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Now is the best time to get a MacBook Pro 2021 - here s why

By Tony Polanco published 18 October 2022 Forget the reported new MacBook Pros, the 2021 models are still worth buying (Image credit: Future) We may get updated versions of the MacBook Pro 14-inch and MacBook Pro 16-inch before the end of the year. This is according to Mark Gurman's latest report for Bloomberg (opens in new tab), in which he suggests Apple will release new premium laptops powered by the rumored M2 Pro and M2 Max processors in November. While Apple hasn't confirmed any of this, Gurman has a pretty solid track record with his reports. Because of that, we're inclined to believe that new M2 Pro/M2 Max-powered MacBook Pros will indeed launch next month. Of course, this presents folks in the market for a new MacBook Pro with a dilemma. Is it better to wait for the new laptops or purchase the current MacBook Pros released in 2021? Neither is a bad option. However, think now is the best time to get the current MacBook Pro 14- and 16-inch laptops. Here's why.

Big MacBook Pro sales

Price is perhaps the most important reason to get a 2021 MacBook Pro. At launch, the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros had starting prices of $1,999 and $2,499 (respectively). Now, they're each on sale for hundreds of dollars off at different online vendors. We've seen the 16-inch MacBook Pro (pictured above) on sale for $2,099 - which is $400 off its original price. (Image credit: Future) Since September, Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo have regularly offered up to $400 off the 14-inch (opens in new tab) and 16-inch (opens in new tab) MacBook Pro models. They've hit as low as $1,599 and $2,099, respectively. Even the previous-gen MacBook Pro M1 hit an unprecedented $899 at Best Buy earlier in the month, which is the cheapest MacBook Pro we've ever seen. As for current sales, both Amazon and B&H Photo are still taking $300 off the M1-based MacBook Pro models. It's more than likely that prices will plummet further when the 2022 MacBook Pros arrive. And of course, we can't forget about potential Black Friday deals that could slash prices even further. If you want to save money on some of the best MacBooks out there, now is absolutely the time to get a 2021 MacBook Pro. (opens in new tab)MacBook Pro 14" (M1 Pro/512GB): $2,399 $1,999 @ B&H (opens in new tab)
This MacBook Pro sports Apple's M1 Pro CPU with 14-core GPU. Though it's priced at $1,999, it will deliver better performance than the 8-core starting model of the same price. Others specs include 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. You also get three Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI port, SDXC card slot, and a MagSafe 3 port.View Deal (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)MacBook Pro 16" (M1 Pro/512GB): $2,499 now $2,199 @ Amazon (opens in new tab)
Save $200: The 16-inch MacBook Pro sports Apple's M1 Pro chip. It features a 10-core CPU and a 16-core GPU. It also features a 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED display with 3456 x 2244 resolution. Others specs include 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. You also get three Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI port, SDXC card slot, and a MagSafe 3 port. This model can be configured with an even more powerful M1 Max chip (from $3,499), which features a 10-core CPU and 32-core GPU. B&H Photo offers the same price (opens in new tab).View Deal (opens in new tab)

The 2021 MacBook Pros are still very powerful 

The new MacBook Pro laptops are reportedly packing the rumored M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. If these processors offer the same kind of upgrade bump from the original Apple M1 chip to the Apple M1 Pro and Apple M1 Max chips, they should provide a noticeable boost over the current M2 processor. According to a previous report from Gurman, the new chips will focus on increased graphics performance. However, it's possible we'll see CPU improvements, along with boosted power efficiency and battery life. The 13-inch MacBook Pro 2022 currently has the longest-lasting battery of any laptop we've tested. The prospect of one of the new MacBook Pros potentially having a longer battery life is exciting. The 2022 MacBook Pros will likely be more powerful, but the 2021 laptops will remain some of the most powerful machines out there. (Image credit: Future) With that said, the new M2 Pro/M2 Max-powered MacBook Pros won't suddenly render the 2021 models obsolete. Both the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros are among the most powerful laptops currently available, based on our testing. On Geekbench 5.4, which measures overall performance, the MacBook Pro 16-inch packing an M1 Max chip scored 12,683. That's above the Dell XPS 15 OLED (2022), which currently sits at the top of our best Windows laptops list. On our handbrake test, which involves transcoding a 4K clip to 1080p, the MacBook Pro 16-inch took 4 minutes and 48 seconds to complete the task. That's faster than the XPS 15 OLED, which took 5 minutes and 42 seconds. The 2022 MacBook Pros will undoubtedly be more powerful than their 2021 equivalents. But unless you need an ultra-beefy computer for whatever giant workloads you're throwing at your MacBook Pro, you'll likely get along fine with the 2021 models.

Outlook 

Though 2022 iterations of the MacBook Pro 14-inch and MacBook Pro 16-inch aren't yet official, it's a safe bet these machines will eventually release - even if it isn't this year. Because of that, it's a good idea to start thinking about whether or not you need one of these new Apple laptops. If you suffer from a severe case of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) or require an extremely powerful laptop, then you'll likely want to wait for the new MacBook Pros to arrive. With that said, purchasing a 2021 MacBook Pro will still net you one of the most performant laptops out there - not to mention save you a good chunk of money. Because of that, I think now is the best time to get a 2021 MacBook Pro.Today's best Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch 2021 dealsReduced Price (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)$2,499 (opens in new tab)$2,199 (opens in new tab)View Deal (opens in new tab)Reduced Price (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)$2,699 (opens in new tab)$2,199 (opens in new tab)View Deal (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)$2,499 (opens in new tab)View Deal (opens in new tab)Show More DealsWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices

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Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Tony PolancoComputing WriterTony is a computing writer at Tom's Guide covering laptops, tablets, Windows, and iOS. During his off-hours, Tony enjoys reading comic books, playing video games, reading speculative fiction novels, and spending too much time on Twitter. His non-nerdy pursuits involve attending Hard Rock/Heavy Metal concerts and going to NYC bars with friends and colleagues. His work has appeared in publications such as Laptop Mag, PC Mag, and various independent gaming sites.
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