If you’re looking for a device for work, school, creative tasks, or just entertainment, a MacBook might be the first thing that comes to mind, but is it the right device for you?

Don’t get me wrong. I love MacBooks. They’re some of the best laptops you can buy. The iPad is great, too, though, and sometimes a better fit depending on what you want to do.

For instance, I always reach for my iPad first when I need to get creative work done on Procreate or Canva. iPads can also be more affordable and great for students, especially when it comes to notetaking with the Apple Pencil.

So, whether you’re shopping for yourself or looking for a great Apple gift, take a minute to see how the MacBook and iPad compare. If an iPad sounds like the right choice for you, check out these top iPad Black Friday deals:

If you’ve already purchased a MacBook, Black Friday still has plenty to offer you, including a range of Mac-friendly accessories and peripherals.

However, you may also want to pay attention current discounts on Incase MacBook cases (which also feature on Apple’s official accessories store).

Incase’s protective hardshell laptop cases offer form-fitting protection for Apple’s laptops while also making sure your device is well-ventilated and all of your ports remain easily accessible.

Right now you can save from between 27% and 36% on selected Incase protective cases at the Incase store on Amazon.

Another important factor when deciding what MacBook is right for you is size, and that can impact the price you’ll pay for a MacBook on Black Friday considerably.

Right now you can secure a respectable configuration of the M3 MacBook Air 15 for $1,234 at Amazon, featuring 16GB of unified memory and 512GB of storage.

However, the exact same configuration in a smaller form can grant you an M3 MacBook Air 13 for just $1,049 at Amazon — $185 less than the 15.6-inch model!

Is it worth downsizing to save even more money on your MacBook purchase this Black Friday?

If you’re shopping for a new MacBook during Black Friday, you may be so busy comparing prices and specs that you’ve overlooked the most important question: MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, which is right for you?

Thankfully, we’ve brought together all the specs and details to compare each line of MacBook for you!

Catch our guide, complete with recommendations for the right MacBook to suit your budget, display preferences, and performance needs!

Logitech knows how to make the best MacBook accessories, combining sleek style with exceptional functionality. For Black Friday, you can pick up Logitech’s Casa Pop Up Desk Kit for only $149 in pink, green/black, and tan/purple colorways.

This helpful kit functions as a laptop stand, which helps put your laptop display at a more ergonomic height. Then, nestled perfectly inside, there’s a wireless keyboard and touchpad, both of which use USB-C charging. When you’re done working, everything packs away neatly.

MacBook keyboards are widely praised for being better than the average laptop, but they’re generally not better than mechanical keyboards. One of the best mechanical keyboards you can pair with your MacBook is Logitech’s MX Mechanical Mini for Mac, and lucky for you, it’s on sale.

Snag your own MX Mechanical Mini keyboard for just $82 at Amazon — that’s $68 off! It comes with Tactile Quiet switches, smart backlighting, and a battery life of up to 15 days when using the backlight. You can connect with up to three different Macs or iPads at once, and easily switch between them while working.

Okay, hear me out. This is an M1-powered MacBook Air, so it’s now two generations behind the current M3-powered MacBook Air models, but for students and anyone who mainly just needs to access the internet on their laptop, this is a fantastic buy.

Regularly $699, you can grab the M1 MacBook Air for only $599 right now at Walmart. In our M1 MacBook Air review, we awarded it a near perfect score and praised its “outstanding battery life” (14 hours and 41 minutes) and “breathtaking performance.” Among other budget laptops today, the M1 MacBook Air still shines above.

If I was buying a new laptop today as a remote worker, this would be the one I’d go for. Grab a new M3 MacBook Pro 14 for only $1,199 at Best Buy — regularly $1,399, that’s $200 in savings for a laptop that’s incredibly powerful with a long-lasting battery life.

Its compact 14-inch size is perfect for commuting back and forth between home, coffee shops, and the library. And yes, it technically has a last-gen M3 chip, but it’s packed with more than enough power for the average user.

