These 5 New Apple Products Combined Cost Less Than The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 – BGR

The iPhone is Apple’s best-selling product, with Apple selling hundreds of millions of units every year, despite the higher price tags. An iPhone 17 from the newest generation starts at $799, while the cheapest iPhone 17 Pro model costs $1,099. The only affordable iPhones that Apple sells are devices from the year prior (the iPhone 16 in this case) and the entry-level iPhone, which happens to be the newly launched iPhone 17e that starts at $599. But the iPhone can be an even more useful tool if used with other Apple products, including the AirPods wireless headphones, the Apple Watch, the iPad, and the Mac. While buying into Apple’s full ecosystem is a more expensive commitment that buyers may have spread out over time, it’s now cheaper than ever to buy all these products at once. Buying an iPhone, AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad, and MacBook at the same time is cheaper than purchasing a high-end flagship foldable like the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which starts at $1999.99.

Thanks to the introduction of the iPhone 17e and MacBook Neo, which start at $599 each, buyers looking to make a full switch to Apple’s ecosystem, or users who are just getting their first smart devices, can now purchase the five devices mentioned above, the cheapest in Apple’s lineup, directly from Apple, instead of looking for bargains on Amazon, buying an iPhone from unauthorized resellers, or going for second-hand devices, like used iPads and MacBooks. They can choose a simpler route, which is purchasing everything from Apple at full price and enjoying the perks that come with that, like using brand-new devices and taking advantage of AppleCare+ (though the extended warranty will add extra costs).

Launched in early March 2026, iPhone 17e is the cheapest new iPhone in Apple’s lineup. The handset still features the traditional Face ID notch at the top, instead of a Dynamic Island display. Like the iPhone 16e that preceded it, the iPhone 17e has only a single-lens camera on the back. Also, it doesn’t feature the new 18-megapixel selfie camera that the iPhone 17 series introduced last September. These are compromises that Apple had to make to hit the same $599 starting price as the iPhone 16e.

However, the iPhone 17e features a durable build. It has an aluminum frame, IP68 dust and water resistance rating, and the more durable Ceramic Shield 2 display glass (similar to the base iPhone 17). Also, the iPhone 17e packs high-end specs, including a version of the A19 chip that powers the iPhone 17, 8 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of minimum storage. The latter represents an increase over the base iPhone 16e, which featured 128 GB of storage. The iPhone 17e also features support for MagSafe wireless charging, something the iPhone 16e lacked last year. The single-lens 48-megapixel Fusion camera offers most of the features available on the base iPhone 17 model. What’s missing is support for ultra-wide camera photos, which need a second camera, and support for macrophotography and spatial photos. Battery life is rated at 26 hours for video playback and 21 hours for streamed video playback, estimates that match the iPhone 16e.

At $599, the iPhone 17e is a good value for both first-time smartphone users and more experienced customers. The handset should last for several years thanks to its high-end specs, and it’s a better deal than the iPhone 16, which Apple sells for $699.

iPhone 17e buyers may need a few Apple accessories, including the AirPods 4 and the Apple Watch SE 3. The $129 AirPods 4 aren’t new, as Apple introduced them in September 2024. However, Apple doesn’t upgrade its AirPods models every year. But the base AirPods 4 model can be reliable wireless earphones for music and voice calls. The AirPods 4 feature the same H2 chip as the more expensive AirPods Pro 3 and the AirPods 4 model with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). They offer up to five hours of battery life on a charge and support for Spatial Audio. The AirPods 4 will also work with the iPad and MacBook Neo listed below, switching seamlessly between the Apple products.

Launched alongside the iPhone 17 series, the Apple Watch SE 3 is the cheapest new smartwatch you can buy from Apple. The device may not seem as necessary as the AirPods at first, but users interested in keeping tabs on their health and training programs will want an Apple Watch. The Apple Watch SE 3 starts at $249 (for the 40 mm GPS version), but features the same S10 chip as the more expensive Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 that were released at the same time. 

