Only hours remain in Cyber Monday, and time is rapidly running out to take advantage of all the sales. These final moments are revealing some surprising deals, too, like Lenovo slicing 58% off a modern Windows laptop that’s already considered a great value. Now, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 15 feels like an actual steal for only $279.99 at Lenovo. You have to act fast, though — this deal doesn’t have much longer, and over 3,500 people have added this laptop to their cart lately.
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Not the only ridiculous laptop deal right now, but it’s up there
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 15 (Gen 9) is a value-driven, full-blown Windows laptop that — even at its full retail price — offers a surprising number of features not often found in budget devices. Lenovo decided to lop $400 off that $680 price tag in a short-lived Cyber Monday sale, though, possibly making this laptop the best you can buy for less than $300.
If you’re willing to spend around twice that amount, you can get an equally ridiculous HP laptop with 32GB of RAM for less than $600 — that deal takes the cake for the most insane promotion of Cyber Monday.
Back to the laptop at hand, though. The IdeaPad Slim 3i isn’t anything too impressive at first glance. It runs full Windows 11 Home on its 15.6-inch IPS LCD display, it has a full-sized keyboard with a tenkey number pad, there’s a 720p webcam with built-in microphones, and it comes with the Lenovo guaranty of baffling levels of durability.
Except, that 15.6-inch display also has multi-touch support; that full-sized keyboard is also backlit; that HD webcam also has a physical privacy shutter; there’s even a fingerprint sensor for Windows Hello biometric authentication. Those are all features you can’t normally expect in a budget laptop, so it’s even more interesting to see so many in the same low-cost device.
You’re also getting the 6-core Intel Core 3 N100U, which admittedly isn’t a terribly powerful processor, but is surprisingly capable for casual and everyday workloads. That’s paired with 8GB of fast, modern RAM and a generous 512GB SSD — which is also surprisingly modern. You’re getting Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 support on top of that, as well as a varied port selection (with USB Type-C) and 65W fast charging.
The end result? A durable, reliable Windows laptop with future-proofed hardware and a lot of convenient features that you won’t be able to live without once you have them. Again, and I mean this sincerely, I am shocked by how much laptop the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 15 (Gen 9) gives you for just $279.99 at Lenovo. Seriously, though, don’t wait on this deal. It’s a Cyber Monday Doorbuster set to disappear at a moment’s notice, and over 3,500 people have already added it to their cart recently.
When did Black Friday end?
On paper, at least, Black Friday ended the moment Midnight chimed on Nov. 29, 2024, or the Friday following the Thanksgiving holiday in the USA. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean all the deals up and disappeared at that time. Cyber Monday is right around the corner, and that means fresh waves of sales to take advantage of. I should be clear, many deals did end alongside Black Friday, so those who hesitated are out of luck. If you missed out, though, you may have another opportunity this weekend and on Cyber Monday.
When does Cyber Monday start?
Cyber Monday began as the online retailer equivalent of Black Friday, but most shopping has gone online over the last few years. This has resulted in Black Friday and Cyber Monday being blended into one massive sales event spread across an entire weekend, with Cyber Monday marking the tumultuous finale. This year, Cyber Monday falls on Dec. 2, 2024, which (as you might expect) is the Monday after Black Friday.
It’s best to take advantage of sales you’re interested in the moment you spot them to avoid stock shortages and limited-time discounts, but Cyber Monday does frequently boast its own batch of last-minute deals separate from Black Friday.
Which has better deals, Black Friday or Cyber Monday?
Because of how similar the two days (and the weekend between them have become), it’s difficult to definitively say if Black Friday or Cyber Monday has the best deals. Many retailers and companies hit Black Friday running with their biggest promotions to get people in the door, but others may wait until Cyber Monday and strike with last-minute discounts that keep interest going until the end.
The rule of thumb to keep in mind here is that if you spot a tempting discount for a product you want, you shouldn’t risk waiting for a better deal to come along. Retailers like Amazon and Best Buy will often price match your purchases if prices fall further during your return period, so it’s better to take advantage of the deal in front of you than wait for the better deal that may never come (especially since Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals tend to have limited stock).
When does Cyber Monday end?
While Black Friday and Cyber Monday tend to start earlier each year, the worldwide sales event often ends on a similar note. Cyber Monday, which this year is Dec. 2, 2024, is the final day for many of the most major and aggressive sales and discounts from the deals bonanza. This is important to repeat: while some deals may persist after Cyber Monday ends, today will be your final chance to take advantage of the majority of the worthwhile promotions.
