The M2 MacBook Air and M1 iPad Air have never been this cheap.
(Image credit: Future / Apple)
Apple's released new MacBook Airs and new iPad Airs this year, so we expected to see good deals on the previous models... but not this good. There are two Apple Memorial Day Apple deals going right now that surprise us with just how much you can save.
The M2-chipped MacBook Air is at a record low price of just $829 at Amazon, which means a saving of $170 from the already reduced price of $999. But you'll need to be quick - it's a limited offer an 16% of stock had gone at the time of writing. (**UPDATE: Since publication, this deal has sold out. The best price now is $849 at Best Buy**)
Meanwhile, Best Buy has a massive $200 off the M1-chipped iPad Air, which has only just been superseded by a new model this month. The tablet is reduced from $599 to $399, the cheapest price I've seen not just for this iPad Air but for any iPad Air.
We gave both of these products 4.5-star reviews when they released. And while they've both been superseded by newer iterations in recent months, they're still powerful enough by today's standards that most people really don't need to pay more for the new releases.
The new M3 MacBook Air in particular is very much an iterative upgrade over its predecessor (see our guide to the best MacBook Air M3 prices to compare). The new iPad Air is more of a step change in that it supports the new Apple Pencil Pro rather than the Apple Pencil 2, but we still rate the M1 iPad Air as the best value buy in our pick of the best iPads for drawing. See full details of both deals below.
The best Apple Memorial Day deals: record low price on Macbook Air M2
Overview: This is a record-low price on what remains a fantastically compact and light but powerful laptop. The M2 MacBook Air has a more modern feel than its predecessor and battery life is excellent. Apple has released newer M3 MacBook Airs this year, but they have the same design as this model. They have a bit more power due to their M3 chips, but this model is still plenty powerful for most people's needs.
Price history: Apple's own retail price is now $999 (down from $1,099 since the new M3 model was released this year. The cheapest starting price that we have seen from a third-party retailer is $849. That's been available regularly at Best Buy. This Memorial Day MacBook Air deal is $30 cheaper still. This price is for the base model with 256GB of storage, but there's a similar saving on the 512GB version if you need more space.
Review consensus: We gave this MacBook Air a 4.5-star review when we tested it, and found it had excellent performance and battery life. Our only real gripe was the price hike from the previous model, but this deal resolves that issue. Considering that the newer M3 model provides only a marginal boost in performance, we think this is the best buy for a MacBook Air today.
Overview: An iPad Air for almost as cheap as the basic iPad? This Memorial Day iPad deal is a steal, getting you a powerful M1-chipped tablet with Apple Pencil 2 support for under $400. This 2022 model of the iPad Air has only just been superseded by a new 2023 Air. The new M2 model has Apple Pencil Pro support, but we still love the drawing experience on this 2022 model, and $200 off makes this much better value.
Key features: Display: 10.9-inch | CPU: M1 chip | Weight: 461g | Storage: 64GB-256GB | Apple Pencil 2 support
Release date: March 2022.
Price history: This is hands-down the best deal we've seen on this iPad Air and on any iPad Air. Until now, it had never fallen below $499. To put it into perspective, this sale price is only $50 more than the basic iPad, which is selling at $349, and the iPad Air has a better screen, more power thanks to the M1 chip and a better drawing experience since it supports Apple Pencil 2 rather than the first gen. The price above is for the 65GB version, but there's also a discount on the 256GB configuration if you need more storage space.
Review consensus: We gave the 5th-gen iPad Air a 4.5-star review when it was released, and we've rated it the best value option in our guide to the best iPads for drawing ever since. The power of the M1 chip and Apple Pencil 2 support make it clearly superior than the basic iPad without taking it into laptop-killer territory like the iPad Pro.
Joe is a regular freelance journalist and editor at Creative Bloq. He writes news, features and buying guides and keeps track of the best equipment and software for creatives, from video editing programs to monitors and accessories. A veteran news writer and photographer, he now works as a project manager at the London and Buenos Aires-based design, production and branding agency Hermana Creatives. There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector. He also dances Argentine tango.
