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December is a good time for laptop deals as retailers and computer companies look to offer deals for holiday gift shoppers. That means laptop buyers should be on the lookout for deals all month long. You'll find discounts on Windows laptops and Apple MacBooks alike, as well as a variety of accessories for both. So if you need a mobile computer, we've rounded some of the best places to find deals for this month.
The good news is that inflation isn't causing average laptop prices to rise as dramatically as other product categories. Slow demand is also helping to keep costs reined in for the consumer. According to forecasts by Gartner, a market research firm, PC shipments in 2023 have been on a decline. That slower market demand is causing laptop companies to offer enticing discounts to counter any consumer reticence.
Today’s Best Laptop Sales
- Dell: up to $500 off select laptops and desktop PCs
- HP: weekly deals up to 84% off laptops
- Apple: up to $350 off Refurbished MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops
- Apple Education Store: up to 10% off, plus 20% off AppleCare+ for college students and teachers of all grades
- Lenovo: up to 77% or more off laptops and Thinkpad business laptops
- Acer: up to 35% and more off laptops and Chromebooks
- Asus: up to $700 off Vivobook, Zenbook, and other laptops
- Microsoft: up to $650 off Surface laptops, including up to $800 off a Surface Pro 9
- Best Buy: up to $550 off Windows laptops and MacBooks starting at $949
- Walmart: up to $250 or more off laptops
- Amazon: various discounts at a variety of price levels
- Staples: up to 40% or more off select Windows laptops and Chromebooks
- Newegg: up to 50% off laptops
Best Laptop Deals Going On Right Now
Here’s a rundown of the best sales and promotions happening right now at some of the top laptop brands and retailers:
Dell
Dell runs a weekly sale featuring deals that are sometimes up to $800 off the original price. This section includes discounts on non-touch and touch-screen versions of the Dell Inspiron line of consumer laptops and the Dell XPS line of laptops aimed at business professionals. Also, be on the lookout for Dell coupon codes.
Expect discounts like this sitewide during the holiday shopping season all month long. Also, look for coupon codes that give you extra discounts of up to $100 off.
HP
HP showcases its current sales with discounts that can be hundreds of dollars off the original price. Occasionally, HP runs short-term flash sales, such as a 72-hour sale. In December look for holiday discounts all month long, and after the holidays during clearance sales. Also, look for good discounts such as printers, monitors, and desktop PCs.
Apple
Though the Apple Store online doesn’t run general sales on any of its products, there are some ways to get Apple discounts. College students and educators can get up to about 10% off by shopping at Apple's Education Store, and veterans and active military members can get 10% off after they verify their status through ID.me, a third-party verification service.
You can also save on MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models by shopping the Certified Refurbished section of the site. This section features previous generation models that have been repaired, if necessary, and fully retested for functionality. Anything you buy here is covered by a one-year warranty and 90 days of free technical support. Your purchase is also eligible for AppleCare+, the company’s extended warranty program.
It's also a good idea to check Apple-authorized resellers like Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart, and B&H for any laptop deals. These retailers regularly run discounts on Apple products.
Lenovo
If you need a new laptop in December, check Lenovo's website. Its Doorbusters page lists some of its best current promotions, with discounts on laptops up to 77% off, for example. It will likely also offer some coupon code discounts during holiday-themed sales.
Acer
Acer discounts its laptops up to 35% or more in its continually updated Sale section. Early in the month the company will feature a 12 Days to Save sales event with deals of up to 44% off. Price drops on laptops include the budget-friendly Acer Aspire 5 line and the high-end Predator Triton 300 for gaming.
Asus
Asus offers deals up to $700 off and sometimes more in its deals section, including Chromebooks, Vivobook budget laptops, and the Zenbook Pro.
Microsoft
Microsoft sells its line of Surface and Surface Pro laptops and tablets directly to consumers. It often runs sales, such as up to $800 off select models. Plus, shipping is free on most items. You can also save up to 39% when you shop the Certified Refurbished section of Microsoft's online store. Items sold here are tested for functionality and carry a 12-month warranty.
Best Buy
You can usually find discounts on a variety of laptops every week at Best Buy on brands like HP, Dell, and Apple all year round. You can also occasionally find laptop deals in the retailer's Deal of the Day and Top Deals sections. You can access both at the top left of the homepage.
Look for discounts that compete with other retailers during this month, especially on Apple MacBooks during holiday sales. The retailer is offering strong discounts on budget Windows-based laptops and Chromebooks.
