Apple is famously stingy when it comes to big discounts or even sales events. The business is so big, its products so ubiquitous it can afford to operate outside the game. Still, there are tricks to getting a hot little discount on the shiny new computer you’ve been eyeing, as well as the tablet and the earphone case that looks like an egg.
Your best bet is Amazon, which has all kinds of Apple wares in stock and discounted (some of them fairly small discounts but hey, every penny counts). Whether you’re getting a laptop for college or just want an upgrade, here are the best Apple products we’ve found for the back-to-school sales season.
Best for casual use, studying, and photo editing
Apple MacBook Air: 13", M1 Chip, 8GB RAM, 256GB
Apple Macbook Air M1 | Amazon | $100 off
Yes, there’s a new MacBook Air in town. But for more casual users who want a great Mac experience in a low-profile package, the M1 MacBook Air still clinches it for me. $900 is crazy cheap for a fully-loaded computer capable of tasks as demanding as video editing, but sleek and light enough that it wouldn’t look out of place atop a little marble table outside a Parisian café.
Best for long-lasting power and versatility
Apple MacBook Pro: 14", M1 Pro Chip, 16GB RAM, 1TB
Apple MacBook Pro 14" | Amazon | $300 off
Simply put: this powerful, all-rounder of a computer will last you for years to come. Apple’s M1 Pro chip still outperforms the newer M2. Apps load in a snap, and 16GB of RAM makes this laptop pretty much futureproof. It’ll stay speedy and reliable for *years* to come. Especially now that they’ve fixed the ill-fated butterfly keyboard that terrorized customers between 2016 and 2019.
Best for performance, media playback, and speed
Apple MacBook Pro: 16", M1 Pro Chip, 16GB RAM, 512GB
Apple MacBook Pro 16" | Amazon | $300 off
Everything you want and need from a powerhouse laptop with the added benefit of more screen space and speakers that rival a high-end TV. This is the computer I use, and it can handle everything from tricky Photoshop jobs to playing 4K movies like it’s a breeze. Seriously: don’t sleep on a big screen and good speakers. It makes even standard streaming on Netflix feel like a spectacle.