In a year that saw the best gaming laptops plagued with price increase after price increase, where even the previous year’s releases weren’t immune to inflated rates, and configurations with more than 16GB RAM suddenly shot up to a premium, you’d be forgiven for losing Black Friday optimism. 2026 has seen component scarcity on another level, with RAM shortages and SSDs shooting up the price scale leaving manufacturers, retailers, and ultimately us the players to pick up the pieces.
What does that mean for 2026 Black Friday gaming laptop deals? We’ll likely still see the same level of discounts, but with starting prices so high it’s unlikely we’ll get near to the lows of previous years. Gaming laptops are, on average, roughly 38% more expensive at the time of writing compared to Black Friday last year (see below). That’s nearly double the 20% we’d usually expect to see taken off in the holiday sales (Adobe).
It’s not all doom and gloom, though. Yes, we’re going to be paying more for Black Friday gaming laptop deals this year but if you need an upgrade there are still discounts to be found. Average prices are going to look a little higher but there are also ways to mitigate these increases. Gaming laptops with 16GB RAM, rather than the 32GB we saw creeping into a lot more listings last year, are more common these days and will still see you through the vast majority of modern releases (avoid any 8GB RAM models that may pop up). Opting for a FHD display rather than a QHD upgrade can also keep those numbers lower, as can putting off that OLED upgrade for another few years.
With early Black Friday gaming laptop deals expected to take to the shelves well ahead of that November 27 go-date, you’ll find all the sales available right now on this page as well as everything I’ve learned about picking the right rig for the right price down below.
The retailers to know
- Amazon: starting from $939.99
- Best Buy: HP from $899.99
- HP: Omen from $1,299
- Lenovo: LOQ from $1,299.99
- Newegg: MSI from $938.99
- Walmart: Acer from $899
UK
- Amazon: starting from £832
- Argos: Acer from £749
- Currys: MSI from £849
- Very: Lenovo from £1099
The best gaming laptop deals ahead of Black Friday
Alienware 15 (RTX 4050): was $1299.99 now $899
Walmart has Alienware’s cheapest gaming laptop down to $899 this week. You’re not going to get the full grunt of a chunkier rig here, but the RTX 4050 under the hood will handle lighter titles at 1080p and you’re still getting the all-important 16GB RAM.
Specs: AMD Ryzen 5 220 | RTX 4050 | 16GB RAM | 512GB SSD | 165Hz FHD+ displayView Deal
Acer Nitro V (RTX 5050): was $1549.99 now $1049.99
If you’re sticking with entry level but still want to stay up to date with Nvidia RTX 50-Series graphics, this Acer Nitro V looks the ticket this week. It’s still got 16GB RAM under the hood, but it’s paired up with a conveniently conservative Intel Core 7 240H.
Specs: Intel Core 7 240H | RTX 5050 | 16GB RAM | 512GB SSD | 165Hz FHD+ display
Read more: Acer Nitro V reviewView Deal
MSI Cyborg A15 (RTX 5060): was $1499 now $1249
Newegg always does particularly well for cheaper MSI rigs and this Cyborg sits towards the bottom of the price range. You’re getting a full 1TB SSD here still, though.
Specs: AMD Ryzen 7 260 | RTX 5060 | 16GB RAM | 1TB SSD | 144Hz FHD display
Read more: MSI Cyborg reviewView Deal
MSI Vector 16 HX AI (RTX 5070 Ti): was $1999 now $1599
The MSI Vector is often pitched under average selling prices, but with $400 off at Newegg it’s looking particularly competitive in the RTX 5070 Ti space right now. It’s a shame this GPU is paired with a FHD display, though, as this is really QHD territory.
Specs: Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX | RTX 5070 Ti | 16GB RAM | 512GB SSD | 144Hz FHD+ displayView Deal
MSI Vector (RTX 5080) + Control Resonant: was $2599 now $2299
This RTX 5080 isn’t going to get you quite as far as chunkier model, but it’s still excellently priced in 2026. Considering you’re usually looking into the next thousand dollars on this GPU. That drop down to 16GB RAM means you’re not exactly going to get the same runway out of this machine as other more premium options, though. It also comes packaged up with a free copy of Control Resonant.
