Apple and Best Buy tackle the cost of living crisis with a brand new program

The cost of living has made purchasing expensive technology even more difficult. But Best Buy is offering a new program that it hopes will help people struggling to afford a new computer.

The retail giant announced the Upgrade+ program (opens in new tab), which would allow potential buyers to fund an upgrade to Apple silicon, including the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Participants can purchase a new Apple laptop and pay 36 monthly payments before deciding whether to upgrade to a newer model at the 37th monthly payment.

For example, for a $999 MacBook Air, each payment in the first 36 months is $19.99, and the final payment is $280.35. However, if you return the product and exit the program or decide to upgrade to a newer model or eligible MacBook, Best Buy will make the final payment on the participant’s behalf.

The list of laptops eligible for the program includes the MacBook Air M1 and M2 versions, the MacBook Pro 13-inch (M2), the MacBook Pro 14-inch (M1) and the MacBook Pro 16-inch (M1 ). AppleCare+ and select accessories can also be funded through the Upgrade+ program.

How useful is this really?

Financing otherwise expensive products through monthly payment is hardly a new concept as phone companies have been using this business model for years so that customers can get their hands on the latest phone.

However, the concept of extending this to laptops is new and it will be interesting to see how well the program performs.

This can benefit participants in a number of ways, including a much cheaper method of buying otherwise expensive laptops, essentially renting a laptop for a few years for a pretty decent price before dropping it off after the period is up, or before ensures that you always have the latest machine without all the waste and extra costs of buying them normally.

The Upgrade+ program is of course not a charity and there are points (opens in new tab) you should keep in mind that, for example, you have to open a line of credit with Citizen’s Pay, or if you choose to end the program early, you’ll get hooked on the remaining cost of the laptop (this also applies if you can’t afford it financially) more you can afford these payments).

But knowing what you’re getting into can be a great way to afford a high-quality laptop at an affordable price in times of cost-of-living tightness.