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if you have been Recently looking at an expensive MacBook, now is the time to hit the buy button. Apple’s Black Friday deals are here and several WIRED-approved devices are on sale, from iPads and MacBooks to Apple Watches and AirPods. All of these deals are from third-party retailers like Amazon and Best Buy; Apple does not have its own sales, but the only promotion you will find on its website is the possibility of obtaining up to a $200 gift card if you purchase an eligible product.
WIRED Featured Offers
MacBook Deals
This is our favorite MacBook for most people (7/10, WIRED recommends). It has a solid 13.6-inch LCD screen, a 1080p webcam, and an M3 chip that offers a noticeable increase in performance compared to the previous M1 chip. It handles everyday tasks with ease, but can also hold its own with some photo and video editing.
If you want a MacBook more powerful than the M3 MacBook Air, this is the next step. Unlike its predecessor, it has three USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 in addition to an HDMI port, SD card slot, headphone jack, and MagSafe charging port. Apple also increased memory on the base model to 16 gigabytes (up from 8 GB). This sale applies to the model with the base M4 chip, which is a decent upgrade over the previous MacBook Air. But you can also configure it with a M4 Pro either M4 max For more power, both are for sale.
For maximum power, there’s the 16-inch MacBook Pro (7/10, WIRED review). Along with a Mini-LED display, a 120Hz refresh rate, a 1080p webcam, and a six-speaker sound system, it also comes with new USB ports with support for Thunderbolt 5 (120Gbps/sec) for data transfers. faster. You will be able to choose between an M4 Pro or M4 Max chip. We tested the M4 Pro, which was only slightly faster than last year’s M3 Max chip. But it’s a great option if you want a MacBook Pro that can handle anything you throw at it.
The new M4-powered iMac (9/10, WIRED recommended) isn’t all that different from the M3-powered version, but it does come with some upgrades. There’s a 12-megapixel webcam with Center Stage support, a nano-texture display that offers a better viewing experience, and all peripherals now have USB-C ports (finally). Thanks to the new M4 chip, it also offers great performance. It’s the first choice in our guide to the best all-in-one computers. At Amazon, if you clip the coupon button you’ll also save an additional $50.
iPad Deals
If you’ve been waiting for Apple’s new iPad Mini to go on sale (8/10, WIRED recommended), wait no longer. At Amazon, if you clip the coupon, you can save a full $100! The changes to the latest model are largely internal. It comes equipped with an A17 Pro chip (the same one inside the iPhone 15 Pro), which can handle graphically demanding games and support for Apple Intelligence (the company’s AI feature set with iOS 18.1). It’s also compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro, so you don’t need to purchase an iPad Pro to enjoy the improved stylus. Its small size also makes it ideal for travel, whether you use it to read e-books or play games.
The iPad (10th generation) (7/10, WIRED review) is our favorite iPad to recommend to most people. It has an A14 Bionic chip (which you’ll also find in the iPhone 12) which never felt slow while I tested it. It also has a modern design, with slim bezels around a large 10.9-inch Liquid Retina (IPS LCD) display, Touch ID integrated into the power button, a USB-C port for charging, and a 12-megapixel front camera that en Located in the center of the iPad.
AirPods Deals
These are our favorite AirPods (8/10, WIRED recommends). They come with a ton of great features including Adaptive Transparency mode (which combines noise cancellation and transparency to adjust audio), Find My support in case you lose them, Conversation Awareness (which reduces music and noise background when having a conversation), and an IP54 rating for sweat and dust resistance. Meanwhile, the sound quality is above average with crisp treble, authoritative bass, and excellent noise cancellation. You’ll also get access to Apple’s new hearing aid features, designed for people with low to moderate hearing loss.
Last September, Apple finally updated the AirPods Max (8/10, WIRED recommends) to include USB-C. Aside from the new port, the rest of the features remain the same as in the Lightning version (those are for sale too). However, you can choose from a few new colors, including orange, purple, blue, starlight, and midnight. These over-ear headphones come equipped with a huge soundstage, rich bass, and excellent noise cancellation. It also has excellent build quality, with a mesh headband and cloth earcups (replaceable).
Don’t you like AirPods? The Beats Studio Buds+ are our favorite alternative for Apple users. They come with all the essential features, including active noise cancellation, transparency mode, and spatial audio. They are comfortable and easy to use, complete with physical buttons on the outside of each button. They offer great battery life: 36 hours when combined with the charging case. You can also choose from several colors, including silver, ivory, black, and clear.
Apple Watch deals
The Series 10 (8/10, WIRED recommended) is the newest Apple Watch to join the lineup. It has a larger screen than any previous Apple Watch, but it’s also thinner, lighter, and supports fast charging. The smartwatch runs the latest WatchOS 11 operating system, so it will have features like Training Load, which shows how your workouts impact your fitness over time, and Vitals, to check your baseline each morning. It is important to note, however, that it does not come with a blood oxygen sensor.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 (8/10, WIRED recommended) is our smartwatch recommendation for anyone who primarily does outdoor sports. It offers fast performance thanks to the S9 chip and an ultra-wideband chip for higher precision searching. It also comes equipped with dual-frequency GPS, a Backtrack functionality for creating virtual navigation routes in the Compass app (via the Action button), and access to offline maps (which you’ll need to download to your iPhone). Oh, and you won’t have to charge it every day.