Specs: Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX | RTX 5080 | 16GB RAM | 1TB SSD | 240Hz QHD+ displayView Deal
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (RTX 5080): was $3169.99 now $2599.99
You’ll need to move fast to get this one, but the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14’s RTX 5080 configuration is $570 off at Best Buy right now. That puts it about $200 more expensive than I’d expect an RTX 5080 last year, which isn’t too bad in the grand scheme of 2026.
Specs: AMD Ryzen AI 9 | RTX 5080 | 32GB RAM | 2TB SSD | 120Hz 3K OLED display
Read more: Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2026) reviewView Deal
Asus ROG Strix G18: was $3299.99 now $2699.99
An 18-inch RTX 5080 gaming laptop is always going to prove itself on the battlefield. This G18 is $600 off at Best Buy and comes with a sturdy 32GB RAM and 2TB SSD to boot.
Specs: Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX | RTX 5080 | 32GB RAM | 2TB SSD | 240Hz 2.5K display View Deal
MSI Raider 18 HX AI (RTX 5090): was $4110.73 now $3699.99
This MSI Raider is falling into the kind of realm I expect to see for an RTX 5090 gaming laptop on Black Friday, and we’ve still got a few months to go. You’re getting big performance here, though without that 4K display.
Specs: Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX | RTX 5090 | 32GB RAM | 1TB SSD | 120Hz FHD+ displayView Deal
When will Black Friday gaming laptop deals start?
Black Friday gaming laptop deals are due to hit their peak on November 27, however this year (like the years before), we’re expecting discounts to run all the way through the month. Official sales could start even earlier. Last year Amazon ran its own Prime-only week that essentially kickstarted the entire holiday event in mid-October.
How much should you pay for a gaming laptop in 2026?
I’ve been watching gaming laptop deals closely over the course of the year. Back in March, I dived into the actual value on offer between each mobile GPU to find the best upgrade. From Best Buy’s listing pages, that revealed that the average selling price of an RTX 50-Series gaming laptop (as sold at the time of writing) was as follows:
- RTX 5090: $4,646.08
- RTX 5080: $2,974.64
- RTX 5070: $2,239.01
- RTX 5060: $1,514.94
Taking the RTX 5070 as a sweet spot, I followed up in July when discussing Nvidia’s new 12GB model in a Lenovo Legion 7a listing. The average price of an RTX 5070 (with discounts taken into account) then was $2,209.05 with an RTX 5070 Ti looking to run you $2,491.46 on average at Best Buy.
Where do we stand today?
At the time of writing (September 2026), Best Buy’s current average gaming laptop prices split by GPU look like this:
- RTX 5090: $4,753.56
- RTX 5080: $3,278.36
- RTX 5070 Ti: $2,627.08
- RTX 5070: $2,151.12
- RTX 5060: $1,757.72
- RTX 5050: $1,341.27
The Black Friday gaming laptop deals we reported on last year were all, obviously, much cheaper than this. From our recommendations 12 months ago, you’d be paying less than $1,000 for an RTX 5050 machine, an average of $1,214.89 for an RTX 5060, $1,599.99 for an RTX 5070, $1,842.99 for an RTX 5070 Ti, and $2,633.32 for an RTX 5080. Our top recommendation for RTX 5090 big spenders last year topped out at $3,099.99.
In general, gaming laptops typically take around 20% off their prices over Black Friday, but we’re seeing price increases averaging 38% across RTX 50-Series machines compared to last year’s offers. That means we’re not going to return to last year’s rates. In 2026, you want to be aiming for somewhere between last year’s average deal prices and today’s average rates. Obviously, we’ve still got some wiggle room on those discounts to go yet but when the heat is on I’d be expecting to pay the following for a gaming laptop.
|
RTX 5050 |
$1,100 – $1,200 |
|
RTX 5060 |
$1,400 – $1,600 |
|
RTX 5070 |
$1,700 – $1,900 |
|
RTX 5070 Ti |
$2,100 – $2,300 |
|
RTX 5080 |
$2,800 – $3,100 |
|
RTX 5090 |
$3,800 – $4,100 |
What should you look for in this year’s Black Friday gaming laptop deals?
