Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.
UPDATE: Mar. 17, 2022, 10:15 a.m. EDT This post has been updated to reflect an even bigger discount on the 14-inch 2021 MacBook Pro. Amazon has the base model listed for only $1,749, which is $250 off its MSRP and easily its lowest price ever.
It’s no secret that Apple products skew pricey, but Tim Cook’s gotten into the habit of releasing some especially expensive computers lately. (See: the new Mac Studio that’ll run you a casual $8,000 if you max it out — no monitor included.)
Last year’s beefy MacBook Pros are no exception, with starting prices in the $2,000 range. That being so, finding a configuration that’s a couple hundred dollars off is a rare treat.
Shoutout to Amazon for this one: As of March 17, the retail giant had the base versions of the 2021 MacBook Pros on sale for up to $250 off. You can grab the 14-inch model for $1,749 (normally $1,999) or upgrade to the 16-inch one for $2,299 (typically $2,499). Those are record lows for both of them, FYI.
Apple stops pretending it’s for everyone
Released in the fall, both of these machines are packing 512GB of storage, 16GB of RAM, and Apple’s custom-made M1 Pro silicon chip. (That last part is the real draw here: It’s 70 percent faster than the original M1 chip from 2020.) Other big, arguably overdue upgrades include some gorgeous Liquid Retina XDR displays, 1080p FaceTime cameras, a boatload of ports, and some revamped, non-butterfly keyboards, thank god.
It’s worth noting that these ultra-powerful MacBook Pros are not for everyone — they’re kind of overkill if you just need a laptop for everyday tasks like web browsing, word processing, and video calls. But if you’re a creative type who needs a portable workstation for editing videos or graphic design, buying one on sale is a real “pro” move, says Mashable deputy tech editor Joseph Volpe. (Click here to read his full review.)
Credit: Apple
Credit: Apple