We're just one month away from official Black Friday gaming laptop deals hitting our shelves, but there are already plenty of record-low prices up for grabs. This year's offers will see the RTX 40-Series out with a bang, if current RTX 50-Series rumors are to be believed, and will likely produce even better value in last year's Intel 13th Generation configurations as well. That means it's all to play for this November, and I'm looking forward to some particularly strong offers this year.
The current roster of new 2024 gaming laptops didn't really add too much under the hood. With no new GPUs on the market and minor spec bumps in Intel's 14th generation of processors, performance is only slightly ahead in new releases compared to last year's models. That means we've got two years' worth of machines still offering excellent specs and prices continuing to fall.
RTX 4080 and RTX 4070 rigs were the order of the day last year, with serious savings across everything from MSI to Asus, Razer to Alienware. However, this was also the year we saw the RTX 30-Series drop from favor. Discounts couldn't quite reach deep enough levels to warrant buying the older cards compared to their newer counterparts. If last year was the start of the RTX 40-Series domination, this is going to be the year the best gaming laptops featuring these cards are going to drop their prices.
I've been following these Black Friday gaming laptop deals for years, and I closely track day to day discounts every week. Until we get into sale season, then, I'm bringing you everything I've learned from my extensive experience across Black Friday gaming deals right here.
Today's best gaming laptop deals ahead of Black Friday
- Amazon: budget rigs from $599
- Best Buy: up to $800 off
- Dell: now starting from $699.99
- Newegg: MSI from $799.99
- Walmart: save up to $400
UK
- Amazon: save up to £690
- Argos: up to £200 off Lenovo
- Currys: up to £1,000 off MSI
- Dell: Alienware up to £400 off
- Ebuyer: Asus from £629.99
- Laptops Direct: save up to £1,200
- Very: MSI up to £695 off
What to expect from Black Friday gaming laptop deals in 2024
While cheaper machines will likely offer strong value for money in this year's Black Friday gaming laptop deals, those after High or Ultra settings should aim for more premium machines. Razer laptops and Alienware laptops sit at the upper end of the scale and this often prices them out of the market for many, but Black Friday gaming laptop deals bring those costs crashing down to a more reasonable level.
Last year's Black Friday Alienware deals saw the M16 drop to around $1,300 (a rate that had only been seen a handful of times in the weeks leading up to the main event), and the Razer Blade 14 took a hefty discount in the UK as well. However, it was Gigabyte, Asus, and MSI laptops carrying the bulk of the value last year.
We're looking specifically to the Razer Blade 16, Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, and Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 9 for some of the highest value savings in this premium category. These represent the cream of the crop from the market right now, and all have a strong track record during Black Friday. The previous generation version of the Legion Pro was one of the first to bring an RTX 4080 rig below $2,000 in years past, for example, and the latest OLED Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 was one of the first current-generation gaming laptops to shed its MSRP at the start of the year.
If, however, you're looking to spend a little less we do expect some of the most valuable Black Friday gaming laptop deals to sit in the cheaper seats. The Asus TUF A15 and Acer Nitro 16 are our go-to budget options, and have been regularly found for between $600 and $900 in sales events over the course of the year.
Watch list:
What should you look for in this year's Black Friday gaming laptop deals?
Knowing the model and spec you're on the hunt for is sometimes half the battle when it comes to big sale events. Prices will drop quickly once we get into November, so it's important that you're crystal clear on exactly what you want to get out of your machine. That way you can make a decision fast, and speed is often a crucial factor when competing in the higher quality flash sales.
If you're after an entry level system to play smaller titles or indie games, it's worth pitching your spec at an RTX 4050 or RTX 4060 graphics card, 16GB RAM, and a 13th or 14th generation i5 or Ryzen 5 5000-Series. This kind of rig won't cost you much at all - sitting at $600 / £600 in the lower end of Black Friday gaming laptop deals and generally tapping out at $900 / £900. You might not need to invest too much in a larger SSD for this use - your games will be smaller and you've got more room to be efficient in your storage use. Do make sure, however, that you're getting a nice 1080p screen with a refresh rate of at least 144Hz to make sure you're future proofed up top.
