Laptops are one of the most commonly discounted items on Black Friday, whether you prefer MacBooks, PC laptops, Chromebooks, or gaming machines. But though the big day is a week away, deals are already popping up across Amazon, Best Buy, retailer websites, and more.

With prices cuts as hefty as $400 off on laptops packed with top-of-the-line specs and modern hardware, it’s a good idea to start watching now for a killer price on a machine that hits your sweet spot, even though Thanksgiving’s turkey dinner is still but twinkle in your eye. Still debating? Check back here as we get closer to the day of, as I’ll be making updates as more of the best laptop deals go live.

(If you’re interested in a new tablet or phone as well, head on over to our best early Black Friday tech deals page for a broader view of all the best discounts you can get right now.)

Best Black Friday MacBook Deals

Apple aficionados have plenty to choose from this Black Friday, with deals across the company’s entire lineup of in-house M-series chips.

• Apple MacBook Air 13-inch with M3 Chip: $849 at Amazon (was $1,099). This is Apple’s most recent MacBook Air, complete with the M3 chip, a base 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. That’s more than enough for most people.

• Apple MacBook Air 15-inch with M3 Chip: $1,044 at Amazon (was $1,299). Largely similar to its 13-inch counterpart, this MacBook Air comes with a 15-inch screen, an M3 chip, up to 24GB of memory, and up to 512GB of storage.

• Apple MacBook Air 13-inch with M2 Chip: $749 at Amazon (was $999). If you’re OK going with a slightly older model, the M2 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage is $100 cheaper than the M3 model right now.

• Apple MacBook Air 13-inch with M1 Chip: $649 at Walmart (was $699). Apple’s oldest M-series MacBook Air is still a strong workhorse, with an M1 chip, 8GB of memory, and 256GB of storage, although the smaller discount here might not make the compromise worth it.

• Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch with M3 Pro Chip: $1,699 at Best Buy (was $1,899). A slightly older model of MacBook Pro, this 14-inch laptop boasts an M3 Pro chip, 18GB of memory, and a 512GB SSD. It’s a good compromise between a MacBook Air and a MacBook Pro.

• Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch with M3 Pro Chip: $1,999 at Best Buy (was $2,399). A screen upgrade on the M3 Pro Macbook Pro (not a typo), this model also has 18GB of memory and a 512GB SSD, but comes with a 16-inch display.

• Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch with M4 Chip: $1,399 at Amazon (was $1,499). Apple’s most recent M4 chip is also on sale for Black Friday, and this MacBook Pro supplements it with a 14-inch display, up to 24GB of memory, and up to 1TB of storage. (Note that a base M4 chip might actually be weaker than an M3 Pro chip, depending on what you’re using it for.)

• Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch with M4 Pro Chip: $1,749 at Amazon (was $1,999). Or just do away with compromises. If you want a pro-level MacBook with a pro-level chip, this is a great pick. You’ll get a 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M4 Pro chip, 24GB of memory, and up to 1TB of storage.

• Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch with M4 Pro Chip: $2,199 at Amazon (was $2,499). This 16-inch screen upgrade to the M4 Pro MacBook Pro, with the same chip, up to 48GB of memory, and 512GB of storage.

• Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch with M4 Max Chip: $2,899 at Amazon (was $3,199). This deal on Apple’s top-of-the-line MacBook Pro comes with an M4 Max chip, 36GB of memory, and 1TB of storage.

• Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch with M4 Max chip: $3,199 at Amazon (was $3,499). A screen-size upgrade to the M4 Max MacBook Pro, this deal will net you a 16-inch display, 36GB of memory, and a 1TB SSD.

Best Black Friday Windows Laptop Deals

For those who, like me, grew up with a Windows PC, there’s still plenty of deals on the tried-and-true standard this Black Friday, especially for those looking for something that can go toe-to-toe with a MacBook Air.

• Dell Inspiron 16-inch with Intel Core Ultra 7 Chip: $999 at Best Buy (was $1,499). This Windows laptop comes equipped with a modern Intel Core Ultra 7 chip and a lot of bonuses for the price point, including a convertible Mini-LED touch screen, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage.

• Dell Inspiron 15-inch with AMD Ryzen 7 Chip: $449 at Dell (was $699). This Windows laptop is a respectable mid-ranger, with a Ryzen 7 7730U chip, 16GB of memory, 1TB of storage, and a 15-inch non-touch display.

