BEST MACBOOK DEAL: Apple MacBook Pro is a 13-inch workhorse from early 2020 with a Touch Bar and a powerful Intel processor — $1,299 ~~$1,799~~ (save $500) + 6 months of Apple Music, 6 months of Apple News+, and 3 months of Apple TV+ for free
BEST GAMING DEAL: Razer Blade 15 Advanced, a powerful and stylish machine that makes gaming on the go a breeze — $1,399.99 ~~$2,599.99~~ (save $1,200)
BEST CHROMEBOOK DEAL: Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Chromebook, portable, speedy, and ready to take on any task you can throw at it — $149.99 ~~$219.99~~ (save 32%)
BEST 2-IN-1 DEAL: Lenovo Chromebook Flex 3, a bestselling laptop that’s not just a laptop; it’s also a tablet — $159.99 ~~$319.99~~ (save 50%)

What’s better than a great laptop? A great laptop that’s on sale.

Nowadays, even budget machines can pack the punch to carry you through whatever’s on your to-do list, whether it’s work, watching Netflix, or endlessly browsing social media. If you’re looking to pick up a new laptop but don’t necessarily want to drop your life savings in one go, we’ll be compiling a list of the best deals on cheap laptops right here, each and every day throughout Cyber Weekend.

What are the best Black Friday laptop deals (so far)?

That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? As you probably could’ve guessed, it’s panning out to be a huge year for Apple; we found some recent MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models at discounts way beyond the usual $100-off range.

If you’re more of a Windows or Chrome OS person, the big lines from each laptop brand are also seeing price cuts — think Lenovo IdeaPad, HP Spectre, Dell Inspiron, Vostro, and XPS, as well as Samsung Galaxy Books and Microsoft Surface devices. There’s definitely something for everyone, and chances are that you’ll be able to save a good amount on whatever laptop you’ve had your eyes on lately.

Best Macbook deals

a 13-inch macbook pro with an abstract background

Credit: Apple

Our top pick: Apple MacBook Pro

$1,299 at Best Buy (save $500) + 6 months of Apple Music, 6 months of Apple News+, and 3 months of Apple TV+ for free

Why we like it

Out of all the 13-inch MacBook Pros from early 2020, this 512GB, Intel-powered configuration was Mashable tech reporter Brenda Stolyar’s absolute favorite. Best Buy’s $500 discount on the machine is good enough on its own, truthfully; those free trials of Apple Music, Apple News+, and Apple TV+ are just the cherries on top.

More MacBook deals

Note: If you prefer your savings in the form of a gift card, you can score a $100 Apple voucher a MacBook Air or a 13-inch MacBook Pro directly from the Apple Store through Nov. 29.

Amazon

Apple MacBook Pro, 13-inch Retina display (M1 chip, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,299 ~~$1,499~~ (save $200)
Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch mini-LED display (M1 Pro chip, 8‑core CPU, 14‑core GPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,949.99 ~~$1,999~~ (save $49.01)
Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch mini-LED display (M1 Pro chip, 10‑core CPU, 16‑core GPU, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,449.99 ~~$2,499~~ (save $49.01)

Best Buy

Apple MacBook Air (M1 chip, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $849.99 ~~$999.99~~ (save $150) + 6 months of Apple Music, 6 months of Apple News+, and 3 months of Apple TV+ for free
Apple MacBook Pro, 16-inch Retina display with Touch Bar (Intel Core i7, AMD Radeon Pro 5300M, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,799.99 ~~$2,399.99~~ (save $600) + 6 months of Apple Music, 6 months of Apple News+, and 3 months of Apple TV+ for free
Apple MacBook Pro, 16-inch Retina display with Touch Bar (Intel Core i9, AMD Radeon Pro 5500M, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,199.99 ~~$2,799.99~~ (save $600) + 6 months of Apple Music, 6 months of Apple News+, and 3 months of Apple TV+ for free

Best gaming laptop deals

Credit: Razer Blade 15 Advanced

Our pick: Razer Blade 15 Advanced

$1,399 on Amazon (save $1,200)

Why we like it

The Razer Blade 15 Advanced model is packed with solid internals that’ll work well for PC gaming newbies and seasoned players alike. Under the hood, you’ll get a 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10875H processor with up to 5.0 GHz max turbo and 8 cores, as well as an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 graphics card that has the power to run some pretty visually intense games. The 300Hz screen provides buttery-smooth frame rate performance and offers full HD visuals within a bezel-less display. It’s all housed within a thin, compact body that you can take anywhere.

