Hallowe’en is over and the holiday deals are already rolling out, with many retailers kicking off Black Friday earlier than ever. But this isn’t your typical year. For 2021, there’s actually good reason to start shopping for Black Friday tech deals long before Thanksgiving.
As we’ve already been hearing for months, the global supply chain is seriously backed up with bottlenecks happening at key points. Hoping to deal with an already difficult situation, retailers are stretching out the shopping season as much as they dare, as well as their shipping timelines, to accommodate shoppers.
These supply problems will be felt acutely in technology, or so the market watchers say. Intel is already warning that chip shortages mean computer makers are focusing on high end PCs, while supplies of mid-range laptops and desktops—the biggest target for massive Black Friday discounts—will be much more limited. It’s not just computers being affected however, as everything from televisions to children’s toys are suffering from chip shortages and the supply crunch.
With all the weirdness and uncertainty revolving around this holiday season, smart shoppers should already be on the lookout for deals to avoid an even crazier Black Friday than usual. We’re checking for new tech deals daily to help you stay ahead of the curve.
Which retailers have early Black Friday deals?
As we’ve said pretty much every major retailer already has some Black Friday deals going on right now; however, there are some specific sales going on as well. Here’s the current list that applies to PCs, smart home devices, and mobile gear:
- Amazon: Early Black Friday Deals available now
- Costco: Holiday Savings sale I November 1 – November 14, Holiday Savings sale II November 15-29
- Dell: Black Friday sale starts November 15
- Google Store: Black Friday sale starts November 18
- Newegg: Black November sale available now
- Staples: Black Friday Sneak Peek available now
- Target: Pre-Black Friday sale available now
- Walmart: Deals for Days starts online November 10, in-store November 12
Early Black Friday deals
Here’s a selection of deals that are already available (or soon will be) that we like.
50- and 55-inch Amazon Fire TV
Amazon
From: Amazon
Was: $470 and $520
Now: $330 and $380 ($140 off)
These smart TV deals offer a lot at a great sales price. They’re rocking Amazon’s Fire TV software for streaming video and music, and come with and an Alexa-powered remote. They also have three HDMI 2.0 inputs and a single HDMI 2.1 eARC port.
See the Amazon Fire TV (50-inch and 55-inch) deals at Amazon.
50- and 55-inch Amazon Fire TV Omni
Amazon
From: Amazon
Was: $510 and $560
Now: $360 and $410 ($150 off)
The big deal with the Omni models of Amazon’s smart TVs is that they feature hands-free Alexa integration. That means you can use the TV’s built-in mics to launch apps, get web-based information from Alexa, or even control compatible smart home devices.
See the Amazon Fire TV Omni (50-inch and 55-inch) deals at Amazon.
15.6-inch HP Laptop
HP
From: Walmart
Was: $500
Now: $379 ($121 off)
Take that “Was” price above with a grain of salt. That’s the market price for similarly spec’d laptops. Nevertheless, $379 is a solid deal for a mid-range laptop. This PC features a 15.6-inch display, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a full 1080p display for under $400. It’s also rocking Bluetooth 4.2 and 802.11ac Wi-Fi for wireless connectivity, and the processor is a quad-core, eight thread Intel Core i5-1135G7 with Iris Xe graphics. This is a capable laptop that can easily handle everyday tasks and should be fine for light photo editing as well.
See the HP 15-dy2095wm at Walmart.
Dell SE2422H 1080p monitor
Dell
From: Dell
Was: $220
Now: $120 ($100 off)
It’s not huge, but a 24-inch 1080p gaming monitor for $120 loaded with FreeSync and a 75Hz refresh rate? Are you kidding me? We’re used to seeing $100 1080p deals for regular office monitors, but a this is a ridiculously good deal on a gaming monitor with FreeSync and a refresh rate above 60Hz.
See the Dell SE2422H 1080p monitor at Dell.
Second generation Apple AirPods with Charging Case (available online November 10 at 7PM ET)
Apple
From: Walmart
Was: $119
Now: $89 ($30 off)
These second-gen AirPods have been replaced by a newer model, and they lack the lightning cable charger for the case that the third-generation versions have. Still, a pair of AirPods for under $90 is an excellent deal. We reviewed these earbuds giving them 4.5 out of 5 stars. They feature hands-free Siri access and fine sound quality—especially for this price.
See the second-generation Apple AirPods for $89 at Walmart.
Nest Cam Outdoor (available online November 18)
Google Nest
From: Google Store
Was: $180
Now: $150 ($30 off)
We reviewed the Nest Cam, giving it 4 out of 5 stars and an Editors’ Choice Award. This is a battery-powered camera that works indoors or out, and Google says it can get up to seven months of operational time on a single charge. It can also be continually charged with the accompanying magnetic charging cable if you mount it close to an outlet.
See the Nest Cam for $150 at Google.
Apple Watch SE 40mm in space gray with Wi-Fi (available November 21)
Apple
From: Staples
Was: $280
Now: $230 ($50 off)
Staples, and presumably other retailers, will be offering the Apple Watch SE at a solid discount starting November 21. This is a good entry-level smartwatch for iPhone owners that looks identical to the flagship Apple Watch Series 6, but lacks the always-on display, Sp02 sensor, and ECG app. Still, if you want to track your sleep, heart rate, and workouts while getting notifications on your wrist the Apple Watch SE is an excellent and affordable option even at full price. With this Black Friday discount, it’s a no-brainer.
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