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Best Apple MacBook deals: Save $51 on M1 MacBook Air, $100 on M1 MacBook Pro, more on older models – CNET [CNET]
Apple made a significant move last fall away from Intel chips toward its own Apple silicon M1 design, and we’re already seeing significant price breaks on the new M1-powered machines. You’ll find discounts on both of Apple’s new M1 MacBook Pro models along with the step-up model of the MacBook Air. And there are deeper discounts available from retailers on Apple’s older Intel-based MacBooks — up to $300 on the step-up model of the 16-inch MacBook Pro.
The MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro lines received the M1 update, but the big 16-inch MacBook Pro still uses an Intel Core i7 or i9 chip. And Apple still sells two higher-end configurations of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Intel parts and has stated that it will support all the Intel-powered Macs for years to come.
While you might be tempted by a discount on an older, Intel-based MacBook, it had better be significant in order to pass on a new M1 MacBook. The early tests of the M1 machines show a significant performance increase over their predecessors. Plus, the M1 MacBook Air boasts a fanless design for silent operation.
Read more: Testing out the entire new Apple Mac M1 lineup
Pricing for new M1 MacBooks
The new MacBooks maintain the pricing of the models they replace. The new MacBook Air starts at $999, and the new MacBook Pro starts at $1,299.
Currently, you’ll find a $51 discount on the step-up $1,249 model of the M1 MacBook Air and a $100 discount on the 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro. (We are still waiting for the first discount to materialize for the baseline $999 M1 MacBook Air.)
One benefit of paying full price and buying from Apple is you can customize the machine and add more RAM or a higher-capacity solid-state drive, whereas the models sold on Amazon and other retailers are fixed, baseline configurations.
It’s also worth noting that the Apple Store offers students an educational discount, which can trim hundreds of dollars from the price of a new laptop or tablet.
Keep reading to see the best prices currently available for Apple’s current and previous-generation MacBooks.
MacBook discounts, compared
| Model w/ CPU (and storage capacity) | List price | Best price (current) | Best price (all-time) |
|---|---|---|---|
| New MacBook Air w/ M1 chip (256GB) | $999 | $999 | $999 |
| New MacBook Air w/ M1 chip (512GB) | $1,249 | $1,198 | $1,180 |
| New MacBook Pro w/ M1 chip (256GB) | $1,299 | $1,199 | $1,199 |
| New MacBook Pro w/ M1 chip (512GB) | $1,499 | $1,400 | $1,399 |
| MacBook Air w/ 10th-gen Core i3 (256GB) | $999 | $909 | $850 |
| 13-inch MacBook Pro w/ 8th-gen Core i5 (256GB) | $1,299 | $1,129 | $1,049 |
| 16-inch MacBook Pro w/ 9th-gen Core i7 (512GB) | $2,399 | $2,149 | $2,079 |
Dan Ackerman/CNET
The new, fanless MacBook Air starts at $999 and features Apple’s M1 processor that has an eight‑core CPU, seven‑core GPU and 16‑core Neural Engine. The system also supplies 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. It lacks the Touch Bar (which could be viewed as a net positive) but features a 13.3-inch Retina display, Touch ID and the Magic keyboard. Read our MacBook Air (M1) review.
Apple
The step-up MacBook Air model delivers the M1 processor with a slight difference from the baseline model — it has an eight-core GPU versus the seven cores you get in the model above. More significantly, it doubles the storage capacity with a 512GB SSD. Amazon doesn’t offer a discount on the baseline model but lets you save $51 on this step-up model, which is better than the initial $35 discount we saw from Amazon but less than last week’s $69 discount. Read our MacBook Air (M1) review.
Dan Ackerman/CNET
The new 13-inch MacBook Pro uses Apple’s new M1 processor, which is an eight-core CPU with four performance cores and four efficiency cores, an eight-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine. The baseline model also features 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, a Retina display, the Magic keyboard and the Touch Bar with Touch ID. The baseline config is currently $100 off at Amazon, which matches the biggest discount yet for this model. If you want to upgrade the RAM on a new MacBook Pro, however, you’ll need to buy from Apple.
Apple
The step-up MacBook Pro model doubles the storage capacity with a 512GB SSD and costs $1,499 from Apple. Amazon has it right now for $1,400, which only $1 more than the lowest price we’ve seen for this model.
Dan Ackerman/CNET
The baseline Intel-based MacBook Air model features a 10th-gen Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD as well as the updated Magic Keyboard. It’s currently selling for $90 less than its $999 list price at B&H in gold. This discount shouldn’t be enough to tempt you over the new M1-based Air, especially since students may be eligible for a discount on the new M1-based model with the Apple Store’s educational discount. Read our 2020 MacBook Air review.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The baseline Intel-based 13-inch MacBook Pro has a list price of $1,299 and is currently selling for $170 less than that at B&H. It features an eighth-gen 1.4GHz Core i5 processor along with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. (The step-up model with a 512GB SSD is also $200 off at B&H.) Either way, I’d still spend a bit more for the newer M1 MacBook Pro if your budget allows. Or opt for the new M1 MacBook Air for even less. Read our 2020 MacBook Pro hands-on.
Óscar Gutiérrez/CNET
The current 16-inch MacBook Pro was the lone MacBook line not to receive an M1 upgrade. It features a ninth-gen Intel Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, AMD Radeon Pro 5300M graphics and a 512GB SSD. It boasts a bigger screen with a higher resolution than its smaller, 13-inch sibling. In silver only, this model is selling at a $250 discount at Amazon. (The step-up model in space gray, which bumps up the CPU to an eight-core Core i9 chip, the GPU to the AMD Radeon Pro 5500M and the storage capacity to 1TB, is currently $300 off at Amazon.) Unless you have an urgent need for a giant MacBook Pro, it would be prudent to wait until Apple delivers an M1 update to this line. Read our 16-inch MacBook Pro review.
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