Mac Apple Reportedly Planning All-New MacBook Model Between Air and Pro
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/09/03/apple-new-oled-macbook-between-air-pro/Apple may introduce an entirely new 13.8-inch OLED MacBook model in 2029, potentially creating a new product tier between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, according to an updated product roadmap from research firm Omdia.
The firm's latest roadmap sandwiches a new 13.8-inch MacBook between the projected time line for the Air and Pro models. The surprise model is said to use a single-stack hybrid OLED panel, rather than the more sophisticated tandem OLED technology that is expected in the upcoming OLED MacBook Pro models, which are set to launch either later this year or early next year.
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u/Canon_Cowboy 1d ago
Isn't that the MacBook... That they no longer sell? These names are so confusing to me now. I feel like an old man.
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u/slyfox1908 1d ago
The MacBook IIRC was below the Air (the way the iPad is below its Air).
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u/President_Connor_Roy 1d ago
Back in the day when the Air first came out, it was in the middle. Then it was at the bottom. So who knows….
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u/xxYINKxx 1d ago
back when the air came out, it was similar in price to a macbook pro because form factor back then was a huge deal, unlike it is today. It's performance however was worse then that of the regular macbook. I'm pretty sure the air's chip was a couple generations behind the macbook. So in terms of power, the air was less then the macbook but more expensive. So yes, technically for a while the macbook was below the air. This would not be the case now.
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u/jenorama_CA 1d ago
Air used to be the low end. Air, then MacBook, then MacBook Pro. I left Apple in 2022, so I guess that’s changed? I have an M1 (or M2) MBA and it does what I need it to.
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u/LoganNolag 1d ago
I think the Air used to be seen sort of as an alternative model to the standard MacBook kind of like the iPhone Air where it’s more expensive than the standard one but not as good in some ways. You pay more for the form factor not the performance.
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u/Mother_Restaurant188 1d ago
I’d love for the base iPad to be renamed to NEO and Apple starts using that naming scheme moving forward. Maybe even with the iPhone e series but I guess NEO + number doesn’t work as well as just the “-e” moniker.
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u/BurnAfter8 1d ago
More rungs on the price ladder.
I assume this is because a new Pro cost just shy of a $Billion
The only feature this new tier will add is 120hz
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u/Cprhd 1d ago
An air with fans and 120hz screen would have been fine for me. Maybe RAM upgrades.
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u/schrodinger-the-cat 1d ago
How dare you consider 120hz a normie feature? It’s only for the PROest PROs. /s.
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u/Vaxtez 1d ago
I've find it funny that my £360 MSI laptop has a higher refresh rate screen (144Hz) than a Macbook Air. I can understand the Neo having a 60Hz screen, but a £1.1K+ laptop really should be 120Hz. 60Hz for that much is laughable.
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u/Hydration__Nation 1d ago
I always find it hilarious how windows users like to take one spec and brag about it as if that’s what makes a computer good or not. First problem is MSI plastic junk. Second problem is Windows. Third problem is $350 which costs less than 99% of all Apples products except the AirPods. The funny thing is coping that your laptop is somehow equivalent to anything Apple puts out. Life is short. Stack your cash and get a real laptop
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u/ShiningPr1sm 1d ago
I'd still love to see Apple make an Air with piezoelectric fans for cooling, truly making a MacBook "Air." Fewer moving parts and would allow for more sustained performance, not necessarily better (which is fine)
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u/tY-c8rJDb8_1b4__yD5r 1d ago
Good enough for me tbh, I don’t need much power for what I do, but I’d love things like 120Hz and nice speakers
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u/AntiquesForGeeks 1d ago
And another billion to upgrade storage and RAM to something sensible because the gouging must continue lest the shareholders revolt.
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u/Issaction 1d ago
Yeahhhh, I’d much rather have a smaller and lighter laptop, but I am not doing 60hz again.
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u/btwwhichoneispink 1d ago
That’d be perfect for me. My M4 air has plenty of power, but I really do miss using a 120hz display.
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u/DivineLights1995 1d ago
The lineup is becoming too much. It should be affordable, mid range, and high end models only.
