Best Black Friday Deals on Laptops, Chromebooks, and Tablets

It doesn’t have a touchscreen, but otherwise this 11.6-inch Chromebook has the same specs as the HP Chromebook 11A-NA0040NR, which performed well in our labs. For just over $100, you get a lightweight (2.36 pounds) Chromebook with a MediaTek processor, 4 gigabytes of memory, and 32GB of flash storage. Those aren’t high-end specs, but this model is perfectly suitable for typical office work and web browsing.

Why it’s a deal: A nearly $100 discount is tough to beat on an already affordable machine.

This 14-inch model has an Intel Celeron processor, 4 gigabytes of memory, and 32GB of flash storage. The model we tested had 64GB of storage. Our testers pointed out the admirable battery life (almost 13 hours for web browsing and almost 8 for more demanding loads) and the comfortable keyboard. Performance is about average and the display is merely so-so, but as long as you treat this as a low-cost productivity device as opposed to the only computer you’ll ever need, you should be okay.

Why it’s a good deal: We’ve seen this model selling for closer to $200, so you may want to wait and see if it gets cheaper for Cyber Monday.

The Asus Chromebook C536EA-BI3T3 has one of the fastest processing speeds among the Chromebooks we’ve tested. The battery life is below average in our web browsing tests at 9.75 hours, and the 4.3-pound weight makes it less portable than other models. But the convertible form factor allows you to fold it into tent mode for watching videos.

Why it’s a good deal: This is a significant discount if you’re looking for a Chromebook with fast processing speeds.

This HP Chromebook 13C-CA0013DX x360 has impressive battery life, lasting 16.75 hours in our web browsing tests. It’s an excellent choice for keeping up on work while traveling, with its lower-than-average weight of just 2.8 pounds. It’s also a touchscreen convertible model for added versatility.

Why it’s a good deal: This model originally retailed for close to $1,000, making this a decent deal. But we did see it for about $770 last week at Walmart, so the price could drop again.

The 13-inch Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 lands in the middle of the pack among models CR has tested. Its processing speeds are midrange compared with other Chromebooks, while its battery life is below average at 11.5 hours of web browsing. In addition to the touchscreen display, this model has a built-in microSD card slot for expanding the storage beyond its internal 64 gigabytes.

Why it’s a good deal: A 25 percent discount is substantial for this machine. We did see it selling for $250 recently, though, so maybe keep an eye on it to see whether the price falls again later.

If you want the very latest MacBook Air, here it is—at a nice discount. Like the similarly impressive M1-chip-powered model, it combines fast performance with great battery life and a great display. But it comes in a wider selection of colors and adds full-sized function keys, plus an upgraded webcam. This one has solid specs, too: 8 gigabytes of memory and a 256GB solid-state drive.

Why it’s a good deal: This sale price is $100 less than we’ve seen in the last few weeks.

With so many models available, Lenovo’s IdeaPad covers a lot of ground and prices. This 15.6-inch IdeaPad 3 has an Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB of memory, and 256GB of solid-state storage. That should be more than sufficient for common tasks like editing office documents and browsing the web, but you may want to steer clear of more demanding tasks like editing video. We tested a model with better specs, including an AMD Ryzen 5 processor, and it performed well in our ratings.

Why it’s a good deal: This is a steep discount on a solid laptop that should serve many consumers well.

If someone in your life has “a gaming laptop” on their holiday wishlist, you may want to jump on this deal. The Acer Nitro 5 (including the last model we tested) has delivered solid performance at not-too-bad prices for years. This model has an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of memory, 256GB of solid-state storage, and a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card. That should be sufficient for playing the latest games, particularly on medium settings. It also helps that the laptop has a 1080p display, which requires less horsepower than a 4K display. 

Why it’s a good deal: This is a popular gaming laptop at a reasonable (though admittedly not huge) discount.

The Microsoft Surface Pro X, released in fall 2019, has some drawbacks but is well worth a look at this price. It has a 13-inch display that can be detached from the keyboard. That makes it a good pick if you plan to use it like a digital sketchpad or tablet. It also has pretty good battery life, making it a good travel companion. But the ARM processor is a little on the slow side compared with the Intel chips found in other Surface devices. It also creates some software compatibility issues. Our testers, for example, couldn’t run certain antivirus software. Microsoft maintains a list of apps that might not run on the Pro X, so be sure to consult it before purchasing the laptop.

Why it’s a good deal: More than a third off the regular price is a significant discount for any laptop.

Thin, light, and powerful, this MacBook Air model—unveiled in 2020—offers a compelling combination of performance and battery life. Instead of using an Intel chip, as all Apple computers had done since 2006, it’s powered by an M1 processor developed by Apple itself. In our tests, the new processor performed with admirable speed, placing the laptop in the august company of devices powered by Intel Core i7 processors. It also improved the model’s efficiency, resulting in less drag on the battery and an impressive 10.75 hours of web browsing per charge.

