Short answer: the best times to buy a laptop are Black Friday through Cyber Monday (late November), back-to-school season (July to early September), and right after a new model launches, when the previous generation gets discounted. Amazon’s Prime Day (July) and Prime Big Deal Days (October) also bring real discounts on popular models.
In this article
The laptop buying calendar
| When | What happens | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| January (CES) | New Windows laptops announced; ship spring–summer | Waiting, not buying |
| February–March | Presidents’ Day sales; Apple often refreshes MacBook Air in spring | Discounted previous-gen models |
| July | Prime Day; back-to-school sales begin; Apple education promo | Student laptops, MacBooks |
| August–early September | Peak back-to-school deals | Budget and mid-range laptops, Chromebooks |
| October | Prime Big Deal Days; Apple often announces new Pro models | Early holiday deals |
| Late November | Black Friday / Cyber Monday | The deepest discounts on almost everything, gaming laptops especially |
| December–January | Post-holiday clearance | Open-box and clearance bargains |
Five ways to pay less, any time of year
- Buy the previous generation. When a new chip launches, last year’s model often drops 15–30%, and the real-world difference is usually small.
- Check price history with a tracker like CamelCamelCamel or Keepa (for Amazon) before trusting a “deal” badge. Some “sales” are inflated list prices.
- Use education and employee pricing. Apple, Microsoft, Dell, HP, Lenovo and Samsung all have student stores, and many employers have purchase programmes.
- Consider certified refurbished. Apple Certified Refurbished, Dell Outlet and Lenovo Outlet units come with full warranties and often look new.
- Watch return windows. Many retailers extend holiday returns into January, so buying in November is low-risk.
Is now a good time to buy? (October 2026)
- MacBooks: the M5 MacBook Air and MacBook Neo are current, so it’s a fine time to buy one. A new high-end MacBook with an OLED screen is widely rumoured for this autumn, so if you’re buying a MacBook Pro, wait a few weeks.
- Windows laptops: Intel Panther Lake and AMD Ryzen AI 400 laptops launched this year. Black Friday is about six weeks away and usually brings the best prices of the year.
- Prices overall: memory and storage shortages pushed many laptop prices up in 2026, and analysts don’t expect relief until 2027. Waiting for prices to “go back to normal” may not pay off, so a good Black Friday deal is likely the best you’ll see for a while.
When not to wait
If your current laptop is broken or holding back your work or studies, buy what you need now. Waiting three months to save $100 rarely makes sense. Just avoid buying a model that’s about to be replaced. A quick search for “[model name] 2027” or news about its successor will tell you.
Before you shop, avoid these common buying mistakes.
Shopping this autumn? Our Black Friday 2026 laptop deals guide covers key dates, the laptops worth watching and how to spot fake discounts.
