Apple Cuts Prices on Macs and Earbuds This Weekend
Major discounts are hitting Apple hardware, with significant price drops on the latest MacBook Air models and a return of pre-order savings on new desktops.
Apple has rolled out a new batch of weekend discounts that target its most recent hardware releases. The deals cover a wide range of products, including the latest M5 MacBook Air laptops, the new M6 Mac mini, and the high-end Mac Studio. These reductions are particularly notable for the MacBook Air, which sees a $150 cut in price, and for the desktops, which are seeing pre-order incentives reappear.
The promotions also extend to Apple’s audio lineup and wearables. According to 9to5Mac, the AirPods Pro 3 are down by $50, while the over-ear AirPods Max 2 have seen a steeper $100 reduction. Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 models are also included in the sale, offering smaller but consistent savings across the board.
Significant savings on new laptops
The most substantial discounts this week are applied to the M5 MacBook Air. The 13-inch model with 16GB of memory and 1TB of storage is priced at $1,449, a direct saving of $150 off the regular $1,599 price. Buyers looking for more memory can find the 24GB version for $1,649, down from $1,799. This is a rare opportunity to lower the entry cost for the latest generation of Apple’s thin-and-light laptops.
For those requiring more power, the M5 MacBook Pro also sees meaningful cuts. The base 14-inch model with 24GB of memory is now $1,899, which is $320 less than its original price. The higher-tier M5 Pro models are also discounted, with the 48GB configuration dropping from $3,299 to $2,899. These prices represent a significant entry point for professional users who have been waiting for a dip in the market.
Desktops and wearables join the sale
The new M6 Mac mini and M5 Max Mac Studio are also part of the weekend event, with pre-order discounts returning. The base M6 Mac mini is listed at $880, a $19 saving, while the more powerful M5 Pro version is $30 off. The Mac Studio, aimed at heavy workloads, sees a $49 reduction on the base model. For wearables, the Apple Watch Series 12 GPS models are down by $9 to $20, depending on the size and connectivity options.
Audio accessories are also heavily featured. The AirPods Pro 3 are now $199, down from $249, and the AirPods Max 2 are $449, a $100 drop. The standard AirPods 5 see a smaller reduction, coming in at $125. While these savings are smaller than those on the laptops, they bring the price of Apple’s premium audio gear closer to competitors in the market.
Understanding the limits of these deals
While the discounts are attractive, buyers should note that these are weekend promotions and may not last long. The savings on the Mac mini and Mac Studio are relatively modest compared to the larger cuts on the MacBook Air. Additionally, the deals are specific to certain configurations, so not all models will see the same percentage drop. The MacBook Pro offers the highest absolute savings, but the base price remains high compared to other laptop categories.
For consumers, the trade-off is between waiting for a potential deeper discount and securing the current hardware at a reduced cost. The MacBook Air offers the best value for general users, while the MacBook Pro is the clear winner for those needing professional-grade performance at a lower price. The audio and watch deals are smaller in scale but provide an easy way to upgrade accessories without a major financial commitment.
