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As of August 18, 2026, the clearest verified Black Friday benchmark for the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air is $949 for the 16GB/256GB model. That was $250 below its $1,199 U.S. launch price. Selected higher-spec configurations were reported at up to $350 off, but that maximum saving did not apply to every 15-inch model. Black Friday 2026 has not happened yet, so these are historical prices—not live offers.
Record prices at a glance
| Configuration | Reported Black Friday 2025 price | Launch or regular price | Saving | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15-inch M4, 16GB memory, 256GB SSD | $949 | $1,199 | $250 (about 20.9%) | 9to5Mac described this as the best price it had tracked for the model: 9to5Mac |
| 15-inch M4, 16GB memory, 512GB SSD | Approximately $1,149 | $1,399 | $250 | Historical deal report from Tom’s Guide |
| 15-inch M4, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD | Approximately $1,349 | $1,599 | $250 | Historical deal report from Tom’s Guide |
| Selected upgraded M4 configurations | Varied | Varied | Up to $350 | Publication- and retailer-specific claim reported by AppleInsider |
The $949 figure is the most useful floor for shoppers comparing the base 15-inch model. The “up to $350 off” figure is a largest-dollar-saving claim for selected configurations; it is not proof that the base model reached $849 or that every 15-inch SKU received the same discount.
What the 15-inch M4 model includes
The product covered here is the 15.3-inch-class MacBook Air introduced with Apple’s M4 chip in March 2025. Configurations use 16GB, 24GB or 32GB of unified memory and 256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB of SSD storage. Prices discussed are U.S. pre-tax prices for new retail units unless a section explicitly says refurbished.
Do not combine 13-inch M4 prices, M3 or M5 models, used units, open-box inventory, or coupon prices requiring special conditions with this new 15-inch record. Apple announced the M4 Air on March 5, 2025, with retail availability beginning March 12 and a $1,199 starting price for 16GB/256GB: Apple’s announcement.
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- BUILT FOR COLLEGE. AND BEYOND — MacBook Air with the M5 chip packs blazing speed and powerful AI capabilities into an incredibly portable design. And with up to 18 hours of battery life,* this thin and light powerhouse is ready to take on almost any major, just about anywhere.
- TEAR THROUGH TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS — With its faster CPU and unified memory, the M5 chip delivers even more performance and fluidity across apps, making multitasking and creative workflows smooth and responsive. A powerful Neural Engine and next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators give you a powerful platform for AI.
- MAKE QUICK WORK OF YOUR TO-DO LIST — Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly — whether it’s for school or everyday life. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Air delivers incredible battery life with amazing performance, so you can power through a full day of classes without worrying about plugging in.
- A BRILLIANT 15.3-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Air supports 1 billion colors, making photos and videos pop with rich contrast and sharp detail, and text appears supercrisp. So everything — from class presentations to movies to games — looks truly stunning.
Launch prices and what the discount means
| Configuration | Launch or regular price used in deal coverage | Reported 2025 deal | Dollar reduction |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16GB/256GB | $1,199 | $949 | $250 |
| 16GB/512GB | $1,399 | $1,149 | $250 |
| 24GB/512GB | $1,599 | $1,349 | $250 |
The $1,199 baseline is confirmed by Apple. The higher configuration prices and deal prices are historical figures reported by Tom’s Guide, so treat them as observed benchmarks rather than guaranteed future pricing.
Lowest price versus biggest discount
Lowest checkout price
The $949 16GB/256GB machine is the lowest clearly documented new-retail price in the available 15-inch M4 coverage. It is also about 20.9% below the $1,199 launch MSRP ($250 divided by $1,199).
Rank #2
- BUILT FOR COLLEGE. AND BEYOND — MacBook Air with the M5 chip packs blazing speed and powerful AI capabilities into an incredibly portable design. And with up to 18 hours of battery life,* this thin and light powerhouse is ready to take on almost any major, just about anywhere.
- TEAR THROUGH TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS — With its faster CPU and unified memory, the M5 chip delivers even more performance and fluidity across apps, making multitasking and creative workflows smooth and responsive. A powerful Neural Engine and next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators give you a powerful platform for AI.
