Solid-ReviewsBest Laptop Black Friday Deals 2026
Best Laptop Black Friday Deals 2026
Deal status, October 27, 2026: Not a deal yet. We track the three laptops in this guide, and no laptop has a verified Black Friday price decrease at this time. The prices in the table below are regular street prices, not sale prices. This header changes to "Deal live" when a tracked price decreases below its recent average by a significant margin. We use the price history in the benchmark section for that decision. Check back as Black Friday week (November 23 to 27) gets closer. These prices moved in that week last year.
The short version: This guide has three tiers: a MacBook tier, a gaming tier, and a value tier. The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5) is the premium pick and the laptop most people should buy. Its price at Amazon is $1,149 (October 19, 2026). The ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2025) is the gaming pick, with an RTX 5070 graphics card, 32GB of memory, and a 240Hz display. Amazon does not sell this configuration at this time, and third-party sellers ask $3,599, above the $2,099.99 list price. Do not buy at that price. The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is the value tier: the best-reviewed Chromebook on the market, with an OLED touchscreen and a $749 list price. Amazon has never sold this model; third-party sellers ask $949.99, also above list price.
How this guide works: We do not operate a test laboratory. We read the published reviews from review organizations and give their conclusions in our own words, with the points of agreement and disagreement. We give links to the original reviews where links are available. The section "How we compiled this" below gives the full method.
The prices (October 2026)
| Product | Price now | Deal? | Lowest ever | Average price | List price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 16GB, 512GB) | $1,149 | No | $899.99 (May 23, 2026) | $1,205.57 | $1,299 |
| ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2025) (RTX 5070, 32GB, 1TB) | Not sold by Amazon | No | $1,699.99 (Nov 18, 2025) | $2,066.78 | $2,099.99 |
| Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 (Kompanio Ultra, 16GB, 256GB) | $949.99 (third-party) | No | $749.95 (third-party, Apr 20, 2026) | $1,006.24 | $749 |
We observed these prices in October 2026. The sources are below. No price in this table is a Black Friday price at this time. The benchmark section shows the prices from last year.
How we compiled this
We use verdicts from named review sources. For this guide, we used the MacBook Air M5 review coverage in the RealDigitalTech roundup (Notebookcheck, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, and others), AppleInsider review roundups and price guides, Notebookcheck, Digital Trends, and Ultrabookreview coverage of the ROG Strix G16 line, and The Verge, Tom's Guide, Notebookcheck, and Chrome Unboxed reviews of the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14. We verified the current prices, the average prices, and the lowest recorded prices with CamelCamelCamel on October 27, 2026.
We state the changes and the gaps clearly. On October 26, 2026, this guide replaced two Lenovo models. The featured configurations of those models were not orderable at Amazon at that time. On October 27, we verified the prices again. Amazon no longer sells the Strix G16 configuration in this guide, and Amazon has never sold the Chromebook Plus 14 listing in this guide. Third-party sellers offer both models at prices above list price. The in-depth Strix reviews cover sibling configurations (RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080) on the same chassis and display platform, not this exact RTX 5070 configuration.
What happened last year: the Black Friday 2025 benchmark
We cannot know the sale prices of 2026 in advance. A website that states those prices as facts makes a guess. The table below shows the data for this category from last year, from Black Friday 2025 reports:
| Laptop (2025 season) | Regular price | Black Friday 2025 price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Air 13-inch (M4, 16GB, 256GB) | $999 | $749 at Amazon and Best Buy | CNN Underscored and Thurrott roundups |
| MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) | $1,199 | $949 | CNN Underscored |
| MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) | $999 | $738.04 at Amazon (Cyber Monday) | PCWorld Cyber Monday 2025 roundup |
| Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 | $749 list | $683.49 during Black Friday 2025 | Deal-tracker reporting |
| ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024 configs) | $1,899.99 and up | Bottomed at $1,399 during Black Friday 2024 | Deal-tracker reporting |
The data gives two conclusions. First, the MacBook Air pattern is consistent: a decrease of about $250 for the mainstream configuration in Black Friday week, and the best price of the season on Cyber Monday, not on Black Friday. Second, the Chromebook Plus 14 does not always wait for Black Friday. The price decreased to $679 in a one-day sale on October 15, 2026 at Best Buy, at its Black Friday 2025 level. A price of $700 or less before November is already a Black Friday grade price, per this history.
How to tell if this year's discount is real
We call a price a deal when the price is lower than the price one month before and lower than the recent average price. A deal does not have to be the lowest price in history. We show the lowest price ever recorded for each product, with its date, in all cases.
