Need a MacBook? Don’t buy it from Apple while these Amazon deals are still live


MacBook Air M5

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Both the 13-inch and 15-inch Apple MacBook Air M5 are on sale for Amazon’s Prime Day event, with the 13-inch starting at $949 and the 15-inch starting at $1,149.

You may want to pay close attention to these prices on Amazon. In response to rising component costs, Apple just implemented a blanket price increase across its entire MacBook and iPad lineup. Unfortunately, this means consumers will pay anywhere from 15% to 25% more today than they would have on the same device yesterday.

Also: June Prime Day live blog 2026: Amazon deals on SSDs, TVs, laptops and more

But Amazon hasn’t changed its prices… at least not yet. The MacBooks that have been on sale for Prime Day have remained at their sale prices — lower than Apple’s official prices. For example: 

  • The 13-inch MacBook Air M5 now starts at $1,199 in the Apple store, but it’s $949 on Amazon.
  • The 15-inch MacBook Air M5 starts at $1,399 on the Apple store, but is going for $1,149 on Amazon — $250 cheaper. 

The increased cost is largely due to unprecedented demand for RAM and NAND flash storage from AI infrastructure companies, which are scooping it up for themselves, leading to a shortage for consumer electronics.

This price increase should come as no surprise, however. Apple CEO Tim Cook recently warned of an impending price hike in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, admitting that it had reached a point where higher prices were “unavoidable.”

Also: Apple jacks up prices on its MacBooks and iPads – here’s how much more you’ll pay

If you’ve been looking at snagging a new MacBook Air, Amazon Prime Day might be your last chance to get these kinds of prices. The Air M5 earned our Editor’s Choice for its features relative to cost, mature design, and thoroughly enjoyable user experience. It’s still the jack-of-all-trades laptop I recommend to most people, with a thin-and-light build, fantastic battery life, and — compared to the M4 — more memory and faster storage.

How I rated this deal 

I rated this deal a 4/5 because they’re currently cheaper than the official Apple store, but not the lowest overall prices we’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, these prices might be as low as they can possibly go for now as companies grapple with the rising cost of device components, memory, and storage. 

Amazon’s Prime Day event runs Tuesday, June 23, to Friday, June 26, 2026. The event was shifted up from its usual July timeframe. 


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Deals are subject to sell out or expire anytime, though ZDNET remains committed to finding, sharing, and updating the best product deals for you to score the best savings. Our team of experts regularly checks in on the deals we share to ensure they are still live and obtainable. We’re sorry if you’ve missed out on this deal, but don’t fret — we’re constantly finding new chances to save and sharing them with you at ZDNET.com


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We aim to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter. ZDNET offers 33 years of experience, 30 hands-on product reviewers, and 10,000 square feet of lab space to ensure we bring you the best of tech. 

In 2025, we refined our approach to deals, developing a measurable system for sharing savings with readers like you. Our editor’s deal rating badges are affixed to most of our deal content, making it easy to interpret our expertise to help you make the best purchase decision.

At the core of this approach is a percentage-off-based system to classify savings offered on top-tech products, combined with a sliding-scale system based on our team members’ expertise and several factors like frequency, brand or product recognition, and more. The result? Hand-crafted deals chosen specifically for ZDNET readers like you, fully backed by our experts. 

Also: How we rate deals at ZDNET in 2026


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Recent Reviews


How to get Siri AI - join the waitlist today

Apple / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.


ZDNET’s key takeaways

  • Siri AI requires the iOS 27 developer beta and a waitlist.
  • A free Apple Developer account is enough to install the beta.
  • Apple says Siri AI will launch in beta later this year.

Apple finally gave Siri the major update everyone has wanted for years, moving it from the voice assistant era to the intelligent AI era.

At WWDC 2026 in June, the company introduced Siri AI, a new version of Siri “powered by Apple Intelligence.” Apple said Siri AI is more conversational, understands personal context, can answer broader questions, and can take action across apps. It can also use my information from messages, emails, photos, notes, and the screen itself to get more done on my behalf.

Also: The two biggest iOS 27 features at WWDC for me had nothing to do with Siri AI

The catch? (There’s always one, right?) The iOS 27 developer beta needs to be installed first, and even then, there is a waitlist.

