7 Favorite Deals on Our Favorite Apple Products
Apple announced some upgrades this week at its annual event in September, including the latest iPhones. The latest and greatest pre-orders will ship soon. However, if you own a slightly older phone, this is a great time to get a discount on the current lineup.
MacBook and iPad deals
Not sure which MacBook you need? Read our guide first.
2022 MacBook Air (M2 Chip, 256 GB) for $1,099 ($100 off)
This 2022 Air is our favorite MacBook with a bigger (13.6-inch vs. 13.3-inch), brighter display and better webcam. It still lacks ports, but the Air does feature the same MagSafe charging as the higher-end MacBook Pro, freeing up two separate ports. The M2 chip offers a decent performance boost, so we recommend this model if your workload is graphics-heavy and requires more weight.
2020 MacBook Air (M1 chip, 256 GB) for $900 ($50 off)
The older Air remains our budget pick (with Apple, you have to use the word budget sparingly). Prices have dropped by around $50 recently, but that’s still in line with one of the cheapest prices we’ve tracked. The battery should last a full workday, and the M1 chip can wake it up from sleep instantly, just like you’re used to using your phone. Also, there is no fan, so it should be quiet 2021 16-inch MacBook Pro (M1 chip, 256 GB) for $2,099 ($400 off)
We’ve seen top prices around $2,500 for this laptop, though prices start to drop slightly in July. The price is only really worth it for those who need the most powerful computer. It loses the dreaded Touch Bar, and the mini LED screen offers deeper blacks and rich colors.
2021 iPad Mini (64 GB) for $400 ($100 off)
WIRED has plenty of fans of the iPad Mini (8/10, recommended by WIRED), and this $100 discount is a great deal. It also seems unlikely that a new one will be announced anytime soon, so we think it’s still a safe bet. Its 8.3-inch display has slim bezels, and although the display is larger than the previous version, the body is actually a bit shorter. The A15 Bionic processor makes it capable of running any intensive game, and you might be able to get some work done (though we prefer the larger model all day).
Watch and Headphone Deals
Apple released three new watches this week: the upgraded SE ($249), the Series 8 ($399), and the Ultra ($799), an ultra-rugged watch for adventurers. These will be available later this month. Apple has never made an older watch, and people tend to hold theirs for long periods of time, so it might be worth the wait. But if you can’t, these are discounted.
Watch Series 7 (41mm, GP) for $299 ($50 off)
Like a bunch of Apple products these days, the base price has dropped a bit and fluctuates, but $299 is still a solid price for the best Apple Watch. It has the best water and dust resistance in the current range, as well as better fall detection and more accurate e-bike calculations.
Watch SE (40mm, GPS) for $209 ($70 off)
Note: Apple Watch tends to run much longer than iPhone. This SE is still very good, but the new SE is just $249 when it hits stores on September 16. It includes crash detection and is 20% faster. If you can wait, this might be the better buy.
The Series 7 is the best Apple Watch overall, but we think most people will be very happy with the SE. It’s the cheapest option, but it still comes with a Retina display, reasonably loud speakers and a fast processor, plus extras like fall detection. The SE is also the best choice for a family setup, allowing iPhone-less kids or grandparents to enjoy calling, texting, and location sharing.
AirPods Max for $429 ($50 off)
These headphones are amazing and they sound impressive. WIRED editor Parker Hall says the AirPods Max (8/10, recommended by WIRED) are probably the best wireless headphones you’ll ever hear, and they’re also our favorite noise-canceling headphones. You’ll find them on Amazon for about $500 — that’s $50 less than Apple’s website, but they’re still pretty expensive. If headphones are more your thing, Apple announced the new AirPods Pro today for $249, but you’ll probably be fine with the old AirPods Pro.