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Apple stores holding fire sales on last-gen Mac notebooks

While Apple retail stores this week have been waiting on the first shipments of new Mac notebooks announced Monday, the company has quietly introduced end-of-life pricing on previous generation models to help its shops clear remaining inventory.

"Our Macbook Family has been updated and all current stock of Macbook and Macbook Pros need to be sold," the Mac maker wrote in an email to store representatives, educational institutions, and other partners supplied directly by the company. "All current in store computers are on a first come first serve basis."

Not all Apple retail stores are expected to have each of the earlier models in stock, but generally speaking Apple has cut the price on previous-generation 13-inch MacBooks by $100 to $300, previous-generation MacBook Airs by $400 to $800, and previous-generation MacBook Pros by $400 to $500.

The image below breaks down the price cuts as they were presented to Apple retail stores. A total of nine previous Mac notebook configurations are being offered with end-of-life pricing. Readers who aren't in close proximity to an Apple store or who are looking for even steeper discounts may want to check out our Mac Price Guide, which has been split into two sections: one for current generation Macs and one for previous-generation Macs.

Meanwhile, AppleInsider sponsor ClubMac on Wednesday announced aggressive pricing on Apple's just-announced line of 13-, 15-, and 17-inch MacBook Pros. Combining the online retailer's rebates with special coupons that offer an additional 3% discount has resulted in the best prices we've seen on the new notebooks.

For example, savings on 13-inch models range from $115 to $144, savings on 15-inch models scale from $170 to $270, and savings on the 17-inch model total $321. To see these prices, customers must click through the links in the Mac Price Guide and add the notebooks to their shopping cart. The additional 3% discount should reflect next to the line "Instant Discount(s)" once the items have been added to the cart.



47 Comments

gzillaration 16 Years · 1 comment

too bad i just got my unibody low end model in janurary.

will definately consider upping to 15 incher come xmas time though. a slick deal indeed!

but combine these prices with education promotion and holy cow, get a free ipod or sell it on ebay, and take 100 bucks more off wow

al_bundy 16 Years · 1525 comments

$1599 for me in the Apple Education store for the cheapest 15" MBP. no reason to buy it when the new one is going to be only $100 more

sequitur 19 Years · 1577 comments

ClubMac is selling the new 15" 2.53GHz MBP for $1528.62.

Apple Store is selling the old 15" 2.4GHZ MBP for $1599.00.

What am I missing here? Why buy the old model when the new one is cheaper? Further, there's no sales tax on online purchases. Why is Apple calling this a fire sale?

imat 18 Years · 215 comments

And plan to keep it until for at least three more years! Luckily most of the features of Snow Leopard will work on my computer.

In the meantime I am updating the innards of it to keep it "in shape" (4 GB RAM and the weekend project called "from 250GB 4700 rpm HDD to a 500GB 7200 rpm HDD (please keep your fingers crossed for me, I never attempted such a "surgery")).

My next Mac will probably be a 15", because it is much easier for travelling, with a Cinema Display for work (as an architect I need some screen real estate).

Sweet deals indeed though. I hope Apple gains market share and traction this year. They deserve it

macfandave 21 Years · 603 comments

No shoes, no shirt, no service.

No pain, no gain.

No woman, no cry.

No FireWire, no deal!