• Lenovo Yoga 7 14-inch 2-in-1 with Ryzen 7 chip: $799 at Lenovo (was $1,024). This convertible Windows laptop can flip around to turn into a tablet, and it comes with a respectable AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS chip, a whopping 1TB of storage, 16GB of memory, a 14-inch touchscreen, and even a stylus.

• Samsung Galaxy Book 4 with Intel Core 7 Chip: $529 at Best Buy (was $899). If you didn’t know, Samsung actually makes laptops! This Windows machine comes with a 15-inch display, an Intel Core 7 chip, 16GB of memory, and 512GB of storage. 

• Lenovo ThinkBook 16-inch with Ryzen 4 7430U: $704 at Amazon (was $899). This laptop deal packs a lot of extra goodies for its price point, with a Ryzen 5 7430U CPU, 64GB of RAM, up to 4TB of storage, a Fingerprint Reader, and a copy of Windows 11 Pro.

Best Black Friday Gaming Laptop Deals

More powerful Windows machines tend to be labeled “gaming laptops,” and this Black Friday’s deals in the category don’t disappoint either, with options for gamers of almost all budgets.

• Dell Alienware m16 R2 Gaming Laptop with Intel Core Ultra 9 chip: $1,299 at Dell (was $1,699). This 16-inch gaming laptop from Dell packs a lot for the price, with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, up to 64GB of memory, up to 2TB of storage, and a 16-inch QHD+@240Hz display.

• Dell Alienware x16 R2 Gaming Laptop with Intel Core Ultra 7 chip: $1,799 at Dell (was $1,799). Another 16-inch laptop from Dell, this deal will get you an Intel Core Ultra 7 chip, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, 16GB of memory, 1TB of storage, and a 16-inch FHD@480Hz display.

• Gigabyte AORUS 17 Gaming Laptop with Intel Core i9 chip: $1,541 at Amazon (was $1,749). This is a good, if a little old, premium gaming laptop option, with an Intel Core i9-13700H chip, 16GB of memory, 1TB of storage, and a 17-inch QHD@240Hz display.

• Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gaming Laptop with Intel Core i9 chip: $1,999 at B&H (was $2,649). One of the bigger splurges on this list, this deal will net you a 14th gen Intel Core i9 chip, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 GPU, 32GB of memory, 1TB of storage, and a 16-inch QHD+@240Hz display.

• Lenovo LOQ 15-inch Gaming Laptop with Ryzen 5 chip: $829 at Lenovo (was $908). This is one for gamers on a budget. It packs a modest AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS chip, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, 16GB of memory, 512GB of storage, and a 15-inch FHD@144Hz display.

• Dell G16 Gaming Laptop with Intel Core i9 chip: $999 at Dell (was $1,499). An entry level 16-inch Dell laptop, this machine packs an Intel Core i9-13900HX CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, 16GB of memory, a whopping 1TB of storage for the price point, and a 16-inch QHD+@240Hz display.

• Acer Nitro V Gaming Laptop with Ryzen 5 chip: $699 at Best Buy (was $949). This is a modest way to get into PC gaming, with an AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS chip, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, 16GB of memory, 512GB of storage, and a 15-inch FHD@144Hz display.

• HP Victus Gaming Laptop with Intel Core i7 chip: $799 at Best Buy (was $1,099). A good entry-level Intel machine, this laptop comes with an Intel 12th Gen Core i7 chip, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and a 15-inch FHD@144Hz display.

Best Black Friday Chromebook Deals

Chromebooks can be a great way to get a polished design on a budget, so long as you’re ok with doing most of your work in the cloud. Here are some of my favorites discounted for Black Friday.

• Asus Chromebook Plus CX34: $319 at Amazon (was $439). This Chromebook comes with a few extra AI goodies thanks to its Chromebook Plus status, plus an Intel Core i3-1215U chip, 8GB of memory, 256GB of storage, and a 14-inch FHD display.

• HP Chromebook x360: $249 at Walmart (was $429). A budget way to get a convertible, this Chromebook’s screen can flip around to become a tablet. It has an Intel Processor N100, 4GB of memory, 64GB of storage, and a 14-inch FHS touchscreen.

• Acer Chromebook Plus 514: $249 at Amazon (was $379). This Chromebook has some extra AI functionality as a Chromebook Plus, as well as an Intel Core i3-N305 chip, 8GB of memory, 128GB of storage, and a 14-inch FHS display.

• Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3: $239 at Lenovo (was $399). This is a detachable Chromebook, meaning the screen and the keyboard can separate, so you can use the screen as a tablet. It comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 chip, 4GB of memory, 64GB of storage, and an 11-inch 2K touchscreen.

• Acer Chromebook 516 GE Cloud Gaming Laptop: $449 at Amazon (was $599). This Chromebook is actually intended as a cloud gaming machine, thanks to a high-resolution and high-refresh rate display as well as a snazzy RGB keyboard. It has an Intel Core i5-1240p chip, 16GB of memory, 256GB of storage, and a 16-inch QHD+@120Hz display.

Best Black Friday Laptop Deals Under $300

Chromebooks can be great for working in the cloud, but not every budget laptop needs to be a Chromebook. Here are some cheaper laptops that still come with Windows installed.

• Acer Aspire Go 14: $279 at Acer (was $349). This laptop is a good cheap pick, and should be good for people whose work depends mostly on the cloud. It comes with an AMD Ryzen 3 7320U CPU, 128GB of storage, 8GB of memory, a 14-inch screen, and Windows 11 in S Mode. Note that S Mode laptops can only use apps from the Microsoft Store by default, although this can be changed later.

• Lenovo Ideapad 1: $299 at Best Buy (was $579). This is a great way to get a touchscreen at a low price, and it’ll net you a 15-inch display, a Ryzen 5 7520U chip, 8GB of memory, and 256GB of storage.

• Asus Vivobook Go: $199 at Amazon (was $299). This laptop is among the cheapest ways to get Windows on this list, with a Ryzen 3 7320U chip, 8GB of memory, 128GB of storage, and a 15-inch display.

• Asus Vivobook 14-inch: $219 at Best Buy (was $429). For a slightly smaller budget laptop, this Vivobook is a good pick. It has a 14-inch display, an Intel 12th Generation Core i3 chip, 8GB of memory, and 128GB of storage.

I loved the original PlayStation VR. I picked one up during the peak of the pandemic (my first foray into VR gaming), and I was blown away. Instead of spending my nights inside my apartment’s small living room, I was walking through villages in Skyrim, exploring planets in No Man’s Sky, and platforming through creative terrains in Astro Bot Rescue Mission.

I was such a fan of the original that I argued it was a better VR headset buy in 2021 than an Oculus Quest—a stance many VR fans vehemently disagreed with. Three years later, however, the OG PS VR’s drawbacks are more pronounced than ever: The OLED display is lower resolution than modern headsets (960×1080), and the headset requires a complicated array of devices and cables (including a camera) to set up. (To that point, I haven’t set up the headset since my last move.) But more than that, the controllers are simply not VR controllers: While VR headsets have had finger-tracking controllers with joysticks for years, PS VR simply used the same Move controllers that have been available since the PS3.

The PS VR2, however, released in February of 2023, addresses these issues: The OLED HDR display is much higher resolution (2000×2040), quadrupling the megapixels per eye compared to the original; there’s some passthrough here, so you can actually see your immediate surroundings without having to take the headset off; the tracking is better, despite requiring no outside camera or peripherals; and the controllers are honest-to-goodness VR controllers, complete with finger tracking and joy sticks. And if you get tired of Sony’s VR games, you can connect the PS VR2 to your PC, as if it were any other VR headset.

Sony’s second-gen PlayStation VR still wasn’t perfect: Besides having a smaller library than some other VR headsets, the PS VR2 was and is expensive, retailing for $549.99. When you consider that you also need a PS5 in order to run this thing (it’s not compatible with any PS4 console), it’s a pricey setup indeed. That’s why I haven’t bought one yet, even if its plug-and-play approach would make getting back into VR easy.

But you’ve read the headline: It’s Black Friday season, and the PS VR2 is on sale. Sony announced a series of PlayStation Black Friday deals on Wednesday, running from Nov. 22 through Dec. 2. As part of that announcement, Sony revealed PS VR2 will be discounted as much as 40%.

The math is a bit off, since you can actually snag a PS VR2 at 42% off: Right now, you can get the Horizon Call of The Mountain PS VR2 bundle for $349, down from $599.99. The standalone PS VR2 (no game included) is also $349, down from $549.99. All things considered, you’re better off getting the Horizon bundle, since the prices are identical. That said, people are likely going to think similarly, so this bundle could sell quicker than the headset-only offer. I’ve seen the bundle unavailable once earlier today, but it’s back right now, so act fast if you want one.