The wearable features an Always-On display like the more expensive models, and it can track the same key health parameters, including heart rate, wrist temperature, respiratory rate, and sleep. The Apple Watch SE 3 offers notifications for irregular heart rate, low cardio fitness, and sleep apnea. It supports reproductive health, offering cycle tracking and ovulation estimates. The wearable is water-resistant, and it can track a variety of activities and workouts. It supports all-day battery life (18 hours), and fast-charging (like the more expensive models).

Starting at $349, the iPad 11, also known as the iPad (A16), was released in March 2025. Apple kept the design and color options of the iPad 10, giving the tablet two key upgrades: the A16 chip and double the storage (128 GB instead of 64 GB). Apple said at the time that the iPad 11 is almost 30% faster than its predecessor and up to six times faster than the best-selling Android tablet available on the market at the time of the iPad’s release.

The iPad 11 may not seem like a must-have device when buying into Apple’s ecosystem for the first time, but it can be a form factor some people may appreciate. It offers a larger touchscreen than the iPhone 17e, and it can be used more comfortably than a laptop. Also, thanks to built-in Continuity features in Apple software, the iPad can work as a secondary 11-inch display for the MacBook Neo. Other specs include a 12-megapixel camera with support for Center Stage functionality during video calls, stereo speakers, Apple Pencil support, and a USB-C port. Finally, the tablet offers up to 10 hours of battery life, similar to the more expensive tablets in Apple’s lineup. One notable downside is that the base iPad model in Apple’s March 2026 lineup does not support Apple Intelligence.

The $599 MacBook Neo has been the new Apple product everyone talked about in the first weeks of March. The entry-level MacBook laptop was unveiled a few days after the iPhone 17e, and it’s the reason why buying into the Apple ecosystem costs less than $2,000. Previously, the cheapest MacBook in Apple’s lineup was the $999 MacBook Air.

The MacBook Neo may be a budget laptop, but it received positive reviews for its build quality and performance. The MacBook Neo features a 13-inch display and runs on the A18 Pro chip that Apple first used on the iPhone 16 Pro models in 2024. That means the entry-level laptop will support Apple Intelligence features. As for performance, the A18 Pro chip outperforms the 2020 M1 chip, Apple’s first M-series chip for Macs and iPads.

The MacBook Neo comes with only 8 GB of RAM, but that won’t be a problem for most computing tasks a teenager or student may need. The laptop may also be a good choice for internet users who do not need more power for more complex tasks or apps. The base model ships with 256 GB of storage, while a 512 GB version (which also supports Touch ID) costs $699. When it comes to battery life, the MacBook Neo can offer 11 hours of web browsing and up to 16 hours of video streaming, according to Apple.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is one of the most sophisticated and expensive phones you can buy. It starts at $1,999.99 for the 256 GB version and features Samsung’s best possible hardware for a foldable device. It’s a two-in-one device. It’s a phone that becomes a tablet thanks to its large 8-inch foldable display. Support for Samsung DeX means you can connect the foldable to a display and peripherals and transform it into an Android computer. That’s all the more impressive considering that Samsung’s 2025 foldable is incredibly thin, measuring 4.2 mm when unfolded.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a single device, so a comparison with a full ecosystem of products may not seem fair. But the point here is that entering Apple’s ecosystem costs less than buying Samsung’s latest Galaxy Z Fold model, as of March 2026.

The total for the five Apple products above comes to $1,925. It drops to $1,805 if you purchase the MacBook Neo ($100 discount) and iPad 11 ($20 discount) under Apple’s education program. Owning an iPhone, iPad, and MacBook means you can easily switch between devices when it comes to apps and tasks. You can move files with AirDrop between the three devices and copy-and-paste content from one device to the next. The AirPods 4 will work with all three devices, switching from one to the next, depending on which gadget is in use. The Apple Watch will keep track of your health while also relaying notifications from the iPhone 17e.