Whether you’re buying a new laptop for school or trying to find a gaming laptop, Black Friday can be the best time of the year to find deals. This year, more than others, you should act fast! The ongoing supply chain shortages mean that there may be fewer PCs this holiday season, and they might take longer to ship.
When is Black Friday 2021?
Traditionally, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, and for 2021, that means Friday, November 26. But this year Black Friday will essentially last most of November and into December, as retailers try to extend the shopping season. It’s worth frequently checking this page as well as our retailer links, as we’d expect holiday deals to start popping up early. Why fight the virtual crowds if you can snag a great laptop deal early?
Black Friday laptop buying tips
If you’ve shopped online before for Black Friday laptop deals, you’re probably aware that there’s a vast range of laptop configurations available.
A good place to start is with the processor. Buy laptops with Intel 10-series Core chips or higher, such as the Core i5-10510U, or the Core i7-11800H (for even more details see our Intel 10th-gen mobile CPU buying guide); or go with an AMD Ryzen processor (but not an AMD Athlon or A-series chip). Avoid laptops with Pentium or Celeron processors unless it’s a Chromebook (running Chrome OS). You’re going to need to pay attention with gaming laptops, too, as some GPUs, like the RTX 3050 Ti, don’t offer much boost over their RTX 2xxx-series cousins, and Nvidia has dropped the Max-Q designation on certain low-power options, too.
Don’t buy laptops with 4GB of RAM or 128GB of SSD storage—though on a Chromebook, this configuration is acceptable. We have more explanation in our laptops versus Chromebooks buying guide.
Reviews can be helpful. Even if you can’t find a review of a specific configuration, try related models. They’ll often give you a good idea of the build quality and performance.
Most older laptops will run Windows 10, and that’s fine—there’s no rush to upgrade. Windows 10 S, though annoying, can be switched out of easily if you find it on a budget laptop. If you want to buy a Windows 10 PC with the intent of upgrading it to Windows 11, we recommend you start here with a list of older laptops that are Windows 11-eligible.
Where can you find early Black Friday laptop deals?
Amazon Amazon has quietly begun its Black Friday pre-sales, though its electronics section offers a variety of different gear.
B&H Photo B&H is currently running its “Holiday Head Start” deals.
Best Buy Best Buy has begun its “Best Buy Black Friday Prices Guaranteed” sales where it will refund the difference of any product whose price dips before Nov. 26, when sales officially start.
Costco Black Friday sales began Nov. 1 and will run through Nov. 29.
Dell Dell’s sales are part of its “Black Friday Sneak Peek.”
HP.com HP is hosting its own Black Friday sneak peek. The company has posted its Black Friday sales here, beginning Nov. 25.
Microsoft Microsoft is running deals, though the company hasn’t shared its Black Friday sales yet.
Target Target has yet to release its Black Friday deals and has not announced when that will occur.
Walmart Walmart’s “Black Friday Deals for Days” is going on now.
Early Black Friday laptop deals
MSI GS75 Stealth Gaming Laptop
From: Amazon
Was: $1,749
Now: $1,349 ($400 off)
MSI’s gaming laptop of two years ago is now a budget laptop, with a 10th-gen Core i7, Nvidia RTX 2060, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, and a 240Hz 17.3-inch display. Yes, it’s $20 more than its all-time low price, but this is still a great way to find a budget gaming PC when they’re hard to find. We loved a slightly different version of the GS75.
See the MSI GS75 Stealth Gaming Laptop on Amazon
Acer 15.6-inch Chromebook (CB315-3HT-C16B)
From: Target
Was: $319.99
Now: $219.99 ($100 off)
In this case, price matters. The Acer 15.6-inch Chromebook features a 1080p display, a dedicated number pad (!), a touchscreen, and USB-C ports. Yes, it has a Celeron inside of it, but that will suffice for a Chromebook. It’s a solid Chromebook at a solid price.
See the Acer 15.6-inch Chromebook (CB315-3HT-C16B) at Target
Lenovo Ideapad Slim 7i 82A60015US
From: Microsoft Store
Was: 949.99
Now: $649.99 ($300 off)
If you’re looking for a steady, dependable, general-purpose PC, the Lenovo Ideapad Slim does the trick. With an 11th-gen Core chip, 14-inch 1080p screen, 8GB of memory, and a 512GB SSD, there’s nothing that particularly stands out. At the same time, nearly a third off the price is simply a solid deal. For reference, here’s our review of a related IdeaPad Slim.
See the Lenovo Ideapad Slim 7i 82A60015US at Microsoft
HP Envy 17t-ch100
From: HP.com
Was: $1,199.99
Now: $699.99 ($500 off)
HP’s Envy laptops are comfortable to use, with great keyboards and good value. (Here’s our review of the smaller Envy 14 from this year.) This larger Envy 17 boasts a massive 17.3-inch 1080p screen, an 11th-gen Core i5, 8GB RAM, and 512GB of storage, all running Windows 11. The price is a tick more than the IdeaPad Slim, above, but you’re getting a solid value to boot.
See the HP Envy 17t-ch100 at HP.com
Gateway 15.6-inch FHD Ultra Slim Notebook (Black)
From: Walmart
Was: $399
Now: $299 ($100 off)
We haven’t tested many Walmart notebooks, but both its Motile M142 and Gateway gaming laptops have been surprisingly good. A 15.6-inch notebook with a Ryzen chip inside, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage for just $399 seems like a decent deal in itself, and the $100 off seems even better. Just buy the black model! Otherwise you’ll pay up to $449.
As PCWorld’s senior editor, Mark focuses on Microsoft news and chip technology, among other beats. He has formerly written for PCMag, BYTE, Slashdot, eWEEK, and ReadWrite.
