Best Buy Has the Best Deals on Pre-Ordering the New MacBook Lineup.
This week, Apple announced new products , all of which are now available for pre-order and will go on sale on March 11. But before you place your order, it’s best to compare pre-order offers from different retailers. For example, Walmart offers the best pre-order deal for the iPad Air , taking $40 off the list price. If you’re interested in a new MacBook, Best Buy is the only major retailer offering pre-orders for all three new MacBook models .
Previously, those looking for an affordable MacBook turned to older models like the M1 and M2. The MacBook Neo changes that, as does the PC market as a whole . The Neo doesn’t impress with its specs—it has an A18 Pro processor, the same chip found in the iPhone 16 Pro—but the price makes it appealing. At $599 , I can see many choosing this MacBook over other budget laptops, especially with the $25 pre-order gift card. (Although, if you find a good deal, the M1 and M2 are worth considering .) The Neo also lacks some premium features you’d expect from other MacBooks, like a backlit keyboard, Touch ID, and MagSafe charging. It’s also limited to 8GB of RAM, which is underwhelming by today’s standards.
The MacBook Air M5 looks tempting, starting at $1,099 , but don’t be tempted if you already own an M4. Otherwise, the laptop is virtually identical. Of course, the base model has double the storage—512GB—which is a nice touch and only $100 more than the M4’s launch price. Add a $50 gift card, and it’s a great option for those upgrading from the M2, M1, or buying their first MacBook.
The new MacBook Pro is a true beast. It features 1 TB of storage, a 15-core M5 Pro processor, and a 16-core GPU. It also boasts 24 GB of RAM, giving users all the smooth performance and multitasking needed to run multiple programs simultaneously. The starting price is $2,199 , and the $100 gift card doesn’t soften the blow much, but it’s still $100 more than other manufacturers offer.