Here Is the Best Time to Buy MacBooks, Apple Watches & Other Apple Products

When you’re thinking about discounts, it’s helpful to break out Apple devices into two broad categories: iPhones and everything else (iPads, MacBooks, AirTags, AirPods, and so on).

Current-gen iPhones rarely ever see any meaningful discounts without a significant catch. Those discounts often come in the form of bill credits for starting or extending a cell phone plan or other similar incentives. As a result, there’s a thriving secondhand iPhone ecosystem for shoppers seeking lower prices, spanning Amazon’s Premium Refurb program, sellers on platforms like eBay, and even Apple itself, which offers refurbished iPhones. We recommend purchasing a refurbished recent-gen iPhone only if it’s sold via an Apple-authorized retailer and accompanied by a warranty of 180 days or more (and, of course, if the price is good).

Aging iPhones sold new can be discounted relative to their price at release, but it’s important to gauge just how much you might be sacrificing in forgoing a newer model. The iPhone 15 sold via Apple is currently $700, while the newer-gen iPhone 16 is $800. Ultimately, you’ll need to think about the new features of the iPhone 16 and whether they’re worth the extra 14.2%.

Unlike iPhones, current-gen MacBooks and iPads see discounts regularly. This is especially true as they age and approach the time for a model refresh. What’s especially great for people in need of a MacBook for casual, everyday use is that the M-series processors in recent MacBooks have proven to be a solid, durable option, leading our writers to even recommend buying older models as a means to save money. We’ve encountered huge discounts on M2- and M3-chip MacBook Air models in 2025, and we anticipate seeing similar discounts on the current M4 models next year.

iPads are also on sale often. The 11th-generation iPad, released in March 2025 at a retail price of $350, has already dropped below $280 and has only rarely cost more than $300 since July 2025. The M3 iPad Air, which Apple refreshed at the same time, has seen a similar percentage-off trajectory. The M4 iPad Pro, released in May 2024, receives regular but smaller discounts — perhaps something of a surprise considering its age, but Apple’s most-premium devices do tend to get smaller percentages off.