MacBooks still too expensive on Prime Day? 5 great alternatives I would buy
The MacBook will still leave you broke and ask for more — get these alternatives instead
Prime Day is here and we're seeing great deals on some of the best laptops, but the Prime Day MacBook deals are still a bit too pricey for my taste and they sacrifice way more than they offer.
If you're looking to get your money's worth on Prime Day, here are 5 great alternatives I would buy over the MacBook.
Here are 5 great alternatives over the MacBook
Lenovo ThinkPad Z16: $1,839 $1,082 @ Amazon
Save $770 on the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 with this unbeatable business laptop deal. This laptop packs a 16-inch, 1920 x 1200-pixel display, an 8-core AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 6850H CPU, AMD Radeon 680 graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. The best part is that, according to our testing, the ThinkPad Z16 lasts nearly 15 hours on a charge.
Acer Swift X RTX 3050 Ti: $912 $629 @ Amazon w/ Prime
Save $283 on the the Acer Swift X with Prime. At this price, it's one of the most affordable creator laptops you can get. This laptop packs an AMD Ryzen 7 5825U 8-core CPU, 16GB of RAM, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU, and a 512GB SSD, and a 14-inch 1080p display.
Dell XPS 13 9315: $1,099 $899 @ Dell
Save $260 on the Dell XPS 13 9315, one of the best laptops to buy. We reviewed the 2-in-1 version Dell XPS 13 and liked its lightest design, bright sharp display and great graphics performance. The laptop in this deal packs a 13.4- inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200) 500 nit display, Intel Core i7-1250U 10-core CPU, 16GB of RAM, Iris Xe graphics and 512GB SSD. Powered by Windows 11 Home, the Dell XPS 13 is the best overall laptop to buy. Apply coupon, "ARMMPPS" at checkout to drop its price to $832 ($266 off).
HP Spectre x360 14 2-in-1: $1,499 $799 @ Best Buy w/ My Best Buy Plus or Total membership
Save $700 on the 2023 HP Spectre x360 14 2-in-1 laptop with a My Best Buy Plus or My Best Buy Total membership Featuring a 360-degree hinge design, the lastest hardware and powerful quad speakers, it's one of the best 2-in-1 laptops around. The laptop in this deal packs a 13.5-inch (1920 x 1280) touch screen, 13th Gen Intel Core i7-1355U 10-core CPU, Intel Iris Xe graphics and 16GB of RAM. For fast boot ups and ample file storage, it houses a 512GB SSD. If you don't have a My Best Buy paid membership, you still get the HP Spectre x360 for $899 ($600 off) which is also a solid deal.
Asus ROG Zephyrus 14: $1399 $799 @ Best Buy
Save $600 on the the Asus ROG Zephyrus 14. At this price, it's one of the best gaming laptops you can get. This laptop packs an AMD Ryzen 7 5800HS 8-core CPU, 16GB of RAM, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, and a 512GB SSD, and a 14-inch 1080p 144Hz display.
What do all of these laptops have in common? You're not paying the Apple tax. Unless you can't tear yourself away from macOS or you are surrounded by other Apple gear, there's not really a good reason to spend the extra ~$500-$1000 on a MacBook.
Most of these laptops have similar specs or come with more powerful components for a cheaper price. If you're into beautiful displays, the Dell XPS 13 will not disappoint. Want power? Go for the Asus ROG Zephyrus 14. And if you're looking for an all-rounder business laptop, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 will be there when you need it.
Don't get me wrong, MacBooks are great laptops, but if opting for an Apple laptop is going to break the bank, then maybe you should switch gears. Windows laptops are great, and way more affordable than what Apple offers.
Consider one of these MacBook alternatives this Prime Day, your wallet will thank me.
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Rami Tabari is an Editor for Laptop Mag. He reviews every shape and form of a laptop as well as all sorts of cool tech. You can find him sitting at his desk surrounded by a hoarder's dream of laptops, and when he navigates his way out to civilization, you can catch him watching really bad anime or playing some kind of painfully difficult game. He’s the best at every game and he just doesn’t lose. That’s why you’ll occasionally catch his byline attached to the latest Souls-like challenge.