Black Friday 2026: laptop deals
to buy now, wait for or skip
Our best buy is the MacBook Neo 13". Amazon has not announced its Black Friday 2026 dates yet, but you can plan now. Here is our buy, wait or skip call on a MacBook, a Windows laptop, a Chromebook and a gaming laptop, so you know what to chase and what to ignore.
How we picked: we shortlist by Amazon Best Seller rank and number of ratings, then compare published specs. We don't test these products hands-on.
By Jamilur Rahman, Founder & Editor · Updated October 18, 2026
- Owner reviews checked
- Features side by side
- Quick & easy compare
- Smarter purchase
The short answer
Black Friday 2026 is Friday, November 27 (Cyber Monday is November 30), but Amazon has not announced its 2026 sale dates yet. In past years its Black Friday deals started about a week before Black Friday and ran through Cyber Monday, so if it repeats the pattern, early laptop deals would start around November 20. Today is October 18, so you have about six weeks to plan.
Our rule: buy now when a laptop is new and unlikely to drop much (the MacBook Neo), wait when it is a Black Friday staple that costs a lot today (the MacBook Air M5, the Dell 15, the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 and the Acer Nitro V gaming laptop), and skip a laptop whose cheap price hides weak specs (the 4 GB Lenovo Chromebook). Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days already ran on October 6–7, so this is the next big sale to plan for.
If you need a laptop before Thanksgiving, such as a student with finals coming, the MacBook Neo is the safe buy now. Skip the Neo if you need more than 8 GB of memory or 256 GB of storage, and look at the Air instead. One caution for 2026: Apple raised the US prices of the MacBook Air and MacBook Neo in June, so Black Friday cuts start from a higher list price than last year. We checked each Amazon listing on October 18, 2026. Prices and deal badges change daily, so tap through to see the current price.
Compare them side by side
Everything that matters, in one table. Swipe to see all 6.
| Product | Best Buy Now MacBook Neo 13" Laptop (8 GB / 256 GB) |  Best to Wait For MacBook Air 13" (M5) Laptop (16 GB / 512 GB) |  Best Budget Windows Dell 15 (Core 3) Laptop (8 GB / 512 GB) |  Best Chromebook to Wait For Acer Chromebook Plus 514 Chromebook (8 GB / 256 GB) |  Best Gaming Laptop to Wait For Acer Nitro V 16S AI Gaming laptop (RTX 5060, 32 GB) |  Skip This One Lenovo Chromebook 14" (4 GB) Chromebook (4 GB / 64 GB) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BeastScore | 90 / 100 | 93 / 100 | 84 / 100 | 83 / 100 | 86 / 100 | 80 / 100 |
| Our call | Buy | Wait | Wait | Wait | Wait | Skip |
| Best for | Students who need a laptop now | A laptop you keep for six years | Homework, email and streaming | Students who live in Chrome and Google Docs | PC gaming on a mid-range budget | Only for light web browsing |
| Typical price (checked October 18, 2026) | $680–$700 | $1,230–$1,300 | $460–$480 | $590–$610 | $1,490–$1,510 | $240–$260 |
| Model | 2026 model (current) | 2026 model (current) | Dell 15 (DC15250) | CB514-5HT (current listing) | ANV16S-41 (AI model) | Lenovo Chromebook 14" |
| Newer model out? | No | No | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Why it’s here | Apple’s cheapest laptop | 16 GB and 512 GB in this listing | A classic Black Friday budget laptop | Real laptop specs on ChromeOS | 32 GB RAM and a 1 TB SSD | Thin specs behind a low price |
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BeastScore here is our overall rating out of 100, based on published specs and Amazon owner reviews. Prices change daily, so tap "View on Amazon" for today's price. We may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Learn more
Why each one made the list
What each pick does best, where it falls short, and the typical Amazon price when we checked.
- 1. Best Buy Now
MacBook Neo 13"
BeastScore 90 / 100Typically $680–$700 on Amazon (checked October 18, 2026)The MacBook Neo is Apple’s cheapest laptop, and the listing pitches it at students. It has an A18 Pro chip, 8 GB of memory, 256 GB of storage and a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, and Amazon lists up to 16 hours of battery. It comes in four colors with a matching keyboard. We say buy now because Apple raised its price in June and Amazon sells it only a little under that, so a deep Black Friday cut is unlikely. The trade-off is the base spec: 8 GB and 256 GB fill up fast, and Touch ID comes only with the 512 GB version.
