11 Best Apple MacBooks Under $500 With Great Specs

The following cheap Macbooks are renewed, but as they are refurbished, hence these Apple laptops would work great in 2023 as well.

It could be personal or business use, or schooling. Whatever that is, these laptops are compatible with all basic needs.

Top Pick
Apple MacBook Pro MF839LLA

Apple MacBook Pro MF839LL/A Under $500

It has a 2.7 GHz Core_i5_2300 processor, 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM fast memory, and 128 GB SSD storage.

It’s available at a significantly discounted price.

It’s a lightweight machine with fantastic battery life.

Overall, it’s a perfect choice for any MacBook user.

Look at the best three picks based on productivity, durability, and affordability. If you need more specs under your budget, you must check these business laptops under 500.

ImageProductDetailPrice
Apple MacBook Air - (Best Apple under 500)

Apple MacBook Air – (Best Apple under 500)

  • Processor: Core i7
  • Memory: 4 GB ‎DDR3 SDRAM
  • Storage: 500 GB SSD
Price
Apple MacBook Air  MJVM2LL/A  - (Extremely Cheap)

Apple MacBook Air MJVM2LL/A – (Extremely Cheap)

  • Processor: Core i5
  • Memory: ‎4 GB DDR3 SDRAM
  • Storage: 128 GB SSD
Price
Apple MacBook Pro MF839LLA X2

Apple MacBook Pro MF839LLA X2

  • Processor: 2.7 GHz Core i5
  • Memory: 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM
  • Storage: 128 GB SSD
Price

Now, let’s move to the brief reviews of these affordable Macbooks under $500.

Note: All Macbooks are used laptops, so purchasing an Asurion warranty is better. Investing a little extra will save your purchase. Secondly, there are many places to buy computers but Amazon offers a 90-day money-back guarantee.

Apple Macbook Pro FE865LLA Under $500

Apple Macbook Pro FE865LLA - one of the best macbooks under $500

Specifications

  • Display: 13.3 Inches
  • Processor: core_i5 ‎2.6 GHz speed
  • Memory: ‎8 GB DDR3 SDRAM
  • Storage: 256 GB
  • Wireless Type: 802.11abg, 802.11a/b/g/n, 802.11a, 802.11ac
  • Average Battery Life: 9 Hours
  • Series: MacBook Pro
  • Weight: 3.55 pounds

Brief review

Suppose you are looking for a superfast machine for your business or personal use. Then Apple Macbook Pro FE865LL\A could be your choice.

A couple of reasons led us to pick this laptop in our best MacBooks under 500 dollars list. And the top reason is that it has a fast processor, memory, and storage.

Other than that, 8GB DDR3 SDRAM could be great for multitasking. 256 GB fast storage and integrated Intel Iris 5100 graphics coprocessor make it an excellent choice for many tasks.

For instance, its features are compatible with Zoom which makes it one of the best laptops for Zoom meetings.

Whether you have a startup, a freelancer, a college student, or need an affordable Apple MacBook for homeschooling, it’s a perfect choice for all such needs.

Regarding upgradability, you could upgrade its memory at the time of purchase, but you can’t upgrade it later. Although, 8 GB of fast memory is enough for routine work.

It has built-in Bluetooth and WiFi. That makes it even more lovable.
Additionally, its weight is just 1.57 kg, so if you are a traveler, you can easily carry it all day long.

MacBook Pro 13.3″ (Mid 2014) Laptop (MGX82LL/A) Under $500

Apple MacBook Pro MGX72LLA

Specifications

  • Display: 13.3 Inches
  • Processor: 2.6 GHz core_i5_family
  • Memory: 8 GB DDR3L
  • Storage: 128 GB SSD
  • Wireless Type: 802.11ac
  • Average Battery Life: ‎9 Hours
  • Item Weight: 1.76 pounds

Brief Review

It’s incredibly lightweight with powerful specifications other than its low storage.

That means if you keep cleaning your storage or your work doesn’t take much space, like saving files, using it for schooling, attending online meetings on Zoom, etc., it could be your choice.

Its lightweight and long-lasting battery make it an excellent choice for travelers.

For instance, I travel daily and always keep my laptop with me. I am a blogger, writer, and SEO. Instead of storage, my focus is always on a higher RAM, fast processor, and low weight. Apple MacBook Pro MGX72LL/A is an excellent choice for all small business or startup owners.

