If you are looking to buy a new MacBook Pro you don’t have to pay full price. Our team of Apple experts have been scouring the web for the top deals, offers and discounts for the MacBook Pro – picking out the best money-off offers to save you time. There are lots of money off deals below, but first we will run through some tips and explain Apple’s pricing structure, so that you can be sure you are getting the best discount you can.
The very first thing you need to be aware of is that Apple updated the 13in MacBook Pro at the beginning of May 2020. Some of the ‘new’ MacBook Pro models had a more significant update than others though. The two entry-level models got new keyboards and the storage was doubled but nothing else changed – the processor, graphics and RAM remain the same as the 2019 model. The mid-range 13in MacBook Pro models, on the other hand, got new processors and graphics and 16GB RAM as standard. Keep this in mind when looking at deals – you may find a deal that looks better than it is if it’s an older MacBook Pro model, for example. We review the 2020 2.0GHz MacBook Pro here.
There is also another important thing to keep in mind: Apple has announced that it will be transitioning from Intel processors in its Macs to its own Apple Silicon chips within the next couple of years, with the first arriving before the end of 2020. This means you need to consider whether to wait for the new Macs or go ahead and update your Mac now. This article might help: Should I buy an Intel Mac.
Another thing is that we aren’t seeing as many brilliant deals right now. We think that the Coronavirus pandemic is influencing the deals on offer – with more and more people working from home and realising they need a new computer, and parents looking for laptops for their kids who are stuck at home, MacBooks and other tech is flying off the shelves. This means that stockists are less likely to reduce prices since products are selling anyway.
We are also seeing stock is selling out quickly. If when you check one of the deals we’ve noted below you find it is sold we recommend visiting in a week or so to see if they have more stock.
This article focuses on the MacBook Pro, but you will find deals for the MacBook Air too. Since the MacBook Air was updated in March 2020 it’s been giving the MacBook Pro a run for its money so you might like to check out our MacBook Air deals article for more great deals. If you’d like some help to choose the best Mac laptop is right for you, read our MacBook buying guide where we cover all the models.
Best MacBook Pro deals right now
We will explain how you can spot a good deal below, but if you can’t wait here are some of the best deals right now.
The 13in MacBook Pro was updated in May 2020 so it’s still early days and we wouldn’t expect to see anyone offering huge discounts yet. However, deals can be found:
- KRCS has a discount on the new 13in MacBook Pro. They have £89.95 off the £1,799 model.
The 16in MacBook Pro (which launched in November 2019) also has some decent discounts:
- Amazon and Currys have the entry-level 16in MacBook Pro on offer for £2,149 (it’s normally £2,399 from Apple!)
- John Lewis had gone one step further and was offering the top-of the range 16in MacBook Pro (normally £2,799) for the same £2,149 – that deal quickly sold out, but John Lewis still has a decent discount on offer.
The arrival of the new MacBook Pro models also means we are seeing some great discounts on the older 13in MacBook Pro:
- This MacBook Pro for £1,099 from John Lewis would previously cost £1,299
- You can get the 2019 2.4GHz 13in MacBook Pro, with 256GB SSD, for £1,199.97 at Currys/PC World – that would previously have retailed for £1,799.
And the deals to be had on the previous generation of 15in MacBook Pro are also really good:
- This deal from Amazon has the 2.3GHz 15in model with 512GB storage for £2,127.11, it originally sold for £2,699.
Here’s an overview of some of the best deals right now – we have even more deals and more advice that will help you judge whether a deal is good or not below:
How to find a good MacBook Pro deal
Our first warning is to be aware that some retailers have been known to be misleading about RRP to make a deal look better than it is. Always compare to the current price on the Apple Store or, if it’s an older model take a look at the Apple refurbished store (where Apple sells reconditioned, discontinued stock with a full year’s warranty) to make sure you’re getting good value.
Speaking of which, you also want to be careful of the age of any given MacBook as models from different years might have similar looking specs on paper (especially the 2018 and 2019 MacBook Air whose specs were identical!) For example, the processor speed can be misleading if you aren’t sure what generation of processor is being used, so take care to double-check processor speeds and generation, and even model numbers to make sure you’re not paying over the odds for a laptop from a few years ago.
Luckily we’ve checked out the deals here, and we’ll tell you exactly what’s on offer – so if it’s an older model we’ll tell you.
How much does the MacBook Pro cost?
There are two sizes of MacBook Pro, 13in and 16in. Before the end of 2019 there was a 15in MacBook Pro, but Apple has discontinued that. However you are likely to still find the 15in model available and there are some good bargains to be had given that the spec isn’t significantly different.