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 16GB, 512GB): The premium pick, and the default laptop
The MacBook Air M5 is the 2026 model. The laptop became available on March 11, 2026 at $1,099, with 512GB of base storage, two times the storage of the M4. Apple increased the US price by $200 in June 2026, during the memory shortage. The 13-inch list price is now $1,299. The Amazon price is $1,149 (October 19, 2026). CamelCamelCamel gives an average price of $1,205.57 and a lowest recorded price of $899.99 (May 23, 2026). The M5 chip is about 14 percent faster than the M4 in Notebookcheck CPU measurements. The design is unchanged: fanless, with a weight of 2.7 lb. The battery life is the best in this category.
What the reviews say
- Notebookcheck, 92% (15-inch model), via the RealDigitalTech roundup. The CPU is about 14 percent faster than the M4, with no throttling in demanding games, and the display is accurate. Their list of negative points is the important one: the 60Hz refresh rate is not current at this price, the ports are few, and the memory is not replaceable.
- TechRadar, 5/5 for design, performance, and battery, via the same roundup. TechRadar calls the laptop "the best MacBook yet" and measures about 15.5 hours of web browsing. They score the display 4.5/5. They state that the larger base storage justifies the launch price.
- Tom's Guide, via the roundup and AppleInsider's roundup. The battery test gives 15 hours 28 minutes for the 13-inch model and 15 hours 37 minutes for the 15-inch model. Their conclusion is the reserved one: the step from the M4 is small, and the higher price is "the one catch."
- Tom's Hardware, Editor's Choice, via review summaries. The battery test gives 15 hours 28 minutes at 150 nits. The Geekbench 6 results are 4,168 single-core and 17,067 multi-core. Their conclusion: for many people, this laptop is the best Mac available.
- Engadget, 92/100, and The Verge, 90/100, via score aggregations. Engadget: a small upgrade from the M4, and one of the best laptops on the market. The Verge: the statements about the M4 Air are also true for this model.
Consensus: The MacBook Air M5 is the best all-around laptop of 2026 for most people. The sources agree on the faster chip, the class-leading battery life, and the silent fanless design. The disagreement is about value only: the step from the M4 is modest, and the price increased two times in one year.
Honest drawbacks: The 60Hz display is the main negative point. Windows laptops at this price have 120Hz OLED displays. The laptop has two Thunderbolt 4 ports and one MagSafe port, so a hub is a near-mandatory accessory. The memory and the storage are not replaceable, so buy the configuration for the next five years. Games are not a Mac strength: AppleInsider's roundup reports less than 30 frames per second in Cyberpunk 2077 at 1200p medium settings. Owners of an M4 Air have no reason to upgrade. The reviewers agree on this point also.
Best for: Students, writers, knowledge workers, and all persons who want one laptop for all tasks except serious games, with the best battery life in the class.
Not for: Gamers (see the Strix below), fans of high-refresh displays, and owners of an M4 Air.
- Chip: Apple M5 (10-core CPU) | Memory: 16GB unified | Storage: 512GB SSD | Display: 13.6" Liquid Retina, 60Hz, 500 nits | Weight: 2.7 lb | Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe 3 | List price: $1,299 (after June 2026 increase) | Street price: $1,149 at Amazon (October 19, 2026); average $1,205.57; lowest recorded $899.99 (May 23, 2026)
ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2025) (RTX 5070, 32GB, 1TB): The gaming pick
The ROG Strix G16 (2025) is the gaming tier: an AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX processor, an RTX 5070 laptop graphics card, 32GB of memory, and a 1TB SSD, with a 16-inch 2.5K 240Hz Nebula display. This laptop is the opposite of the MacBook: large, with strong fans, and with the performance for games that the Air cannot run. The availability changed after we selected this model. CamelCamelCamel records an Amazon lowest price of $1,699.99 (November 18, 2025) and an average price of $2,066.78. At this time, Amazon does not sell this configuration. Third-party sellers ask $3,599 (October 24, 2026). That price is above the $2,099.99 list price. Do not buy at that price.
What the reviews say
- Notebookcheck, review of the Strix G16 (G615) line. "A powerful gaming laptop that leaves a good overall impression." The 240Hz matte IPS panel has very good image quality and no PWM flicker. The battery life is better than the battery life of competitors, and the keyboard is very comfortable. The keyboard has no number pad. The chassis is plastic, but the build quality is good.
