Welcome to our MacBook Prime Day live blog! We're in the final hours of Prime Day now, but there are still MacBook deals to be had. We've been tracking the best MacBook prices throughout the sale event and we've seen record low prices on laptops and accessories.
We're providing links to the best MacBook deals, whether they're exclusive Amazon Prime deals or discounts from other retailers altogether. We've been tracking MacBook prices for years, so we know a good discount when we see one, and we'll be providing analysis on specs and price history to help you decide if a deal is really worth buying.
See below for quick links to the best Prime Day MacBook prices on MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models with both M1 and M2 chips, US deals first followed by UK, or scroll down further for our minute-by-minute updates. If you're looking for a wider range of deals, see our Apple Prime Day hub, which includes Apple Watch, iPads and accessories. We're also running a dedicated iPad Prime Day live blog for tablet deals.
MacBook Prime Day deals: US
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MacBook Air 13 (M1, 2020):
$899$749.99 at Amazon -
MacBook Air 13 (M2, 2022):
$1,099$949 at B&H Photo -
MacBook Air 15 (M2, 2023):
$1,499$1,399 at Amazon -
MacBook Pro 13 (M2 Pro, 2022):
$1,299$1,099 at Amazon -
MacBook Pro 14 (M2 Pro, 2023):
$1,999$1,799 at Amazon -
MacBook Pro 16 (M2 Pro, 2023):
$2,499$2,299 at Amazon -
MacBook Pro 16 (M1 Pro, 2021, 16-core):
$2,699$1,899 at BH Photo
MacBook Prime Day deals: UK
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MacBook Air 15 (M2, 2023):
£1,599$1,449.97 at Amazon -
MacBook Air 13 (M2):
£1,449£1,329.97 at Amazon UK -
MacBook Pro 13 (M2):
£1,349£1,199 at Amazon -
MacBook Pro 14 (M2 Pro):
£2,149£1,979.97 at Very
And we're off! Sure, we've still got over a day until the official Prime Day event starts. But we're seeing some small savings appear already – so we're here to tell you all about them, and to provide some context on these offers and those about to come your way on Prime Day Proper.
So far, my favourite deal is $120 off the newest MacBook Air M2 (the 13-inch variety released in 2022) at B&H Photo, bringing it down from $1,099 to $979. Only released last year, the MacBook Air got supercharged with an M2 chip. This is the cheapest this model is currently on sale for – and it's only $10 more than the lowest we've ever seen it sell for. This bodes well for deals over the next few days, though if you're desperate for one right now, we already rate this deal.
If you're in the UK, you'll be seeing some savings on the MacBook Pro 2023 range across a couple of retailers right now. One of those deals is on the MacBook Pro (M2 Pro, 2023) 14 inch (10-core CPU and 16-core GPU, 512Gb SSD) in silver.
Both Very and Amazon have this reduced by four per cent right now – bringing it down from £2,149 to £1,979.97 (this is at Amazon). This looks to be a manufacturer's discount rather than anything Prime-related, and we'd love to think it'll get more of a price cut (in May it went down to £1,933) but we can never guarantee anything, and it is still money off – so we'll leave you to decide whether to roll the dice.
This year's addition to the MacBook Air lineup – the M2 15inch model – is currently sitting at an all-time low on Amazon. It's not a new discount, we've seen it hit this price twice before in its short life, but it's still a nice $100 off both the 256GB and 512GB models. We hope for better things, but it's useful info to provide context for your Prime Day buying experience.
Working out whether a deal is worth it is a balance of checking price history and the context of the model in relation to recent new releases, and the chips included. So, for example, the 2021 MacBook Pro is subject to some pretty major discounts at the moment – especially for the ones with more serious specs. Pro users, you'll want to look at this – and it's about to get techy.
B&H Photo currently has an offer on the 14-inch MacBook Pro M1 Max (10-core) with 2TB SSD and 32-core GPU, which is about as serious as it gets for the 2021 lineup. It's RRP was $4,099 at time of release, and it's fallen to $2,699 – a saving of $1,400. If you don't mind not having the M2 chip, it's likely this machine will do everything you need it to (unless you're a super-mega-power-user, in which case you might want to look at the M2 equivalent – around $4,000 but for a 38-core GPU).
B&H Photo also have a serious deal on a slightly less (slightly, we said) hardcore machine, you can save $800 on the 1TB version with 16GB RAM, bringing it from $2,699 to $1,899 – a full $1000 less than the M2 equivalent (which currently has $200 off at Amazon, if you're fully committed to the latest model).
