5 Apple Devices You Might Want To Avoid In 2025

Another year, another Apple product. But unlike a lot of companies out there, Apple does things a bit different. You'll almost never see it discounting its products, and it sneakily forces you to buy the newest Pro iPhone models by completely ending first-party sales of the old ones; you may have noticed Apple's expensive iPhone 17 Pro Max is the only Pro model on its website right now. Clever, from a business standpoint? Yes. But morally questionable? Also yes. So if you like Apple products, you have to know Apple's game. The key is not paying a big fat Apple tax at the wrong time. 

There's a potentially long list of Apple products you shouldn't buy in 2025, unless you like today's prices for yesterday's hardware, but we'll keep things simple here with five items. The following are ones we think you should avoid, at least this year. We'll also help you find a better alternative, be it from Apple or a competitor that makes a similar (or better) product.

Apple released the AirPods Max in December of 2020, there still aren't any headphones quite like them. They're made out of aluminum, and have a Digital Crown and noise control button instead of a power and volume button. There's also no headphone jack, making these 100% wireless. Reviews for the AirPods Max have been generally favorable; they sound wonderful, they have incredible noise cancellation and transparency mode, and they benefit from Apple's instant device switching. They're designed to be put on when you need them and taken off (and forgotten about) when you don't, thanks to a clever ultra-low power mode when not in use.

However, the current model is now almost five years old and still costs $549; Apple only updated them with new colors and USB-C in 2024 — no new chip, no improved battery life. A new version is desperately needed. Users have been complaining for years that they're too heavy, the headband loses its elasticity, the bra-shaped "case" is a joke, and the low power mode has issues. There's even a lawsuit against Apple over the AirPods Max due to a condensation issue that risks permanently damaging the cans with normal use. We could go on.

Instead, take a look at Sony WH-1000XM6 instead of the AirPods Max. I've owned both and I can say without hesitation that the XM6 is one of the coolest gadgets released in 2025. You could also wait for the rumored AirPods Max 2 possibly coming to market in 2027, to which Apple will hopefully make serious changes.

The MacBook Air is Apple's most affordable computer (if $999 is affordable to you), and a pretty impressive piece of hardware. Aside from being crazy thin and light, it's a powerhouse that runs AAA games without a cooling fan. The only major issue with the MacBook Air is that it does have some heat dissipation and thermal throttling issues. If you're not going to push it to its max, though, it will serve you well in everyday computing tasks. But you probably shouldn't buy the MacBook Air in 2025.

However, MacBook Airs typically release in spring. We reviewed the MacBook Air M3 and the MacBook Air M4 like clockwork as the daisies were blooming. It's logical to assume we'll see an upgraded MacBook Air M5 in that same window. Purchase the M4 MacBook Air now, and expect some wicked buyer's remorse come March. Remember, Apple doesn't do discounts, so it only makes sense to pay the full price if you're getting the best you can get.

Another reason you might want to wait is that there may soon be a "budget" MacBook that goes for much less. If the rumor mill is right, 2026 may be the year a 13-inch MacBook powered by the iPhone 16 Pro's A18 Pro chip sells for $699.00. Yet another reason you should hold off on buying is that MacBook Airs do sometimes get an Apple "discount." Back in 2024, there was a brief period where Apple started selling the M2 MacBook Air for cheaper alongside the newer M3 model at the time. If you wait, you might get the leftover stock of the M4 (brand-new) for cheaper when the M5 releases.

At time of writing, Apple has just barely announced the iPad Pro M5 for an October 22 release date. Beyond packing Apple's latest M5 chip, this is effectively the same iPad as the iPad M4 Pro released in 2024. There are minor upgrades, like more RAM, Apple's proprietary wireless connectivity chips (C1X and N1), and fast charging support. It's the same $999 as the M4 model, but even the most tech-savvy users can see this is a tiny spec bump. Same ultra thin design, same OLED screen as before.

Therefore, we recommend holding off, because the M4 iPad Pro only lags behind its M5 descendent by a small margin. Apple won't be selling the M4 iPad Pro once the M5 comes out, of course, but you can likely buy it from a third-party reseller for a considerable discount, especially used or refurbished. Amazon already sells renewed iPad Pro M4s for $799, and we imagine that will drop further after the M5's release.

If you're dying to get an M-Series chip, the iPad Air with the M3 chip is an even better deal for $599.00. It's only one generation behind the M4 for almost half the price, minus a couple of nice-to-have features like the better screen and Face ID. The iPad can handle professional workflows, sure, but it really doesn't make sense for most people to spend so much on a tablet. The Air can handle 99.99% of what tablet need, and do it with flying colors. If you need real power, just get the MacBook Pro M5.

When the Apple Vision Pro released in 2024, it looked like the future. The $3,499 price tag did not. Halfway through the year, sales effectively ground to a halt. To be fair, it sold about half a million units in its first year, but that's rookie numbers compared to other Apple products. Many believed Apple was aiming to get developers and high-end users to iron out Vision OS, preparing the way a more affordable option later on down the line. That's what we thought. Reality turned out differently.

On October 15th, 2025, Apple announced the next-generation Apple Vision Pro. Next generation is being generous. This was really only a spec bump, with a more powerful chip and better battery life, plus a better band. That's about it. The second-gen Apple Vision Pro even retails for the same wallet-demolishing $3,499 as its predecessor.

For lots of people, even affordable VR is a tough sell. It's gimmicky, with few games or meaningful use cases. It may have lots of potential, but time has shown it's still not there yet, and probably won't be for a while. The most promising thing lately in the VR/AR space has been Meta's new AI glasses, but even those are basically an expensive beta test for what could be yet another Google Glass-esque failure. Basically, the Vision Pro is not worth it unless you have oodles of money — and if you've got that much cash, you should just donate to charity. Wait for a cheaper Apple Vision "Lite" or get the Meta Quest 3 instead.

The Apple Magic Mouse is similar in a lot of respects to the AirPods Max. It's an expensive product that's remained mostly unchanged for years, despite considerable flaws. The $79 Apple Magic Mouse with USB-C on Apple's website today is basically the same as the one released in 2009. As someone who's used the Apple Mouse extensively, I think this is the Apple product you should avoid most.

Don't get me wrong, the Apple Mouse is an innovative mix between a trackpad and a mouse, giving you (in some cases) the best of both worlds. Instead of clicking, a light tap will do, and it's incredibly satisfying to scroll, zoom, swipe between apps, and more with gestures. Aesthetically, it looks nice, and it's impressively thin and small. 

However, the Apple mouse also gets a ton of stuff wrong. First and foremost, the bottom-facing charging port; the mouse is as useless as a flipped beetle when charging. It's also sinfully non-ergonomic. Your wrist on a flat desk needs a much higher arc, unless you like carpal tunnel. The Magic Mouse also only supports Bluetooth, so no 2.4 GHz or wired mode. And a personal pet peeve of mine, it has a loud physical click rather than a silent one like most productivity mice these days. The price doesn't help; there's no way a mouse that's been largely unchanged for 16 years is still worth $79. Rumors suggest a new one could be coming as soon as 2026, but knowing Apple, you could be waiting much longer. Instead, try these affordable alternatives to Apple's Magic Mouse.