3 lowest-price back-to-school MacBook deals for students

MacBook Air M3 against blue gradient background
(Image credit: MacBook)

We're Laptop Mag — of course we test and rate laptops to share the best personal computers for college students. Based on our reviews, the Apple MacBook Air M3 is the best student laptop. Period. 

In our MacBook Air M3 review, we gave it a high rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. It's the Editor's Choice best overall laptop for outstanding battery life and powerful performance. If you're looking for a portable and reliable daily driver you can't go wrong with the MacBook Air M3. 

If the pinch of inflation has you worried about how much a new MacBook Air costs I bring good news. Now is one of the best times of the year to buy a MacBook on a budget. 

Now you may be thinking how it's not often you see the words MacBook and budget in the same sentence. Let's face it, Apple's premium notebooks can take a hefty chunk out of one's savings. But today is not that day. 

Thankfully for students and parents purchasing a laptop on behalf of their one, two, or a few, back-to-school MacBook deals help to cushion the hit to your wallet. 

Browse three lowest-price MacBook deals for students below. 

3 lowest-price back-to-school MacBook deals for students

Apple MacBook Air M3: from $999 @ Apple Education Store + FREE $150 Apple Gift Card
BRAND NEW AND ALREADY ON SALE

Apple MacBook Air M3: from $999 @ Apple Education Store + FREE $150 Apple Gift Card
Get a free $150 Apple gift card from now through Sept. 30, 2024, when you purchase the MacBook Air M3 from the Apple Education Store. Alternatively, you can get the M3 MacBook Air for a record-low price of $849 at Amazon ($150 off Apple's student price). Either deal puts $150 back into your pocket. 

Features: 13.6-inch (2560 x 1664) 500-nit Liquid Retina display, M3 8-core processor, 8-Core GPU, 16-core neural engine, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 1080p FaceTime HD camera, three-mic array with directional beamforming, Backlit Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, quad-speakers with Spatial Audio support, macOS 

Price check: Amazon $849

Apple MacBook Air M2: from $899 @ Apple Edu Store + FREE $150 Apple Gift Card
BRAND NEW AND ALREADY ON SALE

Apple MacBook Air M2: from $899 @ Apple Edu Store + FREE $150 Apple Gift Card
Get a free $150 Apple Gift Card when you purchase the MacBook Air M2 at the Apple Education Store. Student pricing starts at $899. Although Amazon currently sells it for an all-time low price of $799, there's no free $150 gift card to sweeten the deal. The 2022 M2 MacBook Air is still one of the best laptops for students. Starting at just under $900, it's the best value MacBook you can get. 

Features: 13.6-inch 2560 x 1664 Liquid Retina 500-nit display, M2 8-core CPU, 8-Core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 1080p FaceTime camera, macOS

Price check: Amazon $799 

Apple MacBook Air M1: $999 $649 @ Walmart
BRAND NEW AND ALREADY ON SALE

Apple MacBook Air M1: $999 $649 @ Walmart
Save $350 on the M1 MacBook Air — the cheapest MacBook you can buy. It's also $150 cheaper than Apple's refurbished M1 MacBook price. Succeeded by the previous-gen M2 MacBook Air, it's still one of the best laptops out there. It packs blazing performance and long battery life into a slim, unibody design. 

Features:13.3-inch (2560 x 1600) IPS Retina display, Apple M1 8-core processor, 8GB RAM, Apple M1 7-core GPU, 256GB SSD, macOS

Hilda Scott

Hilda Scott uses her combined passion for gadgets from laptops to TVs and her bargain-shopping savvy to bring you the best prices on all things tech. She has a bachelor’s degree in film and media studies from Hunter College and over a decade of experience in tech journalism. Her work has been featured on Tom’s Guide, iTechPost, Examiner.com, Parlemag, Enstars, and Latin Times. When she's not scouting for the best deals, Hilda’s catching up on her favorite TV series and combat sports.