Knowing the model and spec you’re on the hunt for is sometimes half the battle when it comes to big sale events. Prices will drop quickly once we get into October, so it’s important that you’re crystal clear on exactly what you want to get out of your machine. That way you can make a decision fast, and speed is often a crucial factor when competing in the higher quality flash sales.
If you’re after an entry level system to play smaller titles or indie games, it’s worth pitching your spec at an RTX 4050 or RTX 5050 graphics card and 16GB RAM. You might not need to invest too much in a larger SSD for this use – your games will be smaller and you’ve got more room to be efficient in your storage use. Do make sure, however, that you’re getting a nice 1080p screen with a refresh rate of at least 120Hz to make sure you’re future proofed up top.
If you’re looking to sprinkle some larger Triple-A releases in there, it might be time to upgrade your watchlist. The extra cash will steer you into RTX 5060 / RTX 5070 territory – the sweet spot for generalist use. You’ll be able to get clean and smooth gameplay on larger titles with this kind of configuration, with performance holding up even with the same 16GB RAM under the hood. A 1TB SSD is a must here.
Looking to blast through newer releases on Ultra settings without breaking too much of a sweat? It’s time to boost your spec. An RTX 5080 GPU will see you through here. You’ll be spending between $2,000 and $3,000 on an RTX 5080 rig day to day, with higher prices reserved for machines with luxury displays and more RAM.
Those after an RTX 5090 machine will be the real heavy-hitters. You’ll be looking to use demanding ray tracing features constantly and with High or Ultra settings enabled. Do make sure, though, that you’re not picking up a gaming laptop particularly cheap just because it’s skimping on the screen, though. You’ll want a QHD+ or UHD display at around 240Hz to really make the most of your investment in that graphics card.
Top Picks
RTX 5050: MSI Katana
The MSI Katana is my go-to budget gaming laptop but its sturdy build quality and QHD display configurations don’t let it down. I tested an RTX 5060 model, but if I was putting my trust in an entry level GPU I’d seek this chassis out.
RTX 5060: Lenovo Legion 5
For the RTX 5060 value sweet spot I always recommend the Lenovo Legion 5. It’s a little more difficult to find at the truly right price day to day at the moment, but if you can scoop up that OLED display and slimline chassis you’ll have a gaming laptop that feels far more premium than it should in the hands.
RTX 5070: HP Omen Max 16
The HP Omen Max 16 (or the HyperX Omen Max 16 if you opt for 2026’s refresh) is my top-tested gaming laptop and if you’re investing in a slick chassis to match that RTX 5070 juice it’s particularly well positioned.
RTX 5080: Razer Blade 18
Yes it’s expensive but every RTX 5080 gaming laptop worth its salt is going to hurt the wallet at the moment. If you’re serious about investing a wad of cash, the luxury experience of the Blade 18 is well worth the extra pennies and the performance of the RTX 5090 version I tested nearly bested the most powerful rig I’ve had on my desk so far.
RTX 5090: MSI Raider A18 HX A9W
Big spenders want big performance and with a 4K display, the highest benchmark scores I’ve seen in testing, and a turbo-charged Gen 5 SSD the MSI Raider A18 HX has you covered.
Is Black Friday a good time to buy a gaming laptop?
I see gaming laptop deals landing year-round – and some of them may beat Black Friday’s prices. However, the vast majority of record low prices we see come from these November sales. That’s because retailers and brands are readying for a new wave of releases to be announced in January, and need to shift a good amount of the previous year’s stock before that happens. Black Friday gaming laptop deals’ placement at the end of the year primes even newer configurations for particularly special savings. On top of that, this is the most popular savings event of the year, which means there’s plenty more competition driving prices even further down.
Of course, we’re also getting you prepped for all of this year’s offers with Black Friday Alienware deals and Black Friday iPad deals as well.