Walmart Begins Selling Macs, Starting With The M1 MacBook Air At A Tempting Price
Walmart is getting into the business of selling Macs for the first time ever, and it is making a rather bold entrance with an even more interesting product strategy. Instead of going with one of Apple's new M3 silicon-based computers, the retail giant has set its sights on the M1-powered MacBook Air from 2020. This was the machine that kickstarted Apple's journey of ditching Intel and the arrival of in-house silicon inside the Mac lineup.
Apple originally set a base price of $999 for the M1 MacBook Air, dropping it down to $899 for students and those working in education. Over the years, the machine received multiple discounts and was finally discontinued in 2024, right before the arrival of the M3-powered MacBook Air lineup. Walmart, however, is selling the M1 MacBook Air for $699. No caveats attached.
That's one of the lowest, non-discount price tags we have seen for the M1 MacBook Air yet. SlashGear's review of the Macbook M1 labeled it as an "evolutionary leap," and in the years that have followed, the laptop has stood the test of time quite well. For many, it has become almost a default recommendation, especially after price cuts and discounts have been factored into the picture in the past few years.
An ageing workhorse gets another shot at glory
Walmart's choice is rather intriguing, with a dash of concern thrown into the mix. With Apple no longer selling it directly, it seems Walmart could have a limited stock of the device, or at least a limited supply of the entry-point configuration that costs $699. At that asking price, it is likely going to vanish from the shelves rather quickly.
Also, keep in mind that we're talking about the base variant at that compelling price, which means buyers will also get a taste of how absurdly stingy Apple can get. That's because the entry-level trim comes with a paltry 8GB of RAM and a criminally low 256GB of SSD storage. Also, there's a rather sordid history of Apple shipping slow SSD modules on its baseline 256GB Mac configurations, so there's that.
Right now, the M1 MacBook Air is available from Walmart's website in Gold, Silver, and Space Gray colors. You can also throw in AppleCare+ and Walmart's Allstate protection plans for up to three years with your purchase. In the coming days, select Walmart stores will also sell the laptop, but there is no specific details on which stores, so it may be smart to call ahead.