MacBook Neo is becoming an unusual bright spot in a PC market that is otherwise heading into a rough year. According to MacRumors, IDC now expects global PC shipments to fall 11.3 percent in 2026 as memory shortages and rising component costs hit manufacturers.
The forecast gets worse later in the year. IDC expects fourth-quarter shipments to drop 20 percent year over year, with no meaningful relief before the end of 2027. Average selling prices are also expected to rise 17 percent in 2026, even if memory capacity gradually expands over the next two years.
That matters because the low-cost notebook market is heavily exposed to DRAM and storage pricing. TrendForce has previously warned that higher memory and CPU costs could push mainstream laptop prices up by nearly 40 percent this year. PC vendors may have to raise prices, reduce specs, or narrow their model lineups.
MacBook Neo changes the low-cost notebook fight
Apple launched the MacBook Neo in March with a $599 starting price, an A18 Pro chip, and 8GB of memory. The product targets the sub-$700 notebook segment, a category that IDC estimates at around 75 million units per year and nearly 40 percent of total notebook volume.
That is the part of the market where Windows and ChromeOS machines have traditionally dominated. IDC says the device is putting pressure on the wider PC ecosystem and has already pushed the firm to revise its notebook forecast upward. Rivals are expected to respond with new silicon, more efficient Windows software, and heavier promotions.
The story is not all positive for Apple. The same memory shortage has reportedly affected higher-end Macs more directly, with Mac mini and Mac Studio configurations facing cuts or shipping delays. Still, Apple now has a cheaper Mac in the exact segment where PC makers are trying to avoid painful price hikes.
For buyers, the result could be strange: fewer cheap PCs overall, but more aggressive competition around the few models that still deliver strong value.
You can follow more developments in Technowatt’s Computing coverage.