Best Black Friday laptop deals 2024: everything you need to know
Black Friday laptop deals will return in November 2024, here's everything you need to know about the annual sales event.
If you're looking to upgrade your everyday workhorse this year, Black Friday laptop deals are going to come in particularly handy. The computing category takes massive discounts during these sales - they're well known for offering some of the year's best prices on everything from budget Chromebooks to the latest high-end machines.
Last year's Black Friday laptop deals hit some new highs. We saw machines packing 512GB SSDs going for less than ever, with some even hitting well below $300. That bodes well for anyone looking to spend a little less this November, but we were also seeing 1TB options for as little as $360 as well. At the top end of the scale luxury ultrabooks like the HP Envy, Dell XPS 13, and Lenovo Yoga were also taking some serious price drops as well.
We've been tracking these discounts for years now, and we've gathered all the tips and tricks we've learned along the way just below. Whether you're after a cheaper everyday browsing machine or something more robust, this year's holiday sales are sure to have something in stock to suit.
What to expect from Black Friday laptop deals in 2024
Last year's Black Friday laptop deals offered some excellent discounts in the entry level and mid-range areas. We're optimistic for more of this action in 2024, with entry level models like the HP Pavilion, Acer Aspire 3, Dell Inspiron 15 3000, and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 falling further into this bracket this November.
That means you can expect to find an Intel i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and a 256GB or 512GB SSD inside one of the laptops above for between $259-$349 during the height of the sale (and potentially well before then). We'd expect to see the majority of these machines at retailers like Dell and Walmart, with Best Buy and Amazon both lacking slightly in this price range last year (head to Currys and Argos in the UK).
If you're looking for something a little more substantial, it's worth noting that the Dell XPS tends to take the jump from elite ultrabook to mid-range level pricing in Black Friday laptop deals. This is a particularly competitive space, with retailers all pushing their flashier machines for new record low prices. That's why we expect the biggest value to be on laptops priced between $500 and $800 (£500-£800) this year; you'll likely find an Intel i7 processor in there, and, depending on the actual model you choose, potentially 8-16GB RAM and a 512GB SSD.
The biggest savings will likely hit the premium end of the spectrum in this year's Black Friday laptop deals. This is the $1,000+ / £1,000+ machines that have plenty of wiggle room on their costs due to the sheer size of their price tag. We often see high-end configurations of the Dell XPS 13 in this category, but also mid-range MacBooks and starter Black Friday gaming laptop deals as well. This year we're expecting some of the biggest offers to land on M2 MacBook models, the Dell XPS 13, the Razer Blade 14, and the HP Spectre x360.
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What should you look for in Black Friday laptop deals?
If you are already looking for Black Friday-level laptop deals, it's worth keeping in mind the kinds of specs and features you're after for your cash. There are a few easy to spot hallmarks of a good deal, though, which is helpful considering it's difficult to work out whether you really are looking at a Black Friday-level offer or not.
If you're after a cheap Chromebook, for example, we'd recommend waiting for one with at least 4GB RAM and 64GB of storage for under $150 / £150 (you can check out Black Friday Samsung deals for more). However, for a Windows machine with a similar entry level spec (4GB RAM, 128GB SSD storage, i3 processor), you'd be better off aiming for a $249 / £249 price tag to make an early buy worthwhile.
Once you double up your RAM and potentially think about moving up to an Intel i5 processor, $299-$499 / £299-£499 is a strong sales price that we tend to see in official Black Friday laptop deals (and would be well worth a punt ahead of them). However, of course, that is all depending on the price of the actual machine you're buying - these prices are geared towards more budget-minded models like the Dell Inspiron 3000 or Lenovo IdeaPad 3, as opposed to the MacBook and Dell XPS configurations on offer.
If you're moving more into the mid-range ahead of this year's Black Friday laptop deals, it's worth making sure that you're picking up a 2-in-1 convertible display, extra long battery life, or a super slim bezel on your machine while also potentially moving up to 512GB of SSD storage space. We would expect to see prices on these kinds of machines sitting at between $499 and $699 / £499-£699 over Black Friday, and you might even find some particularly strong deals on the big name ultrabooks in this category as well.
