Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Best Buy’s $649.99 M1 MacBook Air deal was real—but it was a historical promotion from March 15, 2024, not a verified current offer. The discounted laptop was the 2020 13-inch base model with an M1 chip, 8GB of unified memory, and a 256GB SSD. MacRumors described the price as the lowest it had tracked for the model at that time.
Apple had just introduced the M3 MacBook Air, leaving the M2 model as the lower-priced MacBook Air in Apple’s lineup. That made Best Buy’s offer look like remaining-inventory clearance. Any M1 Air listing found today should be checked carefully for condition, battery health, warranty, and return eligibility.
What the $649.99 deal included
The offer covered the 13-inch, 2020 MacBook Air with Apple’s M1 chip. The specific configuration was:
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match- Eight-core CPU
- Seven-core GPU
- 8GB unified memory
- 256GB SSD
- 13.3-inch Retina display
- Two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports and a headphone jack
- Touch ID keyboard
- Fanless aluminum design
The usual U.S. starting price was $999, making the sale price roughly $350 lower before sales tax and any shipping charges. The “all-time low” description should be read as MacRumors’ tracked pricing assessment, not an independently audited record across every retailer, color, condition, and region.
#1 Best Overall
- Retina display; 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology (2560x1600 native resolution)
- Apple M1 chip with 8 cores (4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores), a 7-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine
- 8GB memory | 128GB SSD
- Backlit Magic Keyboard | Touch ID sensor | 720p FaceTime HD camera
- 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 wireless networking, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac compatible | Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology
Why Best Buy cut the price
Apple announced the M3 MacBook Air on March 4, 2024, with availability beginning March 8. Apple’s announcement also positioned the M2 MacBook Air as the lower-priced model, starting at $999 in the United States. That product-line change strongly suggests Best Buy was clearing remaining M1 inventory, although there is no evidence that Apple publicly directed the retailer to use this particular price.
The M1 Air originally launched in 2020, so it was about four years old when the promotion appeared. New stock reportedly disappeared quickly in some locations, while shoppers began seeing open-box units instead. Those availability reports came from forum users, not an official Best Buy inventory statement.
Was the M1 MacBook Air still good?
At $649.99 new, it was an attractive low-cost way to buy a Mac. Apple’s M1 platform delivered strong efficiency compared with Intel-based MacBook Air models, and the fanless design operated silently. For browsing, schoolwork, office applications, video calls, programming, light photo editing, streaming, and ordinary creative tasks, the laptop remained capable.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteRank #2
- Apple-designed M1 chip for a giant leap in CPU, GPU, and machine learning performance
- Charge less with up to 18 hours of battery life - 13.3-inch Retina display with P3 wide color
- 8-core CPU delivers up to 3.5x faster performance to tackle projects faster than ever before
- Up to eight GPU cores with up to 5x faster graphics - FaceTime HD camera for clearer, sharper video calls
- 16-core Neural Engine for advanced machine learning - 8GB of unified memory so everything you do is fast and fluid
That does not make it equivalent to newer models. In its M3 announcement, Apple claimed the M3 MacBook Air was up to 60% faster than the M1 model in Apple’s own testing. The M1 Air was a sensible budget machine, not a replacement for a newer MacBook Pro or a laptop intended for sustained heavy workloads.
The compromises that mattered
8GB of memory
Eight gigabytes of unified memory could handle ordinary use, but it left less room for large browser sessions, virtual machines, demanding development environments, advanced photo or video work, and local AI tools. It was not universally unusable; the right judgment depended on the workload. Because the memory cannot be upgraded, buyers had to choose carefully.
Only 256GB of storage
The 256GB SSD could fill quickly with photos, video, games, developer tools, creative applications, virtual machines, or a large offline media library. Storage is also not user-upgradable, so a buyer needing more space would have to rely on external storage or cloud services.
