I write and edit stories about the latest lust-worthy PC tech all day long, but at heart, I’m a frugal shopper. I’m also an Apple Mac devotee. Combine those two traits, and that means I almost always buy my Apple gear in entry-cost, base configurations. In other words, I’m sensitive to the “starting price.”
Because of that, what happened in the course of the latest Apple MacBook launch struck me. The debut of Apple’s M4-based 13-inch and- 15-inch MacBook Air laptops did have a positive story for budget buyers, to be sure: The M4 MacBook Airs bring Apple’s latest processor to its thinnest and lightest MacBooks for $100 less than before. But there was some collateral damage here: As the M4 Air models entered the building, the $999, M2 13-inch MacBook Air walked out the front door (as expected), while the M3 models were ejected unceremoniously from Apple Park.
These events have shaken up the mix of new-in-box Macs that you can buy for less than $1,000 from official sources. (The aftermarket of used, refurbished, and other resold under-$1,000 Macs is a whole other, woolier story.) But it also raises several questions. Why did this new pricing dynamic come to pass? Which cheap Macs are still available? Can you still buy an M2 or M3 MacBook Air? And what happens next?
Where Did the M2 and M3 MacBook Airs Go, and Why?
When Apple announced the new M4-based MacBook Air laptops, the company quietly discontinued the M2 MacBook Air, which, at the time, was selling for $999 via Apple.com. It also kiboshed the outgoing M3 models. Naturally, the M2 going away makes sense; it’s two generations old at this point. Plus, Apple had to consider the still-available original M1 MacBook Air, which has lived in a whole different slice of the market for some time now, as a Walmart-exclusive, $699 product.
However, I fully expected to see the M3 MacBook Air replace the M2 model at a lower price (say, $899 or $799), much like the M2 Air slotted into a similar role when the M3 Air debuted. In hindsight, perhaps I shouldn’t have assumed that, given the interesting relationship between the M3 and M4 processors.
The M2-based, 13-inch MacBook Air—notice any difference? (Credit: Molly Flores)
First, as you likely already know, the 13-inch MacBook Air with M4 now starts at $999, the same as the outgoing M2 Air. That left a narrower margin for the M3 Air to fit between the M4 and M1 models. So, in that sense, this all checks out.
However, the real reason behind this goes deeper—into Apple’s chip design, and Taiwanese fabrication partner TSMC’s manufacturing processes. The M3 processor was Apple and TSMC’s first built on a 3-nanometer process, and as their first crack at it, it wasn’t as smooth as previous efforts.
In particular, TSMC’s yields (the number of viable chips in a semiconductor production wafer) of M3 processors were reportedly lower than those of prior M-series generations. This reduction meant a tighter supply of M3 silicon, and thus systems, than either party would like.
Could you tell this was the M3 MacBook Air if I hadn’t told you here? (Credit: Brian Westover)
Apple was then in a challenging position when pricing the M3 MacBook Air models: Lowering the price made little sense, while raising it would be unjustified. This situation also helps to explain why we didn’t see more M3-based Macs writ large, with no M3 Mac mini or M3 Mac Studio, apart from this year’s M3 latecomer, the M3 Ultra Mac Studio. (That model, itself, is likely benefitting from TSMC’s process refinements that have emerged as time has gone by.)
The M4 Apple Silicon is also built on 3nm. In contrast, with M4, TSMC has refined its 3nm process to generate higher yields at lower costs, thus increasing supply. TSMC’s new process appears refined enough out of the gate that it allowed Apple to cut the starting prices on the M4 MacBook Airs while, we have to guess, maintaining its profit margins.
(Credit: Rene Ramos; Apple)
These behind-the-scenes developments, paired with Apple’s surprising price cut, clarify why you can’t buy an M2 or M3 MacBook Air directly from Apple anymore: The first 3nm, M3 Mac chips likely won’t be manufactured anymore, except for use in the M3 Ultra, while the M2 Air just doesn’t make sense as a budget option unless it were to replace the M1 model at the bottom of the stack.
Laying Out Apple’s Most Affordable Macs
With that, let’s look at your options for low-cost, brand-new Mac computers this year. Your choices have narrowed, but some are even better values than before, in certain ways.
Apple’s most affordable Mac, period, is 2024’s base-model M4 Mac mini, which starts at just $599 for a complete desktop with 16GB of unified memory, a 256GB solid-state drive, and all of the included software that macOS brings. Like all Mac minis, you’ll need to bring your own display, keyboard, and mouse to this arrangement, though that route has many money-saving benefits.
