The M1 MacBook Air has gone missing, and it may never come back.
Walmart started selling brand-new M1 MacBook Air models in March 2024 for $699. The price later came down to $599, and was sometimes as low as $549 during sales holidays. However, that Walmart deal may have dried up. The product is no longer in stock if you try to have it shipped, and just one store in my area has units available for in-store pickup.
What gives? Apple didn’t immediately respond to my request for comment. I’ve come up with a few possibilities, though the most likely reason might just be the sad state of the 2026 laptop market.
Did Apple Cut Its Losses in the Memory Shortage?
The first and most plausible reason I can imagine is that Apple simply decided it was no longer worth producing new-in-box M1 MacBook Air laptops given soaring memory prices.
It’s unlikely that Walmart has been sitting on these laptops for more than a year, especially not at every store in the US. When memory was still reasonably priced, it was not a heavy lift for Apple to produce more M1 MacBook Airs for Walmart to sell online and in stores. But now, selling one of these laptops for $599 or $699 might not make financial sense. Those prices were already quite aggressive before RAM costs spiraled out of control.
(Credit: Walmart)
Apple could just raise the M1 MacBook Air price, right? Not really, no. Apple has sold the 13-inch M4 MacBook Air for as little as $749 for the past several months, periodically. A price hike would leave little reason for shoppers to buy an M1 model, with the latest version barely much more expensive. Now, Apple could raise all of its Mac prices in response to the crisis, but that would make the M1 Air a bad deal regardless.
Is a New Budget-Priced MacBook on the Way?
You know how the Apple Store often goes down just before a new product drops? Perhaps something similar is happening over at Walmart. Maybe even the rumored cheap MacBook.
Could Apple be working to spin up the older M2 or M3 version of the MacBook Air for an updated budget laptop deal with Walmart? It’s possible, but the current market environment doesn’t really support that if Apple wants to profit like the $4 trillion company it is.
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Then we have the oft-rumored budget MacBook Air with an iPhone processor inside. We’ve covered everything we’ve heard about this potential affordable MacBook, and the rumor mill has dried up considerably this year.
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(Credit: Zain bin Awais/PCMag Composite; Eugene Mymrin/via Getty Images)
As the story goes, this new MacBook would be a 12-inch device running an Apple A-series processor, usually reserved for iPhones and iPads, instead of a more potent M-series chip found in all other MacBooks. We teased out how a budget A19 MacBook might perform, and it would be right at home among today’s budget laptops, arguably elevating the category in many ways.
Unfortunately, this theory suffers from the same realities as the above: With memory prices in the clouds and not coming down for some time, if ever, suitable profit margins at a sub-$1,000 price point might increasingly be a pipe dream.
The Truth Is Likely Sadder Than Fiction
Regardless of why the M1 MacBook Air is missing, the fact that consumers potentially just lost an affordable entry into the Mac world is upsetting. Yes, the M4 MacBook Air has dropped well below its list price, but for how much longer?
This restrictive technology market—thanks, AI!—appears to have put “new budget MacBook” scenarios on the backburner. Perhaps Apple will prove us wrong, but if not, would-be MacBook buyers need to start saving their pennies.
About Our Expert
Joe Osborne
Deputy Managing Editor, Hardware
Experience
After starting my career at PCMag as an intern more than a decade ago, I’m back as one of its editors, focused on managing laptops, desktops, and components coverage. With 15 years of experience, I have been on staff and published in technology review publications, including PCMag (of course!), Laptop Magazine, Tom’s Guide, TechRadar, and IGN. Along the way, I’ve tested and reviewed hundreds of laptops and helped develop testing protocols. I have expertise in testing all forms of laptops and desktops using the latest tools. I’m also well-versed in video game hardware and software coverage.
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