Black Friday has become one of the biggest shopping events in Australia, and if you’re in the market for a new laptop, you’re probably wondering if it’s worth waiting for the sales. The short answer? Yes, Black Friday can be an excellent time to buy a laptop, but it depends on what type of laptop you’re after.
What Makes Black Friday Worth It?
Black Friday (and the following Cyber Monday) genuinely offers some of the best deals on consumer laptops throughout the year. Retailers like JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, Officeworks, and Amazon typically slash prices on popular models to shift stock before Christmas. You’ll often see discounts ranging from 15-30% off, and sometimes even more on older models that retailers are keen to clear out.
The real sweet spot is for everyday consumer laptops, student devices, and gaming rigs. These categories see the most aggressive discounting because retailers know that’s what most shoppers are looking for. If you’ve been eyeing a gaming laptop or need something for uni, Black Friday is definitely worth circling on your calendar.
Where the Deals Really Shine
Gaming laptops tend to get some of the biggest price cuts during Black Friday. Last year, we saw models that were going for $2,500-$3,000 drop to around $2,000 or less. That’s a significant saving, especially when you’re talking about high-performance gear.
Student and everyday laptops also get good treatment. Mid-range devices from brands like HP, Lenovo, ASUS, and Dell often see healthy discounts. If you’re after something for basic tasks like web browsing, Netflix, and office work, you’ll find plenty of options under $1,000 that would normally sit closer to $1,200-$1,400.
Specialist retailers like Scorptec, Centrecom, and Computer Alliance also tend to offer competitive deals, sometimes beating the big-box stores on specific models. It’s worth checking them all because stock varies and one retailer might have a cracker deal on exactly what you need.
Here’s an insider tip though: you’ll often find better discounts buying directly from the manufacturers themselves. Dell, HP, and Lenovo all run their own online stores, and during Black Friday they can afford to discount more aggressively than retailers. Why? Because retail margins on laptops are pretty thin, usually sitting around 10%. When you buy from a retailer, they need to make their cut, which limits how low they can go. But when you buy directly from Dell, HP, or Lenovo, there’s no middleman taking a slice, so they can pass bigger savings on to you. It’s worth checking the manufacturer websites alongside the usual retailers.
The Business Laptop Exception
Here’s where things get interesting. If you’re shopping for a business or work laptop, Black Friday isn’t necessarily your best bet. Business-grade machines like the HP ProBook series, Lenovo ThinkPads, or Dell Latitudes don’t always see the same aggressive discounting during Black Friday.
Why? Because the business laptop market operates a bit differently. The best deals on these machines typically come during End of Financial Year (EOFY) sales in June. That’s when businesses are spending their remaining budgets and retailers are trying to hit their yearly targets. You’ll often find better prices and package deals on business laptops during EOFY than you will on Black Friday.
If you need a work laptop right now and can’t wait until June, you’ll still find some deals on Black Friday, just don’t expect them to be as spectacular as what you’d see on consumer models.
What to Watch Out For
Not every Black Friday “deal” is actually a deal. Some retailers will mark up prices in the weeks leading up to Black Friday, then discount them back to normal prices and call it a sale. Dodgy, I know.
It’s also worth knowing that Black Friday is prime time for brands and retailers to clear out older stock. That shiny “50% off” gaming laptop might be last year’s model with a previous-generation processor. Sometimes that’s perfectly fine – older doesn’t always mean bad, and you can get fantastic value on a model that’s still plenty powerful for most people. But you need to know what you’re buying. A laptop with a processor that’s two or three generations old might struggle in a couple of years, especially if you’re planning to keep it for a while.
Do your homework before the sales hit. Check current prices on the laptops you’re interested in so you can spot a genuine discount when you see one. Tools like PriceSpy can help you track price history. Also, older generation models often get heavily discounted, which can be great value, but make sure you’re not buying something that’s about to be obsolete. A laptop with a processor that’s two generations old might struggle in a year or two.
Stock is another consideration. Popular models sell out quickly, sometimes within hours of the sale starting. If you’ve got your heart set on a specific laptop, be ready to move fast when the sales kick off.
Why Buying Now Makes Even More Sense
There’s another factor worth considering: component prices are on the rise. RAM and storage costs have been climbing, and this trend is expected to continue over the coming weeks and months. What does this mean for you? Laptop prices are likely to creep up in 2026.
Australian distributors like Synnex and Ingram Micro are already seeing significantly increased costs for these components, and have passed them on to retailers and consumers. A big driver of this is the AI boom pushing up demand for computer parts, which is creating supply constraints across the board. If you’ve been sitting on the fence about buying a laptop, Black Friday might be your last chance to grab one at current prices before the next wave of price increases hits.
This makes Black Friday deals even more valuable this year. You’re not just getting a discount on today’s prices – you’re potentially saving hundreds compared to what the same laptop might cost in a few months’ time.
The Bottom Line
For most people shopping for a consumer, student, or gaming laptop, Black Friday is absolutely worth waiting for. The savings are real, and you can often snag a machine that would normally be out of your budget. Just make sure you’ve done your research, know what you’re looking at, and can spot a genuine bargain from a dodgy markdown.
If you’re after a business laptop and can afford to wait, EOFY sales in June are generally your better option. But if you need something now, you’ll still find some reasonable deals during Black Friday, they just won’t be quite as impressive.
Either way, buying a laptop is a significant purchase, so take your time, compare prices across multiple retailers, and don’t let the “limited time only” pressure push you into buying something that doesn’t actually meet your needs. A good deal is only good if it’s on the right laptop for you.
