Best Black Friday Apple deals so far: Price drops on AirPods, MacBooks, iPads and more

This story is part of Holiday Gift Guide 2021, our list of ideas, by topic, by recipient and by price, to help you discover the perfect gift.

Black Friday savings are already in full swing, and it can be overwhelming to find what you’re looking for at the lowest price, particularly for popular brands. Searching for savings on Apple products can feel like trying to find a needle in a haystack. That’s why we’ve done the leg work for you and dug up the best deals on all things Apple this holiday season. 

When shopping for Apple products, keep one rule in mind: You never get the best price at the Apple Store. Instead, shop at authorized Apple resellers like Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Target and other familiar names. They’ll often have discounts of $30 to $100 or more on a wide variety of Apple products. 

We’ll update this page frequently, adding more offers as they appear.  

Best AirPods Deals

There are several great options for AirPods available, and with Black Friday deals rolling in, now is the time to find the right option for you at the best price. Here’s what we’ve found so far.

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Maximize your comfort with customizable sizing on these AirPods Pro headphones with active noise cancellation and up to 4.5 hours of listening time on a single charge. This is the 2021 version of the Pro that includes the MagSafe-compatible charging case. Read our comparison of the AirPods Pro and the AirPods 3.

All other Apple headphones are on sale, too — but these could go lower in the days ahead. For instance, note that the AirPods 3 will drop to an all-time low of $89 at Walmart on Wed., Nov. 10.

Best Deals on Apple Watch

The Series 7 Apple Watch is now available. That means sizable discounts are available right now on the previous-generation Series 6 and smaller savings on the midrange Watch SE. You can also find the Apple Watch Series 3 for as low as $169, but that model is so old at this point, we’d recommend you steer clear of it and go for the SE instead.

Apple

The Series 6 Apple Watch features an always-on display and monitors both heart rate and blood oxygen levels. They’re technically discontinued now that the Series 7 has been released, but — aside from a smaller face and lack of rapid charging — they don’t lack most of the features you’ll find on the 2021 Series 7 models.

More Apple Watch Deals:

Best Deals on iPads

We’ve previously seen the new 2021 iPad and iPad Mini drop $30 to $50, respectively, while the current iPad Pro and iPad Air models are up to $100 off at times. These could drop further in the days ahead.

Óscar Gutiérrez/CNET

 

More current early Black Friday deals on iPads:

Best Deals on Apple MacBooks

The MacBook is experiencing a renaissance, thanks to the latest models being powered by Apple’s supercharged M1 and M1 Pro/Max CPUs. The models are often $50 to $100 less than the Apple Store price at many retailers, and those prices may dip further in November and December.

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The 2020 version of the MacBook Air was the first to feature that M1 chip, which unlocked up to 18 hours of battery life. This is far and away the best Mac laptop for most users right now. 

More deals on Apple MacBooks:

Best Deals on Apple Desktops

If a laptop isn’t your speed, Apple offers two flavors of consumer desktops: the Mac Mini (add your own keyboard, mouse and monitor) and the iMac, an all-in-one. Both the Mini and the 24-inch iMac have been updated to Apple’s new M1 chip. Most folks should steer clear of the larger 27-inch iMac until it gets its inevitable M1 upgrade (rumored to be coming in 2022). 

Make any screen a Mac with this compact, portable desktop computer. With new technologies taking on intensive tasks while consuming up to 60 percent less energy than the previous generation, it’s a great time to ditch the tower. Featuring the Apple M1 chip, this versatile desktop will fit anywhere, and it’s a great fit for Mac beginners, too.

More deals on Apple Desktops:

Best Apple TV Deals

You’ll pay a big premium for an Apple TV box versus sub-$50 rivals like Roku, Fire TV and Chromecast models. But for Apple completists — and those who want a more privacy-friendly streaming experience — Apple TV is worth it. Note that you should steer clear of any models that aren’t the 2021 model (below) with the improved remote and latest chip.

Sarah Tew/CNET

The latest model of the Apple TV finally delivers a long overdue — and improved — remote control. It also offers an A12 Bionic chip, so you’ll get buttery smooth performance and full Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos support when streaming everything from Disney Plus to HBO Max and everything in between. 

Read our Apple TV 4K (2021) review.

 

More Apple TV deals: