There comes a time when you have to replace your Mac. But how do you update to a newer Mac on a budget? It’s possible to move to a much newer machine without having to outlay the full retail price.
One thing to remember is that macOS Tahoe 26 is the last version of macOS to support Intel powered Macs. Many Intel-powered Macs are being sold at very low prices. My advice is to avoid them as they will be moved into Apple’s vintage and obsolete products sooner rather than later.
1 – Wait for a sale
From time to time, some major retailers will discount Apple gear. While the Apple Store doesn’t do that very often, retailers such as JB Hi-Fi, The Good Guys and Harvey Norman do offer discounts a few times each year.
There are also the annual Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as well as Amazon Prime Day.
If you’re patient, waiting for a sale is a great way to get a newer Mac.
2 – Just ask for a better price
Many of those large retailers will discount products if you simply ask. I’ve ,managed to save a few dollars or score a free accessory by simply asking “Is that the best you can do?”
It costs nothing to ask.
3 – Refurbished Macs
Apple sells Certified Refurbished products through its online store. The products come with a full 12-month Apple Warranty and, in most cases, are also eligible for Apple Care.
For example, Apple currently has a refurbished 13-inch MacBook Air Apple M4 chip with 10‑Core CPU, 8‑Core GPU, 16GB of memory and 256GB of storage in Sky Blue for $1439. The same laptop, from Apple’s online store is currently $1699. It may not come in the same packaging as a brand new MacBook Air but it will be, to all intents and purposes, the same.
Other retailers, like MacFixIt, also offer refurbished Macs and other Apple gear. Their prices are also competitive.
4 – Older models
There’s great value to be found if you are prepared top not have the latest and greatest. Whenever Apple releases a new Mac, previous models can be found at reduced prices.
Big W continues to sell the M1 MacBook Air at a heavily discounted price. it’s a serviceable laptop that will suit the needs of many people even though it’s a few generations behind the current M4-powered units.
There’s also an M3-powered 13-inch MacBook at for $1094 at OfficeWorks which, I think, is a great deal although it only has 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage. That’s the same memory and storage as the BigW deal so the extra $95 buys you a faster processor.
5 – Used Macs
There’s always the secondhand market if you’re looking for a good deal. Most Macs hold their value so the savings might not be as great. The really deep savings are found with Intel-powered systems. But, unless you have a specific reason for sticking with Intel, I’d be looking for M-series powered systems as they will be supported by Apple for a longer time.
Anthony is the founder of Australian Apple News. He is a long-time Apple user and former editor of Australian Macworld. He has contributed to many technology magazines and newspapers as well as appearing regularly on radio and occasionally on TV.