Laptops are one of the most sought-after items during Black Friday. Conveniently, they are also one of the most discounted products during the yearly sales extravaganza. It can be hard, though, to separate the truly good Black Friday laptop deals from all the noise. That's where we come in. Whether you want a Windows laptop, a Chromebook or a MacBook, we'll have you covered this year.
With six weeks to go until Black Friday 2021, we're starting to see retailers gearing up with a number of early offers. While none of them should be strictly labelled as Black Friday deals, many are at least matching some of the terrific low prices we saw last year. We'll be keeping an eye out as the day itself approaches – that's November 26, to be precise – as that's when we expect the biggest bargains to go live.
For those who don't want to wait another month and are ready to buy right now, some of the top offers we've seen so far can be found just below. We share these knowing they are terrific prices and unlikely to be beaten on Black Friday, so you are getting a great value for money machine at this stage.
For everyone else, we'll be updating this page regularly in the run-up to Black Friday. Once you've read our pro tips for what to expect and how to find the best deal, bookmark this page so you don't miss the latest news and advice.
Today's best laptop deals
If you can't wait for a Black Friday laptop deal and need to buy a new machine now, there are lots of good-value offers around this month. Here, we've selected some of our favorite models from our cheap laptop deals guide. This page is updated weekly, so you can be safe in the knowledge that these are some of the top laptops available to buy today.
US: Early Black Friday laptop deals
Asus VivoBook 15: $749.99 $499.99 at Office Depot
Save $250 – Easily the best laptop deal of the week is the massive saving on this Asus VivoBook 15. Even with the big discount, it's not lacking in terms of specs. You'll find an excellent Intel i5 processor, a huge 16GB of RAM and a fast 256GB SSD. We very rarely see all three of these in the same machine at this price so no sacrifices need to be made for this all-around device.
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Samsung CB4 Chromebook: $299 $129 at Walmart
Save $170 – Samsung Chromebooks are usually at the pricier end of the scale compared to its competitors. This massive $170 discount on the CB4 model, then, is easily one of the best laptop deals this week. It's a very basic machine, with 4GB RAM and 32GB storage, but if your budget is tight it's ideal for simple work or school tasks.
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Dell Inspiron 15 3000 Laptop: $534.98 $372.39 at Dell
Save $162.59 – Here's over $150 off an excellent mid-range Dell laptop. For a spec that features a fast i3 processor, 8GB RAM and 128GB storage you'd usually pay above the $400 price bracket. It's a great price for a solid all-purpose device for general home or work tasks without compromising on any components.
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UK: Early Black Friday laptop deals
HP 15s 15.6-inch laptop: £299 £279 at Currys
Save £20 – The highlight of this cheap laptop deal from Currys is the inclusion of a super-fast 128GB SSD. The speedy storage will give you a terrific performance boost. An AMD processor, 4GB RAM and 15.6-inch screen make this an ideal machine for general everyday tasks on a budget.
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Asus C223NA 11.6-inch Chromebook: £229.99 £159 at Amazon
Save £70 - This entry-level Asus Chromebook has just dropped below £160 at Amazon, which means you can pick up a super cheap laptop for just £159 right now. With 4GB RAM and 32GB of onboard storage you're not picking up a powerful machine here, but that Intel Celeron N3350 processor and the Chrome operating system will still offer a streamlined everyday experience on a low budget.
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Asus Vivobook S15: £699.99 £599.99 at Amazon
Save £100 – This Asus Vivobook S15 is another great all-around performer. Key components include the Intel i5 processor and 512GB SSD, while the bump up to 16GB RAM is much appreciated to better support any multitasking you might need to do. One nice final touch is the backlit keyboard to help with typing.
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Black Friday laptop deals: Our Predictions
By November, the latest Windows laptops with 11th gen Intel Core processors should be much more widely available, so it's likely we'll see not just more widespread discounts on these machines, but also on the now older 10th Gen machines too. We could, possibly, also have new M1 Apple Macbooks by November too, which could mean some juicy price cuts on the first generation machines.