If you don’t want to splurge on a Magic keyboard, but want a Bluetooth keyboard so you can put your MacBook on an ergonomic stand while working, check this deal out.

Pick up a silver iClever BK10 keyboard for just $27 at Amazon ahead of Black Friday. Its sleek design and chiclet keys will be reminiscent of your MacBook, and if you want to use the keyboard with your tablet or smartphone as well, you can!

You can connect to up to three devices to switch between with Bluetooth 5.1. It’s compatible with Macs, iPads, iPhones, Androids, and Windows devices.

Not everyone has the cash to splurge on a new MacBook for someone special during the holidays, but treating someone to a new MacBook case? That’s much more reasonable.

This gorgeous green Mosiso case is 20% off for Black Friday, and it fits 2022-2024 MacBook Air 13 models. It comes with an external plastic hard shell, along with a keyboard cover and screen film. Mosiso also has discounted cases for older MacBook Air models as well.

Best Buy has the M2-powered MacBook Air slashed to just $749 ($250 off) as well, so if Amazon sells out, you’ll have Best Buy’s stock to fall back on.

This configuration comes with 16GB of RAM, 256GB of SSD storage, and of course, Apple’s M2 silicon. If you’re looking for a lightweight, reliable laptop to cart around between classes or while working remotely, you can’t go wrong with a MacBook Air.

DEAL UPDATE! Unfortunately, Amazon’s Black Friday deal on the 16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Max has ended for now. If you’re disappointed about missing it, you’re not quite out of luck yet. I found a couple of alternative discounts so you can still save some money on this model.

You can get the 16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Max with 48GB of RAM and 1TB of storage for $3,399 at Best Buy or B&H Photo. That’s a discount of $500 off the original price!

DEAL UPDATE! The M2 MacBook Air has dropped to just $749 on Amazon, an additional $50 discount from the deal we originally found and the lowest price in the last month. That means you can now get the model with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for less than $800, which is a serious bargain!

While the M2 chip is a couple of years old, it holds up well. At this price, the M2 MacBook Air is the perfect laptop for students or anyone looking for a great laptop on a budget.

We’ve all been there: you’re carrying your laptop around work or school and trip or lose your grip. The next thing you know, your shiny MacBook has a dented corner or a scratched lid.

Not only is this annoying, it can also reduce the resale value of your MacBook when you’re ready to upgrade. That’s why I always pay a little bit extra to get AppleCare+ coverage with my Apple devices. If anything happens to your MacBook while it’s covered, Apple will repair it (or sometimes even replace your whole device) for no extra charge.

Right now you can save on MacBook bundles with AppleCare+ coverage for Black Friday. For example, the MacBook Air M3 13-inch with 3 years of AppleCare+ is just $1,198 on Amazon! This model includes 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, which is plenty for everything from school to work or even casual gaming.

If you’re shopping for a new MacBook or looking for gifts for a Mac user, I’ve got you covered. Best Buy has some great deals on MacBooks you can check out above and I found some awesome Black Friday deals on Mac accessories to pair with your new laptop.

For example, you can simplify your charging setup with this Insignia 100W 4-port charging hub for just $44 at Best Buy, over half off of its original price.

If you commute with your MacBook or carry it to school with you, a reliable case is always a good idea. Right now you can pick up a Speck Transfer MacBook case for just $23 at Best Buy, which is a bargain for this top-notch brand.

A lot of people use their MacBooks for creative tasks like photo and video editing, which can take up a ton of storage (speaking from experience). A great external drive can really come in handy. The LaCie Rugged 2TB external drive is on sale for just $89 at Best Buy right now. This drive is perfect for Mac users since it’s designed to be Mac-compatible and uses USB-C rather than old-school USB-A.

Lastly, an external mouse is a must-have accessory, so I’m excited to share this deal I found on the Logitech MX Anywhere 3S, down to just $67 at Best Buy. This is Laptop Mag‘s top mouse for MacBooks and an easy gift idea.

