Christian de Looper/BGR It's not often that Apple releases a budget-minded product, much less an affordable MacBook. In March 2026, the company upended its laptop lineup when it launched the MacBook Neo , starting at $599 — $499 with a student discount. This budget MacBook has an aluminum body, two USB-C ports, fun colors, and uses a similar processor to the one found in the iPhone 16 Pro. With the MacBook Neo off to a hot start, Apple is now facing a tough decision, as it might have to raise prices for the budget computer due to RAM costs skyrocketing and the lack of available A18 Pro chips. However, if the MacBook Neo sees a price hike, it might lose what made it so popular in the first place. Reports that Apple could increase the price of the MacBook Neo come from former Bloomberg reporter Tim Culpan in his newsletter .…