It's also likely we'll see the first major price cuts on gaming laptops with Nvidia RTX 3000 series graphics cards. These machines are newly released for early 2021, so by November they could be fairly ripe for discounts - we're hoping that's the case at least. We won't be focusing on them on this page, so check out our guide to the best Black Friday gaming laptop deals for a deeper dive into those machines.
Is it really worth all this preparation? We think so. Last year, laptops were one of the top three most searched for products with "Black Friday" in the query (Semrush). Ecommerce sales in November and December reached a staggering $188billion for the first time, according to data from Adobe, with $9 billion online sales happening on Black Friday alone.
With global ecommerce sales projected to increase 26.7 per cent year-on-year to $4.891 trillion in 2021 (Statista), we're expecting more online laptop deals over Black Friday this year than ever before. But more people will be shopping for them than ever before, too.
When will the best Black Friday laptop deals start in 2021?
Black Friday falls on November 26th this year, but we expect to see some juicy discounts on laptops before then. Traditionally the biggest discounts are released on the day itself, and while that's still a good bet, in recent years we’ve seen laptop retailers increasingly launching their Black Friday pricing earlier, at the beginning of Thanksgiving week.
There are also always plenty of early discounts in the weeks leading up to the main event - some from as early as mid-late October. But the best deals happen in the week of Black Friday. And that's a pattern we expect to see repeating again this year. (We'll be rounding up all the best laptop Black Friday deals here, first, so bookmark this page and keep checking back.)
Last year, the trend towards earlier deals was even more pronounced thanks to the pandemic, with laptop pricing dropping slowly between late October and mid November, before plummeting at the start of Thanksgiving week. It then stayed low into the first week of December.
That's very different to how it used to be, when prices would drop sharply on the day itself and then quickly rise again. Retailers had an incentive to run their Black Friday laptop sales earlier last year, of course. According to data from Adobe Analytics, the pandemic accelerated the shift to online shopping, with more than a 50% increase in 2020 compared to 2019. With many bricks and mortar stores closed, and more people than ever shopping online - plus with Covid-19 causing logistical challenges such as shipping delays - it made sense for retailers to spread the deals out.
Whether we see this year's Black Friday laptop deals starting as early as last year, we don't know, but our money's on retailers looking to space their best offers out once again. As always, we recommend having your eyes peeled and checking this page from late October / early November just to be safe.
Where will the best Black Friday laptop deals be?
You'll find all the best Black Friday laptop deals here, of course, as soon as they drop. However, some retailers are better than others for laptop discounts, and it can be helpful to know which online stores are good for what. We've listed the retailers we most recommend shopping at for laptop deals over Black Friday - they're worth browsing in the run-up, to get a feel for current, pre-deal pricing on any machines you're interested in.
Top US retailers
Amazon: cheap Chromebooks and gaming laptops
Best Buy: powerful HP and Lenovo laptops often on sale
Dell: Inspiron laptops from $399
HP: cheap HP Pavilion machines regularly discounted
Lenovo: business and gaming laptops from $500
Walmart: laptop deals starting at $199
Top UK retailers
Amazon: often the cheapest laptops in the UK
Argos: home delivery or pick up a cheap laptop locally today
Currys: free delivery, plus a wide selection of laptops
Dell: get a great laptop deal direct from Dell
John Lewis: extended warranties on premium laptops
Last year's best Black Friday laptop deals
One of the most effective ways to get a feel for which laptops will be discounted this year is to look back at the best Black Friday laptop deals from last year. So what did we see?
Here you'll find a roundup of last year's most exciting Black Friday laptop deals. On each one, we've left the price, as well as our opinions on the deal at the time. Use it to build a clear picture of the sorts of products that are discounted over Black Friday, and which retailers were leading the charge.