Why it’s a good deal: $200 off a top-rated laptop is nothing to sneeze at.

This 16.1-inch HP Victus 16 laptop has performance speeds that challenge some of the fastest-rated models in our tests, including for graphics-intensive tasks like gaming and editing media. It has an Intel Core i7 processor, 16 gigabytes of RAM, a 512GB solid-state drive, and an Nvidia Geforce RTX 3060 graphics card with 6GB of dedicated memory. Its battery life should last you through most of a workday.

Why it’s a good deal: This is a fairly modest discount, but it’s still decent if you’re looking for an impressive gaming laptop. The price also dropped a full $50 from last week, making this an even better deal.

The 2021 LG Gram 17 can be a great option if you’re looking for a lightweight machine that can still perform. Its web browsing and video playback battery life is one of the longest of all the models CR has tested, a feat you don’t often see on 17-inch laptops. It has a solid-state drive that can load up Windows and large programs quickly, and the large 2-terabyte storage space is great for local backups. While not the best choice for gaming, it does have fast speeds that can handle complex spreadsheets and videoconferencing.

Why it’s a good deal: A more than $300 discount is definitely worth considering if you need a workhorse of a laptop.

This 13.3-inch notebook scored well in our ratings, earning praise for performance and display quality. It’s got an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of  memory, and 256GB of solid-state storage. It’s also highly portable, weighing just two pounds and with a battery that lasts as long as 20 hours while browsing the web. 

Why it’s a good deal: This is a great discount on a notebook that scores well in our ratings.

Microsoft has several Surface devices to choose from, but the relatively inexpensive Microsoft Surface Laptop Go could be a good option for consumers looking for a smaller laptop, especially at this hefty discount. It has a 12.4-inch display, an Intel Core i5 processor, 4 gigabytes of memory, and a sparse 64GB solid-state drive, which you can supplement with cloud storage.

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go scores well in many of our tests, though the performance is a bit sluggish compared with other options. The model is lightweight (2.5 pounds), offers decent battery life (just under 12 hours in CR’s web browsing test), and has a bright, color-accurate display. There’s a touchscreen for flipping through those photo galleries.

Why it’s a good deal: This is the best price we’ve seen for this model, which used to sell for over $300, beating the previous low price by $18.

The 8.3-inch iPad Mini has a bright, sharp display with a large viewing angle, meaning you don’t need to hold it dead center in front of your face to see it clearly. The new A15 Bionic chip is blazing fast, so web browsing and watching movies seem smooth and stutter-free. The battery life is impressive, too. Other updates include a USB-C port, upgraded cameras, and optional 5G compatibility. The smaller size and lighter weight make the tablet easier to hold for extended periods.

Why it’s a good deal: Any deal on Apple products is rare, so saving $100 is a rare opportunity.

Smaller size and lighter weight make this tablet easier to hold for extended periods than its larger brethren. The model has a bright, sharp display with a large viewing angle, meaning you don’t need to hold it dead center in front of your face to see it clearly. The A15 Bionic chip is blazing fast, so web browsing and watching movies seem smooth and stutter-free. The battery life is impressive, too. Other features include a USB-C port and upgraded cameras.

Why it’s a good deal: If you’re in the market for an iPad, this $100 discount might be too good to pass up.

The iPad Pro is a machine for power users, and it delivers the level of performance you’d expect from a high-end laptop. The display uses a technology called Mini LED, also present in some high-end TVs, that produces more vibrant images and better contrast than what’s possible with traditional LCD tech. It also has a lightning-fast refresh rate, which makes the animations in everything from video games to simply scrolling around iPadOS look smoother. The Pro has an exceptional camera and Apple’s blazing fast M1 processor, and the company ditched the lighting port in favor of a USB-C connector (meaning you’ll use the same cable that powers newer MacBooks). The model also aced our battery life tests.

Why it’s a good deal: A $300 savings on a top-rated model? Yes, please.

The Fire HD 8 is the cheapest tablet we recommend. You probably won’t be blown away by the screen, and its speed is just okay, but it’s perfectly suited for simple tasks such as reading or scrolling through social media. It’s a relatively small tablet at 8 inches, so it’s easy to slip into a bag when you’re on the go. As with other Fire tablets, you’re restricted to the Amazon app store, and you’ll have to find alternatives to some popular apps.

Why it’s a good deal: This $40 discount is the same price we’ve seen during other big sales.

As the name suggests, the Fire HD 8 Plus is a beefed-up version of the Fire HD 8. In addition to the faster processor of its sibling, the HD 8 Plus has 3 gigabytes of memory vs. the regular tablet’s 2GB. It can also be wirelessly charged and has an upgraded 5-megapixel rear camera.

