Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET
The TL;DR is that yes, Black Friday/Cyber Monday has some of the best deals you’ll find all year. Online retailers know that consumers are looking for good deals during this time, as it’s the last major sales event before the holidays. That means you’ll see some pretty significant price drops on both new and older model laptops.
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Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales typically focus on existing inventory before brands announce new products at the end of the year. While this often includes models from the previous year, plenty of new models (from within the last six months or so) also go on sale, albeit with less significant discounts.
With this in mind, consumers should be aware that inventory is often limited during the sales event, especially following Cyber Monday. For that reason, we suggest identifying the laptop (or better yet: a few laptops) you’re interested in and start tracking its sale price early. We test dozens of laptops each year at ZDNET, and can help you figure out how to choose the right one during holiday sales. (Find our picks for the best laptops overall here.)
How do I find a good laptop during Black Friday?
If you’re in the market for a new laptop, we comb through the sales and try to highlight the best ones relative to regular prices, highlighting them in our deals roundups. However, as with any other purchase, the same concerns apply to laptop shopping. You should ask yourself:
- What will you be using the laptop for?
- What’s your budget?
- How long are you willing to wait for the right deal?
The first question is the most important. If you’re looking for a laptop for work, your options will differ from those of a dedicated gaming laptop. Identify your primary use case to narrow down your choices.
Also: Black Friday 2025: Everything to know to save (including when sales actually start)
Once you’ve found the laptop you want, compare the sale price to the regular price and determine if the discount is significant enough to warrant springing for the purchase. Keep in mind that inventory is likely limited. We recommend using price trackers like Keepa, CamelCamelCamel, or Google’s price history feature. This ensures you won’t fall victim to sneaky tactics, such as pre-sale price markups that essentially cancel out any valid discount.
Which laptops get discounted for Black Friday?
It varies widely. There isn’t one specific kind of laptop that sees the best discounts; you’ll find sales on everything from gaming PCs to lightweight work laptops, Chromebooks, and Apple MacBooks. However, it’s safe to assume that the older the laptop model, the better the chances of a higher discount. Brands use Black Friday/Cyber Monday to mark down existing inventory before the holiday shopping season, and savvy consumers are more than happy to take advantage of the sales.
Also: The 15+ best tech stocking stuffers perfect for holiday gifting (all under $75)
We watch sale prices closely here at ZDNET and encourage consumers to start early, ideally a few weeks before Black Friday. Watch sale prices and see if they stay the same or continue to drop. Note that once they reach their lowest point, inventory may either sell out or retailers will raise the price back up.
Are discounts better for PCs or Macs?
Both offer significant discounts during Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales, but they tend to vary. Windows PC manufacturers, such as Dell, Acer, HP, and Lenovo, often offer steep discounts (several hundred dollars or more) on select, targeted models. Apple, on the other hand, offers more consistent discounts across its entire range of laptops, typically in the $100-$250 range. It’s not unusual to find a MacBook for even upwards of $300 off, but keep in mind that you may have more options to consider in this way. Should you save on last year’s MacBook M3 or take advantage of typical savings on the latest M4 model? Ultimately, that comes down to use case, longevity, and precisely what you’re looking for, but be sure to think ahead before taking advantage of an early deal.
What should I be aware of?
While it’s true that retailers often increase regular prices before a sale to make the discount seem more significant, it might not matter if the discount is substantial enough. Just double-check the listed “regular price” at other retailers — if it’s much lower, the sale price might still decrease during the sale.
That being said, the discounts during Black Friday/Cyber Monday could still be significant enough to warrant springing for the purchase, especially if the discount accounts for several hundred dollars off. If it’s $500 off, most consumers won’t care that the regular price was inflated $20 for the sale.
Also: Worried about rising tech prices? Try these 5 easy ways to shop smarter right now
Another point to consider is that some of the steepest discounts fall on models that were either recently upgraded (or are about to be). If you’re looking for the absolute latest model in a series, check to see when it was released. Most brands refresh their product lines about once a year, so if the laptop you’ve got your eye on is about a year old and heavily discounted, odds are its next generation will be released soon, and a great deal on the current model could be available soon.
When is Black Friday?
Black Friday is Friday, Nov. 28, the day after Thanksgiving. While it’s typically associated with general retail sales, we’re seeing a lot more online deals, as well. Cyber Monday, the traditional online shopping sale day, is Monday, Dec. 1. Both of these days will have some fantastic deals, and there will be some overlap.
