Skip to main content

Apple’s 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro drops to $1,300 at MacConnection

new macbook pro retina displayIf you’ve been holding out for a bigger discount on the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display than the one Apple offered in February, you’re in luck. As AppleInsider discovered, MacConnection is suddenly putting its brand-new and in-stock MacBook Pro on sale for $1,300, which is $200 cheaper than if you were to order the same laptop from Apple today.

Just to be clear, the retailer is only offering this steep discount on the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro with a 2.5GHz Intel Core i5 processor and a 128GB solid-state drive. Its similarly sized cousin with with a slightly faster 2.6GHz Core i5 CPU and bigger 256GB SSD is going for $1,650 on MacConnection’s website, which is a mere $50 less than what Apple is charging.  

MacConnection_13inch MacBook Pro Retina price drop
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Considering this 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display was just announced  announced in October of 2012, it is surprising that Apple and other retailers like Amazon have been slowly but steadily cutting its price since launch. It was originally priced at $1,700, and its price has dropped to $1,300 within five months. While this is great news for frugal shoppers who’ve been eyeing the 13-inch MacBook Pro since last year, early adopters must be smarting at the $400 savings they could have pocketed if only they waited on their purchase.

So why are prices for the well-reviewed Retina MacBook Pros continuing to drop? In AppleInsider‘s opinion, “Increasingly aggressive discounts on Apple’s MacBooks come after the company failed to outgrow the overall PC market for the first time in years during its holiday quarter.” Are consumers no longer buying the more premium priced Pros because the thinner and more affordable MacBook Air is good enough for most users? It’s possible that stores with too many unsold MacBook Pros are just cutting prices to spur sales. In that case, their loss is your gain. 

Editors' Recommendations

Gloria Sin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gloria’s tech journey really began when she was studying user centered design in university, and developed a love for…
MacBook Pro 16 vs. MacBook Pro 14: The important differences
MacBook Pro laptops.

MacBooks are typically seen as some of the best laptops money can buy, thanks to their combination of performance and longevity. It's not uncommon for MacBooks to be running flawlessly years after purchase -- so while their upfront costs are a bit steep, they're great long-term investments.

That holds true for the MacBook Pro lineup, which comes in two sizes -- 14 inches and 16 inches. Both are top-of-the-line computers designed to handle pretty much anything you can throw at them, offering access to the M3 chip, vibrant Liquid Retina XDR displays, and plenty of other high-end hardware.

Read more
The best MacBook to buy in 2024
Apple MacBook Pro 16 downward view showing keyboard and speaker.

Now that Apple has started outfitting its laptops with its M3 generation of chips, it's time to take another look at which is the best MacBook to buy in 2024. That’s not always easy, though, as buying the newest MacBook isn’t always the right decision. Apple has several tiers of performance, as well as various sizes, which can further complicate the matter.

What’s more, you can also still get M1 and M2 MacBooks, some from Apple’s own website and some from third-party retailers. But are they still worth your money? Our guide should help you decide.

Read more
How to connect a MacBook to a TV
MacBook on a chair with the TV app on the screen.

Apple’s MacBooks are excellent content-consumption machines, but even the roomiest 16-inch MacBook Pro can’t compare to viewing your favorite shows on a large TV. Whether you’re watching a movie or playing one of the best Mac games, it’s much better to enjoy it on a spacious TV than on a constrained MacBook display.

Read more