In March, Apple launched the MacBook Neo, a $599 (now $699) laptop that instantly became a hit in the budget market. And on Wednesday, Apple went in the complete opposite direction with the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR, a laptop that’s the rich pro’s pro. You’ll pay a lot of money for it: It starts at $2,899 for a 14-inch model and a maximum 16-inch model tops out at $14,549. Regardless of how you configure it, the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR has top-notch features at its core and it’s not hard to find people willing to pay for it.
When 2026 began, a top-of-the-line MacBook Pro cost $7,199. What does it offer you now almost double? An OLED touchscreen, a better sound system, a new design that weighs about a pound less, and, just to let everyone know you have one, a bright Apple logo for the first time in 10 years.
What about the network?
At the 1998 Macworld Expo, Steve Jobs addressed Apple’s need to simplify its overly complicated Mac line. He introduced what has been called the product grid, composed of two product lines (desktops and laptops) and two customer markets (consumer and professional). It has been credited as the core of Apple’s success and a testament to its simplicity. The company doesn’t get bogged down in too many SKUs and customers can easily find the product they want.
But in recent years, Apple’s Mac market share has remained somewhat flat. Any notable increase in sales during one quarter was offset by a slowdown shortly thereafter. Apple reportedly wants to grow its share of the Mac market, and to achieve that, it has determined it needs to be more aggressive in appealing to the fringes of the laptop market.
Then he broke the net. Instead of two attractive options for most people, Apple needed to offer products to persuade those who were on the fence to give up and buy a MacBook. Now, there’s an affordable gateway to the Mac and an ultra-luxury option, along with the usual options in between. Options, options.
The network served its purpose but is now insufficient for a company the size of Apple. It’s time to leave it behind. What’s different now is that the MacBook Neo, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR display are distinct products with obvious feature separation. It doesn’t have the quaint simplicity of Jobs’ quadrant, but by expanding the grid, Apple has set up the Mac for a different kind of success: one that meets every need and leaves no wallet unchecked.
