The M3 MacBook Air is the latest and greatest version of Apple's entry-level laptop, but it's not the cheapest version the company currently sells. The M2 MacBook Air is still being sold, and at a discounted starting price of $999. Even more enticing, you can usually find it for as low as $850 at online retailers.
That sounds like a good price, but there are lots of really great laptops that sell for even cheaper. Before pulling the trigger on a shiny new M2 MacBook Air, I recommend you consider one of the following five options instead, which are all cheaper.
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED
Mark Coppock / Digital Trends
In terms of value, there's no laptop quite like the Zenbook 14 OLED . Despite having an excellent OLED screen and the latest Core Ultra 7 processor, you can buy it for just $800. Now, you might look at that price and wonder if it's really worth buying it over the M2 MacBook Air, which can be bought for just an extra $50. But this $800 configuration comes with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, compared to the 8GB and 256GB of the M2 MacBook Air. Apple would charge you an extra $600 for that upgrade.
This becomes even more clear when you look at the $599 model, which still comes with 512GB of storage. So yeah, the Zenbook 14 OLED is a fantastic deal, and it has very few compromises. The keyboard and touchpad are great, it has a touchscreen, and there's a wealth of ports.
Just don't get this confused with the Zenbook 14 OLED Q, a spruced-up model that only comes in a high-end configuration. But really, the only true difference between the two laptops is a fancier lid design. That's it. So, go with the Zenbook 14 OLED (UX3405), and you'll be delighted.
MacBook Air M1
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
If there's one really solid alternative to the M2 MacBook Air, it's the M1 MacBook Air . I know, I know — it might feel like cheating, especially since Apple no longer sells it. However, you can find it online for a couple hundred dollars cheaper than the M2 model. Now, in general, I would point people toward the M2 MacBook Air since it offers a better webcam, better speakers, and a thinner chassis.
However, if you're really pinching your pennies and are set on a MacBook, the M1 MacBook Air is as cheap as you can really want to go. In terms of the things that matter most, the M1 MacBook Air is still a really solid laptop that beats many Windows laptops in performance and battery life.
So, while I think the M2 MacBook Air is worth the extra cash, the M1 MacBook Air represents a cheaper version that is still quite good. The refurbished $599 model being sold at Best Buy is just a great deal.
Dell XPS 13 (9315)
Digital Trends
The latest version of the Dell XPS 13 is rather expensive. It's a premium machine that is priced closer to the M3 MacBook Air . Looking at the previous generation of the XPS 13, however, offers some really good, affordable options. The XPS 13 Plus recently got a significant price cut, with a new starting price of $999. This, however, is a specced-up configuration with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. It includes a 13th-gen Intel processor, as well as a gorgeous design.
Even better, however, is the XPS 13 (9315) . It came out in 2022, but features a more standard design. It's still a beautiful laptop, though, and it's even thinner than the XPS 13 Plus . The one downside is performance, as the XPS 13 (9315) doesn't use a fast processor. The $599 model is attractive, but the $799 model with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage is solid too.
Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED
Mark Coppock / Digital Trends
The Zenbook 14 OLED is fantastic, but if you want something a little smaller to match the MacBook Air, then the Zenbook S 13 OLED is an equally good value. It's a gorgeous little laptop that's quite nearly as thin as the M2 MacBook Air. I like the black backdrop on the keyboard, which matches the MacBook Pro, and the fact that it has lots more ports.
The only real problem is that the Zenbook S 13 is currently only available in a more premium configuration with 32GB of RAM. That configuration doesn't make a ton of sense for this type of laptop, unfortunately. But the 16GB version that used to be available was a fantastic deal. The other caveat is that it uses a Ryzen processor, so it may get refreshed with an update later this year.
Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 4
Lenovo
The ThinkBook 13x Gen 4 doesn't offer a significant discount over the MacBook Air, but it has a few advantages that make it worth the extra money. As of the time of writing, the starting price of the ThinkBook 13x Gen 4 is $1,027, which nets you 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and a Core Ultra 7 processor. For that configuration, you'll pay a bit more than you would for the MacBook Air M2.
More than that, the ThinkBook 13x has a better screen. It has a 13.5-inch, 2880 x 1920 panel with a faster 120Hz refresh rate. Not only is that a higher-resolution screen, but it's rare to get a refresh rate over 60Hz on a laptop this cheap. That makes the ThinkBook 13x a standout.
The ThinkBook 13x is also a fairly thin and light laptop that's only marginally chunkier than the MacBook Air.
