Black Friday gaming laptop deals regularly offer some of the year's lowest prices on the latest and greatest rigs. These discounts are widely lauded for offering excellent value, and last year's price cuts proved no different. We were particularly impressed by the savings on the shelves in the previous round of discounts, which - alongside a move to 16-inch and 18-inch powerhouses in 2023 - leaves us optimistic for more come November.
The world of the best gaming laptops is going to change this year. Boosted RTX 40-Series graphics cards are paving the way for larger 16-inch and 18-inch machines in slimmer chassis'. That means we're seeing bigger screens and smaller footprints across the board. If you're interested in a longer term commitment and can hold out on a larger purchase, it's well worth readying your piggy bank for Black Friday gaming laptop deals 2023.
We've been around this block a few times, tracking all the biggest savings on the most compelling configurations. That means we know how to spot a good offer, and which offers would suit each type of player. That's why we're getting you prepped for all this year's Black Friday gaming laptop deals, so that you can keep your eye out for anything that fits the bill in the meantime and get ready for this year's sales extravaganza.
When will Black Friday gaming laptop deals start?
Black Friday gaming laptop deals are due to kick off on November 24, however last year (like the years before it) we saw the vast majority of discounts hitting the shelves from the start of Thanksgiving week. You'll find gaming laptop deals picking up steam in general from October onwards, but the biggest discounts will be available from Monday November 20.
What to expect from Black Friday gaming laptop deals in 2022
While cheaper machines like the Acer Nitro 5 and Asus TUF Dash will likely offer strong value for money in this year's Black Friday gaming laptop deals, those after High or Ultra settings should aim for more premium machines. Razer laptops and Alienware laptops sit at the upper end of the scale and this often prices them out of the market for many, but Black Friday gaming laptop deals bring those costs crashing down to a more reasonable level.
Last year's Black Friday Alienware deals saw the M15 R6 and R7 drop to around $1,000 (a rate that had only been seen a handful of times in the weeks leading up to the main event), and the Razer Blade 14 took a hefty discount in the UK as well. However, it was Gigabyte, Asus, and MSI laptops carrying the bulk of the value last year. An RTX 3080 MSI GP66 Leopard came in at just $1,399 at Walmart in last year's sales. At the time, that was an astounding price - one of the first to drop this kind of configuration below $1,500.
We're looking specifically to the Razer Blade 15, Alienware M15 R7 and the Asus Zephyrus G14 for some of the highest value savings in this premium category. The latter two are well versed for discounts and will likely sit between $999 and $1,799 for a mid-range spec on the day itself. However, the Razer Blade 15 isn't seeing a 2023 refresh this year, which could open it up to even larger discounts come November.
If, however, you're looking to spend a little less we do expect some of the most valuable Black Friday gaming laptop deals to sit in the cheaper seats. Picking up an Asus TUF Dash F15 with an RTX 3060 or 3070 graphics card won't break the bank (compared to other rigs), and will likely be the easiest way to grab a steal this year. We're expecting prices on this kind of configuration to settle between $699 and $999 once RTX 40-Series graphics cards have taken over.
Speaking of which, thanks to the early 2023 release dates of the majority of new-generation gaming laptops, we could see the latest GPU-models taking some considerable discounts. If you're after a 16-inch or 18-inch device, you'll be seeing the largest value for money, but we wouldn't discount the possibility of further refreshes in the 15.6-inch and 17.3-inch categories as well.
Where will the best Black Friday gaming laptop deals be?
We'll be rounding up all the biggest Black Friday gaming laptop deals right here as soon as they land, but if you're going it alone it pays to have an action plan. You'll find all the retailers we go to for the best savings just below.
US:
Amazon: often has some of the best prices on RTX 3080 rigs
Best Buy: some of the cheapest RTX 3060 rigs we've seen all year
Dell: excellent prices on budget and high-end machines
HP: big savings on Pavilion and Omen rigs and accessories
Lenovo: heavy discounts and early doorbusters
Microsoft: wide range of gaming laptops but best for accessories
Newegg: extra rebates can bring record low prices
Walmart: wide variety of budget buys on sale
UK:
Amazon: massive range, speedy shipping and regular discounts
Currys: big savings and often includes extras in bundles
Dell: G-Series budget buys and excellent Alienware discounts
Ebuyer: bargain prices and a range of high-end machines
Laptops Direct: best for budget brands and accessories
Very: often one of the first to offer November-level discounts
What should you look for in this year's Black Friday gaming laptop deals?
Knowing the model and spec you're on the hunt for is sometimes half the battle when it comes to big sale events. Prices will drop quickly once we get into November, so it's important that you're crystal clear on exactly what you want to get out of your machine. That way you can make a decision fast, and speed is often a crucial factor when competing in the higher quality flash sales.
If you're after an entry level system to play smaller titles or indie games, it's worth pitching your spec at a GTX 1660 or RTX 3050 graphics card, 8GB RAM, and an 11th or 12th generation i5 or Ryzen 5 5000-Series. This kind of rig won't cost you much at all - sitting at $500 / £500 in the lower end of Black Friday gaming laptop deals and generally tapping out at $700 / £700. You might not need to invest too much in a larger SSD for this use - your games will be smaller and you've got more room to be efficient in your storage use. However, many laptops still pack 512GB for this kind of money, so it's worth avoiding 256GB models still (unless the price is particularly low). Do make sure, however, that you're getting a nice 1080p screen with a refresh rate of at least 120Hz to make sure you're future proofed up top.
If you're looking to sprinkle some larger Triple-A releases in there, it might be time to upgrade your thinking. That i5 / Ryzen 5 processor will still suffice if you're not looking to go too hard, though if you're also going to be using your rig for productivity you may benefit from the increase in 12th generation Intel processors we're seeing taking discounts right now. However, we'd recommend moving away from the GTX series of cards here, and aiming for something between an RTX 3050 Ti and an RTX 3060. You'll be able to get clean and smooth gameplay on larger titles with this kind of configuration, with performance holding up even with the same 8GB RAM under the hood. A 512GB SSD is a must here, though. All in all, you can expect to pay $700 / $700 - $900 / £900 for one of these machines over Black Friday.
Looking to blast through newer releases on High settings without breaking too much of a sweat? It's time to boost your processor. An i7 or Ryzen 7 CPU will see you through here, and it's well worth shopping around to see if 12th generation Intel chips are similar in price to the previous 11th generation. You'll be spending between $1,000 / £1,000 and $1,500 / £1,500 on an RTX 3070-toting rig here, with RAM moving up to 16GB pretty early on in that price bracket.
Those after an RTX 3080 or RTX 3080 Ti machine will be the real heavy-hitters. You'll be looking to use demanding ray tracing features constantly and with High or Ultra settings enabled. Do make sure, though, that you're not picking up a gaming laptop particularly cheap just because it's skimping on the screen, though. You'll want a 1080p or 1440p display at around 240Hz to really make the most of your investment in that graphics card.
Should you buy a cheap gaming laptop on Black Friday?
If you're looking to up your Steam game without breaking the bank, Black Friday gaming laptop deals can be particularly tempting. There are two kinds of cheap gaming laptops that we see on the shelves during this time of year; budget models with mid-range components and mid-range models with entry level components. The decision between the two comes down to whether you prefer the flash of a higher quality screen, more durable construction, and better cooling engineering or you're simply after the best component-to-price ratio.
This is, of course, a personal decision - there's no right or wrong answer. In general we do see better overall value in the budget models packing more powerful internals - you'll often find the best prices for RTX 3060 and RTX 3070 rigs in this category. However, it's worth researching some budget and mid-range models before this year's Black Friday gaming laptop deals begin, so you can go in with a clear idea of what you're after.
Then there's the other question entirely. Do you need a gaming laptop, or are you better off browsing for Black Friday gaming PC deals? If you don't need to take your machine on the go with you, and you're already set up with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse then it might be better to pick up a prebuilt PC. We generally see far lower prices on these machines and you're grabbing better thermal regulation and more powerful versions of the same components as well. Of course, if you don't already have a setup, you'll have to factor in the cost of Black Friday gaming monitor deals as well. Everyday productivity on the go can also be achieved by a super cheap Black Friday laptop deal if you're stuck as well.
Last year's best Black Friday gaming deals in the US
Last year's best Black Friday gaming laptop deals in the UK
If you're building out a whole new setup, you might be interested to see everything we expect from this year's Black Friday gaming chair deals as well. Or, for some accessories, take a look at our predictions for 2022's Black Friday gaming headset deals and Black Friday curved monitor deals. Need to stock up that Steam library? We're also getting you prepped for all this year's Black Friday video game deals.
