Walmart begins selling MacBooks for first time ever, lists M1 MacBook Air for less than Apple Certified Refurbished

As the largest retailer in the world, it's somewhat surprising that Walmart has never directly sold one of the most popular computers in the world. That changes today — Walmart will now sell the M1 MacBook Air at a very competitive price.

Announced in a press release today, Walmart will now sell the M1 MacBook Air in store and online. It should be noted that consumers could buy Apple MacBooks, Macbook Airs, and MacBook Pros through Walmart's website, but these were always sold by third-party vendors. This announcement marks the first time Walmart will sell a MacBook of any kind directly.

The retail giant is kicking off its new deal with Apple with quite a bang. The base model of the M1 MacBook Air (8 GB RAM, 256 GB storage) is priced at $699. This makes Walmart's offering $60 cheaper than a refurbished M1 MacBook Air from Apple. Keep in mind that Walmart seems to be selling new in-box laptops, not refurbished models. MacBook Airs sold through Walmart are advertised with the same 1-year warranty that comes with those sold by Apple. MacBook Airs sold by Walmart also come with the option to extend the warranty through AppleCare.

However, it appears that Walmart is only selling the base model of the M1 MacBook Air at this time. Those that want more RAM or storage will have to buy a notebook through Apple's Certified Refurbished store or another marketplace. 

Speaking about the new offering, executive vice president of merchandising at Walmart Julie Barber said:

Our mission at Walmart is to help customers save money so they can live better – it’s not an either/or proposition. The very heart of that mission is the belief that customers should not have to sacrifice quality because of price. We’re working hard to bring premium brands to our physical and virtual shelves, and we’re excited to work with Apple to do just that.

Despite its age, the M1 MacBook Air continues to prove itself a competent laptop. At $699, Walmart offers a compelling deal on a capable laptop.

You can buy the M1 MacBook Air for $699 at Walmart here.