MacBook is becoming the highlight of the 2026 laptop market. While many manufacturers are forced to raise prices due to rising RAM and DRAM costs, Sigmaintell forecasts that Apple could ship up to 28 million units this year, equivalent to a 21.7% sales increase compared to the same period last year. Conversely, the entire global notebook market is estimated to shrink to only 181.1 million units, a decrease of 8%. For buyers in Vietnam, this story is significant as it shows the price gap between Apple laptops and Windows laptops is narrowing faster than before.
MacBook benefits as rivals hike prices simultaneously
According to Sigmaintell forecasts, Apple is almost the only major manufacturer still growing in the notebook segment in 2026. The notable point lies not in a single model, but in how the MacBook lineup maintains its appeal while the price levels of many competitors are trending upward. As buyers see premium Windows laptop prices approaching or exceeding Apple's familiar price points, the MacBook suddenly becomes a more viable consideration rather than just the default expensive option.
The biggest reason is that memory costs are putting pressure on the entire market. Previous articles on rising CPU prices have shown that as soon as foundational components escalate, the final retail price of devices changes very quickly. For Apple, the advantage lies in the fact that the company has not implemented major price hikes, while many OEMs must adjust their price lists to offset the costs of RAM, DRAM, and related components. This difference directly impacts purchasing decisions, especially for the group of users who only need a durable, long-lasting, and stable machine for studying or working.
The original report also provides two easy-to-visualize examples. The 12-inch Surface Pro currently starts from 1,049 USD, while the 13-inch MacBook Air M4 starts from 999 USD. At the higher end, the 15-inch Surface Laptop with 64GB RAM and 1TB SSD rises to 3,649 USD, while the 16-inch MacBook Pro M5 Pro with equivalent RAM and SSD starts from 3,299 USD. When the price gap reverses like this, MacBooks do not need to be absolutely cheap to be attractive enough to pull buyers away from Windows options that once held the price advantage.
What laptop buyers in Vietnam should look for from this trend
For the Vietnamese market, the concern is not how many more units Apple will sell, but how the new price landscape changes purchasing criteria. If previously many people assumed this brand's laptops were significantly more expensive, the equation has now changed, similar to the signals seen in the Panther Lake price increase story when new Windows laptops were pushed up quickly. When the gap between the two systems is no longer large, buyers will compare more heavily on battery life, stability, noise levels, displays, and long-term value.
A quick look at the key figures shows that MacBook's advantage this year stems more from the market context than a pure specification race.
| Metric | 2026 Data | Meaning for buyers |
|---|---|---|
| Global Notebooks | 181.1 million units, down 8% | Weak demand, difficult for brands to maintain low prices |
| MacBook | 28 million units, up 21.7% | Apple is a rare bright spot in the market |
| Surface Pro 12-inch | From 1,049 USD | Now more expensive than Air 13-inch M4 |
| Air 13-inch M4 | From 999 USD | More accessible as competitors raise prices |
| Surface Laptop 15-inch 64GB/1TB | 3,649 USD | No longer holds a price advantage over Pro 16-inch M5 Pro |
| Pro 16-inch M5 Pro 64GB/1TB | 3,299 USD | Premium positioning but becoming less price-disadvantaged |
This does not mean the MacBook is automatically the best choice for every need. Those who require software that only runs well on Windows, need powerful discrete GPUs for gaming, or want more connection ports still have reasons to stick with Windows laptops. However, if the primary needs are office work, studying, light to medium photo editing, and a priority on stability for several years, the MacBook is clearly benefiting from the price hikes of the rest of the market. For those buying a machine in the coming months, this is a period to compare prices based on actual configurations rather than holding onto the old prejudice that this product is always the more expensive option.