- Digital Trends, review of the Ryzen 9955HX3D and RTX 5070 Ti configuration. The gaming performance is strong, and the Ryzen HX chip is a good match for the midrange graphics card. Their warning about cheaper Strix configurations with weaker displays does not apply here: this configuration has the 2.5K 240Hz Nebula panel.
- Ultrabookreview, review of the G615LW, 90%. "A competitive option in the space of 16-inch high-performance laptops." The performance is similar to the performance of the more expensive SCAR 16, at a lower price. The review praises the tool-free maintenance access.
Coverage note: The reviews above cover sibling configurations (RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080) on the same chassis, chip family, and display platform, not this exact RTX 5070 configuration. The performance difference between the 5070 and 5070 Ti configurations is real but modest. The chassis, display, and keyboard results apply to this configuration also.
Consensus: The Strix G16 is one of the strongest 16-inch gaming laptops of its generation. The display is very good for the class, and the battery life is better than the battery life of most gaming laptops. The disagreements are about value against the SCAR line and about the plastic chassis at this price.
Honest drawbacks: The Amazon availability is the main negative point at this time: Amazon does not sell this configuration, and the third-party price of $3,599 is a markup, not a deal. The battery life is good for a gaming laptop, but you must connect the power supply for games. The laptop is heavy for daily transport. The fans are audible under load. That noise is the cost of this performance level.
Best for: Gamers who want near-desktop performance in a 16-inch laptop, and PC players with an upgrade from a GTX or RTX 30-series machine. Buy only at a price of $1,799 or less from a seller with a good record.
Not for: Commuters, students who carry a laptop all day, and persons who want a quiet laptop.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX | GPU: NVIDIA RTX 5070 (laptop, 8GB GDDR7) | Memory: 32GB DDR5 | Storage: 1TB SSD | Display: 16" 2.5K (2560x1600) 240Hz Nebula | List price: $2,099.99 | Amazon status: not sold by Amazon (October 27, 2026); third-party sellers $3,599; Amazon lowest recorded $1,699.99 (November 18, 2025); average $2,066.78
Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 (Kompanio Ultra 910, 16GB, 256GB): The value tier
The Chromebook Plus 14 is the value tier of this guide and the consensus pick for the best Chromebook. The laptop is fanless, with a 14-inch OLED touchscreen, a MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 chip, 16GB of memory, and an aluminum body with a weight of 2.78 lb. The model is part of the Chromebook Plus program, the higher hardware standard for Chromebooks. Amazon has never sold this listing. Third-party sellers ask $949.99 (October 19, 2026), above the $749 list price. The correct places for a price check at this time are Lenovo and Best Buy.
What the reviews say
- The Verge. "This is the new king of Chromebooks" and "overall just a damn good computer." The review praises the OLED display, the excellent keyboard, and the strong battery life. The $749 touchscreen version costs less than slower flagship Chromebook Plus models.
- Tom's Guide. "Simply the best, easily one of the best laptops I've used all year." The review praises the OLED display, the clear speakers, and the strong MediaTek performance. Their battery test gives 13 hours 19 minutes. Their only real negative point is the price, high for a Chromebook.
- Notebookcheck, 86%. The application performance is strong, the battery sub-score is 90 percent, and the operation is completely silent. The connectivity marks are weaker.
- Chrome Unboxed. "The best Chromebook ever made." Their test confirms the battery claim of 17 hours, and Android applications run with more stability than on any Chromebook in their tests.
Consensus: The agreement is near unanimous. This Chromebook is the model that reviewers recommend. The OLED display and the battery life are better than the display and battery life of Windows laptops at two times the price. The only disagreement is the question if a Chromebook can justify a price of $749.
Honest drawbacks: Amazon does not sell this model, and the third-party price of $949.99 is above the list price of $749. The correct Black Friday target is the range of $679 to $683.49, with two recorded prices in that range. ChromeOS has no desktop Windows or Mac applications. Web applications, Android applications, and Linux cover most daily work. The MediaTek chip is strong for ChromeOS, but the chip is not correct for heavy Linux workloads or local AI work.
Best for: Students, writers, and households that want a fast, silent laptop with a long battery life for browsing, documents, email, and video. The best price is a sale price of $700 or less.
Not for: Persons who need specific Windows software, serious games, or heavy offline applications.
- CPU: MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 | Memory: 16GB LPDDR5x | Storage: 256GB | Display: 14" WUXGA OLED touchscreen | OS: ChromeOS (Chromebook Plus) | Weight: 2.78 lb, fanless | List price: $749 | Tracked prices: $683.49 (Black Friday 2025), $679 (October 15, 2026, Best Buy one-day sale); Amazon does not sell this model; third-party sellers $949.99
Head-to-head: the dimensions that matter
Price: The three laptops are in three different price classes: value (Chromebook Plus 14), premium (MacBook Air), and no-compromise gaming (Strix).
