Deals9 min read
Best Black Friday Laptop Deals 2026: MacBook, Windows, Gaming
Best Black Friday laptop deals expected in 2026 — MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Dell, ASUS gaming and Windows laptops with historical pricing.
By Alex Carter·
Best Black Friday laptop deals expected in 2026 — MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Dell, ASUS gaming and Windows laptops with historical pricing.
Laptops see significant Black Friday discounts, especially gaming and premium Windows models. Apple participates with smaller but real discounts on Macs. This guide covers expected pricing and best buys for November 2026.
| Model | MSRP | Black Friday Expected | Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Air M4 13" (16GB/256GB) | $1,099 | $999-1,049 | $50-100 off |
| MacBook Air M4 13" (16GB/512GB) | $1,299 | $1,199-1,249 | $50-100 off |
| MacBook Air M4 15" (16GB/512GB) | $1,499 | $1,399-1,449 | $50-100 off |
| MacBook Air M4 13" (24GB/512GB) | $1,499 | $1,399-1,499 | $0-100 off |
Strategy: Apple discounts MacBook Air via Best Buy, Costco, B&H Photo. Direct Apple Store rarely discounts. Costco often includes extended warranty equivalent to AppleCare+.
| Model | MSRP | Black Friday Expected | Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Pro 14" M4 (16GB/512GB) | $1,599 | $1,399-1,499 | $100-200 off |
| MacBook Pro 14" M4 Pro (24GB/512GB) | $1,999 | $1,799-1,899 | $100-200 off |
| MacBook Pro 16" M4 Max (36GB/1TB) | $3,499 | $3,099-3,299 | $200-400 off |
| Model | MSRP | Black Friday Expected | Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dell XPS 13 Plus (32GB/1TB) | $1,499 | $999-1,199 | 20-33% |
| ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (32GB/1TB) | $1,499 | $999-1,199 | 20-33% |
| HP Spectre x360 14" (16GB/1TB) | $1,499 | $999-1,199 | 20-33% |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 11 | $999 | $699-799 | 20-30% |
| Model | MSRP | Black Friday Expected | Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASUS TUF Gaming A15 (RTX 4060) | $1,099 | $799-899 | 18-27% |
| ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (RTX 4070) | $1,699 | $1,399-1,499 | 12-18% |
| MSI Katana 15 (RTX 4070) | $1,499 | $1,099-1,249 | 17-27% |
| Lenovo Legion Pro 5 (RTX 4070) | $1,799 | $1,299-1,499 | 17-28% |
| Model | MSRP | Black Friday Expected | Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acer Aspire 3 (Ryzen 5) | $499 | $349-399 | 20-30% |
| Acer Swift 3 (Intel Core 5) | $599 | $399-499 | 17-33% |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 (Ryzen 7) | $749 | $549-649 | 13-27% |
| HP Pavilion (Ryzen 5) | $549 | $399-449 | 18-27% |
Expected $999-1,049 at Best Buy or Costco.
Why best deal: Apple's premium ultraportable at lowest price of year. Apple Silicon M4 + 16GB RAM is sweet spot for most users. 18-hour battery, silent operation, premium build.
Strategy: Costco often best deal — includes 3-year extended warranty + Costco's 90-day return window.
Expected $999-1,199 at Best Buy or Dell.com.
Why best Windows pick: Closest competitor to MacBook Air for Windows users. 16GB+ RAM, 4K+ OLED display options, premium build.
Expected $799-899 at Best Buy.
Why best gaming pick: RTX 4060 + Ryzen 7 = excellent 1080p gaming at sub-$900 price. Premium gaming laptop for budget price.
Expected $349-399.
Why best budget pick: Genuine usability at sub-$400 price. Ryzen 5 + 16GB RAM (often) + 512GB SSD. For students, secondary computers, basic productivity.
[Best Tech for College Students 2026](/blog/best-tech-for-college-students-2026) covers this in depth.
Strategy for students: Refurbished MacBook Air M2 at $499-549 (vs new at $799) — Apple Education Store may have additional discounts.
Apple rarely discounts directly. Buy from:
Best time: Black Friday at Best Buy/Costco for largest Apple discounts.
Windows laptops see deeper discounts. Buy from:
Best time: Black Friday with specific configurations researched ahead.
1. Buying based on price alone: Cheapest laptop ≠ best value
2. Skimping on RAM: 8GB obsolete; 16GB is the floor in 2026
3. Ignoring battery life: Real-world matters more than spec sheet
4. Wrong processor for use case: Apple Silicon vs Windows is different ecosystem
5. No extended warranty: Cheap laptop with no warranty = false economy
Day 1:
1. Update OS: Critical for new laptop
2. Install essential software: Browser, productivity apps, communication
3. Configure backup: iCloud (Mac) or OneDrive (Windows)
4. Set up password manager: Bitwarden, 1Password, or built-in
First week:
Best Black Friday 2026 laptop deals expected:
Black Friday is one of few times to discount Macs. For Windows laptops: deeper discounts (20-33% off) make November the right time to buy.
Best strategy: Set price alerts in October. Compare Best Buy, Costco, and Amazon. Make decision in first few hours of Black Friday — best deals sell out quickly.
Consumer Electronics & Smart Home Editor
Alex Carter has spent over 8 years testing and reviewing consumer electronics, with a focus on smart home gadgets, home appliances, and everyday tech. Before joining VersusMatrix, Alex wrote for sever...