Best Black Friday Gaming Laptop Deals

Black Friday is the best time to buy a gaming laptop. Period. Prices drop 20-40% on machines that cost a small fortune the rest of the year. I’ve been tracking these deals for years, and 2026 looks especially good with the RTX 50-series laptops finally hitting reasonable prices.

The real question isn’t whether you should buy during Black Friday. It’s which laptop deserves your money. Gaming laptops range from $800 entry-level machines to $4,000+ desktop replacements. The sweet spot for most people sits between $1,200 and $2,000, where you get genuinely good hardware without paying the “flagship tax.”

I’ve compiled the best Black Friday gaming laptop deals worth your attention this year. Every pick has been evaluated based on real-world performance, build quality, and actual value during the sale. No filler. No outdated models dressed up as deals.

Best Black Friday Gaming Laptop Deals at a Glance

Here’s the quick version if you’re short on time. These are the deals I’d recommend to a friend asking me what gaming laptop to buy this Black Friday.

The ASUS ROG Strix G16 hits the sweet spot for most gamers at around $1,200. It packs the RTX 5060 with an Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD. That’s enough firepower to run modern games at high settings without emptying your wallet.

For serious gamers willing to spend more, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i with RTX 5070 Ti offers near-desktop performance with a stunning OLED display. It regularly drops from $2,300 to around $1,900 during Black Friday. That’s a lot of laptop for the money.

Budget hunters should look at the MSI Katana 15 HX or HP Victus. Both dip below $900 during sales while still delivering playable framerates in most games. Don’t expect ultra settings, but they’ll get the job done.

ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2025)

The ASUS ROG Strix G16 has been my go-to recommendation for mid-range gaming laptops. This 2026 model keeps that tradition alive with the RTX 5060, Intel Core i7-14650HX, and a 16-inch display that actually looks good.

What I like about the Strix G16 is how ASUS handles the basics. The cooling system works without sounding like a jet engine. The keyboard feels responsive for gaming. The display hits 165Hz at 1080p, which is more than enough for the GPU to drive smoothly.

The RTX 5060 deserves special mention here. NVIDIA’s DLSS 4 makes this card punch well above its weight class. Games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Black Myth: Wukong run at playable framerates with ray tracing enabled. That wasn’t possible with last year’s equivalent card.

Storage and memory are solid at 1TB SSD and 16GB DDR5. You can upgrade both later if needed, and ASUS designed the chassis with easy access in mind. Pop off a panel, add more RAM or a second drive, and you’re set.

The main downside? The 1080p display feels dated when competitors offer QHD at similar prices. If screen quality matters more than framerates to you, look at the upgraded Nebula Display variant with 2.5K resolution at 240Hz. It costs about $200 more but the difference is noticeable.

Black Friday Price: Around $1,200 (down from $1,500)

Best For: Gamers who want solid performance without breaking the bank. This is the “just works” option.

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10

The Legion Pro 7i is the laptop I’d buy myself if I needed a serious gaming machine. It’s that good. The RTX 5070 Ti paired with Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX delivers performance that rivals many gaming desktops.

The star of this machine is the display. Lenovo’s PureSight OLED panel runs at 2560×1600 resolution with a 240Hz refresh rate. Colors pop in ways that IPS panels simply can’t match. Once you’ve gamed on a proper OLED screen, everything else looks washed out. The 1ms response time means no ghosting even in fast-paced shooters.

Lenovo’s Coldfront Vapor cooling system actually works. The 250W vapor chamber keeps temperatures manageable during extended gaming sessions. I’ve seen this laptop handle back-to-back benchmark runs without thermal throttling, which is more than I can say for some competitors.

Build quality is excellent. The aluminum chassis feels premium, the keyboard has a satisfying click, and the port selection covers everything you need. There’s Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, USB-A ports, and an SD card slot. You won’t need a dongle collection.

The catch? Battery life is mediocre. You’ll get maybe 3-4 hours of light productivity work. Gaming on battery drains it in about an hour. This is a desktop replacement that happens to be portable, not a true mobile gaming solution.

Black Friday Price: Around $1,899 (down from $2,299)

Best For: Gamers who want the best display and near-desktop performance. This is the “buy once, cry once” option.

Razer Blade 16 (2025)

Razer laptops are expensive. Everyone knows this. But the Blade 16 justifies its premium with build quality that makes other gaming laptops feel like toys.

The 2026 Blade 16 is the thinnest Razer has ever made while still packing serious hardware. The RTX 5070 Ti variant pushes 140W TGP in a chassis under an inch thick. That’s impressive engineering. The QHD+ 240Hz OLED display matches what you’d find on laptops twice as thick.

AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 365 processor replaces Intel this generation. Ten cores, twenty threads, and remarkably efficient. Battery life actually improved over last year’s Intel-based model. You might squeeze 6-7 hours of productivity work, which is outstanding for a gaming laptop.

