Amazon’s November 2024 Black Friday event produced an unusually early discount on Apple’s then-new M4 MacBook Pro. The base 14-inch model with 16GB memory and a 512GB SSD was reported at about $1,399, down $200 from its $1,599 U.S. launch price. Amazon was the only major retailer reported at that exact new-low price on November 20, but the advantage was temporary: Best Buy and B&H later matched or approached the savings on selected configurations.
The M4 MacBook Pro configurations that received discounts
Apple announced the M4 MacBook Pro on October 30, 2024, and began availability on November 8. The launch lineup included 14-inch and 16-inch notebooks with base M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips. Apple’s launch announcement lists U.S. starting prices and specifications at Apple’s newsroom.
| Configuration | Launch MSRP (U.S.) | Reported Black Friday price or reduction | Approximate saving | Evidence and timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14-inch M4, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16GB unified memory, 512GB SSD | $1,599 | About $1,399 | $200, approximately 12.5% | Base-model deal reported by Laptop Mag; retailer and stock were time-sensitive: Laptop Mag |
| 14-inch M4 Pro | $1,999 starting price | Selected configurations up to about $250 off | About 12.5% when the reduction was $250 | Amazon discounts reported November 20, 2024: MacRumors |
| 16-inch M4 Pro | $2,499 starting price | About $2,199 on selected models | $300, approximately 12% | Black Friday weekend comparison covering Amazon, Best Buy and B&H: MacPrices |
| Higher-end M4 Max models | Varied by memory and storage | Varied; some selected models received large dollar reductions | Not stated consistently | Do not apply the 16-inch $300 figure to every M4 Max configuration. |
The reported $1,399 price refers to the base 14-inch specification, not every M4 MacBook Pro. Memory, storage, chip, screen size, color and seller can all change the checkout price. Apple’s technical specifications are at Apple’s MacBook Pro specifications page.
What “exclusive” meant in the 2024 coverage
“Exclusive” described a point-in-time retail advantage, not a permanent Amazon-only arrangement.
#1 Best Overall
- This pre-owned product is not Apple certified, but has been professionally inspected, tested and cleaned by Amazon-qualified suppliers.
- There will be no visible cosmetic imperfections when held at an arm’s length. There will be no visible cosmetic imperfections when held at an arm’s length.
- This product will have a battery which exceeds 80% capacity relative to new.
- Accessories will not be original, but will be compatible and fully functional. Product may come in generic Box.
- This product is eligible for a replacement or refund within 90 days of receipt if you are not satisfied.
- Retailer-exclusive: On November 20, Amazon was reported as the only major retailer showing the specific new-low prices covered in that report.
- Time-exclusive: Amazon moved unusually early. Amazon discounts of up to $160 had already been reported on November 13, before the later reductions of up to $250: MacRumors’ November 13 coverage.
- Configuration-exclusive: A price could apply only to one memory, SSD, color or chip combination. A discount on a 16-inch M4 Max cannot be treated as a discount on the base 14-inch M4.
By November 30, reporting found comparable reductions at Amazon, Best Buy and B&H on selected 16-inch M4 Pro and M4 Max models. The defensible description is therefore “Amazon-only when first reported,” not “Amazon-exclusive for the entire Black Friday season.”
Why a newly launched MacBook Pro was discounted so quickly
The M4 machines had been available for only a few weeks when Black Friday pricing appeared. Retailers commonly use holiday price cuts to attract traffic and compete for high-value baskets that may also include accessories, financing or memberships. A retailer can accept a lower margin without Apple changing its official MSRP.
Rank #2
- SUPERCHARGED BY M5 — The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 brings next-generation speed and powerful on-device AI to personal, professional, and creative tasks. Featuring all-day battery life and a breathtaking Liquid Retina XDR display with up to 1600 nits peak brightness, it’s pro in every way.*
- HAPPILY EVER FASTER — Along with its faster CPU and unified memory, M5 features a more powerful GPU with a Neural Accelerator built into each core, delivering faster AI performance. So you can blaze through demanding workloads at mind-bending speeds.
- BUILT FOR APPLE INTELLIGENCE — Apple Intelligence is the personal intelligence system that helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- ALL-DAY BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Pro delivers the same exceptional performance whether it’s running on battery or plugged in.
- APPS FLY WITH APPLE SILICON — All your favorites, including Microsoft 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud, run lightning fast in macOS.*
These promotions are usually constrained by inventory, color and configuration. A discount can disappear when a warehouse sells through a particular SKU, when a listing changes from direct fulfillment to a marketplace seller, or when the retailer ends the promotion. Those commercial explanations do not establish that Apple authorized a permanent price reduction.
Apple’s promotion was different from Amazon’s cash discount
Apple’s 2024 Black Friday event used Apple Gift Cards on selected products. Coverage of the event reported that the newly launched MacBook Pro models were excluded, while certain MacBook Air models qualified: MacRumors’ event report.
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Rank #3
- SUPERCHARGED BY M4 PRO OR M4 MAX — The 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 Pro or M4 Max chip gives you outrageous performance in a powerhouse laptop built for Apple Intelligence.* With all-day battery life and a breathtaking Liquid Retina XDR display with up to 1600 nits peak brightness, it’s pro in every way.*
- CHAMPION CHIPS — The M4 Pro chip blazes through demanding tasks like compiling millions of lines of code. M4 Max can handle the most challenging workflows, like rendering intricate 3D content.
