Apple unveiled the M3 MacBook Air models almost two weeks ago, bringing the power of the M3 chip to its best-sold line of laptops. The highly anticipated upgrade impacts the entire MacBook Air line.
First, Apple kept the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air variant in stock, which starts at $899 now that the M3 models are official. Second, Apple discontinued the M1 MacBook Air, the only Air in Apple’s lineup that retained the wedge design that made it popular in its early days.
Until it sells out, you can still buy the M1 MacBook Air from some third-party retailers. They usually offer better deals than Apple anyway. But things are about to get even better for those Apple fans who still want to buy a brand-new M1 MacBook Air.
Walmart on Friday announced it’ll continue to stock the popular computer, and you can order it online right away. The best part is that Walmart is now selling it for $699, a tremendous deal for this now-iconic MacBook model.
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Walmart said in a press release that the M1 MacBook Air will be available in select Walmart stores in addition to its online store. At the time of this writing, all three color options of the M1 MacBook Air are all still available online. That’s Gold, Silver, and Space Gray.
That $699 will get you the 256GB version of the M1 MacBook Air. There’s no 512GB option on Walmart.com. Also, the base configuration includes 8GB of RAM, which you can’t upgrade. Unlike the M2 and M3 variants, the M1 Air only comes in a 13-inch size. Still, the M1 MacBook Air is a great bargain at $699.
Walmart is working with Apple on the deal, according to the retailer’s executive vice president of Merchandising, Julie Barber:
Our mission at Walmart is to help customers save money so they can live better – it’s not an either/or proposition. The very heart of that mission is the belief that customers should not have to sacrifice quality because of price. We’re working hard to bring premium brands to our physical and virtual shelves, and we’re excited to work with Apple to do just that.
Should you still buy the M1 MacBook Air in 2024?
At $699, the M1 MacBook Air is a steal. Sure, it’s a laptop that Apple released in late 2020. But remember that the M1 MacBook Air was the first Air model to offer the same performance as the MacBook Pro that Apple launched at the same time as the Air.
The difference between them concerned sustained peak performance. With its fans, the Pro model could offer longer periods of top performance.
Also, Apple kept selling the M1 MacBook Air right until the M3 variants rolled out. It’s still a dependable laptop that will perform admirably for most online tasks.
The M1 MacBook Air’s performance and long battery life stunned the world. It was a nightmare for Intel, which mounted a massive ad campaign against the M1 MacBook Air.
Walmart picking it up in 2024 after Apple discontinued it is a testament to the M1 MacBook Air’s resilience. No other Intel-based machine from 2020 would get the same treatment.
The only reason you should skip the M1 MacBook Air is if you need more performance, larger displays, more ports, or a combination of those factors. In that case, you have plenty of MacBooks to choose from. You can go straight for an M3 MacBook Air or Pro. Or you can look for better deals on M2 MacBook Air and Pro models.
While you weigh your options, you’ll find Walmart’s M1 MacBook Air listing at this link.
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