If there’s one thing that’s hard to dispute, it’s that Apple’s MacBooks can get pricey. There’s no doubt you get a top-quality product – they’re some of the best laptops money can buy – but you definitely pay for the privilege.
The good news, though, is that this could be a great time of year to start shopping around for a MacBook. With Amazon Prime Day kicking off this week, there are plenty of savings to be had if you’re in the market for one of Apple’s laptops.
Combined with a lack of imminent hardware upgrades, pulling the trigger now makes a lot of sense. Here, we’ll take a quick look at the reasons why.
Today’s best Apple MacBook deals
On the hunt for savings
Given the costs involved, buying a brand-new MacBook is not an impulse purchase for most people. The most affordable Apple laptop is the MacBook Air, which starts at $999. If you want to step up to the MacBook Pro, you’re looking at $1,599 for the entry-level model. That’s a lot of cash to be throwing around.
Sure, this is one case where you get what you pay for. MacBooks are built to last and are packed with top-tier components and features, from the mini-LED display to the incredible chips. You won’t need to worry about spending a heap of money on a lemon, that’s for sure.
And given that Prime Day sales on Apple kit have already begun, you might be able to spend a slightly smaller pile of cash than usual. We’ve seen plenty of eye-opening savings on laptops, and there could well be more around the corner. MacBooks don’t always go on sale, so it’s worth paying attention when they do.
And there’s another good reason to consider buying a MacBook now: we’re not expecting any significant changes until the autumn. Right now, we’re in the quiet time between Apple’s software announcements at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June and its iPhone 17 range landing in September. It’s highly unlikely that the company will release new Macs any time between now and the fall.
That means there’s less chance of the kind of buyer’s remorse you might feel if you rush out and purchase a MacBook, only for a new one to come out the week after. That’s something you’re not going to have to worry about for a little while.
With all that in mind, it might be worth checking out some MacBook deals to see if you can save a wad of cash on a new laptop, as there are already plenty of savings to be had.
What to look out for
OK, so you’ve decided to scout around for a new MacBook. What should you be on the hunt for?
If you can afford it, a MacBook with an M4-series chip is a fantastic option. The base-level M4 chip – which you’ll find in both the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro – is super-fast and can handle most tasks with ease. Its incredible efficiency also makes it a battery champion, blasting past the competition in terms of longevity on a single charge.
Stepping up, there are the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, which are found in the MacBook Pro. They’re ideal if you feel you need extra power or want to dabble in a spot of gaming (yes, MacBooks make great gaming machines these days).
But buying a MacBook doesn’t have to mean getting the latest, shiniest model. Instead, now is also a great time to find bargains on slightly older Apple silicon chips – indeed, MacBooks bearing the M3, M2 and M1-series chips are still excellent devices with plenty of power on offer. I have a MacBook Pro with an M1 Pro chip, for example, and am more than happy with its performance.
And aside from the chips, you get the same solid battery life, gorgeous displays and eardrum-pleasing speakers that Apple specializes in.
However, we do have a word of warning: avoid MacBooks with Intel chips unless your budget is very restricted. These laptops are all at least five years old now, given that MacBooks transitioned to Apple silicon in 2020. Intel MacBooks weren’t great to begin with, but compared to Apple silicon, they are really showing their age.
Still, if you can avoid that pitfall, you should be able to find yourself a deal on a MacBook that’ll make you very happy. Be sure to check out TechRadar’s Apple Prime Day deals page for the best savings on all the top Apple laptops.
More early Prime Day deals
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alexblake.techradar@gmail.com (Alex Blake)