Apple upgraded the base RAM on all MacBooks to 16GB last month, but there are still plenty of retailers selling the 8GB M3, M2, and M1 models. Should you still buy one of these?

Probably not. Laptops with 8GB of RAM are usually only good for casual tasks like studying, web browsing, and word processing. They struggle with tasks like gaming or video editing, which typically requires 16GB or more of RAM for a good experience.

You don’t have to break the bank to get a MacBook with 16GB of RAM, though! Here’s a few of the best deals I found on cheap MacBooks with 16GB of RAM for Black Friday:

The MacBook Air M3 13-inch is Laptop Mag‘s best overall laptop of 2024. Whether you’re a student, professional, or casual user, this is a stellar laptop that’s hard to go wrong with.

Right now is the best time of year to pick up this fantastic laptop, whether you’re gifting it or buying one for yourself. To help you out, here are the current top deals from across the web:

Looking for one of the new M4 Max MacBooks? They can be pretty expensive at full price, but luckily they’re already on sale for Black Friday.

For example, you can snag the M4 Max MacBook Pro 14-inch for $300 off at B&H Photo right now. That discount puts this model under $3,000, one of the biggest discounts we’ll see until the holiday season rolls around again next year.

You can also get some great discounts on the M3 Max MacBooks if you don’t need the latest chip. For example, you can save $600 on the M3 Max MacBook Pro 16-inch at B&H Photo. This is the biggest MacBook discount I’ve seen all week! Sure, the newer M4 Max technically replaced this model last month, but the M3 Max is still a very powerful processor that should hold up great for several years to come.

Amazon and Best Buy aren’t the only places to find great discounts on MacBooks for Black Friday, especially if you’re looking for a MacBook with more powerful specs.

I just found this $250 discount on the new MacBook Pro with the M4 Pro chip at B&H Photo. This is a great pick for pro users because B&H Photo offers the full range of customization options, including the premium nano-texture display. These top-tier upgrade options often aren’t available on Amazon listings, so if you’re looking to max out your MacBook Pro, snag this deal to save on those premium specs.

Those looking to pick up a MacBook during Black Friday, and who don’t want to spent a lot to do so, may want to look to Walmart, which is currently selling the M1 MacBook Air for just $599.

This model features 8GB of unified RAM and 256GB of storage. While older, it’s still fully compatible with Apple Intelligence, and can still impress with its long battery life and decent performance.

If you’re a MacBook power user then you may be inclined to scout for a new laptop on the higher end of the scale.

Apple’s most powerful MacBooks are the new M4 Max MacBook Pros, offering 16-Core performance and up to 40-Cores of performance from its GPU.

At B&H. you can currently save $300 on a 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Max, Space Black) for $3,699 featuring a 16-Core CPU, 40-Core GPU, 48GB of unified RAM, and a 1TB SSD.

Elsewhere, Best Buy are shaving $300 off of the asking price of the 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Max, Space Black) for $3,199. This configurations offers a 14-Core CPU, 32-Core GPU, 36GB of unified RAM, and 1TB of storage.

Also at Best Buy, you can save $300 on the 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Max, Space Black) now available for $2,899. This configuration includes the same 14-Core CPU, 32-Core GPU, 36GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage as the 16-inch model, but in a smaller frame.

If you need a MacBook that’s backed up by a serious amount of power, then Apple’s M Pro-powered MacBook Pros may be what you’re looking for.

One regular downside to these models is the price. Thankfully, Black Friday brings deals to Apple’s MacBook’s indiscriminately, and even the powerful M-series Pro models are getting some sizeable discounts.

• Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro 12-Core, 16-Core GPU, 24GB RAM, 512GB storage): Was $1,999, now $1,749 @ B&H
• Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3 Pro 11-Core, 14-Core GPU, 18GB RAM, 512GB storage): Was $1,999, now $1,699 @ B&H

Continuing the theme of how much difference that extra $50 can make when you decide on your purchase, the 15-inch M3 MacBook Air is another shining example of how you only have to spend a little extra to gain a lot in terms of the overall MacBook experience.