More gaming laptop deals

Amazon

Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop (Intel Core i5-10300H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, 8GB DDR4, 256GB SSD) — $684.99 ~~$839.99~~ (save $155)
Dell G15 5511 Gaming Laptop (Intel Core i5-11400H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $879.99 ~~$1,049.99~~ (save $170)
Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop (Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050Ti, 16GB DDR4, 1TB SSD) — $1,019.99 ~~$1,199.99~~ (save $180)
MSI Stealth 15M Gaming Laptop (Intel Core i7-11375H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,218.99 ~~$1,399~~ (save $180.01)
MSI GL66 Gaming Laptop (Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,294.99 ~~$1,499~~ (save $204.01)
Alienware m15 R4 Gaming Laptop (Intel Core i7-10870H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,589.99 ~~$1,899.99~~ (save $310)

Best Buy

Dell G15 Gaming Laptop (AMD Ryzen 7, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Graphics, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $879.99 ~~$1,149.99~~ (save $270) + free 1-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership
MSI Sword Gaming Laptop (Intel Core i7 – NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050ti, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $899.99 ~~$1,199.99~~ (save $300) + free 1-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership
MSI Delta 15 AMD Advantage Edition Gaming Laptop (Ryzen R7-5800, Radeon RX6700M, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,299.99 ~~$1,599.99~~ (save $300) + free 1-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership

Dell

Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Gaming Laptop (AMD Ryzen 7 5800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti, 8 GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $999 ~~$1,379.99~~ (save $380)

Walmart

Lenovo Legion 5 (AMD Ryzen 5 5600H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $699 ~~$909.99~~ (save 23%)
MSI Bravo 15 Gaming Laptop (AMD Ryzen 7 5800H, AMD Radeon RX5500M, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $899 ~~$1,099~~ (save $200)
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro (AMD Ryzen 7, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,749.99 ~~$1,999.99~~ (save $250)

Best Chromebook deals

Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Chromebook product photo

Credit: Lenovo

Our pick: Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Chromebook

$149.99 at Amazon (save $70)

Why we like it

At such a low price, you’d expect kind of a piece of junk, but the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Chromebook is anything but. Slim, lightweight, and running Chrome OS, you’ll have quick and easy access to all the basics — web browsing, email, document editing, and more. It also can last up to 10 hours on one charge and comes with 64GB of storage space, which is pretty good for just $150.

More Chromebook deals

Amazon

HP Chromebook 11a-na0010nr (MediaTek MT8183, 4GB RAM, 32GB SSD) — $159 ~~$259.99~~ (save 39%)
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 4 (Intel Celeron N4000, 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD) — $179.99 ~~$249.99~~ (save $70)

Best Buy

HP Chromebook x2 11-da0023dx (Qualcomm Snapdragon, 8GB RAM, 64GB eMMC) — $399 ~~$599~~ (save $200)
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 (Intel Celeron, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC) — $399 ~~$549~~ (save $150) + 3 months of YouTube Premium for free

HP Chromebook 11a-nb0047nr (Intel Celeron N3350, 4GB RAM, 32GB eMMC) — $149.99 ~~$259.99~~ (save 42%)

Target

ASUS Chromebook C523NA (Intel Celeron N3350, 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD) — $199.99 ~~$299.99~~ (save $100)
HP Chromebook 14a-na0072tg (Intel Pentium Silver N5030, 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD) — $239.99 ~~$359.99~~ (save $120)

Note: Discounts on Chromebooks that are convertible laptop/tablet hybrids can be found in the “Best 2-in-1 laptop deals” section (below).

Best 2-in-1 laptop deals

Credit: Lenovo

Our pick: Lenovo Chromebook Flex 3

$159.99 on Amazon (save 50%)

Why we like it

The Lenovo Chromebook Flex 3 is the No. 1 top-selling machine in Amazon’s “2-in-1 laptops” department, earning high praise from reviewers for its battery life, pretty touchscreen, and overall value. This particular configuration comes with a MediaTek MT8173C processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage.

