Best MacBook Pro prices and deals in May 2023

MacBook pro
(Image credit: Future/ iMore)

MacBook Pros are some of the most expensive laptops that you can spend your hard-earned money on, so finding one of the best MacBook Pro deals is always a good idea. That's where this list is going to help you out.

We've found all the best prices and deals on Apple's premium laptop line, and put them all here so that you can save some money. You'll find all the best prices here, with all the models of MacBook Pro making an appearance. Keep in mind that these are only on the base model MacBook Pros – if you want to spec out your machine, you'll have to go to Apple, and its doesn't reduce its prices.

Today's best MacBook Pro prices

There have been better deals on MacBooks Pro than are out there at the moment. The 13-inch MacBook Pro is a pretty great buy with $150 off. The new M2 MacBook Pro models are both still full price, but they have only just come out so we can cut them some slack.

Best MacBook prices

$1149 at B&H Photo (opens in new tab)

MacBook Pro 2022 | $1149 at B&H Photo (opens in new tab)

The MacBook Pro with M2 often receives discounts over at Amazon, with some big savings on occasion. This deal saves you around $150 and remains the lowest price the MacBook Pro M2 has ever seen.

$2499 at Amazon</strong></a></p> <p>The MacBook Pro 16-inch is much the same as the Pro 14-inch but comes with a much bigger screen than its little sister. You can put all the same internals into it if you spec a machine on Apple's website - all the way up to $5899.</p>" data-widget-price="{&quot;currency&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;amount&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-widget-type="deal" data-render-type="editorial">
$2499 (opens in new tab)

MacBook Pro 16-inch | $2499 at Amazon (opens in new tab)

The MacBook Pro 16-inch is much the same as the Pro 14-inch but comes with a much bigger screen than its little sister. You can put all the same internals into it if you spec a machine on Apple's website - all the way up to $5899.

$1999 $1948 at Amazon</strong></a></p> <p>The MacBook Pro 14-inch is the smaller of the two more powerful options if you're looking at the MacBook Pro line. You can choose between the Apple silicon M2 pro or Max chips, which bring desktop-like performance to a portable form factor, featuring excellent multicore and GPU performance. They're designed for the mobile professional, with color-accurate Liquid Retina XDR displays and internals with more power than your average user might need. They also come at a higher price point than most normal users could afford - the base model MacBook Pro 2021 costs $1999.</p>" data-widget-price="{&quot;currency&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;amount&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-widget-type="deal" data-render-type="editorial">
$1999 (opens in new tab)

MacBook Pro 14-inch | $1999 $1948 at Amazon (opens in new tab)

The MacBook Pro 14-inch is the smaller of the two more powerful options if you're looking at the MacBook Pro line. You can choose between the Apple silicon M2 pro or Max chips, which bring desktop-like performance to a portable form factor, featuring excellent multicore and GPU performance. They're designed for the mobile professional, with color-accurate Liquid Retina XDR displays and internals with more power than your average user might need. They also come at a higher price point than most normal users could afford - the base model MacBook Pro 2021 costs $1999.

MacBook Pro price history

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Row 0 - Cell 0 MSRPCurrent priceLowest price
MacBook Pro 14-inch$1999$1949$1949
MacBook Pro 16-inch$2499$2499$2499
MacBook Pro M2$1299$1149$1149

MacBook Pro cases and accessories deals

Even with a discount, MacBook Pros are very expensive, so you're going to want to keep it safe. There are some great options available to use to protect your MacBook Pro, and if you want to see more than we have space for here, then take a look at our 'best Macbook Pro cases of 2022' list. Don't forget the accessories you might want - we've found some you might want to consider! Read our best MacBook cases list for more great protective options for your MacBook.

$17 at Amazon</strong></a><br> While it's made of plastic, it's still a solid option that will protect your MacBook from knocks and bumps over the course of its life. It also comes in a massive multitude of colors, so no matter what look you're going for, there's one for you! There's one for all the available MacBook Pro models, including the latest 2021 MacBook Pro sizes.</p>" data-widget-price="{&quot;currency&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;amount&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-widget-type="deal" data-render-type="editorial">
$17 at Amazon (opens in new tab)

Mosiso Plastic Hard Case for MacBook Pro | $17 at Amazon (opens in new tab)
While it's made of plastic, it's still a solid option that will protect your MacBook from knocks and bumps over the course of its life. It also comes in a massive multitude of colors, so no matter what look you're going for, there's one for you! There's one for all the available MacBook Pro models, including the latest 2021 MacBook Pro sizes.

$11 at Amazon</strong></a><br> A slim sleeve that will protect your MacBook if you're tossing it in a bag. There's not much more to say about it - it zips shut, is available in a bunch of colors and it's padded on the inside. There's a great range of sizes available to fit any MacBook.</p>" data-widget-price="{&quot;currency&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;amount&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-widget-type="deal" data-render-type="editorial">
Amazon Basics Laptop Sleeve | $11 at Amazon (opens in new tab)

Amazon Basics Laptop Sleeve | $11 at Amazon (opens in new tab)
A slim sleeve that will protect your MacBook if you're tossing it in a bag. There's not much more to say about it - it zips shut, is available in a bunch of colors and it's padded on the inside. There's a great range of sizes available to fit any MacBook.

