Don’t Buy Your MacBook Pro M4 From the Apple Store. It’s a Lot Cheaper Elsewhere Right Now

We’ve all got the fantasy. We walk into the Apple Store, almost all of which seem to resemble a liminal space between reality and the sort of void I’d expect to find myself in after tripping into a black hole.

At any moment, I’m always on my guard for Morgan Freeman to descend from the ceiling in a shaft of light and offer me an AppleCare extended warranty.

It’s a wonderful fantasy, and one I’ve partaken in a few times (when it makes sense). But is it worth paying an extra $200 (at least)? Hell no. Not long after the MacBook Pro M4 launched on November 8, 2024, certain retailers began to run sales on the newest MacBook Pro.

Amazon just dropped another sale a few days ago, and this one includes deals across the entire MacBook Pro M4 lineup.

discounts across the lineup

All three chipsets available on the MacBook Pro M4—the base-level M4, mid-level M4 Pro, and top-level M4 Max—are available at discounted rates on Amazon and B&H Photo Video.

The cheapest MacBook Pro M4 ($1,399) is $200 off, while the MacBook Pro M4 Pro ($1,799) nets a $220 discount. The heavy hitter, the MacBook Pro M4 Max ($2,857) is a full $342 off at the moment of writing this up.

Having bought the MacBook Pro M4 Pro on launch day (and paid full-price for it, dammit), I’ve done all my work and play on it since. It’s a screamer. That’s in these photos. My only real regret is that I was so impatient for it that I didn’t get to save the $200 by waiting just a wee bit longer for the sale.

You don’t have to settle for buying last generation’s M3 chip if you want a deal. If you’ve been waiting to upgrade, now’s your chance. Give up the fantasy, at least when it comes to the MacBook Pro M4. Buy it from somewhere other than the Apple Store and pocket change.