As Update Looms, Apple 12-inch MacBook Gets Steep Discounts -- Typically $300 Off

The thinnest and lightest MacBook continues to see discounting as a rumored update looms. The latest to cut prices is Best Buy .

On Friday, Best Buy slashed $300 off the 12-inch MacBook with Retina Display. This follows similar discounting earlier this month at B&H Photo.  These sales are invariably short-term affairs (Best Buy's won't last beyond Saturday sale continues through the week of 3/7) but they're popping up with increasing regularity.

A model on sale for $999.99 (regularly $1,299) at Best Buy comes with a Retina display (2304-by-1440 resolution), 256GB flash drive, 8GB of memory, and a 1.1GHz Intel Core M "Broadwell" 5th Generation Core processor.  A higher-end model with a 1.2GHz processor and 512GB of storage is discounted to $1,299.99 from a regular price of $1,599.99.  All models come with a single USB-C port with expansion via Apple's adapters such as the Multiport Adapter, sold separately.

The 12-inch MacBook is the most radical redesign since the MacBook Air, introduced in 2008. It weighs only 2 pounds and is about 0.5 inches thick at its thickest point.

Apple is expected to update the 12-inch MacBook this year with the newer "Skylake" 6th Generation Intel Core processor and possibly other upgrades. That could happen as soon as March, according to reports.