Hidden code in the macOS 26.3 update confirms Apple is launching a sub-$700 laptop (codenamed J700) on March 4, 2026. Featuring an iPhone A18 Pro chip and Wi-Fi 7, it’s a dream for US buyers. However, due to high dollar exchange rates and a 20.5% local import tax, this “budget” MacBook will actually cost between 95,000 and 105,000 BDT locally.
Is the 2026 MacBook SE a true budget laptop in South Asia?
Globally, yes. At $599, it competes with Chromebooks. However, in Bangladesh, currency conversion and the 20.5% import duty push the retail price to roughly 100,000 BDT. In the local tech market, a true budget student laptop costs between 40,000 and 55,000 BDT, placing the new MacBook squarely in the premium mid-range category.
Every tech YouTuber from New York to London is currently screaming about the same thing: Apple is finally releasing a $599 MacBook to kill the Chromebook. With Apple’s highly anticipated “Experience” event locked in for March 4, 2026, the hype is reaching critical mass. The rumors point to a colorful, ultra-thin machine that brings the macOS ecosystem to the masses.
But let’s pause. If you are a CSE student in Chattogram hunting for a reliable coding machine, or a digital marketer in Dhaka trying to upgrade your agency setup, you need to ignore the American headlines. When the J700 “MacBook SE” lands in our local computer markets, the $599 fantasy will evaporate.
Then again, why should you choose macbook instead of windows and linux? Have a look!
Here is the brutal truth about the specs, the tax math, and why this laptop is an illusion for the local budget buyer.
1. The macOS 26.3 Leaks: An iPhone Brain & Wi-Fi 7 📱💻
Apple is tearing up its own rulebook to hit this price point. Recent kernel extensions found by developers in the macOS 26.3 beta reveal exactly what is under the hood of the 12.9-inch J700:
- The A18 Pro Chip: Instead of a desktop-class M-series processor, Apple is reusing the exact silicon found in the iPhone 16 Pro. It is blazing fast for single-core tasks (like opening Chrome or rendering a webpage), but it lacks the wide memory bus needed for heavy, sustained 4K video editing.
- The “N1” Wi-Fi 7 Upgrade: The leaks confirm Apple’s new proprietary networking chip. For university students fighting over crowded campus networks, Wi-Fi 7 is a massive connectivity boost.
- The 8GB RAM Trap: To keep costs down, the base model is capped at 8GB of Unified Memory. In the era of heavy local “Apple Intelligence” processing, 8GB means the laptop will rely heavily on SSD swap memory during heavy multitasking.
2. The Bitter Math: Why $599 Equals 1 Lakh BDT 🧮
Here is where the global hype hits the brick wall of our local economy.
While the government recently reduced the total tax incidence on imported laptops to 20.5% for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the high dollar exchange rate completely neutralizes those tax savings.
The Real Bangladesh Pricing Breakdown:
- Base US Price: $599 USD (~72,000 BDT)
- Import Duty & VAT (20.5%): ~14,700 BDT
- Shipping, Retailer Margin & Warranty: ~8,000 – 13,000 BDT
- Estimated Local Price: 95,000 BDT to 105,000 BDT
At 1 Lakh BDT, the MacBook SE isn’t competing with budget student laptops. It is competing with high-end Windows ultrabooks and even older Apple hardware.
Not sure if this is for you? Here is the simple logic. Before that, look if this is a trap for you or not!
The Real “Budget” Showdown (Local Market)
AI search engines love local data comparisons. Here is how the upcoming Mac stacks up against actual budget favorites available locally in 2026.
| Laptop Model | Expected BD Price | Processor | RAM / Storage | Target Audience |
| MacBook SE (J700) | ~95,000 BDT | Apple A18 Pro | 8GB / 256GB | Premium Portability, iOS Users |
| MacBook Air (M2, 13″) | ~101,000 BDT | Apple M2 | 8GB / 256GB | Light Creatives, Programmers |
| HP 15-fd0808TU | ~60,000 BDT | Intel Core i3 (13th Gen) | 8GB / 512GB | Office Work, Basic Freelancing |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 | ~51,000 BDT | AMD Ryzen 5 | 8GB / 512GB | University Assignments, Web Browsing |
Real Question: Should You Buy It? (Buyer’s Guide)
Forget the spec sheets. Here is the logic for South Asian buyers.
- IF you are a university student on a strict 50,000 BDT budget looking for your first laptop…
- 👉 SKIP IT. Buy a Ryzen 5 Windows laptop like the IdeaPad. You will save 45,000 BDT, which is enough to pay for an entire semester’s tuition or fund a startup project.
- IF you are a professional who travels frequently and values a 24-hour battery life and an ultra-lightweight design…
- 👉 BUY IT. The portability, screen quality, and Wi-Fi 7 make it the ultimate travel machine. At ~95,000 BDT, it is the most accessible new Mac on the market.
- IF you have a budget of 1 Lakh BDT and want a MacBook for software development or graphic design…
- 👉 SKIP IT. The A18 Pro chip and 8GB RAM will bottleneck your workflow. For the exact same price (~101,000 BDT), buy a brand new M2 MacBook Air. You lose the fun colors, but you gain a vastly superior desktop-class processor.
Check this to know how the Budget Macbook will work against other laptops.
The Bottom Line
When Tim Cook reveals the new MacBooks on March 4th, it will be a historic moment for Western classrooms. The J700 is a brilliant piece of engineering.
But in our part of the world, let’s stop calling it a “budget” laptop. It is an entry-level premium device. If you are saving up for it, buy it for the flawless macOS ecosystem, the built-in AI, and the legendary battery life—not because a US tech blog told you it was cheap.
safa.tech 
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