on this brand new machine. Probably not important at its price tier but still. And what would differentiate 17.1 and 17.2? Starting storage?

And finally, while performance is fairly known, might we expect a higher tdp to get M-series base clocks and consistent single core performance within a generation like usual?

 

[throAU]

What can we expect from Apple's rumored new 2026 MacBook?

Analyst Ming–Chi Kuo has suggested that Apple plans to launch an all–new MacBook next year, powered by an iPhone processor....

9to5mac.com

Speed would be fine for most people (especially since thermals much better in a notebook); but I bet they don’t increase the RAM.

Speed would be more than fine. iPhone SOC these days is faster by a long shot than an intel 13" machine from only a couple of years ago.

 

[throAU]

My biggest question isn’t really with performance but rather connectivity. What kind of IO potential can be expected from A18 Pro? And will 8GB ram once again be the baseline?

A18 pro has 10 gigabit USB? It's more connectivity than the last 12" MacBook had.

 

[Cmaier]

A18 pro has a thunderbolt port? Or is it just 10G USB? Either way, its more connectivity than the last 12" MacBook had.

A machine my kid would probably still be using if not for the butterfly keyboard

 

[dada_dave]

Fascinating. I wonder what they used to confirm the iPhone chip? Probably an insider source given that they kept it under wraps.

M4+ Chip Generation - Speculation Megathread [MERGED]

Here’s what @nicolas17 said about it in the news thread: “There were Apple Intelligence files with an H17P variant (that's the A18 Pro) for devices Mac17,1 iPhone17,1 iPhone17,2 iPhone17,3 iPhone17,4.” It’s strange because the last two are A18 devices (iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus), so it’s...

forums.macrumors.com

Here’s what @nicolas17 said about it in the news thread:

“There were Apple Intelligence files with an H17P variant (that's the A18 Pro) for devices Mac17,1 iPhone17,1iPhone17,2 iPhone17,3 iPhone17,4.”

It’s strange because the last two are A18 devices (iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus), so it’s not clear why they would be associated with the A18 Pro. Maybe Apple was testing both A18 and A18 Pro in all four iPhone 16 models for some scientific or strategic reason.

This must have been a different file than the one with just the code names.

 

[casperes1996]

A18 pro has 10 gigabit USB? It's more connectivity than the last 12" MacBook had.

Last 12" is also quite a few years ago now. But also, display count? Internal only? One port only or MagSafe + USB?

 

[swk9]

Last 12" is also quite a few years ago now. But also, display count? Internal only? One port only or MagSafe + USB?

If I were to guess, it'll only be single display with a single USB-C with no thunderbolt. But I expect a MagSafe and wonder if that means the headphone jack will be gone.

Either way there are so many USB-C hubs and monitors so I don't think it's a big problem anymore. Even years ago I was using my 12" MacBook with a 27" USB-C monitor and absolutely loved it except the sluggish performance.

A machine my kid would probably still be using if not for the butterfly keyboard

Mine lasted years without any problem before I gave it away. I later realized it was my keyboard cover that might've saved it from the certain early death.

 

[throAU]

Last 12" is also quite a few years ago now. But also, display count? Internal only? One port only or MagSafe + USB?

Not sure on a18 pro, but pretty sure the base iPad can handle an external display now.

certainly iPad Air can.

even with my MacBook Pro, most of my connectivity is via a single USB/thunderbolt cable and the rest is bluetooth or wifi.

Don't forget, you're dealing with a device here that is basically base iPad level power for people who want a traditional laptop.

If people want more than that, the MacBook Air already exists.

For context though, an a18 pro SOC is faster overall than most of the 13" machines we have in our office here that are more than 2-3 years old. In single thread, it's faster by a LOT, has an NPU, etc.

Plenty of business users doing basic stuff (never mind home users) are still happily using 13" machines from 5-6 years ago unless they've had hardware failure or been forced to upgrade for Windows 11 requirements.

 

[throAU]

A machine my kid would probably still be using if not for the butterfly keyboard

Yeah a friend of mine went through 3x 2015 12" MacBooks under warranty replacement in a couple of months due to keyboard failures.

Loved the machine but literally could not afford the machine downtime (working as an IT consultant) so upgraded to a 2015 13" MacBook Pro (and used that for like 4-5 years with zero issues).