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Apple quietly launches unprecedented price cuts to its best MacBook Pros

Apple’s top of the line MacBook Pro 16-inch and 14-inch models are some of the best laptops the company has ever made — but they’re extremely expensive machines that rarely come down in price.

However, Apple has quietly dropped the price on these sought-after laptops with some surprising price cuts.

The back lid of the MacBook Pro.

Spotted by MacRumors, Apple slashed pricing on the refurbished 14 and 16-inch models with both the M1 Pro and Max variants. Specifically, the prices have been reduced by about 15% off the regular pricing for brand-new units. MacRumors points out that previous refurbished M1 MacBook Pro models were about 10% off. And yes, while these are not brand new products, Apple’s refurbished product program still come with warrantees and even brand new packaging.

A base 14-inch model is going for $1,709 (normally about $2,000) while a refurbished M1 Max equipped 16-inch MacBook Pro is now going $2,989 (normally about $3,500). That’s a drastic price decrease and may entice anyone who was on the fence about getting one.

For comparison, the refurbished 14-inch is about the same price as adding the 16GB memory option to a brand new 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 chip. Mind you, the base 14-inch comes with 16GB out of the box while having a better GPU, webcam, bigger screen, and overall design. It’s almost a no-brainer to go with the 14-inch if you’re shopping for a pro-level MacBook.

A side profile of the 2021 MacBook Pro.

The price reductions could mean an update to the 14/16-inch MacBook Pro models is right around the corner. Though the year is winding down, there’s still time for Apple to release M2 Pro/Max variants of the high-end MacBook Pro models, and they could launch as soon as early November. That said, it may not be the best idea to wait for the M2 models for now, given some of the speculation.

Even if Apple updates the 14/16-inch models with M2 Pro/Max chips, the performance on the 2021 MacBook Pro models was outstanding and would likely accomplish most professional tasks with ease (and save you a bit of money with these discounts).

Additionally, the new models will likely retain many of the design features of the 2021 models such as the screen, port selection, and overall design. Apple doesn’t usually change the design for several years.

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David Matthews
David is a freelance journalist based just outside of Washington D.C. specializing in consumer technology and gaming. He has…
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