Black Friday is almost here, and with it comes a ginormous tidal wave of laptop deals. If you’re looking for a blisteringly fast gaming rig, a lightweight convertible, or a straightforward everyday laptop, there’s no better time than now to take advantage of those discounts. If you’re feeling lost, don’t sweat it, we’ve got you covered.
Amazon has a plethora of good deals, but don’t forget about laptop manufacturers like Dell, HP, and Lenovo. They’ve often got juicy discounts on their own retail storefronts. You may also want to check out Best Buy, Walmart, and Newegg.
After you’ve perused the laptops we’ve got on tap here today, jump down to the bottom of the article to learn more about what to expect from Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Early Black Friday mainstream laptop deals
Sometimes all you need is a barebones machine. Personally, I use a low-powered laptop for writing and watching Netflix. I like the simplicity.
- HP Pavilion Aero, AMD Ryzen 5/AMD Radeon graphics/16GB RAM/13.3-inch 1200p display, $529.99 (34% off at HP)
- Dell Inspiron 15, Intel Core i5/Intel UHD graphics/8GB RAM/15.6-inch 1080p display, $349.99 (42% off at Dell)
The HP Pavilion Aero is zippy enough for day-to-day tasks and the minimalist aesthetic is chic and sophisticated. It also weighs a little over two pounds, making it a capable traveling companion.
Early Black Friday content-creation laptop deals
If you need a little more oomph, you should consider a content-creation laptop. These machines typically have high-resolution displays and powerful components. Essentially, they’re designed to handle more resource-heavy tasks like video editing.
- Dell XPS 17, Intel Core i7/RTX 3050 GPU/16GB RAM/17.3-inch 2400p display, $2,139 (12% off at Amazon)
The Dell XPS 17 has a gorgeous 17.3-inch 2400p display with a 16:10 aspect ratio. The taller aspect ratio makes a world of difference, especially if you tend to scroll through multiple documents.
Early Black Friday gaming laptop deals
Calling all gamers! There’s no better time to scoop up a blisteringly fast gaming machine. The laptops below are both powerful and reasonably priced. They should be able to handle most games on high graphics settings. However, you may want to dial settings back for more demanding titles.
- Alienware x17 R2, Intel Core i9/RTX 3080 Ti/32GB RAM/17.3-inch 2160p display, $3,499.99 (17% off)
- HP Omen, AMD Ryzen 5/RTX 3050/16GB RAM/16.1-inch 1080p display, $929.99 (29% off at HP)
- Gigabyte Aorus, Intel Core i7/RTX 3070 GPU/16GB RAM/15.6-inch 1080p display, $1,099.99 (33% off at eBay)
The Alienware x17 R2 deserves a special call-out because it’s a real powerhouse. The combination of an Intel Core i9 CPU and an RTX 3080 Ti GPU is great for the price.
Early Black Friday 2-in-1 laptop deals
Convertible laptops are a fantastic option for the frequent traveler. You can prop them up like a tent for video conferencing or fold the screen all the way back and, voila, you’ve got a tablet. The picks below are powerful, versatile, and lightweight. Hope you find something that catches your eye.
- Microsoft Surface Pro 8, Intel Core i5/8GB RAM/13-inch 1920p display, $799.99 (13% off at Best Buy)
- Lenovo Yoga 9i, Intel Core i7/Intel Iris Xe graphics/16GB RAM/14-inch 1200p display, $1,309.99 (27% off at Lenovo)
The HP Spectre x360 has a beautiful display. According to the manufacturer, it has a brightness level of 400 nits. That means you can expect a vibrant picture.
FAQ
When is Black Friday?
Black Friday 2022 is on Friday, November 25, the day after Thanksgiving. If you’re an eager deals hunter, you’ll definitely want to mark this date on your calendar. While you’ll see some good deals throughout the day and over the weekend, we recommend logging on as early as possible, as availability changes at a breakneck pace during this time.
When is Cyber Monday?
Cyber Monday 2022 is on Monday, November 28. To take advantage of the best deals, we suggest logging on at midnight. This gives you the best chance to snag a deal on something you want before stock runs out.
Which retailers have the best Black Friday laptop deals?
You should definitely scope out Lenovo, HP, Dell, and other laptop manufacturers’ websites. Online retailers like Amazon, Newegg, and Best Buy will also have solid deals, no doubt, but probably not as wide a variety as you’ll find from the manufacturers themselves.
Which laptops does PCWorld recommend, the deals notwithstanding?
Hey, the site is called PCWorld, so we test and review an insane amount of laptops. To see our top picks, you can check out our master list of the best laptops of 2022. We also have more granular selections for the best laptops under $1,000, the best laptops under $500, and the best laptops for students. Come Black Friday, there’s a good chance that many of our picks will be discounted, so if you’re looking for something specific, check out the best pick articles.
Author: Ashley Biancuzzo, Associate Editor
Ashley is a professional writer and editor with a strong background in tech and pop culture. She has written for high traffic websites such as Polygon, Kotaku, StarWars.com, and Nerdist. In her off time, she enjoys playing video games, reading science fiction novels, and hanging out with her rescue greyhound.