Apple’s incredible 14-inch MacBook Pro is just $1 shy of its best price yet

Somehow, we’ve reached the middle of April, which means graduation for the class of 2022 is just around the corner (congrats in advance). If you’re looking for a pricey-yet-practical gift, Apple’s newest 14-inch MacBook Pro would certainly be a welcome present. It’s an especially good one to consider today now that this model is on sale for just $1 shy of its best price to date. Right now, Amazon is selling the M1 Pro-powered MacBook Pro with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD for $1,749.99 ($200 off). Note, however, that the current discounted price applies at checkout.

We gave the latest 14-inch MacBook Pro, which can be configured with either Apple’s new M1 Pro or M1 Max processor, a rare 9.5 out of 10 in our review. We were impressed with almost everything about it, namely its lightning-fast performance, as well as its excellent battery life, which is among the longest we’ve seen in a laptop yet. We also liked its stunning Mini LED display and its extensive port selection, which includes a Thunderbolt 4 port, an HDMI port, and a full-size SDXC slot. What we didn’t like so much, however, was its expensive price tag. Yet, with today’s $200 discount, we feel even more comfortable recommending the laptop.

14-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro (2021)

• $1,750
• $1,949
• 11% off

The 14-inch MacBook Pro can be equipped with either the new M1 Pro or M1 Max CPU and can be configured to have up to 64GB of unified memory.

• $1,750
  
  at Amazon (512GB)
• $2,399
  
  at Amazon (1TB)

Skullcandy’s Jib True earbuds are one of our favorite pairs of inexpensive wireless earbuds. For less than $30, you get a six-hour battery life and an IPX4 sweat resistance rating. The sound quality isn’t incredible, sure, but for the price, it’s fine. Plus, unlike Jabra’s more expensive true wireless earbuds, you can use either of Skullcandy’s Jib buds independently. You can also pair these buds with multiple devices, but note that, unlike with more expensive earbuds, Skullcandy’s Jibs don’t remember all of the devices you’ve paired in the past. That means you’ll have to keep adding them to their Bluetooth list manually.

Still, the inconvenience is a small price to pay given the budget-friendly earbuds are on sale in multiple colorways right now at Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo for $26.99 instead of $29.99. It’s a small discount but one that matches the earbuds’ best price of the year.

Skullcandy’s Jib True wireless earbuds

• $27
• $30
• 11% off

Skullcandy’s Jib True wireless buds come with six-hour battery life, serviceable sound quality, and an IPX4 sweat resistance rating.

• $27
  
  at Amazon
• $27
  
  at Best Buy

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Looking for something more affordable than the 14-inch MacBook Pro? If you don’t mind sacrificing a lot of power, Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook 2 is about a fourth of the price and an excellent choice, particularly for its screen. One of the best Chromebooks you can buy, the convertible boasts a QLED panel, thus enabling higher contrast and more vivid colors. It also comes with better battery life than its predecessor, which allows it to last nearly 7 and a half hours on a single charge.

It’s a great buy that’s an even better option today now that Amazon, Best Buy, and Samsung are taking $150 off the model we tested, which is equipped with an Intel Core i3-10110U chip, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of eMMC storage for $549. While that’s not the all-time low of $499 we saw last year, it’s certainly one of the Chromebook’s better prices to date. In addition, you can also get a $150 discount on the lower-specced model with 4GB of RAM, 64GB of eMMC storage, and the less powerful Intel Celeron processor at Best Buy and Samsung, both of which are selling the model for $399. Read our review.

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 (8GB/128GB)

• $549
• $700
• 22% off

The Galaxy Chromebook 2 is Samsung’s flagship Chromebook, one that is less expensive and improves on its predecessor with better battery life, a good QLED display, and a vibrant design.

• $549
  
  at Amazon
• $549
  
  at Best Buy

For those in the market for a fitness tracker, the Fitbit Sense is currently on sale for $199.99 instead of $299.99 at Amazon, which is close to its best price ever. It may not be one of our favorites due to the litany of bugs and performance issues we experienced while testing it in 2020, but Fitbit’s flagship Sense is still a capable tracker that offers features you’d typically expect to find on smartwatches, like built-in GPS, heart rate monitoring, and SpO2 sensors.

The Sense also delivers some more unique features; for instance, we think it’s one of the better mental health tracking tools on the market, as it boasts an electrodermal activity sensor, which gauges your stress levels by reading your skin’s microscopic sweat levels. It also comes with EKG readings and an always-on OLED display, although note that the display cuts the battery life in half from six to three days. Read our review.

Fitbit Sense

• $188
• $300
• 38% off

The Fitbit Sense includes FDA clearance and allows you to track your stress levels in addition to measuring your blood oxygen levels. The watch also includes Google Assistant support as well as built-in Alexa.

• $188
  
  at Amazon

More deals we’re excited about today

• Amazon is joining Wellbots in taking $200 off of the iRobot s9 Plus, selling the older, high-end vacuum for $799, its best price to date. Like the excellent iRobot Roomba j7 — which is also currently discounted by $200 at Wellbots — the popular robot vacuum can map your home but doesn’t come with the j7’s obstacle avoidance technology.
• JBL’s Xtreme 3 Bluetooth speaker is on sale for a new all-time low of $299.99 at Amazon. That’s an $80 discount on a portable speaker, which can pair with other JBL speakers and comes with an IP67 rating against dust and water.
• Zagg is currently offering free shipping and taking 25 percent off a range of Apple accessories, including MagSafe chargers, screen protectors, power banks, and iPad keyboards. You can also bundle up and get up to 25 percent off three products but note that the current sale only lasts until 10:59PM PT / 1:59AM ET tonight.