A rare sub-$250 MacBook Air deal is entering its final hours that offers a 13-inch model with 8GB of memory and 128GB of storage for $229.99.
The Lenovo Flex 5 Chromebook gets you a thin and light 13.3-inch Chrome OS laptop with a touchscreen display, more battery life than even our lofty expectations of it — and the ability to flip it into tent mode for your new favorite Netflix partner on that desk or table next to your bed.
What you get for $230 in this MacBook Air deal
About this configuration: This is the basic 13.3-inch MacBook Air model, powered by a 1.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of LPDDR3 RAM.
It comes with Intel HD Graphics 6000, a 720p FaceTime camera, Wi‑Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth, as well as the still supremely useful port mix of: two USB‑A 3.0 ports; Thunderbolt 2; an SDXC card slot; and MagSafe 2 charging. At 2.96 pounds, it’s still among the most portable full-size laptops around, and battery life is rated at up to 12 hours on a charge by Apple.
The unit is Grade A/B refurbished, but that usually means fully tested hardware with minor cosmetic wear — slight scuffs on the chassis, not broken hinges or anything like that.
Reputable refurbishers lead them through diagnostics, swap worn-out parts, and then clear drives before a sale — measures that Consumer Reports has long reported can make preowned tech an astute value purchase if there are warranties involved.
Why this price is exceptional for a working Mac
When it first came out, this MacBook Air had an MSRP of $999. At $229.99, that’s around 77 percent off of its original price, which is pretty unheard of for a working Mac with 8GB of RAM and a solid-state drive. As a point of reference, Apple’s own refurb store frequently features the M1 MacBook Air up for $100s more and marketplace averages for similar 2017 Air models typically hang around the $250–$350 range depending on condition and warranty.
And broader market pressure adds perspective: industry watchers like IDC have long observed that average selling prices for laptops have been elevated in recent years even as shipment volumes come and go.
Given all that, a Mac under $250 that can riotously pump out web work, documents, email, and streaming feels like an outlier — and that’s before you even account for the Air’s resale value.
Performance and real-world use for everyday tasks
For everyday use, this Air is surprisingly spry. The dual‑core i5 and 8GB of memory are plenty for dozens of browser tabs, productivity apps like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, note-taking, Zoom calls, and 1080p streaming. The keyboard is the older, widely loved scissor mechanism, and with the SD card slot, photographers or students running back and forth between shooting locations are given a convenience that they won’t get in an age of dongle nests.
If you’re a creative professional editing 4K video, training machine learning models, or rendering complex timelines, Apple Silicon models will lap this Intel chip. But for commuters, writers, and anyone who needs a light note‑taking laptop that lasts all day on the cheap, it’s hard to argue with that $230 proposition.
Important caveats to consider before you buy
Operating system support is the biggie. This model is officially supported until macOS Monterey. Apple tends to focus most of its security energy on the latest releases, so plan accordingly. You can still use modern browsers, productivity suites, and many mainstream apps, but any future macOS features likely won’t see the light of day here.
Storage is another consideration. With 128GB of storage on board, you’re going to need to offload big photo libraries (or media) to cloud storage or an external drive. Bluetooth 4.0 is adequate for headphones and keyboards but lacks the same range and efficiency of modern standards. And while the battery life on these computers generally has been great, refurb purchasers need to verify that the computer’s battery health falls within typical refurb standards (frequently ≥80% of original capacity).
How to vet a refurb before committing to buy
Get the basics in writing:
- How long is the warranty (most offer 90 days or more)
- How long you have to return it and any restocking fees
- What will be included in the box (charger and power cable, for example; are any parts replaced?)
- Ask for battery cycle count and health percentage
- Ensure the serial number is free of Activation Lock right away
- Test key functionality upon arrival — Wi‑Fi, ports/connectivity, camera image quality, keyboard/trackpad, speaker sound quality, and display backlight uniformity
Grade A/B: There may be minor/small scratches, but it will not affect the use of the product. Light scuffing is natural; deep dents around ports or along the hinge, less so. The Air’s durable all‑aluminum unibody design ages well, but it never hurts to give a brief look.
Bottom line on this sub-$230 MacBook Air deal
At less than $230, this MacBook Air is a surprisingly great deal for everyday web surfing and productivity at a very low price — especially if you’re after the best keyboard around in a seven-hour battery life package as mature as what you’ll get from macOS.
With stock getting low and the offer in its final days, it’s a last-chance deal that you should jump on if this classic Air fits your needs the best.