Best Early Black Friday Deals on Electronics
CR's experts help you find the best bargains on TVs, laptops, headphones, and more
By Consumer Reports
The early Black Friday deals have started, and you can find some impressive savings right now on giftable items like headphones, TVs, Bluetooth speakers, wireless routers, fitness trackers, laptops, and more. This year, the biggest savings on tech are expected to arrive on Thanksgiving, with some of the best prices of the year for TVs coming on Black Friday, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find good deals now too. And because many retailers have price-matching policies for the holidays, you might be able to shop now and get a partial refund later. Just check the retailer’s policies before you buy—and save those receipts.
Of course, the best sales involve more than a good price. You want the product you buy to work well, no matter how much you spend. So our experts look for price cuts on items that stand up to Consumer Reports’ rigorous testing. The list below features the top options available now.
Some retailers are even offering price-match guarantees to protect you if prices dip further during the holiday season—so save your receipts! At Target, for example, you can buy now and request a partial refund anytime before December 24.
And if you don’t see what you want just yet, check our Deal hub for the latest. We’ll continue to see holiday deals and discounts all the way up to Black Friday and through the end of the year. Consumer Reports will be keeping a close eye on all of these sales to help you find what you want and need for less.
Viewing on a mobile device? Click on the links below to skip to each section.
• TVs
• Headphones
• Chromebooks
• Laptops
• Tablets
• Fitness Trackers and Smartwatches
• Bluetooth and Smart Speakers
• Soundbars
• Wireless Routers
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Spotlight Deal
Apple TV 4K (32GB, 2021)
The latest Apple TV 4K has a few new notable features, including a redesigned Siri remote with a clickpad rather than the love-it-or-hate-it touchpad. (It is still touch enabled for directional swipes, though.) It also has a new processor for improved graphics and video, including support for high frame rate (60fps) Dolby Vision HDR. A unique feature is a color-calibration feature that works with your iPhone so that you don’t have to tweak the TV’s settings.
Why it’s a good deal: Apple TV has always been among the priciest of players, and it doesn’t often go on sale. It’s $10 cheaper than what we saw during the Amazon Prime sale.
TVs
Toshiba 65M550KU
The Toshiba 65M550KU may be a good choice if you want a smart 4K TV and don’t want to deal with a streaming device. This 65-inch set comes with the Fire TV platform built in, so you’re ready to stream as soon as you set up the unit. And while it doesn’t perform quite well enough to live among the best TVs CR has tested, it does get above-average scores for 4K UHD performance. It has a wide viewing angle, too, making it suitable for a family room or other commonly used space in your home.
Why it’s a good deal: This beats the best price we’ve ever seen for this model by $70.
Samsung QN55Q80A
The 55-inch Samsung QN55Q80A, in the company’s top regular QLED series for 2021, doesn’t include Mini LEDs in its backlights. But the set still manages to deliver very good overall picture quality, top-notch HDR, and above-average sound.
Why it’s a good deal: This TV usually retails for around $1,000, so the discount isn’t quite as impressive as it looks. However, this model was $949 at Amazon last week, so it could drop even more closer to Black Friday.
Insignia NS-70DF710NA21
This 70-inch 4K smart TV from Insignia, Best Buy’s house brand, is a fine overall performer, although its HDR performance is ineffective, mainly because of peak brightness limitations. It uses the Amazon Fire TV smart TV system, and Alexa is built in for using voice commands.
Why it’s a good deal: This is the best price we’ve seen for this TV, an especially impressive bargain for the size. This set was $10 more last week, making it an even juicier discount.
Hisense 65U7G
This 65-inch set from Hisense, a midrange 2021 model that sits below the flagship 8-series sets, delivers top-notch overall picture quality, though it doesn’t do quite as well with HDR. It uses the Android TV smart TV system, so it has Chromecast and Google Assistant built in.
Why it’s a good deal: This is a substantial discount and just $50 more than the best price we’ve seen.
