Apple Prime Day 2021 deals — 6 biggest sales to expect
Get ready to save hundreds with these Prime Day Apple deals
There was a time when we’d recommend that Apple fans avoid Prime Day deals. At the time, Amazon’s best Apple deals were mediocre at best and often beaten by the likes of Walmart and Best Buy. However, things have dramatically changed, and we expect Prime Day 2021 to offer some of the best Apple sales of 2021.
Not all Apple devices will be on sale. Mobile carriers, not Amazon, will remain the place to go for iPhone deals. However, MacBooks, iPads, AirPods, and even the new iMac M1 could see significant price drops this Prime Day. Here’s what we predict will happen.
MacBook Air M1
- Retail price: $999
- Lowest price to date: $899
- Prime Day prediction: $849
Apple’s least-expensive laptop is likely to get even cheaper on Prime Day. Last year, the 2020 MacBook Air dropped to an all-time price low of $849 on Prime Day. This year, we predict the MacBook Air M1 could hit $849. The base model has already hit $899 on a few occasions, so an $849 price point isn’t unrealistic. Meanwhile, we expect the 512GB model to drop at least $100 to $999.
MacBook Pro M1
- Retail price: $1,299
- Lowest price to date: $1,149
- Prime Day prediction: $1,199
The new MacBook Pro M1 could pass as the MacBook Air’s twin. However, the MacBook Pro features built-in fans, which let the laptop sustain high performance for longer periods of time. Its screen is also slightly brighter than the MacBook Air’s. In recent weeks, the base model has hit an all-time low of $1,149, which is $150 off. During last year’s Prime Day, Amazon only chopped $100 off the MacBook Pro. However, times are different and we think Amazon could slash $200 of the M1 MacBook Pro this Prime Day. Meanwhile, the 512GB model has already hit $200 off, so you can expect both models to be $200 off. It’ll be one of the best MacBook deals of the year.
AirPods Pro
- Retail price: $249
- Lowest price to date: $169
- Prime Day prediction: $149
AirPods Pro deals are a dime a dozen these days. However, we expect to see significant price drops come Prime Day. The AirPods Pro, for instance, could hit $169 in the lead up to Prime Day. That would tie their Black Friday price low. However, we think they'll hit $149 on Prime Day itself. Meanwhile, we think Amazon will knock at least $50 off the AirPods Max. The retailer has been secretly lowering its price on random non-holidays. This could be their first significant deal since the headphones’ launch. As for the traditional AirPods, you can expect them to drop to $99 for the base model and $129 for the AirPods with wireless charging case.
iPad Air
- Retail price: $599
- Lowest price to date: $539
- Prime Day prediction: $539
The iPad Air is the tablet we all want, but it’s not cheap. Fortunately, Prime Day will help make it somewhat more affordable. Most of the year, the base model has been on sale for $559. That’s just $20 shy of its all-time price low. On Prime Day, we think Amazon will once again slash its price to $539 or even $529. Meanwhile, the base 10.2-inch iPad is likely to drop to $279 from its $329 price tag. Most of the year, Amazon has sold it for $299. The problem is that Amazon hasn’t had much inventory of the 10.2-inch iPad, so it tends to sell out very fast. Should the iPad hit $279 or less, expect it to sell out faster than a PS5 console. Meanwhile, expect to see at least $50 off the new iPad Pros with M1 CPU.
Apple Watch Series 6
- Retail price: $399 (40mm/GPS)
- Lowest price to date: $249
- Prime Day prediction: $249
We’ve been tracking Apple Watch deals since the launch of the first generation. Trust us when we say Amazon has the best discounts. To date, the best Apple Watch 6 deal knocked its price to $249 — a generous $150 discount. This deal occurred on a random day in March and sold out within 24 hours. We think Amazon will offer this price again, but expect it to be on the RED model. Other colors might see a more traditional discount of $50 or $70 off, which is still a respectable price. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch 3 could see more modest price cuts dropping its asking price to $159 or $149. But again — don’t expect inventory to last at that price point.
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Mac mini M1
- Retail price: $699
- Lowest price to date: $599
- Prime Day prediction: $599
We’d love to see a generous discount on the new iMac M1. Unfortunately, we’re not likely to see more than $50 or perhaps $100 off. If that’s still out of your budget, we recommend opting for the Mac mini M1. The bite-sized Mac dropped to $599 earlier this week (base model), which to date has been the lowest price ever for Apple’s cheapest Mac computer. We predict it will hit that price point again during Prime Day. Meanwhile, the 512GB model will likely hit $799 again, which is also $100 off and its lowest price ever.
As deals editor-in-chief at Tom’s Guide, Louis is constantly looking for ways to avoid paying full price for the latest gadgets, appliances, and apparel. With over 10 years of deals-hunting experience, Louis price checks against multiple retailers and searches high and low for the best deals to bring readers. He's also always on the look out for the best coupon codes to use when shopping. A born-and-bred New Yorker, Louis is also an avid swimmer and marathoner. His work has appeared on Gizmodo, CNET, and Time Out New York.