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Black Friday laptop deals: Dell is offering $700 off the stunning XPS 15
It's November, which among other things means Black Friday deals and discounts on laptops of all kinds from retailers and laptop manufacturers. Black Friday itself is on Nov. 25, but the sales engine is already up and running, and there are some excellent deals to be had throughout the month.
ZDNET has rounded up its top picks for early laptop deals ahead of Black Friday, from Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and laptop vendors.
Best early Black Friday 2022 laptop deals overall
Below are the 10 best early laptop deals we found. Further down the page, you'll see other interesting laptop deals we spotted at Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy.
- Current price: $2199
- Original price: $2899
When ZDNET reviewed Dell's XPS 15 in 2020, we described it as setting 'a new high bar' for 15.6-inch laptops', while the 2021 model was dubbed 'the standard against which other laptops are measured'. Clearly, it still carries a premium price tag, even with $700 shaved off the list price, but you're getting a top-notch configuration that will suit a wide range of demanding professionals.
Key specs: Intel Core i9-12900HK processor | 15.6-inch 3.5K OLED touch screen | 32GB RAM | 1TB storage | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050Ti GPU (4GB)
Read review: Dell XPS 15 9510: It's good to be king
- Current price: $1049
- Original price: $1199
Apple's latest M2 MacBook Air offers a bigger, brighter screen than its M1 predecessor, in a sleek redesign that includes a MagSafe power connector and a 1080p webcam. With excellent performance and two-day battery life, it's "one of the lightest and most elegant ultraportable laptops we've seen," according to ZDNET's reviewer.
Key specs: Apple M2 processor | 13.6-inch 2560 x 1664 Liquid Retina (IPS) display | 8GB RAM | 256GB storage | Apple M2 8-core GPU (integrated)
Read review: Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) review: Sleeker, faster - and more expensive
- Current price: $899.99
- Original price: $1299.99
With a large 17.3-inch IPS touch screen and a very capable 12th-generation Core i7 processor, this Windows 11 laptop is an all-rounder suitable for students and remote or office-based knowledge workers. It's not the most portable laptop at 2.5kg (5.5lbs), but it is good value at 31% off.
Key specs: Intel Core i7-1260P processor | 17.3-inch 1920 x 1080 IPS touch screen | 16GB RAM | 512GB storage | Intel Iris Xe Graphics (integrated)
- Current price: $3229
- Original price: $6729
If you're a 3D designer, architect, engineer, scientist, video editor or VR developer, or other power user, you need serious computing power -- often in a reasonably portable form factor. The ThinkPad P1 Gen 5 isn't exactly lightweight at 1.81kg, but its 16-inch screen makes it less unwieldy than a 17-inch mobile workstation. The high spec of this model doesn't come cheap at $3229, but that represents a very considerable 52% saving off Lenovo's list price.
Key specs: Core i9-12900H vPro processor | 16-inch 2560 x 1600 IPS screen | 32GB RAM | 1TB storage | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU (16GB)
Read review: Lenovo ThinkPad P1 review: Workstation power in a portable package
- Current price: $599.99
- Original price: $929.98
Microsoft's Surface Pro 7+ differs from the standard 7 model by supporting a removable/upgradable SSD and offering up to 15 hours of battery life compared to 10.5h. Mobile broadband (4G LTE) is also an option on the 7+ model, although that's not present on this tablet-plus-keyboard cover offer, which comes in at 35.5% under Microsoft's list price.
Key specs: Intel 11th-generation Core i3 processor | 12.3-inch 2736 x 1824 PixelSense touch screen | 8GB RAM | 128GB storage | Intel UHD Graphics (integrated)
Also: The best Surface PC: Every Surface device is Windows 11-ready
Also: Surface Pro 7+ for Business: Here's what makes it different
- Current price: $1164
- Original price: $2329
Lenovo's 14-inch ThinkPad X1 Carbon is the standard-setter for business laptops and the latest model brings 12th-generation Intel Core processors, touch screens and a 1080p webcam. This is a premium-priced laptop, but Lenovo is offering some attractive deals, and they are well worth exploring if you have the budget.
Key specs: Intel Core i5-1240P processor | 14-inch 1920 x 1200 IPS display | 8GB RAM | 256GB storage | Intel Iris Xe Graphics (integrated)
Read review: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 10) review: The best business laptop?
- Current price: $2302
- Original price: $2800
The Razer Blade 14 delivers a 'perfect balance of power and portability', according to ZDNET's roundup of the best gaming laptops. With a powerful AMD processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 graphics, along with a 165Hz screen, it packs a lot into a 1.78kg chassis. Quality specs mean a hefty price tag, but it's available here at 18% off.
