MacBook Air M1 Drops to $700
The new MacBook Air M3 line was released on March 4, and it’s no surprise that the M2 and M1 are already heavily discounted. What’s surprising, however, is that the M3 MacBook Air is already discounted (just a small one). Walmart has the 13.3-inch M1 MacBook Air laptop for $699 (originally $999.99), which is the lowest price I’ve seen after checking price comparison tools . If you’re looking for an extra $50 off, Best Buy is offering the same MacBook for $649.99 for “open box,” meaning products that customers have returned.
This is the M1, the base model for 2020. It has 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. You can expect around 18 hours of battery life from this MacBook. While it pales in comparison to the new M3 chip and all its new features, the M1 is still enough for most of us. As Lifehacker senior technology editor Jake Peterson noted, the M1 is still a fantastic computer three years after its release . The main reason for this is that Apple can optimize macOS for the M1, gracefully embracing new versions of macOS and enjoying their new features while Intel Macs struggle. That’s why the M1 beats the Intel Mac i9 today.
If you’re worried about Apple’s software support, Jake says the M1 doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere anytime soon and may even continue to support it in record time. The only thing you’ll be missing from the new macOS Sonoma is the ability to connect hearing devices to your Mac.
Keep in mind that Apple discontinued the M1 MacBook Air after the M3 and no longer sells them on its website. If you’re looking for a durable MacBook that’s stood the test of time and will still be a great buy in 2024, get the M1 for $649.99.