The best deals on MacBooks right now

The best deals on MacBooks right now

With multiple configurations and various models to choose from, finding a deal on an M1-equipped Mac is not all that difficult. It’s sometimes a slightly different story for the MacBook Pros with beefier M1 Pro and M1 Max CPUs, but with a little luck, you can score those excellent laptops for as much as $400 off. As for the most recent batch of M2-powered 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, they, too, get their fair share of modest savings with some regularity.

Here, we’ll run through the discounts that are currently available for Apple’s latest MacBooks, all of which run Apple’s own silicon. If you come across any deals on older, Intel-based configurations still lying around, we strongly recommend avoiding them. While the last bastions of Intel Macs are compatible with macOS Ventura, they’re getting pretty old and not really worthwhile, even at a steep discount. Rest assured: there’s really no downside to opting for a Mac with Apple’s own chips, save for the sickos out there that swear they still need Windows Boot Camp.

Alternatively, purchasing refurbished is another way to save money on an Apple computer. Apple’s refurbished store provides a one-year warranty on all products and generally offers discounts of up to 15 to 20 percent off the price of a new unit. If you’re looking for a new model, however, here are the best MacBook Air and MacBook Pro deals available.

The best MacBook Air deals

The MacBook Air is Apple’s entry-level laptop. It’s best suited for typical productivity work, with a comfortable keyboard, excellent trackpad, and all-day battery life. The redesigned M2 version of the MacBook Air is out, but even with the arrival of that pricier model, the 2020 version with an M1 processor and fanless design remains in the lineup as the budget option. For most people, the M1 Air ticks all the right boxes when it comes to performance and price, which is why it’s the one we recommend for budget-minded MacBook seekers in our best laptop you can buy guide, even with the M2 now available.

The base MacBook Air with the M1 chip comes with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. It typically sells for $999, but B&H Photo and Adorama currently have it for $899 ($100 off) in space gray or silver. That’s not quite as good as it gets on the M1 Air, but it’s a good price on a laptop that still represents an excellent value nearly two years after its release.

The MacBook Air is the most impressive laptop I’ve used in years

$899

The MacBook Air is Apple’s entry-level laptop, which comes outfitted with the company’s new M1 chip in one of three different colors (silver, space gray, and gold).

As for the newer, fancier MacBook Air with the M2 processor, it’s currently on sale for$200 off in the base 256GB and 512GB configurations at Best Buy in all four colors. That exceptional discount drops the price of the base, MagSafe-equipped laptop to $999 and the 512GB version to $1,299 (the latter is also available at Amazon for $1,299.99).

The new MacBook Air is a super slim and light laptop with a 1080p webcam that’s actually usable and that handy magnetic charger that frees up one of its precious two USB-C ports. Its M2 processor didn’t kick-start a revolution like the M1 generation, but it's a great performer for any user outside of more demanding creatives.

It does have some slight downsides, like slower storage in the base configuration and a notch cutout in its otherwise excellent screen. But even so, there hasn’t been a more travel-friendly laptop offered by Apple since the days of the polarizing 12-inch MacBook, and this one’s good enough to be the No. 1 laptop we now recommend in our buying guide.

MacBook Air with M2 (2022)

$999$119917% off

$999

The redesigned MacBook Air is a thin, lightweight device powered by Apple’s latest chip. The M2 model also touts a 1080p webcam and a better display than its predecessor, while retaining features like long battery life and MagSafe charging.

The best MacBook Pro deals

The MacBook Pro line has been split into two different segments — for the time being. The M1-powered MacBook Pro of 2020 and its new 2022 replacement with the M2 processor remain the Touch Bar holdouts. These are siblings to the 2020 MacBook Air, with similar designs save mostly for a fan that allows them to run at peak performance for longer.

At this point, it’s best to avoid the older 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro and opt for the newer M2 version with its exceptional battery life. Yes, it’s still plagued by the Touch Bar, and its base model has its shortcomings when it comes to speed, but we’re occasionally seeing discounts on the newer laptop.

Right now, the best deal is a solid $150 discount on the 256GB model at Amazon and B&H Photo. That drops the price from $1,299 to $1,149. It’s not a bad deal, but you folks who do intensive creative work may still be better served spending more on the more capable 14-inch MacBook Pro if you can stretch your budget (see below).

The Apple MacBook Pro 13 2022 seen from above.

$1149

The latest configuration of the 13-inch MacBook Pro can be equipped with the new M2 CPU and can be configured to have up to 24GB of unified memory.

As for the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros announced in late 2021, the 14-inch M1 Pro-equipped base model with 512GB of storage is selling for $1,599 ($400 off) at Best Buy. That’s as fine of a deal as you’re going to get on the laptop, and it extends to the 1TB version as well, which is currently discounted to $2,099 ($400 off) at Best Buy and $2,099.99 at Amazon.

$1599

The 14-inch MacBook Pro is a stellar laptop in many ways, with a brilliant display, a great keyboard, fast specs, and several useful ports.

The 16-inch MacBook Pro with 512GB of storage and the M1 Pro can be had for $2,099 at Best Buy or $2,099.99 at Amazon, which is $400 off like its smaller sibling. The same discount applies to the 1TB configuration at Best Buy and Amazon (now $2,299 and $2,299.99, respectively). Just like the 14-inch, these discounts on the 16-inch models are as good as it gets for such a workhorse laptop. If you cherish a beastly MacBook for performance and appreciate a big screen, this deal is for you.

The new 16-inch MacBook Pro on a table

$2099

The new 16-inch MacBook Pro is a creative powerhouse equipped with Apple’s latest silicon. Configurable with either the M1 Pro or M1 Max, the 16-inch screen can be lent out to up to three external displays and a 4K TV simultaneously, thanks to its vast array of ports.

Our reviews of Apple’s latest MacBook Pro lineup were absolutely beaming with praise. Whether it was the beautiful display or the remarkable performance and battery life they exhibited, these premium laptops are investments that we wholeheartedly recommend. It’s great to see the return of more ports and an SD card reader, as well as MagSafe charging, to some Mac laptops we can once again say are well poised for actual pros. Just mind the notch — or better yet, make it more useful with software.

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