The best deals on MacBooks right now

The 2020 MacBook Air, one of the best laptops you can get, is now available at Amazon starting at $949.99.

With multiple configurations and various models to choose from, including ones equipped with Apple’s M1 processor, finding a deal on a MacBook or Mac Mini is not all that difficult. It’s a slightly different story for the newer M1 Pro and M1 Max-equipped MacBook Pros, but any bit of savings you can get on the new Pro models is sure to be worthwhile.

Here, we’ll run through the discounts that are currently available for the latest MacBook models, as well as any deals to be had on the Mac Mini. Of course, there are also frequent discounts available for older Intel-based configurations — which are compatible with the recently released macOS Monterey — but we strongly recommend opting for a newer model now that Apple has introduced its M1 chips across the MacBook Air and Pro lines. There is really no downside to opting for Apple’s own silicon, save for Windows Boot Camp holdouts.

Alternatively, purchasing refurbished is another way to save money on an Apple computer. Apple’s refurbished store provides a one-year warranty on all products and generally has discounts of 15 to 20 percent off the price of a new model. Two other retailers to look at for refurbished MacBooks are Best Buy and Amazon. For now, however, these are the best MacBook and Mac Mini deals you can take advantage of.

The best MacBook Air deals

The MacBook Air is Apple’s entry-level laptop. It’s best suited for typical productivity work, with a comfortable keyboard, excellent trackpad, and all-day battery life. The most recent model includes the Apple-designed M1 processor and lacks a fan for quiet, efficient performance. It ticks all right boxes when it comes to performance and price, which is why it’s our top pick for the best laptop you can buy.

The base MacBook Air with the M1 chip has 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. It typically sells for $999, although in the past few months we’ve seen it discounted down to $799.99. The best deal at the moment, however, is only available at Amazon, where you can pick up the base model for $949.99. The 512GB model is also on sale at Amazon in select colors.

The best MacBook Pro deals

The MacBook Pro line has been split into two different segments — for the time being. The M1-powered MacBook Pro of 2020 remains the final Touch Bar holdout. It is a sibling to the MacBook Air, introduced at the same time, with similar innards, save mostly for a fan that allows it to run at peak performance for longer. The new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros, announced during Apple’s “Unleashed” event last year, come with the M1 Pro or optional M1 Max CPUs.

There are multiple variants of both models, however, we haven’t seen any noteworthy discounts on any configuration outside of Amazon’s $78 discount last month on the 14-inch base model. There are no deals available at the moment, either, though Best Buy will throw in some incentives when you buy the 14- or 16-inch model, including six months of Apple Music, 15 months of Microsoft 365 for the price of 12, free security software, and a handful of other special offers. You can also get a discount when you trade in select devices.

Our reviews of the latest MacBook Pro line were absolutely beaming with praise. Whether it was the beautiful display or the remarkable performance and battery life they exhibited, these premium laptops are investments that we can wholeheartedly recommend. As soon as there’s a price break on these impressive laptops, we’d suggest that anyone in the market for a new laptop consider purchasing one, as they’re likely to move fast.

The Touch Bar-equipped 13-inch MacBook Pro is similar to the Air but geared toward slightly more demanding use cases, and starts at $1,299. The M1-powered base model includes 256GB of storage, 8GB of RAM, a brighter screen, longer battery life, and an internal fan designed to maintain performance under increased workloads. In mid-December, we saw the base model drop down to $1099.99, but right now, both Amazon and B&H Photo are only selling it for $1,199. That may not be as steep of a discount, but that’s still a savings of $100. The larger, 512GB configuration with 8GB of RAM is also currently on sale at Amazon and B&H Photo in space gray for $1,349.00, a $150 discount.

The best Mac Mini deals

While it is not an Apple laptop, the Mac Mini is an affordable desktop computer with macOS. It does not include a display, keyboard, or mouse (so you’ll have to supply your own), but this compact machine is an excellent performer if you aren’t concerned about portability. It’s fast, efficient, and comes outfitted with Wi-Fi 6.

Like the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 13, the Mini features Apple’s new M1 processor. It starts at $699, with the price varying based on your RAM and storage configurations. If you’re looking for a discount, both B&H Photo and Amazon are selling the base model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $649 ($50 off), as well as the 512GB variant for $829 instead of $899 (Amazon, B&H Photo).