M1 MacBook Air

The MacBook Air that ushered in the era of Apple silicon is still on the market as a low-cost option for those who want a basic Mac. Still, it’s now three years old and has since been superseded by the mid-2022 M2 MacBook Air — and there’s more to that newer model than just the faster chip.

Amazon and Best Buy have the lowest-specced M1 MacBook Air marked down to $750 for Black Friday, which works out to $250 off, while the M2 MacBook Air is only marked down by $150 at Best Buy, giving it a selling price of $949. That extra $100 spread between their normal prices may be tempting, but you should also consider what you’ll be giving up.

The M2 MacBook Air moved away from the older wedge-shaped design to something more modern, which also includes a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display that’s brighter with more balanced colors, plus a 1080p FaceTime camera and four-speaker sound system with support for Spatial Audio. It’s a much better choice if you’re willing to spend that little extra.