$25 at Amazon</strong></a><br> One of the key problems with the MacBook Pro is the lack of ports. Even the 2021 MacBook with its few USB and single HDMI port can always use extra ports. For only a few extra bucks you can grab a USB C dongle that'll give you two extra USB A ports, another HDMI port, and two different SD card slots. You'll never be wanting for ports again.</p>" data-widget-price="{&quot;currency&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;amount&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-widget-type="deal" data-render-type="editorial">
Hiearcool USB C hub for MacBook Pro | $25 at Amazon (opens in new tab)

Hiearcool USB C hub for MacBook Pro | $25 at Amazon (opens in new tab)
One of the key problems with the MacBook Pro is the lack of ports. Even the 2021 MacBook with its few USB and single HDMI port can always use extra ports. For only a few extra bucks you can grab a USB C dongle that'll give you two extra USB A ports, another HDMI port, and two different SD card slots. You'll never be wanting for ports again.

Saving money with a refurbished MacBook Pro

You can save a load of money when buying a MacBook Pro, and one of the best ways to go is to get an older refurbished model. That's a second hand MacBook thats been reconditioned to be like new, and they often come in at much lower prices. There are some key things to keep in mind, however.

  • That older machine won't be as powerful as one of the new models. Some older MacBooks Pro have Intel chips in them rather than Apple Silicon, and this won't support certain parts of macOS.
  • Make sure you go somewhere accredited by Apple. This way you'll get a machine that's been reconditioned to Apple's rigorous standards that will last. Those that aren't accredited by Apple may take shortcuts and you'll simply get a second hand laptop that has just been dusted. In some cases, you may not even get that. Better to be safe than sorry and spend a little more to ensure you're getting the best machine you can.
  • Refurbished and second-hand are different. While refurbished machines are second-hand, they have been cleaned and parts that need to be replaced have been.

Which is the MacBook Pro for me?

The MacBook Pro is a laptop designed for professionals. While this doesn't mean there's not something for everyone to be found here, it does mean that prices can be slightly prohibitive to users that might not need such a powerful machine. For users like this, it's worth looking at the MacBook Air, a solid performer that can be had for under $1000.

M2 Macbook Pro 13 Inch Close Up Of Display

M2 Macbook Pro 13 Inch Close Up Of Display (Image credit: Gerald Lynch / iMore)

The Macbook Pro M2 is for people who want a powerful laptop, but don't quite have $2000. It's available with plenty of RAM and SSD options, so you can spec out your perfect MacBook, and the latest M2 chip is extremely powerful. It also has the touch bar, so if you've already got a laptop with a touch bar and you'll miss it when it's gone, then the MacBook Pro 2022 may well be your last chance to get one.

Macbook Pro 14 Inch Better

Macbook Pro 14 Inch Better (Image credit: Bryan M. Wolfe / iMore)

For professionals looking for the most powerful laptop they can get their hands on, the MacBook Pro 2021 line is the way to go. The M1 Pro and Max chips inside offer desktop levels of performance, whilst not overwhelming the MacBooks cooling system. The screens are extremely color accurate, so photo editors are well catered for. They come at a premium - but if you're a professional video editor, photographer, or even programmer, then the price is most definitely worth it.

Upgrading a MacBook Pro

In the past, you could pop open the bottom of your MacBook Pro and slip in some fresh RAM or a new hard drive. MacBooks of the present are an altogether more locked-down affair - you can unscrew the bottom plate, but you'll be welcomed by RAM that's completely attached to the motherboard and an SSD destined to be married to the laptop until its dying data cycle. Instead, if you want to upgrade a MacBook Pro in 2022, you're going to have to upgrade from the time of buying.

There are two places where you can do this - either with Apple themselves, who'll let you choose what specs you'd like in your machine or at certain retailers who offer differently specced machines from their own product pages. That leaves a key question - what specs should you be looking at when upgrading a MacBook Pro?

The first option that you'll be looking at on a product spec page is the Processor, and each MacBook Pro has its own options available. We won't go into too much detail here, but for most, it's worth choosing the base model chip - it will save you some money and will be plenty powerful enough for most use cases. 

The second option you'll find is RAM. If you're a big multitasker or a Chrome beast with roughly 2,475 tabs open, you're going to want to crank it up. On the more expensive models, the base 16GB is a great starting amount, but these days, if you're looking for a professional computer, then 24GB or 32GB is the way to go.

The final and perhaps most important part of speccing up a MacBook Pro is choosing the size of your SSD. It's important to remember that while you may not be planning on storing many files on your laptop, you will be wanting to store your programs on the speedy storage to quicken opening and loading times. As programs and apps get ever bigger, it's well worth upgrading to a larger SSD.

The biggest thing when choosing what you want in your MacBook Pro is that you won't be able to put anything else into the machine once you've bought it. While you may not think you need extra specs now, in the future, you may wish you spent that little bit extra and got a slightly bigger SSD or a little more RAM.

The best place to find MacBook Pro deals

There is no one place to find the best MacBook deals. If you want to spec your own MacBook Pro, there is only one place you can go - Apple's website (opens in new tab). There are sometimes deals on MacBook Pros on Amazon (opens in new tab), and occasionally at retailers like B&H Photo (opens in new tab) or BestBuy.

Tammy Rogers
Buying Guides and Deals Writer

As the Buying Guides and Deals writer for iMore, Tammy puts over a decade of experience in finding the best prices of Apple products to work, helping you save money on the equipment that you want. An audiophile at heart, she loves all things audio and visual, but you’ll also find her drooling over the latest Macs and MacBooks. With a Masters in screenwriting, Tammy likes to spend her free time writing feature-length and TV screenplays or driving digital cars around virtual circuits, to varying degrees of success. Just don't ask her about AirPods Max - you probably won't like her answer.