Apple's minor revamp of the MacBook Air lineup has triggered price drops of up to $200 on several of last year's models -- all of which are identical to the models introduced Tuesday with the exception of a 100MHz speed bump on the four standard retail configurations.
In particular, our Price Guides show that and Apple authorized resellers (and AppleInsider sponsors) B&H Photo and MacMall have significantly reduced the price of the following 2013 MacBook Airs, which they say are limited to existing supply and will not be restocked at these prices:
From B&H:
11-inch Air 1.30GHz/4GB/128GB (Reg $999) for $799.00 $200 Savings
11-inch Air 1.30GHz/4GB/256GB (Reg $1,199) for $999.00 $200 Savings
11-inch Air 1.70GHz/8GB/128GB (Reg $1,249) for $1,099.00 $150 Savings
13-inch Air 1.30GHz/4GB/128GB (Reg $1,099) for $899.00 $200 Savings
13-inch Air 1.30GHz/4GB/256GB (Reg $1,299) for $1,099.00 $200 Savings
13-inch Air 1.30GHz/4GB/256GB (Reg $1,549) for $1,399.00 $150 Savings
13-inch Air 1.30GHz/8GB/256GB (Reg $1,399) for $1,249.00 $150 Savings
13-inch Air 1.30GHz/8GB/512GB (Reg $1,699) for $1,529.00 $170 Savings
13-inch Air 1.70GHz/8GB/256GB (Reg $1,549) for $1,399.00 $150 Savings
13-inch Air 1.70GHz/8GB/256GB (Reg $1,849) for $1,699.00 $150 Savings
From MacMall:
11-inch Air 1.40GHz/4GB/128GB (Reg $999) for $818.68* $180.32 Savings
11-inch Air 1.40GHz/4GB/256GB (Reg $1,199) for $1,012.68* $186.32 Savings
13-inch Air 1.30GHz/4GB/256GB (Reg $1,299) for $1,109.68* $189.32 Savings
To take advantage of the above MacMall pricing, simply use the links above or in our Price Guides to activate the Promo Code field on MacMall's pages and then manually apply Promo Code APPLEINSIDER01. MacMall also only charges sales tax in a handful of states: CA, CO, GA, IL, MN, NC, NY, TN, and WI.
For cost conscious consumers, B&H offers the added benefit of only charging sales tax on orders shipped to its home state of New York, and exclusively offers readers discounted pricing on 3-Year AppleCare Protection Plans when purchased on the same order as a new Mac (See Mac + AppleCare Price Guide). In this case, attaching AppleCare to one of the aforementioned MacBook Airs will cost $180 as opposed to $250 (how to attach). Here's how B&H's reduced MacBook Airs price out, in total, with 3 years of AppleCare for consumers outside NY state:
From B&H:
11-inch Air 1.30GHz/4GB/128GB + AppleCare (Reg $1,248) for $978.99 $269 Savings
11-inch Air 1.30GHz/4GB/256GB + AppleCare (Reg $1,448) for $1,178.99 $269 Savings
11-inch Air 1.70GHz/8GB/128GB + AppleCare (Reg $1,498) for $1,278.99 $219 Savings
13-inch Air 1.30GHz/4GB/128GB + AppleCare (Reg $1,348) for $1,078.99 $269 Savings
13-inch Air 1.30GHz/4GB/256GB + AppleCare (Reg $1,548) for $1,278.99 $269 Savings
13-inch Air 1.30GHz/4GB/256GB + AppleCare (Reg $1,798) for $1,578.99 $219 Savings
13-inch Air 1.30GHz/8GB/256GB + AppleCare (Reg $1,648) for $14,28.99 $219 Savings
13-inch Air 1.30GHz/8GB/512GB + AppleCare (Reg $1,948) for $1,708.99 $239 Savings
13-inch Air 1.70GHz/8GB/256GB + AppleCare (Reg $1,798) for $1,578.99 $219 Savings
13-inch Air 1.70GHz/8GB/256GB + AppleCare (Reg $2,098) for $1,878.99 $219 Savings
With the exception of 100MHz clock speed increase to 1.4GHz from 1.3GHz on the four standard retail configurations, Apple's 2014 MacBook Air models are identical to its 2013 models. The company acknowledged this much by uncharacteristically deciding not to issue new, unique manufacturers part numbers for the 2014 models. It instead tweaked last year's part numbers. For example: Apple's 2013 11-inch MacBook Air (1.30GHz/4GB/128GB) carries part number MD711LL/A, while the new (1.40GHz/4GB/128GB) carries part number MD711LL/B.
To further offset the cost of buying a new MacBook Air, readers can consider trading in their old MacBook notebook to Gazelle or one of the other cash-paying buyback services listed in our Trade-in Guides. For instance, Gazelle is currently paying over $400 for a previous generation baseline 13" MacBook Air in "good" condition.
B&H, along with MacMall, is also accepting orders for several new 2014 MacBook Air configurations, which they say will begin shipping to costumers tomorrow. Orders placed online at these resellers will be filled in the order they are received; the same tax-savings and AppleCare offers mentioned above also apply. Additional models will turn up in the Price Guides as they become available to Apple's authorized resellers.
For its part, MacMall currently offers AI readers the lowest prices anywhere on the new 2014 MacBook Air retail configurations (without AppleCare) by using the links in our Price Guides (segment below) and applying promo code APPLEINSIDER01. MacMall says orders placed online for Apple's 4 standard retail configurations are currently shipping out within 24 hours. All custom configurations are currently scheduled to ship 3-5 business days. The same promo code also works for all other MacBook Airs and MacBook Pros from MacMall listed in the Price Guides:
Stay tuned over the next several days as more configurations become available.