You may have come across this deal already, Amazon is currently selling the M3 MacBook Air 15 for just $999. However, that configuration only has 8GB of RAM. While Apple’s unified memory does an impressive job, the more RAM you have available, the smoother your laptop will be in operation.

With that in mind, we’re taking the bold decision to tell you NOT to aim for this deal if peak performance and tackling heavy workloads is in the cards for you. Instead, save $250 and get 16GB of RAM when you buy the M3 Apple MacBook Air 15 for only $1,044 @ Amazon!

Black Friday isn’t about spending frivolously (though that’s advice I should listen to, myself), it’s about spending smart to make sure you get the most bang for your buck.

When it comes to the Apple MacBook Air, deciding to spend as as little as $50 or $100 more can make all the difference on the machine you bring home.

If you’re tempted by the impressive deal on the M2 MacBook Air 13 (16GB, 256GB) for just $749 @ Best Buy, take note: For just $50 more you can snag the more powerful M3 MacBook Air 13 (8GB, 256GB) for $799 @ Best Buy,.

However, for just a further $50 again, you can get the even more powerful M3 MacBook Air 13 (16GB, 256GB) for $849 @ Best Buy, equaling the M2 MacBook Air’s 16GB of unified RAM and 256GB of storage while improving on performance and battery life through the ultra-efficiency of Apple’s M3 chipset.

M3 MacBook Air 13-inch: Deal update

Those looking to snag the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air during Black Friday may have felt as if they were dealt a crushing blow when Amazon’s $799 deal expired.

However, the best thing about Black Friday is that the sales span all retailers, and when one deal ends, another is ready and waiting to take its place.

While Amazon’s deal is temporarily out of action, Best Buy is here to save the day with its own deal on the M3 MacBook Air 13 for only $799!

If you’re looking for cheap MacBooks for Black Friday, you’re in luck. There are some awesome deals on MacBooks under $1,000 right now but you have to be careful to make sure you’re actually buying a MacBook that’s a good deal.

For example, there are plenty of older MacBooks available for far below $1,000, but most of them aren’t actually worth your money, no matter how cheap. Avoid any MacBooks with Intel chips. Apple started using its own M-series chips in 2020, starting with the M1 chip. M-series processors are far, far more capable than the older Intel chips, most of which aren’t even eligible for macOS software updates anymore.

So, instead of wasting your money on an outdated Intel-powered MacBook, check out these deals on cheap MacBooks under $1,000 for Black Friday:

Looking for a new MacBook, but unsure what configuration you should get? As a general rule of thumb, Laptop Mag recommends at least 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. If you’re a power user and need to store a lot of photos, videos, or games, aim for at least 1TB of storage.

To help you out, I’ve hand-picked a couple of great deals on MacBooks with these recommended specs!

First up is the latest-model M4 MacBook Pro with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. It’s $200 off at Amazon right now or you can get it for the same price at Best Buy depending on which retailer you prefer.

If you don’t need as much power or want to spend a little less, take a look at the 2024 M3 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Right now it’s $250 off at Amazon, bringing the price down to just $1,049! That’s a great deal for this top-rated laptop. It’s also on sale for the same price at Best Buy if you would rather buy it there.

Whether you’re using your MacBook for school, work, or anything in between, a good pair of headphones is a must-have accessory. If you’re like me, it’s borderline impossible to get anything done without some lo-fi playing in the background. My daily driver is a pair of Beats Solo headphones, which are down to just $99 at Best Buy right now!

That’s not all. For the most top-tier, premium Apple audio experience, you can get the AirPods Max for $150 off at Best Buy for Black Friday. These stylish over-ear headphones look so good you can wear them anywhere you want to work, especially with the help of Active Noise Cancelling.

If you’re looking for something a little more lightweight and low-key, you can pick up the AirPods Pro 2 for just $159 for Black Friday. They’ll work seamlessly with your MacBook, offer a stellar audio experience, and won’t cramp up your neck if you wear them all day.

