Back to school MacBook deal: Save $400 on Apple’s latest MacBook Pro models

MacBook Pro 14-inch
(Image credit: Apple)

Apple’s MacBooks aren’t cheap, and the MacBook Pros represent the cream of the crop – with price tags to match.

Thankfully, Best Buy’s latest MacBook Pro deals can net you up to $400 off of the latest models in both 14-inch and 16-inch display sizes, and both are perfect for the return to college or work after a summer break. That means you can grab the MacBook Pro 14-inch for just $1599, and the MacBook Pro 16-inch for $2099. That's still not cheap, but you're getting a great deal on an incredibly powerful MacBook.

Packing Apple’s incredible M1 Pro chip, the Apple Silicon foundation means users can enjoy unparalleled power, fantastic battery life, and the kind of compatibility that means native apps will run like lightning, non-native ones will still run great, and you can even get some of your iPad and favorites on there, too. 

The MacBook Pro is definitely one of the best MacBooks for students, but if the price is still too steep you can also check out the cheaper models like the MacBook Air which starts at $999.

MacBook Pro 14-inch - was $1999.99, now $1599 at Best Buy

MacBook Pro 14-inch - was $1999.99, <a href="https://shop-links.co/link?skuId=6450853&publisher_slug=future&exclusive=1&u1=hawk-custom-tracking&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2Fmacbook-pro-14-laptop-apple-m1-pro-chip-16gb-memory-512gb-ssd-latest-model-space-gray%2F6450853.p%3FskuId%3D6450853&article_name=hawk-article-name&article_url=hawk-article-url" data-link-merchant="bestbuy.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">now $1599 at Best Buy

Apple’s most portable M1 Pro laptop is a powerhouse you can take on the go with you. 

MacBook Pro 16-inch - was $2499, now $2099 at Best Buy

MacBook Pro 16-inch - was $2499, <a href="https://shop-links.co/link?skuId=6450858&publisher_slug=future&exclusive=1&u1=hawk-custom-tracking&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2Fmacbook-pro-16-laptop-apple-m1-pro-chip-16gb-memory-512gb-ssd-latest-model-space-gray%2F6450858.p%3FskuId%3D6450858&article_name=hawk-article-name&article_url=hawk-article-url" data-link-merchant="bestbuy.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">now $2099 at Best Buy

Apple’s biggest laptop has a huge display, but remains impressively easy to carry. The M1 Pro chip is incredibly powerful, too. 

Sure, those prices are still not cheap, but that’s a considerable saving over the RRP for laptops we nominated as some of the absolute best laptops for coding. It also adds a saving of an additional $100 compared to recent deals from Amazon and a massive $200 compared to a previous Best Buy deal.

For that price, and on both devices, you’ll get a gorgeous Liquid Retina XDR display with an amazing one-million-to-one contrast ratio that will likely make it your favorite place to watch movies and TV shows. The speakers are also amazing, too, although being an Apple laptop it’ll play just as nicely with your AirPods.

The real draw though is that M1 Pro chip, that makes editing audio, video, or photos a breeze. At times, it’s so fast it feels like the laptop is leading you, and that applies to the base 16GB storage found in the models that are discounted here.

There’s also a 512GB SSD which helps it feel more useful than the 256GB found in the new MacBook Air, while the MacBook Pro also brings back an HDMI 2.0 port, and a row of function keys after Apple jettisoned the Touch Bar found in prior models.

Battery life is fantastic, but it’s also worth noting that the 14-inch comes with a lower wattage charger, so it doesn’t have the same fast-charge capabilities as the 16-inch. You can buy the more powerful charger separately, though.

Both have incredible reviews, too, with each sitting at 4.8 out of 5 stars on Best Buy’s review system. Key compliments for both devices refer to the amount of power on offer even when unplugged from power, and the 120Hz refresh rate of the display – although the notch that houses the 1080p webcam remains contentious.

For more on MacBooks, be sure to check out our guide to the best MacBooks for students, and if you'd prefer a Windows device, we've also got our guide to the best laptops for students too.

Lloyd Coombes

Lloyd Coombes freelance tech and fitness writer for Live Science. He's an expert in all things Apple as well as in computer and gaming tech, with previous works published on TopTenReviews, Space.com, Dexerto and TechRadar. You'll find him regularly testing the latest MacBook or iPhone, but he spends most of his time writing about video games as Editor in Chief at GGRecon.com. He also covers board games and virtual reality, just to round out the nerdy pursuits.