If you've got your heart set on a MacBook for your new laptop, it's not easy to find much in the way of discounts. One way you can save money though, is to check out the Apple Store refurbished section (online). Here, Apple sells refurbished models, that, as we've mentioned time and time again, are pretty much indistinguishable from new products save for their packaging. Right now, there are some nicely discounted prices on 2011 MacBook Air models that feature Intel Sandy Bridge processors. Take a look:

• Refurbished 11.6" MacBook Air w/Intel Core i5 1.6GHz dual-core Processor, 11.6" 1366x768 display, 2GB RAM, 64GB SSD, Intel HD Graphics 3000 - $769.00
• Refurbished 11.6" MacBook Air w/Intel Core i5 1.6GHz dual-core Processor, 11.6" 1366x768 display, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD, Intel HD Graphics 3000 - $849.00
• Refurbished 13.3" MacBook Air w/Intel Core i5 1.7GHz dual-core Processor, 13.3" 1440x900 display, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD, Intel HD Graphics 3000 - $939.00
• Refurbished 13.3" MacBook Pro w/Intel Core i5 2.4GHz dual-core Processor, 13.3" 1280x800 display, 4GB RAM, 500GB HD, DVDRW, Intel HD Graphics 3000 - $959.00

Arguably, the MacBook Air remains the the standard by which other ultraportable laptops (or ultrabooks) are judged. Good build quality, usability, battery life, and appearance are areas where the MacBook Air excels. While not the cheapest of the bunch, the 13.3" model at $939 here is a probably our pick of the litter with a faster processor and a higher resolution screen.

If you're looking for more processing power and storage, the 2011 MacBook Pro isn't too shabby either. At $959, you aren't missing out on much performance compared to the 2012 13" models. It's a fair option if you're looking for a 13" MacBook Pro but are on a tighter budget.

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