Once you move up beyond this price tag, early Black Friday laptop deals start to become a lot easier to discern. That's because these models, regardless of the configuration, rarely introduce new record low prices. If you spot a MacBook Air M1 for under $849.99, or a Dell XPS 13 for under $649, for example, you can already assume you're getting a good deal.
FAQ
When will Black Friday laptop deals officially start?
Black Friday laptop deals will officially launch on November 29, but we generally see the main sales starting from Thanksgiving week. That means we're right in the middle of this year's sale, with more retailers launching their official discounts and some even starting to run off the shelves.
Where will the best Black Friday laptop deals be?
Given the fact that Black Friday laptop deals are some of the most in-demand discounts of the weekend, it's no surprise that all of the major retailers break out the big guns around this sales event. We're already seeing some excellent early offers from retailers in both the US and UK, as well, and considering the potential shipping delays earlier in the year, it may well pay off to shop a little early. If you want to get a head start you'll find all our go-to stores just below.
US:
Amazon: regular discounts on budget and mid-range machines
Dell: record low prices on XPS and super cheap Inspiron prices
Best Buy: offering price guarantee for My Best Buy members
HP: frequent flash sales with super low prices
Lenovo: heavy discounts on everyday laptops and Legion gaming
Walmart: best for budget friendly Chromebooks and laptops
Microsoft: discounts on Surface devices and Windows machines
Newegg: additional rebates and price guarantees available
UK:
Amazon: speedy delivery and a wide range of machines
Currys: often offers additional software and accessories for free
Argos: budget prices and same day delivery often available
Dell: offers excellent discounts on budget and premium models
John Lewis: big savings on high end laptops with excellent warranties
AO: sometimes offers record low prices but stock moves quickly
Laptops Direct: super low prices but £5 shipping fees for faster delivery
Ebuyer: best for refurbished laptops and accessories
Very: often price matches other retailers with plenty of stock
Is Black Friday a good time to buy a laptop?
Black Friday is an excellent time to buy a laptop, with some of the year's lowest prices up for grabs. That's because the majority of brands announce their new models at the start of the year, giving each new device (and all the latest generation tech under the hood) plenty of time to settle into the shelves before November rolls around. On top of that, brands and retailers know they will have new stock to compete with once January turns up - so are more likely to go even further with price drops to end out the year.
Do laptop prices drop on Black Friday?
Laptop prices do drop on Black Friday, but they also generally drop from mid-October onwards. This sales season extends far beyond the Thanksgiving week that we're used to - with discounts from a range of retailers kicking off as early as October 1. That said, the biggest flash sales tend to take place on the big day itself.
Last year's best Black Friday laptop deals
Dell Inspiron 15.6-inch laptop | $379.99 $279.99 at Dell
Save $100 - This was our favorite Black Friday laptop deal on the shelves last year, and after dropping out of stock in the week before the main event it came back with another $20 off. You could pick up a Dell Inspiron with a massive 512GB SSD and an Intel i3 processor for just $279.99. That's value we'd never seen before.
Specs: Intel i3-1215U | 8GB RAM | 512GB SSD
HP 14-inch laptop | $498.88 $361.10 at Walmart
Save $137 - 16GB RAM and a 1TB SSD made this our next favorite Black Friday laptop deal. Walmart was already offering an excellent sub-$500 price for this 14-inch HP machine, but last year's discounts knocked that to $360.
Specs: AMD Ryzen 3 3250U | 16GB RAM | 1TB SSD
HP Envy 15.6-inch 2-in-1 touchscreen laptop | $1,149.99 $699.99 at Best Buy
Save $450 - The HP Envy is a more premium machine, which means the touchscreen display and i7 configuration are going to cost you more than it would in a budget rig. However, Best Buy's $450 discount dropped this powerful machine down to a record low $699.99.
Specs: Intel i7-1355U | 16GB RAM | 512GB SSD
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 RTX 4060 gaming laptop | $1,599.99 $1,199.99 at Best Buy
Save $400 - Best Buy's Black Friday laptop deals returned to this record low price on the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 in an RTX 4060 configuration. That was the best we'd seen on this rig, and considering it's one of our favorite gaming laptops on the market, it wasn't a discount we took lightly.
