Apple and Intel might be getting a lot closer in the chipmaking game, and honestly, this one is spicy for laptop watchers.
According to Wccftech, Apple has entered a preliminary chipmaking agreement with Intel, with Intel fabs expected to manufacture some chips for Apple devices. The exact chip has not been officially named, but sources cited in the report suggest this could involve Apple’s next-generation A21 silicon for the MacBook Neo.
Right now, Apple’s MacBook Neo is powered by the A18 chip, which is also used in the iPhone 16 series. That chip is currently made using TSMC’s N3B process. The problem? Demand for the MacBook Neo has apparently climbed hard enough that Apple now wants more manufacturing flexibility.
That matters because chip supply is already under pressure globally, especially with AI hardware eating up huge amounts of advanced semiconductor capacity. When everyone from cloud companies to GPU makers is fighting for fab space, even Apple has to think carefully about backup plans.
For Malaysian buyers, this could eventually affect two big things: availability and pricing. Apple recently raised MacBook Neo prices by US$100, which is roughly around RM470 before taxes and local adjustments. If supply stays tight, don’t be shocked if SEA markets get slower stock refreshes, fewer launch units, or less attractive pricing compared to bigger regions.
The MacBook Neo is also becoming a bigger threat to entry-level Windows laptops. Wccftech notes that Intel’s new Core Series 3 Wildcat Lake chips are positioned against this same mainstream segment. So yes, there is some comedy here: Intel may be manufacturing chips for a laptop that competes with Intel-powered PCs. Semiconductor business memang like that — rivals in one lane, partners in another.
The report says Apple and Intel had been in talks for more than a year, with a more formal agreement worked out recently. Since this is still described as preliminary, don’t treat it as a full product roadmap confirmation yet. Apple has not publicly confirmed that Intel will build the A21, and no exact manufacturing node was named.
Still, the possibilities are interesting. Wccftech points to Intel’s newer foundry technologies, including 18A-P and 14A, as potential candidates. Intel has been pushing hard to prove that its foundry business can win major external customers, and Apple would be one of the biggest confidence boosts possible.
Apple was also previously linked to both Intel and Samsung as possible manufacturing partners, so Samsung may still be in the picture if Apple needs even more capacity. For now, though, this reported Intel deal looks like a meaningful step in Apple’s effort to avoid relying too heavily on one supplier.
For SEA users, the takeaway is simple: if Apple can secure more chip supply, future MacBook Neo models may be easier to find and better positioned against budget-to-mainstream Windows machines. But if demand keeps outrunning supply, don’t expect miracles at retail. Malaysia always feels these supply chain squeeze effects eventually, especially when new laptops land with limited configurations or weird pricing gaps.
In short: Apple wants more chips, Intel wants foundry credibility, and the MacBook Neo could become an even stronger x86 laptop challenger if this deal works out.
Source: Wccftech Gaming