The brand-new and improved Apple MacBook is already $200 off for Black Friday

Apple 2024 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop with M3 chip on orange background with Don't Miss TechRadar icon
(Image credit: Future)

Apple launched the 16GB version of the latest MacBook Air just two weeks ago and announced it was discontinuing the 8GB version. So, it comes as a bit of a surprise to see that this newer 16GB RAM model has already been significantly discounted ahead of Black Friday. You can now get the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) at Amazon for $899.99 (was $1,099.99).

That's a great price for TechRadar's pick for the best MacBook you can buy right now as it excels as a school or work laptop. The $200 discount on the model with 16GB of memory actually makes it cheaper than models with more storage, which is a fair trade in our eyes for the overall boost in performance. If you do want to double the storage, you can upgrade to the 512GB version for an extra $200.

Today's best Apple Macbook deal

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3)
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3): was $1,099 now $899 at Amazon US

The 2024 MacBook Air is TechRadar's pick for the best overall Apple laptop and this is the first discount we've spotted on the new version with 16GB of RAM for improved performance. It also houses the latest and super-powerful M3 processor, which is strong enough to support Apple Intelligence and the majority of advanced computing jobs you can throw at it, including video editing, photo editing and coding. As part of the Air family, it measures only half an inch thick, with battery life that can reportedly last up to 18 hours. If you want a build with more storage, you can upgrade to the 512GB model for an extra $200.

In our Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) review, we awarded it a full five stars for its performance, fan-less design, battery life, and relatively modest price given the power on offer. Its crown jewel is the M3 chip with its 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU, powerful enough to support Apple Intelligence.

Our reviewer reported over 14 hours of battery life compared to the 18 hours Apple advertised, but even that's impressive enough to leave the charger at home. Its lightweight, portable build makes it ideal for travelling or commuting, too.

One of our only gripes was its weak specs, which is a lot better now that Apple has doubled the RAM in the base model. It's also a much more respectable price at its current rate. If you've been meaning to upgrade to a more competent Apple laptop, now's your chance to get one of the best for under $900.

If you're torn between different models, you can compare them in our MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro guide to see what's best for you. If you're more of a Windows person, I'd recommend checking out our best Windows 11 laptops instead.

More of today's best Black Friday deals

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Jessica Reyes
Contributor

Jess Reyes writes about deals and coupons almost as much as she does about games. Her work can be found in IGN, GameSpot, Digital Trends, and Inverse – just to name a few. When she’s not writing or gaming, she’s probably window shopping or gassing up her mutuals on Twitter/X.