Hisense 50-Inch ULED 4K Smart Fire TV
This is a 2022 set, and the first Amazon Fire TV we’ve seen from a brand other than Amazon, Insignia, and Toshiba. We haven’t tested it—we just got the first Hisense Fire TV in our labs—but based on our experience with those other brands, we expect it to do well for overall picture quality, though HDR performance is a question mark.
Why it’s a good deal: This model dropped about $25 since last week, so you’re saving about $170 on a brand new 2022 model.
Headphones
Sennheiser CX Plus
The Sennheiser CX Plus offers really good value in a true wireless noise-canceling earbud. According to our testers, the sound quality is more than solid, while the active noise-canceling performance is among the best we’ve tested and includes a transparency mode so that you can hear traffic while you’re walking. Some users might find the buds a bit bulky, but our testers found the fit to be fine for most users.
Why it’s a good deal: This deal puts the CX Plus earbuds significantly below their list price.
Apple AirPods (2nd Gen) with Wireless Charging Case
You won’t find Apple products for under $100 that often, so while these second-gen AirPods aren’t the latest version, they’re certainly a good value. They deliver average sound quality, which casual listeners will probably find sufficient for music and movie soundtrack playback.
Why it’s a good deal: This matches the best price for these true wireless Apple headphones.
Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2
The Sennheiser Momentum 2 is a true wireless noise-canceling headphone that’s clearly aimed at the high-end market. Both the cloth-covered charging case and the earbuds themselves are quite elegant. The Momentum 2s don’t sound quite as good as they look, but they’re still satisfying to listen to. On the feature front, the Momentum 2s are sweat-resistant and compatible with both Apple Siri and Google Assistant.
Why it’s a good deal: While this is a solid $100 discount, this model was just $149.95 last week, so the price could dip again closer to Black Friday.
1MORE ColorBuds 2
There are lots of great choices if you’re looking for budget noise-canceling headphones. One of our top picks is 1More ColorBuds 2, which offer the convenience of true wireless headphones, great sound quality, and superb noise cancellation, all for less than $100. 1More advertises a 6-hour battery life backed by a charging case that holds enough power for two full cycles.
Why it’s a good deal: Thanks to an on-page coupon, these headphones are at a great price. They were $10 less recently, though, so maybe wait and see whether the price drops further.
Chromebooks
HP 14A-NA0023CL
This 14-inch Chromebook from HP is good for people who simply need a functional laptop to do things like browse the web and check email. It has an Intel Celeron processor, 4 gigabytes of memory, and 32GB of flash storage. As with other Chromebooks, the idea is that you’re going to be storing most files online. It scores okay in our tests, with somewhat middling performance, but it has a 13-hour battery life while browsing the web.
Why it’s a good deal: This Chromebook is $10 more than the lowest price we’ve seen all year.
Asus Chromebook C536EA-BI3T3
The Asus Chromebook C536EA-BI3T3 has one of the fastest processing speeds among the Chromebooks we’ve tested. The battery life is below average in our web-browsing tests at 9.75 hours, and the 4.3-pound weight makes it less portable than other models. But the convertible form factor allows you to fold it into tent mode for watching videos.
Why it’s a good deal: This is a significant discount if you’re looking for a Chromebook with fast processing speeds.
Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5
The 13-inch Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 lands in the middle of the pack among models CR has tested. Its processing speeds are midrange compared with other Chromebooks, while its battery life is below average at 11.5 hours of web browsing. In addition to the touchscreen display, this model has a built-in microSD card slot for expanding the storage beyond its internal 64 gigabytes.
Why it’s a good deal: A nearly $60 discount is substantial for this machine. We did see it selling for $250 recently, though, so maybe keep an eye on it to see whether the price falls again later.
