We’re only a few days away from Apple’s big mystery event in Chicago focused on education, where there’s a slight chance it’ll introduce a lower-priced MacBook Air aimed at students. That’s a bit of a gamble, though, so if you’d like to get your hands on an inexpensive Apple laptop that’s available right now, you’ll be happy to know that Best Buy is offering the entry-level 128GB 13-inch MacBook Air for $300 off.
That brings it down to just $700, which is one of the lowest price we’ve ever seen for a new MacBook Air. Even better, if you’re a student, you’re eligible for an additional $50 discount and can pick up the device for $650.
The same deal applies to the higher-end models, which means you can get the 256GB model for just $900 (down from $1,200) or the 512GB model for $1,250 (down from $1,550).
For that price you’ll be getting a wonderful laptop for with a 1140×900 glossy display and a 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 Dual Core chip. It comes loaded with macOS High Sierra and 8GB of RAM. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a new Mac for a better price.
If it’s portability you’re looking for, though, it’s important to keep in mind that the current generation MacBooks are actually lighter than the MacBook Air, but they’re not available for these very welcoming price points and many writers argue that the MacBook Air still offers the best typing experience of any laptop out there.
For a more in-depth discussion of the pros and cons of each Mac, be sure to read our handy buying guide.
“The MacBook Air marches on as a solid, lightweight laptop with enough performance for a large number of users to serve both on the road and on an office desk,” Macworld senior editor Roman Loyola said in his 2015 review. “They might suffer from a case of feature envy, but more features would surely result in higher prices. If you can, consider getting a MacBook Air with 256GB of flash storage, unless you’re OK with heavily relying on cloud storage.”
[ Today’s deal: MacBook Air from Best Buy for $700, $900, or $1,250.]
Author: Leif Johnson, Contributing Writer
Leif is a San Francisco-based tech journalist. He's a big fan of fantasy RPGs, and you can find his previous work on IGN, Rolling Stone, VICE, PC Gamer, Playboy, Mac|Life, TechRadar, and numerous other publications.