Deals on the MacBook Air, Pro, and Mac Mini
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Only the best deals on Verge-approved gadgets get the Verge Deals stamp of approval, so if you’re looking for a deal on your next gadget or gift from major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and more, this is the place to be.
With multiple configurations and various models to choose from, including ones equipped with Apple’s M1 processor, finding a deal on a MacBook or Mac Mini is not all that difficult. It’s a slightly different story for the newer M1 Pro and M1 Max-equipped MacBook Pros, but any bit of savings you can get on the new Pro models is sure to be worthwhile.
Here, we’ll run through the discounts that are currently available for the latest MacBook models, as well as any deals to be had on the Mac Mini. Of course, there are still some lingering discounts available for older, Intel-based configurations — which are compatible with macOS Monterey — but we strongly recommend opting for a newer model now that Apple has introduced its M1 chips across the MacBook Air and Pro lines. There is really no downside to opting for Apple’s own silicon, save for Windows Boot Camp holdouts.
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 has discounts of 15 to 20 percent off the price of a new model. Two other retailers to look at for refurbished MacBooks are Best Buy and Amazon. For now, however, these are the best MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini deals you can take advantage of.
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 most recent model includes the Apple-designed M1 processor and lacks a fan for quiet, efficient performance. It ticks all the right boxes when it comes to performance and price, which is why it’s currently our top pick for the best laptop you can buy.
The MacBook Air is Apple’s entry-level laptop, which comes outfitted with the company’s new M1 chip and in one of three different colors (silver, space gray, and gold).
The base MacBook Air with the M1 chip has 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. It typically sells for $999, although in the past few months we’ve seen it discounted down to $799.99. The best deal on the base model at the moment, however, is at Amazon and Adorama, where it’s on sale in select colorways for around $949. If you need more storage, the 512GB model is also on sale for $1,199 at B&H Photo ($50 off).
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The MacBook Pro line has been split into two different segments — for the time being. The M1-powered MacBook Pro of 2020 remains the final Touch Bar holdout. It is a sibling to the MacBook Air, introduced at the same time, with similar innards, save mostly for a fan that allows it to run at peak performance for longer. The new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros announced in October, however, come with the M1 Pro or optional M1 Max CPUs.
While we recently saw the 14-inch base model with the M1 Pro plunge to as low as $1,750, discounts that steep remain rare. Right now, Amazon is offering a $50 discount on the space gray base model, however, selling it for $1,949.99 instead of $1999.99. The silver, 1TB configuration with 16GB of RAM, a 10-core CPU, and 16-core GPU is also on sale at Amazon for $2,249.99 instead of $2,499.95, a price you’ll see at checkout. If you prefer the 16-inch, 512GB base model with the M1 Pro, it’s currently discounted at Amazon and B&H Photo, where you can pick it up for $2,449.99 instead of $2,499.
Our reviews of the latest MacBook Pro line 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 can wholeheartedly recommend. As soon as there’s a steep price break on these impressive laptops, we’d suggest that anyone in the market for a new laptop consider purchasing one, as they’re likely to sell out fast.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro can be equipped with either the new M1 Pro or M1 Max CPU and can be configured to have up to 64GB of unified memory.
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.
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The Touch Bar-equipped, 13-inch MacBook Pro is similar to the Air but geared toward slightly more demanding use cases, and starts at $1,299. The M1-powered base model includes 256GB of storage, 8GB of RAM, a brighter screen, longer battery life, and an internal fan designed to maintain performance under increased workloads.
In December, we saw the base model drop to $1099.99 at Amazon, but right now the best available price is at B&H Photo and Adorama, both of which are selling the space gray model for $1,199. That may not be as steep of a discount, but that’s still a savings of around $100. The 256GB variant with 16GB of RAM is also currently on sale at B&H Photo for $1,399 ($100 off), while the 512GB configuration with 8GB of RAM is on sale for $1,399 instead of $1,499 at Adorama and Amazon, a price you’ll see when you check out from the latter.
The MacBook Pro 13 has the same M1 processor as the Air but includes a brighter screen, longer battery life, and a fan for better sustained performance.
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While it is not an Apple laptop, the Mac Mini is an affordable desktop computer with macOS. It does not include a display, keyboard, or mouse (so you’ll have to supply your own), but this compact machine is an excellent performer if you aren’t concerned about portability. It’s fast, efficient, and comes outfitted with Wi-Fi 6.
Like the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 13, the Mini features Apple’s new M1 processor. It starts at $699, with the price varying based on your RAM and storage configurations. If you’re looking for a discount, Amazon is currently selling the base model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $569.99 at checkout, which is an all-time low. Amazon and Costco are also selling the 512GB variant with 8GB of RAM for $749.99 instead of $899.
Apple’s most affordable Mac desktop computer is powered by the custom M1 chip. It comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage in its base model but can be configured with up to 16GB RAM and 2TB of storage.
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