- BUILT FOR APPLE INTELLIGENCE—Apple Intelligence is the personal intelligence system that helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data—not even Apple.*
- ALL-DAY BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Pro delivers the same exceptional performance whether it’s running on battery or plugged in.
- APPS FLY WITH APPLE SILICON — All your favorites, including Microsoft 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud, run lightning fast in macOS.*
| Offer type | What the buyer receives | How to value it |
|---|---|---|
| Retailer price cut | Lower checkout price on the specified MacBook Pro SKU | Immediate reduction before tax |
| Apple Gift Card promotion | Future Apple-store credit rather than a lower Mac price | Useful only if the buyer will use the credit under the promotion’s terms |
| Education pricing | Eligibility-restricted Apple pricing | Compare separately with ordinary consumer deals |
A gift card is not equivalent to cash off the purchase, and the 2024 Apple event did not provide that incentive on the new M4 MacBook Pro according to the cited reporting.
Which M4 chip and size made sense?
Base M4: general work and moderate creation
The discounted 14-inch M4 was aimed at students, office users, developers, photographers and creators who wanted the Pro display, ports and sustained cooling without paying for a higher-tier chip. Apple specified 16GB of unified memory, configurable to 32GB, three Thunderbolt 4 ports and support for two high-resolution external displays in addition to the built-in display. Apple’s battery claim was up to 24 hours depending on model and use.
Rank #4
- Key Features Apple M4 10-Core Chip 16GB Unified RAM | 512GB SSD
- 14" 3024 x 1964 Liquid Retina XDR Screen 10-Core GPU | 16-Core Neural Engine
- Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) | Bluetooth 5.3 Thunderbolt 4 | HDMI | MagSafe 3
- SDXC Slot | 12MP Center Stage Camera Backlit Magic Keyboard
- Force Touch Trackpad | Touch ID Sensor macOS with Apple Intelligence
M4 Pro: sustained multicore workloads
M4 Pro models are a better fit for large software builds, heavier photo and video projects, and workloads that run many CPU cores for long periods. They also add Thunderbolt 5. The higher launch price can be justified when the configuration includes materially more memory, GPU capacity or storage rather than merely a newer name.
M4 Max: specialized professional workloads
M4 Max is intended for professional video, 3D, machine-learning and other applications that can use substantially more GPU resources and memory bandwidth. The largest dollar discount often appeared on these expensive models, but that does not make them the best value for a buyer whose workload is web, office or school work.
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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.
Base M4 versus a discounted M3 Pro
A newer generation is not automatically the better bargain. Compare the complete configurations before choosing:
- Single-core responsiveness for everyday apps.
- Multicore performance for compiles, exports and simulations.
- GPU cores and application support for video, 3D or machine learning.
- Unified-memory capacity, which is selected at purchase and is not upgradeable later.
- External-monitor limits and whether Thunderbolt 5 is required.
- Internal SSD capacity, warranty, return terms and seller status.
An M3 Pro clearance model can be the stronger professional purchase if it supplies more memory, GPU capacity or storage at a similar total price. Conversely, the base M4 may be preferable for a lighter workload, newer platform support and a lower entry price.
How to evaluate the deal before paying
- Match the exact SKU. Confirm chip, screen size, memory, SSD, color and whether the device is new.
- Check who fulfills it. Distinguish direct Amazon, Best Buy or B&H inventory from a third-party marketplace listing.
- Separate condition types. New, refurbished and open-box prices are not interchangeable. A surfaced Best Buy open-box listing, for example, is not evidence of a new-device Black Friday price: Best Buy’s listing.
- Calculate the configured total. Add the memory and storage upgrades you actually need; Apple silicon memory cannot be added later, and large internal-SSD upgrades can be costly. An external SSD may be cheaper if portability and speed fit your workflow.
- Review checkout conditions. Advertised prices generally exclude sales tax. Membership-only pricing, financing and credit-card rewards can change the economics and should not be counted as instant cash savings unless you qualify.
- Read the current policies. Verify the holiday return deadline, price-adjustment rules, marketplace eligibility and any open-box exceptions at the retailer before ordering.
Buy now, compare, or wait?
Buying the historical deal made sense when
- The exact required configuration was at or near its documented low.
- The buyer needed a machine before the holiday season.
- The retailer’s return and price-adjustment terms were acceptable.
- The memory, storage and chip matched the workload without expensive upgrades.
Comparing or waiting made more sense when
- The reduction was only $50 to $100.
- The sale SKU had inadequate memory or storage.
- A discounted M3 Pro offered more capability for similar money.
- The listing was third-party, open-box or refurbished when a new device was expected.
- The buyer did not need a Pro machine and a MacBook Air offered better value.
For a purchase in 2026, treat this as historical deal context. Apple’s current MacBook Pro page promotes the M5, M5 Pro and M5 Max generation, so a buyer shopping now should compare the remaining price and warranty of an M4 against the current M5 line: Apple’s current MacBook Pro page. No live 2026 M4 price is established here.
Bottom line on the “exclusive” Black Friday cut
Amazon’s early 2024 discount was unusually aggressive for a MacBook Pro that had just launched: about $200 off the $1,599 base 14-inch model, with reductions reaching roughly $250 on selected 14-inch M4 Pro configurations and about $300 on selected 16-inch models later in the event. The strongest accurate claim is that Amazon moved first and briefly held the reported new-low prices. Best Buy and B&H later joined the competition, so exclusivity did not last.
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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.
