Don’t make this huge mistake when buying a MacBook on Black Friday

Black Friday and Cyber Monday is going to be a fantastic time to buy a MacBook. Whether you’re looking for a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, you’re bound to find some killer Black Friday MacBook deals that reduce prices to lower than they’ve ever been before.

For example, the M1 MacBook Air is already selling for just $599, while the M4 MacBook Pro has been reduced to $1,399 — just to show how far-reaching the savings are.

But regardless of what kind of MacBook you need, there’s one recent change in the lineup that affects nearly every option you can purchase.

I’m talking, of course, about the recent change in RAM configurations. Get this wrong, and you could be throwing away hundreds of dollars.

With the launch of the M4 MacBook Pros last month, Apple also updated RAM configurations across the board, moving from 8GB to 16GB. So, the base M4 MacBook Pro, M3 MacBook Air, and M2 MacBook Air all began selling with 16GB of RAM. But here’s the important point: Apple added RAM without raising prices. In the past, Apple charged $200 for moving from 8GB to 16GB — and now, it’s free. All in all, this was very good news, and was celebrated by the Mac enthusiast community.

But admittedly, it does make buying MacBooks a bit more complicated, especially if you’re hunting for the best deal. The problem is that third-party retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, or Walmart, all sell 8GB versions of these laptops, and they don’t always reflect Apple’s changes in pricing. So, when you’re perusing MacBook deals, keep your eye on the specification configuration you’re buying.

How much RAM do you need exactly? Well, 16GB is ideal for a MacBook Pro, especially at reduced prices, but if you really want to find something more affordable, don’t forget: It’s a $200 upgrade. If an 8GB model is only selling for $20 or $30 less, that’s not just worth it.

This same pattern plays out with MacBooks Pros as well. Buying previous-generation MacBook Pros is a great way of getting the Pro upgrade for less money — especially if it’s the better screen, ports, speakers, and webcam you’d benefit from.

But do the math. There are 8GB versions of the M3 MacBook Pro out there that aren’t inexpensive enough — or even 16GB versions of the M3 MacBook Pro that haven’t factored in the pricing change made to the M4 MacBook Pro. For a MacBook Pro, you’ll likely appreciate having the extra memory, so take that into consideration before you pull the trigger.

The last thing to mention is that there are distinctions between these models, even if they look identical in the photos. For example, there’s a big improvement to the webcam going from the M3 MacBook Pro to the M4 MacBook Pro. It also has a screen that now maxes out at 1,000 nits while working outside. These won’t be game-changers for everyone, but they’re features that are worth considering before pulling the trigger.

Our complete guide to the best Black Friday Apple deals will offer the best options. Pay close attention to RAM, and you should be able to snag a discounted MacBook that will last you many years.