How to get Siri AI

What you’ll need: An iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max, any iPhone 16 model, or any iPhone 17 model running the iOS 27 developer beta.

Install the iOS 27 developer beta on a secondary device, but be sure to back it up first. Remember, developer betas are unfinished software. Apps can crash or glitch, battery life can drain, and features can disappear.

The good news is Apple no longer requires a $99-a-year Apple Developer Program membership just to get access to beta software. A free Apple Developer account is enough. To join, if you haven’t before, simply go to Apple’s Developer website or use the Apple Developer app, sign in, and agree to the developer terms.

Also: 3 new MacOS 27 features make it worth upgrading right away for me – Siri included

Once that’s done, any new developer beta will automatically appear for the iPhone associated with that Apple Account. To check for iOS 27 and install it now, open Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates. From there, select iOS 27 Developer Beta, go back to the Software Update screen, and install the update.

Need help? Check out ZDNET’s guide on installing the iOS 27 developer beta.


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Install the iOS 27 developer beta

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

After the iOS 27 developer beta is installed, the iPhone will reboot, but Siri AI will not automatically be available to try. Apple is using a waitlist. To join it, open the Settings app, go to Apple Intelligence and Siri, and select “Try New Siri.” Follow the prompts to opt in. Once a spot opens, a notification will appear saying New Siri is available.

Also: Getting real about WWDC and Siri AI – Video

Apple has not confirmed how long the wait will take, but it has said Siri AI will be available in beta “later this year.”


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Join the Siri AI waitlist

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

Should you wait to try Siri AI?

Maybe. The iOS 27 developer beta is the only route to Siri AI right now. But it’s meant for developers testing apps and APIs, not for most people who need a stable daily phone. Only install it on an iPhone that’s not used every day, or wait for the iOS 27 public beta. That’s expected in July and is easy for anyone to try. An official release for the general public isn’t expected until this fall.

Also: How Data Can Improve Your Health and Wellness

As for me? I joined. I have a spare iPhone running the iOS 27 developer beta right now, and the first thing I did was get on the waitlist to try Siri AI. But that’s because I’m usually excited to try AI tools, and I want to play with the new Siri and be able to write about it. 

Should you join Siri Ai waitlist?

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

What can Siri AI do?

Apple said the new Siri AI is “a dramatically more capable and conversational assistant” that can help you “find information and get things done throughout the day.” That’s nice, but what, specifically, can it do? According to Apple, the new Siri AI can:

Also: Will your iPhone support Siri AI? The answer is complicated

  • Access “broad world knowledge for up-to-date answers” on any topic.
  • Provide “detailed responses” and “natural back-and-forth conversation.”
  • Use “personal context” in messages, emails, and photos to help find what you need.
  • Find details like restaurant tips, hotel confirmations, and trip photos.
  • Understand what’s on screen and answer questions about it.
  • Use “Visual Intelligence” in Camera and screenshots.
  • Take actions across apps, including drafting emails and editing or sharing photos.
  • Let you ask about images, files, and text from context menus.
  • Generate, rewrite, and proofread text systemwide.
  • Match punctuation and tone in Mail and Messages based on how you usually write.
  • Save “conversation history” in a dedicated Siri app.
  • Offer more expressive voices and better dictation.
  • Help split bills with Apple Cash.
  • Run across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, CarPlay, AirPods, and Vision Pro.
  • Work from Spotlight on iPad and Mac.

When will Siri AI be available?

Apple said it will be available in beta “later this year,” starting in English.

Which iPhone models support Siri AI?

The answer is complicated, but here’s my best guess:

  • iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max
  • All iPhone 16 models
  • Any later iPhone models

Apple hasn’t provided a supported device list, but its iOS 27 page shows Siri AI requires “an Apple Intelligence-enabled device.” Apple’s support page for Apple Intelligence also lists “iPhone 15 Pro models, and iPhone 16 models or later.” Apple’s iOS page uses similar wording for Apple Intelligence in iOS 27, as well: “all iPhone 16 models and later, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max.”

There are also regional limits. Apple said Siri AI will “not initially” be available in the EU on iPhone and iPad.


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