13in MacBook Pro
- 1.4GHz Quad-Core i5, 8th-gen, Turbo Boost 3.9GHz, 256GB, 8GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 RAM, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645, (was 128GB). £1,299/$1,299
- 1.4GHz Quad-Core i5, 8th-gen, Turbo Boost 3.9GHz, 512GB, 8GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 RAM, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645, (was 256GB). £1,499/$1,499
- 2.0GHz Quad-Core i5, 10th-gen, Turbo Boost 3.8GHz, 512GB, 16GB 3733MHz LPDDR4X RAM, Intel Iris Plus Graphics, (was 2.4GHz Quad-Core, Turbo Boost 4.1GHz, 8GB 2133MHz LPDDR3, 256GB). £1,799/$1,799
- 2.0GHz Quad-Core i5, 10th-gen, Turbo Boost 3.8GHz, 1TB, 16GB 3733MHz LPDDR4X RAM, Intel Iris Plus Graphics, (was 2.4GHz Quad-Core, Turbo Boost 4.1GHz, 8GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 RAM, 512GB). £1,999/$1,999
16in MacBook Pro
- 2.6GHz 6-core i7, 9th-gen, Turbo Boost 4.5GHz, AMD Radeon Pro 5300M with 4GB of GDDR6 memory, 16GB 2666MHz DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD. £2,399/$2,399
- 2.3GHz 8-core i9, 9th-gen, Turbo Boost 4.8GHz, AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with 4GB of GDDR6 memory, 16GB 2666MHz DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD. £2,799/$2,799
You’ll find more information about the price and specs for each model below.
You can order 13in and 16in MacBook Pros directly from Apple.
Best MacBook Pro deals – current models
Below we’ll round up some of the best deals on the current crop of MacBook Pro models. If it’s a MacBook Air you are after, check our round up of the best MacBook Air deals out. Note that a new MacBook Air arrived in March 2020 and, right now, offers a much better deal compared to the 2019 MacBook Pro so it’s worth considering. You can look below for more MacBook deals.
We’ll start off with the 13in MacBook Pro models, but you can skip to the 16in MacBook Pro section, or check out the older 15in and 13in MacBook Pro models here if that’s what you are after. We’ll explain what the price is for the current configurations, as well as share prices for older models.
13in MacBook Pro deals
So, now you know the specs and the price if you buy from Apple how much can you save if you buy from elsewhere?
Here are the latest 2020 13in 1.4GHz MacBook Pro Deals (RRP: £1,299)
(Here’s why you shouldn’t buy the entry-level MacBook Pro.)
And here are the latest 2020 13in 2.0GHz MacBook Pro Deals (RRP: £1,799)
16in MacBook Pro deals
If you want the absolute latest Mac, and that gorgeous 16in display, this is where to find the best deals (RRP: £2,399). Read our 16in MacBook Pro first look review.
Discontinued MacBook Pro models
Some of the best deals to be had are on the now discontinued models, so we’ll include these below:
Old 13in MacBook Pro deals
When Apple updated the entry-level 13in MacBook Pro it changed the keyboard and increased the storage, but nothing else changed. You might therefore be able to find a decent deal on the old 2019 model – but note that it will have half the storage and that the keyboard may become problematic. Read about the keyboard issues here.
Here are the latest 2019 13in 1.4GHz MacBook Pro Deals (Was £1,299)
And here are the latest 2019 13in 2.4GHz MacBook Pro Deals (Was £1,799)
Old 15in MacBook Pro deals
When Apple discontinued the 15in MacBook Pro models in 2019 the 16in models that replaced them actually shared the same generation processors with the 8-core option at the top-of-the-range. While there were some tweeks internally that should mean performance from the 16in models is better, if you aren’t too bothered about the bigger screen a deal on the older 15in model might interest you. You should note that Apple has increased the storage available inside the 16in models as of May 2020 though.
Another thing to note is that the price of these models went up by £50-£100 in 2019, which might mean that the discount doesn’t look as good as it might otherwise do.
- 2.6GHz 6-core, 256GB: (WAS £2,349/$2,399) NOW £2,399/$2,399
- 2.3GHz 8-core, 512GB: (WAS £2,699/$2,799) NOW £2,799/$2,799
Here are the latest 15in MacBook Pro Deals:
Best MacBook Deals UK
If you aren’t sure which kind of Apple laptop you want to buy check these great MacBook deals available across the web. Here are the best we’ve found. If you’re looking for a desktop Mac, see our iMac and Mac mini deals roundup.
1. Apple 15in MacBook Pro, 2.3GHz, eight-core i9, 16GB RAM, 512GB (2019)
From: Amazon Was: £2,699 Now: £2,127.11 (£571.89 off original price) View Deal
Save money on the top-of-the-range 2019 15in MacBook Pro with this Amazon deal. That’s an 8-core 2.3GHz i9 9th generation Intel processor!
Apple has discontinued this Mac but its spec is actually quite similar to the new 16in model that would cost £2,799.
2. Apple 13in MacBook Pro, 2.4GHz, quad-core, 256GB, Silver (2019)
From: Currys PC World Was: £1,699 Now: £1,199.97 (£499.03 off original price) View Deal
Here’s a saving on the 2019 13in MacBook Pro with 2.4GHz Quad-core processor – it’s the 256GB version that would have cost £1,699 at launch, while the newer equivalent retails at £1,799.