Additionally, it has Intel Iris 5100 Graphics, Integrated audio with built-in stereo speakers that make it a choice for parents who want to buy a used Macbook for children. It makes it compatible with light gaming and other schooling tasks.

Although it’s a used Macbook still, it looks pretty new. This item is highly appreciated by tens of hundreds of verified buyers on Amazon. Simply the best-used Macbook under 500 dollars on Amazon.

MacBook Air 13.3″ (Early 2015) – available under $400

Apple MacBook Air MMGF2LLA

Specifications

  • Display: 13.3 Inches
  • Processor: 2.2 GHz
  • Memory: 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM
  • Storage: 128 GB
  • Average Battery Life: 12 Hours
  • Item Weight: ‎4 pounds

Brief Review

For those Apple lovers who even can’t spend $500 and are looking for a beautiful Macbook, MacBook Air MMGF2LL/A is one of the best Apple laptops under $500. It’s available for around $400 with some very decent features.

It has 8GB of memory and belongs to the Core i5 family.

However, it’s not as powerful as Apple MacBook Pro MGX72LL/A. Still, it’s compatible with all easy tasks like personal use and startups.

It has Intel HD Graphics 6000. That’s not great for gaming, but people still play it around 30+fps.

Overall, it’s one of the most powerful machines for small business use and other routine tasks like online classes, browsing, suffering, and other computing jobs.

It has a powerful processor and decent memory, making it a perfect choice for multitasking. In short, this MacBook has no alternative if you are looking for the cheapest Macbook for basic use.

Unfortunately, it has OS X El Capitan, and Apple does not support that.

MacBook Air 11″ (Early 2015) – costs under $300

Apple MacBook Air MJVM2LLA

Specifications

  • Display: 11.6 Inches
  • Processor: 1.6 GHz core_i5
  • Memory: ‎4 GB DDR3 SDRAM
  • Memory Speed: 2.7 GHz
  • Storage: 128 GB SSD
  • Graphics Coprocessor: Intel HD Graphics 6000
  • Wireless Type: 802.11abg, 802.11a/b/g/n, 802.11a
  • Item Weight: 2.3 pounds

Brief Review

Suppose you are under budget and still looking for a powerful, simple gadget that you could use for personal use and your easy jobs like researching browsing, and online meetings. It’s one of the extremely cheap MacBooks compatible with all easy tasks.

4GB DDR3 SDRAM is not bad for running as many tabs simultaneously as we usually do in research. In addition, SDRAMs are faster than traditional RAMs.

However, it has a 1366 x 768 resolution with 11.3 inches screen size.

Overall, it is a simple small Macbook available for under $300 at a discounted price.

MacBook Air 13.3″ (Mid 2013) – costs under $500

Apple MacBook Air MD760LLA

Specifications

  • Display: 13.3 Inches
  • Processor: 1.3 GHz core_i5
  • Memory: 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM
  • Memory Speed: 2.6 GHz
  • Storage: 128 GB SSD
  • Graphics Coprocessor: Intel HD Graphics 5000
  • Wireless Type ‎802.11ac
  • Average Battery Life (in hours) ‎12 Hours
  • Item Weight ‎2.96 pounds

Brief Review

Apple MacBook Air MJVM2LL/A is also another cheap budget laptop for personal use.

Its screen size is better than Apple MacBook Air MJVM2LL/A, but its processor is low. Unfortunately, that means it’s not an excellent choice for business tasks and other heavy jobs.

For those looking for cheap used Macbooks for entertainment or schooling, Apple MacBook Air MJVM2LL/A can be their choice.
In its Pros, it has lightweight, its keyboard spacing is nice, it has powerful WiFi, and it uses fast storage and memory.

MacBook Pro 13″ (Retina, Early 2015) – costs under $500

Apple MacBook Pro MF839LLA

Specifications

  • Display: 13.3 Inches
  • Processor: 2.7 GHz Core_i5_2300
  • Memory: 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM
  • Storage: 128 GB SSD
  • Graphics: Intel Iris Graphics 6100
  • Wireless Type: 802.11abg
  • Item Weight: ‎1.1 pounds

Brief Reviews

Apple MacBook Pro MF839LL/A is one of the best cheap Apple MacBooks under 500 dollars because of its excellent specifications.