The keyboard and trackpad are best-in-class. Razer’s per-key RGB is customizable through Synapse software, and the keyboard itself feels better than most gaming laptop keyboards. The glass trackpad is large and responsive. If you use the laptop for work during the day and gaming at night, you’ll appreciate these details.

Why isn’t the Blade 16 my top recommendation? Value. At $2,800 for the RTX 5070 Ti model, you’re paying a significant premium over the Legion Pro 7i for similar gaming performance. The Blade wins on build quality and portability, but that’s a lot of extra money for thinner bezels and a nicer chassis.

Black Friday Price: Around $2,300 (down from $2,800)

Best For: Professionals who game and want a laptop that doesn’t look like a gaming laptop. The premium tax is real, but so is the quality.

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025)

The Zephyrus G14 is the laptop I actually carry in my bag. At 3.3 pounds with a 14-inch screen, it goes everywhere without feeling like a burden. Most gaming laptops force you to choose between portability and performance. The G14 manages both.

This year’s model packs the RTX 5060 with AMD Ryzen AI 9 370. The GPU runs at 90W, which sounds low compared to larger laptops, but DLSS 4 compensates effectively. Frame Generation turns a choppy 40fps into a smooth 80fps experience. It’s not magic, but it’s close.

The OLED display is gorgeous. 2880×1800 resolution at 120Hz with 100% DCI-P3 coverage. Colors are accurate enough for photo editing, and the contrast ratio is effectively infinite thanks to OLED’s per-pixel dimming. This might be the best 14-inch display on any laptop.

Build quality matches ASUS’s premium positioning. The aluminum chassis feels solid without excessive weight. The keyboard is comfortable for extended typing sessions. The trackpad is large and responsive.

There are tradeoffs. The 90W GPU limit means the G14 can’t match larger laptops in pure performance. You’ll hit 60fps in demanding games where the Legion Pro 7i hits 100fps. Thermal headroom is limited, so expect fan noise under load. And the premium price reflects the engineering required to pack this hardware into such a small chassis.

Black Friday Price: Around $1,449 (down from $1,799)

Best For: Gamers who travel or want a laptop that doesn’t scream “gaming” in a coffee shop. Performance is good, portability is excellent.

Alienware 16 Aurora

Dell’s Alienware line has improved dramatically. The 16 Aurora offers genuine value in a segment where Alienware typically charges premium prices. At around $1,100 during Black Friday sales, it competes directly with the ROG Strix G16 while offering a better display.

The RTX 5050 or 5060 options (depending on the configuration) handle 1080p gaming without issues. The 2560×1600 display runs at 120Hz with good color accuracy. It’s not OLED, but it’s bright enough for daytime gaming and color-accurate enough for casual content creation.

Intel’s Core 7 240H processor provides solid performance for gaming and productivity. It’s not the fastest chip available, but it’s efficient and rarely becomes a bottleneck in games. The 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD cover the basics.

What makes the Aurora stand out is the redesigned chassis. Previous Alienware laptops ran hot and loud. The 2025 Aurora manages heat better with redesigned airflow channels and improved vapor chamber cooling. It’s still not quiet under load, but it’s competitive with other gaming laptops.

The main weakness is upgrade potential. RAM is partially soldered, limiting your future options. If you think you’ll want 32GB later, buy a configuration that includes it now.

Black Friday Price: Around $1,099 (down from $1,399)

Best For: Gamers who want solid mid-range performance with better brand recognition. Good value during sales.

MSI Katana 15 HX

Budget gaming laptops usually disappoint. The MSI Katana 15 HX is the exception. At under $1,000 during Black Friday sales, it delivers legitimate gaming performance without obvious compromises.

The RTX 5050 (or RTX 5060 in some configurations) handles 1080p gaming at medium to high settings. Don’t expect ultra settings with ray tracing, but you’ll get smooth framerates in most games. The Intel Core i7-14650HX processor is more than adequate.

MSI gets the basics right here. The 165Hz IPS display is responsive enough for competitive games. The keyboard has RGB backlighting and acceptable key feel. Cooling works without excessive noise. Port selection includes everything you need.

Where did MSI cut corners? The chassis is plastic rather than aluminum. The display isn’t as color-accurate as more expensive options. The trackpad is serviceable but not great. These compromises make sense at this price point.

The Katana’s best feature is upgradability. Both RAM slots are accessible, and there’s room for a second M.2 drive. Buy the base configuration, add storage and RAM yourself, and you’ve got a capable gaming machine for well under $1,200 total.

Black Friday Price: Around $999 (down from $1,299)

Best For: First-time gaming laptop buyers or anyone on a strict budget. Performance-per-dollar is excellent.

