Black Friday tech FAQs

When does Black Friday start? 

Black Friday traditionally starts November 29, the day after Thanksgiving. Many Black Friday sales will begin on Thanksgiving, or even earlier in the week.

Will Apple have a Black Friday sale?

Apple doesn’t usually have an extensive Black Friday sale of its own. However, you’ll likely be able to find deals on Apple products from third-party stores such as Best Buy and Target. 

Does Google have Black Friday sales?

Google usually offers Black Friday deals on its devices through the Google Store and other retailers like Best Buy and Walmart. We expect that you’ll find Black Friday discounts on the new Pixel 4, as well as the older Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. 

We’ll compile the best Black Friday tech deals on gadgets from Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, and more. 

In the past, Black Friday has been a great time to buy products from big tech names, including Amazon, Google, Samsung, Sony, and Microsoft, for hundreds of dollars off. Other manufacturers, such as Apple and Sonos, tend to offer more modest discounts — but these companies don’t have as many sales all-year as others. 

How do I get the most out of Black Friday?

Based on our experience, these are our best Black Friday tips: 

• Research what you need. It’s easy to be tempted by snazzy-looking deals, but you don’t want to waste money on junk; you want tech that suits your needs, and tech that will last. If you just sign on hoping to find a cheap TV, you might end up with a low-quality product. We recommend figuring out what new devices you need well in advance of Black Friday, and reading reviews to find the model that’s best for you. Then, you’ll enter the holiday frenzy knowing exactly what you’re looking for.   
• Find the best price. You don’t want to make a purchase from Walmart only to find out that Target had the same product for $20 cheaper. Once you’ve decided to buy something, make sure you’ve found the retailer that’s offering it for the best price. Use a price-comparison engine such as ShopSavvy or a tracker such as Camelcamelcamel (or just keep an eye on our deals hub). Speaking of which…
• Don’t wed yourself to Amazon. The biggest retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart, do offer some excellent exclusive discounts (particularly on Amazon’s own products, in Amazon’s case). That said, the retailers that have historically offered the biggest discounts on tech products are actually smaller names. Lenovo’s store offered the biggest discounts on computers and phones last year, followed by JCPenny, Office Depot, Target, and Kohl’s. The biggest discounter of consumer electronics was Fred Meyer, followed by Academy Sports + Outdoors and Staples. That doesn’t mean you’ll find all (or even most) of the products you want at these stores, but it doesn’t hurt to look around.  
• Keep an eye out at least a week in advance. Some retailers will roll out Black Friday discounts on Thanksgiving, or even earlier in the week. Amazon, for example, often rolls out early Black Friday deals throughout the month of November. You may be able to find the exact product you’re looking for before the Black Friday frenzy. 
• Act quickly on deals you want. Some of the best deals are released in very limited quantities and might be gone in seconds. 
• Don’t buy brand-new products. Retailers tend to use Black Friday sales to clear their inventory of outdated products. You’ll get the best savings on products that are at least a year old. Other tech to steer clear of: TVs (you’ll get lower prices in December), DSLR cameras (these get their biggest discounts in February), and kids’ toys (you’ll see better sales leading up to Christmas). 

Bookmark this page to stay updated on all the latest news on Black Friday tech deals. 

We’ll be updating this page from now through the end of Black Friday to bring you the best discounts we can find across the web — and yes, we’ll compare retailers’ prices to bring you what is truly the best deal. Read on to see the best deals we know about so far. 

For more about Black Friday, check out the Best Sales of Black Friday 2019, our guide to What to Buy on Black Friday, and our Black Friday FAQ.