Want the most powerful MacBook Apple has to offer? The maxed-out M4 MacBook Pro is already on sale for Black Friday, even though it was just announced last month!

Right now you can save $300 on the top-tier MacBook Pro with the M4 Max chip, 36GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. Those specs don’t come cheap, but Black Friday discounts like this one make them a bit more affordable. This configuration has the power you need to do everything from intense video editing to AAA gaming, making it a no-brainer for power users. We gave the M4 MacBook Pro a shining Editor’s Choice award in our review, as well, so you’ll be getting a great device recommended by our experts.

Looking for stocking stuffers or gifts for a MacBook user? I’ve hand-picked a few of the best deals on MacBook accessories to help you out. Great accessories can make or break your experience with any laptop, so it’s important to make sure you’re picking devices that are not only compatible with MacBooks but also perform great overall.

A perfect example is the Logitech MX Anywhere 3S wireless mouse, down to just $64 for Black Friday. This ultra-portable little mouse is the perfect productivity companion for any MacBook. In fact, it’s currently our top pick for the best wireless mouse for Mac!

If you know someone who likes to game on their Mac, a new PlayStation DualSense wireless controller is a great gift idea. This is one of the best game controllers you can buy and it’s fully compatible with macOS (it looks great, too). Right now you can pick it up for just $54 on Amazon for Black Friday.

MacBooks are extremely popular for work and productivity, as well, so a top-rated docking station can make a great gift. Right now you can get the Satechi Dual Dock Stand for a whopping 35% off on Amazon, bringing it down to $97. This premium docking station is currently our top recommendation for Mac users in our rankings for the best laptop docking stations.

If you’re shopping for a new laptop for less than $800, you might think MacBooks are out of reach. Good news! That’s not the case, at least not during Black Friday sale season.

Right now you can get a new M1 MacBook Air for just $599 at Walmart, a price that’s well within in the budget range. Sure, this model is from 2020, but if affordability is your top priority, it’s hard to go wrong with the M1 MacBook Air, especially at this price. The M1 chip can still keep up well with everyday tasks and still has at least a few more years of software updates.

At this price, the M1 MacBook Air also makes a fantastic gift for kids and teens getting their first laptop. The low price means parents don’t have to worry as much if it gets dinged up, but it still has plenty of style and performance for school.

The MacBook Air is great, but power users need the top-tier performance you can only get from the MacBook Pro. Right now you can get that performance for the same price as a MacBook Air.

For example, this deal from Best Buy takes the base M3 MacBook Pro down to just $1,199 for Black Friday! Storage upgrades can be pricey, but you can get around them by opting for a fast, Mac-friendly external drive. One great pick is the LaCie Rugged Mini SSD for just $124 at Best Buy, which gets you a bonus 1TB of high-speed storage for less than a storage upgrade on your MacBook would cost. Plus, the rugged design means you can bring this external drive anywhere without worrying about it getting damaged.

MacBooks don’t usually make our rankings for the best budget laptops, but Black Friday sales are making Macs a seriously good buy right now for budget users! For example, I just found the 2024 13-inch MacBook Air for just $844 on Amazon for Black Friday. This is the only time of year when you can pick up the latest MacBook Air, brand-new, for less than $1,000.

You can also use this sale to effectively get a free storage upgrade. With Amazon’s discount on the M3 Air, the model with 512GB of storage costs less than the regular price for the model with 256GB of storage.

To kick off our Black Friday MacBook deals, check out this $250 discount on the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air at Best Buy! It takes this MacBook down to just $749, making it a fantastic bargain for students or anyone on a budget.

Apple launched the M2 MacBook Air in 2022, so it’s a couple of years old now, but it holds up well. It’s compatible with Apple Intelligence and slated to receive software updates until at least 2030, possibly longer. So, you can still get plenty of use out of this Mac. The M2 probably won’t get any cheaper than this until next holiday season, so pick it up now while it’s still available.