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Apple Watch Series 3
Issei Kato/Reuters

Apple devices are among the very best in the tech industry, but they often come at a premium price. It’s not every day you see discounts on Apple devices, either, but Prime Day events are usually exceptions to the rule.

During Prime Day of last year, you could get a few Apple Watch models and iPads on sale. The discounts may not have been as steep as other products’, but for Apple devices, those sale prices were comparatively excellent.

Below, we break down the best Apple deals of Prime Day last year, whether they’re on sale right now and whether you should wait to dive on that coveted Apple gadget until Prime Day 2020, which is taking place on October 13 until October 14. 

Table of Contents

 

Apple Airpods
Hollis Johnson/Business Insider

Apple AirPods — $129 (originally $159) [Was $170 on Prime Day last year]

AirPods almost never go on sale, and this deal is for the new ones that come in a charging case. This was the cheapest price we had seen so far on these AirPods. However, since then we've seen the AirPods Pro release, so AirPods prices on Amazon at the time of writing are even better than Prime Day last year, so have at them.

You can read the AirPods review here


airpods pro wireless charging
Apple

Apple AirPods with Wireless Charging — $160 (originally $199)

The AirPods with Wireless Charging Case are identical to the 2nd-gen AirPods with Charging Case, except the charging case can be charged wirelessly as well as via a Lightning cable. That means you can charge the wireless charging case on a wireless charging pad that uses the Qi wireless charging standard. Thankfully, that means you can charge the AirPods' wireless charging case on pretty much any wireless charging pad, including the pad you already use for your iPhone, if you already use one.

The current deal with $40 off is a good one if you value wireless charging. It's not the lowest we've seen for the wireless charging version, so you might get them for a better deal on Prime Day. If you don't value wireless charging, you're better off spending even less with the standard AirPods above.

You can read the full AirPods with Wireless Charging Case review here


airpods pro
Crystal Cox/Business Insider

Apple AirPods Pro — $219 (originally $249) 

The AirPods Pro with active noise-cancellation, water and sweat resistance, wireless charging, and a more customizable in-ear fit haven't been through a Prime Day yet, so it's hard to tell whether these incredible popular wireless earbuds will go any lower than their current price, which is already $30 off full retail pricing. Get them now if you're looking for a high-end pair of wireless earbuds for your iPhone. With such a good deal now for a popular and recent Apple product, it's unclear whether waiting for Prime Day 2020 will yield something better.

You can read the full Apple AirPods Pro review here


apple watch series 6
Apple

Apple Watch Series 6, 40mm, GPS — $385 (originally $399)

Apple Watch Series 6, 40mm, GPS + Cellular — $485 (originally $499)

Apple Watch Series 6, 44mm, GPS — $415 (originally $429)

Apple Watch Series 6, 44mm, GPS + Cellular— $529 (originally $529)

The Apple Watch Series 6 is more of an incremental upgrade rather than a revamped series. It comes with some new color choices for the casing, new bands, updated performance, and a new sensor to measure blood-oxygen (SpO2) levels to track your overall respiratory and cardiac health. The new sensor adds to Apple's suite of advanced health and fitness sensors and features, including an advanced electro cardiogram (ECG) sensor.

If you want a Series 6, you could wait a little bit until Prime Day 2020 starts on October 13, but newly released Apple devices don't often go on significant sales.


apple watch series 5
Apple

Apple Watch Series 5, 40mm, GPS — $400 (originally $399) 

Apple Watch Series 5, 40mm, GPS + Cellular —  out of stock 

Apple Watch Series 5, 44mm, GPS — $429 (originally $429) 

Apple Watch Series 5, 44mm, GPS + Cellular — $529

We don't have Prime Day 2019 prices to refer to as the Series 5 never got a Prime Day! It was released after Prime Day 2019 and Prime Day 2020 was so delayed that the Series 5 was replaced by the Series 6 in September, and is no longer sold by Apple itself.

It looks like Amazon still has some Series 5 in stock, but prices aren't any good at the time of writing. You can wait if Prime Day 2020 will bring any deals, but I'd make sure they're lower than the Series 6 prices. Or, you can grab the older Apple Watch Series 3 if you're looking to spend under $200. 

The Series 5 comes with a few extra features that are well worth considering if you're deciding between the Series 3 and Series 5, including an always-on display, more advanced heart-rate monitoring tech, and fall detection.

Read the Apple Watch Series 5 review here.  