Why it’s a good deal: Like many other Amazon devices, this hefty discount is likely to show up only during large sales like Black Friday.

This deal gives you a solid discount on a 10-inch Amazon Fire tablet. This model doesn’t get outstanding scores in our tests, but it’s a solid device. And given the price, it’s worth considering if you don’t mind a screen that’s just okay. For reading books, scanning the news, browsing emails, and so on, it works perfectly well, though movies might not look as vibrant as you’d like. The biggest drawback is the Amazon app store, where you won’t find some mainstream apps such as Gmail. But you can use a web browser instead, as you would on a computer.

Why it’s a good deal: These discounts match the low prices we saw during the Prime Early Access sale.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is our top recommendation for the average person who wants a budget-priced Android tablet, making it especially good for students. The screen looks good, and the device will handle just about any task unless you’re playing a graphics-heavy game or doing something like editing video. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite also delivers solid battery life, lasting just over 12 hours in our web browsing tests.

Why it’s a good deal: The sale price usually swings between $280 and $350 for this model.

The Galaxy Tab S8 is a great option for people who want an Android tablet with high performance. Just keep in mind that top performance isn’t necessary for simple tasks such as reading email, watching movies, and surfing the web. The Galaxy Tab S7 is also on sale if you need a fast device but want something a little cheaper.

Why it’s a good deal: This is just a few dollars more than the best price we’ve seen all year.

The Google Nest WiFi three-pack provides decent all-around performance, scoring well for throughput at near- and medium-range distances. It may fall a bit short in large homes, though, and it’s “only” WiFi 5-compatible. But at this price, it’s hard to complain.

Why it’s a good deal: This router system typically retails for $350, making this an impressive deal, especially at Amazon right now.

This WiFi 6 wireless router from Asus scores quite well in our tests, it’s easy to set up via a smartphone app, and it has automatic firmware updates. But the performance lags a bit in our near-distance tests, so you might want to put a little space between the router and any devices that require tip-top speed.

Why it’s a good deal: We haven’t seen a discount on this model in some time.

If you don’t need (or want) a multirouter mesh setup, this single-unit WiFi 6 model from Netgear should be near the top of your list. It aced our throughput tests at all distances and was easy to set up via a smartphone app or an old-school web-based wizard.

There’s automatic firmware updating to keep your data safe, plus four Ethernet ports and one USB port for connecting peripherals.

Why it’s a good deal: The sale price just dropped a few more bucks compared with last week.

Now owned by Amazon, Eero helped popularize the very concept of mesh routers a few years ago, so it’s no surprise to see this early-generation Eero Pro model perform well. The speed is fast at near and far distances, though less so at midrange. The model also scores well for data security. There’s automatic firmware updating, an app-based setup, and support for WiFi 5 (as opposed to WiFi 6 or WiFi 7), plus five Ethernet ports (useful for when you want a fast, stable link for, say, playing Xbox or PlayStation games). You won’t find a USB port, though, which hurts the model’s versatility score.

Why it’s a good deal: This is a hefty discount on a model replaced in 2020 by the Eero Pro 6.

This full-sized tower desktop PC has better specs than the CR-recommended HP Pavilion TP01-3003w. It has an AMD Ryzen 7 processor, 16 gigabytes of memory, a 512GB solid-state drive, and a dedicated AMD Radeon graphics card, which makes it a good choice for playing games or crunching numbers.

Why it’s a deal: This is a decent discount, but we have seen it sell for about $50 less in recent months.

The Dell XPS desktop is a top performer all-around, even for demanding video games. This model has an NVIDIA GeForce graphics card and a 1 terabyte solid-state drive. The one we tested had an AMD Radeon graphics card, a 512GB solid-state drive, plus a 1 terabyte hard-disk drive. But otherwise, the specs are identical: an Intel Core i7 processor, 32 gigabytes of memory, and a DVD burner.

Why it’s a good deal: This is a significant price drop on a high-end computer.

The Mavix M9 is one of the more comfortable gaming chairs that we recently reviewed. It’s widely adjustable, too, which is why it earns a favorable score for ergonomic design. You can control the height of the armrests and the lumbar support (with the backrest), plus the depth of the seat pan. And the backrest reclines separately from the seat and armrests, making it easier to maintain good posture when leaning backward. Just be prepared for a learning curve when it’s time to master the controls, which are labeled but somewhat hard to read. The chair does require assembly. There are no printed instructions in the box, but the video guide on the company website is just fine.

Why it’s a good deal: This is only the second time we’ve seen this chair go on sale. It was $50 more during Prime Day, making this the best price we’ve ever seen.