Going for a renewed MacBook is a good way of saving some extra money. Many sites have a range of certified renewed or refurbished MacBooks on offer, and one of our all-time favourites has a decent offering at Amazon right now. You can get the 2020 MacBook Air M1 256GB SSD renewed in 'excellent condition' for $704 at Amazon , which is $295 off the full price of a new model. Though it is on sale for $869 at Amazon right now, we've seen the price of a new one drop to $799 in the past so that could come down over the next few days. If you're set on a new one keep your eyes peeled for more of a discount if that price isn't low enough for you.
But, if you want the newest of the new, those in the UK can get the latest MacBook Air M2 from £1,399 now £1,279.97. This saving's been around since 23 June, which is pretty surprising considering this laptop was only released on 13 June!
It's a real curveball of a laptop since it takes the Air up to 15in rather than the usual 13in screen. That might make it a bit more tricky to fit into a bag, but, for some, that extra space will be very welcome, and the laptop is insanely thin and light for a 15 incher.
Perhaps the most complicated task MacBook buyers have ever faced is trying to work out the differences between last year's 13-inch MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. They're a similar size, with similar quality displays, both powered by Apple's own M2 chip and practically the same price when configured with the same specs (see our full comparison).
All in all, we were pretty confused about why Apple launched such similar laptops within a couple of months of each other. Things get even more complicated when it comes to Prime Day MacBook deals, which can sometimes mean the Pro costs less than the Air.
In our own tests and actual usage of the two laptops, we've found the MacBook Pro 13 does provide slightly better performance for tasks that involve heavy lifting (think 3D or video rendering, colour grading in Davinci Resolve etc) and the battery can last up to a couple of hours longer, while the M2 Air is a thinner device and has a better webcam and speakers and an extra charging port. If either of those factors are very important to you, that might help you make your decision, otherwise it comes down to which is the best deal on the specs you need.
On which note, here are the best Prime Day MacBook deals on each right now. Strangely enough, I would personally go for the one that's actually the worst deal in terms of the size of the saving - the Air 16GB, 512GB at Adorama. A comfortable amount of memory and storage space, and the Pro with those specs would cost you £1,699 since there are no deals about.
-
MacBook Pro 13 M2 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD
$1,499$1,299 at Amazon -
MacBook Pro 13 M2 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD $
1,299$1,099 at Amazon -
MacBook Air 13 M2 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD:
$1,199$1,099 at Adorama -
MacBook Air 13 M2 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD:
$1,399.95$1,299.96 at Amazon -
MacBook Air 13 M2 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD:
$1,499$1,449 at Adorama
To add even more complexity to the challenge of choosing the best MacBook, you have the fact that the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros are 'more Pro' than the 13-inch MacBook Pros (for example, the 2021 M1 Pro/Max MacBook Pro 14 and 16 are more powerful than the 2022 M2 MacBook Pro 13 despite them having older chips. That's because they come with the 'Pro' or 'Max' versions of the M1 chip, which have further enhancements for handling video in particular.
If you need the power of those high-end devices, going for a 2021 model rather than the new 2023 generations could be a good option for saving money, depending on what specs you want. Generally, the bigger the specs, the bigger the saving, with massive $800 discounts on the top-of-the-range setups.
-
2021 MacBook Pro 16 M1 Pro:
$2,699now $1,899 at B&H Photo -
2021 MacBook Pro 16 M1 Max:
$3,499now $2,699 at Amazon -
2021 MacBook Pro 14 M1 Pro:
$2,499now $1,999 at Amazon
To round things of for today, we'll just compare those MacBook Pro prices below with the best deals we're seeing on this year's M2 Pro/Max MacBook Pros. These are currently the top of the range of Apple laptops, and they already have some reasonable discounts. But compare these prices with those on the 2021 models below, and you'll see differences of around $500.
That's it for today, but we'll be here again tomorrow posting live updates on all the best Prime Day MacBook deals, so join us then.
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2023 MacBook Pro 16 M2 Pro:
$2,699now $2,499 at Amazon -
2023 MacBook Pro 16 M2 Max: $
3,499now $3,299 at Amazon -
2023 MacBook Pro 14 M2 Pro:
$2,499now $2,299 at Amazon
OK, so after some minutes of searching, we have to report things have gone quiet on the internets when it comes to cracking MacBook deals. The discounts that we've already reported on seem to be live still, but nothing new, on either the new or older models. This is pretty normal – the quiet before the storm. However, we'll carry on searching because we've found that some enticing deals get released just before the official start of Amazon Prime Day, on 11 July.
