Home Tech The 9 best Apple Prime Day deals on our favorite devices

The 9 best Apple Prime Day deals on our favorite devices

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The apple is not known to make sales, so it’s important to take advantage of discounts from third-party retailers. In this case, that’s Amazon. This year’s Prime Day Apple deals include our top-rated gadgets, including MacBooks, AirPods, iPads, and more. We’re also including some of our favorite accessories that are on sale. In addition to Apple deals, we’ve got bell-to-bell Prime Day coverage in our list of the best Amazon Prime Day deals and a handful of smaller stories highlighting deals on our favorite Amazon gadgets and laptops.

We test products throughout the year and carefully select these offerings. We will update this guide periodically throughout the sale event.

WIRED Featured Deals

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MacBook Deals

The latest MacBook Air with the M3 chip (7/10, WIRED Recommends) isn’t much different from the M2-powered version. It has the same 13.6-inch LCD (with a 60Hz refresh rate and 500 nits of peak brightness), a notch at the top of the display that houses a 1080p webcam, and an array of ports (two USB 4/Thunderbolt ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a MagSafe port for charging). The M3 chip, which came out late last year, isn’t a huge jump from the previous processor, but it does offer a nice performance boost over the original M1. You can also use it with two external displays simultaneously, as long as you keep the lid closed (which is an improvement over the single external display on older chips). It’s a great choice, especially if you’re looking for a reliable, lightweight laptop for everyday tasks. The coupon is an additional $50 off, bringing it down to $849, which is the lowest price we’ve seen for this model.

You can get these Pro models with even deeper discounts on Amazon if Clip the coupon on the pageWhile the M4-powered MacBooks are imminent, the MacBook Pros with the M3 Pro and M3 Max are less than a year old, so they’re still great options. Both sizes include a bright Mini LED display, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a 1080p webcam. Most importantly, you’ll also get plenty of ports, including three USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4, an HDMI, an SD card slot, a high-impedance headphone jack, and a MagSafe charging port. Since there are several configurations on sale, you might not know which one to go with. We recommend the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro for intermediate content creators who want a laptop that’s easier to take on the road. The 16-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Max (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is a great option if you want a large display and great battery life.

iPad Deals

The iPad Air with M2 processor (8/10, WIRED recommends) was recently launched in May and is already On sale. You’ll be able to choose between an 11-inch display and a new, larger 13-inch one. I prefer the latter, which I’ve been using as a secondary display during the workday and for watching TV before bed. It’s also a bit brighter, with a 2732 x 2048 pixel resolution and the ability to hit 600 nits of peak brightness in the standard dynamic range. Like its predecessor, it includes the same slim bezels, USB-C port, and Touch ID built into the top power button. Thankfully, Apple also moved the 12MP front-facing camera to landscape orientation. The M2 chip also delivers smooth performance, even with tons of apps running simultaneously. Despite the larger size, battery life remains the same, but you’ll still get around six hours out of it on a busy day.

The iPad (10th generation) (7/10, WIRED review) is a great tablet for most people. It comes with a variety of notable improvements over its predecessor, including a larger 10.9-inch Liquid Retina (IPS LCD) display, slimmer bezels, Touch ID built into the power button, a 12-megapixel rear camera (up from 8 megapixels), and a USB-C port instead of Lightning. More importantly, the 12MP front-facing camera has been moved to the center of the iPad, so you no longer have to awkwardly look to the side during video calls. Under the hood is also an A14 Bionic chip (found in the iPhone 12), which offers slightly faster performance and improved graphics compared to the ninth-generation iPad.

AirPods Deals

These are the latest AirPods Pro (8/10, WIRED Recommends), and they’re also the most feature-packed. They come with a new Conversation Awareness feature, which reduces music and background noise when it detects you’re having a conversation. As with the second-generation AirPods Pro with Lightning, they also come with Adaptive Transparency mode (which combines noise cancellation and transparency to fine-tune audio). Sound quality is also above average, with punchy bass, crisp highs, and excellent noise cancellation. Equipped with the U1 chip, you can also use the Precision Finding feature in the Find My app (for anyone with the iPhone 11 and later), which gives you on-screen directions on your iPhone to the exact location of the case.

The Apple AirPods Max (8/10, WIRED Recommends) offer excellent sound with a huge soundstage, deep bass, and fantastic noise cancellation. This is also the lowest price we’ve tracked for these earbuds, so far. They also have great build quality, with a stretchy mesh headband and soft fabric earcups (which are also replaceable). We’re particularly fans of the volume knob, which looks like one you’d find on an Apple Watch, that lets you adjust the volume. We also love how well these earbuds integrate with iOS devices, with the ability to switch from one device to another (like your iPhone and MacBook) without having to go through Bluetooth settings manually. It’s important to note, though, that, According to rumorsA new version of the AirPods Max is very likely to arrive later this year. But it looks like the only major change will be the addition of a USB-C port instead of Lightning. So if that’s super If it is important to you, we suggest you wait.

Apple Watch Deals

The Series 9 (7/10, WIRED review) is currently our favorite Apple Watch in our guide to the best Apple Watches. It looks the same as the Series 8, but comes with a few upgrades, including faster performance, a brighter display, and improved battery life. It also comes equipped with the Double Tap feature, which triggers functions like playing music or hanging up a call with a tap of your index finger and thumb. It will also be compatible with WatchOS 11 (coming later this year), so you’ll have access to new features like tracking health metrics at a glance through the Vitals app and measuring performance improvements with the new Training Load algorithm. It’s important to note, however, that due to a patent dispute, Apple has disabled the blood oxygen sensor on models sold directly through its stores. But this doesn’t apply if you buy the smartwatch through third-party retailers like Amazon.

The Ultra 2 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is our top pick for outdoor sports. In addition to built-in dual-frequency precision GPS, it also comes equipped with offline maps (you’ll need to download them to your iPhone and stay within Bluetooth range of the watch) and the ability to view your cycling session as a Live Activity on your iPhone. It has the same Action button that was introduced in the first-generation version, which you can use to launch Backtrack, Apple’s navigation feature that creates virtual trails in the Compass app that you can then follow back home. It’s also powered by the S9 chip for performance and an Ultra Wideband chip with improved precision finding features (to locate and guide you to your iPhone). You’ll also get access to Double Tap. This is the lowest price we’ve seen for the Ultra 2, so far.

If you don’t need fancy features like monitoring your blood oxygen level or skin temperature, then the Apple Watch SE is a great option. It’s also our top pick for most people. You’ll still have access to all the basic fitness tracking features, and it’s compatible with watchOS 11, so you’ll be able to use features like the Training Load algorithm and Vitals app, too. And, thanks to the S8 chip, it comes with additional capabilities like the redesigned Compass app, international roaming support, and Crash Dection (to call your emergency contact and first responders if you’ve been in a car accident). This is the lowest price we’ve recorded so far.


More deals on Apple gadgets and accessories

Below are some more notable deals on additional Apple devices and accessories, all of which were approved by WIRED.

Photo: Apple

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