HP Chromebook 13C-CA0013DX x360
This HP Chromebook 13C-CA0013DX x360 has an impressive battery life, lasting 16.75 hours in our web-browsing tests. It’s an excellent choice for keeping up on work while traveling, with its lower-than-average weight of just 2.8 pounds. It’s also a convertible model for added versatility.
Why it’s a good deal: This model originally retailed for close to $1,000, so this is a solid discount.
Laptops
LG Gram 17 (2021)
The 2021 LG Gram 17 can be a great option if you’re looking for a lightweight machine that can still perform. Its battery life for web browsing and video playback is one of the longest of all the models CR has tested, a feat you don’t often see on 17-inch laptops. It has a solid-state drive that can load up Windows and large programs quickly, and the large 2-terabyte storage space is great for local backups. While not the best choice for gaming, it does have fast speeds that can handle complex spreadsheets and videoconferencing.
Why it’s a good deal: A more than $300 discount is definitely worth considering if you need a workhorse of a laptop.
HP Victus 16
This 16.1-inch HP Victus 16 laptop has performance speeds that challenge some of the fastest-rated models in our tests, including for graphics-intensive tasks like gaming and editing media. It has an Intel Core i7 processor, 16 gigabytes of RAM, a 512GB solid-state drive, and a Nvidia Geforce RTX 3060 graphics card with 6GB of dedicated memory. Its battery life should last you through most of a workday.
Why it’s a good deal: This is a fairly modest discount, but it’s still a decent savings if you’re looking for an impressive gaming laptop.
Tablets
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is our top recommendation for the average person who wants a budget-priced Android tablet, making it especially good for students. The screen looks good, and the device will handle just about any task unless you’re playing a graphics-heavy game or doing something like editing video. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite also delivers solid battery life, lasting just over 12 hours in our web-browsing tests.
Why it’s a good deal: This is an impressive discount for this model. The sale price of this tablet usually swings between $280 and $350; it just dropped from $312 last week.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 (128 GB, Wifi)
The Galaxy Tab S8 is a great option for people who want an Android tablet with high performance. Just keep in mind that top performance isn’t necessary for simple tasks such as reading email, watching movies, and surfing the web. The Galaxy Tab S7 is also on sale if you need a fast device but want something a little cheaper.
Why it’s a good deal: This is the best price we’ve seen all year, dropping $13 since last week.
Fitness Trackers and Smartwatches
Garmin Forerunner 35
While technically a fitness tracker, this model offers a watchlike feel. You get a 1.3-inch monochrome display that shows your step count and heart rate. The Forerunner 35 has a built-in GPS and a claimed battery life of nine days, and we found in our testing that it makes good on its water-resistance claim of 164 feet. CR testers give the fitness tracker top marks for heart-rate tracking and step-count accuracy, as well as ease of use.
Why it’s a good deal: Though we’ve seen this dip to about $100 before, this is still a solid deal for a trusty tracker.
Fitbit Inspire 2
The Fitbit Inspire 2 fitness tracker has been on sale since mid-April, but the price continues to fall. It’s now only $7 more than the lowest we’ve seen all year. It gets top marks from our testers for step-count and heart rate accuracy, and it earns a spot among the best fitness trackers for its ease of use, pairing, and readability in low light. The Inspire 2 also has a very generous claimed battery life of 10 days (we don’t test that characteristic) and built-in GPS, a feature not found on many other fitness trackers.
Why it’s a good deal: The price is now $3 less than the best we’ve seen.
Fitbit Versa 3
If you’re looking for a versatile smartwatch under $200, the Fitbit Versa 3 may be a good option. It has a built-in GPS, which allows you to go for a run or ride without taking your smartphone along, plus a blood oxygen sensor, which enhances its sleep-tracking capabilities. It also has a mic and a speaker that allow you to take calls via a Bluetooth connection to your smartphone. Our testers found the Versa 3 to be a solid performer for counting steps and tracking heart rate, and it’s easy to pair with a smartphone.
