Fast Facts
- Apple might have just discontinued the 13-inch MacBook Air with M1 (and a wedge design), but it's living on at a surprising retailer.
- It's the first Mac that Walmart has ever officially sold.
One way to draw in a new customer (or maybe get a long-standing one excited) is to start carrying something brand new on a retailer’s physical or virtual shelves, and now Walmart (WMT) is doing just that.
Walmart is now officially partnering with Apple (AAPL) to sell the Mac for the first time. The retailer has long sold the iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad alongside first-party accessories and the Apple TV 4K streaming box. Macs, though, have always been sold through a third party.
Related: 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air with M3 review: Apple’s best gets better
It’s a unique model as well, and comes at a pretty unbeatable price point. The 13-inch MacBook Air with M1 is now available from Walmart for $699. It’s specifically the entry-level configuration with an M1 chip, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage in Space Gray, Silver, or Gold.
This news comes shortly after Apple discontinued this specific model and introduced the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air with M3. Apple’s current MacBook lineup looks like this, with the entry point now being an M2-powered 13-inch MacBook Air:
- 13-inch MacBook Air with M2, starting at $999.
- 13-inch MacBook Air with M3, starting at $1,099.
- 15-inch MacBook Air with M3, starting at $1,299.
- 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3, starting at $1,599.
- 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro, starting at $1,999.
- 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Max, starting at $3,199.
- 16-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro, starting at $2,499.
- 16-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Max, starting at $3,499.
Still, the 13-inch MacBook Air with M1 is an excellent laptop. It was one of the first released when Apple began the transition from Intel processors to Apple Silicon. It also keeps the iconic wedge-shaped design of the original Air.
Walmart
For now, Walmart is selling the M1 MacBook Air for $699 online, which will soon be available in select stores. Apple originally priced the M1 MacBook Air at $999 (starting), which is impressive as the Walmart price even undercuts a certified refurbished model from Apple directly.
On this new arrival to Walmart’s digital and physical shelves, Julie Barber, Executive Vice President of Merchandising, said in a release, “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.” It’s also introducing these higher-priced brands at a much lower price, which Barber noted is key to Walmart’s overall mission.
Walmart was quick to highlight that it’s the first time that the Mac is available from its online or in-person store, and given Barber’s comments, it is clear the brand is excited about it. It remains to be seen how many units of the M1 MacBook Air Walmart has secured, and this might evolve next.
Could we see if the iMac, Mac mini, or other MacBook arrive at a discount or full retail? TheStreet received this statement back from a Walmart spokesperson in regards to stock and if more Macs are on the horizon:
“We will sell the M1 Air online and in select stores, starting early April, and will continue to have this product available for our customers for the foreseeable future. We offer many Apple products sold both directly by Walmart as well as via our Marketplace.”
Seemingly, Walmart intends to keep the M1 Air around for a while and will hopefully keep the price at $699. While they didn't confirm if future Macs will arrive, they at least intend to keep the third-party options online as well. Either way, it’s a new option for consumers.
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