Prime Day is landing on October 13 (having been bumped from its usual summertime slot), which means that this year, Amazon’s big blowout will fall neatly between Labor Day sales in September and Black Friday in November. Needless to say, this season is shaping up to be a busy one for bargain-hunters, but having all these sales and Prime Day deals to choose from is hardly a problem worth complaining about. Prime Day is by far the best time of the year to score meaty savings on premium stuff like Apple tech, so if you’re on the hunt for a MacOS laptop and want to save, then here’s the Prime Day MacBook deals we’re expecting to see this year along with some early bargains you can grab right now.

Today’s best Prime Day MacBook deals

• 13-inch Apple MacBook Air (8GB RAM, 512GB) — $1,200, was $1,299
• 16-inch MacBook Pro (16GB RAM, 1TB) — $2,499, was 2,799

The Prime Day MacBook deals won’t officially be here until mid-October, but as with all things Apple, retailers are almost always offering discounts on these laptops — you just have to know where to find them. To help you do just that, we’ve already combed the internet to bring you the best bargains you can snatch up right now, and we’ll of course be populating this list with all the Prime Day MacBook deals we find when the big sale itself finally rolls around.

When are the best Prime Day MacBook deals?

It should come as no surprise that you’ll find the bulk of Prime Day Macbook deals during the official days of the sale. Prime Day is expected to be bigger than ever this year during its 2-day duration. That said, 48 hours might still not be enough for most shoppers, as many of these deals are limited in stock and are gone within a few hours or less.

If previous sales are any indication, however, Amazon will be running some early pre-sale bargains to whet shoppers’ appetites and we expect to see at least a few Prime Day MacBook deals among those. If you see a model you want that is marked down during this pre-sale period, grab it if it’s a good discount. There’s no guarantee it’ll be on sale again come Prime Day. You can always return it and buy it again if it pops back up at a lower price during the sale.

What Prime Day MacBook deals to expect

The current models in Apple’s laptop stable include the 13-inch MacBook Air (which has edged out the discontinued 12-inch MacBook as the “standard” MacOS laptop offering), the 13-inch MacBook Pro, and the 16-inch MacBook Pro (which has effectively replaced the 15-inch Pro). These new models are the ones we expect to see highlighted among the Prime Day MacBook deals, too, with discounts for the MacBook Air most likely starting at around $100 off and discounts for the MacBook Pro models starting at around $100-$200 off. Those savings will obviously scale up for the higher-end configurations that are more expensive, so look for the largest price cuts there.

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Nonetheless, there is still new stock floating around for those last-gen and now-discontinued models, and these older laptops might pop up among the Prime Day MacBook deals. If so, they might even feature bigger discounts than the newer models, as retailers love to use these sales to dump old inventory and Amazon is no exception to this rule. You may also see these older models offered by third-party sellers; even though these aren’t technically Prime Day MacBook deals (only Amazon’s own offerings are officially considered part of Prime Day), plenty of other outlets sell their stuff on Amazon and are happy to use the Prime Day frenzy to get rid of old stock. Look for the 15-inch MacBook Pro, 12-inch MacBook, and last-gen MacBook Air here.

Should I shop on Prime Day or wait until Black Friday?

It’s never a bad time to upgrade your laptop, but Prime Day is particularly great since there’s usually heavy discounts on Apple products. Though shoppers usually wait till Black Friday, or even Cyber Monday to get their gadgets, it might be smart to get your holiday shopping done earlier this year. Since Black Friday and Prime Day are spaced only a month apart from each other this year, any MacBooks that sell out might not get a restock in time for Black Friday season. We also strongly believe that prices will be relatively the same on both events. There’s also a possibility of large shipping delays during Black Friday due to increased demand, so save yourself the trouble and shop these Prime Day MacBook deals beforehand.

Are any Prime Day MacBook deals too good to be true?

Before you make any big tech purchases, it’s always good to do a little bit of research. There are a lot of MacBook models out there and you want to make sure you’re getting the best possible product even if it’s heavily discounted. If there is a certain MacBook seeing a really big discount on Amazon during Prime Day, the deal is probably too good to be true. Make sure to check the model and offerings of the device before you blindly purchase it. Even just checking the product’s reviews on Amazon will help you make an informed decision.

How to choose a MacBook

There are a couple of different MacBooks on the market right now but there are only three worth buying: MacBook Pro 13-inch, MacBook Pro 16-inch, and the MacBook Air 13-inch. These are the latest versions from Apple and they come equipped with the best features and processors so if you’re looking to invest in a good laptop, always go with these. Here’s a highlight of the best features from these MacBooks to help you decide.

MacBook Air 13-inch

This is the most portable option of the three, only weighing in at 2.8 pounds. It’s also the most affordable pick — starting at only $999. The lower price point doesn’t mean it doesn’t come packed with some of the best features. With the MacBook Air, you have a 13-inch, clear retina display as well as integrated True Tone technology. It also carries the latest Intel Core Gen 10 so you know you’ll be able to run all the heavy-duty apps you like with such a powerful processor. You also have Touch ID for added protection and privacy. The beautiful backlit Magic Keyboard also makes for a comfortable typing experience and is a clear upgrade from Apple’s older butterfly keyboards. It’s not as fast as the MacBook Pro and it doesn’t have a fully integrated Touch Bar, but for its price and portability factor, the MacBook Air makes a great match for college students, commuters, and globetrotters alike.

MacBook Pro 13-inch

If you’re willing to spend a few extra hundred dollars the MacBook Pro makes a power-packed companion at just $1,299. Off the bat, the MacBook Pro carries a stronger processor than the Air — even on its base models. It also comes with the Touch Bar, giving your laptop a sleeker, more responsive keyboard. The display is clearer too since the Pro features wide color and better brightness integration. It’s also only slightly heavier than the MacBook Air, weighing in at 3.1 pounds making it a portable option as well. The high dynamic speakers also pack a punch and give the MacBook Pro an edge over the MacBook Air.

MacBook Pro 16-inch

This is the king of MacBooks — you really can’t get a better laptop than this. It’s definitely a luxury product coming in at $2,399 but puts most traditional PC’s to shame. It’s much heavier, weighing in at about 4.3 pounds but the extra weight has a purpose. You now have a sleek, slim, 16-inch screen with options to add the AMD Radeon Pro graphics — every photo and video editor’s dream. The hefty Intel Core processor can also carry quite a load. Being an everyday user of the MacBook Pro I can safely say that I can have over 20 tabs open along with Spotify blasting tunes from my laptop without the fan ever acting up. Its thermal architecture is simply amazing: I can even run heavy-duty games like the Sims 4 without having my laptop give out. There are also four USB-C ports — an upgrade over the regular two offered by the MacBook Pro and Air — so you have tons of options for additional connectivity. If you need a powerful laptop that easily transitions from work to play, you can’t do better than the MacBook Pro 16-inch.

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