In the market for a premium laptop or 2-in-1 machine but don’t want to spend too much cash? You’ve come to the right place. Memorial Day may be over, but we’re still seeing lots of awesome discounts on the latest gadgets, including the MacBook Air and Microsoft Surface Pro 7. Save as much as $230 when you get them at Best Buy today.
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 — $799, was $1029
While there haven’t been many significant changes in the numerous iterations of the Microsoft Surface Pro line, we still wholeheartedly recommend the Microsoft Surface Pro 7. Of course, you’re better off getting the Surface Pro X with its tangible refinements both in hardware and performance, but it’s one of the most expensive machines in the market. What you get with the Surface Pro 7 is what we’ve already come to expect: A gorgeous display, top-notch build quality, updated processor performance, and outstanding battery life. And finally, we’ve got a USB Type-C port! This means fewer cables in general since the USB-C port can handle power delivery, video output, and data transfer at the same time.
As always, Microsoft made sure that the Surface Pro 7 looks terrific, even if it’s a tad outdated. Its aluminum chassis is sleek, stylish, and sexy, although the bezels still haven’t been cut down. They remain large and visible from outer space. Still, this is one stunning device that’s guaranteed to make heads turn.
You probably already know that the detachable Type Cover keyboard is practically a mandatory purchase, and normally it’s sold separately. Because as a tablet alone, the Surface Pro 7 doesn’t make much sense. We’re happy to report that this deal comes bundled with it. The keyboard remains gratifying to use, with a layout that never looks cramped, keystroke that’s precise and snappy, and a touchpad that’s simply one of the best we’ve had the pleasure of gliding our fingers on. Another peripheral you might want to save up for is the Surface Pen, the best-in-class stylus with 4,096 levels of sensitivity and even a built-in eraser.
Nothing has changed when it comes to screen quality, and that’s a good thing. The Surface Pro 7’s 12.3-inch (2,736 x 1,824 pixels) screen is as stunning as the Surface Go’s and Surface Book 2’s – one of the best screens you can find on a 2-in-1 system. Furthermore, for a laptop of this size, the front-facing speakers can easily fill a room with music and provide adequate audio for watching movies.
Microsoft touts the Surface Pro 7 as a true laptop replacement, and it definitely has the processing power to back that up. Even this unit’s entry-level Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB RAM make it a multitasking beast, although we admit its G4-level Iris Plus graphics chipset doesn’t make it much of a gaming machine.
Shockingly, the Surface Pro 7 did not inherit the best thing that has happened to the Surface Pro 6: Its stellar battery life. Although it was able to last a respectable eight and a half hours in our web browsing test, this is an hour shorter than its predecessor. You’ll definitely be able to squeeze out a full day of work with it. Just don’t expect to watch a Netflix movie or TV episode once you’re at home without reaching for the power cable.
The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 with the Black Type Cover is currently on sale on Best Buy for $799 instead of $1,029 – a massive $230 off.
13-inch Macbook Air – $950, was $1000
The MacBook Air is now thinner and lighter than ever, yet still possesses the same power and solid build quality typical of Apple devices. The latest version of the MacBook Air normally retails for $1,000, but right now you can purchase it at Best Buy for $950 – a cool $50 off.
The latest version of the MacBook Air looks almost exactly like the previous one, with a few significant hardware and software upgrades. The older version is outfitted with a single Thunderbolt 2 port and two USB 3 ports; the latest one has two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports instead. Although both models have a 13-inch Retina screen, the newer MacBook Air’s display is made better thanks to Apple’s True Tone technology. The screen now has the power to adapt to your environment’s ambient light to make images appear more natural, with accurate colors that aren’t oversaturated.
Working alongside an Intel i3 processor, this MacBook Air has 8GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal memory. It proved speedy and performed well when tasked with normal daily workflow, like streaming videos, working in Photoshop, word processing, and web browsing. We did, however, notice a bit of a slowdown when we had multiple browsers, apps, and programs open simultaneously, but not enough to raise concern. Its performance is like that of a Chromebook, except with Mac apps.
A couple of significant upgrades of the MacBook Air are its Magic Keyboard and Touch ID. The Magic Keyboard is responsive, clicky, and features a full millimeter of travel. It’s a delight to type on, quite reminiscent of the much-beloved MacBooks sold prior to the 2016 MacBook Pro redesign that introduced the butterfly switch keyboards. The Touch ID fingerprint sensor, on the other hand, is located on the top right of the function row and doubles as a power button. It works extremely well, although we think Face login, which works so well on iOS devices, needs to be brought to Mac. Finally, the MacBook Air can last up to nine and a half hours with light web browsing, 10 hours with continuous video playback, and three hours when using heavier applications.
If you’re determined to buy a MacBook but don’t want to shell out too much money, then the MacBook Air is for you. It’s a well-rounded portable laptop that boasts a solid performance and premium build quality. Get the latest version of the MacBook Air for $950 at Best Buy.
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