The biggest shopping time of the year is here. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are filled with sales and there are plenty of good deals on MacBooks to be found. But how can you make sure you find the best deals? We’re here to help.
Apple’s MacBook Air and MacBook Pro will certainly make the special someone very happy this holiday season. If you want to buy a new laptop as a gift, you can find a deal and save a few dollars. For your reference, here are the regular prices for the standard configurations of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.
| Model | Price | Specifications |
|---|---|---|
| MacBook Air | $999 | M1, 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD |
| MacBook Air | $1,249 | M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD |
| 13-inch MacBook Pro | $1,299 | M1, 8‑core CPU, 8‑core GPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD |
| 13-inch MacBook Pro | $1,499 | M1, 8‑core CPU, 8‑core GPU, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD |
| 14-inch MacBook Pro | $1,999 | M1 Pro, 8-core CPU, 14-core GPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD |
| 14-inch MacBook Pro | $2,499 | M1 Pro, 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD |
| 16-inch MacBook Pro | $2,499 | M1 Pro, 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD |
| 16-inch MacBook Pro | $2,699 | M1 Pro, 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD |
| 16-inch MacBook Pro | $3,499 | M1 Max, 10-core CPU, 32-core GPU, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD |
Black Friday MacBook deals from Apple
Apple doesn’t offer discounted prices for any of its products. However, Apple does offer gift cards if you make a purchase during its shopping event. You can get a $100 Apple gift card if you buy a MacBook Air, or 13-inch MacBook Pro. Unfortunately, the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are excluded from this event.
If your preference is to buy at Apple and nowhere else, consider shopping at Apple’s Refurbished and Clearance store. You can save $150 or more, depending on the laptop you pick. Refurbished Macs are just like new and they come with a full warranty.
MacBook Air: Best Black Friday deals
Costco has the best price on the M1 MacBook Air that we’ve seen, with $200 off the MSRP, bringing the price down to $800. You don’t need to be a member to take advantage of this deal, either.
13-inch MacBook Pro: Best Black Friday deals
The 13-inch MacBook Pro comes in two options, 256GB and 512GB, and is on sale at many retailers for $100 or $150 off.
14-inch MacBook Pro: Best Black Friday deals
Apple’s new pro laptop was released in October, and you won’t find many deals on it. Amazon’s price fluctuates between regular price and $50 off, and B&H Photo was offering $100 off earlier in November, but that sale has ended for now.
16-inch MacBook Pro: Best Black Friday deals
Apple’s new pro laptop was released alongside the 14-inch model in October, and you won’t find many deals on it. Amazon is offering $50 off, which is basically its regular price.
MacBook buying advice
For most general consumers, the MacBook Air or the 13-inch MacBook Pro is the laptop to get. It offers a great combination of price and performance. Apple’s most affordable laptop is the $999 MacBook Air, and you might be able to find it for $100 off, maybe more.
The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro are made for pro users who make high demands of the processor and graphics. Since these laptops were just released in October, you won’t see many deals, if any at all. At most, you’ll find a deal for $100 off.
If you’re not clear on which MacBook to buy, we have a guide with recommendations for different use cases.
Be aware that many third-party retailers will have Intel-based MacBooks for sale. Apple no longer uses Intel processors in its laptops, and these Intel models are older. For example, Best Buy’s Black Friday deals on Apple laptops offer $500 or more off the regular price, but these are all Intel-based models that Apple no longer makes. Get the latest by looking for M1, M1 Pro, or M1 Max processors.
If you have an Apple Card, use it with Apple Pay. You get 3 percent cash back on purchases made at the Apple Store, and 2 percent back on all other purchases made using Apple Pay. If you use the physical Apple Card, you’ll only get 1 percent back.
If your recipient plans to use the MacBook on the road often, consider buying AppleCare+, Apple’s extended warranty. It adds up to two incidents of accidental damage protection every 12 months, each subject to a service fee of $99 for screen damage or external enclosure damage, or $299 for other damage. It also includes 24/7 priority access tech support.
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