Black Friday isn’t always the best time to buy a computer or phone. It’s easy to get ripped off by a deal that seems too good to be true (it usually is). To save you a few headaches, and a lot of dollars, we’ve compiled some WIRED picks for the best PCs and mobile device deals going on Black Friday weekend, some of which are already available. All of these deals are purchasable online, not in-store. If you insist on trudging through the crowds, we wish you the best, but you won’t find a lot of help here, outside the Black Friday ads linked below.
(Be sure to also check out our main Black Friday Deals Guide for a lot more sales.)
Black Friday Ads for 2017 with Computing Deals
Our Favorite Mobile and Computing Deals
HP Spectre x360 13-inch 2-in-1 Laptop – $940 ($410 off)
Date: Available Now
Buy on Amazon
This is a brand-new 2-in-1 touchscreen, foldable Windows 10 laptop from HP, and our Gear team gave it an 8/10 in our full review. It’s certified refurbished, but that shouldn’t stop you, here.
Anker 13,000mAh Portable Phone Charger – $24 ($20 off)
Date: Available Now
Buy on Amazon
There’s nothing exciting about buying a portable charger, but if you need one, this is a fantastic one. Anker makes durable, solid accessories and 13,000mAh is enough to charge most phones four times over. It has two high-speed USB 3.0 ports and comes with a charge cord.
Samsung Chromebook Plus and Pro – $100 off
Date: Nov. 19
Buy Chromebook Plus for $350 on Samsung.com, Amazon
Buy Chromebook Pro for $450 on Samsung.com, Amazon
Samsung has a bunch of Black Friday deals going, and the Plus and Pro are two good ones. We griped about the problems with Android apps in our Chromebook Pro review, but overall we recommend it. Google continues to improve the app experience, and at $350 – $450, both of these devices are a lot more attractive. We aren’t sure if Amazon will have this deal, but it already has the devices for $50 off.
iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus – Free $250 Target Gift Card
Date: Nov. 23
Buy on Target
If you’re a Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint customer and buy a standard iPhone 8 or 8 Plus from Target, you’ll get a $250 gift card to use at the store. Gift cards aren’t as fun as cash, but if you are doing other shopping anyway, this might be a good option.
HP Laptop with 8GB RAM, Intel Core i5, 2TB drive – $360 ($200 off)
Date: Nov. 23
This HP laptop checks most of the boxes for a decent Windows 10 laptop, including having a touchscreen, a decent amount of RAM, and a very good Intel Core i5 processor. HP claims it will get about 8 hours of battery life.
Buy on the Microsoft Store
Apple MacBooks and iMacs – $800 ($200 off)
Date: Nov. 23-25
Buy the MacBook Air for $800 ($200 off) on Best Buy
Buy the iMac for $800 ($200 off) on Best Buy
Best Buy is the place to be for Apple deals this holiday. During Black Friday, it will discount the MacBook Air and iMac by $200.
Microsoft Surface Pro and Surface Laptop ($200-$330 off)
Date: Nov. 23
Buy Surface Pro for $330 off on Microsoft’s store
Buy the Surface Laptop w/free Cortana Speaker on Microsoft’s Store
The Surface Pro is the best 2-in-1 tablet you can buy, but it’s expensive. Microsoft is discounting two versions of it with an Intel Core i5 processor. We recommend the one with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. If you want a Surface Laptop (we like it), it will come with a free Cortana-enabled speaker. We can’t vouch for the speaker, but it is a Harman Kardon Invoke.
Garmin Vivoactive HR watch – $120 ($130 off)
Date: Nov. 23-25
Buy on Best Buy
No, it's not a phone, but it is a mobile device! This Garmin watch isn’t the sexiest, but like most Garmin’s it’s fantastic for those into fitness or sports, and it’s also more than 50 percent off it’s normal price. If you’re at all interested in a fitness watch, this may be a fun option.
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