There’s also the M1 MacBook Air to consider. Yes, this five-year old laptop is still being sold, exclusively through Walmart, and the price is now down to $600. It’s been that price since this summer, and it remains a tempting purchase for students and anyone who’s always wanted a MacBook but couldn’t afford one.
But here’s the thing: Apple is rumored to be launching a new entry-level MacBook to the lineup, possibly as early as later this month. Spring 2026 feels like a more appropriate time, but no one knows for sure. Reports have indicated that this mysterious new MacBook will use an iPhone chip and possibly have a smaller, 12.9-inch display. My point is that whatever this new MacBook is, it’ll most likely replace the M1 MacBook Air and improve upon it. Again, these aren’t performance-driven laptops necessarily, but an updated design with more ports, an improved webcam, and better external display support could really feel like a significant upgrade over the M1 MacBook Air. All of that is speculation, of course. If you need a cheap MacBook for school or work right now, I would still recommend the M1 MacBook Air has a solid option.
What about the MacBook Pro?
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Photograph: Christopher Null
Apple
MacBook Pro (M4 Pro/M4 Max, 2024)
What about the MacBook Pro? Well, that can be trickier. The M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max MacBook Pros are only about 10 percent off. The base M4 MacBook Pro is $200 off, which is a 13 percent discount, while the M4 Pro and M4 Max are both discounted by just 10 percent. Not only is it a lower discount, the rumors of an M5 MacBook Pro are a bit more threatening to this model’s longevity. After all, if you’re after an M4 Max, you’ll probably salivating over the idea of an M5 Max (even if we have no idea what it’ll be like). The rumors around when the M5 MacBook Pros will be launching, however, aren’t clear. We know they’re in production and could be coming soon, but that could be anytime between in a couple of weeks to a few months. Some very recent indications point to an M5 MacBook Pro launching this month without the M5 Pro and M5 Max.
To be clear, there is also a much-hyped OLED MacBook Pro that has reportedly been in the works for years, which will be thinner and may even have a touchscreen. Most reports indicate that this new design will be reserved for the M6 generation, whenever that ends up being.
The inevitable upcoming launch of the M5 MacBook Pro doesn’t detract from the fact that the M4 MacBook Pros are fantastic laptops in their own right and have been ruling the roost since they launched, with a special nod to the M4 Max, which is incredibly powerful. However, if it’s ultimate power you’re looking for, it might be worth waiting just to what Apple has cooked up this time.
