Update: Best Buy has now one-upped Walmart and is now selling the M1 MacBook Air at $649.
Walmart is teaming up with Apple to sell the Mac for the first time. In a press release today, the company said that it is now selling the base model M1 MacBook Air online and in select stores for $699. The move comes a week after Apple introduced the new M3 MacBook Air and stopped selling the M1 MacBook Air itself.
While Walmart has historically sold Apple devices like the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, it has never sold Macs directly. Instead, it’s relied on third-party partners to sell the Mac through its online marketplace.
In today’s announcement, Walmart emphasizes that this is the first time customers can buy a Mac directly:
Today, Walmart will begin selling MacBook Air with the M1 chip – continuing to deliver premium quality and unmatched affordability for customers. MacBook Air features amazing performance and a long battery life in its thin and light design. This is the first time customers can purchase a Mac directly from Walmart. The MacBook Air with the M1 chip is now available on Walmart.com and will soon be available in select Walmart stores for only $699.
Julie Barber, executive vice president of merchandising, added:
“Our mission at Walmart is to help customers save money so they can live better – it’s not an either/or proposition. The very heart of that mission is the belief that customers should not have to sacrifice quality because of price. We’re working hard to bring premium brands to our physical and virtual shelves, and we’re excited to work with Apple to do just that.”
Apple reshuffled its MacBook lineup last week, introducing the M3 MacBook Air starting at $1099 and dropping the price of the M2 MacBook Air to $999. As part of these changes, Apple also stopped selling the M1 MacBook Air, which had previously been available for $999.
The $699 price point for the M1 MacBook Air through Walmart is pretty appealing. This is especially true because it’s being sold in brand new condition, rather than refurbished or renewed. For context, Apple sells the M1 MacBook Air through its refurbished store for $759.
The M1 MacBook Air will be available starting today from Walmart’s website and “soon” at select Walmart stores.
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