Prime Day deals are now on their last day, so it’s best if you act fast on the final rounds of sales from Amazon right now. This annual summer blowout is close to ending, which means you might soon miss out on some of the most exciting bargains of the entire year on all kinds of household essentials and tech gadgets.
Yet, there’s one specific category where you can save even more when compared to other seasonal sales: MacBooks. Apple’s iconic MacBooks remain among the most popular and sought-after laptops in the world, especially for creatives and professionals — but they don’t come cheap.
That’s why Prime Day is such a good time to pick one up at a discount. You’ll have to move fast, though, as the second day of this annual retail event is now underway and will end when the clock hits midnight in your time zone!
With so many Prime Day sales going on across various retailers (that’s right, not just Amazon), you’ll find a range of discounts on various MacBook models that will help you save some cash while getting you the most laptop for your money. Better still, we’ve already rounded up all the best Prime Day MacBook deals below, so browse them a bit and see if there’s a deal here that catches your eye. If you’re keeping your options open, then you might want to take a look at some of the best Prime Day laptop deals or the best Prime Day gaming laptops, too.
Best Prime Day MacBook deals today
Apple MacBook Air (M1 Model, 2020)
$949 $999
MacBook Air and MacBook Pro - Education Pricing
Exclusive discounts for students & teachers
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD Storage)
$1,750 $1,999
Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 512GB Storage)
$1,300 $1,499
Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, M1 CPU, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD)
$1,149 $1,249
Should you buy a new MacBook on Prime Day?
Prime Day is a great time to buy a MacBook. The Prime Day MacBook sales are a good way to get dependable savings that work out as a great way to get a better-specced laptop for less.
Before diving in, it’s worth doing some research so you know which of the three types of systems would suit your needs the best. It’s also a smart move to know what your budget is. The MacBook Air starts at $999 but it’s possible to spend thousands of dollars if you go for something like the 16-inch MacBook Pro. Don’t get lured into spending more than you can afford, even if the countdown timer is ticking on the Prime Day MacBook sales.
You might also be tempted to wait for the newest generation of MacBooks to come out, which is expected to happen this year. Originally, industry analysts had predicted that the new models would be launched around the middle of this year, which isn’t too far away. But more recent estimations suggest this timeframe may be pushed back, likely due to ongoing issues resulting from the pandemic. So it’s not clear how long you’ll be waiting for the new models to make an appearance. Given that, you might decide to buy now if you need a laptop, as you’ll be able to use your MacBook right away and still score a big saving as part of the Prime Day event.
While you’re shopping for a MacBook, you might consider if there are accessories you’ll need as well. Prime Day is also a great time to pick up cables, cases, and travel accessories as these items are seeing discounts as well. You could pick up everything you need to start using and enjoying your MacBook straight away.
How to choose a MacBook on Prime Day
When it comes to MacBooks, there are a few important things to consider during the Prime Day MacBook sales. These include the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and 16-inch MacBook Pro.
There are discounts to be had on all three models, with some of the deepest discounts for the 16-inch MacBook Pro. Price-wise, the 16-inch MacBook Pro is the most expensive model so the discounts reflect that but bear in mind that the MacBook Air is the more affordable of the bunch.
The MacBook Air is a popular choice for many, with its super lightweight and slim design. It’s highly portable, and it’s perfect to slip into a bag without weighing you down too much. And of course, it has an iconic design, which makes it instantly recognizable. The MacBook Air isn’t just a pretty thing though; it also packs some punch. The previous generations of MacBook Air didn’t always give the best performance, but the M1 chip used in the newer models is blazing fast, even without a fan to keep it cool. The lack of fans also means no annoying fan noise, so it’s perfect if you want peaceful silence while you work. In terms of battery, we got an impressive 18.5 hours of video playback and 15.5 hours of light web usage, meaning it will last for two days or more before you need to charge it. And love it or hate it, the Touch Bar isn’t on the MacBook Air, so instead you’ll use the Magic Keyboard with function keys and a Touch ID button.
If you’re doing serious work, you might consider the beefier MacBook Pro 13. Not beefy in terms of size — it’s also a slim laptop that will fit comfortably into a bag — but in terms of performance. The upgrade over the MacBook Air isn’t as significant as it once was, thanks to the Air’s M2 processor, but you will still see improvements when using the Pro for tasks like exporting videos. The Touch Bar and its screen also have greater contrast, which will be important for some creative users, and its speakers are even pretty good. The Pro does have a fan, although it isn’t often needed, and it has an even better battery life than the Air of 21 hours of video playback and 16 hours of web use.
The MacBook Pro 16 has a tempting larger screen, which is essential for most people. However, the price of this model is high. In general, we’ve advised against buying the Pro 16 in the past purely based on its price. However, with Prime Day here, that changes matters. If you can find a significant discount on the Pro 16 you might be tempted by the bigger screen, more storage, and more RAM that it offers.
If budget is a concern, you could also consider a refurbished model. These pre-owned items have been returned to the manufacturer or retailer to be fixed up and sold on again at a lower price. All the same, check the retailer’s returns policy in case there are any issues, so you can be confident that if the item has a problem, you can get it fixed. You can save a lot of money buying a refurbished model and end up with something as good as new, especially if you don’t mind getting a model that’s a bit older.
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