Its processor has a good clock speed and decent fast memory and storage. In addition, solid-state drives are more rapid and durable than hard disk drives.

It could be excellent for college students and small business/startup owners. Along with excellent storage and faster memory, it’s cheap and has very Intel Iris Graphics 6100.

Intel Iris graphics 6100 is compatible with less demanding games such as Diablo III and Counter-Strike. Besides that, GO Oder Dota 2 can be played fluently in high settings and 1366 x 768 pixels.

2.2GB of processor speed and Intel Iris Graphics 6100 make it an excellent pick for video editing. So if you are a video editor and want to complete some easy video tasks, this Macbook could be your choice.

Additionally, its weight is half kg. That means even a child can carry it all day long.

MacBook Air 13″ (Early 2015) – price under $500

Apple MacBook Air MJVE2LLA

Specifications

  • Display: 13.3 Inches
  • Processor: 2.2 GHz core_i7_family
  • RAM: 8 GB LPDDR3
  • Storage: 256 GB SSD
  • Wireless Type: Bluetooth
  • Item Weight: ‎4.34 pounds

Brief Review

Apple MacBook Air MJVE2LL/A belongs to the i7 family and has decent memory and fast storage.

Such specifications make it an excellent pick for any daily task.
It has 256 SSD, that’s enough to store many images and tons of videos on it. And if it belongs to textual work like homework, writing, and holding other such files – it’s more than enough.

It has integrated Intel HD Graphics 6000 and 2.2GB processor speed, suitable for light gaming, photo editing, etc.

MacBook Pro 13″ (Retina, Early 2015) – available under $500

Apple MacBook Pro MF839LLA X2

Specifications

  • Display: 13.3 Inches
  • Processor: 2.7 GHz core_i5_family
  • Memory: 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM
  • Storage: 128 GB SSD
  • Graphics: Intel Iris Graphics 6100
  • Wireless Type: 802.11abg
  • Item Weight: ‎3.48 pounds

Brief Reviews

Apple MacBook Pro MF839LL/A belongs to the Core i5 family, with fast memory, 3 MB shared level 3 cache that makes it even fast, and integrated Iris graphics 6100 card – all make it highly appealing for any regular tasks.

Say you are a college student, a freelancer, a researcher, or a startup owner and have to find a machine that could enhance productivity; Apple MacBook Pro MF839LL/A should get your attention.

It has an integrated 720p FaceTime HD webcam, a widescreen 2560×1600, and a high-resolution LED-backlit. However, the Rear Webcam resolution is just ‎1 MP.

Overall, it’s the best-renewed MacBook pro available for sale.

Apple MacBook Air (Early 2015) costs under $500

Apple MMGG2LLA MacBook Air

Specifications

  • Display: 13.3 Inches
  • Memory: 8 GB DDR3 ‎SODIMM
  • Storage: 256 GB SSD
  • Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 6000
  • Wireless Type: 802.11abg, 802.11a/b/g/n, 802.11a, 802.11ac
  • Average Battery Life: 12 Hours
  • Item Weight: ‎2.98 pounds

Brief Review

It’s another of the best Apple MacBook under 500 dollars.

Here is why.

Firth generation computers were specifically designed to consume less energy and deliver high performance. That is the reason that these machines have very excellent battery life.

Apple MacBook Air MMGG2LL/A is based on advanced faster storage and memory that enhances its productivity.

Additionally, it has high-speed WiFi that one can dream of.

So overall, it’s an excellent pick for all students, researchers, and those whose jobs are related to browsing, surfing, and online meetings.

Its weight is just 1.57 kg, making it easy to carry all day.

Apple MacBook Air 13.3″ (2017) – price under $500

Apple Macbook Air MQD32LLA

Specifications

  • Display: 13.3 Inches
  • Rear Webcam Resolution: 5 MP
  • Processor: 1.8 GHz core_i5_family
  • Memory: 8 GB LPDDR3
  • Storage: 128 GB SSD
  • Wireless Type: ‎802.11abg
  • Average Battery Life: 12 Hours
  • Item Weight: 2.96 pounds

Brief Review

For those looking for a cheap Macbook at $400, Apple MacBook Air MQD32LL/A has some very appealing features.

