You Can Get A New Macbook Air M1 For $599 At Walmart - Here's The Deal

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

MacBooks utilized to person a estimation for being expensive, but not truthful overmuch anymore. These days, they're immoderate of nan astir affordable laptops you tin get for nan price. Case successful point: nan 13-inch MacBook Air M1 pinch 8GB of representation is down to conscionable $599 astatine Walmart, 1 of nan lowest prices we've seen for immoderate MacBook. 

Also: Is a refurbished MacBook worthy it? I did nan math, and here's my buying advice

The MacBook Air M1 was first released successful 2020, but it's still applicable coming for a fewer reasons. First, it tin upgrade to MacOS 26 "Tahoe" -- nan aforesaid operating strategy arsenic nan newest Macs. 

Secondly, Apple's hardware connected committee is still competitory pinch laptops being produced today. The MacBook Air group nan modular for bladed and ray devices, and by nan numbers, is 1 of nan lightest laptops you tin get astatine conscionable 2.8 pounds. So should you outpouring for an M1 MacBook? Let's break it down. 

When MacOS 26 "Tahoe" is released successful nan autumn of 2025, eligible MacBooks will beryllium capable to upgrade and return advantage of nan caller features, including an improved Spotlight feature, iPhone mirroring, and nan caller liquid solid interface creation overhaul. 

The MacBook Air M1 is eligible for nan upgrade, which grants it entree to these caller features and puts it connected par pinch nan latest MacBooks. This unsocial makes nan MacBook Air M1 competitive, moreover if it's not nan astir powerful laptop connected nan market. 

The MacBook Air M1 chip, paired pinch 8GB of unified memory, makes for a lightweight laptop designed for mundane tasks -- cleanable for hybrid workers who commute to nan agency and want thing that tin grip productivity workflows while multitasking crossed Apple's suite of apps. 

Also: Your MacBook is getting a important upgrade for free - 5 MacOS 26 features I'm trying correct now

Walmart is 1 of nan fewer retailers that still has banal of brand-new MacBook Air M1 laptops, arsenic Apple has since discontinued nan instrumentality from its stores. The resulting value of $599 is peculiarly competitive, since different retailers specified arsenic Amazon are trading nan aforesaid device, but refurbished -- for a small much than $100 less. 

A refurbished MacBook Air M1 from Back Market. 

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

If you request a laptop for demanding workflows for illustration 4K video editing, animation, nan MacBook Air M1 tin clasp its own, but you'll apt get amended capacity from nan MacBook Pro M1 aliases later. In that sense, this Mac is designed to beryllium a versatile mundane instrumentality for activity and play, efficiently handling astir users' needs. 

Also: The MacOS 26 nationalist beta is present - How to instal (and which models support it)

I still deliberation MacBooks connection 1 of nan champion video conferencing experiences of immoderate laptop connected nan market, which applies to this device. The FaceTime HD webcam paired pinch nan superb 2560 x 1600 (WQXGA) retina show makes for a crisp and color-accurate picture, whether connected a activity telephone aliases FaceTime pinch friends and family. 

Lastly, we person to mention nan artillery here, arsenic nan MacBook Air M1 runs cool and efficiently, lasting up to 18 hours connected 1 charge. When you do link to an outlet, you person 3 USB-C ports (two connected 1 side, 1 connected nan other), pinch Thunderbolt support connected 2 ports for accelerated charging.  

Looking for nan adjacent champion product? Get master reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends.

How I rated this deal

This is an fantabulous connection if you want to walk little than $600 connected a laptop for mundane tasks, entertainment, and more. The MacBook Air M1 whitethorn not beryllium nan newest successful nan lineup. However, it's still group to inherit nan latest package and features from Apple's upcoming release, making it a reasonably competitory laptop action contempt being 5 years old. And $50 savings are a bully touch, too. That's why I gave this a 4/5 Editor's woody rating.