Black Friday and Cyber Monday MacBook deals 2018: how to find the best prices this year

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Owning a MacBook is, for many designers, the impossible dream. They're so thin and pretty and swish, but lord, they're expensive. The great news is that Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2018 are just around the corner, which means it's the perfect time to snap up a MacBook without getting stung for the full whack.

We'll be keeping tabs on all the Black Friday MacBook deals for you this year so you won't miss a trick; read on for all the important details you need to know so that you're all set to drop your hard-earned readies on a shiny new Apple that's right for you at the best possible price.

The best Black Friday/Cyber Monday MacBook deals: what we expect to see

Don't expect to see many serious price cuts on the vanilla MacBook

The vanilla MacBook is a popular choice, and it's easy to see why; if portability is your thing, it's worth noting that the most recent 12-inch MacBook is both thinner and lighter than the 13-inch MacBook Air, with better specs and a Retina display.

What this popularity means, though, is that you're unlikely to see much in the way of massive Black Friday MacBook deals. Keep your eyes peeled and you'll spot some tasty discounts, but don't expect to get much more than 10 per cent off and be prepared to act fast, as these deals are likely to get snapped up quickly.

The best Black Friday/Cyber Monday MacBook Pro deals: what we expect to see

The MacBook Pro is available with a Touch Bar, for a price

If last year's Black Friday MacBook Pro deals are anything to go by, you could make some major savings on the top-end models in Apple's MacBook range this year, especially if you're prepared to make do with an older model. On lesser laptops this might be an issue, but even an old MacBook Pro is ludicrously powerful compared to the average laptop, making it well worth taking a punt.

The MacBook Pro's high price – especially, say, the touch bar models – means it's easier for retailers to deliver a huge temporary price cut and still turn a profit, so if you're looking for a powerful creative laptop it's worth bearing in mind. You'll still be paying out quite a bit for it, but it'll be worth the expense.

The best Black Friday/Cyber Monday MacBook Air deals: what we expect to see

It's getting on a bit, but the MacBook Air could be a good bargain option

The lightweight MacBook Air hasn't seen much love from Apple over the last couple of years. There are rumours that Apple's about to refresh the Air as an entry-level machine aimed at students, and it may well drop the 'Air' designation when it does it, and that's a good sign that there may be some fantastic Black Friday MacBook Air deals on offer this year as retailers clear out their old stock.

The downside to plumping for an Air is that it's the least powerful MacBook you can get, and it's not even the thinnest and lightest any more. However if you simply have to have that MacBook cachet but you're on a budget, it's the obvious choice.

The best US Black Friday/Cyber Monday MacBook deals in 2017

What sort of MacBook deals can you expect to find this year? Here are some of the great deals we found in 2017 to give you an idea.

The best UK Black Friday/Cyber Monday MacBook deals in 2017

There weren't quite so many hot MacBook offers in the UK last year, but we still managed to dig up a few gems.

How to get the best MacBook deals on Black Friday/Cyber Monday

Preparation is key when it comes to getting good Black Friday MacBook deals, especially when you bear in mind that a lot of retailers can't wait for Black Friday, and are likely to start shipping their bargains well in advance of the big day. In the run-up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday we'll be keeping tabs on new deals as they appear, so keep checking back for offers that you won't want to miss.

You'll need to decide whether it's a vanilla MacBook you want, an Air or a full-fat MacBook Pro. If you're planning to use your new MacBook as an all-round work machine then it's worth holding out for a good deal on a Pro as it'll be able to cope with just about everything you throw at it. If you're less of a power user then the ordinary MacBook should suit your needs, and while the Air's more limited it should be the one to go for if you want a MacBook at rock-bottom prices.

Beware of older models – they're likely to see the biggest discounts but they'll be packing less power than more up-to-date machines. And of course, use a bit of common sense while shopping; look out for cashback offers, always check the guarantee and make sure you keep your receipt in case of faults or buyer's remorse.

MacBook, MacBook pro and MacBook air features/specs that creatives should look out for

Many MacBooks are severely lacking in ports; bear that in mind when make your choice.

There might only be three main models of MacBook to choose from, but there are plenty of variations in the line that are well worth noting when you're looking for Black Friday MacBook deals. Firstly, the CPU: the MacBook Air's is the least powerful of the lot, with an old Intel Broadwell chipset running at 1.6GHz, or 1.8GHz for more recent models. Both the MacBook and MacBook Pro boast beefier chipsets; Kaby Lake for 2017 models and Skylake before that. As a rule the MacBook Pro packs faster-clocked processors than the vanilla model, and the 15-inch MacBook Pro has quad-core CPUs rather than dual-core.

Lower end MacBooks – the Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro – only give you 128GB SSD, which is likely to mean that you'll need to invest in some external storage. All other MacBook models feature 256GB SSD; bear in mind that if you work with large files then you'll probably burn through that pretty quickly.

If you're going to need to plug peripherals into your new MacBook, check the number of available ports; the standard MacBook only has one USB-C port, while most MacBook Pros have four. Meanwhile the older MacBook Air has three ports; they're USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt 2, and while they shouldn't give you any problems, bear in mind you might need an adapter for more recent peripherals.

Display-wise, all the MacBooks apart from the Air feature crisp Retina displays (the Air has a 1440 x 900 screen). And they'll all serve you well in terms of battery, but watch out for MacBook Pros with a Touch Bar; Apple claims that this makes no difference but our friends at TechRadar have found that the Touch Bar can take a fair toll on battery life.

3 MacBooks/Pros to look out for on Black Friday/Cyber Monday

If you need all the power you can handle and don't mind paying for it, the 15-inch 2018 MacBook Pro is the only way to go. Powered by a six-core Intel Coffee Lake processor and with the option of AMD Radeon Pro graphics, there's little this machine can't cope with. Storage options go from 512GB up to 4TB of SSD, and you can have 16 or 32GB RAM. In short it's a mighty creative powerhouse that won't let you down, assuming you have the means to afford it.

You may have read complaints about the temperamental Butterfly keyboard on recent MacBooks; the latest MacBook Pro still features it, but it's an improved version with less noise and more reliability. This model also features a Touch Bar that'll give you time-saving, context-sensitive commands for various apps, as well as an up-to-date CPU and plenty of storage and memory options. If you want an entry-level MacBook Pro, this is the one to go for.

Don't need the power of a Pro? This vanilla MacBook should suit you nicely; it's super-portable and lightweight, with a 12-inch Retina screen, and as long as you don't mind paying the extra it's a much more attractive prospect than the ageing MacBook Air. It's low on ports, but that's the price you pay for such a slimline machine, and if you need a reliable MacBook that you can take anywhere then this is really the only choice in town.

Today's best pre-Black Friday MacBook deals

So, you've got all excited about MacBooks and you really can't wait for Black Friday? Don't worry, there are plenty of deals available right now; take a look through these offerings.

Related articles:

• The best cheap Apple laptop deals of 2018: MacBook, Air and MacBook Pro deals
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018) and Blackmagic eGPU review
• The best Black Friday and Cyber Monday laptop deals

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