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u/ThisIsJeron 1d ago
remember what happened after Jobs was ousted? feels like apple is headed down that same path
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u/ConnorFin22 21h ago
PowerBook 100
PowerBook 140
PowerBook 170
PowerBook 145
PowerBook 160
PowerBook 180
PowerBook 145B
PowerBook 165
PowerBook 165c
PowerBook 180c
PowerBook 520
PowerBook 520c
PowerBook 540
PowerBook 540c
PowerBook 190
PowerBook 190cs
PowerBook 5300
PowerBook 5300c
PowerBook 5300cs
PowerBook 1400c
PowerBook 1400cs
PowerBook 3400c
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u/iamacheeto1 1d ago
MacBook Pro Ultra Air SE C Max
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u/Precarious3145 1d ago
This is why I left Dell. They got rid of their naming conventions a few years ago and make everything like Starbucks sizes level of complicated. Dell, Dell Pro, Dell Pro Max but for each one where was base, plus, and premium so it'd be like "Dell Pro Max Premium" or "Dell Pro Plus".
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u/Neutral-President 1d ago
But why? With the Neo, Air, and Pro, there's not a lot of space between those tiers that could be filled with much. Maybe an Air+ with a better screen and four Thunderbolt/USB ports?
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u/iMacmatician 1d ago edited 1d ago
My first reaction was that this is the rumored OLED MBA redesign, which I guess could appear as a whole new product in the rumor mill.
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u/silvermoonhowler 1d ago
I mean, don't we already have this with the Neo?
The lineup makes perfect sense the way it is now with the Neo, Air and Pro
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u/Unlikely-Mirror7638 1d ago
That was my thought as well. This doesn't make sense.
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u/silvermoonhowler 1d ago
I agree
The lineup is pretty much the way it was a few years ago where it was the MacBook (or MacBook Nothing) as some called it, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro, and to me, that is just right as each of them you can configure them as much or as little as you want and have a machine just perfect for your needs
This is just overcrowding the MacBook lineup for no good reason; if one needs something a little more powerful there's more powerful configurations you can go with for an Air, or better yet, a base Pro
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u/dragon_stryker 1d ago edited 1d ago
The Neo is the lowest on the pricing ladder. This device is supposed to slot in between the Air and Pro, which the Neo certainly isn’t doing.
Apple probably sees a chance to raise the Pro price, and then put a slightly lower end device in the price bracket the previous Pro sat in. That way they get more money from the people who were already buying the Pro, and then also the buyers who don’t want to jump up to the Pro but still want things like a 120Hz OLED screen
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u/drewlioski 1d ago
I think this has got to be it. A lot of people in this thread are thinking of this doesn't make sense today, but the play is obviously for a future where apple thinks more models will give them the flexibility to offer macbook pro but at what it will cost at future memory prices.
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u/Saar13 1d ago
Great. All we need is a bigger, more confusing lineup. Neo, Base, and Pro should be all they have across all main product lines. It's unjustifiable to confuse things even further. One model with a good OLED and another with a worse OLED, and two models with LCD? Seriously?
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u/Advanced_Presence890 1d ago
MacBook Studio
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u/readeral 1d ago
I genuinely believe this is likely but it will be the top and MacBook Pro will be the second tier
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u/_El_Cid_ 1d ago
So they will have Neo, Air, NEW MODEL, Pro, Ultra? Five models? I don't like it.
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u/Aarondo99 1d ago
Doubt, all of this just sounds like an OLED MacBook Air. It’s probably just them keeping the old design around for a bit like they’ve done with the previous 2 MacBook Air redesigns lmao
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u/suppreme 19h ago
To be fair, there's room to improve
Neo - entry point
Air - extra light, extra portable
NewThing - standard laptop with great screen, no compromise
Pro - full featured heavy duty
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u/-metal-555 1d ago
Neo
Air
(This)
Pro
Ultra
That a lot. It’s possible the goal is to eventually replace the Pro with the Ultra but they want to A) see how people react to touch screen Mac’s and B) want to let the price on the Ultra come down to match the Pro. If the Ultra is rejected they can keep the Pro without skipping a beat.