So, long story short: my pick of the current MacBook deals is on the 13-inch MacBook Pro, 2022, with M2 chip, down from $1,299 to $1,099 over at Amazon.
Good morning, my dear co-passengers on this wild and unpredictable ride that is the build-up to Prime Day. It's your co-pilot speaking, Tech Reviews Editor Erlingur.
I've been looking over the Prime Day deals available ahead of the day, and thus far, my eye is mostly taken by things not actually on Amazon, as competing retailers are getting more competitive during this event. I've put myself in no-holds-barred dream mode, and found the most outrageously kitted-out MacBook Pro currently being discounted, which is a 16.2-inch, M1 Max monster with 64GB RAM, a 4TB SSD and a 32-core GPU for editing an entire MCU film on (or, y'know almost).
It usually retails on B&H Photo for a spine-chilling $4,899, but is a colossal $1,600 off right now, so can be had for "only" $3,299 at the moment.
I mean, I don't have that kind of money at hand, but if you're running a mid-sized film studio, this is a considerable budget saving...
The 2020-spec MacBook Air 13 (M1) on Amazon has just hit the lowest price ever seen. With 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM and and an 8-core integrated GPU on board, the original price was $899 (not the $999 reported on Amazon's site, you cheeky monkeys), but it's now $150 off, or $749, which undercuts many lower-specced PCs and makes it a hugely affordable option to the more expensive (but not that much more powerful) M2 MacBook Air.
If the below all-time-low on the Air isn't high spec enough for you and you're in the UK, the MacBook Pro 2023 is currently sitting at a record-low price (though it is one we've seen a couple of times before). We hope this model might come down a little bit more to a new price territory but there's no guarantees, so we think this 12 per cent discount bringing the 512GB from £2,699 to £2,374.99 is worth keeping your eye on as we head into the event.
Prime Day is also a good time to pick up any accessories you might need, such as a dock for your MacBook. If you use external kit like a second screen, a mouse or a keyboard, a dock is essential (because MacBooks have no USB ports). Our best dock for MacBook Pro guide is super-popular and has this Kensington dock sitting at number one. Right now, it's reduced from $281.99 to $251.99, which isn't the lowest it's been but is still a nice $30 discount.
Best Buy isn't going to let Amazon sit alone at the deals feast this week, as the retail giant has launched its own "Black Friday in July" (on a Monday, but we'll let that slide for now), and among its offers is this very tempting discount on a MacBook Pro 16 with the almighty M1 Max chip. Instead of the usual $3,299, a cool $2,602.99 will get you a 32-core processor, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD storage and that big 16-inch Retina screen for all your high-intensity creative work. This is the lowest price we've ever seen this model go for, as the lowest Amazon has ever listed it for is $2,699 (and right now it's being sold for $3,472 there, and third parties have never gone below $2,640 as far as I can find out, so this counts as justification to sound the Horn of Record Low Price!
There's quite a large selection of MacBook offers on today at Best Buy, but the above deal is my pick of the bunch for now.
We told you about Amazon's offer on the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) earlier, but now Best Buy has joined the party, matching Amazon's early Prime Day deal on one of our favourite MacBooks (and indeed the outright favourite laptop of at least two of my colleagues). They have dropped the price from $999.99 to $749.99, and unlike Amazon, Best Buy seems to have all colour options in stock (for now...). This matches the lowest-ever price I've ever seen for this model, so if you want a very capable Apple laptop for the price of around 571 pounds of Red Delicious apples, now's the time to strike, it seems...
While we're certainly raving about that M1 MacBook Air deal, it's also impressive that Amazon is already offering $100 off the brand new 15-inch M2 MacBook Air, bringing the price down from $1,499 to $1,399. If you're after a bigger screen and want the most powerful Air available, this is worth looking at.
If you want the latest chip but don't need the latest design, Amazon US is currently offering $200 off the 2022 M2 MacBook Pro with 256GB storage. We called it "a fantastic laptop for creative professionals" in our review.
The good folk at BH Photo have just bettered themselves with their deal on the M2 MacBook Air by dropping it another $50 to just $949 – this is an all-time low price on last year's 13-inch model which comes with 256GB SSD and 8GB RAM. We like a lot.
It's about to be Proper Prime Day here in the UK, and so deals could be dropping pretty soon. We'd hold off buying in the next half hour because, well, anything could happen, right?