3. Apple 16in MacBook Pro, 2.3GHz i9 8-core 16GB/1TB Silver (2019)
From: John Lewis Was: £2,799 Now: £2,479 (£320 off) View Deal
John Lewis has money off the top of the range 16in MacBook Pro! It means that you can get the most powerful MacBook Pro laptop ever for much less than Apple’s asking price.
Earlier this summer John Lewis had an even more amazing saving (it was listed for £2,149, which is £650 off) but that sold out quickly!
4. Apple 16in MacBook Pro, 2.3GHz, 8-core i9 1TB (2019)
From: Amazon Was: £2,799 Now: £2,479 (£320 off) View Deal
You can save money on the ultimate 2019 16in MacBook Pro. This deal means that you can get what would normally be the top of the range 16in MacBook Pro for only slightly more than the entry-level version (which is normally £2,399).
5. Apple 13in MacBook Pro, 1.4GHz, quad-core, 128GB (2019)
From: John Lewis Was: £1,299 Now: £1,099 (£200 off original price) View Deal
John Lewis is offering money off the entry-level 2019 13in MacBook Pro. The equivalent model has been updated for 2020 with double the storage (now 256GB) and a new keyboard, but nothing else has changed. There have been reports of problems with the old keyboards, but if you are affected Apple will fix it for free.
This deal means you can get a MacBook Pro that did cost £1,299 for just £1,099 (which £100 more than the cheapest MacBook Air!)
6. Apple 16in MacBook Pro, 2.6GHz, 6-core, 512GB (2019)
From: Amazon Was: £2,399 Now: £2,149 (£250 off) View Deal
Amazon is offering a great discount on the new 2019 16in MacBook Pro.
Amazon isn’t the only one offering this discount – Currys, John Lewis and Very have the same deal right now!
7. Apple MacBook Air, 1.1GHz quad-core, 512GB (2020)
From: Amazon Was: £1,299 Now: £1,185 (£114 off) View Deal
There’s money to be saved on the 2020 quad-core MacBook Air over at Amazon.
We’ve seen this model for sale for even less though – at one point it was £1,152.67 (although it quickly went out of stock at that price). This is still a pretty good deal though.
8. Apple 13in MacBook Pro, 1.4GHz, quad-core, 256GB (2020)
Now: £1,234.06 (£64.94 off) View Deal
You can save money on the updated entry-level 13in MacBook Pro (2020). This model offers twice as much storage as the old entry-level model did, as well as an improved keyboard. Nothing else has changed though. KRCS was listing it as out of stock when we checked but we are including it as one to watch over the coming weeks.
KRCS also has money off the 512GB 1.4GHz MacBook Pro for 2020 here.
9. Apple MacBook Air, 1.1GHz dual-core, 256GB (2020) [KRCS]
Now: £949.06 (£49.94 off) View Deal
You can get money off the 2020 MacBook Air from KRCS.
The deal isn’t quite as good as it was earlier this summer when you could get it for £899, but it’s not bad.
Amazon also has an identical deal on this model, but it has a long delivery time (up to two months!). You can check it out here.
899.10
10. Apple Refurbished Mac Store (Discounted iMacs, MacBooks and more)
You can get a Mac from Apple at much lower prices if you buy from the Refurbished Store. Apple will have thoroughly tested the model and will offer you a full warranty so it can be a great way to get a good deal. Find out more about Refurbished Macs here.
Where to get MacBook deals, UK & US
Apple discounted the price of the MacBook Air back in July 2019, but this is quite a rare occurrence: Apple never really offers discounts on its Mac laptops – other than through its official refurbished store.
Speaking of which, you should pay a visit to the Apple Refurbished Store where you can find cut-price MacBook Pro models. These refurbished models are MacBook Pro laptops that were returned to Apple, perhaps due to a fault, but they are fully reconditioned now and come with a year’s warranty.
For example, in October 2019 we found a refurbished 2017 13in MacBook Pro, which would have cost £1,799 new, for £1,529, a saving of £270. Find the latest refurbished deals here. We also have this advice about buying a refurbished Mac.
Other resellers are offering discounts on the different MacBook models that are being sold brand new. You may find deals on the following sites:
UK
US
Sometimes Amazon offers Lightning deals on laptops. If you’ve found that you’re missing out on Amazon’s Lightning deals, which run for just a few hours and offer limited stock, we’d recommend signing up for Amazon’s 30 day free trial of Prime, which will get you access to deals 30 minutes before everyone else. Plus, you’ll get free next-day delivery with the Prime trial, as well as access to Prime Instant Video and more. Sign up for Prime now to take advantage.
Best MacBook student deals
Another great resource to help you save is the Macworld UK’s Student Deals page, particularly the Tech & Mobile section. Right now, Apple is offering up to 10% off Macs as well as a pair of Beats headphones and 20% off Apple Care. Simply create an account, log in, and verify your student status, and the discount is yours. Here’s How to use the Apple Education Store.
You can also save 8% on accessories and 5% on iPads (more iPad deals). See all Macworld UK student tech deals here.
Via MACWORLD