Black Friday deals are in full swing and spilling over into the weekend. If your social media feeds are anything like mine, your timelines are full of deals and discounts. But I've grown bitter over the years, at least when it comes to online shopping, and I assume many deals are deceptive.
If you're like me and worry that companies are trying to trick you into buying deals, stick around. Below, I'll break down why fake deals exist, why some seemingly deceptive deals this year are genuine, and how to find the best Black Friday deals.
Have tariffs increased prices?
Due to several factors, prices in the tech industry are volatile right now. Tariffs play a part, but they are not the sole driving factor of price increases.
For example, the ever-increasing demand for AI has increased the price of RAM. That, in turn, is causing other prices to go up.
But tariffs are a buzzword for a reason. Prices across several industries have been altered by trade policy. Microsoft raised the price of its Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles twice this year.
Other companies have made similar changes, such as Sony adding $50 to the price tag of the PlayStation 5.
Are Black Friday deals fake?
Some Black Friday deals are fake. Retailers will raise prices in October or early November just to drop them to "normal" pricing on Black Friday. I have some tips on how to spot those fake deals in the section below, but first I want to highlight why in 2025 you'll see many deals that feel fake but are genuine.
With prices going up, some of the best Black Friday deals only reduce products back to what was once normal pricing. So, does that mean Black Friday deals are fake? It's not that simple.
There are genuine reasons for companies to raise prices. It's not like Microsoft or Sony can make their own trade deals with countries. Setting aside any arguments about the merits of tariffs, the end result is that in many cases, prices right now are higher than they were a year ago.
Alarmingly, there are no deals on an Xbox Series X|S right now. Which makes it even easier to say, with a heavy heart, that you should be buying a PS5 right now instead.
Richard Devine — Managing Editor, Windows Central
If outside factors caused prices to go up, a reduction in price throughout the holiday period is a deal. It just doesn't feel as good when shopping.
Even with all these forces affecting prices, there are good deals and bad deals — or in the case of Xbox Series X|S consoles, there are no deals.
Sony's PlayStation 5 Slim Digital Edition is discounted to $399.99 right now. That's a discount of $100 from current retail pricing.
The PlayStation 5 Slim Digital Edition launched with a recommended price of $449.99. That makes the current claim of a $100 discount appear misleading, but that's not the case.
In contrast to the PS5, Xbox Series X|S consoles are not discounted at all this Black Friday — at least not yet. An Xbox Series X Digital Edition costs $599.99 right now.
In 2025, $200 matters to a heck of a lot of people. My guess is most shoppers don't care why the Xbox Series X is so expensive or why the PlayStation 5 Slim Digital Edition is discounted. They just want to buy an item in their budget.
Price is one of the reasons our Managing Editor Richard Devine recommend the PS5 Slim Digital Edition on Black Friday.
How to find the best Black Friday deals
Finding deals is increasingly difficult in 2025. Some prices have gone up due to tariffs. Other prices have shot up because of AI, causing an unhealthy demand for RAM.
Unfortunately, some retailers increase prices a few weeks before Black Friday only to lower them to make deals look better.
So, how do you tell a genuine deal from a fake discount? Here are a few tips:
- Find experts who track prices and understand the market. For example, our Senior Editor Zac Bowden knows Surface prices so well he jumped on a Surface Laptop deal immediately, then shared it with our readers.
- Use price tracking tools, such as CamelCamelCamel, and Slickdeals to see historic prices.
- Use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge to check deals and track price changes, such as with the Camelizer extension.
If you do get burnt by a deal, be willing to return an item or make a retailer price match it. Several online stores have some form of Black Friday guarantee that allows you to claim the difference if an item drops in price after you purchased it.
Best Buy Holiday Price Match Guarantee, Newegg Black Friday Price Protection, and Target Price Match Guarantee have different date ranges for Black Friday price guarantees, but they all offer one.
At this time of year, it's also worth remembering that many of the big tech retailers will have extended return policies. Amazon, for example, is offering a return period right now stretching through to January 31, 2026. So you're covered even if you're buying something to gift at Christmas.
FAQs
When is Black Friday 2025?
Black Friday landed on Friday, November 28 in 2025, though its related discounts weren't restricted to the official day itself. Black Friday as an event started earlier in the week across multiple retailers, and continues to apply across the weekend.
What day is Cyber Monday 2025?
Cyber Monday starts on Monday, December 1, 2025, but, as with Black Friday, it has already begun appearing as the theme for deals at certain retailers. While its discounts are generally restricted to the day itself, some deals may extend into Tuesday and beyond.
When does Cyber Monday start on Amazon?
Cyber Monday has already started on Amazon US, with its promotional messaging shifting away from Black Friday in the early hours of Saturday morning, on November 29, 2025, and is expected to last until the end of Monday, December 1, 2025.
More Black Friday 2025 - quick links
- All our TOP recommended Black Friday deals: Just the best
- Mini PC deals: up to 47% off tiny PCs
- GPU deals: early price drops on NVIDIA RTX before they go up
- Microsoft Surface deals: save up to $500 on premium PCs
- Xbox accessories: best deals on gadgets for your Xbox Series X|S and PC
- Gaming laptop deals: the best laptops for the best price
- Xbox controllers: our top picks for best controller deals
- ANC headphones: great Black Friday deals on the best ANC headphones
Even more Black Friday deals: - Dell deals: 13 deals from Dell.com that you shouldn't miss
- Best Buy: 34 hottest discounts on laptops, monitors, gaming, and more
- Walmart: 7 top laptop deals you shouldn't miss
- Samsung monitors: the best Samsung display deals we've found
- Retro gaming: handhelds, arcade machines, old school consoles, and more
- Steam Deck: Essential accessory deals
- Gamer merch: Blizzard’s Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo IV collectibles
- Game keys: 10 PC game codes are even cheaper at Loaded (formerly CDKeys)
- Accessories: Even more PC accessories starting at $17
- SSDs: The best Samsung SSDs on sale
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