While still early in the summer for some folks, others are already planning to head back to school soon and we wanted to touch down today to highlight a more affordable MacBook solution. The MacBook Air is Apple’s least pricey model, and while we are still tracking $150 or more of the latest M4 model with prices from $849, one of the previous-generation M series models can be a great option for school work and the like while saving even more than that. Best Buy has a 16GB 13-inch M2 MacBook Air at $699 shipped right now.
While the M3 and M4 series models are going to deliver more horsepower, the M2 models are still more than capable of handling the workload for a semester or 3 and they can be had for much less.
We already know support for the really old Intel models is on the way out next year, and for me the M2 MacBook Air hits on a nice middle ground for folks looking to save a buck without getting something too old that will remain useful and relevant for at least a couple more years.
I generally recommend staying away from any of the 8GB M2 and M3 models unless you’re finding them at rock-bottom bargain-bin prices, but with today’s deal at Best Buy you’re landing a 16GB variant at $300 under the list price on the comparable current-generation model and a price well below the $1,199 it still fetches over at B&H.
It is also worth pointing out that before Apple got rid of the 8GB RAM tier altogether in late 2024, a 13-inch 16GB MacBook Air with Apple silicone generally carried a $1,299 list price – today’s deal is $600 less than that.
Again, it’s not the latest and greatest, and the next-generation model will likely land again next year, but you are talking about a perfectly capable MacBook that looks a whole lot like the models Apple released in 2025 and for a whole lot less.
Here’s a look at the discounted pricing on the current M4 lineup for reference:
- 13-inch M4 MacBook Air 16GB/256GB from $849 (Reg. $999)
- 13-inch M4 MacBook Air 24GB/512GB from $1,239 (Reg. $1,399)
- 15-inch M4 MacBook Air 16GB/256GB from $1,049 (Reg. $1,199)
- 15-inch M4 MacBook Air 16GB/512GB from $1,249 (Reg. $1,399)
- 15-inch M4 MacBook Air 24GB/512GB from $1,414 (Reg. $1,599)
Apple launches Back to School shopping promo: free AirPods and more
M2 MacBook Air features:
- M2 chip with amazing CPU, GPU, and machine learning performance
- Built for Apple Intelligence—personal, private, powerful²
- Strikingly thin and light design that weighs only 2.7 pounds
- Go all day with up to 18 hours of battery life¹
- 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display with 500 nits of brightness for vibrant images and incredible detail³
- 1080p FaceTime HD camera, four-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio, and three-mic array
- Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 wireless connectivity
- Superfast SSD storage opens apps and files instantly
- Fanless design for silent operation
- MagSafe 3 port, two Thunderbolt ports for accessories, headphone jack
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