Last year's Black Friday laptop deals (US)
Acer Chromebook 314: $299 $219 at Walmart
Save $80 - this is a great Chromebook for browsing and working on, with a 14-inch screen, 4GB RAM and 32GB storage. That's a little on the light side, so you may need to use Google Drive storage to save docs. The 12.5 hour battery life is superb, though.
HP 14t 14-inch laptop: $459.99 $359.99 at HP
Save $100 - This 14-inch HP laptop is sporting 8GB RAM, a 256GB SSD and a 10th generation i3 processor. That's a fine spec sheet for a sub-$500 laptop ready for working from home.
HP 17z 17.3-inch laptop: $619.99 $439.99 at HP
Save $170 - HP's latest laptop deals are offering up a massive display for a great display in this HP 17z. That's a full 17.3-inch screen - perfect for streaming and multi-tasking. Inside, you'll find a Ryzen 5 processor, 12GB RAM, a 256GB SSD and Radeon Vega 8 graphics as well, and the price of this deal has dropped further!
HP Pavilion 15.6-inch: $699.99 $449.99 at Best Buy
If you're looking for a gaming laptop for less than $500, one of your best bets is this HP Pavilion 15.6-inch FHD gaming laptop over at Best Buy. For just $450, you'll get a third-gen AMD Ryzen 5 4600H CPU, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 GPU with 4GB of dedicated VRAM, 8GB RAM (expandable to 32GB), and 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD.
HP Envy Convertible Laptop: $799 $579.99 at HP
Save $220 - Get this powerful HP Envy Convertible laptop with an AMD Ryzen 7 4700U CPU with AMD Radeon graphics, 16GB RAM, 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD, and 15.6-inch full HD touchscreen display. Want some different specs? Save $220 regardless of the configuration - while this deal lasts.
Dell XPS 13, Intel Core i3, 8GB RAM, 256GB: $849.99 $649.99 at Dell
This Dell XPS 13 is going for really cheap right now. While you're getting a slightly thicker bottom bezel on that screen the components here are outstanding - a 10th gen Intel i3-10110U, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD just can't be argued with at this price.
HP Spectre x360 4K 15.6-inch laptop: $1,599.99 $1,099.99 at Best Buy
You can save a massive $500 on this 10th Gen Intel Core i7 laptop, perfect for work or leisure. The 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD memory mean you'll be browsing the internet at lightning speeds, and with a 4K ultra HD touchscreen, you can watch your favorite shows without compromise.
Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1, 2020): $1,299.99 $1,199.99 at B&H Photo
B&H Photo is also offering the the new MacBook Pro with M1 chip for $100 off if you don't want to go with Amazon. Like with Amazon, this deal applies to both the 256GB and 512GB models, so you don't have to compromise and still save some money. Normally not a saving worth talking about - but this is a hyper-new (and excellent) laptop.
Last year's Black Friday laptop deals (UK)
HP 11.6-inch Chromebook: £199.99 at Amazon
If you're after a super cheap laptop this week, this 11.6-inch HP machine is about as budget as you'll want to go. There's an Intel Celeron N3350 processor inside, with 4GB RAM and 32GB of storage inside as well.
Asus Zenbook 14-inch laptop: £599.99 £499.99 at Argos
Save £100 - Save £100 on this 14-inch Asus Zenbook laptop at Argos this week - that's an excellent final price for the 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD you'll find under the hood. Add a quad-core Ryzen 5 processor, slim-bezel display, Radeon Vega 8 graphics and built-in HD webcam and you've got yourself a winner.
HP 14-inch laptop: £699 £599 at Currys
Save £100 - Sitting just a hair under £600, this 14-inch HP laptop is offering some great specs in Currys' Black Friday laptop deals. There's a 10th generation i7 processor under the hood, accompanied by 8GB RAM and a 512GB SSD. Plus, you're saving £100 with Currys right now - with a Black Friday price guarantee as well.
