Last-Minute MacBook Shopping: Secure Your Perfect Device in a Hurry

Last-Minute Mac Deals: Where to Find Them and What to Know

Nobody likes to do anything last-minute, but sometimes, you just can’t help it. If you were looking to get a Mac before Christmas or before the year runs out, you should have done it during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales. Now that it’s over, the prices of Macs have mostly stabilized back to the standard MSRP – however, you might still be able to get a good deal on a Mac that fits your needs.

What Type of Mac Should You Buy?

In this scenario, you would be getting a Mac for primarily two reasons: gifting or work. With Christmas looming and the urgency of this kind of purchase, most of those reading this are likely in the former category. Gifts should ideally be thoughtful decisions based on your special understanding of the giftee’s needs. In Mac terms, that means you should buy a Mac based on what the person does for work or hobby. Someone who does a lot of video editing, for example, would need a Mac with a good processor and large storage, so an Apple silicon MacBook Pro with a minimum of 512GB of SSD storage would likely be a good gift.

Where Can You Buy a Mac Quickly?

Almost all the retailers and online stores selling Macs can get a Mac to you in less than 48 hours. Of course, your results will vary depending on your location, logistical variables, access to stores, and more. You’ll find deals on Macs pretty much everywhere except the Apple Store. Of course, some places offer better deals than others, but it largely depends on what you’re looking for. The best thing to do is enter the Mac you want into your preferred retailer and see what deals they have to offer.

Some Interesting Last-Minute Deals

Here are a few interesting last-minute deals still going on at some retailers:

B&H Photo Video is running last-minute sales on Mac minis and MacBook Pros.
Walmart has its 13-inch M1 MacBook Air deal and deals on some restored MacBooks.
Amazon currently has multiple Mac deals, including the 13.6-inch M2 MacBook Air and M2 Mac mini.

Some Things You Should Know Before Rushing to Buy a Mac

Scams. They are everywhere. Try to stick to tried and tested retailers, and don’t fall for otherwise obvious traps in your rush. In the same vein, try to avoid restored or refurbished items unless they come from reputable sources. Note that other sellers apart from Apple could sell refurbished Macs on Amazon – always check to confirm who the seller is before you take out that credit/debit card. Of course, time is of the essence. Triple-check the delivery dates before placing your order, and if you don’t have a membership (like Amazon Prime, for example), you should get it to speed up your delivery.