Apple Watch Series 3
Issei Kato/Reuters

Apple Watch Series 3, 38mm, GPS — $169 (originally $199) [Was $169 on Prime Day last year]

Apple Watch Series 3, 38mm, GPS + Cellular — out of stock

Apple Watch Series 3, 42mm, GPS — $220 (originally $229) [Was $199 on Prime Day last year]

Apple Watch 3, 42mm, GPS + Cellular — out of stock

This may be an Apple Watch that's three generations old, but it is still a fantastic smartwatch that's worth buying and that Apple is still selling, even after announcing the new Series 6. Because of its value and strong set of core features for fitness tracking, it can easily be argued that it's a better buy than the Series 6, at least for most people who don't need the Series 6's set of advanced sensors and features. Any significant discount on an Apple Watch is rare, so this is the ideal version if you're not dead set on spending over $200 on a smartwatch. 

The GPS-only Series 3 is already $30 off its full price at the time of writing, and it's a great deal now as a result. You could wait until Prime Day 2020 where you might get an extra $10 off, but no one will raise an eyebrow if you get it today. 

The 42mm Series 3 is exactly what is sounds like — a bigger model than the aforementioned 38mm Series 3. The only difference is size, and all the functionality and features is identical. Like its smaller sibling, the 42mm Apple Watch series 3 can easily be argued that it's a smarter buy than the Series 5.

It's currently just $10 off the price you'd find from the Apple Store, so it's not much of a deal. It's worth waiting for Prime Day 2020 for this one. 

For the GPS + Cellular model, it's out of stock now, and it's unclear if it'll ever come back in stock seeing as it's an older model. 

Note that different colors may be discounted at different rates. 

Check out the differences between the Series 3 and the Series 5 here

Read the Apple Watch Series 3 review here.


apple_ipad 8th gen
Apple

Latest 2020 Apple iPad 8th-gen, 10.2-inch, WiFi — starting at $299 (originally $329)

Latest 2020 Apple iPad 8th-gen, 10.2-inch, WiFi + Cellular — starting at $459 (originally $459) 

Let's say you don't need a super powerful iPad Pro and you really want to spend under $400 — this is your deal. The standard iPad is no slouch, even though it's a bit older now and its processor is not the newest or fastest around. It has a sharp 10.2 inch screen, and it can do any normal task from streaming Netflix to browsing the web and social media without any issues. 

I wouldn't expect much more of a deal for the standard iPad — it's already $30 on Amazon and the 2020 iPad was only recently announced. You can buy it now without much regret.

As for the Cellular model, it's the same price as Apple's. We might see a deal on Prime Day, so you're better off waiting just a little bit longer. 


ipad air (2020)
Apple

2019 Apple iPad Air 3rd-gen, 10.5-inch, WiFi — out of stock 

2019 Apple iPad Air 3rd-gen, 10.5-inch, WiFi + Cellular — out of stock

The 2019 iPad Air has sold out on Amazon in light of the new 2020 iPad Air's announcement, which comes with a variety of updates. If you're hoping to snag a 2019 3rd-gen iPad Air for a deal this Prime Day, availability isn't looking too good.


ipad pro 2020
Apple

2020 Latest Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch, WiFi — starting at $850 (originally $799)

2020 Latest Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch, WiFi + Cellular — starting at $1,050 (originally $949)

2020 Latest Apple iPad Pro, 12.9-inch, WiFi — starting at $949 (originally $999)

2020 Latest Apple iPad Pro, 12.9-inch, WiFi + Cellular — starting at $1,449 (originally $1,149)

The iPad Pros are the no-compromise Apple tablets. It contains all the power, all the features, all the cameras, all the screen, and all the tech that Apple have to throw at you. It's also compatible with Apple's Smart Keyboard Folio that essentially turns the iPad Pro into a computer when you combine it with a mouse. We have to be honest, however — with all that power and its price tag in mind, the iPad Pro is overkill for a lot of people. It's really a mobile solution designed for professionals who would use the iPad Pro for their jobs. 

Still, pros look for deals, too! As of the time of writing, Amazon has frankly bad deals for the iPad Pro series — most of these models are cheaper or the same from Apple. The only decent deal is the 12.9-inch WiFi model that's $50 off full retail.

I'd confidently wait for Prime Day if you have your eyes set on an iPad Pro. 

You can read the Apple iPad Pro review here.

Read the original article on Business Insider