I get it free through Verizon but tbh, the price is still affordable for what you get however price increases are unfortunate, especially when it’s not directly related, and they increase their whole line.

I think this is a great play. I got the M1 MacBook Air when it was on sale for $699 at some point around a year ago now. A cheaper model even with maybe an A16 chip or something could still do well for basic processes.