I’ll never forget my first MacBook — that white plastic gem stood out in a world of clunky PCs, both in looks and performance. It powered me through countless college papers, photo and video edits and even animation projects, lasting nearly a decade before it finally called it quits. From that point on, I was hooked. MacBooks are loved for a reason: they’re sleek, fast and ridiculously reliable. No random crashes, endless updates or strange glitches — just a laptop that works. The only catch? The price. But that’s where a Black Friday sale — like the one currently happening at Amazon — comes in.
Right now, you can snag the 2024 15-inch MacBook Air with Apple’s powerful M3 chip for $300 off at Amazon. With stellar battery life, a stunning display and an ultra-lightweight design, this MacBook is built for work, school and streaming marathons.
Deals like this on fresh MacBookss don’t come around often, so if you’ve been waiting to upgrade, now’s the perfect time. Not quite ready to commit? No worries — check out even more amazing Black Friday laptop deals and find your perfect fit.
Amazon
With 8GB of RAM, a 512GB solid-state drive and a backlit keyboard, this beast is a solid pick for anyone, from freelancers to students.
Save $300 | Lowest ever price
$1,199 at Amazon
Why is this a good Black Friday deal? 💰
This MacBook Air is a shocking $300 off, marking the lowest price we’ve ever seen on this model. Apple recently upgraded the Air to come with 16GB of RAM by default, so the 8GB version is in limited supply. Translation? Once it’s gone, it’s gone.
Why do I need this? 🤔
When it comes to high-performance laptops, the MacBook Air is always in the conversation for myriad reasons. Not only does it have truly impressive specs but also it comes with a Liquid Retina Display that makes everything from text to colors especially clear and crisp. This one has a 15.3-inch screen, which is the largest option available.
There’s a front-facing camera for video calls and meetings that captures content in 1080p resolution — that’s high-def. If you have an iPhone or iPad, all three devices are designed to work together seamlessly. Transfer content from one to the other with ease, or open a webpage on your laptop and keep reading on your phone when you leave the house.
The Air gets up to 18 hours of battery life on a single charge, and at only 3.3 pounds, it’s easy to grab and go. Apple’s M3 chip is particularly efficient, giving this computer some of the best staying power of any Apple device on the market.
What reviewers say 💬
This model boasts an impressive 4.7 out of 5 stars with Amazon shoppers — not unexpected for a MacBook.
Pros 👍
One five-star reviewer praised the quality of the camera, primarily using their MacBook Air to help run a business. “The 1080p FaceTime HD Camera is perfect for video meetings, and the sleek Space Gray design looks professional and stylish. This MacBook has significantly improved my productivity and efficiency, making it an invaluable asset for managing my café. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a reliable and powerful laptop.”
Another happy customer suggested that this Air is powerful enough to replace a MacBook Pro, depending on your needs. “When I went to purchase a new MacBook Pro, … the salesperson at a retail store suggested I look at the MacBook Air. Caveat: I do not do any heavy graphics, animation, editing or video/photo work, so the M3 Chip, 16GB, 512GB is more than adequate.”
A final five-star purchaser upgraded to this 15-inch from an older 13-inch Air. “My first Mac was only a 13-inch, but this 15-inch screen is well worth the size and space for multitasking,” they commented, adding, “The battery life is no joke, and the entire laptop just looks amazing and sleek. I do love how smooth the laptop opens and closes, and it’s not heavy at all.”
Cons 👎
One user lamented the fact that the MacBook Air is no longer upgradeable. “Nice looking laptop as always with Apple, although with soldered RAM and SSD, which precludes any memory storage upgrade,” they cautioned. “At least in the previous models you could replace the SSD and add a stick of RAM, now it is impossible.”
Another user purchased this MacBook Air before realizing that many of the apps they used were only available on PC, so be sure to make sure the ones you use daily are available on Mac. “Bought this for school and work but later found out half of the apps I need to run will not work unless running Parallels (with diminished performance),” they cautioned. But they added: “The speed vs. weight on this thing is crazy, so if the operating system and features meet your needs, it is pretty nice.”
Amazon
The MacBook Air now comes with 16GB RAM standard, but this 8GB version remains plenty powerful for daily use, according to its many fans.
Save $300 | Lowest ever price
$1,199 at Amazon
If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage here. Shop the best expert-picked Black Friday deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. And find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.