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“Never pay full price for a MacBook Air” seems to be the takeaway from the latest Apple launches. Apple unveiled its updated lineup of M4-powered MacBook Air laptops in early March, and all the M4s saw their first discounts a few weeks later. The M4, M3, M2, and M1 MacBook Airs are all discounted right now, with some at their lowest prices ever, according to price-tracking tools. If you’re on a budget, you can always go for the older M2 and M1 laptops, which are still great laptops in 2025.
The best deal on the M4 MacBook Air
The M4 MacBook Air has been such a good value since its release that it made the M3 MacBook Air irrelevant, hence Apple discontinued it after just a year since its release. As our Senior Tech Editor Jake Peterson will tell you, the M4 MacBook Air is the one to buy.
The 13-inch M4 MacBook Air with 256GB SSD starts at $876.40 right now (originally $999), but it has been as low as $799—so keep an eye on it. This is arguably the best option for most people. With 16GB of RAM for even the most basic MacBook Air, you’ll be able to take on intensive applications and projects now and for many years to come. The most basic M4 MacBook Air comes with a 13.6-inch “Liquid Retina” display, with a resolution of 2,560 by 1,664, a P3 wide color gamut, and a maximum brightness of 500 nits. You’ll also get an excellent backlit keyboard with Touch ID, Wi-Fi 6E support, and great speakers and microphones. Apple also decided to bring back MagSafe charging with this laptop.
All of the M4 MacBook Airs come with a 12MP camera with Center Stage. You might’ve first seen this feature on iPads and on the M4 MacBook Pro, which follows your face as you move around the frame during video calls. The two USB-C ports are Thunderbolt 4, meaning you can extend to up to two 6K external monitors if you buy the equipment separately. You can read more about it in PCMag’s “excellent” review. If you’re unsure whether to go for one of these or the Pro, the M4 MacBook Air offers a much better value than the Pro.
The best deal on the M3 MacBook Air
As stated above, the M3 MacBook Air has been discontinued since the release of the M4, and you can only find it from big retailers used. The prices don’t make sense since the M4 just offers a much better value for the money. Go up for the M4 or down to the M2 if you can’t afford the M3.
What do you think so far?
The best deal on the M2 MacBook Air
2022’s M2 MacBook Air laptop is also on sale; currently $699 (originally $999), the lowest price this laptop has ever been. This is the best M2 you can buy as far as value for your money, and as Lifehacker Senior Tech Editor Jake Peterson explained last year, it could be the last laptop you’ll ever buy. It has the same RAM and storage as the M3, but there are some key differences between the two machines you should be aware of. If, however, you have $176 to spare, the upgrade to the M4 is a better value.
The best deal on the M1 MacBook Air
The 2020 M1 MacBook Air has also dropped in price and is perhaps the best all-around value for an entry-level laptop right now. Walmart has the M1 MacBook Air 13.3-inch laptop for $599 (it cost $999.99 prior to the launch of the M3), which is the lowest price I’ve seen after checking price-comparison tools.
This M1 from 2020 has 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage with about 18 hours of battery life. If you’re wondering if the M1 is relevant, Jake noted the M1 is still a fantastic computer even three years after its release. Yes, its specs pale in comparison to the new M4 chip and all of its new features, but the M1 is still enough for most people.
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