- MAKE QUICK WORK OF YOUR TO-DO LIST — Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly — whether it’s for school or everyday life. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Air delivers incredible battery life with amazing performance, so you can power through a full day of classes without worrying about plugging in.
- A BRILLIANT 15.3-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Air supports 1 billion colors, making photos and videos pop with rich contrast and sharp detail, and text appears supercrisp. So everything — from class presentations to movies to games — looks truly stunning.
Largest dollar saving
AppleInsider reported discounts of up to $350 on selected M4 MacBook Air configurations, including 15-inch offers at B&H. Because the exact SKU, stock and retailer can vary, describe this as “up to $350 off selected configurations,” not as a universal 15-inch record.
Why the distinction matters
A $350 reduction on a $1,599 configuration leaves a $1,249 purchase price, while a $250 reduction makes the base model $949. The better value depends on whether you need extra memory or storage, not simply on the largest advertised dollar figure.
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- BUILT FOR COLLEGE. AND BEYOND — MacBook Air with the M5 chip packs blazing speed and powerful AI capabilities into an incredibly portable design. And with up to 18 hours of battery life,* this thin and light powerhouse is ready to take on almost any major, just about anywhere.
- TEAR THROUGH TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS — With its faster CPU and unified memory, the M5 chip delivers even more performance and fluidity across apps, making multitasking and creative workflows smooth and responsive. A powerful Neural Engine and next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators give you a powerful platform for AI.
- MAKE QUICK WORK OF YOUR TO-DO LIST — Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly — whether it’s for school or everyday life. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Air delivers incredible battery life with amazing performance, so you can power through a full day of classes without worrying about plugging in.
- A BRILLIANT 15.3-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Air supports 1 billion colors, making photos and videos pop with rich contrast and sharp detail, and text appears supercrisp. So everything — from class presentations to movies to games — looks truly stunning.
Which configuration offers the best value?
16GB/256GB: lowest entry price
Choose this tier when minimizing upfront cost matters most and your files live mainly in cloud storage or on external drives. Its 256GB SSD can become restrictive for photo libraries, games, development environments and virtual machines.
16GB/512GB: the practical default
The reported $1,149 price is $200 more than the $949 base deal while doubling storage. For many owners keeping the Mac for several years, that capacity is easier to live with than constantly managing a nearly full 256GB drive.
Rank #4
- BUILT FOR COLLEGE. AND BEYOND — MacBook Air with the M5 chip packs blazing speed and powerful AI capabilities into an incredibly portable design. And with up to 18 hours of battery life,* this thin and light powerhouse is ready to take on almost any major, just about anywhere.
- TEAR THROUGH TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS — With its faster CPU and unified memory, the M5 chip delivers even more performance and fluidity across apps, making multitasking and creative workflows smooth and responsive. A powerful Neural Engine and next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators give you a powerful platform for AI.
- MAKE QUICK WORK OF YOUR TO-DO LIST — Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly — whether it’s for school or everyday life. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Air delivers incredible battery life with amazing performance, so you can power through a full day of classes without worrying about plugging in.
- A BRILLIANT 13.6-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Air supports 1 billion colors, making photos and videos pop with rich contrast and sharp detail, and text appears supercrisp. So everything — from class presentations to movies to games — looks truly stunning.
24GB/512GB: heavier workloads
The approximately $1,349 historical price suits sustained multitasking, software development, large creative projects and local AI tools. Pay for the extra memory only if your workload can use it; memory and SSD capacity cannot be upgraded later.
Retailer and condition checks
- Amazon: historically offered aggressive direct discounts, but check that the seller is Amazon or an authorized source, confirm the exact memory and SSD, and review warranty and returns. The relevant search page is Amazon.
- Best Buy: useful for store pickup, trade-in and open-box choices. Open-box battery health, included accessories and return terms need separate verification. See Best Buy’s MacBook Air category.
