I found 5 Black Friday MacBook deals that aren't a waste of time (and money)

1 week ago 8

Black Friday is still about a week away, and if you're in the market for a new Mac computer, now is the moment to strike. Some of the year's best Apple deals are already live, with multiple MacBook models receiving significant discounts across online retailers.

Also: Best early Black Friday laptop deals 2025

As someone who reviews laptops and tracks prices all year long, I can tell you: meaningful price drops on MacBooks don't come around very often. It's for this reason that shopping smart during significant sale events matters a lot. To make it easy for you, I've compiled the five best Mac deals that I've been able to find online. Whether you're a creator who needs serious power, a student searching for a dependable machine for school, or someone looking to upgrade, these early offers are worth consideration.

Also: Best early Black Friday Apple deals 2025

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5 Mac deals you shouldn't ignore this Black Friday

Winner of ZDNET's Best Product of 2022 award, the M2 MacBook Air remains an excellent buy three years after launch. It won't be able to match the power of Apple's latest machines, so it's for that reason that this model is the best budget-friendly MacBook you can buy today.

Review: MacBook Air M2

The M2 chip continues to hold its own. Its 8-core CPU delivers smooth day-to-day performance, while the 10-core GPU provides sufficient power for video editing. Workloads like rendering clips, compressing large files, and running multiple Adobe Creative Cloud programs simultaneously don't faze it. The design is another major win. Weighing just 2.7 pounds and measuring 11.97 x 8.46 inches, the M2 MacBook Air is slim, lightweight, and slips easily into almost any bag.

If you're willing to spend a bit more, I recommend the M4 MacBook Air over the M2 model. It's just as lightweight as the older model, but it enjoys better performance thanks to the M4 chip. The Neural Engine inside the hardware provided this model with the necessary boost to eclipse the M2. It also powers the device's generative AI features.

Review: M4 MacBook Air

The M4 MacBook Air handles creative workloads far more comfortably. Its updated GPU architecture supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing for more realistic lighting in 3D projects. Other notable features include the ability to send video signals out to two external displays and a 14-hour battery life.

Apple's M4 iMac is one of the company's well-rounded desktops with components and features that make it a great fit for both everyday users and creative professionals. Like the previous entry, it operates on the M4 chipset, which makes everything you do on the computer feel snappy -- whether you're hopping between apps, powering through documents, or simply browsing the web.

Review: M4 iMac

The biggest improvement that this generation brought isn't the chip, but the bump up to 16GB of unified memory. It's double the RAM amount of the previous model, giving users far more breathing room for multitasking.

A big aspect of the iMac's appeal is its design. This model boasts a vibrant 24-inch, 4.5K Retina display, a slim profile, and vibrant pastel color options, making it one of the most stylish AiO (all-in-one) desktops available.

Apple's M4 Max Mac Studio is a compact desktop that delivers a performance befitting a larger computer. Measuring 7.7 x 7.7 x 3.7 inches, it keeps clutter to a minimum, requiring only a few cables for operation. Inside, it houses the highly capable M4 Max chipset. I tested the Mac Studio earlier this year, and it handled dozens of browser tabs, multiple creative programs, several 4K livestreams, and the video game Hades 2 without breaking a sweat.

Review: M4 Max Mac Studio

The Mac Studio shines best when paired with first-party accessories, such as Apple's Studio Display and Magic Keyboard. With these accessories, you'll enjoy a streamlined desktop setup that few other machines can rival. It's a powerful little box, and it made me, a longtime Windows user, seriously consider switching sides.

Rounding out the list is the M4 MacBook Pro, a real powerhouse laptop that delivers exceptional performance. It is highly capable of handling intense video editing, ray-traced gaming, and heavy multitasking, all while staying whisper-quiet and providing up to 11 hours of battery life.

Review: M4 MacBook Pro

You could set up to the M4 Pro or M4 Max MacBook Pro models, but honestly, you don't really need it. The base configuration is solid on its own. However, if you want Thunderbolt 5 ports, dual cooling fans, and expanded unified memory, then you will have to upgrade to the more robust models. Content creators will appreciate the stunning 1,600-nit HDR display, which features an optional nano-texture finish to reduce glare.

When is Black Friday?

In 2025, Black Friday is set for Friday, November 28. It's one of the best times of the year to score deep discounts on MacBooks, Mac Studios, iMacs, and more from major retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, and Amazon. We expect many of these sales to carry over until Cyber Monday, December 1.

Are Mac products really cheaper during Black Friday?

Absolutely! MacBook Pros, iMacs, and even older Mac Minis see considerable discounts during the lead-up to and the week of Black Friday. It's one of the prime times to upgrade your aging workstation. That said, if history is any indication, the best Mac savings are still on the way. These early deals are still on the conservative side. I fully expect these discounts to become even better on Black Friday itself and all the way until Cyber Monday.

How did we choose these early Black Friday deals?

At ZDNET, we only highlight Mac deals worth your consideration; the same kind we'd consider ourselves, as well as our friends and family. For these roundups, our experts look for discounts of at least 20% off (or for products rarely on sale), using established price-comparison tools and trackers to determine whether the deal is actually worth your time.

We also took hands-on experience, real-world performance, and customer feedback into consideration. Every recommendation on this list is backed by careful research and expert insight so that you can confidently shop these early Black Friday sales.

What are the best Black Friday deals?

ZDNET's experts have been searching through early Black Friday sales to find the best discounts. These are the best Black Friday deals so far, by retailer:

And the best Black Friday deals by product category or price point: