The best Black Friday tech deals
Black Friday is that special time of year when families huddle outside their local big-box retailers waiting for the moment when they can rampage through the store’s aisles, barreling over children and the elderly to grab the last discounted TV.
Aren’t the holidays just wonderful?
Still, there’s no denying the day after Thanksgiving can serve up plenty of serious deals on some of the year’s best gifts. And that goes double for gadgets. So if you’re heading out to go shopping this Black Friday, look out for these tech sales.
Best Buy
The big blue store is offering a host of discounts on an array of products this year. TVs worth checking out include a 60-inch 4K LG on sale for $499, a $300 discount. There’s also a 65-inch Samsung 4K, HDR TV for $899, down from $1,099. If you want to go all out, Sony is selling a super-slim 65-inch 4K HDR set $1,399, marked down from $1,799.
Best Buy (BBY) is also cutting prices on select Apple (AAPL) products. Buy an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus on an installment plan and you’ll get a $250 Best Buy gift card. You can also score a $125 discount on the iPad Air 2 or $50 to $250 discounts on select MacBook models.
Smartphone shoppers can get a $300 gift card if they buy an LG G5 or a $250 card for buying the Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge. You only get the gift cards if you buy the phones on installment plans, though. Motorola’s Moto Z Droid is available for $10 per month for 24 months, which works out to a $384 savings.
Best Buy also has you covered for laptops. The retailer is offering a 15-inch HP Envy x360 2-in-1 with an Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage for $699, down from $899. Then there’s the 13-inch Lenovo Yoga 900 with a Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB solid-state drive for $699, a $500 savings.
For the gamer in your life, Best Buy is selling both Microsoft’s Xbox One S with “Minecraft” and Sony’s PlayStation 4 with “Uncharted 4” and “The Last of Us” for $250. That’s a pretty solid price. Controllers for both systems have also been reduced from $59 to $39.
Wearables on sale at Best Buy include Fitbit’s Blaze smartwatch, Charge 2 and Alta, which are selling for $149, $129 and $99, respectively. Garmin’s Fenix 3 is on sale for $399, down from $599, while Samsung’s Gear S2 smartwatch, which sells for between $250 and $350, is $20 to $50 off.
Kohl’s
Kohl’s (KSS) is also offering up sweet Black Friday sales. The retailer is selling a 55-inch LG 4K TV for $499, reduced from $749. There’s also a 40-inch Samsung 1080p set for $250, down from $529.
Kohl’s Apple selection is pretty slim, but the store is offering a $105 gift card when you buy the Apple Watch Series 2. It will cost you $369 for the base model, though. Go for the less expensive $269 Apple Watch Series 1, and you’ll get a $75 gift card.
Gamers and those shopping for gamers can pick up the Xbox One S and “Minecraft” for $250 and get a $75 Kohl’s gift card. The PlayStation 4 is also available for $250 and comes with “Uncharted 4” and a $75 gift card.
Fitbit’s Charge 2 is also on sale at Kohl’s for $130, while the Fitbit Alta comes in at $99. Both devices come with $30 in Kohl’s Cash.
Target
Target (TGT) shoppers looking for a break on new TVs will have a number of options available on Black Friday. Standout sets include a 60-inch Samsung 4K television originally priced at $1,199 for $679, and a now familiar 55-inch LG 4K TV for $499.
Shopping for an Apple fan? Then you might want to stop by Target where you can save $150 on an iPad Pro 9.7-inch. It’s still $449, but that’s a deep discount. Similarly, you can get the iPad Air 2 for $274 and the iPad mini 2 for $199. Target is also offering a $250 gift card if you buy the iPhone 7 or 7 Plus on an installment plan.
The Apple Watch Series 1 is also on sale for $198, which is a $71 savings. Unfortunately, you’ll have to fork over the full $369 if you want to get the Apple Watch Series 2.
If you’re looking for an Android smartphone on the cheap, you can get Samsung’s Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge. On an installment plan, you’ll also get a free Samsung Gear VR headset, as well as a $50 Oculus VR content pack and a $250 gift card. That’s a lot of goodies.
Gaming deals at Target include the standard $250 for Microsoft’s Xbox One S, though this version lets you choose between “Battlefield 1” and “Minecraft.” There are also a large number of games available for both Xbox One and PlayStation 4 starting at $8. Newer releases like “Overwatch,” “Titanfall 2,” “Super Mario Maker” and “Battlefield 1” are available for $35.
For the active person in your life, Target is selling the Fitbit Charge 2 and Fitbit Alta for $129 and $99, respectively. You can also score the Garmin Vivosmart HR Plus GPS for $119 or the Garmin Vivofit 3 for $59.
Walmart
For Black Friday, Walmart (WMT) is selling a 55-inch Philips 4K smart TV for $298, a 50-inch Samsung 4K smart TV for $398 and a 60-inch Vizio HDTV for $398.
Walmart is also offering Apple’s iPhone 5s for $99 on Straight Talk Wireless, as well as the iPad mini 2 for $199.
As far as laptops, Walmart is selling the Samsung Chromebook 3 for $119 and a 15-inch HP laptop for $249. As I’ve said before, though, I tend to advise people to avoid exceedingly low-cost laptops, as you’ll likely end up having to upgrade your new notebook in the next year or two. Instead, hold off on buying such laptops and save up for a pricier, better performing device you’ll be able to hold onto longer.
Gaming deals include the standard $250 for the Xbox One S or PlayStation 4.
As for wearables, Walmart is selling the Fitbit Charge 2, Alta and Flex 2 for $129, $99 and $69, respectively.
Happy shopping!
More from Dan:
‘Pokemon Sun’ and ‘Moon’ review: 20 years later and it’s still as addictive as ever
The skies belong to drones, so it’s time to get used to them
Google found a way to preserve your photos before they fade forever
Why you might want to hold off on buying Google’s new VR headset
‘Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare’ review: The future is dated
Google Home review: A promising but unfinished smart home device
Email Daniel at dhowley@yahoo-inc.com; follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.
