The Best Deals on All Types of Laptops on Black Friday
Black Friday sales officially kick off on Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1. Before they end, Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price tracking tools.
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Black Friday is usually a great time to buy tech, and laptops are often a big hit. But there are so many deals (and “deals” ) on offer right now that it’s hard to figure out which ones are actually worth buying and which might be a bit misleading. Luckily, I review laptops for a living, and I’ve compiled a list of my favorite Black Friday deals, whether you’re looking for a productivity device, a gaming companion, or just an inexpensive little clamshell laptop for browsing the web.
The best thin and light laptops
Laptops for work will be one of the most popular items you’ll see this Black Friday, especially if you’re looking for premium, thin, and light devices.
Apple laptops
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For example, almost all MacBook Airs are on sale at a reduced price, starting at $749 for the latest model with the M4 chip. This promotion includes 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, which should be sufficient for occasional use. Alternatively, you can get a MacBook Air with 24GB of RAM and 512GB of storage for $1,149.
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If you’re looking for a more powerful model with a built-in fan, the MacBook Pro m5 starts at $1,399 this Black Friday. This model includes 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Multiple models of this laptop are available: a model with the M4 Max chip , 48GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage is available for $3,499. Don’t worry—it’s actually more powerful than the M5, even though it sounds weaker. Apple just hasn’t released the M5 Max chip yet.
Windows laptops
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If you’re more of a Windows user, you might want to consider Microsoft’s take on the MacBook: the Microsoft Surface Laptop . It starts at $750, though there are currently two models available in that price range: the 2024 and 2025 models . I’d go with the 2024 model, as it’s virtually identical, but has slightly more cores. Incidentally, this laptop features a Snapdragon X Plus chip, a touchscreen, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. This chip is actually somewhat unique compared to most other Windows laptops, as it’s built on a mobile architecture, which means some loss in software compatibility but makes up for it with battery life.
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Finally, if you’re looking for a more traditional Windows laptop, the Dell 14 Plus is a great choice. Its base price is $799 and it features a reliable Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processor, along with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. Multiple configurations are available, but discounts may vary.
The best gaming laptops
Black Friday deals on gaming laptops are rare, mainly because there are so many options on the market that it’s hard to expect the one you want to be sold out, or even the ones with the most attractive specs. However, this Black Friday, I found several interesting options in various price ranges.
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Starting at the lower end of the spectrum, there’s the Lenovo LOQ , which sells for $650 at Best Buy. It comes with an entry-level RTX 5050 graphics card, a reasonably powerful Intel Core i5-13450HX chip, and standard budget gaming hardware of 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The screen resolution is also only 1920 x 1080, but given that it’s more designed for light gaming, this shouldn’t be an issue. It’s a good choice if you primarily play smaller indie titles or competitive games like Fortnite , which are generally optimized for users with all types of machines.
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If you’re looking for a more mid-range option, consider the Asus TUF Gaming A16 , which costs $1,200 at Best Buy. It features an AMD Ryzen 9 processor, an RTX 5070 graphics card, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and a 1920 x 1200 display. It should handle most AAA games, as long as you’re willing to play at high settings in some of the most demanding titles.
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Finally, if you’re willing to spend a little more, there’s the MSI Vector 16 HX AI 400 for $1,900 at Best Buy. Despite its big name, it’s one of the most affordable ways to get a top-end RTX 5080 laptop this Black Friday. It features an Intel Core Ultra 9-275HX processor, an RTX 5080 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. Yes, that’s technically slightly less RAM than the TUF, but the display resolution is higher at 2560 x 1600, and 16GB should still be enough to run almost any game when combined with the rest of this machine’s specs.
The best budget laptops
Finally, you can also find a good deal on a budget laptop if you need a reliable machine for light work and internet use. While I’ve already written about why you should be skeptical of cheap laptops on Black Friday , there are still budget devices worth buying. (Most of them are Chromebooks, but I have at least one Windows option.)
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Let’s start with a versatile option that will suit almost everyone: the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 for $300. It features an Intel Core i3-1305U processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. These modest specs are enough to test the Chromebook Plus, unlock a few additional AI features , and hopefully handle the web apps that Chromebooks specialize in.
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If you want your Chromebook to function as a tablet, consider the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3i for $282. You’ll lose the same minor AI benefits of the Chromebook Plus, but you’ll gain the ability to switch the display between laptop and tablet modes. It’s also slightly weaker than the Chromebook Plus 515, equipped with an Intel Pentium N6000 processor, but its 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage allow it to handle web tasks.
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Finally, if you’re looking for a budget Windows laptop, StackSocial’s deal on the Dell Latitude 7410 for $275 is a surprisingly good deal. With an Intel Core i5-10310U processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage, you’ll get decent computing power for the price, even if the processor is a bit dated. You’ll also get a digital code for Microsoft Office Pro 2021. The catch is that it’s refurbished, but for a Windows computer under $300, you won’t find anything better.
Does Apple have Black Friday?
Yes, Apple is participating in Black Friday deals, but you might want to compare their sales to those of other retailers like Best Buy and Walmart . Apple is offering an exclusive $250 gift card for eligible purchases, but the best Black Friday Apple deal right now is the MacBook M4 at an all-time low .
Does Amazon have Black Friday deals?
Yes, Amazon does have Black Friday sales, but the prices aren’t always accurate. Use a price tracker to make sure you’re getting the best deal, or consult guides like our price-tracking blog . And if you have an Amazon Prime subscription, make the most of it .
Which stores have the biggest discounts on Black Friday?
With both large retailers and small businesses competing for Black Friday shoppers, you can expect sales at virtually every store until Monday, December 1, 2025. The “best” discounts depend on your needs, but in general, the biggest discounts tend to be offered by large retailers that can afford lower prices, such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot. You can find all the best sales from major retailers on our blog .