More 2-in-1 laptop deals

Amazon

Acer Chromebook Spin 311 (Intel Celeron N4020, 4GB RAM, 32GB eMMC) — $199.99 ~~$289.99~~ (save $90)
ASUS Chromebook Flip C436 (Intel Core i3-10110U, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) — $649.99 ~~$799.99~~ (save $150)
Acer Spin 5 (Intel Core i5-1035G4, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $759.99 ~~$1,099.99~~ (save $340)
Acer Spin 5 (Intel Core i7-1065G7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $779.99 ~~$1,099.99~~ (save $320)
HP Pavilion x360 (Intel Core i5-1135G7, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $719.99 ~~$809.99~~ (save $90)

Best Buy

Lenovo Chromebook Flex 3 (Mediatek MT8183, 4GB RAM, 32GB eMMC) — $149 ~~$379~~ (save $230)
Microsoft Surface Go 2 (Intel Pentium Gold, 4GB, 64GB SSD) — $299.99 ~~$399.99~~ (save $100)
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex2 (Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $599.99 ~~$849.99~~ (save $250)
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 (Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) — $699.99 ~~$899.99~~ (save $200)
HP ENVY x360 (Intel Evo Core i7, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $749.99 ~~$999.99~~ (save $250)
HP Envy x360 (AMD Ryzen 7, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $839.99 ~~$989.99~~ (save $150)
Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 (Intel Core i7-1165G7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $899.99 ~~$1,399.99~~ (save $500)
Lenovo Yoga 7i (Intel Evo Platform Core i7, 12GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $949.99 ~~$1,149.99~~ (save $200)
Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 (Intel Core i7-1165G7, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $999 ~~$1.499~~ (save $500)
Lenovo Yoga 9i (Intel Core i7-1185G7 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,349.99 ~~$1,749.99~~ (save $400)

HP Spectre x360 Convertible Laptop – 13taw200 touch (Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $819 ~~$1,099.99~~ (save $280.99)

Target

HP Chromebook x360 14a-ca0036tg (Intel Celeron N4020, 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD) — $259.99 ~~$379.99~~ (save $120)

Walmart

ASUS VivoBook Flip 14 Laptop (Intel Core i3-10110U, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD) — $349 ~~$489~~ (save $140)
Acer Spin 3 (Intel Core i5-1035G1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $499 ~~$699.99~~ (save 29%)

Even more great Black Friday laptop deals

Amazon

ASUS Laptop L210 (Intel Celeron N4020, 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD) — $189.99 ~~$239.99~~ (save $50)
Windows 10 Pro Laptop (Intel Celeron J4005, 6GB RAM, 120GB SSD) — $279 ~~$399~~ (save $120)
Dell Inspiron 15 3511 (Intel Core i3-1115G4, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $459.99 ~~$549.99~~ (save $90)
ASUS VivoBook 15 OLED (Intel i5-1135G7 CPU, Intel Iris X Graphics, 12GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $689.99 ~~$799.99~~ (save $110)
MSI Prestige 14 (Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $749 ~~$849~~ (save $100)
Acer Swift 3 (Intel Core i7-1165G7 Intel Iris Xe Graphics, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $739.99 ~~$939.99~~ (save $200)
Samsung Galaxy Book Pro (Intel Core i7, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $937.49 ~~$1,199.99~~ (save 22%)
Acer Swift 5 (Intel Core i7-1165G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $949 ~~$1,299.99~~ (save $350)
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2 (AMD Ryzen 7 4700U, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $999.99 ~~$1,149.99~~ (save $150)
Samsung Galaxy Book Pro (Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,037.49 ~~$1,299.99~~ (save 20%)

Best Buy

Samsung Galaxy Book Go (Qualcomm Snapdragon 7C Gen 2, 4GB RAM, 128GB eMMC) — $249.99 ~~$349.99~~ (save $100)
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go (Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) — $549.99 ~~$699.99~~ (save $150)
Dell Inspiron 7000 (AMD Ryzen 5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $599.99 ~~$799.99~~ (save $200)
Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 (AMD Ryzen 5 Surface Edition, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) — $699.99 ~~$899.99~~ (save $200)
Dell XPS 17 (Intel Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,549.99 ~~$2,949.99~~ (save $400)

Dell

Dell Inspiron 15 3000 Laptop (Intel Pentium Silver N5030, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD) — $249 ~~$439.99~~ (save 43%)
Dell Vostro 7510 Laptop (Intel Core i5-11400H, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,099 ~~$1,827.14~~ (save 40%)

HP ENVY Laptop 17t-ch100 (Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $699.99 ~~$1,199.99~~ (save $500)

Target

Acer Aspire 5 (Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $529.99 ~~$629.99~~ (save $100)

Walmart

HP Laptop 17-by4061nr (Intel Core i5-1135G7, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $499 ~~$679~~ (save 27%)
Lenovo Ideapad 3i (Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics, 8GB RAM 256GB SSD — $499 ~~$709.99~~ (save 30%)
ASUS VivoBook Pro 14 OLED (Intel Core i5-11300H, Intel Iris Xe Graphics, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $649 ~~$749~~ (save $100)

How to shop for a new laptop

Choosing a laptop is entirely dependent on what you’ll be using it for. Beginner laptop owners need something user-friendly and straightforward, frequent travelers need something light with a long battery life, designers and gamers need top-notch 4K graphics and quick central processors, and everyone needs something that will last.

