Whether you’re on the hunt for a souped-up gaming machine or an everyday Chromebook, Black Friday is the best time to look for a discounted laptop. Some retailers tout big savings that aren’t really savings at all, but a lot of laptops can be found at a hearty discount.
And that’s where we come in (cue the majestic trumpets)! The team at PCWorld has compiled a list of worthwhile laptop deals from all over the web. We’ve included deals from laptop manufacturers like Dell and Acer, as well as sales from online retailers like Best Buy and B&H. After you’ve had a good look at the laptops we’ve highlighted, head down to the bottom of the article to learn more about what to expect from Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Black Friday mainstream laptop deals
Sometimes all you need is a respectable, baseline-level machine. Personally, I use a low-powered laptop for writing, watching Netflix, checking email, and so on. I dig the simplicity. So, if you’re not a gamer and have no intention of muscling through processor-intensive programs, check out the list below.
- Acer Go 15, Intel N100 processor/4GB RAM/128GB flash storage/15.6-inch 1080p display, $189.99 ($60 off at Acer)
- Acer Aspire 3, AMD Ryzen 3 7320U processor/8GB RAM/128GB SSD, $279.99 ($42 off at Amazon)
- Lenovo Ideapad 1, AMD Ryzen 5 7520U processor/8GB RAM/256GB SSD, $299.99 ($280 off at Best Buy)
- Dell Inspiron 15, Intel Core i5-1235U processor/8GB RAM/512GB SSD, $299.99 ($150 off at Dell)
- Lenovo Flex 3 Chromebook, Pentium Silver N600/8GB RAM/64GB eMMC, 328.99 ($150.01 off at Best Buy)
- HP Touch Screen Laptop, Intel Core i5 processor/8GB RAM/512GB SSD, $349.99 ($280 off at Best Buy)
My top pick: The Acer Aspire 3 is a great laptop for everyday tasks, office work, and Zoom calls. It has an AMD Ryzen 3 7320U CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of SSD storage. The 1920×1080 display measures 15.6 inches, which is pretty spacious. The thin, light design also makes it super travel-friendly.
Black Friday gaming laptop deals
Calling all gamers! There’s no better time to scoop up a blisteringly fast gaming machine. The laptops below are both powerful and reasonably priced, and should be able to blitz through most games.
- HP Victus, RTX 2050 graphics/8GB RAM/512GB SSD, $579.99 ($120 off at Amazon)
- Acer Nitro V, RTX 4050 graphics/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $749.99 ($100 off at Amazon)
- Gigabyte Aorus 15, RTX 4050 graphics/8GB RAM/512GB SSD, $899 ($200 off at Amazon)
- Gigabyte G6, RTX 4060 graphics/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $999.99 ($200 off at Best Buy)
- MSI Katana 17,RTX 4060 graphics/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,099.99 ($299.01 off at Amazon)
- Asus ROG Strix G16, RTX 4060 graphics/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,099.99 ($300 off at Amazon)
My top pick: The Gigabyte Aorus 15 deserves a call-out because of its wickedly fast 360Hz refresh rate display. That’s an incredibly high number, so this display should churn out silky-smooth visuals, which is important during more intensive matches.
Black Friday premium laptop deals
If you’re looking for more premium features like an OLED display or a 2-in-1 form factor, you’ve come to the right spot. Below you’ll find ultra-lightweight machines as well as laptops with high-resolution displays.
- Samsung Galaxy Book4, Intel Core 7 Series 1 150U processor/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $529.99 ($370 off at Best Buy)
- Acer Swift Go 14, Intel Core Ultra 5 125H processor/8GB RAM/512GB SSD, $649.99 ($150 off at B&H)
- Microsoft Surface Laptop, Snapdragon X Plus processor/16GB RAM/256GB SSD, $849 ($150 off at Amazon)
- Acer Swift 14 AI, Snapdragon X Plus processor/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $849.99 ($200 off at Amazon)
- LG Gram 17, RTX 3050 graphics/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $999.99 ($550 off at Adorama)
- Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro, 14-inch AMOLED 2880×1800 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,089.99 ($360 off at Amazon)
- Asus Vivobook Pro 15 OLED, Intel Core Ultra 9 Series 1 185H processor/RTX 4060 graphics/2TB SSD, $1,199.99 ($500 off at Best Buy)
- Dell XPS 16 Laptop, Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,499.99 ($200 off at Dell)
My top pick: The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro features a lightweight build, a stunning OLED display, and a good keyboard. In our review, we called it an “elegant all-rounder for business professionals” and awarded it 4.5 out of 5 stars and an Editors’ Choice badge.
FAQ
When is Black Friday 2024?
Black Friday 2024 is on Friday, November 29. But make no mistake: The laptop deals have already begun, and the sales event that used to be just a single day might as well be called “Black Week” in 2024.
When is Cyber Monday 2024?
Cyber Monday 2024 is on Monday, December 2. To take advantage of the best deals, we suggest logging on at midnight. This gives you the best chance to snag a deal on something you want before stock runs out.
Are Black Friday laptop deals lower quality?
No, there’s nothing about the laptops themselves that should suggest you’re buying a poorer quality machine. In fact, we’ve seen some really high-end laptops go on sale this year. That said, when it comes to more “commodity” tech gear—let’s say wireless earbuds—you may find so-called “deals” on low-quality no-name brands rather than the earbud models you’d really be interested in. But when it comes to laptops, we’re only recommending models from the big names like HP, Lenovo, Dell, etc.
Are Black Friday laptop deals really worth it?
Yes, Black Friday sales do include some great laptops at legitimate discounts. Of course, some retailers will tag a laptop as a “deal,” when in fact the selling price is no different than what the machine sold for most of the the year. But at PCWorld, we do our best to look at pricing histories and highlight the deals that have reached or dropped below all-time-low pricing.
Which retailers have the best Black Friday laptop deals?
You should definitely scope out Lenovo, HP, Dell, and other laptop manufacturers’ websites. Online retailers like Amazon, Newegg, and Best Buy will also have solid deals, no doubt, but probably not as wide a variety as you’ll find from the manufacturers themselves.
Which laptops does PCWorld recommend, the deals notwithstanding?
Hey, the site is called PCWorld, so we test and review an insane number of laptops. To see our top picks, you can check out our master list of the best laptops of 2024. We also have more granular selections for the best laptops under $500, and the best laptops for students. Come Black Friday, there’s a good chance that many of our picks will be discounted, so if you’re looking for something specific, check out the best-picks articles.
