Even we at PC Gamer have been impressed by Apple's MacBook Neo, and that’s saying something. It is essentially an iPhone 16 Pro wearing a laptop suit, offering a tempting package with its lovely chassis design, decent screen, and a starting price of just $59/9. Because of this massive appeal, Apple is reportedly set to speed past Dell and become the third-largest laptop vendor.

Market Projections: Apple’s Ascent in the Laptop Space

According to a report from market research firm Sigmaintell via Techpowerup, the company is on track for a massive hardware surge. The news that Apple is reportedly set to speed past Dell and become the third-largest laptop vendor is backed by projections showing Apple will sell roughly 28 million MacBooks this year, representing a five million unit increase over 2025.

If these figures hold true, the competitive landscape will shift significantly by the end of 2026. Apple’s projected sales would place them ahead of computing giant Dell, trailing only behind Lenovo and HP, who are looking at 43 million and 36 million units respectively.

Why Apple is set to speed past Dell and become the third-largest laptop vendor

The success of the MacBook Neo allows Apple to capture the lower end of the market, while their high-end machines fill out the rest of the product stack. To meet this surging demand, reports indicate that Apple has already ramped up production to 10 million units.

Apple's ability to maintain this growth relies on several key technical and strategic advantages:

  • Unified Memory Architecture: By using a pool of RAM shared between the CPU and GPU, Apple's laptops are less vulnerable to memory supply chain disruptions.
  • Supply Chain Independence: Unlike competitors, Apple does not need to rely on providers like AMD, Intel, or Nvidia for its internal hardware needs.
  • Cost Efficiency: This all-in-one approach helps keep production costs low and ensures output remains uninterrupted even during a "RAMpocalypse."

With the MacBook Neo handling the budget-friendly segment and premium models securing the high end, Apple is in an enviable position. While time will tell if these projected figures prove out in practice, the outlook for the Cupertino titan is undeniably rosy.