If you're looking to sprinkle some larger Triple-A releases in there, it might be time to upgrade your thinking. That i5 / Ryzen 5 processor will still suffice if you're not looking to go too hard, though if you're also going to be using your rig for productivity you may benefit from the increase in i7 and Ryzen 7 processors featured in discounted rigs. The extra cash will also steer you into RTX 4070 territory - the sweet spot for generalist use. You'll be able to get clean and smooth gameplay on larger titles with this kind of configuration, with performance holding up even with the same 16GB RAM under the hood. A 1TB SSD is a must here, though. All in all, you can expect to pay $1,000 / £1,000 - $1,500 / £1,500 for one of these machines over Black Friday.
Looking to blast through newer releases on Ultra settings without breaking too much of a sweat? It's time to boost your processor. An i9 or Ryzen 9 CPU will see you through here. You'll be spending between $1,700 / £1,700 and $2,500 / £2,500 on an RTX 4080-toting rig if discounts go to plan.
Those after an RTX 4090 machine will be the real heavy-hitters. You'll be looking to use demanding ray tracing features constantly and with High or Ultra settings enabled. Do make sure, though, that you're not picking up a gaming laptop particularly cheap just because it's skimping on the screen, though. You'll want a QHD+ or UHD display at around 240Hz to really make the most of your investment in that graphics card.
Should you buy a cheap gaming laptop on Black Friday?
If you're looking to up your Steam game without breaking the bank, Black Friday gaming laptop deals can be particularly tempting. There are two kinds of cheap gaming laptops that we see on the shelves during this time of year; budget models with mid-range components and mid-range models with entry level components. The decision between the two comes down to whether you prefer the flash of a higher quality screen, more durable construction, and better cooling engineering or you're simply after the best component-to-price ratio.
This is, of course, a personal decision - there's no right or wrong answer. In general we do see better overall value in the budget models packing more powerful internals - you'll often find the best prices for RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 rigs in this category. However, it's worth researching some budget and mid-range models before this year's Black Friday gaming laptop deals begin, so you can go in with a clear idea of what you're after.
Then there's the other question entirely. Do you need a gaming laptop, or are you better off browsing for Black Friday gaming PC deals? If you don't need to take your machine on the go with you, and you're already set up with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse then it might be better to pick up a prebuilt PC. We generally see far lower prices on these machines and you're grabbing better thermal regulation and more powerful versions of the same components as well. Of course, if you don't already have a setup, you'll have to factor in the cost of Black Friday gaming monitor deals as well. Everyday productivity on the go can also be achieved by a super cheap Black Friday laptop deal if you're stuck as well.
FAQ
When will Black Friday gaming laptop deals start?
Black Friday gaming laptop deals are due to kick off on November 29, however last year (like the years before it) we saw the vast majority of discounts hitting the shelves from the start of Thanksgiving week. You'll find gaming laptop deals picking up steam in general from October onwards, but the biggest discounts will be available from Monday November 25.
Where will the best Black Friday gaming laptop deals be?
We'll be rounding up all the biggest Black Friday gaming laptop deals right here as soon as they land, but if you're going it alone it pays to have an action plan. You'll find all the retailers we go to for the best savings just below.
US:
Amazon: often has some of the best prices on RTX 3080 rigs
Best Buy: some of the cheapest RTX 3060 rigs we've seen all year
Dell: excellent prices on budget and high-end machines
HP: big savings on Pavilion and Omen rigs and accessories
Lenovo: heavy discounts and early doorbusters
Microsoft: wide range of gaming laptops but best for accessories
Newegg: extra rebates can bring record low prices
Walmart: wide variety of budget buys on sale
UK:
Amazon: massive range, speedy shipping and regular discounts
Currys: big savings and often includes extras in bundles
Dell: G-Series budget buys and excellent Alienware discounts
Ebuyer: bargain prices and a range of high-end machines
Laptops Direct: best for budget brands and accessories
Very: often one of the first to offer November-level discounts
Is Black Friday a good time to buy a gaming laptop?
We see gaming laptop deals landing year-round - and some of them may beat Black Friday's prices. However, the vast majority of record low prices we see come from these November sales. That's because retailers and brands are readying for a new wave of releases to be announced in January, and need to shift a good amount of the previous year's stock before that happens. Black Friday gaming laptop deals' placement at the end of the year primes even newer configurations for particularly special savings. On top of that, this is the most popular savings event of the year, which means there's plenty more competition driving prices even further down.
Last year's best Black Friday gaming laptop deals
Last year's best Black Friday gaming laptop deals in the UK
Of course, we're also getting you prepped for all of this year's Black Friday gaming PC deals and everyday Black Friday laptop deals. If you're after something a little different, check out the Black Friday Steam Deck deals we're looking forward to this year as well.