Rank #3
- Apple-designed M1 chip for a giant leap in CPU, GPU, and machine learning performance
- Go longer than ever with up to 18 hours of battery life
- Up to eight GPU cores with up to 5x faster graphics for graphics-intensive apps and games
Older display, webcam, and charging design
The M1 model used the older 13.3-inch design and a 720p camera. Compared with the redesigned M2 Air, it lacked MagSafe charging, the newer 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, and a 1080p webcam. Apple documented those newer features in its M2 MacBook Air announcement.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →One external display
The base M1 MacBook Air officially supports one external display. That is a significant limitation for people building a two-monitor workstation. DisplayLink docks can provide workarounds, but they rely on additional software and have compatibility and performance trade-offs; a dock does not change Apple’s native display-support limit.
Limited sustained performance
The fanless design is quiet, but sustained rendering, long video exports, high-end gaming, and multiple virtual machines can expose the limits of the base configuration. Buyers with those needs should consider a newer or higher-tier Mac, or a suitable Windows laptop, instead.
Rank #4
- Key Features Apple M1 8-Core CPU 16GB Unified RAM | 256GB SSD
- 13.3" 2560 x 1600 Retina IPS Display 7-Core GPU | 16-Core Neural Engine
- Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) | Bluetooth 5.0 2 x Thunderbolt 3 / USB 4 Ports
- Backlit Magic Keyboard Force Touch Trackpad | Touch ID Sensor
- macOS
New, open-box, or used?
The original $649.99 story described a new-product deal. A later listing for an M1 Air should not automatically be treated as the same offer. Open-box and used laptops can differ in battery wear, cosmetic condition, included accessories, packaging, warranty status, return period, and fulfillment source.
Before buying any remaining unit, check:
- Condition: Confirm whether it is new, open-box, refurbished, or used.
- Configuration: Verify the 8GB memory, 256GB storage, 13-inch size, and M1 chip rather than relying on a generic product title.
- Battery: For open-box or used stock, check battery health and cycle count where available.
- Warranty: Verify the serial number and Apple warranty status.
- AppleCare+: Do not assume it can be added; eligibility depends on timing and inspection requirements.
- Returns: Read the specific return policy for open-box merchandise.
- Security: Make sure the Mac is not activation-locked or enrolled in an organization’s device-management system.
- Price: Compare the final price with a newer M2, M3, or later MacBook Air before checkout.
Inventory can vary by ZIP code, color, store, shipping destination, and whether the listing is for new or open-box stock. There is no basis in the historical deal report for saying the M1 Air is available now. Current pricing should be checked directly through Best Buy, Apple, or Apple’s Certified Refurbished store.
Who should buy an M1 Air at a discount?
The M1 Air makes the most sense when the price is substantially below newer alternatives and the buyer mainly needs a portable Mac for web use, school, office work, communications, and light creative tasks. It is also more appealing when the unit is genuinely new or has a clear return policy and verified warranty.
Best Value
- Retina display; 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology (2560x1600 native resolution)
- Apple M1 chip with 8 cores (4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores), a 7-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine
- 8GB memory | 128GB SSD
- Backlit Magic Keyboard | Touch ID sensor | 720p FaceTime HD camera
- 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 wireless networking, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac compatible | Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology
Skip it when you need virtual machines, containers, professional video production, large music projects, demanding software development, two external monitors, a high-quality webcam, or more than 256GB of internal storage. It is also a poor value if its price is close to a newer MacBook Air, especially for someone planning to keep the computer for many years.
Bottom line on the $650 deal
At $649.99 for a new unit on March 15, 2024, Best Buy’s M1 MacBook Air promotion was a genuinely compelling budget-Mac deal. It bought a quiet, efficient laptop with capable everyday performance, but the 8GB memory, 256GB storage, older webcam and chassis, single-display limit, and aging platform were real compromises.
Today, treat the $650 price as historical context—not a live deal. If an M1 Air appears as clearance or open-box stock, compare its condition, battery, warranty, return policy, and price with a newer Mac before buying. For demanding workloads or long-term ownership, a newer model with at least 16GB of memory is usually the safer choice when the budget allows.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
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.
