Should you buy a laptop during Black Friday? Here’s how to determine if the savings are really worth it

The TL;DR is that yes, Black Friday/Cyber ​​Monday has some of the best deals you can find all year round. Online retailers know that consumers are looking for good deals at this time, as this is the last major sales event before the holidays. That means you’ll see some pretty significant price drops on both new and older laptop models.

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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, many new models (from approximately the last six months) also go on sale, albeit with less significant discounts.

With this in mind, consumers should be aware that inventory is often limited during the sale event, especially after Cyber ​​Monday. For that reason, we recommend that you identify the laptop (or better yet, a few laptops) you’re interested in and track the sales price early. We test dozens of laptops at ZDNET every year and can help you figure out how to choose the right laptop during the holiday sales. (Find our pick for the best laptops in general 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 compared to regular prices and highlight them in our deals roundups. But like any other purchase, the same concerns apply when buying a laptop. You have to ask yourself:

• What will you use the laptop for?
• What is 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 are different than those of a dedicated gaming laptop. Identify your primary use case to narrow down your choices.

Also: Black Friday 2025: everything you need to know to save (including when the sale actually starts)

Once you find the laptop you want, compare the sale price to the regular price and determine if the discount is big enough to justify the purchase. Please note that stock is likely limited. We recommend using price trackers like Keepa, CamelCamelCamel or Google’s price history feature. This ensures you don’t fall victim to sneaky tactics like pre-sale price increases that essentially wipe out any valid discount.

Which laptops get a discount during Black Friday?

It varies greatly. There isn’t one specific type of laptop that gets the best discounts; you’ll find deals 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 more likely you are to receive a higher discount. Brands use Black Friday/Cyber ​​Monday to discount their existing inventory ahead of the holiday shopping season, and savvy consumers are eager to take advantage of the sales.

Also: The 15+ Best Tech Stocking Stuffers Perfect for Holiday Gifts (All Under $75)

We keep a close eye on sale prices here at ZDNET and encourage consumers to get in early, ideally a few weeks before Black Friday. Check out the sale prices and see if they stay the same or continue to drop. Keep in mind that once they reach their lowest point, stock may sell out or retailers will raise the price again.

Are discounts better for PCs or Macs?

Both offer significant discounts during Black Friday/Cyber ​​Monday sales, but these 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 on its entire range of laptops, typically between $100 and $250. It’s not unusual to find a MacBook for even more than $300 off, but keep in mind that this way you may have more options to consider. Should you save on last year’s MacBook M3 or take advantage of the typical savings on the latest M4 model? Ultimately, that comes down to use case, longevity, and exactly what you’re looking for, but make sure you think ahead before taking advantage of an early deal.

What should I pay attention to?

While it is true that retailers often increase regular prices before a sale to make the discount appear larger, it may not matter whether the discount is substantial enough. Just check the ‘regular price’ listed at other retailers. If it is much lower, the sale price could still drop during the sale.

That said, the discounts during Black Friday/Cyber ​​Monday can still be significant enough to justify a purchase, especially if the discount is several hundred dollars off. If it’s $500 off, most consumers won’t care that the regular price has been increased by $20 for the sale.

Also: Worried about rising technology prices? Try these 5 simple ways to shop smarter now

Another point to consider is that some of the biggest discounts are for models that have recently been upgraded (or will soon be upgraded). If you’re looking for the absolute newest model in a series, check out when it was released. Most brands refresh their product lines about once a year, so if the laptop you have your eye on is about a year old and heavily discounted, chances are the next generation is coming to market soon, and a large portion of the current model will soon be available.