The best MacBooks for 2025: Air or Pro? Theyll both go on sale this Prime Day.
MacBooks haven't always been some of the best laptops on the market, but you wouldn't know that as of late.
Ever since the rollout of the first M-series models in 2020, Apple's notebooks have consistently offered impressive performance and long battery lives (which Windows laptops have only begun to touch). Granted, most MacBooks are expensive — especially as you add more RAM and storage — but their premium price tags accurately reflect their premium, oft-imitated design and build quality.
Apple's hot streak continues with the latest M4-powered models, some of the best MacBooks (and the best value options) in recent memory. I think this year's 15-inch M4 MacBook Air is the best choice for most people because of its big display and quiet, Pro-level power. Its 13-inch counterpart is the best option for students since it's cheaper and a little more portable.
Both M4 Airs are reasonably priced at $1,199 and $999 to start, respectively, but you'll almost never pay full price: They're regularly discounted at third-party retailers. (More on that in a moment.)
If the 13-inch M4 Air isn't at least $200 off when you go to buy it, the best budget MacBook is the 13-inch M1 MacBook Air from 2020, which Walmart still sells through a partnership with Apple. It's only $649 at full price but is regularly marked down to $599.
If you want a nicer 120Hz display, cooler multitasking performance, and a better variety of ports than the Air models offer, go with the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro from 2024. And for those whose budget allows, last year's beastly 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 Pro chip is the Mac laptop that's best suited for photo/video editors, 3D animators, and other professional creatives.
PSA: It's the best time to buy a MacBook
Discounts on MacBooks (and all laptops, really) are at their deepest and most plentiful during Black Friday season, which informally begins this month with Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days sale on Oct. 7 and 8. Think of it as a fall Prime Day of sorts. As per tradition, other retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, and Target will host their own savings events that overlap with it.
Current-gen MacBook Airs and Pros have fallen to year-round lows during Prime Big Deal Days in years past, so I have high expectations for Amazon. (If it doesn't revive its $799 deal for the 13-inch M4 MacBook Air, I'll eat crow.) Shoppers mulling an upgrade to a newer processor, a nicer display, or more storage and RAM should mark the sale on their calendar — it should be a good opportunity to stretch your budget further.
Don't forget to bookmark our coverage of the sale, too. I'll be tracking the best Prime Day MacBook deals as Prime Big Deal Days progresses. I'll also be keeping tabs on competing offers at Best Buy, which likes to match or one-up Amazon's pricing.
