Gaming laptops are almost always pricier than their standard counterparts due to the extra performance and cooling hardware inside, and that's why I always recommend waiting for a sale to buy.
Despite having Black Friday and Cyber Monday behind us, gaming laptop deals are still going strong. Consider this a last-chance opportunity to save.
December 3, 2024: Cyber Monday might be behind us, but there are still plenty of gaming laptop deals available. I've updated all items to check availability and pricing. — Cale Hunt
🔥The hottest post-Cyber Monday deals🔥
- 💻HP EliteBook 14 (Ryzen 7 PRO) | $899 at HP (Save $2,023!)
- 🎮Xbox Series X Digital Edition (1TB) | $398 at Walmart (Save $52!)
- 🕹️Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (3-months) | $29.29 at CDKeys (Save $11!)
- 🎮Lenovo Legion Go (Z1 Extreme) | $534.44 at Amazon (Save $166!)
- 💻Surface Pro 11 w/ keyboard (X Plus) | $999.99 at Best Buy (Save $350!)
- 💽Seagate Xbox Series X|S Card (2TB) | $199.99 at Best Buy (Save $160!)
Best Cyber Monday gaming laptop deals under $1,000
Best Cyber Monday gaming laptop deals over $1,000
I've been covering Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals for eight years, giving me plenty of experience when it comes to sniffing out the best prices. I've also reviewed countless gaming laptops for Windows Central, so I know what's worth your time. The deals I've sourced here should cover most budgets, allowing you to shop comfortably.
💽More Cyber Monday deals that won't quit💾
- Dell: Lowest PC prices of the year for a little longer after Cyber Monday
- HP: Aggressive "Cyber Week" deals on laptops while supplies last
- Lenovo: Still save up to 68% on laptops, desktops, and select doorbusters
- Samsung: Week-long holiday deals on laptops, TVs, phones, and more
Choosing the best gaming laptop for you
Cyber Monday 2024 is here, and I've noticed many companies announcing wave after wave of excellent deals and discounts right now. As expected, PC gamers are benefiting more than most. I always recommend waiting for a big discount to buy a gaming laptop, and Black Friday is typically the last time of the year to take advantage.
A wide variety of gaming laptops from the major players are discounted for Cyber Monday, and I've been careful to include only major price cuts from a range of different hardware and features.
Don't look at the price alone
It's often tempting to grab the cheapest laptop available, especially when so many are reduced during sales events like Cyber Monday. However, not every attractive price tag means a reduction on capable components; some will be older models that might struggle to keep up with your favorite games. I recommend sticking with hardware that's been released in the last couple of years lest you find yourself buying an already outdated model.
The most up-to-date hardware often eludes major discounts, but that's OK for most gamers. Landing NVIDIA's 30- and 40-series laptop graphics cards, Intel's 12th Gen or newer CPUs, and AMD's Ryzen 7000 or newer CPUs can be considered a win if the price is right.
Even an entry-level RTX 4050 laptop GPU from NVIDIA's latest range is worth considering, as it delivers sophisticated DLSS 3.5 upscaling technology to improve performance. Intel and AMD both make capable mobile CPUs, so you can't go wrong with the latest and greatest from either company.
How big of a laptop do you need?
When making your decision, consider the physical size first. If you plan to travel with a gaming laptop frequently, anything over 16 inches might become a little cumbersome unless you have a convenient way to transport it. However, these larger models often double up as complete desktop PC replacements thanks to improvements to thermal cooling solutions in the expanded chassis.
Nowadays, you can find compact gaming laptops as small as 14-inches if you need ultimate portability, but you may be sacrificing power. Check out our best gaming laptops guide for an idea of what scores highest for us.
What display resolution is best?
Most laptop brands try to balance performance hardware and display, but that doesn't mean you won't sometimes come across skewed specs.
When it comes to display resolution in your laptop, you should consider the size of the screen. A larger screen, say between 16 and 18 inches, might not be crisp enough for your liking if it has a 1080p resolution. On the other hand, you might find that 1440p is overkill for a 14-inch gaming laptop. Finding a happy medium is crucial.
Then there's performance to consider. The higher the display resolution, the more your PC will have to work. If you're buying a more affordable laptop with, say, an RTX 4050 Laptop GPU, it should be paired with a 1080p display. Even a mobile-class RTX 4060 can struggle with 1440p in demanding games.
If you plan on playing competitive titles, try to focus on a higher refresh rate for smoother action. And if you're only interested in lightweight indie games, you can always get a higher resolution without really worrying about performance issues.
How much RAM and storage should I buy?
The minimum amount of RAM that I recommend for gaming is 16GB. If you're buying a high-performance system with demanding AAA titles on your radar, a bump up to 32GB won't hurt at all. On the other hand, if you're only interested in less demanding indie titles, 8GB should get you by.
The nice thing about most gaming laptops — at least those using DDR instead of soldered LPDDR RAM — is that memory can be upgraded after purchase. If you find a good deal on a gaming laptop but it only has, say, 8GB of DDR4/5 RAM, you should be able to buy more RAM later and upgrade yourself.
As for storage, more is always better. I wouldn't recommend anything less than 512GB in a gaming laptop, especially if you enjoy AAA games. Like memory, most gaming laptops still feature upgradeable storage, giving you options in the future if you find that your PC doesn't have enough room.
When did Black Friday end?
On paper, at least, Black Friday ended the moment Midnight chimed on Nov. 29, 2024, or the Friday following the Thanksgiving holiday in the USA. However, that doesn't necessarily mean all the deals up and disappeared at that time. Cyber Monday is right around the corner, and that means fresh waves of sales to take advantage of. I should be clear, many deals did end alongside Black Friday, so those who hesitated are out of luck. If you missed out, though, you may have another opportunity this weekend and on Cyber Monday.
When does Cyber Monday start?
Cyber Monday began as the online retailer equivalent of Black Friday, but most shopping has gone online over the last few years. This has resulted in Black Friday and Cyber Monday being blended into one massive sales event spread across an entire weekend, with Cyber Monday marking the tumultuous finale. This year, Cyber Monday falls on Dec. 2, 2024, which (as you might expect) is the Monday after Black Friday.
It's best to take advantage of sales you're interested in the moment you spot them to avoid stock shortages and limited-time discounts, but Cyber Monday does frequently boast its own batch of last-minute deals separate from Black Friday.
Which has better deals, Black Friday or Cyber Monday?
Because of how similar the two days (and the weekend between them have become), it's difficult to definitively say if Black Friday or Cyber Monday has the best deals. Many retailers and companies hit Black Friday running with their biggest promotions to get people in the door, but others may wait until Cyber Monday and strike with last-minute discounts that keep interest going until the end.
The rule of thumb to keep in mind here is that if you spot a tempting discount for a product you want, you shouldn't risk waiting for a better deal to come along. Retailers like Amazon and Best Buy will often price match your purchases if prices fall further during your return period, so it's better to take advantage of the deal in front of you than wait for the better deal that may never come (especially since Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals tend to have limited stock).
When does Cyber Monday end?
While Black Friday and Cyber Monday tend to start earlier each year, the worldwide sales event often ends on a similar note. Cyber Monday, which this year is Dec. 2, 2024, is the final day for many of the most major and aggressive sales and discounts from the deals bonanza. While some promotions may continue after Cyber Monday ends at Midnight on Dec. 2, you really shouldn't wait to take advantage of any deals that have caught your attention.
