I genuinely wonder who "lower-cost models" are targeted toward. I feel like anything that these things are designed to do can be done quite well on tablets.
this post was submitted on 03 Mar 2026
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Its Apples Chromebook huh.. boooo
I suspect it'll come with 8GB RAM to ensure the price can't justify it's usefulness...
E: looking up the leaks confirms it's supposed to be 8GB RAM. Imagine selling a PC with 8GB RAM for $700+ in 2026. So insane. I can get a better PC than that for $300.
but is it pretty pink with an iconic apple on it? I think not.
I can get a better PC than that for $400.
Are you sure? Because at this moment with $400 you only get the RAM.
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There’s more to a computer than RAM (or even ither specs), comparing what’s shown in the article to the low-cost option you linked the two systems are leagues apart in terms of build quality.
Wouldn’t be surprised if the battery life was miles apart too.
That cheap plastic HP laptop is destined to have its hinge mounts snap away from the upper palmrest through normal day-to-day use.
There’s more to a computer than RAM
Sure, but having insufficient RAM sufficiently kneecaps it to the extent that the other specs don't matter.
That cheap plastic HP laptop is destined to have its hinge mounts snap
LOL at least if it's hinge mounts snapped you could repair them. Can't say the same for the $700 Macbook.
Memory utilization is relative to the user though. For someone who wants to do nothing more than check their email and manage online banking, no specs matter (well, within reason, but people do use Chromebooks with 4GB RAM)
Just because such a system would not be suitable for your use-case does not mean that it is not suitable for any use case.
The iPhone 16 Pro is a very capable device, yet it “only” has 8GB of RAM. We don’t have the full picture for these new devices, but it’s possible that Apple will be handling memory in a similar manner to iOS, making it possible to do more with less.
Repairing broken hinges on such a cheap laptop practically has to be a DIY repair. I get this exact repair inquiry every now and then, the owner often balks when the repair cost is more than 50% what they paid for the device. For these low-end laptops, I also find that parts are usually less available than those for most Apple devices. Apple tends to use certain part designs / assemblies for multiple generations. Apple stuff is consistent enough that there are plenty of used parts available aftermarket.
Far as your repair scenario is concerned, I can only think of 2-3 times where a Mac came in with hinge related failure and those cases all stemmed from abuse like opening the lid too far / egregious mishandling. Meanwhile, I’ve bread lots of butter with HP laptops whose hinges break through regular operation.
If something costs more to fix but only breaks 1% as often, are you really saving money by purchasing the cheaper solution with the higher fail rate?
For someone who wants to do nothing more than check their email and manage online banking, no specs matter
Almost no one uses their PCs that way. They will, at bare minimum, have a couple of applications, and several webpages open, and that's enough to cause problems on a modern system with 8GB RAM. I have lived this experience too many times with friends and family members who complain that their computer is too slow, and the only solution I can offer them is to buy a new one, because their current one was intentionally crippled to create a price ladder, and intentionally designed so that they couldn't fix it.
Repairing broken hinges on such a cheap laptop practically has to be a DIY repair.
It does. But it ain't hard. Anyone with a screwdriver can do it.
Then don't buy one. Idk why people get so offended when a company releases a product they're not personally interested in.
I have no intention of buying one.
People get offended when customers are swindled. And Apple are expert swindlers.
Aside from that, the choices other people make affect your choices available on the market. No better example than the headphone jack. Apple removes it and people scream DONT BUY IT IF YOU DONT LIKE IT, ignorant of the fact that not only this an option that's no longer available, but that the market as a whole would follow Apple's greedy lead until the only thing left is a handful of budget devices, for inexplicable reasons.
People get offended when customers are swindled. And Apple are expert swindlers.
So it's a case of "everyone's stupid except for me"?
No better example than the headphone jack.
Incredibly vocal minority on reddit/Lemmy aside, your average consumer doesn't give a shit about having a 3.5 jack in their phone. The market prefers thinner, lighter, and better waterproofing. Know how I know? Because if there was a big market for a phone with a 3.5 jack, someone would be making it, and lots of people would be buying it. It's not saving these companies a ton on manufacturing to not include one. They cost pennies each when purchased in bulk.
So it's a case of "everyone's stupid except for me"?
No, lots of other people also understand that they're swindlers.
your average consumer doesn't give a shit about having a 3.5 jack in their phone
Whoosh. It wasn't about "the average consumer", it's about why people are upset about trends in a market, even if it's not something they would ever buy.
It's not saving these companies a ton on manufacturing to not include one. They cost pennies each when purchased in bulk.
LOL you actually thought this ever had anything to do with saving money? Did you not notice that they also released another product simultaneously that now makes enough money on its own to be a Fortune 500 company? They created a problem and then immediately turned around and sold people a solution. Absolute masterclass in swindling.
No, lots of other people also understand that they're swindlers.
And lots of other people like their stuff and might want to buy this. I'm not one of them, but I'm happy they can get something they like. Why isn't that good enough?
It wasn't about "the average consumer"
It's absolutely about the average consumer. Do you honestly believe Samsung removed the 3.5 jack simply because apple did and they're conditioned to follow apple? They follow money. The money is in thinner, lighter, and better water resistance. The money is there because that's what the average consumer actually wants.
Did you not notice that they also released another product simultaneously that now makes enough money on its own to be a Fortune 500 company?
And how does that help the competing manufacturers who also removed their 3.5 jack?
Know how I know? Because if there was a big market for a phone with a 3.5 jack, someone would be making it, and lots of people would be buying it.
that's not how it works, so I'd argue you don't know... as Jobs said, he'll tell you what you want.
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some computer shops have scrap computers with 8GB of RAM 💀
Stop helping Apple marketers with their "genius" marketing.
As always with crapple, the specs are solid... For smth that costs half as much as what they ask.
I can't imagine it going anywhere near $599. That would undercut their current entry level models so much.
"accidentally"
Edit: Have fun and change Apple for any other company to see those "accidental" leaks
Not sure what your point is. Apple notoriously works really hard to keep all this stuff under wraps. They even sue the people who leak them. The fact that people are reporting on the leak is supposed to somehow suggest that it wasn't an accident?
When the product is ready to be put on sale a good marketing strategy it's that "was leaked". As you say, Apple is a big company that has very strong security metrics, that's why nothing is leaked when is in development, those are the true leaks (like the GTA VI leak). If I read right, the product it's going to be announced this wednesday and was "leaked" to make people talk about it. It's just some kind of engagement bait.
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Those are pretty solid and bold colors.
Those are just something Mac rumors made up. Only text with the name leaked.
Very… "contemporary"…
Call me cynical, but I think you've put quotes around the wrong part of your title.
Try around "accidentally".
Well, with how things are going with Windows and laptop OEMs, it’s still a better deal than those.
A lot of user need an iPad with a touchpad and keyboard for their needs, which is precisely what this is.
I’m personally waiting for a folding iPhone. I use an (old, 2nd gen) iPad to mix guitar tracks that I record, but it’s to the point where I can’t run effects and my DAW without having both crash. My phone’s also a bit long in the tooth so having one device that can do both jobs would be ideal for my particular use case.
To be blunt, I dunno if that's coming? Apple's designs are pretty conservative these days; I doubt they'd make a big folding iPhone.
iPhones do go on firesales from some carriers, sometimes even below cost.
Eh, rumor is September along with the iPhone 18 and whatnot. Time will tell.
Wasn't that also the name of a Microsoft Surface device? 🤔
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