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The best Apple deals you can buy this month: iPhones, Apple Watches, iPads, and more
The problem with Apple products, such as MacBooks, iPads, and the Apple Watch range, is that they usually carry a hefty price tag and are rarely on sale. But there are deals and discounts, even outside of sales events including Prime Day and Black Friday, if you know where to look.
Also: Everything Apple unveiled at its 'Let Loose' iPad event
Apple frequently refreshes its product ranges -- one of the latest being the iPad lineup -- and this can open the path to discounts in the form of new, promotional deals for the latest gadgets alongside price reductions for older designs as companies seek to move old stock. Typically, third-party retailers, such as Walmart, Best Buy, Newegg, or Amazon, are the places to find a discount on your new MacBook, iPad, and other Apple products.
Also: The best iPhone deals
Below, you will find the best sales and discounts for the month of May available on Apple products including MacBooks, Apple Watch, AirPods, and accessories.
Best Apple deals of May 2024
- Apple iPad Pro M4: Save $50 on pre-order
- Apple Watch Series 9: $299 (save $100)
- Apple MacBook Pro: $1499 (save $100)
- Apple AirPods Pro: $190 (save $59)
- Apple Studio Display: $1300 (save $300)
- Apple AirPods Max headphones: $450 (save $50)
- Apple iPad mini (64GB SSD): $469 (save $30)
- Apple Pencil (1st-gen): $79 (save $20)
- Apple AirTag, four-pack: $79 (save $20)
- Current price: $299
- Original price: $399
If you're looking to purchase one of Apple's latest smartwatches, there's a deal over at Walmart worthy of your consideration. You can save $100 on an Apple Watch Series 9 (GPS) 41mm, with a Midnight band. Deals on smartwatches tend to come along every month or so, and this remains one of our favorites.
- Current price: $1449
- Original price: $1599
Over at Amazon, you can take advantage of a $100 discount on an Apple MacBook Pro. Powered by Apple's M3 chip, this laptop sports a 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display, 8GB RAM, and 512GB SSD storage.
- Current price: $190
- Original price: $249
If you want to take advantage of a discount on Apple AirPods Pro earbuds, Amazon is offering $59 off the second-generation product line.
Apple's AirPods Pro earbuds won't suit everybody, but for those who like the design, you'll enjoy spatial audio, noise canceling, and the power provided by Apple's H2 chip.
A charging case is included.
- Current price: $249
- Original price: $329
One of the best deals we could find for an iPad is at Amazon. You can save $80 on a ninth-gen iPad equipped with a 10.2-inch Retina display, A13 chip, front and back-end cameras, and 64GB SSD storage.
Now priced at only $249, this iPad is a great, budget-friendly option.
T-Mobile has a great deal for customers hoping to sign up for family plans.
The carrier will give customers up to four free iPhone 15s, applied in bill credits (up to $830 off per device), when they trade in older, eligible devices and sign up for an appropriate plan with four lines.
While this is a great deal for a family plan, you can also enjoy the same $830 off -- ensuring that 128GB models are free -- for individual lines. Furthermore, T-Mobile allows customers to buy one and receive $700 off another when they add a line for iPhone 15s, iPhone 14s, or iPhone 13s. The discount is applied in monthly bill credits.
You can order an iPhone 15 directly from Apple, which is an excellent option if you don't want a carrier lock.
The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are thinner than their legacy counterparts. They come equipped with a USB-C port, 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch displays, and the Dynamic Island camera design. The Apple iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max come with Apple's new A17 Pro CPU, a faster neural engine, and camera improvements, including a 5X telephoto lens on the Pro Max.
You can receive up to $630 in credit when you trade in an older device and purchase through Apple. Apple Card cashback is also available. If your device doesn't meet trade-in standards, Apple will do the legwork to ensure you can recycle your device for free.
We can't expect many deals to appear for the recently announced 2024 Apple iPad Pro, powered by the firm's M4 chip. However, it's worth noting a pre-order promotion at Best Buy.
You can save on the 11-inch and 13-inch models, $999 and $1299 RRP, respectively, if you are willing to trade in an older device. You can also secure a discount of $50 if you are a My Best Buy Plus or My Best Buy Total member.
Also: iPad Pro (2024) vs. iPad Pro (2022): Which flagship Apple tablet should you buy?
More Apple deals
Apple accessory deals
Can I buy an iPhone without a plan?
Yes, but you must ensure that your new iPhone is not locked to a specific carrier. You can buy unlocked iPhones, both new and pre-owned, from sources including Apple itself, Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart.
What is the cheapest Apple product?
Apple's AirTag, a tracking device that connects to your account and allows you to find lost objects such as your keys, is Apple's cheapest product. Typically, a single AirTag retails for $29, whereas you can also purchase four-packs for around $99 outside of sales and promotions.
Is there a monthly fee for Apple iPads?
This depends on the type of iPad you decide to purchase. If you opt for a Wi-Fi-only iPad -- regardless of whether you have bought a classic iPad, iPad mini, or iPad Pro -- then there will be no monthly fee or subscription.
However, if you choose an iPad with Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity, then you will need to pay for a mobile data plan to take advantage of the iPad's cellular features.
How did we choose these Apple deals?
While researching the best Apple deals, we scoured the web and checked out promotional prices offered by major US retailers, including Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and Walmart.
We wanted to ensure we found the best deals on Apple products, including MacBooks, iPads, and iPhones, so we've shown you the latest discounts available -- but remember that stocks can be limited and sales pulled at any time.
Factors influencing our recommendations include:
- Price: The main factor we consider is the price. If the discount isn't noteworthy relative to the original price point, we don't consider it worthy of inclusion.
- Use cases: We have included a range of Apple devices on sale suitable for different uses, including work, study, entertainment, and sports.
- Variety: Here at ZDNET, we want to provide you with various products and accessories in the Apple ecosystem. We've selected deals spanning laptops and smartphones to smartwatches and more.
- Availability: If we come across a great Apple deal but only a few units are in stock unless it is a stellar saving you only see once in a blue moon, we will discount it and select a product with better stock levels instead.
What are the best deals right now?
ZDNET has been scouring the sale to find the best deals by category:
Best deals by retailer
Best deals by category
When will these deals expire?
Deals are subject to sell-out or expire at any time, though ZDNET remains committed to finding, sharing, and updating the best product deals for you to score the best savings. Our team of experts regularly checks in on the deals we share to ensure they are still live and obtainable. We're sorry if you've missed out on a deal, but don't fret -- we're constantly finding new chances to save and sharing them with you at ZDNET.com.