Quick answer: The best time to buy a laptop in 2026 is the Black Friday to Cyber Monday stretch, November 27 to November 30. Early deals start well before that, often in October. If you missed the window or need a machine before then, back-to-school season (late July to mid-August) and the weeks after a new model launches are the next best bets.
Key dates for 2026
- Black Friday: Friday, November 27
- Cyber Monday: Monday, November 30
- “Black Friday season”: roughly early October to late November
- Amazon Prime Day 2026: June 23 to 26 (already over)
- US back-to-school: mid-June to early September
Most people keep a laptop for years, so a few weeks of patience can pay off. This year has a twist, though. Component prices have pushed laptop costs up, and analysts don’t expect relief soon. Below you’ll find the full calendar, the launch months that cause older models to drop, and an honest take on whether waiting still makes sense.
Best time to buy a laptop in 2026: the short answer
If price is your main concern, aim for late November. Black Friday is still the single biggest discount event of the year for laptops, and Cyber Monday gives you a second shot three days later.
If you care more about the newest chip or screen, timing works differently. You buy close to launch and accept that discounts will be small or missing.
Either way, decide on the specs first, then watch the price. A deep cut on the wrong machine is still the wrong machine.
Laptop sale calendar 2026: month by month
Here is how the year usually plays out. The US events are the best documented. For the UK and UAE, our Google Trends check (October 2025 to October 2026) showed interest in Black Friday electronics deals peaking in late November in both countries. The UAE also showed a smaller bump around early March. We haven’t confirmed a specific event behind it, so treat it as a signal rather than a fixed sale.
| Month | United States | United Kingdom | UAE |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | CES reveals new Windows laptops; older stock starts clearing | Post-holiday sales | No confirmed laptop event |
| February to April | New CES models reach stores (many by March or April) | Quiet period | Smaller demand bump seen around early March (unconfirmed cause) |
| March to June | New MacBook Air models often arrive (March or June) | Same Apple timing | Same Apple timing |
| June | Amazon Prime Day (June 23 to 26 in 2026); back-to-school starts (mid-June) | Prime Day deals | Check local Amazon dates |
| July to August | Back-to-school peak, strongest late July to mid-August | Student offers | Check local retailers |
| September to October | Surface and MacBook Pro launches often land; early Black Friday deals begin | Early Black Friday | Early deals |
| November | Black Friday (Nov 27) and Cyber Monday (Nov 30) | Black Friday peak | Black Friday peak |
| December | Holiday sales, often weaker than Black Friday for laptops | Boxing Day | Holiday promotions |
Black Friday and Cyber Monday laptop deals 2026
Black Friday falls on November 27 this year, with Cyber Monday on November 30. In practice, the event has stretched well beyond one weekend. Mashable’s laptop guide (updated October 18, 2026) describes Black Friday as an informal season that now runs from early October into late November. Amazon’s fall Prime events pushed other retailers to start their own sales earlier.
That’s good news if you plan ahead. Build a short list of models, learn what they normally cost, and grab the right deal whenever it shows up.
A few practical tips for Black Friday laptop deals:
- Check the normal price for a few weeks first. A “was” price on sale day can be inflated.
- Compare the same model number. Retailers sometimes sell special configurations for big sales, with less storage or memory.
- Don’t ignore Cyber Monday. If a model sells out on Friday, it may come back on Monday.
Want to know which stores open their sales first? Our guide to early Black Friday 2026 start dates tracks them.
Back-to-school and student discounts
For US shoppers, back-to-school is the second big laptop window. Mashable’s guide puts the season at roughly mid-June to early September. ShopBack’s 2026 calendar puts the strongest laptop deals in late July and mid-August.
Prices usually aren’t quite as low as on Black Friday, but it’s still one of the best windows of the year. The real win for students is education pricing. Microsoft’s own buying guide notes that retailers offer discounts and incentives to students. If you qualify, education pricing can be stacked with a seasonal sale in some cases. Always check the terms.
For college buyers, the best time to buy a laptop is late July, before the start of term.
Prime Day and other Amazon events
Amazon Prime Day 2026 ran from June 23 to 26, so it’s over for this year. It still deserves a spot in your planning for next year. Prime Day pulls competing deals from other big retailers, and electronics are always one of its headline categories.
Amazon has also run fall Prime events in recent years, and these feed straight into the early Black Friday season. Keep an eye on our Amazon coupons and deals page for current offers. If you prefer to compare, Walmart deals often run alongside Amazon’s big events.