Pros- Apple’s lowest-priced Mac, with a durable aluminum body
- Up to 16 hours of battery, enough for a school day
- Four colors and a 1080p camera for video calls
Cons- Only 8 GB of memory and 256 GB of storage on this listing
- Touch ID is only on the 512 GB version, which costs more
- Not the pick for heavy video or photo work: the Air is the step up
- 2. Best to Wait For
MacBook Air 13" (M5)
BeastScore 93 / 100Typically $1,230–$1,300 on Amazon (checked October 18, 2026)The MacBook Air with the M5 chip is the laptop most people should buy if they can afford it. This listing is the 16 GB memory, 512 GB storage version, with a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, Touch ID, Wi-Fi 7 and up to 18 hours of battery. A Mac like this is a six-year laptop, so the money you save by waiting is real. Apple raised the Air’s price in June, and Amazon already sells it a little below the new list price. Mac laptops have historically had their best Amazon prices around Black Friday, so if a deadline isn’t forcing you to buy today, wait for the sale.
Pros- 16 GB and 512 GB, so it will not feel small for years
- Up to 18 hours of battery in a thin body
- Strong resale value, as Macs usually hold their price
Cons- The most expensive everyday laptop in this guide
- This listing is the 16 GB / 512 GB version only
- Overkill if you only write documents and browse
- 3. Best Budget Windows
Dell 15 (Core 3)
BeastScore 84 / 100Typically $460–$480 on Amazon (checked October 18, 2026)The Dell 15 is the kind of laptop stores love to discount on Black Friday: a plain 15.6-inch Full HD screen, an Intel Core 3 100U processor, 8 GB of memory, a 512 GB drive and Windows 11 Home. It handles homework, email and streaming. The listing also includes a one-year onsite service plan from Dell. It uses integrated graphics, so it is not a gaming or video-editing machine. Budget Windows laptops are a Black Friday staple and this one is not at a deep cut today, so we say wait. If the price drops, it becomes an easy student pick.
Pros- 512 GB of storage is generous at this price
- Full-size keyboard with a number pad
- One year of onsite service from Dell, per the listing
Cons- Integrated graphics only: not for games or video editing
- Battery life is not stated on the listing
- A big, plain 15.6-inch body is not built for carrying around all day
- 4. Best Chromebook to Wait For
Acer Chromebook Plus 514
BeastScore 83 / 100Typically $590–$610 on Amazon (checked October 18, 2026)The Chromebook Plus 514 is a big step up from basic Chromebooks: a 14-inch 1920 x 1080 touchscreen, an Intel Core i3-1315U, 8 GB of memory, a 256 GB SSD and Wi-Fi 7, all running ChromeOS. It suits a student who lives in Chrome, Google Docs and web apps. The problem is the price. Today it sits uncomfortably close to a MacBook Neo, which is a lot to pay for a ChromeOS laptop, so we say wait for a real cut. Below that line, it is a good first laptop for school.
Pros- Real laptop hardware: Core i3, 8 GB and a 256 GB SSD
- Touchscreen and a backlit keyboard
- Light and simple: ChromeOS needs little setup
Cons- ChromeOS only: no Windows or Mac apps
- Priced like a mid-range laptop, not a budget Chromebook
- Far fewer owner reviews than the other picks here
- 5. Best Gaming Laptop to Wait For
Acer Nitro V 16S AI
BeastScore 86 / 100Typically $1,490–$1,510 on Amazon (checked October 18, 2026)The Nitro V 16S AI is a mid-range gaming laptop with an AMD Ryzen 7 260, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 laptop GPU, 32 GB of DDR5 memory, a 1 TB SSD and a 16-inch 1920 x 1200 display at 180 Hz. That is a generous memory and storage spec for this class. Gaming laptops are one of Black Friday’s headline categories, and their prices swing more than any other laptop type, so waiting has the biggest upside here. Buy now only if you need it for a specific game or a school term.
Pros- 32 GB of memory and a 1 TB SSD out of the box
- Fast 180 Hz screen for competitive games
- Sold by Amazon.com when we checked
Cons- Gaming laptops run hotter and louder than everyday laptops
- Battery life is far shorter than the MacBooks or Chromebooks here
- A mid-range GPU: not the pick for top settings at high resolution
- 6. Skip This One
Lenovo Chromebook 14" (4 GB)
BeastScore 80 / 100Typically $240–$260 on Amazon (checked October 18, 2026)This listing looks like a bargain, and that is the trap. It is a 14-inch Full HD touchscreen Chromebook with a MediaTek Kompanio 520, only 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of eMMC storage. The Acer Chromebook Plus above has twice the memory and four times the storage. The seller on the listing is a marketplace seller, not Lenovo, and “flagship” in the title is marketing, not a spec. On paper, 4 GB of RAM leaves little room for a browser with many tabs. A sale price will not fix a laptop that fills up and slows down.
Pros- Light, at under 3 lb, with a Full HD touchscreen
- USB-C, USB-A and a microSD card slot
- Fine for basic web browsing and streaming video
Cons- Only 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage
- Sold by a marketplace seller, not Lenovo, when we checked
- A low price is not a deal if you replace it in a year or two
All 6 compared, in one look
See every pick on one chart, or tap one to put it head to head with MacBook Neo 13". Ratings out of 10 are our estimates from published specs and Amazon owner reviews, not hands-on tests. Bigger shape = better.