But if you're in the US and you fancy that all-time low deal on the M2 MacBook Air ($150 off bringing it down to $949, $30 off the previous low), you can read more about it in this MacBook Air M2 deal post, which explains how good the deal is really, and who this MacBook is perfect for.
As the clock ticked over to midnight the only Prime Day MacBook deal on Amazon is on the Air. It is a good one though, and it brings it down to the lowest price we've seen it go for – now just £779 at Amazon. This is £20 lower than anything we've reported on before, and £20 will buy a nice treat.
Okay so nothing mind-blowing has happened for MacBook deals... yet. The other deals we've mentioned all still stand, and we have hope they will get better over the next two days. But our deals editor LOVES this MacBook so he'll be very pleased. Though he (famously) has one already.
So we've had a thorough check through and that record deal on the 2020 M1 MacBook Air is definitely the only official Prime Day MacBook deal in the UK. As an official Prime Day deal, you will need to be a Prime member to get that deal, but you can always sign up for a free trial.
But that doesn't mean there aren't MacBook deals to be had for none-Prime members. If you need a laptop with more memory and the necessary power for graphically intensive work, I'd be tempted to go for this year's MacBook Pro 16 with the M2 Pro chip reduced from £2,699 to £2,249.97. That's a saving of over £400, which is very impressive for a top-of-the-range Pro that only came our a few months ago. No wonder there are only 6 left in stock!
Those UK Prime Day MacBook deals (or rather deal, as there's only one official Prime Day discount) don't give us a lot of expectations for what we'll see in the US once Prime Day begins on the other side of the Atlantic in just over four hours' time.
The 2020 M1 MacBook Air is already at a record low price of $749.99 in the US, and I'm not sure it can go much lower than that. But of course, the US deals, if we get any, could be completely different from those in the UK. Either way, you'll find out here. We're taking a break from our MacBook Prime Day blog for few hours, but we'll be back shortly to report on US deals.
The good news is there are plenty of deals to be had on MacBooks over on Amazon US, and they're not just limited to the older models either. You can get a top-of-the-range 14-inch MacBook with 512GB SSD and 16GB RAM for $1,799, that's a 10% saving. You don't even need to be a Prime member to take advantage of this either.
Get the M2 Pro MacBook Pro 14-inch: $1,999 $1,799 at Amazon
Don't walk, run. We've found a pretty amazing deal on the Macbook Pro 14-inch 2021 M1-powered laptop with 1TB of storage over at Amazon for just $1,999! Thats a 20% discount and a $500 saving down from the original price of $2,499.
The lowest price we've ever seen on this MacBook was actually back in May when it was listed for $100 cheaper at $1,899, but that was a bit of a rarity and this new discounted price is still a bargain if you ask us, and the best we're going to get this Prime Day.
For a bit of context, this laptop used to retail originally for $2,679 back in December 2021, so the price has come down a lot since the release of the new 2023-edition MacBook Pros. We rated this laptop 5 stars when we tested it last year, and found it to be exceptional with great battery life and performance.
Be fast: Apple MacBook Pro 14 2021 M1: Was $2,499 now $1,999 at Amazon.
Anyone after a shiny new MacBook Pro 16? Today is the day.
The 2023 MacBook Pro 16-inch model with an M2 Pro chip and 512GB of storage has just had a price drop down from $2,499 to just $2,299. That's a $250 saving on a MacBook Pro that's less than 6 months old. Not bad at all.
The M2 Pro chip offers 30% faster graphics performance than the previous M1 Pro, and boasts a 12-core CPU, and 19-core GPU for a better gaming and multitasking experience. Read our full 5-star review if you need any further convincing that this is the most unbeatable laptop there is.
Get the MacBook Pro 16 (2023, M2 Pro) for $2,499 $2,299 at Amazon US.
UK folks, we've found a MacBook deal for you. Get the latest 2023 MacBook Air 15-inch M2 512GB for just £1,449.97 on Amazon with this Prime Day deal. Usually listed for £1,599, this isn't the biggest Apple Prime Day saving we've seen yet by any means, but £149 is still money that's better off in your pocket, right?
It's worth noting that this discount only applies to the Midnight coloured models, and not the others which have a slightly higher price. You can also save money on the 256GB Macbook Air 15 M2 model, which has a £129 saving down to £1,269.97 from the listing price of £1,399. But, again, this is only applicable to the silver-coloured model as the others aren't as lowly priced.
The MacBook Air 15.3-inch M2 chip model was only released last month, so the fact that we're seeing any savings on it at all this Prime Day is impressive.
