With up to $300 off, these early MacBook Black Friday deals might be as good as they're going to get

MacBook Black Friday deals in previous years have typically ranged from around $200 MacBook Airs to around $300 off MacBook Pros. Higher-configuration MacBook Pros with 2TB SSDs and 36GB+ memory sometimes come in for bigger discounts of up to around $500, particularly on previous-gen models.

Black Friday 2026 takes place amid a slightly different context compared to previous years because of the shortage of components provoked by the boom in AI data centre construction. Apple hiked the starting price of all MacBooks in mid-2026 because of the component crunch, and prices are unlikely to come back down soon. That may also mean that there's less appetite for discounting during the sale season.

Refurbished MacBooks from reputable sellers like Back Market or Apple's own refurbishment programme can offer exceptional value, especially when you're seeing savings of over $800 / £800. These devices are thoroughly tested, come with warranties, and often include replaced batteries and outer shells, so they look and perform like new.

The main consideration is which generation you're buying – an M1 MacBook from 2020 is still perfectly capable for many people's needs, but it won't support all the latest Apple Intelligence features or handle some heavier creative workflows in video or 3D art. We'd recommend refurbished options if you're primarily using your MacBook for web browsing, productivity apps, and light creative work. However, if you need cutting-edge performance or plan to keep the laptop for five or more years, buying new might be the better long-term investment.

The main differences come down to performance, display technology, and connectivity. MacBook Airs are thinner, lighter and fanless, making them silent and incredibly portable, whilst still offering excellent performance for most users. That makes them ideal for students, writers, and casual users who prioritise battery life and portability.

MacBook Pro models feature more powerful chip configurations (like the M5 Pro and M5 Max), active cooling that allows sustained high performance, brighter displays with ProMotion technology, and additional ports including HDMI and SD card slots. They're designed for professionals doing demanding work like 4K video editing, 3D rendering, or software development.

For most people, a MacBook Air provides more than enough power, but if you're regularly pushing your laptop to its limits with intensive creative or technical work, the MacBook Pro's extra capabilities justify the higher price.

What would traditionally be called Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving in the US, so 27 November in 2026. However, most retailers now start their Black Friday sales much earlier than that – as early as the start of November in some cases. As for when it ends, Black Friday now rolls into Cyber Monday, which falls on 30 November this year. That's likely to be the last day for deals before the Christmas holiday period.