Apple has updated the MacBook Air and 13-inch entry-level MacBook Pro, just in time for their annual Back-to-School promotion.
In addition to giving it a specs bump, Apple has cut the price on the MacBook Air. Previously priced at $1,199, the entry-level Air is now $1,099 ($999 for qualifying students through Apple’s education store.). The 13-inch Retina display versions are now the only models available.
The entry-level $1,099 model boasts a 1.6GHz dual core eighth-generation Intel Core i5 and comes with 8GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 memory and 128GB SSD storage.
A $1,299 model is also available with the same specs but with 256GB of SSD storage.
Pricing for the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro remains at $1,299 ($1,199 for qualifying students through Apple’s education store.).
The $1,299 entry-level model now includes 8GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 memory and 128GB SSD storage. The next model up is $1,499, and is the same but boasts 256GB SSD storage.
It also now features Touch Bar and Touch ID, a True Tone Retina display and the Apple T2 Security Chip.
The new models replace the lower-end of the MacBook Pro range, leaving the previous 2.4GHz versions intact.
“College students love the Mac — it’s the notebook they rely on from the dorm room to the classroom, and the No. 1 choice among higher education students,” said Tom Boger, Apple’s senior director of Mac Product Marketing. “With a lower $999 student price for MacBook Air and the updated 13-inch MacBook Pro with faster performance, Touch Bar and Touch ID at $1,199 for students, there’s never been a better time to bring a Mac to college.”
The updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are part of Apple’s Back to School promotion starting today and available to higher education students, their parents, faculty, staff and home-school teachers through the Apple Education Store. The promotion includes a pair of qualifying Beats headphones with the purchase of any eligible Mac or iPad, as well as education discounts on qualifying Mac, iPad, AppleCare, select accessories and services.
MacBook Air starts at $1,099 and is available at $999 for college students. MacBook Pro starts at $1,299 and is available at $1,199 for college students. Both are available today through apple.com, the Apple Store app and in select Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Resellers later this week. Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options and accessories are available online at apple.com/mac.