Get this deal: Apple 2023 MacBook Air 15 M2 was £1,599 now £1,449.97 at Amazon UK
Want to find the best MacBook Prime Day deal? it's this one.
You won't believe how cheap this MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021, M1) laptop is, with an $800 saving over at B&H that's too good to miss. At just $1,899, this MacBook has 1TB of storage, and a generous 16GB of RAM to keep you multitasking and focused for longer while working from home.
While this deal is impressive, it's actually not the cheapest we've ever seen on this MacBook. Back in March 2023, this laptop was being sold by Amazon at just $1,799 – But this deal today is an extremely close second and the best we're going to get.
Bag this bargain: MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021) was $2,699 now $1,899 at B&H
Let's shake things up with a Mac accessory shall we?
You can save $14 on this Apple 35W Dual USB-C Port Power Adapter now only $44.99 on Amazon. Compatible with the MacBook Air (M2, 2022 / M1, 2020), plus a few older MacBook generations and earlier models, this power adapter is great for travelling and has two USB-C ports for double the charging power. It never hurts to have a spare, and there's the same deal on the compact plug model too.
Get this deal: Apple Dual USB-C Power Adapter $59 $44.99 on Amazon US
The 2022 MacBook Air 13-inch M2 model has a £129 saving on Amazon UK, bringing the price down to just £1,319.97 for a 512GB version with 8GB of RAM. This discount is only applicable to the Starlight and Midnight colours, though, and the other variants are an extra £10 if you prefer Space Grey or Silver instead.
Originally listed for £1,449, this price cut isn't mind-blowing, but still pretty good if you've had your eye on this MacBook for a while, being the lowest price it's ever been in the last 30 days. We've seen this MacBook Air at an even lower price before, when it was just £1,299 back in March – but for around £20 difference this new price really isn't far off from the record-low price on Amazon.
Get this deal: Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022, M2) £1,449 £1,319.97 at Amazon UK
If you're not fussed about owning a new MacBook Pro, then consider saving money and opting for this Amazon Renewed 13-inch MacBook Pro (2017) with 128GB of storage and an Intel i5 Dual Core chip for just $355 - yep, you read that right.
Amazon's renewed and secondhand products come with a 90-day Amazon Renewed Guarantee and the pre-owned MacBook has been professionally inspected, tested and cleaned by Amazon-qualified vendors to be fully functional, and in good condition.
Buying refurbished goods on Amazon is a great way to save some money and get a great deal on tech that would otherwise be unaffordable. This MacBook in new condition would retail for around $1,299, and there's also $64 off the original listing price for this Mac on Amazon, so you've saved around $944 in total.
Get this RENEWED deal: Apple MacBook Pro (13", 2017) $419 $355 at Amazon
We've made a big deal of Amazon's M1 MacBook Air deal this Prime Day and for good reason – it's a team favourite, and at £220 at Amazon UK, down from £999 to £770, it's ridiculously good value right now. Sure, creative Pros might want to opt for the M2, but the first Apple silicon MacBook Air is offers incredible power for most users.
So, how do we work out how good these deals actually are? Well, the inside info is that ones of the tools we use is a handy little tracker called Camel Camel Camel. Both a browser extension and a web page, this magic addition to your buying experience gives you all the price history of a product.
Though it only works on Amazon listings, it does also show you the lowest prices a product has been seen selling for at third party retailers – both new and used. Now we've told you that you may think you don't need us anymore – but pair that with our expert knowledge of all things tech and you've got a winning combination.
There's currently a UK record-low price on a key accessory for the MacBook – the Apple Magic Mouse – but only the black one. Normally priced at £99, it's currently £65. The lowest we've seen it go for is £79 so this is actually a great deal.
Get the Apple Magic mouse: Was £99 now £65 at Amazon.
The UK is now in the second official day of Prime Day, and there are no new Prime exclusive deals, so I think we can safely say that that the 2020 M1 MacBook Air for £999 £779 is the only official Prime Day MacBook deal in the UK...
In fact, it might be the only official Prime Day MacBook day anywhere. There are no Prime exclusive MacBook offers in the UK, and taking a quick glance at Amazon.fr and Amazon.es, I see the that 2020 MacBook Air is there only deal too (it's €920, so a similar price).
But there are plenty of MacBook deals about that aren't official Prime Day deals. Take this year's M2 Pro MacBook Pro 16 for £1,979.97, for example. This is on the 512GB storage option. There was a bigger discount going on the 1TB but they seem to have all been snapped up. Still, a saving of £169 is OK for such a new MacBook.