Walmart
Walmart offers select price drops continually on its site on brands like Apple, HP, Lenovo, and others. However, be aware that the retailer mixes its own deals with third-party resellers on walmart.com. The retailer will offer holiday deals all month long, but be careful of deals advertised as door-busters. While these will be offered for some of the lowest prices anywhere, they will be for low-powered budget models that will not be suitable for high-performance needs, such as gaming or graphics.
Some of the resellers featured on the site may not be authorized to sell the top brands or may have different warranty and return policies than Walmart. Research any reseller you're interested in before making the purchase.
Amazon
Shopping for good laptop deals on Amazon can be tricky. Check out the online retailer's laptop deals page, but scroll past the two or three sponsored links at the top. When you've found a laptop deal you like, check the seller name found next to “Sold by” on the left-hand side of the product page. If the laptop is not being sold by Amazon, make sure the reseller is an authorized seller of the laptop brand and check its warranty and return policies.
If you're in the market for a laptop from Apple, Amazon usually matches the best sale prices by other retailers, including Best Buy, Walmart, and B&H.
Staples
This office-supply retailer offers discounts of up to 40% off Windows computers and Chromebooks, but it doesn't sell Apple computers. While Staples' range of available laptops is smaller than other retailers, the company regularly runs sales in its deals section. Definitely look for deals during holiday-themed sales, especially on budget laptops and models with basic specs, from brands like HP and Lenovo at Staples.
Newegg
Newegg has a wide selection of laptops on sale, including from third-party resellers. Make sure you know which company you're buying from by checking the "Sold and Shipped by" information in the top right corner of any product page.
There are often laptops on sale in the Today's Best Deals section. Here the retailer lists Shell Shocker deals only available for a limited time, such as 24 hours.
Find Laptop Coupons Online
To find more laptop coupons online, check the sale or promotions section of manufacturer and retailer sites for coupons and exclusive promo codes.
You can also find more deals for your favorite brands and retailers right here at U.S. News Deals.
Laptop Deals – Tips To Save
When buying a computer, always consider how you plan to use it. Basic users may only need average specs for processor speed, memory amount, battery life, and storage capacity. Gaming and creative professionals may need better specs, including dedicated graphics processing units and high-resolution screens. Some may prefer an Intel processor to an AMD Ryzen processor, while others may prefer the MacOS operating system to Windows 11.
You never want to pay for more than you need, but you should be careful so you don't buy a cheap laptop that can’t deliver the performance you need. Regardless of your choice, there’s always a way to save money.
Here are our best tips on how to save money on a laptop no matter what time of year you're shopping for one:
Check for manufacturers’ or retailers’ sales
You can find these on their websites or at U.S. News Deals. You can also check retailers’ weekly ads for current sales.
Sign up for a company’s email list
You'll receive offers and usually a promotional coupon after signing up. Plus, you'll be notified about current or upcoming sales.
Utilize price matching
Check to see if your preferred retailer will price match the competition if you find a lower price elsewhere. Keep in mind the brand and specs of the laptop will need to be an exact match.
Use a credit card that offers cash back
For high-end laptops, even 2% cash back can be a significant amount of money.
Do your research before you buy
Looking at credible review sites and trusted consumer reviews can help you decide which laptop is best for you. An easy way to do that is to check out U.S. News 360 Reviews' rating of the Best Laptops of 2023.
Buy a bit more than you need
Your new laptop will last longer if you purchase one with better specs than a cheap laptop may feature. Making sure you have the latest processor and double the memory capacity you might normally need could save you from having to upgrade sooner than you'd like.
Be careful of overbuying, too
It's also important to avoid spending extra on specs you don’t need. For example, if you already store most of your documents, photos, and videos virtually in the cloud, don’t spend extra money on a 1-TB solid-state drive when a 256- or 512-GB SSD will likely be fine.
For students, check with the school first
Many primary and secondary schools, as well as colleges, have specific requirements for the type of laptop they want students to use. For younger students, it may be a Chromebook. For some college students, there may be specific processor and storage requirements.
Check for student, military, and first responder discounts
Many retailers and laptop brands offer these types of discounts, but they may override other promotions, so don’t use them if the sale price or coupon code offers a better deal.
Consider certified- or factory-refurbished laptops
Buying used laptops that have been returned and repaired for resale can be a good way to get a discount. It’s important, though, to make sure the laptop has been refurbished by the manufacturer or a third-party refurbisher that is certified to work on that particular laptop brand.
Avoid paying for shipping
One of the nice things about the computer industry is that almost every retailer and manufacturer offers free shipping. If you find a deal that includes a shipping fee, make sure the same deal isn’t available with free shipping somewhere else.
More Deals To Save
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