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The MacBook Air advertised for $699 ahead of Black Friday 2025 was the 13-inch M2 model with 16GB of unified memory and a 256GB SSD—not the newest Air. It was compatible with Apple Intelligence, but a contemporaneous deal put the newer 13-inch M4 at $749.99. If that $50 gap held, the M4 was the better value for most buyers; the M2 made sense mainly for shoppers who could not stretch beyond $700.
Date check: Best Buy’s $699 promotion was reported on November 11, 2025. It is a historical deal, not a currently verified price. Apple introduced the M5 MacBook Air in March 2026, starting at $1,099 for the 13-inch model in the U.S. (Apple’s M5 announcement.)
What the $699 deal included
Best Buy advertised a $100 discount on a 13-inch MacBook Air with Apple’s M2 chip on November 11, 2025. The reported configuration had 16GB of unified memory and 256GB of SSD storage, with at least Silverlight and Midnight color options. The deal was covered as a new-product promotion; confirm condition and the exact configuration on any listing you find, since a lower price on an open-box unit or a model with different memory or storage is not the same offer. The contemporaneous deal report gives the price and configuration.
The reported $100 saving is a discount from the price cited at the time, not proof that $699 was the model’s lowest price ever. Nor does the old deal report confirm that the product remains in stock today.
#1 Best Overall
- STRIKINGLY THIN DESIGN — The redesigned MacBook Air is more portable than ever and weighs just 2.7 pounds. It’s the incredibly capable laptop that lets you work, play or create just about anything — anywhere
- SUPERCHARGED BY M2 — Get more done faster with a next-generation 8-core CPU, up to 10-core GPU and up to 24GB of unified memory
- BIG, BEAUTIFUL DISPLAY — The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display features over 500 nits of brightness, P3 wide color and support for 1 billion colors for vibrant images and incredible detail
- ADVANCED CAMERA AND AUDIO — Look sharp and sound great with a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, three-mic array and four-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio
- VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY — MacBook Air features a MagSafe charging port, two Thunderbolt ports and a headphone jack
What you got for the money
| Specification | 13-inch M2 deal model | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 13.6 inches; 2560 × 1664; up to 500 nits; True Tone | A sharp, bright screen suited to school, office work, browsing and video. |
| Chip | 10-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine | Plenty for everyday productivity and light creative tasks; not the newest platform. |
| Memory and storage | 16GB unified memory; 256GB SSD | 16GB is useful for multitasking, but 256GB can fill quickly with media, games or development tools. |
| Battery | Up to 18 hours, according to Apple’s rated claim | “Up to” is not a promise of a particular runtime; workload, settings and battery condition matter. |
| Camera and audio | 1080p FaceTime HD camera; four-speaker system with Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos support | Good for routine calls and media, but the newer M4 has a more capable camera. |
| Ports | Two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack | Users who connect several accessories may need a USB-C or Thunderbolt hub or dock. |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6; Bluetooth 5.3 | It lacks the M4 model’s Wi-Fi 6E support. |
For documents, email, web browsing, streaming, video calls, photo management and light editing, this configuration was a capable everyday laptop. The main compromise is storage: 256GB is workable for a cloud-first user, but can be restrictive if you keep a large photo library, install many games, edit video, use virtual machines or want files available offline. An external SSD or cloud plan can help, but include that cost when comparing deals.
Yes, the M2 is compatible with Apple Intelligence—but that has limits
Apple Intelligence compatibility is not exclusive to M4 Macs. Apple’s general compatibility guidance includes Macs with M1 chips or later, which covers the M2 Air. That means the deal model met the baseline hardware requirement; it does not mean every Apple Intelligence feature is available on every compatible Mac.
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 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.
Access can depend on macOS version, language, region and rollout. Apple’s June 2026 announcements also describe newer, more demanding capabilities with a requirement of at least an M3 Mac and 12GB of unified memory. The M2’s 16GB of memory does not override that chip-generation requirement. So treat “supports Apple Intelligence” as baseline compatibility, not a guarantee of all current or future features. See Apple’s compatibility and availability information and its announcement about newer Siri capabilities.
M2 for $699 or M4 for $749.99?
In the November 2025 comparison, the 13-inch M4 Air was reportedly $749.99 at Amazon—about $50, or 7%, more than the M2 deal. Both cited deals were 16GB-memory, 256GB-storage configurations. For a buyer able to spend the extra $50, the M4 offered a newer chip and useful hardware improvements, making it the stronger buy in that specific comparison.
Rank #3
- IMPRESSIVELY BIG, IMPOSSIBLY THIN — The 15-inch MacBook Air makes room for more of what you love with a spacious Liquid Retina display. The durable 100 percent recycled aluminum enclosure is strikingly thin and light.
- SUPERCHARGED BY M2 — Get more done faster with a powerful 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and up to 24GB of unified memory.
- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — Go all day with the power-efficient performance of the Apple M2 chip. (Battery life varies by use and configuration. See apple.com/batteries for more information.)
- SPACIOUS, BEAUTIFUL DISPLAY — The high-resolution, 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display features 500 nits of brightness, P3 wide color, and support for one billion colors for vibrant images and incredible detail. (The display on the 15-inch MacBook Air has rounded corners at the top. When measured as a standard rectangular shape, the screen is 15.3 inches diagonally; actual viewable area is less.)
- SILENT DESIGN — MacBook Air features a fanless design that runs completely silent, no matter the task.
| Feature | M2 deal | M4 comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Reported deal price (November 2025) | $699 at Best Buy | $749.99 at Amazon |
| Memory / storage | 16GB / 256GB | 16GB / 256GB in the cited comparison |
| Memory bandwidth | 100GB/s | 120GB/s |
| Camera | 1080p FaceTime HD | 12MP Center Stage |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Best fit | A firm budget ceiling around $700 | Buyers who can pay a little more for a newer platform and improved features |
The price and comparison figures are historical, not today’s quotes. The M4’s camera can be a meaningful improvement if you spend a lot of time on video calls, and its newer platform offers more performance headroom. Apple’s M4 Air announcement and model comparison provide additional product details.
Who should choose the M2?
- Buy the M2 at $699 if your budget is firm, the exact new 16GB/256GB configuration is available from a reputable seller, and your work is mainly school assignments, office apps, browsing, streaming and communication.
- Choose the M4 instead if it is still only around $50 to $100 more and you can comfortably afford it. That is especially sensible if you rely on video calls, plan to keep the laptop for years, or specifically want more headroom for newer features.
- Consider another configuration if you know 256GB will not be enough. A low sticker price may not be a bargain once you add external storage or pay for a larger-capacity model.
- Look beyond the Air if your regular work involves demanding video production, 3D work or other sustained professional workloads, or if you need a wider selection of built-in ports. A two-port laptop may also mean budgeting for a dock.
Students and office users doing ordinary tasks can get useful service from the M2. Frequent travelers may value its compact 13.6-inch size. For creators, developers, or anyone planning to keep a machine for five or more years, the M4—or, for a shopper buying in 2026 with a larger budget, the M5—offers a more compelling case. No chip guarantees a particular useful lifespan, and Apple’s future software and feature requirements can change.
Rank #4
- Apple M2 8-Core Chip 16GB Unified RAM | 256GB SSD
- 13.6" 2560 x 1664 Liquid Retina Display 8-Core GPU | 16-Core Neural Engine
- Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) | Bluetooth 5.0 Thunderbolt 3
- FaceTime Full HD 1080p Camera Backlit Magic Keyboard
- Force Touch Trackpad | Touch ID Sensor macOS
Should you buy before Black Friday or wait?
The $699 offer appeared before Black Friday; that timing alone does not establish it as the season’s best price. Waiting can bring different discounts, but there is no guarantee of a deeper deal, a particular configuration or color, or remaining inventory. Older models may be discounted as newer generations arrive, but stock and retailer terms vary.
If you needed a laptop immediately in November 2025 and could not go above $700, the M2 deal was a reasonable option. If you could wait and the purchase was optional, comparing later offers was sensible—but the M4 was already the better value if the reported $749.99 price remained available. Check whether a listing is new, open-box or refurbished; verify chip, memory, SSD capacity, color, seller, return window, warranty, shipping and any membership or payment conditions. Do not assume an old deal price is still live.
Best Value
- SUPERCHARGED BY M2: The 13.6-inch MacBook Air laptop is a portable powerhouse. Get more done faster with a next-generation 8-core CPU, up to 10-core GPU and up to 24GB of unified memory.
- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE: Go all day and into the night, thanks to the power-efficient performance of the brand new Apple M2 chip. (Up to 18 hours of video playback)
- BIG, BEAUTIFUL DISPLAY: The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display features 500 nits of brightness, P3 wide color, and support for 1 billion colors for vibrant images and incredible detail.
- STRIKINGLY THIN DESIGN: The redesigned MacBook Air is more portable than ever and weighs just 2.7 lbs. It’s the incredibly capable laptop that lets you work, play or create anything, anywhere.
- VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY: The MacBook Air features a MagSafe charging port, two Thunderbolt 3 ports and a headphone jack that lets you connect and power high-speed accessories.
For a purchase in 2026, the M5 is Apple’s current-generation Air. Apple announced it on March 3, 2026, with availability starting March 11; U.S. launch prices were $1,099 for the 13-inch and $1,299 for the 15-inch model. Those prices provide generation context, not a current quote for discontinued M2 or M4 stock. See Apple’s M5 announcement and check live retailer listings before making a purchase decision.
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.
