Skip to main content

Now’s the perfect time to buy a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro — here’s why

With top-notch designs and incredible hardware and software, there’s no question why Apple’s MacBooks always end up in our annual list of best laptops. Two of its latest and greatest offerings, the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are currently on sale with up to $250 off. Better hurry, though, because discounts on Apple products typically don’t last long.

13.3-inch MacBook Air — $900, was $1,000

Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’re determined to buy a MacBook but don’t want to shell out too much money, then the MacBook Air is for you. It’s a well-rounded portable laptop that boasts a solid performance and premium build quality. Now made thinner and lighter thanks to its eco-friendly aluminum chassis, the MacBook Air still possesses the same power and solid build quality typical of Apple devices. Its 13.3-inch Retina display boasts Apple’s True Tone technology, which gives it the power to adapt to your environment’s ambient light to make images appear more natural, with accurate colors that aren’t oversaturated. Working alongside an Intel i3 processor, this MacBook Air has 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal memory. It proved speedy and performed well when tasked with normal daily workflow, like streaming videos, working in Photoshop, word processing, and web browsing. The 13.3-inch MacBook Air normally retails for $1,000, but right now you can purchase it on Best Buy for $900 — a huge $100 off.

13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar — $1,200, was $1,300

Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you want the best laptop that Apple has to offer, you can opt for the 13-inch MacBook Pro. It is a thing of beauty and remains one of the most luxurious laptops out there. This UltraBook is sturdy as a rock thanks to an all-aluminum unibody and boasts a fantastic display, top-tier processor, and fantastic hard drive performance. Right now, the 13-inch MacBook Pro with 8th-gen Intel Core i5 processor and Touch Bar is available at Amazon for a huge $100 below its usual price. Get it for $1,200 instead of $1,300.

The MacBook Pro’s Retina display is terrific. Boasting a pixel resolution of 2,560 × 1,600, the screen is not only super high definition but also ridiculously bright, colorful, and rich in contrast. In our processor and hard drive tests, this laptop was able to give outstanding numbers that are among the best we’ve ever encountered. This MacBook Pro includes the Touch Bar and it provides a quick way to scroll through lists and is very useful when scrolling through a video. Get the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar today for $1,200 at Amazon.

16-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar – $2,149, was $2,399

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The 16-inch MacBook Pro is the most powerful MacBook out there. If it’s peerless performance you’re after and don’t mind spending serious cash, this is the laptop for you. It offers an industry-leading display with its massive 16-inch screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio, providing more vertical space for a fuller view of your work. Colors are extremely accurate, black levels are great, and images look completely natural, which makes this a great laptop for photographers and creative professionals. It is a photo and video editor’s dream come true. The MacBook Pro 16 also boasts more power than ever thanks to its Intel core i7 processor. You can open multiple heavy programs like Photoshop and Final Cut Pro X simultaneously and operation will remain glitch-free. Finally, its new and improved Magic Keyboard is responsive, clicky, and features a full millimeter of travel. It’s a delight to type on, quite reminiscent of the much-beloved MacBooks sold prior to 2016. Get the 16-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar today at Amazon for $2,149 instead of $2,399 – a massive $250 off. What’s more, you can get an additional $50 off instantly upon approval for the Amazon Rewards Visa Card, bringing the price lower to $2,099.

Head over to our Deals hub for more MacBook deals and laptop deals.

Timothy Taylor
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Timothy is a deals writer for Digital Trends that specializes in finding the best discounts on smartphones, wireless…
The Dell XPS 13, a MacBook Air alternative, is 20% off today
Dell XPS 13 2024 front view showing display and keyboard.

"Dell XPS, Dell XPS, Dell XPS," have been the long-muttered words of anyone covering laptops with Digital Trends. After all, what do you recommend for someone that doesn't have an iPhone and doesn't want one of the best gaming laptops? While our current listing of the best laptops is a bit more diverse, for the longest time you'd always find a couple of Dell XPS variants on it. And, for the reasons outlined above (plus a sleek keyboard and stylish design) the line remains incredibly popular. And if you want one of these popular laptops, now is the time to spring for the Dell XPS 13. We've found a pretty hot deal on a fantastic configuration that brings the price from $1,999 down to $1,599. That savings of around 20% or $400 is yours if you tap the button below, but keep reading for our experiences with the laptop.

Why you should buy the Dell XPS 13
The Dell XPS 13 is a solid machine with a futuristic look and sleek design. Our Dell XPS 13 review compares the laptop's keyboard (which definitely feels unique) to the MacBook Air's Magic Keyboard, with shallow but simultaneously "snappy and precise" keys. There is a reason why a Dell XPS 13, though not this exact version, got to be our pick for the best MacBook alternative to the MacBook Air. The configuration we received for testing was able to get in eight hours of video watching on loop, meaning this is a perfect small laptop to get you through your day.

Read more
Best refurbished MacBook deals: Get a MacBook Air for $101 and more
A stack of MacBooks is pictured from the top down.

Apple is easily one of the best laptop brands that you're going to find, which often makes Apple MacBooks quite pricey, especially when you consider that the Apple brand adds a premium to the price tag. So, if you're in the Apple ecosystem and looking for the best laptops, you're going to get them, but you'll also have to pay a pretty penny for them. Luckily, you can grab yourself a refurbished laptop to save yourself a little bit of extra money, not to mention it's great for the environment since it reduces electronic waste.

To help you pick the best MacBook for your budget, we've gone out and picked some of the best refurbished MacBook deals we could find and compiled them below. Apple deals are notoriously slim pickings, so if you want a complete Apple suite for cheap, check out refurbished iPhone deals and refurbished iPad deals too.
MacBook Air 11.6-inch (2015) -- from $101

Read more
Prime Big Deal Days Apple deals still available: AirPods, MacBooks, iPads
Best Prime Day Deals

Update 10/10/24: Apple doesn't always have a lot of great deals, which is why we're happy to see that there are still a ton of sales going on several Apple products, even though Prime Day is officially over. The deals below have been updated to reflect the latest prices, and we'll try to keep on top of pricing, although you should grab anything you like quickly!

The Prime Day deals are over, and while that usually means missing out on some great Apple deals, there are still many options available for you to check out that you may have missed out on. In fact, we're actually seeing quite a lot of excellent sales across the board, which is why we've gone out and collected some of our favorite Prime Day Apple deals for you below. Also, if you're looking for more specific deals on Apple products, then check out our roundup on these Prime Day MacBook deals, Prime Day smartwatch deals, and Prime Day headphones deals.
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max (256GB, Boost Mobile) — $0 $1,200 100% off

Read more