Apple’s Mac mini: The best deal in desktop computing. (Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Next up is the original M1-based, 13-inch MacBook Air. Apple still sells new-in-box models of this laptop, exclusively through Walmart; mature manufacturing processes have likely enabled sizable yields on this model’s older chip. For $699 (or $629 on sale at the time of writing), this configuration has 8GB of memory and a 256GB SSD, which are basic but respectable capacities at this price. Plus, you can get your M1 MacBook Air in a choice of colors: Space Gray, silver, or gold.
Apple’s budget darling, the still-strong M1 MacBook Air. (Credit: Molly Flores)
Finally, we have the newest 13-inch MacBook Air—the one with M4 inside. Thanks to Apple’s price cut, this laptop starts at $999 with 16GB of memory and a 256GB SSD, the new baseline for MacBook Air laptops. This is the most capable an entry-level MacBook Air has ever been. And, at long last, it’s back to a three-digit price.
This is the M4 MacBook Air. There, I solved the mystery. (Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Which is the best buy here? That depends on your needs. If you won’t need to tote your computer around, then obviously, the Mac mini is Apple’s best deal in computing. It brings Apple’s latest processing refinements to a practically budget-priced desktop.
The Cheapest New-in-Box Macs for 2025
As for deciding between the two widely different MacBook Air models—the M1 Air versus the M4 Air—that’s more dependent on your processing needs and available cash. The M1 MacBook Air will definitely get you by for basic web browsing, emailing, word processing, and spreadsheet building with free software and a long lifespan. It’s a top-notch budget laptop. On the other hand, the M4 model can do all that, handle photo and video edits in short bursts, and run computer games at medium detail settings.
What Are Your M2 and M3 Mac Options Now? Few and Fleeting
This new reality brings good and bad news for hopeful MacBook Air owners looking to save a buck. First, the good news: You can still buy new-in-box M2 and M3 Macs from retailers…while supplies last.
For instance, as I write this, I see the M2 MacBook Air here and there at $799, priced not all that far from Walmart’s M1 $699 model deal, from legit retailers like B&H Photo and Best Buy. Meanwhile, PC Richard & Son has the M3 model for just $898, closer to where I expected it to land officially via the Apple Store.
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Likewise, you can find the 15-inch M3 MacBook Air for the same price as the current 13-inch M4 model: $999 at B&H Photo and Best Buy. Apple’s M4 Air price cut has caused a bit of a fire sale for these discontinued models.
Now, the bad news: Once this wave of price-reduced models sells though, stock of these products likely will not return. So, if you want one of these less-aged Macs, you’ll need to act fast. It’s possible we’ll see these M2 and M3 models pop up again for Prime Day and Black Friday sales this year, but I wouldn’t hold out hope for that.
The Takeaway: Welcome to Apple’s Big Push for M4 Macs
With the M4 MacBook Air at just $999—instead of the M2 or M3 model holding that spot—Apple has aggressively positioned its latest product to maximize interest. This is far from the first time the company has deployed this strategy. Apple has often left wide price gaps between product lines and configurations to drive you to buy a more expensive product or a pricier configuration.
Once upon a time, Apple pushed vastly uneven storage capacity options in its iPhones, particularly in its iPhone X and 11 series. The company sold 64GB of space as a baseline on most of those phones, with the next available capacity being a whopping 256GB.
Just like the leap from a 64GB to a 256GB iPhone, I get a similar vibe from how the M1 and M4 MacBook Air are positioned now. Barring third parties, the floor for buying a new-in-box MacBook Air is $699. Want to upgrade? That’ll be $999.
Apple really wants to sell you this laptop, and it’s ready to play the long game to do it. (Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Of course, while Apple doesn’t have to keep producing an older MacBook line to sell for cheap, if it can turn more people into Mac fans at that budget level, it might generate future customers for modern, higher-end, and pricier Mac products. Or consumers might compare the two and choose to save up longer for the better model.
It’s a smart business move, but how long can Apple keep doing it? Surely, the M1 MacBook Air won’t be able to support the latest macOS updates at some point. Will Apple revive, say, the M2 or M3 Air at that time to fill the $699 gap and keep the play rolling?
As a consumer who often chooses the most affordable options for my iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks, I sure hope so.
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About Joe Osborne
Deputy Managing Editor, Hardware
