Black Friday 2016 Apple Laptop Deals

How to buy a MacBook on Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Get a great deal on the best MacBook for you

(Image: © Future)

Despite being given a rare price cut over the summer, Apple's MacBooks remain out of reach for many people due to their premium price tags.

Thankfully Black Friday is almost here, presenting an opportunity to pick up one of the Cupertino company's sleek machines at a further discount. And – as the saying (kind of) goes – if at first you don't succeed, there's always Cyber Monday.

If you already know what you are looking for in a MacBook, then head on straight to see our picks of the best cheap MacBook sale prices and deals for Black Friday 2019. On the other hand, if you require guidance on which MacBook would best suit your needs, then steam on ahead.

While Apple doesn't offer all that many MacBook models (especially compared to a multitude of Windows-powered laptops), they're available in various configurations and sizes with subtle differences that could determine whether one is right for you.

MacBook Pro 16-inch — The new 16-inch MacBook Pro has been announcedthank (Image credit: Future)

Choosing a MacBook that's right for you

First off, you will need to decide how much power you need under the hood. At the time of writing, only Intel chips are offered in Apple's MacBooks – but that's no bad thing.

For word processing, browsing websites and consuming content, the dual-core configurations offered in Apple's MacBook Air models will suit you fine and are even capable of light photo and video editing.

However, for anything more demanding - such as manipulating high-resolution images and 4K video - you'd be better served by a MacBook Pro equipped with a quad-core processor and dedicated graphics card.

If you're thinking of picking up a MacBook to game on, well, we'll stop you right there. Even on Apple's most expensive MacBook Pro, which comes equipped with an AMD Vega 20 GPU (at a substantial cost), you'll need to set Triple-A titles to medium or high graphics settings to run them at 60fps – the fastest its screen's refresh rate is capable of – which is a low compared to dedicated gaming laptops that can reach up to 144Hz (and beyond).

Instead, gamers should scour our Black Friday gaming laptop deals for a Windows machine with superior graphical grunt.

If you're not gaming but require dedicated graphics for multimedia work, Apple's baseline 15-inch MacBook Pro, which comes with an AMD Radeon 555X dedicated GPU, should be your starting point.

Since 2016 all of Apple's MacBooks have come with USB-C ports – two on MacBook Air and two or four on MacBook Pro. Having four of them is useful if you'll be hooking up two monitors or want several devices connected at the same time. Most people, however, will get by with two ports which leaves one for a monitor and another for hooking up peripherals – including a USB hub.

Apple's modern MacBooks sport excellent speakers that emit rich sound and are more than suitable for listening to music, watching videos or holding conference calls.

Their keyboards, on the other hand, have divided users since their introduction in 2016. It's true that the slim keys on today's models are contentious.

However, with the announcement of the 16-inch MacBook Pro, it's been confirmed that Apple will not be using the old-style keyboard, so if you're concerned about keyboard issues in older MacBooks, it might be worth looking into the new MacBook Pro, or holding out for new MacBook models that will come out in 2020.

If you can't wait until then, our advice is to head to an Apple store and try one out before reaching into your wallet.

Storage solutions

Thankfully, all modern MacBooks come with fast PCIe-based SSDs, which makes your storage choice come down to how much capacity you will need.

The MacBook Air starts at 128GB, which will be sufficient unless you'll be storing masses of high-resolution videos and photos. At that point, 256GB, 512GB or even 1TB becomes a more sensible option.

That's especially the case if you'll be running Windows on your Mac via an app such as Parallels or VMware Fusion, which will vastly reduce the amount of free space on your macOS installation.

15-inch MacBook Pro 2019 — (Image credit: Future)

Size, screen and weight

Apple's MacBooks are among the slimmest laptops that you can buy, especially when it comes to the svelte MacBook Air which weighs 2.75 pounds. That may not sound much lighter than the 13-inch MacBook Pro's 3.02 pounds, and it would be difficult to tell the difference when slung into a backpack.

However, if you want Apple's lightest MacBook (and don't want to consider Apple's discontinued MacBook – also referred to as the 12-inch MacBook), there is a slight advantage to the Air.

It won't come as much surprise to discover that the 15-inch MacBook Pro is noticeably heavier than both the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro, tipping the scales at 4.02 pounds. The upside is that you get a capacious display which, like its smaller sibling's, is color-accurate thanks to P3 color support, making it the best choice for multimedia professionals.

Also useful in this area is Apple's MacBook Touch Bar, available as an optional extra on certain 13-inch MacBook Pro configurations and comes as default on its 15-inch variant. A customisable OLED strip, it acts as both the laptop's function keys while also letting you make adjustments to volume and screen brightness while providing bespoke functionality depending on whatever app is open.

MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019) — (Image credit: Future)

All MacBooks that Apple currently offers sport high-resolution 'Retina' displays that look fantastic, so you can't go far wrong. That said, it's worth knowing that the Air's is slightly dimmer than both Pro models' and its colors aren't quite as vibrant due to a lack of support for the P3 color gamut.

Also be aware that you can pick up either of Apple's 13-inch laptops and easily pair them with a USB-C-equipped portable monitor, which gives you a hassle-free way of getting hold of more screen space when needed without having to lug around a heavier machine all of the time.

Which MacBook should you go for?

With only three MacBook models to choose from, you probably have a fair idea of which one would suit your needs best. But if you're unsure, take a look at our reviews:

Apple MacBook Air (2019) review
MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019) review
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019) review

We've also got an early hands-on review of the new MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019).

The following models have been officially discontinued by Apple, but that won't stop retailers potentially marking them down to shift remaining stock:

Apple MacBook review
MacBook Air (2017) review

Set your budget

While early Black Friday deals are still rolling in, indications are that you'll be able to save anything from £100/$100 on an entry-level 13-inch MacBook Air up to $350/£350 on a top-spec 15-inch MacBook Pro.

To find the best deal on a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, take a look at the best cheap MacBook Pro deals, prices and sales for Black Friday 2019, and the cheapest MacBook Air prices, sales and deals for Black Friday 2019 respectively.

We've also got a roundup of the best Apple Black Friday deals as well, if you fancy paring your MacBook with an iPhone, iPad or AirPod.

Want something other than a MacBook? Check out our best Black Friday laptop deals

TechRadar is scouring every retailer and rounding up all the top deals over the Black Friday period, and we've put all the best Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday deals in easy-to-navigate articles to help you find the bargains you're looking for.

Kane has been fascinated by the endless possibilities of computers since first getting his hands on an Amiga 500+ back in 1991. These days he mostly lives in realm of VR, where he's working his way into the world Paddleball rankings in Rec Room.