- Value todayMacBook Neo 13" · 9.0/10
- Everyday speedMacBook Air 13" (M5) · 9.6/10
- BatteryMacBook Air 13" (M5) · 9.8/10
- PortabilityMacBook Air 13" (M5) · 9.4/10
- Years of useMacBook Air 13" (M5) · 9.8/10
Which one should you buy?
Find your situation below. That's your pick.
BuyApple raised the Neo’s price in June and Amazon sells it only a little under that, so a deep cut is unlikely. Buy now if you need a laptop before Thanksgiving.
- You need a laptop before Thanksgiving
- You are a student on a budget
- You want a Mac without paying Air prices
WaitOnly a little under Apple’s new list price today, and Mac laptops have historically hit their lowest Amazon prices around Black Friday. Wait unless you need it now.
- You want a laptop to last six years
- You can wait until after Black Friday week starts
- You need 16 GB of memory
WaitBudget Windows laptops are a Black Friday staple and this one is not deeply cut today. A real drop makes it an easy student pick.
- You want a cheap Windows laptop
- You mostly do homework and streaming
- You like a number pad and a big screen
WaitGood specs, but today’s price is too close to a MacBook Neo. Only worth it after a real Black Friday cut.
- You live in Chrome and Google Docs
- You want a light laptop with a touchscreen
- You will only buy it after a real price cut
WaitGaming laptops are a Black Friday headliner and swing the most in price. Wait unless you need it for a game or term starting soon.
- You want to play PC games
- You can wait for the biggest category of deals
- You want 32 GB of memory and a 1 TB SSD
SkipThin specs at a low price are a fake deal. Spend a little more on a Chromebook with 8 GB of memory or more.
- You only browse a few tabs
- The price is far below other Chromebooks
- You accept 4 GB of memory and 64 GB of storage
MacBook Neo 13"
The one laptop here we would buy before the sale. It is Apple’s cheapest Mac, and with Apple’s June price rise a deep cut is unlikely.
- Apple’s cheapest laptop
- Up to 16 hours of battery
- A good fit for students
Quick tips before you buy
Look for “Ships from and sold by Amazon.com” or the brand. Marketplace sellers often list the same laptop under “flagship” or “newest” names with thin specs.
A cheap laptop with 4 GB of memory feels slow quickly. Aim for 8 GB at least, and 16 GB if you want a laptop to last for years.
Tap “Price history” on the Amazon listing, pick a target price and buy when a deal reaches it. A deal badge alone does not mean a low price.
Gaming laptops run short on battery under load. Plan to play plugged in, and do not pay extra for battery claims.
Quick answers
When does Black Friday 2026 start on Amazon?+
Black Friday is November 27, 2026, the day after Thanksgiving on November 26. Amazon has not announced its 2026 Black Friday sale dates yet. In past years its Black Friday deals started about a week before Black Friday and ran through Cyber Monday, which is November 30.
Is it better to buy a laptop now or wait for Black Friday?+
If you need one before Thanksgiving, buy the MacBook Neo now. If you can wait, hold off on the MacBook Air, the Dell 15, the Chromebook Plus and gaming laptops, because those are the categories that usually get marked down. Waiting only works if you set a price and stick to it.
Will the MacBook Air M5 be cheaper on Black Friday?+
Nobody knows until Amazon announces its sale. Apple raised the Air’s price in June, Amazon already sells it a little below the new list price, and Mac laptops have historically had their lowest Amazon prices around Black Friday, so waiting is a reasonable bet. If you need it for school now, buying today is fine.
What are the best Black Friday laptop deals for students?+
The MacBook Neo is our buy-now pick for students. The MacBook Air M5 and the Dell 15 are worth waiting for, and the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 only makes sense after a price cut. Skip Chromebooks with 4 GB of memory and 64 GB of storage.
Are Black Friday gaming laptop deals worth waiting for?+
Usually yes. Gaming laptops are one of Black Friday’s headline categories, and their prices move more than other laptops. Check the graphics chip first: the RTX 5060 in the Nitro V is mid-range. See our best gaming laptops guide for higher-end picks.
Should I buy a Chromebook on Black Friday?+
Yes, if it has at least 8 GB of memory and you only need Chrome and web apps. Skip the cheapest models with 4 GB of memory and 64 GB of storage. They look like deals but feel slow within a year or two.
Is Prime Big Deal Days the same as Black Friday?+
No. Prime Big Deal Days was Amazon’s October 6–7, 2026 sale, and it is already over. Black Friday is November 27 and Cyber Monday is November 30. Amazon has not announced when its Black Friday sale will start.
Why don’t you list prices?+
Laptop prices change several times a day in a sale. We show a typical price band checked on October 18, 2026. Tap “View on Amazon” to see the current price.
Keep comparing
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