The first thing you should do is ask yourself a simple question: PC or Mac? This is an important question, as it’s going to make a world of difference in what you can and can’t do with your computer. Are you a gamer? A video editor? A business professional? An Apple device owner? The answer to any of these will probably point you towards your final answer. If you’re constantly buying the new iPhone every year, editing YouTube videos, recording a podcast, or other creative endeavors of the sort, your best bet may be a Mac laptop. Apple obsessives will be happy with their Mac’s compatibility with their other Apple products, and everyone can benefit from Macs’ propensity to have better virus protection than that of a PC.

That brings us to the perks of picking up a PC. You can still complete a number of creative projects on a personal computer, but where PCs really shine are their options for customization. PCs are much easier to upgrade part-by-part, as they aren’t constrained to Apple-manufactured products (like Macs). And because there is a seemingly endless supply of PC manufacturers, there are a lot more options from what brand you chose, to the software you buy, to the type of graphics card you pick out for your gaming rig. Yes, gamers should always go the PC route — they are far more powerful than what a Mac laptop can handle, and also give you the option to connect VR headsets, if you’re into that sort of thing.

What size laptop should you get?

This really comes down to two things: Personal preference and lifestyle. Personal preference is self-explanatory, really — do you like having a huge display, or do you prefer something more compact? Lifestyle is where practicality comes into play. If you’re traveling often and usually have your computer on your back in some way, you’re going to want to go with something more light and compact (thin, 11-inch models will most likely be the best). But if you’re a huge movie buff who doesn’t normally take their laptop on the road with them, spring for a 15-inch (and higher) screen with a bulky construction so you can have epic Netflix sessions. If you’re getting a gaming laptop, you should probably “go big or go home,” as well.

How much should you spend on a new laptop?

This is much more subjective, and at the end of the day, it’s really going to come down to your budget. But, if money isn’t the number one concern for you, you should really think hard about what you’re going to use your laptop for. Need a device with lots of power under the hood and bountiful storage space? Aim for something in the $800 and beyond range. Only using your laptop to edit the occasional Google Doc? Then you can probably get away with spending way below the $500 mark. In other words, don’t blow your savings if you don’t need to. And if you’re looking to go all out, meaning buying a laptop with every bell and whistle imaginable, you can get a monster of a machine for somewhere closer to $2,000.

Are cheap laptops worth it?

You know the old saying: You get what you pay for. But thanks to the technology boom of the last few decades, a cheap laptop can actually take you pretty far and won’t break down immediately. It’s all about knowing which one to select. Depending on what you use your laptop for the most, staying stingy might be your best option. Check out our roundups for the ones that we think are worth it — here are our favorite cheap laptop models under $500, and the best under $300.

What does it mean when a laptop is “certified refurbished”?

Don’t let the words “refurbished” or “renewed” scare you away — these types of devices are usually perfectly viable options and can end up saving you a lot of money without sacrificing much of anything.

A refurbished device, in its simplest terms, is a product that has been bought, but then returned for some reason. Notice that we didn’t necessarily say that it was returned due to some sort of fault on the device’s part. While that can certainly be true in some cases, it isn’t always. Oftentimes, a certified refurbished laptop never even left its original packaging.

While yes, saving money is a huge benefit of buying a “refurb,” it’s far from the only reason to consider getting one. What’s great about refurbished devices is that they undergo rigorous performance tests to ensure that they are still in good condition (sometimes more strictly than the stuff coming right off the production line). There’s also a chance that any refurbished laptop you buy may have been so lightly used, that it could almost be considered brand-new (just way cheaper).

We’re big fans of buying refurbished gear for kids, especially when it comes to electronics. If you’re shopping for a laptop for a kid who is under the age of 15, then refurbished is really the way to go. For kids of high school age and beyond who are a bit more careful with their digital gear, then a new laptop isn’t as risky. Of course, it depends on the kid.