There are a lot of earbuds out there to choose from, but if you’re as entrenched in the Apple ecosystem as I am, AirPods make a ton of sense. Apple, of course, designs it to be that way, but it helps that it makes some genuinely great earbuds. The second-gen AirPods Pro are especially great, albeit a bit expensive. That’s why when they drop in price, like they have during Black Friday, it’s a fantastic opportunity to pick them up.

Currently, Amazon has AirPods Pro 2 available for 32% off, dropping them to $169.99 from $249. That’s a sizable deal, but it’s not quite as much of a price drop as Amazon implies. These AirPods tend to hover around $199 on Amazon, sometimes dipping below that price. That being said, they haven’t been this cheap since Prime Day. In fact, Amazon briefly had them at $159.99 earlier today. It’s not clear whether Amazon will drop to that price again, but it’s worth keeping an eye on.

Apple might slap its “Pro” moniker on most product categories these days, but AirPods Pro at least come with a lot of features to live up to the name. They may not be for “professionals,” but you do get features you don’t get on other AirPods models.

For one, AirPods Pro come with excellent noise cancellation. Although, honestly, the in-ear seal from the silicone tips blocks out enough background noise that I hardly ever turn on Noise Control. In fact, because the seal is so good, you also get Transparency Mode, an option that pumps in the sounds around you, so you can be aware of your surroundings—or even have a conversation with your earbuds in.

Speaking of conversations, one excellent feature exclusive to the second-gen Pros is Conversation Awareness: When you start talking while listening to something, your AirPods turn down the volume and boost the voices of the people you’re talking to. When everyone stops speaking, your AirPods return to normal. It’s great. Another automatic feature is “Adaptive Audio” (previously Adaptive Transparency) which can reduce any sound above 85 dB, while maintaining other sounds at the typical volume. That way, you can follow a conversation or even watch a TV show with your AirPods in, but if an ambulance races by you, its sirens will seem to be a very tolerable 85 dB. You’d think you’d get these two features on AirPods Max, Apple’s flagship over-the-ear headphones, but you don’t: You need the second-gen Pros for that.

Like all AirPods, the Pros easily jump among all your connected Apple devices. You could be watching a video on your Mac, then take a call on your iPhone and start chatting through your AirPods. If you have an Apple TV, you can switch to your AirPods, too, which I frequently do, since I prefer the experience to my soundbar.

While all these features are awesome, what it really comes down to for me is sound quality: The Pros just sound great, especially for such low-profile earbuds. And, because they block out so much sound on their own, I feel like I can appreciate the quality of the music I’m listening to in a variety of situations. I used to pause my music with my old AirPods whenever a loud truck or bus would drive past me on a walk. That’s not a problem with the Pros.

Last but certainly not least, you can now use these AirPods as hearing aids. That isn’t marketing nonsense from Apple, either: The FDA cleared these earbuds to be used as hearing aids. Not a bad perk for $169.99.

Bluesky is certainly having a moment. The platform now has over 21 million users, and those users are active: posting, sharing, following new accounts, and creating starter packs for other users to join, too.

Meta is, no doubt, seeing this success, and wants a piece of it for its similar platform, Threads. While Threads has way more users at the moment (275 million as of November), the platform of choice in online discussions is, no doubt, Bluesky. We’ve been covering it accordingly.

Big changes to Thread’s “For you” feed

Likely in an effort to compete with Bluesky’s current popularity, Threads is making some big changes this week. First and perhaps most importantly, the service is adjusting its default “For you” algorithm, to prioritize accounts you follow over accounts you don’t. Instagram head Adam Mosseri posed on Threads announcing the changes:

It’s a good change, and resolves a problem Threads itself created. Threads, like other social media platforms, offers users two feeds. “For you,” which displays algorithmically sorted content from both accounts you follow and those you don’t, and “Following,” which only shows posts from accounts you follow. The problem is, Threads always defaults back to the “For you” tab, even if you last left off on “Following.” So each time you open a new Threads session, you’re seeing content from people you don’t follow, whether you like it or not.

These new changes to the algorithm, then, should make the situation better. You’ll still see posts from accounts you don’t follow, but less often, as posts from accounts you do follow show up more frequently. While you’re still stuck with the “For you” feed by default, maybe the algorithm will be tuned enough where you won’t feel the need to switch over to “Following” every time. Plus, as noted by Mosseri, the changes will emphasize engagement from followers rather than from unconnected accounts. Hopefully, that inspires more Threads posters to create content tailored more towards their audience, rather than towards what they think will blow up on Threads in general. That should shift content towards more localized interests, rather than sensationalized bogus.

