Whether you’re a student with a laggy laptop or an office worker with a phone that dies midday, we could all use a tech upgrade every so often. And October is one of the better months for buying new devices: It sits between September product launches that debut new generations of phones, laptops, and other tech and the start of holiday shopping. And with Amazon’s October Prime Day sale kicking off on Oct. 6, you’ll have the opportunity to pick up coveted Apple deals.
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Also: Best October Prime Day deals 2026: Save on TVs, smartwatches, and more tech
We’ve reviewed every Apple device on the market, and ahead of October Prime Day, we’ve found price drops on some of the most popular, including AirPods and MacBooks, that you don’t want to wait on. Here are our picks for the best Apple deals you can buy ahead of Prime Day.
Best early October Prime Day Apple deals
Kerry Wan/ZDNET
Up to $1,000 off
iPhone 18 Pro
Get it now
Expert Take
- Current price: $199
- Original price: $1,199
The iPhone 18 just came out last month, but T-Mobile (and other carriers) are offering deals that massively cut down the price. With this T-Mobile deal, you can either trade in an eligible device in any condition, or sign up for a new line and port on an Experience Beyond plan (with no trade-in needed), and get up to $1,000 off the new phone. Check out T-Mobile’s website for details.
Also: Best October Prime Day phone deals: Discounts from Samsung, Google, and more
Jason Hiner/ZDNET
for $510 (save $40)
Apple AirPods Max
Get it now
Expert Take
- Current price: $510
- Original price: $550
Grab these over-ear headphones at a small discount now — they’re our pick for the best AirPods for travelers and audiophiles.
Apple/ZDNET
for $234 (save $15)
Apple AirPods Pro 3
Get it now
Expert Take
- Current price: $234
- Original price: $249
This $15 off is a paltry discount for a pair of $250 earbuds, but I see the price of the AirPods Pro 3 dropping further closer to October Prime Day.
Adam Breeden/ZDNET
for $100 (save $30)
Apple Pencil Pro
Get it now
Expert Take
- Current price: $100
- Original price: $130
Why might you spend the extra $50 on an Apple Pencil Pro? There are a few reasons. It’s got Find My, pressure sensitivity, which changes based on how hard you squeeze the pen, haptic feedback, and wireless charging.
Kerry Wan/ZDNET
for $1,839 (save $160)
MacBook Pro with M5 (2025)
Get it now
Expert Take
- Current price: $1,839
- Original price: $1,999
This is a workhorse of an Apple laptop and one of the most advanced MacBooks to buy. RAM shortages are raising the prices of your PCs and laptops, so getting any kind of discount on a MacBook can help lower the financial burden of a new device.
Also: I compared the M5 MacBook Pro to older Mac models – here’s my buying advice in 2026
Kerry Wan/ZDNET
for $1,849 (save $150)
Apple MacBook Air (2026)
Get it now
Expert Take
- Current price: $1,849
- Original price: $1,999
The MacBook Air is a lighter, more portable laptop than its Pro counterparts — and it’s our pick for the best laptop you can buy right now. It’s a laptop you’ll see mostly around a college campus, since it’s super portable but highly capable.
October Prime Day Apple FAQs
Wasn’t there already a Prime Day this summer? And another one in the spring?
Allow me to remind you that Prime Day is now a quarterly event, as Amazon has gotten even more voracious with these days-long deals events. There’s the Spring Sale in March, Prime Day in June, October Prime Day, and Black Friday, which now lasts a week, for some reason.
When is October Prime Day?
This year, October Prime Day runs from Tuesday, October 6, through Wednesday, October 7.
How did we choose these October Prime Day Apple deals?
I spend lots of time writing about technology. I also think most of these sales events are marginally helpful for shoppers. It is more an opportunity for big retailers to reignite interest in their own products (and sell inventory) than it is an opportunity for shoppers to get good deals. Still, good deals exist during these events, so I’ll tell you about them when I see them. And if you just so happen to be in the market for one of these devices, I’ll lead you in the right direction.
I use established price comparison tools and trackers to determine whether the deal is actually on sale and how frequently it drops. As someone with great familiarity with these products, I also remember the prices of these products and when they’ve gone historically lower or higher. This helps me determine if it’s actually worth buying. If it’s not, I’ll tell you so.
What are the best October Prime Day deals so far?
ZDNET editors will be tracking October Prime Day deals before, during, and after the sale. Here are our favorite deals across categories now:
- Prime Day TV deals
- Prime Day laptop deals
- Prime Day phone deals
- Prime Day deals under $25
- Prime Day tablet deals
- Prime Day all-in-one computer deals
- Prime Day SSD deals
- Prime Day Sam’s Club deals
- Prime Day Costco deals
- Prime Day Walmart deals
- Prime Day Samsung deals
- Prime Day Bluetooth speaker deals
- Prime Day Nintendo deals
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