Shopping for Apple gear this season? If you’ve been waiting for a window to upgrade, the big-name retailers are answering with discounts across MacBooks, iMacs, Mac Studio, and iPads — sometimes accompanied by extras like store gift cards or bundled AppleCare. Prices and inventory vary by seller, so a little patience and comparison can stretch your dollars a lot further.

The biggest headlines

  • The 13-inch M4 MacBook Air is showing up at record lows across stores. Best Buy has matched historic pricing on the 256GB model and tacks on a $25 Best Buy gift card with certain purchases, while Amazon and other sellers are pushing similar sub-$800 price points. The Air’s combination of thin weight and capable M4 silicon makes it the holiday darling for students and commuters. If you want a snapshot of the broader Air markdowns this season, our earlier roundup lays out price trends and refurbished options in one place: MacBook Air Deals Deepen: M4 Drops to $799, M3 24GB/512GB Falls to $999.
  • B&H has a wide selection of markdowns across the Pro and Air lines: 16-inch MacBook Pro configurations with M4 Pro/Max chips are several hundred dollars off, the 14-inch M4 Pro and the latest 14-inch M5 Pro models also have modest discounts, and Apple’s 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models are reduced as well.
  • Apple’s desktops and compact desktops are part of the sales cycle. The Mac Studio with M3 Ultra is discounted in some SKUs, and the Mac mini M4 has small but useful reductions — sometimes bundled with AppleCare in specific configurations. If you’re shopping for a workstation that sits on a desk rather than a lap, those deals are worth a look.
  • iPad Pro and iPad Air markdowns have landed too. The 13-inch iPad Pro M4 is among those with the steepest cuts, and newer M5 options are discounted modestly. For creative workflows — sketching, photo editing or video review — a discounted iPad Pro can serve as a true portable workstation.

    • Where the best values are right now

    Retailers are approaching the same products from slightly different angles. Best Buy’s current match on the 13-inch 256GB M4 MacBook Air (plus the $25 e-gift card) undercuts many listings and can be the best total-value pick if you plan to spend that credit in-store. Amazon’s holiday clearance has also pushed the 256GB M4 Air into the high-$700s at times — a solid buy if you prefer Amazon’s fulfillment and return flow.

    B&H tends to run broader discounts on higher-end MacBook Pro models, and that’s where you’ll see the biggest dollar-off figures for the 14-inch and 16-inch M4/M4 Max systems and for some iMac and Mac Studio SKUs. If you need raw rendering or multicam editing horsepower, the price movement on M4 Pro/Max configurations is worth comparison shopping.

    If you want to follow the Amazon-focused price cuts on the Air specifically, there’s a useful recap of that move in our coverage of the Black Friday-style markdowns: Amazon Cuts M4 MacBook Air to Record Low Ahead of Black Friday.

    Which model fits who (quick guide)

  • M4 MacBook Air (13-inch): Best for students, writers, office work and light creative tasks. If portability and battery life matter, it’s hard to beat the Air at sub-$800.
  • 14-/16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro / M4 Max / M5): For photographers, video editors, 3D artists and pros who run heavy timelines or simulations. The larger Pro models handle sustained loads better and justify their price when time is money.
  • Mac Studio / Mac mini: Pick the Mac Studio if you need desktop-class throughput in a compact chassis; the mini is excellent for light desktop duties, servers, or a budget-friendly way into macOS.
  • iPad Pro (M4/M5) and iPad Air: If you sketch, retouch photos, or want a hybrid laptop-tablet workflow, the larger iPad Pro with Apple Pencil support and M-series silicon acts as a capable second workstation.

    • A couple of shopping tips

  • Compare final price and total value: sometimes a slightly higher price plus a store gift card or extended warranty makes more sense than a lower sticker price with no extras.
  • Watch configuration details: RAM and storage differences (and whether AppleCare is included or offered) change how useful a listed deal really is. A $300 discount on a base model might not be smart if you need more storage.
  • If you’re buying for creative work, prioritize GPU/CPU spec and sustained thermal performance over the absolute lowest price.

Deals are moving quickly this time of year, and stocks can evaporate. If you see a configuration that matches your workflow and the price is right, it’s often better to buy than to wait for an impossible-perfect sale. For the Air and other Mac desktops, you can also check current listings directly (for example, the M4 MacBook Air on Amazon or Mac Studio and desktop options via a general Mac desktop listing) to confirm availability and delivery windows.

Happy hunting — and may your new machine arrive charged and ready.

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