Best early Prime Day Apple deals to shop in October 2024

Amazon's October Prime Big Deal Days event is not far away. The Amazon sale is returning and is set to be bigger than ever this year ahead of the holiday season, running Oct. 8-9. 

If you're hoping to start your holiday shopping early and you have Apple products in your sights, we've found early October Prime Days deals that will interest you. Apple products are rarely on sale, but if you know where to look, you can save on devices including iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, AirPods, and Apple Watches. 

Also: The best October Prime Day deals live now

At ZDNET, we've scoured the web to find the best deals on Apple products. As Apple deals are historically rare and discounts may be lower than for competing products, our usual savings threshold of around or over 20% doesn't always apply -- but we are still keen to list any worthwhile discounts on Apple products we find to save you some cash.

These are the best early Amazon October Prime Days deals on Apple devices available now.

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Our favorite early Amazon October Prime Day Apple deals

Apple AirPods Pro 2 for $190 (save $60): Apple's AirPods Pro 2 wireless earbuds, our pick for the best AirPods you can buy, are on sale with a discount of $60, which we consider one of the top deals available at Amazon. Apple iPhone 16 models for $0.01 (save $829): Get an iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, or 16 Pro Max essentially for free if you sign up for a Boost Mobile wireless plan through Amazon right now. Apple AirPods Max for $449 (save $100): If you prefer over-ear designs, consider the $100 price drop on Apple's premium AirPods Max headphone line. Apple iPad Mini (6th Generation) for $380 (save $120): Apple's 6th-generation iPad mini is also on sale. This model comes with an 8.3-inch display, A15 processor, and 64GB of storage. Apple 2024 MacBook Air for $949 (save $150): Enjoy a $150 discount if you buy a 2024 13-inch MacBook Air at Amazon -- our pick for the best lightweight laptop you can buy. Apple iPad Pro for $919 (save $80): On the hunt for a top-of-the-range iPad? Amazon has you covered. You can save $80 when you buy an 11-inch iPad Pro, which is powered by an M4 chip. Apple iPad (9th Generation) for $199 (save $130): For an incredibly cheap iPad, consider the 40% discount off a 9th-generation model.  Apple AirPods (2nd Generation) for $89 (save $40): An excellent deal we've spotted is for a pair of 2nd-generation Apple AirPods, now discounted by $40. Apple iPad Pro for $1,389 (save $110): If you are in the market for a premium tablet to help you with work and productivity, consider the Apple iPad Pro, which is currently on sale.  Apple 2023 MacBook Pro for $1,299 (save $300): You can also save $300 on a 14.2-inch MacBook Pro, a workhorse laptop complete with an M3 chip, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage.  Apple AirTag 4-pack for $80 (save $20): Are you forever losing your keys? Take advantage of Amazon's sale on a four-pack of Apple AirTag trackers. 

More October Prime Day 2024 Apple deals

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October Prime Day 2024 Apple accessory deals

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October Prime Day FAQs

When is Amazon's October Prime Day 2024? 

Amazon has confirmed the 2024 dates for October Prime Day are Oct. 8 and 9, several days earlier than last year. The 48-hour event will kick off at 12:01 a.m. PDT on Oct. 8. While Prime member-exclusive, this doesn't mean that you can't take advantage of some excellent deals -- or even sign up for a trial membership while the event is active. 

Are Apple products really cheaper on Prime Day? 

Apple products can be cheaper on Prime Day and similar events, but there are often only a handful of real showstopper sales -- and most of these will be of limited stock. However, retailers will often shift old stock to make way for the new around such sales events, and you can often also enjoy excellent deals on refurbished stock.

How did we choose these October Prime Day deals?

ZDNET keeps a finger on the pulse of the consumer tech market. Our deal finders have extensive experience finding the best bargains for our readers, and they only recommend interesting products they would like to buy. 

We like to showcase products that are at least 20% off and those that are rarely found on sale -- and this, of course, includes Apple products. ZDNET authors also use price comparison tools and trackers to determine the value of deals we highlight in our guides. 

Furthermore, we keep customer reviews and feedback in mind, and some of our recommendations may be based on our own purchases and hands-on testing.