Apple's Entry-Level Lineup Price Falls Below a High-End MacBook Pro for the First Time
The total price of Apple's current complete entry-level product lineup has dropped below the starting price of a 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M5 Pro chip, attracting market attention. The report states that, based on US market prices, the ten entry-level hardware products that make up Apple's "low-price tier" include:
iPhone 17e: $599
MacBook Neo: $599
iPad (11th generation): $349
Magic Keyboard Folio: $249
Apple Pencil (USB-C): $79
Apple Watch SE 3: $249
AirPods 4: $129
Apple TV 4K: $129
HomePod mini: $99
AirTag: $29
The total price of these ten products is $2510, $189 less than the starting price of the 16-inch MacBook Pro M5 Pro version at $2699. AppleCare One service for any three Apple devices is available for a monthly fee of $19.99, with additional options available for purchase as needed.
The MacBook Neo, released on March 4th, is considered a key product in this structural change. With a starting price of only $599, it is Apple's lowest-priced laptop to date and the first Mac to feature an A-series chip, utilizing the A18 Pro chip that debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro. After its official launch on March 11th, Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that the MacBook Neo achieved the "best first-week sales ever for first-time Mac buyers."
The iPhone 17e, priced at $599 like the MacBook Neo, is considered to jointly form the price anchor for Apple's current entry-level lineup. Just two years ago, the cheapest Mac laptop was still priced at $999, but this price point has now been significantly lowered.
The report points out that the performance and functional gap between many current entry-level products and Apple's high-end models is narrowing. For example, the iPhone 17e is equipped with the same A19 chip and 48-megapixel main camera as the iPhone 17 priced at $799, with the main differences concentrated on the screen and form factor, including a slightly smaller 60Hz screen, a single rear camera setup, and a notch design. The A18 Pro chip equipped in the MacBook Neo scored 3461 points in single-core performance testing, only about 6% lower than the M5 chip MacBook Air, and is evaluated as "sufficiently capable" in daily office work and general computing scenarios. The Apple Watch SE 3 shares the S10 chip with the Apple Watch Series 11 priced at $399, and in its recent update, it added features such as always-on display, sleep apnea detection, temperature sensing, and fast charging, bringing its health and smart experience closer to high-end models.
However, the entry-level iPad remains an exception in this lineup. The currently available 11th generation iPad is the only device in Apple's existing product line that does not support Apple Intelligence. According to industry insiders, the 12th generation iPad, equipped with the A18 chip and supporting Apple Intelligence, is "ready to launch at any time" and is expected to be released later this year.
In addition to the iPad, several other devices in Apple's entry-level lineup are about to be updated. The next generation Apple TV and the new HomePod mini are expected to upgrade to higher-performance processors and add Apple's self-developed N1 chip to support new generation network and smart home standards such as Wi-Fi 7 and Thread. Reports indicate that these three devices were actually ready as early as last year, but their launch was delayed due to the postponement of the stronger version of Siri.
Overall, outsiders generally believe that Apple's current entry-level hardware lineup has an "unprecedentedly strong" balance between performance and price and is "more cost-effective than in the past." The shift from a budget to "buy a high-end MacBook Pro" to a psychological shift to "buy a complete Apple ecosystem" is also seen as an important signal for Apple to further expand new users and consolidate ecosystem lock-in.