Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Apple slashes prices on storage options for older Macs, neglects hardware updates

By Jaina Grey Published January 15, 2019

Just days after Apple unveiled its latest and greatest MacBook Pro lineup, it looks like some of the older members of the Mac family are getting a little attention. No, unfortunately we’re not going to see some quiet hardware updates, just a little price drop for anyone looking to add some extra storage to an older Mac.

According to MacRumors, Apple has lowered the price of some storage options for the aging MacBook Air, iMac, Mac Pro, and Mac Mini lineup, which are all still sorely in need of a more thorough hardware refresh. Nevertheless, if you’re in the market for any of the aforementioned Mac products, you’ll be able to snag some extra storage space for a little less cash.

Recommended Videos

Previously, upgrading a MacBook Air to a roomier 512GB of storage space would have run you an extra $300. Starting today, though, you’ll be able to pick up the larger storage option for $200. Similarly, the 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display can be furnished with 512GB of storage space for an extra $400, rather than $500.

The late-model MacBook Pro is also included in this latest round of price drops, with some of its larger storage options (512GB and 1TB) shearing as much as $200 off of the prior asking price. This may still not quite be enough to justify the purchase of a premium laptop that is so far behind the competition, but it’s a step in the right direction.

Late last month, Apple unveiled a new slate of MacBook Pros which included the frequently leaked Touch Bar, but the rest of the Mac lineup remained untouched. As some desktop solutions, like the Mac Pro, Mac Mini, and iMac, continue to fall behind the competition, this latest round of price cutting could indicate that we’re going to be waiting a while before we see a thorough hardware refresh come to the older members of the Mac family.

Discounted MacBook Air Discounted MacBook Pro

[amz_nsa_keyword keyword=”MacBook Accessory”]

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Jaina Grey is a Seattle-based journalist with over a decade of experience covering technology, coffee, gaming, and AI. Her…

Topics

Computing

Apple is right to make iPadOS more Mac-like, but I’ll never buy an iPad that runs macOS

Magic Keyboard and iPad Pro.

Do you use a Mac or an iPad? Huge numbers of people use both, yet there are growing calls for Apple to merge the two devices into some kind of all-in-one super product. I’m not one of those people -- in fact I think it would be a terrible idea -- and I’m determined to steer clear of any hypothetical iPad that runs macOS.

Over the past few years, Apple’s best iPads have grown closer to the Mac. We’ve seen the devices get outfitted with Mac-grade chips like the M4, gain macOS-like software features such as Stage Manager, and gain increased compatibility with mice and keyboards.

Computing

I love the Dell XPS 13, but I’ll pick the MacBook Air any day

Dell XPS 13 and M4 MacBook Air.

I am a huge fan of slim and light laptops. That preference is borne more out of my professional lifestyle than a necessity for absolute silicon firebreathers. I believe a laptop should be, well, light on your lap, or hands, unless you need all that firepower in a mobile form factor.

That’s the reason gaming laptops exist, or those thick workstations such as the HP ZBook with an Nvidia RTX A500 series graphics card. For the rest, a thin laptop can do the job just fine, with its quirky set of compromises. Finding the right slim laptop, however, is the tricky part.

Computing

iPad is the best secondary screen I’ve used with a MacBook

You can extend your MacBook's screen by using an iPad as a secondary monitor.

I spend an unhealthy amount of time lurking in communities where people share aesthetic desktop setups. One of my friends recently set the group chat on fire with a triple monitor setup that had two vertical screens and an ultrawide curved panel at the center. An impulse swipe later, I achieved a similar makeover for my desk at home.

Here’s the problem, though. My $600 workstation overhaul did bring me visual joy, but not much utility. For reporting assignments, I spend the majority of the year away from home, working from deserted cafes or unnaturally uncomfortable bunk beds. I do miss the convenience of large secondary screens. Interestingly, that yearning is addressed by a rather unconventional device —the humble iPad.