It may come as no surprise that the Apple MacBook Pro is the most popular student laptop on the market. Specifically, the 13” model MacBook Pro is the best seller among laptops in the student buying category. While it’s hard to find a really good deal on a MacBook Pro, you’d be wrong to think that the price is the same everywhere you go, which most people seem to believe. There are definitely ways to save when buying the 13” MacBook Pro and lots of things to consider in determining the best place to buy, such as does your state require online tax collection or are you a student that’s eligible for the Apple student discount? Below is a table of current pricing on the 2.4GHz 13” MacBook Pro, model number
MC374LL/A:
| Store | 2.4GHz MacBook Pro 13” Price | Sales Tax Applied? | Shipping Amount |
| Apple.com | $1,199 | Yes | Free |
| Amazon.com | $1,138.99 | No (except Kansas, Kentucky, New York, North Dakota, and Washington) | Free |
| MacMall | $1,104.82 | Yes | Free |
| MacConnection | $1,139.00 | Yes | Free |
| B&H | $1,139.00 | No (except New York) | Free |
| Best Buy | $1,199.99 | Yes | Free |
| J&R | $1,199.00 | No (except New York) | Free |
| On Sale | $1,145.40 | Yes | Free |
| Apple Education Price | $1,099 | Yes | Free |
| MicroCenter | $999.99 | Yes | In-Store Only |
If you’re lucky enough to live near a MicroCenter store then clearly the best deal is there, $999.99 is an amazing price! Depending on the state you live in the final price will vary based on sales tax. For instance, in New Jersey (where they have a Micro Center) the sales tax rate is 7% so the tax amount will be $70 and your total will come to $1,069.99. That’s still cheaper than any other price out there on the web even if they don’t have sales tax. If you’re not lucky enough to live near a Micro Center then most likely the Amazon.com MacBook Pro price will be the best since no tax is applied for most states. Even though the Apple Education Price on the MacBook Pro is $1,099 they collect sales tax which in nearly all states is over 6% so the total will come to over $1,160.
The moral of the story here if you’re a student looking to buy a MacBook Pro for your school needs (and many are) is to shop around and consider all the implications such as sales tax, shipping charges and any special education discounts that might apply.
Thanks for making my search so much easier. We are looking for a Mac Pro and happen to live close to a Micro-Center. I figured we’d purchase one around Presidents Day.
Glad the information helped Bree, prices should hold steady but keep an eye on Amazon as they often change their pricing.