Asus TUF Gaming FX505, Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, Nvidia GTX 1650: £699.97 £649.97 at Box
Save £50 - This is a brilliant cheap gaming laptop deal. While you won't be playing games at ultra high definitions, it still offers great performance with most modern games, and the price is especially tempting.
Microsoft Surface Pro 7, Intel Core i5, 128GB, 8GB RAM: £899 £659 at Currys
Save £240 - Currys is leading the UK retailers with the best Surface Pro 7 deal, with the Core i5 version with 128GB SSD and 8GB RAM going for £659. This is a fantastic price, but doesn't include the Type Cover.
HP Envy 13.3-inch laptop: £999 £899 at Currys
Save £100 - You can save £100 on this HP Envy at Currys right now - and you're getting a good spec sheet for your cash as well. There's a 10th generation i7 processor inside, with 8GB RAM as well. However, the star of the show is that 1TB SSD - an excellent component for £899.
Asus ROG Strix G15, Intel Core i7, Nvidia RTX 2060, 16GB RAM: £1,399.99 £1,099.97 at Box
Save £250 - Save a hefty amount of money with this brilliant gaming laptop that offers plenty of power thanks to its 6-core Intel i7 processor, RTX 2060 GPU and 16GB of RAM. You also get a free backpack with this deal as well.
Dell XPS 13, Intel Core i7, 512GB, 16GB RAM: £1,468.99 £1,119 at Dell
Save £350 - The Dell XPS 13 is also one of the best laptops in the world, and it also gets a price cut for this weekend only. This is for the model with an 10th generation Intel Core i7 processor, 512GB SSD and 16GB RAM, and is now cheaper than it was on Black Friday itself!
Tips for buying a laptop over Black Friday
What specs should I look for when buying a laptop on Black Friday?
When you're browsing through Black Friday laptop deals, be aware that a lot of laptop manufacturers and retailers are trying to get rid of old stock. You'll see a laptop deal that cuts a huge chunk off the original price, only to find that it has a processor that's three years old. That's not necessarily a deal-breaker – even with an Intel Core i7-8500U, you should be able to get some work done.
But keep in mind the current generations of laptop hardware. Intel processors should have either a 10 or an 11 in front of their model number – like the Intel Core i7-10710U. That said, 9th-generation processors should still be able to get the job done. Don't buy an 8th-generation or older Intel Core processor unless it's a seriously deep discount, though, because that will massively hurt any resale value the machine will have, plus can potentially mean sluggish performance, depending on what you use it for.
Things are fairly stable in the realm of Black Friday MacBook deals. Essentially, the biggest choice you'll need to make is what size hard drive to go for. The smallest options are usually more than enough for general use but definitely look for an offer on the larger sizes that could double your storage for very little extra money.
Finally, a lot of Black Friday laptop deals will try to sell you a laptop without enough RAM. As a general rule of thumb, you should shoot for at least 8GB of RAM on a Windows laptop, and 16GB if you plan on doing any heavy work on it. If you're buying a Black Friday Chromebook deal, you can get away with 4GB, but 8GB is definitely a boon.
What about Black Friday gaming laptop deals?
If you're buying a gaming laptop, aim for one with a current-generation Nvidia GPU, too. The Nvidia GeForce 30-series graphics chips are the current top-end, and will let you power ray-tracing in games. However, there is the older RTX 2060, GTX 1660 Ti, and even cheaper GPUs like the GTX 1650, which will still happily chug along quite nicely at 1080p gaming, albeit at lower settings.
Some of the heftiest price cuts may be on machines with these specs, so they could be more than worth it - just remember they aren't quite the latest models though. As with normal laptops, generous helpings on RAM and SSD capacities are also very useful for gaming laptops - especially if you're planning on having multiple games installed at once. For more advice, take a look at our Black Friday gaming laptop deals page.