MacBook Air, Neo and Pro Discounts Persist in September 2026 Despite Apple's Memory-Driven Price Rise
A 9to5Mac buyer's guide published Sept. 27 says Amazon and Apple's refurbished store still list discounts across the MacBook Air, MacBook Neo and MacBook Pro, weeks after a memory shortage pushed Apple's Mac prices sharply higher.
The guide says Macs had grown steadily more affordable in recent years through lower starting prices, more memory and storage per dollar and the introduction of the MacBook Neo, before the memory shortage prompted Apple to increase prices. It argues the current machines still compare reasonably well on value against the rest of the computing market.
The MacBook Air sits above the Neo in the lineup and adds MagSafe charging, a P3 color display, Center Stage on the webcam and longer battery life. Unlike the Neo, it is also sold in a 15-inch size. Amazon lists the 13-inch M5 MacBook Air with 512GB of storage and 16GB of memory at $1,199, $100 off, and the same configuration with 1TB of storage at $1,449, $150 off. A 13-inch model with 1TB of storage and 24GB of memory is listed at $1,649, also $150 off. On the 15-inch side, Amazon shows $1,399 for 512GB and 16GB, a $100 discount; $1,729 for 1TB and 16GB, $70 off; and $1,849 for 1TB and 24GB, $150 off. Apple's refurbished store sells a 15-inch M5 MacBook Air with 1TB of storage and 16GB of memory for $1,529.
The MacBook Neo, Apple's first budget MacBook, starts at $699. The guide reports no notable retail discounts on the model, although Apple's refurbished listings run $100 to $120 below retail. It says build quality, display sharpness and the macOS experience are essentially uncompromised, with the A18 Pro chip, a reduced port selection and 8GB of memory as the main concessions. The machine is offered in Citrus, Blush and Indigo. Amazon lists the 256GB model with 8GB of memory at $689 and the 512GB model with Touch ID at $799; Apple's refurbished store offers the 256GB version at $599 and the 512GB Touch ID version at $679. Apple's refurbished units carry the same one-year warranty and are sold in like-new condition, with major components replaced and no scuffs or battery degradation, according to the guide.
The MacBook Pro tops the lineup. Apple is reportedly preparing to redesign the high-end variants later this year with OLED displays, touchscreens and thinner designs, but the guide says that redesign will debut only with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, leaving buyers of the base M5 model unaffected, and it notes the M5 Pro and M5 Max remain current chips for anyone who does not care about the redesign. Amazon lists the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5, 1TB of storage and 16GB of memory at $1,839, $160 off, and the 14-inch with M5 Pro, 1TB and 24GB at $2,351, $150 off. Apple's refurbished store lists a 14-inch M4 model with 1TB and 16GB at $1,609 and an M5 version with the same storage and memory at $1,699. For the 16-inch size, Amazon shows $2,814 for M5 Pro with 1TB and 24GB, $185 off; $3,367 for M5 Pro with 1TB and 48GB, $232 off; and $3,799 for M5 Max with 2TB and 36GB, $600 off. Apple's refurbished store sells a 16-inch M5 Pro with 1TB and 24GB for $2,549.