-
Get the MacBook Pro 16 (M2 Pro, 2023): was
£2,149now £1,979.97 at Amazon
In the US, there are no official MacBook Prime Day deals at all. But then the 2020 M1 MacBook Pro was already at a record low price of $749.99, and we didn't think it would be possible for Amazon to drop that price any further.
-
Grab the deal: MacBook Pro (2020, M1): was
$999now $749 at Amazon
These may be controversial suggestions in a blog on MacBook deals, but Microsoft's Surface range, which is something of an attempt to answer to the MacBook, has some much better deals going. Amazon has record low prices on both the Surface Laptop 5 and the super-versatile Surface Laptop Studio (pictured).
-
Get Surface Laptop 5: from
$1,299.99$899 at Amazon -
Get Surface Laptop Studio: was
$1,599.99now $1,269.99 at Amazon
For a MacBook deal on a laptop with higher-end specs, I'd go for the latest and greatest, the 2023 MacBook Pros with M2 Pro chips. The 14-inch 1TB model is reduced by $200 to $2,229. That's a lot of money, but this a laptop that's at the top of the game right now and will probably still feel like super powerful in several years' time.
We're taking a break from the blog for now, but we'll be back tomorrow to mop up what's left of the MacBook deals that are floating around this Prime Day. Good night.
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Get MacBook Pro 14 (2023, M2 Pro, 1TB): was
$2,499now $2,299 at Amazon
At the risk of repeating myself (again), a quick scan of my fellow Bloq's deal searching over night reveals that my favourite laptop is still one of the best deals out there. The 2020 M1 MacBook Air (my current laptop) is still on its all-time low price of $749 in the US at Amazon – and now it's also reached a record-low price in the UK, down to £739 at Amazon.
I really can't recommend this laptop enough. It's slim, portable, yet plenty powerful. It's got the capable M1 chip, and a design that feels classic as recent MacBooks go for the sharper edges. And when you compare this deal price to the entry level, 13-inch 2023 Air of $999, it becomes clear what a bargain it is.
MacBook Air (M1, 2020): Was $899 now $749.99 at Amazon
Good morning, friends. I hope you've had your Weetabix, because we're staring down the barrel of the [dramatic voice] last day of Prime Day! [waves hands theatrically]
I've been spending the last 20 minutes or so hunting down stock, as I noticed that the M2 version of the MacBook Air is out of stock OH NO on Amazon. I checked Best Buy, but while the MacBook Air M2 is in stock, both in 13.6 and 15.3-inch guise, there's no discounts on any of those models there, booo, so that's a Best Buh-Bye for me. I had more luck on B&H Photo, however, where the 13.6-inch MacBook Air M2 is still $150 off, and still available! So if you're out there, hunting desperately for the latest MacBook Air, for less, you can now get one for $949, down from $1,099 at B&H Photo.
Yes, MacBooks have good screens. But they also top out at about 16 inches, so people like me, who have a minimum of 32 browser tabs open while communicating on Slack, working on a Word doc, and editing images in Photoshop, is going to run out of space very quickly.
I always have at least one external monitor hooked up to my laptop, and through testing a large number of them, I realise that you need a proper good one to make your life that much easier. But if you find yourself lost in the maze of brands, offers and retailers, we've got a handy guide to the best monitor deals you can find over this Prime Day period. It's got 4K screens, ultrawide monitors, gaming monitors, curved ones, budget ones and very very expensive ones, so you should at least get closer to finding the one that's just right for you.
We've been focusing a lot on the most affordable options within the MacBook world in recent entries, so I thought I'd look at the other end and see what offers we can find on the biggest, most excessively overpowered MacBook in existence, the MacBook Pro 16 with the M2 Max chip.
Amazon has the 32GB RAM variant on sale for $3,299, down from $3,499, and that offer is being matched by B&H Photo in the States, but if you need MORE POWER, Amazon will unfortunately disappoint you, as that's the biggest one I could find.
However, I had more luck on B&H Photo, where the same computer with an upgraded 64GB RAM is $200 off, down to $3,699 from $3,899. That's where we run out of discounts though, so if you're pining for the frankly monstrous top-end model, with 96GB RAM and 8TB of onboard SSD storage, you'll have to fork out the full $6,499 asking price, I'm afraid.
