According to a Chinese leaker on Weibo known as “Instant Digital,” the bold color options planned for the rumored budget MacBook were originally tested for the 2022 redesign of the MacBook Air.
If true, Apple has been sitting on these playful finishes for years.
The budget MacBook could launch in bold colors
Apple is widely expected to announce its low-cost MacBook at its March 4 event. The invite graphic already hints at brighter tones, and reports suggest the laptop could ship in:
- Light yellow
- Light green
- Blue
- Pink
- Classic silver
- Dark gray
According to Mark Gurman, not all tested colors are likely to make it to final production, but Apple has explored a noticeably more vibrant palette than its current MacBook lineup.
If even half of these shades ship, this would instantly become Apple’s most colorful laptop in years. Earlier, Instant Digital suggested that this MacBook could borrow colors from Apple’s invite graphic for its March 4 event. We’re looking at three colors: yellow, green, and blue.
These colors were supposed to debut with the M2 MacBook Air
Back in October 2021, a reliable leaker claimed the redesigned MacBook Air would adopt color options similar to the 24-inch iMac. That never materialized.
When Apple officially launched the M2 MacBook Air in July 2022, it arrived in silver, starlight, space gray, and midnight. Stylish, yes. Playful, not quite.
Now it appears those lighter, more expressive finishes may finally debut on the lower-cost model instead.
The most colorful Mac since the iBook G3?
If Apple moves forward with yellow, green, blue, and pink, this would be the most vibrant MacBook lineup since the iBook G3 era.
In the late 90s and early 2000s, Apple offered the iBook G3 in eye-catching finishes like Tangerine, Blueberry, Indigo, Graphite, and Key Lime. That era was unapologetically bold.
Apple has largely played it safe with Mac colors in recent years. This shift suggests the company may be intentionally targeting students and younger buyers with something that feels less corporate and more expressive.
What we expect from the low-cost MacBook
Beyond colors, the rumored budget MacBook is shaping up to be strategically important.
According to Ming-Chi Kuo, the device will:
- Cost well under $1,000
- Use an A-series chip, potentially the A18 Pro
- Feature a slightly under 13-inch display
- Include an aluminum chassis
Gurman has also reported that Apple is using a new, faster manufacturing process to reduce production costs.
If Apple truly delivers a sub-$700 or sub-$800 Mac with modern Apple silicon performance and fresh colors, it would directly position the device against Chromebooks in education and enterprise markets.
And honestly, color matters more than people admit. A bright yellow or light blue MacBook instantly feels different from the sea of silver laptops in classrooms.
March 4 could be a big moment
Apple has announced a “special Apple Experience” event for media in New York, London, and Shanghai on March 4, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. ET.
If the leaks are accurate, this low-cost MacBook could be one of Apple’s most strategic product launches in years, not just because of price, but because it signals a new direction for the Mac lineup.