- B&H Photo: may offer configuration-specific clearance pricing, including the “up to $350” reports. Limited stock and shipping terms can make a headline price short-lived: B&H’s Apple MacBook category.
- Apple retail: Apple often emphasizes an Apple Gift Card rather than an equivalent immediate price cut. A gift card is not the same as reducing the checkout total for every buyer. Shop at Apple.
- Apple Certified Refurbished: Apple has listed 15-inch M4 units, including a captured 16GB/256GB listing at $1,019. Inventory and prices change, and refurbished units must not be presented as new Black Friday records. Check Apple’s refurbished inventory.
How the M4 fits into the 2026 market
Apple’s current 15-inch MacBook Air is the M5 model, with a U.S. starting price of $1,499 on Apple’s 2026 configurator: Apple’s 15-inch M5 page. The M4 therefore makes sense as a previous-generation clearance purchase, not as Apple’s current model.
Best Value
- BUILT FOR COLLEGE. AND BEYOND — MacBook Air with the M5 chip packs blazing speed and powerful AI capabilities into an incredibly portable design. And with up to 18 hours of battery life,* this thin and light powerhouse is ready to take on almost any major, just about anywhere.
- TEAR THROUGH TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS — With its faster CPU and unified memory, the M5 chip delivers even more performance and fluidity across apps, making multitasking and creative workflows smooth and responsive. A powerful Neural Engine and next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators give you a powerful platform for AI.
- MAKE QUICK WORK OF YOUR TO-DO LIST — Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly — whether it’s for school or everyday life. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Air delivers incredible battery life with amazing performance, so you can power through a full day of classes without worrying about plugging in.
- A BRILLIANT 13.6-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Air supports 1 billion colors, making photos and videos pop with rich contrast and sharp detail, and text appears supercrisp. So everything — from class presentations to movies to games — looks truly stunning.
Use the historical benchmarks this way: around $949 for a new 16GB/256GB M4 is exceptional; roughly $999–$1,049 is still reasonable when warranty and returns are normal; above $1,099 for that base tier is a weak discount unless meaningful extras are included. Around $1,149 for 16GB/512GB and $1,349 for 24GB/512GB are strong reference points. If an M4 price approaches $1,499, compare the current M5 instead.
15-inch trade-offs beyond the price
- Workspace and portability: The larger display and speakers are useful for split-screen work, but the 15-inch chassis is less portable and generally costs more than the 13-inch Air.
- Fanless operation: The Air is quiet, while sustained heavy workloads may be better suited to a MacBook Pro.
- External displays: Confirm display-support limits for the exact generation and macOS version before buying.
- Protection: AppleCare+ adds cost; compare that premium with your expected ownership period and risk of accidental damage at Apple’s Mac support page.
Checklist for verifying a “record” deal
- Confirm the listing says 15-inch and M4, not 13-inch, M3 or M5.
- Match the advertised memory and SSD to the configuration you intend to buy.
- Check whether the unit is new, Apple Certified Refurbished, open-box or used.
- Record the retailer, seller identity, date, color and final checkout price before tax.
- Look for membership, coupon, credit-card, trade-in or gift-card conditions.
- Verify return duration, warranty coverage, battery condition for non-new units and stock status.
- Use Keepa or CamelCamelCamel to check whether an Amazon price is genuinely unusual, remembering that those trackers do not cover every retailer or condition.
What happened with Cyber Monday?
MacRumors reported an approximately $738.04 Cyber Monday price for an M4 MacBook Air, about $11 below its cited Black Friday price, but the report focused on the 13-inch model. It does not establish a lower 15-inch record: MacRumors’ report.
When to buy or wait
Buy immediately
Buy a new 16GB/256GB 15-inch M4 at $949 or less, or a 16GB/512GB model around $1,149, provided the seller, warranty and return terms are normal.
Consider waiting
Wait when the price is materially above those benchmarks, stock is uncertain, or a comparable 15-inch M5 is only modestly more expensive.
Avoid the offer
Walk away when the listing hides the configuration, relies on an unverified marketplace seller, counts a trade-in as the advertised price, or compares refurbished or open-box hardware with new-retail records.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
