When it comes to purchasing a new Apple laptop or desktop computer, late 2021 is turning out to be a banner year for new products and special pricing. Even though Apple is notoriously tight when it comes to big discounts [its Black Friday discounts usually come in the form of gift cards], new releases and updated products generally lead to softening prices on older editions of computers with processors that are now a generation or two behind.
- Apple MacBook Air 13.3" Laptop With M1 Chip, 256GB SSD for $949.00 [List Price $999]
- Apple MacBook Pro M1 Chip 256GB SSD 13" Retina Laptop for $1,278.93
- Apple MacBook Pro 14-Inch M1 Pro 1TB SSD Laptop for $2,249.99 [List Price $2,449]
- Apple MacBook Pro M1 Pro 512GB SSD 16" Laptop for $2,449.99
- Apple Mac Mini M1 8-Core Desktop With 512GB SSD, 8GB RAM for $873.73
- Apple iMac 24" With M1 Chip, 7‑Core GPU, 256GB SSD for $1,199.00 [List Price $1,299]
- Apple Mac Mini M1 With 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM for $569.99 [List Price $699]
When it comes to looking for a product that’s right for you, Apple’s big push over the past year or two has been its proprietary chipset. First the M1 emerged, and almost immediately made Apple's Intel-based machines seem stodgy by comparison. Only now are MacBooks with the newer, even-faster M1 Pro and M1 Max chips hitting the market.
If you haven’t updated your computer in a few years and you’re okay purchasing a MacBook that’s not the absolute newest, we think you’ll be pretty happy with the first-edition M1 chip—it’s still a ridiculously fast, powerful processor. As for the other decisions that are going to go into your next Mac purchase, it’s largely a question of how you’re going to use this, and where. For users on the go, the basic Air laptop with Apple infrastructure may be all you need, but for power users and home-based workers, the Pro and iMac options may be better fits [especially if you have your own monitors, in the Mac mini’s case].
MacBook Black Friday Deals
MacBook Air [2020 Model]
Good news: Even in a world with a new line of M1 chips, Apple’s least-expensive, lightest laptop is still one of its best. For day-to-day document editing, web browsing, photo editing, and other run-of-the-mill computing work, the Air will more than satisfy you. And with Apple’s legendary user friendliness, the extra expense over a decent Windows-based laptop is likely worth it. The one thing we don’t love: A limited number of ports [just a couple USB-C], and if you prefer a larger screen size, you’re stuck with a relatively tight 13.3-inch viewing area here. [The Retina display is still extremely sharp, though.]
MacBook Pro 13.3-Inch [2020 Model]
If you’re looking for a Pro-level MacBook experience at a newly competitive price, aim yourself towards the 2020 model. The 14- and 16-inch models [see below] run at least $800 more than the current version, so if you’re okay with last year’s model, this is a more budget-friendly option. The 2020 version of the Pro also received a M1 chip upgrade and has great battery life and a very sharp Retina display. It’s still got the love-it-or-hate-it Touch Bar instead of function keys, and like the Air, you’re limited to a couple USB-C ports. Still, when the difference between the Air and the Pro is down to just a couple hundred bucks, it makes it a lot easier to splurge on the Pro, which might have once been out of reach.
- Apple MacBook Pro M1 Chip 256GB SSD 13" Retina Laptop for $1,278.93
New MacBook Pro 14-Inch [2021 Model]
The newly announced MacBook Pro gives buyers the biggest upgrades to a Pro-level laptop in years, by maxing out the performance with a new M1 Pro chip, a larger, sharper screen, more ports [and with more variety: HDMI video and SD storage slots are back] and ditching things like the Touch Bar in favor of independent keys. And the MagSafe charger returns, this time with fast-charge capabilities. All of these upgrades make a compelling case to spend the extra money on the newest Pro; you’re all but guaranteeing top-notch performance for the next few years, plus with a minimum of 512GB in storage, you’ve got plenty of room for whatever the future holds.
New MacBook Pro 16-Inch [2021 Model]
If you like the idea of the 14-inch MacBook Pro, you’ll probably like the 16-inch even more [assuming money is no object, or your workplace will foot the bill]. Jumping up to the 16-inch model doesn’t just get you a larger screen; the M1 Pro chip is slightly upgraded as well, though “slightly” when talking about the most powerful processor around is still a pretty good jump. The 16-inch offers a 10-core processor [compared to the eight-core in the 14-inch Pro] and can be upped even further to the M1 Max chip, which is really more power than you need for all but the most intensive graphics work.
- Apple MacBook Pro M1 Pro 512GB SSD 16" Laptop for $2,449.99
iMac Black Friday Deals
iMac 24-Inch [2021 Model]
The 24-inch iMac also took a trip to M1-land last year, and since there’s no news yet about any further upgrades to this line of products, it’s safe to purchase one now for your day-to-day home computing needs. This is especially true if you’re looking for a desktop that’s astonishingly thin and offers a significantly larger screen than any laptop around. The 24-inch version only has a couple ports and a lower ceiling for onboard memory [1TB tops, which is still quite a lot], and while available discounts are minimal, you get nearly twice as much visual landscape, with equivalent performance, for less than the list price of the 2020 MacBook Pro.
iMac 27-Inch [2020 Model]
As with the jump from a 14- to a 16-inch Pro, going to the bigger iMac gets you more than just a bit more screen space. The 27-inch version still lives with the Intel chip under the hood [sorry, no M1 here yet] but it gives you super-snappy SSD response, plus many more ports than the 24-inch for plugging in all your extra peripherals for maximum work-from-home flexibility. The top-tier Retina 5K display is great to have for your photo-editing or graphics work; the upgraded 1080p camera makes you look even better on those Zoom calls to talk about your projects.
- 2020 Apple iMac 27" With Intel i5, 256GB SSD for $1,749.99
Mac Mini Black Friday Deals
Mac mini [2020 Model]
We’ve always loved the flexibility of the Mac mini. Just bring your own preferred monitor, keyboard, and mouse to this tiny, almost-portable computing box and you’re ready to go. If you’ve got all those onhand already—or if you’re swapping out an older Mac mini—it remains a great time to graduate to this version. The M1 chip was an upgrade for 2020, and the price is as good as it gets for a new Apple product [the new base price is even lower than the previous Intel model]. Going from a 256GB hard drive to an optional 512GB size is pricey, so consider attaching an external hard drive for a lower overall price than the built-in version.
Sign up for our Weekly Apple Brief for the latest news, reviews, tips, and more delivered right to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thursday February 24, 2022 7:01 am PST by Mitchel Broussard
We've tracked a few deals on the 14-inch MacBook Pro over the past few weeks, but discounts on the 16-inch version of the 2021 MacBook Pro have been less frequent. However, today Amazon has the 16-inch MacBook Pro [M1 Pro, 16-core GPU, 512GB] for $2,299.00, down from $2,499.00. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may ...