Specs: AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS | Nvidia RTX 4060 | 16GB RAM | 512GB SSD | 165Hz QHD display
Dell Inspiron 15 15-inch laptop | $329.99 $259.99 at Dell
Save $60 - You were getting an Intel i3 processor, 8GB RAM, and a 256GB SSD in this $259.99 laptop at Dell. Yes, that $60 saving was smaller in the grand scheme of things, but the overall value on offer here was excellent to see. We'd usually expect a 128GB SSD in a machine of this price.
Specs: Intel i3-1215U | 8GB RAM | 256GB SSD
Dell XPS 13 13.4-inch laptop | $799 $599 at Dell
Save $200 - Dell had an older XPS 13 model down to $599 in its Black Friday clearance sale. That was a phenomenal price for the luxury ultrabook, even if you were dropping down your storage for the premium device.
Specs: Intel i5-1230U | 8GB RAM | 256GB SSD
Lenovo Yoga 7i 16-inch 2-in-1 touchscreen laptop | $849.99 $549.99 at Best Buy
Save $300 - This was a massive saving on the 2-in-1 Lenovo Yoga 7i from Best Buy - especially considering the WUXGA display and 16GB RAM. That was excellent value overall, and the first major discount we'd seen at this store.
Specs: Intel i5-1335U | 16GB RAM | 512GB SSD
Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 14-inch laptop | $1,049.99 $749.99 at Best Buy
Save $300 - We'd only ever seen this 2023 Lenovo Yoga 7i drop to $999 in the past, which made Best Buy's $749.99 sale price all the more impressive last year. The convertible machine is perfect for anyone after a flexible device with plenty of power to boot.
Specs: Intel i7-1355U | 16GB RAM | 512GB SSD
Last year's best Black Friday laptop deals in the UK
Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14-inch laptop | £249 £139 at Currys
Save £110 - This was an excellent budget option - especially considering there's a 128GB SSD under the hood. At this price we usually see much slower eMMC storage options, and even then it's likely you'll be limited to 64GB.
Specs: Intel Celeron N4020 | 4GB RAM | 128GB SSD
Asus Vivobook 15.6-inch laptop | £649.99 £399.99 at Amazon
Save £250 - You were picking up a particularly powerful machine here for a fantastic discount. This Asus Vivobook was packing specs we couldn't remember seeing at just under £400 before - 16GB RAM and a 512GB SSD. That's a solid spec for anyone after a workhorse laptop for less.
Specs: Intel i5-1135G7 | 16GB RAM | 512GB SSD
Asus Vivobook Go 15.6-inch OLED laptop | £699 £449 at Very
Save £250 - This was a brand new record low price on the gorgeous OLED Asus Vivobook - beating the previous £499 position by a further £50. That was excellent news for anyone after a high quality screen especially considering this had been hovering around the £600 mark in previous weeks.
Specs: AMD Ryzen 5 7520U | 8GB RAM | 256GB SSD
Asus Zenbook Duo 14 14-inch laptop | £1,499 £699 at Currys
Save £800 - That dual-screened dream was down to a fantastic £699 sales price at Currys last year, with a massive £700 off. This is a true productivity wizard with the specs to back it up as well.
Specs: Intel i7-1165G7 | 16GB RAM | 512GB SSD
Of course, if you're after something a little more portable, be sure to check out the best Black Friday iPad deals we expect to see this year. On the other hand, those after a desktop could do well with this year's Black Friday gaming PC deals as well. We're also looking to Black Friday gaming monitor deals for more setup inspiration as well.
Managing Editor of Hardware at GamesRadar+, I originally landed in hardware at our sister site TechRadar before moving over to GamesRadar. In between, I've written for Tom’s Guide, Wireframe, The Indie Game Website and That Video Game Blog, covering everything from the PS5 launch to the Apple Pencil. Now, i'm focused on Nintendo Switch, gaming laptops (and the keyboards, headsets and mice that come with them), PS5, and trying to find the perfect projector.
- Rollin BishopUS Managing Editor
- Bradley Russell