Looking to give or receive a new MacBook for the holidays? There are some good deals available from retailers on Apple’s older Intel-based MacBooks, and you’ll even find discounts on both of Apple’s new M1 MacBook Pro models. We are still waiting to see the first price break on the new M1 MacBook Air.
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.
You’ll find a $50 or $100 discount on the 13-inch MacBook Pro M1, the first price breaks we’ve seen on any of the new models. One benefit of paying full price and buying from Apple, however, 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 | $1,249 | $1,249 |
| New MacBook Pro w/ M1 chip (256GB) | $1,299 | $1,199 | $1,199 |
| New MacBook Pro w/ M1 chip (512GB) | $1,499 | $1,449 | $1,449 |
| MacBook Air w/ 10th-gen Core i3 (256GB) | $999 | $869 | $850 |
| MacBook Air w/ 10th-gen Core i5 (512GB) | $1,299 | $1,099 | $1,050 |
| 13-inch MacBook Pro w/ 8th-gen Core i5 (256GB) | $1,299 | $1,099 | $1,099 |
| 13-inch MacBook Pro w/ 8th-gen Core i5 (512GB) | $1,499 | $1,299 | $1,299 |
| 13-inch MacBook Pro w/ 10th-gen Core i5 (512GB) | $1,799 | $1,599 | $1,599 |
| 16-inch MacBook Pro w/ 9th-gen Core i7 (512GB) | $2,399 | $2,099 | $2,079 |
| 16-inch MacBook Pro w/ 9th-gen Core i9 (1TB) | $2,799 | $2,499 | $2,449 |
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.
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. It also doubles the storage capacity with a 512GB SSD.
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. Last month, it was selling on Amazon with a $49 discount. That discount is gone, but now it’s $100 off at B&H. 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 is $50 less than its $1,499 list price at Amazon.
Dan Ackerman/CNET
The baseline Intel-based MacBook Air model features a Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD as well as the updated Magic Keyboard. The Intel Core i3 processor is newer but offers less power than the Core i5 that comes with the 2019 base model. It’s currently selling for $130 less than its $999 list price on B&H. 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.
Dan Ackerman/CNET
More processing power and more room for storing files, photos and videos. The step-up model of the Intel-based MacBook Air upgrades the CPU to a Core i5 chip and doubles the SSD capacity to 512GB. It’s currently $200 off at B&H, which isn’t a big enough break to pass on the new M1 version.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The baseline Intel-based 13-inch MacBook Pro has a list price of $1,299 and is currently selling for $200 less than list at B&H. It features an eighth-gen 1.4GHz Core i5 processor along with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD.
Dan Ackerman/CNET
The step-up model of the Intel-based 13-inch MacBook Pro model doubles the storage capacity to 512GB for an extra $200. It’s currently discounted by $200 on B&H.
The top-end model of the three default configurations of the Intel-based 13-inch MacBook Pro series carries a list price of $1,799 and is currently selling on B&H with a $200 discount. Unlike the lower-cost models, it features a 10th-gen Core i5 CPU and doubles the RAM to 16GB. If you’re spending this much on a MacBook, however, you ought to be looking at a new M1 configuration.
Óscar Gutiérrez/CNET
The current 16-inch MacBook Pro was the lone MacBook 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 and is currently selling at a $250 discount.
Óscar Gutiérrez/CNET
You can save $400 on the step-up model of the 16-inch MacBook Pro, which bumps up the CPU to an eight-core Core i9 chip and the GPU to the AMD Radeon Pro 5500M, while also doubling the storage capacity to 1TB.
Watch this:
Hands-on with the entire new Apple Mac M1 lineup
9:02