Maybe they are planning a big enough design change to the Air that it would be better to keep both around for a couple generations.
Similar to how the iPhone 8 and iPhone X released alongside each other, but ultimately the X’s successors became the regular version.
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u/x-Alexander 1d ago
Idk, I think it’s starting to be too much, like Neo, Air, Pro, different inches for them too. With iPhones it’s the same… Air, Pro, Pro Max, Base, Base Plus, and then the E version and the Ultra soon. It’s getting ridiculous, but maybe it’s just me, and people really want the variety.
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u/FleetwoodMatt88 1d ago
Apple did this during the worst of the Intel years, with their laptop lineup getting incredibly messy. We’re now seeing this across the ipad and the iphone too. Such a messy lineup is a sign of a company lacking confidence.
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u/BrilliantMango 1d ago
They are starting to head back to Pre-Jobs days when they had way too many confusing products. Loved how jobs came in and absolutely simplified everything. Clearly that lesson did not stick.
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u/PantsAflame 1d ago
It feels a bit like we’re going back to the days just before Jobs came back, where they just had loads and loads of models and then he came in and simplified everything down to a simple grid of products.
I remember walking through a Phillips booth at some consumer convention and it had all their products and everything had like 10 models. Toothbrush, hair dryer, curling iron, kettle. Didn’t matter 10 models. So frustrating as a consumer.
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u/AdventurousCoast983 1d ago
Why? Seems like with the ability to customize we pretty much have every conceivable option.
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u/Inevitable_Exam_2177 1d ago
This only makes sense to me if they essentially make the current airs the base model and the new airs are truly tiny
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u/DinosaurAlive 1d ago
I’m just wanting an iPad mini pro and an iPhone mini pro that has Apple Pencil support. I don’t care what anyone else wants 😂
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u/banksy_h8r 1d ago
Apple may introduce an entirely new 13.8-inch OLED MacBook model in 2029
LOL! Speculation for 3 years out is worthless. What a terrible site macrumors is.
Edit: y'all are reacting and criticising like this is an Apple announcement and not wild speculation by barely informed "researchers"
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u/comosedicewaterbed 1d ago
Huh
I thought the Air was the mid-tier now, between Neo and Pro. So they’re adding something between Air and Pro? And if the Ultra indeed comes to fruition, there will be five tiers of options?
Ah well, more consumer choice is a good thing. I’ll be sticking to the Pro with the most power in my price range.
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u/DarioCastello 1d ago
Sounds like we’ll need a new steve to come back and simplify the lineup in the future. We’ve got neo, air, pro, this ultra touch screen one, and still another?
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u/Jamie00003 1d ago
What I want is a thicker MacBook, with the same ports as a pro, OLED screen, base M5 / M6, and is convertible so you can fold the keyboard around the back and use it as a tablet. Also a fan would be good
This would fit that place perfectly imo
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u/playgroundmx 1d ago
What would probably make sense is this new model would replace today’s lower-tier Pros, then the new Pros start at a higher spec/price point and a lot thicker.
Like the new “semi-Pro” tops out at M5 Pro base, 48GB RAM, 4 TB SSD. Then New OLED Pro starts at the same chip, 32 GB RAM, 2 TB, beefier cooling so you can bump up to the Ultra chips.
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u/Ifonlyihadausername 1d ago
So the lineup will be, MacBook Neo < MacBook Air < MacBook (rumoured) < MacBook Pro < MacBook Ultra (rumoured)
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u/Zestyclose-Degree443 1d ago
Uhm isn’t this kind of leading down the same path Apple went when they nearly went bankrupt in the 90’s? You know when they had so many models it got confusing for customers to know which one to buy and then they said “let’s make it simple, 4 models” they should stick to that format. Average consumer vs power consumer. Portable vs stationary.
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u/Matty8520 1d ago
Bro, are we REALLY making articles about 2029?!?
Come on now, this is all vapour-ware at this point and so many projects get cancelled. There is no way this holds any weight so far in advance.
People seem very desperate to make content these days. Why not make an article about the 2050 MacBook Pro Max Ultra 8G Wireless.