The first appealing thing is its 5MP rear camera.

It must catch your eyes if you spend most of your time on meetings, video calls, online classes, or somehow you use a webcam for your routine work.

The reason is that it has a very decent camera, a lovely memory, and a solid-state drive. All this makes it the best computer for Zoom and other meetings.

MacBook Air i7 with 500GB under $500

Apple MacBook Air Md760lla Mid 2013

Specifications

  • Display: 13.3 Inches
  • Processor: 1.7 GHz core_i7
  • Memory: 4 GB ‎DDR3 SDRAM
  • Storage: 500 GB SSD
  • Graphics Coprocessor: Intel HD Graphics 5000
  • Wireless Type: 802.11ac
  • Average Battery Life: 12 Hours
  • Item Weight: ‎2.96 pounds

Brief Review

It is a seventh-generation computer, along with massive storage, at a low price. It’s highly recommended for under-budget Apple lovers.

If you plan to buy a renewed Macbook on Amazon for under $500, then Macbook Air MD760LL/A is on sale.

However, it has comparatively low memory and processing speed. Still, if your focus is to get a Core i7 Macbook for under 500 dollars for 500GB storage, Apple Macbook Air MD760LL/A is available for under $500.

Along with its great features, it has a 90-day money-back guarantee. That makes it even more appealing to give it a try.

MacBook buying guide (Brief)

If you have no idea how to buy a Macbook for whatever you do, this Macbook buying guide can help you buy a perfect machine according to your needs.

Whatever you do, the primary buying approach behind any gadget is that it should be compatible with all your jobs and durable. Isn’t it so?

But how can we be sure that any laptop you buy will be perfect for you? Unfortunately, we can only ensure that you are buying it for what purpose once we are clear.

Let’s say you Googled the query “best MacBooks under 500 dollars”; you didn’t mention what need you will use.

In all such cases, no one can guide you other than yourself. This guide will help you with what specifications you should focus on, which will influence your work.

Let’s go to the MacBook buying guide now.

Screen size

The display has excellent significance in productivity. Whatever you do, you are looking at the gadget. And if its display doesn’t suit you, let’s say it’s so tiny that you can’t easily read quickly; it will slow you down.

So it’s better to buy a gadget with at least 13 inches display. However, when purchasing for kids, it can be 11 inches display because they can hold it easily.

Processor

In a processor, you should have two things in mind: which generation it is and how fast it is.

The higher the generation, you can expect outstanding performance, and the higher in speed, the better it will be on processing data.

Let’s say a processor with 1.7 GB will be slower than 2.2GB. If you are looking for a Macbook for light gaming, then it should be at least 2.6GB.

RAM

RAM is important for those who have to open too many tabs and applications simultaneously.

Let’s say your nature is a bit technical, or you are a business person or working for an enterprise; you might need to open tons of tabs and some software.

In all such situations, you need a higher RAM.

8GB is great for multitasking. However, I have worked on 4GB RAM for years, where you can open 6 to 10 tabs at once, and it won’t slow down.

Storage

This is available space on the gadget where you store your data.

It totally depends on how much you have to store on your gadget. However, let me give you an idea that videos and photos take higher space than text.

Graphics cards

Graphics are essential in graphics-related jobs like video editing and playing games.

An integrated graphics card can help you play light games, but dedicated graphics cards are best for playing heavy games.

What is the lowest price of Macbook pro?

The lowest price of MacBook Pro can be under $500 but those will be renewed laptops.

Is a Renewed MacBook Good?

Renewed Macbooks are pretty good to buy unless you get a damaged one. However, most Amazon sellers offer a 90-day money-back guarantee for renewed Macbooks.

Should I Buy a Renewed MacBook?

If you don’t have the budget to buy an expensive Macbook, you can get a renewed Macbook at a discount.

There is nothing wrong with buying a renewed Macbook unless you get a faulty piece.

Is Macbok 2012 still good?

It totally depends on the gadget you want to buy. If its condition is good, there is nothing wrong with purchasing a renewed 2012 model. But as we have some cheapest 2017 Macbooks, so it’s better to choose a better model. But as the computers are refurbished, hence these renewed Macbooks will work well in 2023.

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