In addition to algorithmic changes, Threads also rolled out custom feeds this week. These feeds let you choose a specific topic or set of accounts to follow, rather than simply scroll through the general For you or Following feeds. As it happens, Bluesky also has custom feeds, and has for some time now. Fancy that.

Early Black Friday deals are in full swing with retailers like Home Depot, Amazon, Target, and others officially starting their sales a week before the official shopping holiday. Walmart also has its own sale, and you can find some deals not offered at the other retailers that are worth checking out. You’ll find deals on tech gadgets like AirPods, iPads, Xbox bundles, 100-inch Hisense TVs, Sony, Beats, and Bose headphones, and other products all at their lowest prices ever, according to the price tracking tools I use. Here are the best early Black Friday deals from Walmart I have found so far.

AirPods and iPads up to $70 off

The 2nd generation AirPods are down to their lowest price of $89 (originally $129). It’s a good time to get a pair if you’ve been waiting around for a good price drop.

Back in September, the 10th generation iPad dropped to $299.99, its then lowest price, only to reach a new record low this Black Friday of $279 (originally $349). Even though it came out in 2022, it is still the latest and best base iPad model available.

Beats, Bose, Sony, and Sennheiser headphones up to $120 off

If you’re looking for a new pair of headphones, Walmart has a good selection to choose from right now. For those looking for the best ANC, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are $329 (originally $429), a great deal at the moment.

The Sony WH-1000XM5, another great option, are down to $298 (originally $399.99).

The Sennheiser Momentum 4 strikes a good balance between audio and ANC for a slightly cheaper price of $229.95 (originally $349.95).

For those looking to spend less than $100, the Beats Solo3 are $99 (originally $149.95) but they won’t offer the same quality of features as the previous three headphones.

The Samsung HW-Q6CC soundbar is $180 off

The Samsung HW-Q60CC came out in 2023 as a mid-range option with a seven-band graphic EQ so you can customize the sound just how you like it. It does well overall for general use, but its ability to handle dialogue jumps out as one of its strengths. It is Bluetooth-compatible with your phone and other devices, and it can get very loud without sacrificing quality. You can get it for $199 (originally $379).

The Xbox Series X Digital Edition with an extra controller is $110 off

For those waiting for a good deal on an Xbox console, Walmart has the 1TB Digital Edition Xbox with an extra controller (two total) for $489.98 (originally $599.99). At the time of this writing, no other major reputable retailer has this bundle, and the regular Digital Edition Xbox goes for the same price. So why not get the extra controller?

A massive Hisense 100″ TV is $1,200 off

A 100-inch QLED TV is a statement. They are massive, and will likely need to be installed by a professional, but they will impress anyone who walks into your living room. The Hisense U76 QLED Google Smart TV was announced this year during CES 2024. Surprisingly, Walmart has it for $1,798 (originally $2,998), the lowest price since its January announcement. It has a native 144Hz resolution, Dolby Vision, and of course, local dimming to make the contrast and colors pop. If you’re looking for a more budget option, the 43-inch TCL Q51BG, which came out this year, is $198 (originally $278).

Apple products can be pretty hard to score a good deal on, and you’ll often have to settle on a minor discount if you’re going to get a discount at all. But Amazon’s current sale on the 10th Generation iPad is markedly different. It’s combining an instant 20% discount and a $29.01 coupon to bring the price down to just $250. Considering that the tablet was $449 when it launched, this new deal price gives it a huge bump in value. 

The 10th Generation iPad may be a couple years old, but it still has plenty going for it. The A14 Bionic chip inside is no slouch, and it proved quite capable in our friends over at PCMag’s testing. For casual browsing, reading, streaming, and drawing, it ought to be plenty. Apple isn’t one to quickly leave its products behind when it comes to software updates either, so it should last for a good while yet. 

The iPad offers up a sharp 10.9-inch display, and it supports the 1st Generation Apple Pencil. With Apple’s stylus, you can jot down notes or get creative with the wide variety of drawing and painting applications available to the tablet. It’s also possible to pair the tablet with a keyboard folio to use it in lieu of a laptop. The tablet also offers quality cameras on the front and back that you can use for video calls or photography. And it includes a Touch ID button on the edge for quick, secure logins.