MacBook Pro 16, 1TB SSD, 32GB RAM: was $3,499 now $3,299 at Amazon
MacBook Pro 16, 1TB SSD, 64GB RAM: was $3,899 now $3,699 at B&H Photo
If you've got a MacBook and want earbuds to listen to music or work on audio production in the highest quality possible, the temptation is to go for the AirPods. But hear me out, dear Apple fans. I have a better alternative for you. A few years ago, Panasonic revived its legendary audio brand Technics, for their high-end audio products, and in the last couple of years, Technics have crashed the earbuds party in a big way, most recently with the astonishing EAH-AZ80 buds, which converted me, a devout earbud hater, into a regular user of in-ear headphones. And now the only-slightly lower-specced EAH-AZ60 buds are heavily discounted in Amazon's Prime Day sale, now a lowest-ever £132.99 down from £199.99 in the UK, and down to $155 from $227.99 in the US. These earbuds are fully compatible with iOS and macOS devices, are (in my opinion) at the same level as more expensive Bose and Sony models, and much better than the similarly priced AirPods 3.
Panasonic Technics EAH-AZ60 (UK): was £199.99 now £132.99 at Amazon
Panasonic Technics EAH-AZ60 (US): was $227.99 now $155 at Amazon
Unless you've been in a coma for the last year, you will have noticed the almighty onslaught of AI, and the frighteningly fast evolution of it too. From variably miscounting fingers in comical/terrifying image generation just a few months ago, to holding philosophical, in-depth conversations with AI bots and generating unnervingly photo-realistic art, AI is everywhere now.
And yes, even here.
A few of my colleagues at Future have launched an AI chatbot to help our readers find the deals they're looking for. Using machine learning and GPT-4 underpinnings, our AI deals finder searches all of Future's Prime Day content and across our many, many brands to find exactly what you're looking for. All you need to do is ask it to find you deals on whatever you fancy, and it will (hopefully) give you exactly what you need. Do note, though, that this tool is not perfect, but should still be a good help to your quest for the best Prime Day deals, and as far as I know, it's Three Laws Safe.
Just a quick reminder that the best offer on any MacBook we've found so far is still this best-ever deal on the MacBook Air M1, down to $749.99 from $999 on Amazon. The M1 MacBook Air is almost as powerful as the newer M2-chipped one, and now that it's this much cheaper than its newer counterpart, this offer is the best one on any MacBook by some distance this Prime Day.
MacBook Air (M1, 2020): was $999 now $749.99 at Amazon
I may have given you my personal recommendation for the Technics EAH-AZ60 earlier as a high-end alternative to the AirPods, but if you're already an AirPods fan (and a lot of my colleagues are), you're in luck (if you live in the UK).
The AirPods Pro 2nd gen are a cool £40 off on Prime Day (so only guaranteed live for the next 9 hours and 41 minutes), down to £209 from £249. This is the lowest price we've ever seen them sold for, so we can tick off another entry in our Record Low checklist, and if you need additional convincing, we gave it a glowing 4-and-a-half-star review in November.
Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Generation: was £249 now £209 at Amazon
The hawkeyed among you may have noticed that we haven't talked a lot about Walmart on our live blog today. The reason is disappointingly simple: they don't have any offers on new MacBooks today.
There's a collection of used and refurbished Apple stuff on sale though, and after some thorough browsing, this might be my favourite offer among them: a used MacBook Pro with an Intel i9-9880H processor, 32GB RAM and a 512GB SSD storage, for $947.86. The condition is listed as 'used - as new' so it should be in pretty good nick, and seeing as this machine retailed for over $3,400 when new, and those specs are still pretty capable today, that's not a bad deal, actually.
MacBook Pro 15.4" - Intel i9-9880H, 32GB RAM (used, like new): was $3,499.99 now $947.86
If you're like me, you'll much prefer an external keyboard over the usually more cramped setups on the laptop itself whenever you're working in the office or at home (so not on the move). One of the best-reviewed keyboards for MacBooks is Apple's own Magic Keyboard, and this 78-key model with Touch ID is now discounted on Amazon, tumbling from $149 to $127. And the best news is that this isn't even a Prime Day-specific offer, so you should be able to get it after today if you're a bit short of money today...
Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID: was $149 now $127 at Amazon
If you're looking for a deal on the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air, your preference of colour is going to matter. While the Silver one isn't discounted, the Midnight, Space Gray and Starlight-coloured ones are all $100 off in the US, down to $1,399 from $1,499. This is the lowest price these models have been sold at, which isn't surprising as they're still very recent introductions to Apple's suite of laptops. It may not be our favourite MacBook, but the M2 chip sports fantastic battery life, an improvement in power over the M1 chip, and this Air has that bigger, brilliantly sharp 15-inch display.