HP Victus 15

The HP Victus is the entry point for PC gaming. At $789 during Black Friday sales, it’s the cheapest way to get into gaming without buying used or refurbished hardware.

Current configurations pack the RTX 4050 or newer RTX 5060 (check the specific deal). Either GPU handles 1080p gaming at medium settings. Fortnite, Valorant, and similar esports titles run smoothly. AAA games require lowered settings but remain playable.

HP’s design is understated. Unlike most gaming laptops, the Victus could pass for a regular laptop in a meeting. No RGB explosions. No aggressive angles. Just a reasonably professional-looking machine that happens to have a dedicated GPU.

Build quality reflects the price. The chassis is entirely plastic. The display is dim by modern standards. The trackpad is small and mushy. These aren’t deal-breakers at this price, but they’re worth knowing.

I’d recommend the Victus to students or casual gamers who need a general-purpose laptop that can also handle games. It’s not a dedicated gaming machine. It’s an affordable laptop with gaming capability.

Black Friday Price: Around $789 (down from $899)

Best For: Students, casual gamers, or anyone who needs an affordable laptop that can handle occasional gaming.

What to Look for in a Gaming Laptop

Buying a gaming laptop isn’t complicated if you know what actually matters. Here’s my quick guide.

The GPU matters most. Everything else is secondary. An RTX 5060 runs modern games well. The RTX 5070 runs them better. The RTX 5070 Ti and above provide overkill for most people. Don’t overspend on GPU unless you’re gaming at 4K or chasing maximum framerates in competitive titles.

Display resolution should match your GPU. A 4K display with an RTX 5060 will disappoint you. That GPU can’t drive 4K at playable framerates in demanding games. The RTX 5060 pairs best with 1080p or 1440p panels. Save 4K for RTX 5080 and above.

RAM minimum is 16GB. Less than that and you’ll hit stutters in modern games. 32GB is nice for streaming or running background applications while gaming. More than 32GB is unnecessary for gaming.

Storage should be at least 1TB. Modern games regularly exceed 100GB. A 512GB drive fills up fast. Buy 1TB minimum, or ensure the laptop has room for a second drive.

Refresh rate matters for competitive games. 144Hz is the minimum. 240Hz is better if you’re into esports. 60Hz displays have no place in a gaming laptop in 2026.

Cooling design separates good gaming laptops from bad ones. Read reviews that mention thermal performance. A laptop that throttles under load is a laptop that wastes your money.

When Should You Start Looking for Deals?

Black Friday gaming laptop deals typically start rolling out a week before the actual day. Retailers use “early Black Friday” promotions to spread sales across November rather than concentrating everything on a single chaotic day.

The actual best deals usually appear on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday morning. Stock sells fast. If you see a deal you want at a price you like, buy it. Waiting for a better price risks missing out entirely.

Cyber Monday occasionally matches Black Friday prices on leftover stock. It’s worth checking if you missed the initial rush. But the selection is smaller and the best configurations tend to sell out.

Don’t wait until December. Black Friday gaming laptop deals disappear quickly. The laptop you wanted at $1,200 will cost $1,500 by mid-December. The holiday season doesn’t bring better deals. It brings higher prices.

Where to Find the Best Black Friday Gaming Laptop Deals

Amazon offers convenience and solid selection. Prime members get early access to some deals. Returns are straightforward if you’re unhappy. Prices are competitive, though not always the absolute lowest.

Best Buy competes aggressively on gaming laptops. They match Amazon prices and offer open-box deals on returned items. If you’re comfortable buying an open-box laptop, Best Buy can save you an additional 10-15%.

Newegg caters specifically to PC hardware buyers. Their gaming laptop selection is extensive. Watch for combo deals that bundle accessories with laptops at reduced prices.

Manufacturer sites (Lenovo, Dell, ASUS, Razer) occasionally offer exclusive configurations or additional discounts. Lenovo’s site regularly beats third-party pricing on Legion laptops.

Walmart surprises everyone every Black Friday with aggressive gaming laptop deals. They carry major brands and often have exclusive configurations at competitive prices.

Common Questions About Gaming Laptop Deals

Final Recommendations

If I had to pick one laptop for most gamers this Black Friday, it would be the ASUS ROG Strix G16. It hits the right balance of price, performance, and quality. The RTX 5060 handles current games well, and DLSS 4 extends its useful life for years.

Gamers with bigger budgets should look at the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i. The OLED display is worth the premium, and the RTX 5070 Ti delivers serious performance. At $1,899 during Black Friday, it’s genuinely competitive with high-end desktops.

Budget buyers can’t go wrong with the MSI Katana 15 HX. Under $1,000 for a capable gaming laptop is a great deal. Add RAM and storage yourself to maximize value.

Whatever you choose, buy during Black Friday. Prices won’t be better for another year.

Happy hunting.

Last update on 2024-11-21 using Amazon Product Advertising API.

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