Best Black Friday laptop deals 2026: What to buy and what to skip
Where laptop prices usually drop the most, the specs that matter, and how to avoid a cheap model that won't last.
Black Friday is one of the best times of year to buy a laptop. MacBook Air, Dell, HP and Lenovo models usually drop to their lowest prices of the year, and Dell and Lenovo often discount their own stores most. Skip doorbusters with 8GB of memory and small, slow storage unless the laptop is only for browsing. Early sales have started: the 13-inch MacBook Air M5 has been $1,099 and the Dell 14 Plus $899.99. Our picks and prices to beat are below.
Early Black Friday laptop deals we're watching
Last updated Oct. 29, 2026. Early sale prices, as reported by the outlets in Sources. We update this list on Nov. 5, Nov. 12, Thanksgiving week, Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
The safest pick for most people. Apple raised MacBook Air prices $200 in June, so this sale price only returns it to the old list price.
Check current price on Amazon →
16GB of memory and a recent processor at a mid-range price. A good remote-work laptop.
Check current price on Amazon →
A great-looking compact laptop, but only 8GB of memory. Fine for school and browsing, tight for heavy multitasking.
Check current price on Amazon →16GB of memory and long battery life for under $600. Check that the apps you need run on Windows on Arm.
Check current price on Amazon →A low-cost laptop for students and browser-based work.
Check current price on Amazon →A mid-range gaming laptop. Prices are up this year, so compare against this one.
Check current price on Amazon →Why laptop deals look bigger this year
Laptop prices rose in 2026 as memory costs went up. Apple raised the MacBook Air by $200 in June, and the cheapest MacBook Air in October cost $350 more than at Black Friday 2025. That means a "$200 off" MacBook Air may only bring it back to last year's list price. Compare against recent lows rather than the "was" price.
| Laptop | Recent low (Sept.–Oct. 2026) | Black Friday 2025, closest model |
|---|---|---|
| MacBook Air 13" M5 (16GB, 512GB) | $1,099 | $749 (M4, 16GB, 256GB) |
| MacBook Air 15" M5 (16GB, 512GB) | $1,299 | $949 (M4) |
| MacBook Neo (8GB, 256GB) | $689 | Not sold in 2025 |
What specs to look for
| Spec | Minimum | Better |
|---|---|---|
| Memory (RAM) | 16GB | 16GB to 32GB for heavy multitasking |
| Storage | 512GB SSD | 1TB if you keep photos or games |
| Screen | Full HD (1920×1080) IPS | OLED or 2K+, 120Hz |
| Processor | Recent Intel Core Ultra, AMD Ryzen or Apple M-series | Higher tier for video editing |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6E or 7 |
Memory is the spec most often cut on cheap Black Friday laptops. With 8GB, Windows laptops slow down quickly with a browser, video calls and a few apps open, and on most thin laptops you can't add more later.
Which laptops usually get the best deals
- MacBook Air: Apple rarely discounts its own store, but Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart usually cut the price by $100 to $250.
- Dell: Dell runs sales on its own site and on Dell Outlet, which sells refurbished and scratch-and-dent laptops with the same warranty as new.
- Lenovo and HP: both often discount their own stores more than retailers do.
- Chromebooks: some drop under $200, a good fit for students and browser-only work.
- Gaming laptops: big cuts on models with last year's graphics cards.
Brands we're tracking
- Dell Black Friday deals: XPS, Dell 16 Plus, Dell Pro and Dell Outlet
- Office Depot Black Friday deals: laptops, printers and home office
- LG Black Friday deals: gram ultralight laptops
- MacBook, HP and Lenovo: compare laptop prices on Amazon
Laptops for working from home
If the laptop is mainly for remote work, pay attention to the webcam, microphones and battery life, not just the processor. A 1080p webcam and at least 10 hours of real-world battery life make a bigger difference day to day. Our best laptops for remote work guide has our picks, and our headsets for video calls guide covers better audio.
Refurbished and open-box
Refurbished laptops from the maker, such as Dell Outlet or Apple's Certified Refurbished store, can be a better deal than a new budget model. They usually come with the same warranty as new and are tested before they're sold. Open-box laptops at retailers are cheaper still, but check the return window and whether the full warranty applies.
Don't forget Wi-Fi
A new laptop with Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 only gets its full speed with a router that supports it. If your router is several years old, see our best Wi-Fi routers guide, or our mesh Wi-Fi guide if the signal is weak in some rooms.
When to buy
Laptop deals often start in early November and the lowest prices usually run from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday is especially strong for laptops; see our Cyber Monday tech deals. Before you buy, check our guide on how to tell if a Black Friday deal is real.
Questions
Is Black Friday a good time to buy a laptop?
Yes. Most brands hit their lowest prices of the year between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday.
How much RAM do I need?
16GB for most people. 8GB is only enough for light browsing.
Are Black Friday laptops worse quality?
Some doorbuster models cut memory, storage or screen quality. Compare the full specs.
Is a refurbished laptop worth it?
Often, if it comes from the maker with a full warranty, such as Dell Outlet.
- Dell Outlet product and warranty pages, checked Oct. 29, 2026
- Sale prices: TechRadar, best laptop deals, October 2026 (Oct. 20, 2026); Yahoo Tech, October Prime Day laptop deals (Oct. 6, 2026)
- Price history: Memeburn, Black Friday laptop prices to beat (Oct. 13, 2026)
- Black Friday 2026 retailer dates, via BeeBulletin
- Checked Oct. 29, 2026. We add sale prices as retailers post them.
Prices and offers change often; check the final price at checkout. How we research
Jean founded ShopHighSpeed after trying to find one straight answer about business internet in his own town. He has been a Comcast and Verizon Fios customer, and ranks providers on what they actually deliver, not on what they advertise.