MacBook Air (M2) 15-inch (Midnight, Space Gray and Starlight only): was $1,499 now $1,399 at Amazon
We'd like to give a quick reminder that there isn't long to go before Prime Day ends (especially in the UK) and we don't checkout your Prime Day steals.
On that note, we've put together our definitive list of the best 3 Apple deals you can buy today. We recommend you check it out.
As we just mentioned, making the cut for our definitive list of the best 3 Apple deals is the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) 256GB model which is now only $899 $749.99 at Amazon US. We think this deal is an absolute steal, especially so if you've been searching for a fantastic and capable MacBook for just a fraction of the price of the latest 2023 Air models.
Don't sit on this MacBook Air deal: Save $150 on a MacBook Air (M1, 2020) 256GB
There are MacBook deals on both MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs this Prime Day. In fact, there are deals on just about every MacBook currently available, and most of them don't require Prime membership. That means it can be hard to decide which to go for.
If you need help understanding the differences between MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, we have an in-depth comparison based on the 2022 13-inch versions of each. See our MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air comparison.
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Get MacBook Pro 13 (2022, M2): was
$1,299now $1,099 at Amazon -
Get MacBook Air 13 (2022, M2): was
$1,099now $949 at B&H Photo
If you need a laptop that you can rely on to pretty much handle anything you through at it, including graphically demanding 3D rendering and video work, then you're decision is probably already made: you want the MacBook Pro 14 or 16. Their specs are the same, so choosing between them just depends on whether you prioritise ample screen space or portability.
New 2023 versions of both were released at the start of the year, sporting M2 Pro or M2 Max chips. These do provide more power than the 2021 M1 Pro and Max versions, but I've yet to hear anyone complaining that their 2021 MacBook Pro is no longer up to their requirements, so the earlier models can sometimes be a better buy if you find a big enough saving.
But this is the eternal question. How much cheaper does a two-year old model need to be to make it worth choosing over the latest version? Personally for a MacBook Pro, I'd want to be paying at the very least $200 less than the price of the newer model.
The thing is that big savings on MacBook Pros tend to crop up only on the higher-spec models, which are beyond most people's needs. So there you have another quandary. Is it better to buy a an older MacBook with higher specs if it costs the same as a new MacBook with lower specs... I'd say only if you really need those specs.
Let's take the MacBook Pro 16, for example. The only really decent deal right now on the 2021 model at Amazon (talking about new products, not renewed models) is with the M1 Max chip (10‑core CPU, 32‑core GPU), 64GB RAM and 2TB SSD for $3,584.99 $3,289.99. Those specs are more than I'd personally have any idea of what to do with, and it's still not even a very good discount (we've seen up to $500 off this MacBook before)
Get MacBook Pro 16 M1 Max (10‑core CPU, 32‑core GPU), 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD for $3,584.99 $3,289 at Amazon
B&H Photo has a more tempting offer, a less ridiculous M1 Pro-chipped 2021 MacBook Pro 16 (10-core, 16-core) with 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD reduced from $2,699 to $1,899 - a saving of $800.
Now THIS is the kind of deal that I agree does make it worth considering going for the older model. These are nice specs - enough to get things done without hanging and a decent amount of storage space to save constantly having to back things up to an external SSD but not overkill if you're working with video or other heavy media files.
Get MacBook Pro 16 M1 Pro (10-core, 16-core) 16GB RAM 1TB SSD: was $2,699 now $1,899 at B&H Photo
So let's compare that to what you would have to pay for similar specs on a 2023 M2 Pro-chipped MacBook Pro 16.
Amazon has the equivalent device with the same RAM and SSD but an M2 Pro chip with 12‑core CPU and 19‑core GPU reduced from $2,699 to $2,499. The M2 Pro chip is more powerful, as we note in our review, but most people aren't going to see a massive step up in this laptop, and the price is $600 more than the 2021 M1 Pro MacBook Pro 16 that I mentioned in the last post.
Get MacBook Pro 16 M2 Pro (12‑core, 19‑core) 16GB RAM 1TB SSD: was $2,699 now $2,499 at Amazon
Prime Day is almost over in the UK, and some of the deals have already started to be taken down. We're taking a break for a while, but we'll be back to analyse which MacBook deals are still live (for the moment all those listed above are still running in the US and UK).
For those in the US, our top buy for anyone that needs a laptop for basic work and entertainment rather than any heavy lifting remains the 2020 M1 MacBook Air at a record low price of $749. For anyone that needs more power, see our posts below. Goodnight.
Get MacBook Air (M1, 2020): was $999 now $749.99 at Amazon
