Apple may stop selling the cheapest 256GB version of the newly launched MacBook Neo because memory parts and manufacturing costs are becoming more expensive.
The report comes only two months after the laptop launched globally, making it one of Apple’s quickest lineup changes in recent years. Tech journalist and analyst Tim Culpan shared this information in his Culpium newsletter, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The MacBook Neo launched in March 2026 as Apple’s most affordable laptop ever. The 256GB model started at $599 (around ₹56,600) in the US and ₹69,900 in India. The 512GB version costs $699 (about ₹66,100) in the US and ₹79,900 in India.
If Apple removes the 256GB model, the MacBook Neo lineup would start at $699 instead of $599. This would increase the entry price by $100 without changing the price of the existing 512GB model.
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The main reason behind this possible change is rising DRAM memory prices. Higher memory and manufacturing costs are increasing the total production cost of the MacBook Neo and putting pressure on Apple’s profit margins. The company is looking for ways to continue supply while managing these higher expenses.
This is not the first time Apple has made a similar move. Earlier this week, Apple discontinued the 256GB version of the Mac mini and now only sells the 512GB version and higher. This increased the Mac mini’s starting price from $599 to $799. Apple also removed the 512GB RAM option from the Mac Studio earlier this year because of memory supply problems.
Demand for the MacBook Neo has reportedly been much higher than Apple expected. Because of this, Apple increased its production target to 10 million units from the earlier estimate of 5 million to 6 million units.
During Apple’s April 30 earnings call, CEO Tim Cook confirmed that the company was facing supply shortages for the MacBook Neo. Delivery times for the laptop have stretched to nearly four weeks in some markets as suppliers including Foxconn and Quanta work to complete orders from factories in Vietnam and China.
The MacBook Neo runs on Apple’s A18 Pro chip, making it the first Mac laptop powered by an iPhone processor. Reports say the first batch used modified A18 Pro chips originally made for the iPhone 16 Pro, with one GPU core disabled before being used in the laptop.
The analyst said Apple now needs a new batch of A18 Pro chips from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company for the next production cycle. Most of these new chips are expected to be fully working versions instead of modified ones. Apple may still disable one GPU core through software to keep all Neo models using the same specifications.
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The laptop comes with a 13-inch Liquid Retina display with a 2408x1506 pixel resolution, 8GB unified memory, and macOS. It weighs 1.23 kg and teardown reports have described it as one of Apple’s most repairable laptops in recent years.
The 256GB version includes a standard Magic Keyboard, while the 512GB version comes with Magic Keyboard with Touch ID. In India, students and teachers can buy the MacBook Neo with a ₹10,000 education discount, reducing the starting price to ₹59,900.
Sources say Apple has not made a final decision yet about removing the 256GB version. The company has also discussed increasing the price instead of discontinuing the model. If Apple removes the base version, it would become one of the fastest lineup changes since the MacBook Neo launched in March, with the update possibly happening only two months after release.