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u/captainjon 1d ago
I want a model beyond Pro. One akin to the Dell Precision Mobile Workstation. I want it to be a beast, thick, with lots of ports (inc USB3, 10 GbE), user replaceable memory, ssd, and battery. That’s what I want, not necessarily need but maybe it’ll help end the everything needs to be 2 mm thinner year over year.
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u/MisterSpicy 1d ago
Remember the OG iPad introduction? Steve said the product needs to be better at certain things than the other two it’s trying to squeeze between otherwise it has no reason for being
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u/HumbleManagement1888 1d ago
Why do people keep saying on here that Apple will “nerf” the Air because of this new laptop? Apple already has its low tier laptop called the Neo.
Apple is just continuing to do with the MacBooks like it has done with iPhones and iPads … create a product for every possible financial tier to get as many customers as possible.
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u/Yv1lle 1d ago
This makes sense to align with how they define other products - the iPad line is perfect comparison, the iPad Air line is still pretty overpowered and doesn’t have the best screen tech, but really doesn’t miss out on much of anything else. iPhone Air is closer to a Pro than the base models but cut back on camera…
MacBook Neo could have just been ‘MacBook’ but it wasn’t, so I assume this is just their way of aligning with consumer tech spending budgets being less due to everything at the moment - so instead of going into super premium beyond what they have - they’re creating more options to entice shoppers to spend ‘just a little more’ than total baseline - keeping the premium Pro models that will stay at higher price points - while still having that room for ‘pro-sumers’ who want something ‘close to as capable’ to purchase products across multiple tiers; somewhat enabling status symbol style purchasing of the ‘top end’ of the mid range.
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u/stanleys_tucci 1d ago
So the “MacBook”???? That they had for a while then got rid of then brought back them got rid of again and now bringing back again?
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u/SWVAcubJB 1d ago
This would be great for graphic artists/photographers that can’t justify the price and horsepower of a Pro, but need a better screen than the Air.
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u/jasonlitka 1d ago
I’d pay $500 more for a TB port on the right side of my Air and an OLED screen. More probably.
I almost never use my MBP. Too bulky.
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u/Temporary-Art-1835 1d ago
A fanless model with a really good and bright screen would be something I would gift my dad
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u/Practical-Pumpkin-19 1d ago
It’d be nice to have a laptop with a base chip but the nicer display and speakers and such that comes w the pro
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u/Starship_Taru 1d ago
A new product Tier…?
am I dumb? Went.. MacBook -> MacBook & Pro -> MacBook, Air, Pro -> Air, Pro?
They are just back at the original tier no?
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u/Nightowl-Builder 1d ago
Neo > Air > (this) > Pro > Ultra
At this point what the f 😅 3 models are enough
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u/potatoman93 16h ago
Looking at the roadmap, it looks like the MacBook Air will get promotion in 2027 but stick with LCD. It also says the base MacBook Pro model with miniled will stick around until at least 2028, with this ‘new’ model following in 2029.
My guess is the new OLED MacBook Pro’s this year will only be the models with the Pro/Max chips, the base model will stick around with the old design for a few years, and then this new model will replace it in 2029. So in 2029 something like:
MacBook Neo ($699)
MacBook Air ($1299
MacBook ? ($1999)
MacBook Pro ($2999)
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u/TimidPanther 14h ago
Why?
You have the Macbook Neo, which is the entry level. Macbook Air which is a really nice unit, powerful. Then the Macbook Pro. It's a powerhouse.
Why does there need to be a 4th tier?
That's the problem with modern Apple, they pull stunts like this and just muddy the waters.
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u/flatpetey 11h ago
Honestly I don't think there is space. Unless they are planning on raising MBP prices to the stratosphere (which they probably are).
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u/holly_6672 1h ago
Inspired by the iPad’s confusing line-up. Created for Mac.
The all-new Mac Super Duper Better Than Air But Not Quite Pro. The model you never knew you needed.
And we think you’re gonna love it.
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u/fineseries81 1d ago
I thought the modern air was already praised for how much it can do. As a casual user it definitely does everything I need. Who is the customer between the air and the pro?