Why it’s a good deal: This model has been on sale since Prime Day, but it just dropped an additional $10 or so.
Bluetooth and Smart Speakers
Edifier S1000MKII
The Edifier S1000MKII has long been our favorite wireless speaker and is the best-sounding model we’ve tested. It’s pretty straightforward—it comes in a matched, powered pair that can pair by Bluetooth and a variety of inputs but offers no multiroom capability. However, Edifiers sound sublime, with plenty of volume and bass, and a bit of magic in the midrange that can almost convince you that the musicians are standing right in front of you.
Why it’s a good deal: The Edifier rarely goes on sale, so any discount is worth a look. Amazon had these same speakers for about $40 less during its recent Prime Access Event, so there may be another chance to get them for less later this year.
Marshall Stanmore II Voice
The Stanmore II is a super-stylish wireless speaker, channeling the classic good looks of Marshall’s iconic guitar amplifiers. Our testers found it quite easy to use, with large, clearly labeled knobs. Its sound falls short of what you get from the very best wireless speakers, with bass that’s a bit boomy and a midrange that’s slightly congested. The Stanmore II does provide enough volume to fill a large room. And the substantial discount makes it a much better value compared with its original list price.
Why it’s a good deal: This is a decent discount, although it’s not the best we’ve seen. The price has dipped below $400 for major sales, so you may want to hold off if you’re interested but want to save more.
Soundbars
LG S65Q
The LG S65Q is a fairly basic 3.1-channel soundbar in LG’s 2022 lineup that delivers impressive overall sound quality. It can connect to a TV using either an HDMI or an optical audio connection, and if you have a compatible LG TV, it can use LG’s Sound Sync feature to connect via Bluetooth.
Why it’s a good deal: We haven’t seen this model on sale in some time, especially at such a steep discount.
LG SP8YA
Stepping up to the 3.1.2-channel LG SP8YA soundbar in LG’s lineup gets you support for both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive sound. In addition to WiFi, it has built-in Bluetooth for streaming from portable devices and for connecting to an LG TV, and it works with Amazon Alexa, Apple AirPlay 2, and Google Assistant.
Why it’s a good deal: While the list price may be higher at some retailers, this model typically retails for around $500, so this markdown is worth considering.
Samsung HW-Q700B
The 2022 Samsung HW-Q700B soundbar can wirelessly send a Dolby Atmos signal to a compatible Samsung TV over WiFi. It has Chromecast and Apple AirPlay 2 built in, and it will work with Alexa and Google Assistant devices, so you can control it using voice commands. You can also expand it with the optional rear-speaker kit.
Why it’s a good deal: We haven’t seen a discount on this model in months until the price dropped last week.
Wireless Routers
Google Nest Wifi (3-pack)
The Google Nest Wifi three-pack provides decent all-around performance, scoring well for throughput at near- and medium-range distances. It may fall a bit short in large homes, though, and it’s “only” WiFi 5 compatible. But at this price, it’s hard to complain.
Why it’s a good deal: This router system typically retails for $350, making this an impressive deal, especialy at Walmart right now.
Netgear Nighthawk AX8 AX6600 (RAX70-100NAS)
If you don’t need (or want) a multi-router mesh setup, this single-unit WiFi 6 model from Netgear should be near the top of your list. It aced our throughput tests at all distances and was easy to set up via a smartphone app or an old-school, web-based wizard.
There’s automatic firmware updating to keep your data safe, plus four Ethernet ports and one USB port for connecting peripherals.
Why it’s a good deal: The sale price just dropped a few more bucks compared with last week.
Asus AX2700 (RT-AX68U)
This WiFi 6 wireless router from Asus scores quite well in our tests, is easy to set up via a smartphone app, and has automatic firmware updates. But the performance lags a bit in our near-distance tests, so you might want to put a little space between the router and any devices that require tip-top speed.
Why it’s a good deal: We haven’t seen a discount on this model in some time.
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