Performance: The Strix is in a class of its own for games and graphics work. For daily work, the M5 in the MacBook Air is the fastest and most efficient chip in this guide. TechRadar and Tom's Hardware measure about 15.5 hours of battery life with that speed. The Kompanio Ultra in the Chromebook Plus 14 is the slowest chip on paper. Every reviewer reports strong performance for ChromeOS tasks.
Battery life: The Chromebook Plus 14 and the MacBook Air are the endurance class: 13 hours 19 minutes in the Tom's Guide test for the Lenovo, and about 15.5 hours for the Air. The Strix is a plug-in machine for games.
Display: Two OLED-class displays and one very good LCD. The OLED touchscreen of the Chromebook Plus 14 is the surprise of this guide. The 2.5K 240Hz panel of the Strix is the best display for games. The Liquid Retina display of the MacBook Air is bright and accurate, but the refresh rate is 60Hz. Every reviewer names this point.
Portability: The Air has a weight of 2.7 lb and the Chromebook Plus 14 has a weight of 2.78 lb. Both laptops are fanless and silent. The Strix is a bag decision, not a laptop decision.
Operating system: This point is the real decision. macOS (Air) and Windows (Strix) run all applications in their worlds. ChromeOS (Chromebook Plus 14) is the simplest and most secure system, and the most limited system. Verify that your important applications have web or Android versions before you buy.
Who should buy each one
- Get the MacBook Air M5 if: you want the best all-around laptop and your budget reaches $1,000 to $1,150. Buy the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5)
- Get the ROG Strix G16 if: gaming performance is the target and you play at a desk, with the power supply connected. Buy only at $1,799 or less, and not at the current third-party price. Buy the ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2025)
- Get the Chromebook Plus 14 if: your work is in a browser and you want the best-reviewed Chromebook, at a price of $700 or less. Buy the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14
Frequently asked questions
Is the MacBook Air M5 worth waiting for Black Friday, or should I buy at $1,149?
A wait is reasonable. Last year, the M4 Air price decreased by about $250 in Black Friday week, and the best price came on Cyber Monday. The October street price of the M5 is $1,149. A Black Friday price of $1,049 or less is a realistic target from the pattern of last year. The target is not a promise. If you need a laptop now, $1,149 is a fair price. The risk of an early purchase is about $100.
Should I buy a Chromebook or a cheap Windows laptop?
For browser-based work, buy the Chromebook. The Chromebook Plus 14 has no antivirus overhead and receives ChromeOS updates for ten years. The reviewers report excellent performance and battery life for productivity tasks. Buy Windows only for specific desktop software (full Adobe applications, certain games, specialized work tools) with no web or Android equivalent.
Is the ROG Strix G16 overkill for casual gaming?
Yes. For esports titles or older games, a cheaper RTX 4060 or RTX 5060 laptop on a Black Friday deal does the work for hundreds of dollars less. The RTX 5070 in the Strix earns its price in demanding games at high settings and in graphics-heavy creative work.
Why is there no budget Windows laptop in this guide?
At $680 to $750, the Chromebook Plus 14 has a better build and better reviews than the budget Windows laptops with verifiable prices. The Chromebook also has a battery advantage of hours. If a name-brand Windows laptop with 16GB of memory decreases to less than $600 at a tracked listing, we add the laptop to this guide.
Are Black Friday laptop "was" prices real?
Often not. Laptops are the worst category for this practice. The MacBook Air M5 had three US prices in eight months: $1,099 at launch, $1,299 after June, and $1,149 on the street. A banner with "$1,299 was, now $1,149" in November describes the regular October street price as a Black Friday deal. Compare with the street prices and the benchmarks in this guide.
When do laptop deals actually bottom out?
The benchmark table gives the pattern: the best MacBook Air price came on Cyber Monday, and the Chromebook low came in the autumn. Watch the full window from mid-November to Cyber Monday.
Our recommendations
- Best overall: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5). The best-reviewed mainstream laptop of 2026. Watch for a decrease to $1,049 or less.
- Best for gaming: ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2025). RTX 5070 performance and a 240Hz 2.5K display in a top-rated chassis. At $1,799 or less, the price is a real deal. Do not pay the current third-party price of $3,599.
- Best budget buy: Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14. At $700 or less, the price matches the Black Friday 2025 price. This Chromebook has the best reviews on the market.