Honestly, trying to figure out the "right" price for a Mac right now feels a bit like chasing a moving target. Just this morning, Apple shuffled its trade-in values again. One minute your old Pro is worth a fortune, and the next, the numbers dip. It’s wild.
If you’re asking "how much for a MacBook" in early 2026, the answer isn't a single sticker price. It depends on whether you're eyeing the brand-new M5 models hitting the shelves or if you're savvy enough to hunt for the M4 discounts currently flooding retailers like Best Buy and Amazon.
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The baseline has shifted. We aren't in the $999-or-nothing era anymore.
The Entry-Level Reality: Under $800 is the New Sweet Spot
For a long time, the "cheap" Mac was a myth. You basically had to shell out a thousand bucks or go home. But as of January 2026, the market has fractured in a way that actually benefits your wallet.
Right now, you can snag a 13-inch MacBook Air with the M4 chip for $799. That’s a $200 drop from its original launch price. If you want the bigger 15-inch screen, you're looking at $999. These aren't "old" machines; they're the current workhorses that everyone was obsessed with just a few months ago.
But there’s a rumor—and it’s a loud one coming from supply chain insiders—that Apple is about to drop a dedicated "Budget MacBook" this spring. We're talking a 12.9-inch model, possibly using an A18 Pro chip (the kind in the high-end iPhones) instead of the M-series. The target price? $599 to $699. If that lands, it changes the game for students who just need to write papers and browse Chrome without a $1,500 debt.
Current "New" Pricing Tiers
- The Budget Hunter: $525 - $600 (Used M2 Airs on Swappa)
- The Student/Office Daily: $799 (M4 Air 13-inch on sale)
- The Pro-Lite: $1,449 (M5 MacBook Pro 14-inch base model)
- The Powerhouse: $2,499+ (M4 Pro/Max 16-inch)
Why the M5 Launch Changes What You Should Pay
Apple just refreshed the line with the M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max chips. Whenever this happens, the previous generation—the M4—doesn't suddenly become slow. It just becomes "expensive" for what it is unless the price drops.
Currently, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 chip starts around $1,599. It's a beast. But should you buy it? Maybe not.
Look at the M4 Pro refurbished prices. You can find 14-inch models with 24GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD for about $2,039. That’s a $360 savings compared to the original retail. If you're doing heavy video editing or 3D rendering, that extra RAM in a "year-old" M4 Pro is going to serve you way better than a base-model M5 with only 16GB of memory.
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The Refurbished Secret (And the Trade-In Jump)
If you're tight on cash, "refurbished" is your best friend. But you have to be careful where you shop.
Apple’s official refurbished store is the gold standard because you get the same one-year warranty as a new one. Right now, M4 MacBook Airs are sitting at $849 on Apple's refurbished site. Meanwhile, Best Buy's "Geek Squad Certified" section is even more aggressive. I've seen M2 MacBook Airs for as low as $559.
One really weird thing happened this week: Apple significantly hiked its trade-in values.
Usually, trade-in values go down over time. But as of January 15, 2026, Apple is offering up to $900 for a MacBook Air trade-in and up to $2,515 for a MacBook Pro. This is a massive "correction" because their previous offers were, frankly, insulting. If you have an M2 or M3 machine gathering dust, trading it in right now might cover half the cost of an M5.
Stop Paying for Storage You Don't Need
One of the biggest mistakes people make when asking how much for a MacBook is over-speccing the SSD. Apple's storage prices are still daylight robbery.
Upgrading from 256GB to 512GB can cost $200. Upgrading to 1TB? Another $200.
Pro tip: Buy the base storage and spend $80 on a fast external SSD. You'll save hundreds of dollars. The only thing you cannot skimp on is RAM (Unified Memory). In 2026, with Apple Intelligence and more demanding apps, 16GB is the absolute minimum. Do not buy an 8GB Mac today. You'll regret it within six months.
Practical Next Steps for Your Purchase
If you need a laptop today, don't wait for the spring event. Grab the M4 MacBook Air for $799 at a major retailer. It's the best value-to-performance ratio Apple has offered in years.
However, if you're a student or someone who just needs a "secondary" machine for travel, wait until March 2026. If the $599 budget model launches, it will likely drive the used prices of the M2 and M3 models even lower, potentially putting a solid MacBook in your hands for under $500.
Before you click buy, check the Apple Trade-In site. With the recent value jump, your current machine might be worth more than it was last week, making that "expensive" Pro suddenly look a lot more affordable.