Key specs: AMD Ryzen 9 5900X processor | 14-inch 2560 x 1440, 165Hz screen | 16GB RAM | 1TB storage | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 (8GB)
Also: The best gaming laptops: Top rigs for on-the-go gaming
- Current price: $399.99
- Original price: $479.99
Coming in at a sliver under $400 (16.7% off), the 15.6-inch Acer Aspire 5 is a relatively thin (18mm) and light (1.76) Windows 11 laptop whose quality belies its modest price. There's plenty of connectivity, including four USB ports, an RJ-45 Ethernet port and an HDMI connector. With battery life quoted at 10 hours, it's an excellent budget choice.
Key specs: AMD Ryzen 3 5300U processor | 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 LCD screen | 8GB RAM | 256GB storage | AMD Radeon Graphics (integrated)
- Current price: $599.99
- Original price: $729.99
If you're looking for a good-value all rounder, the 15.6-inch Asus VivoBook S15 is well worth considering. This stylish Core i5-based laptop with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage was good value at its list price of $729.99; at $599.99 (17.8% off) it's even better.
Key specs: Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor | 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 IPS screen | 8GB RAM | 512GB storage | Intel Iris Xᵉ Graphics (integrated)
- Current price: $999
- Original price: $2899
The world's first foldable PC when it launched in 2020, the original ThinkPad X1 Fold (there is now a 16-inch model) has a 13.3-inch 4:3 OLED screen that can operate as a large tablet, or fold down the middle to work in 'book' or clamshell mode -- the latter either with an on-screen or physical add-on keyboard. ZDNET found the X1 Fold intriguing in early 2021, but it was hard to recommend at the original asking price. At $999 -- 65.5% off Lenovo's list price -- this innovative device is well worth another look.
Key specs: Intel Core i5-L16G7 processor | 13.3-inch 1536 x 2048 foldable OLED touch screen | 8GB RAM | 512GB storage | Intel UHD Graphics (integrated)
Read review: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold review: An innovative shape-shifting tablet/laptop
More early Black Friday 2022 laptop deals at Amazon
Here are some other laptop Black Friday deals happening right now at Amazon:
More early Black Friday 2022 laptop deals at Walmart
Here are some other laptop Black Friday deals happening right now at Walmart:
More early Black Friday 2022 laptop deals at Best Buy
Here are some other laptop Black Friday deals happening right now at Best Buy:
How did we choose these early Black Friday laptop deals?
We searched for Black Friday laptop deals at retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy, and also at the websites of leading manufacturers like Lenovo, HP, Dell, Apple, Acer and Asus. We also used various price trackers to ensure that a claimed deal wasn't spurious.
We have concentrated on quality products from leading vendors, as discounts on these laptops are likely to be most sought-after by potential buyers.
When is Black Friday 2022?
Black Friday 2022 is on Nov. 25, 2022, but deals aren't limited to that day. We will be tracking the best deals up to Black Friday and beyond.
When is Cyber Monday 2022?
Cyber Monday is the Monday after Black Friday -- that is, Monday, Nov. 28, 2022.
What are the best Black Friday deals?
ZDNET scoured Black Friday sales to find the best deals by category at different retailers:
- The best early Black Friday deals happening right now
- Miss Prime Day? See the best early Black Friday deals on Amazon right now
- Black Friday Apple deals: AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad, and more on sale now
- Black Friday gaming deals: Laptops, consoles, and accessories on sale now
- Black Friday AirPods deals: $50 off AirPods Pro, $100 off AirPods Max
- Black Friday headphone deals: Top early sales on AirPods Pro, Bose, and more
- Black Friday laptop deals: Dell is offering $700 off the stunning XPS 15
- Black Friday monitor deals: Samsung's 34-inch curved display is $375
- Black Friday robot vacuum deals: Score a Roomba for $240 -- over 40% off
- Black Friday phone deals: The best early sales on iPhone and Android phones
- Black Friday Samsung deals: Galaxy phones, TVs, and more on sale now
- Black Friday tablet deals: Microsoft's Surface Pro 7 tablet is currently 44% off
- Black Friday TV deals: Save hundreds on Samsung, Sony, and LG TVs
- These early Black Friday VPN deals are some of the lowest prices we've seen
- Black Friday Costco deals: Early-bird sales on TVs, laptops, and more
- Black Friday iPad deals: The iPad Pro and iPad Air are already on sale
- Black Friday Dell deals: XPS, Inspiron, and Alienware laptops all on sale
- Black Friday HP deals: The best early deals on gaming PCs, laptops, and more
- Black Friday Newegg deals: Gaming monitors and PCs, earbuds, and more
- Black Friday smartwatch deals: Get an Apple Watch for $179 right now
- Black Friday storage deals: Early sales on flash drives, SSDs, and more
- The best early Black Friday deals at Target
- The best early Black Friday deals at Walmart
- Top early Black Friday deals at Best Buy
- The best early Black Friday deals under $30