For years, the conversation about MacBooks has started and ended in roughly the same place: great laptops, eye-watering prices. The MacBook Air has long been the closest thing to an affordable entry point, and as of the new model, even that sits at a not-inconsiderate $1,099 / £1,099 (the previous model is still available for $999 / £999).
So when Apple announced a brand-new MacBook starting at $599 (£599) – built from aluminium, finished in bold colours, powered by the same chip as the iPhone 16 Pro – the reaction from journalists who got their hands on one was almost universally the same: this shouldn't exist at this price.