When new laptops launch, and why last year’s models get cheaper
Launch timing is the hidden half of laptop shopping. When a new generation arrives, the previous one usually gets discounted to clear shelf space. Microsoft says the same in its own guide: new hardware may not be discounted right away, but you can often find a good deal on the previous generation.
Here’s the typical launch rhythm, based on Mashable’s 2026 guide:
| Brand or event | Usual launch timing |
|---|---|
| CES (Asus, Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, MSI, Razer) | January, with many models on sale by March or April |
| Apple MacBook Air | Spring (March or June) |
| Apple MacBook Pro | Fall (October or November) |
| Microsoft Surface | Spring (March or May) or fall (September or October) |
In 2026, Apple also launched its first budget laptop, the MacBook Neo, alongside the M5 MacBook Air. That gives cost-conscious Mac buyers a new option.
If you want a Windows laptop, the months after CES are a good time to pick up last year’s model. If you want a Mac, watch for discounts on older models once a new one is announced.
Best time to buy a MacBook vs a Windows laptop
The two camps run on different calendars.
MacBooks. For a MacBook, Black Friday and back-to-school (with education pricing) are the strongest windows. A new MacBook Air in spring or a new MacBook Pro in the fall usually means retailers cut prices on the outgoing model.
Windows laptops. There are far more brands and models, so there are more sales overall. Black Friday is the peak. The post-CES months bring clearance on older stock.
If you’re also shopping for other electronics this season, our guide on whether you should wait for Black Friday to buy a TV uses the same approach.
Should you buy a laptop now or wait?
This is the hard question for 2026. Even the best time to buy a laptop can’t undo a market-wide price rise, and waiting has become riskier.
Memory and other component costs have climbed sharply this year. TechRadar (October 12, 2026), citing IDC, reports that global PC shipments in Q3 2026 fell 20.1% year on year, from 78.5 million to 62.7 million units. It links the drop to the RAM crisis and rising component prices. TrendForce estimates that the CPU, RAM and SSD now make up 68% of the bill of materials in a typical $900 mid-to-upper-range notebook. It warns that makers may pass more of those costs on to buyers. IDC expects PC prices to stay elevated at least into the first half of 2027.
There is one bright spot. IDC says retailers worried about excess inventory may run promotions and offer some short-term relief. That points to Black Friday 2026, though IDC also says prices won’t be anywhere near last year’s levels.
So here’s a simple rule:
- Your laptop still works fine? You can wait for Black Friday, but don’t count on prices falling in 2027.
- You need one soon? Buy during the early Black Friday season if you see a fair price on the model you want.
- Your laptop just died? Buy now. Look for last year’s models and certified refurbished units.
Tom’s Guide’s 2026 buying guide gives similar advice. If your current laptop still does the job, you can comfortably wait. If not, hunt for closeouts on 2025 models.
How to stack savings: sale price, promo code and cashback
A sale price is only the first layer. On many orders you can add one or two more:
- Start with the seasonal sale. Black Friday, back-to-school or a post-launch clearance.
- Add a promo code or coupon. Many brand stores accept codes on top of sale pricing, though some exclude doorbusters. Check our Lenovo coupons before you check out on a ThinkPad or IdeaPad.
- Use student or member pricing if you qualify.
- Pay with a card or app that offers cashback on electronics.
Read the fine print. Codes often exclude certain models.
Laptops aren’t the only big electronics purchase this season. If you’re shopping for a console as well, see our guide to PS5 Black Friday deals 2026.
Once your new laptop arrives, a free WPS Office download covers documents, sheets and PDFs.
FAQ
What is the cheapest month to buy a laptop?
November is usually the cheapest month, thanks to Black Friday (November 27, 2026) and Cyber Monday (November 30). Late July to mid-August is the next best window in the US.
Do laptops go on sale in January?
Some do. New Windows laptops are revealed at CES in January, and older stock is often cleared in the months after. Discounts are usually smaller than at Black Friday.
Is Black Friday worth it for laptops in 2026?
Yes, if you know the model and its normal price. Analysts expect prices to stay high into 2027, so Black Friday is one of the better chances this year to get relief.
When is the best time to buy a MacBook?
Black Friday and back-to-school season are the strongest windows. Older models also tend to drop in price after Apple launches new ones, usually in spring for the Air and fall for the Pro.
The best time to buy a laptop comes down to two things: the calendar and your deadline. Plan for late November if you can. Buy smart if you can’t.