With employers all over the nation instructing contractors and employees to work from home to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus — COVID-19 — the need for home office equipment has never been higher. To help make decking out your spare room with all the hardware required to get down to business lighter on your wallet, Amazon has discounted two must-have devices: the Apple iPad and MacBook Air.
New Apple iPad (10.2-inch) — $279, was $329
The latest Apple iPad, only released in 2019, continues to be one of the best tablets on the market simply for the brains and brawn it packs into one stylish package. Its glossy 10.2-inch screen is designed with Apple’s signature Retina display to make every action and swipe feel fluid and smooth as satin. We’ve been using the iPad for a while, and even now, we’re still amazed by how the colors seem to pop and come to life. This gives every video or image a lively quality that’s rarely found in something so compact and light. In fact, at 1.07 pounds, the iPad is remarkably light.
The A10 Fusion processor allows you to handle some pretty intense applications like dedicated games and online streaming. It’s built for optimum performance with near-instant response times, completely alleviating the frustration that comes with input lag. With the iPad, you even have the option to multitask. This allows you to open two applications and work on them simultaneously on the same screen, cutting the time it takes to transition from one app to the other. The eight-megapixel back camera also allows you to film in 1080p HD resolution. For the front, it has a 1.2-megapixel HDR-enabled camera, so voice calls and video conferences are always clear no matter where you are.
If you’re worried about the tablet dying while you’re out and about on your daily grind, don’t be. The iPad is capable of lasting up to 10 hours of non-stop use, even on Wi-Fi or data, so you can take your work with you anywhere you want without being chained to a socket or relying on a power bank every few hours. If you’d prefer a laptop, the iPad is compatible with the Smart Keyboard, so you can switch between laptop and tablet without ever having to migrate screens. It’s currently available on Amazon in two storage sizes to complement your work style and workload, with options for 32GB and 128GB. Whichever you pick, you’re getting the same quality. The 32GB iPad is on sale for $279 while the 128GB is discounted at $399.
Apple MacBook Air (2017) — $750, was $999
The Apple MacBook has been a staple for students and young working professionals since its initial release in 2006, and it has only become more of a powerhouse since then. While this MacBook Air isn’t the latest model, it’s still well regarded as a fully capable laptop that can round out any workspace — plus, it’s cheap. Some of us are still reeling over the prices of the latest MacBook Pros. And if it’s technical obsolescence that scares you, rest assured that some of us are still using our MacBooks from way back when, proving that this is definitely up to modern standards.
At first glance, the MacBook Air’s aluminum chassis reveals itself to be sleek and has a prominent air of professionalism about it. When it comes to Apple, the signature design is pure style, so you never have to worry about looking tacky. It has two USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt 2 ports each and an SDXC card slot, so you can stay connected to practically any device you might need. It’s simply efficiency at its finest.
The 13.3-inch display is LED-backlit with 1,440 x 900 resolution. So, if you’re going to edit videos or do intense work, this MacBook Air may not be the laptop for you, especially with the 128GB SSD. It’s best suited for office or simple work involving nothing too hardware-intensive. If you’ll only be writing documents, browsing the web, or organizing files, then this is perfect for you. The Intel HD Graphics 6000 isn’t very accommodating for larger programs, but simple applications — and even some online games — work just fine. For its processor, it uses a dual-core Intel Core i5 with 8GB of RAM, so it can run most software efficiently without too much trouble. If you’ll only be using one core, however, the MacBook Air has a Turbo Boost that upgrades its 1.8GHz to 2.9GHz to help process data faster.
All in all, if you’re looking for a good laptop on a budget for your home office or school, then you can’t go wrong with the MacBook Air, especially for beginners or those delving into the world of Apple for the first time. It’s on sale on Amazon for only $750, a whole $249 off its retail price.
Check out our curated deals page for more great deals on other products to upgrade your home office like monitors and headphones.
