Black Friday 2021 tech deals: Best discounts on Sony headphones, Pixel 6, AirPods, Kindle and more
We’re less than 24 hours away from Black Friday – brace yourselves. The highlight of the sales calendar falls on 26 November this year, but for the last few weeks we’ve been collecting early eye-catching discounts on tech from Amazon, AO, Very and more
There are countless thousands of Black Friday tech deals to sift through, so we’ve separated out our expert coverage to include more TV deals and laptop deals. That way, we’ve plenty of space here in our main tech guide to focus on everything else, from games consoles and toys to phones, tablets, smart home gadgets and electrical appliances.
Follow live: The best early Black Friday deals to shop now
We’re already seeing discounts on products from top brands such as Apple, Dyson and Samsung, plus deals from retailers including John Lewis & Partners, Currys, Argos, Amazon, Very and even Aldi. With chip shortages and supply-chain issues wreaking havoc with the availability of high-end electronics around the world, we’ll be paying especially close attention to those tech products that are hardest to find in stock.
So whether you’re in the market for some AirPods and an iPad, or a new Dyson and some smart lighting, the IndyBest team is here to help you find the deals you’re looking for. You might even bag yourself a PS5 or an Xbox series X, if you’re really lucky,
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This article will be updated with the very best hand-picked deals we can find throughout Black Friday 2021 – which, in case you’re new to this, is always somewhat longer than a single day. Our experts are on hand to round up all of the best deals, letting you shop safely from your sofa. Remember, we’ll be adding more deals as the big day approaches, so be sure to check back for the latest offers.
Best early Black Friday 2021 tech deals
Sony WF-1000XM4 noise cancelling earphones: Was £249, now £199, Johnlewis.com
There’s currently £50 off the Sony WF-1000XM4 earphones. The best of 2021, they’re a pair of noise-cancelling buds packed with clever features and supremely luscious audio fidelity. The earbuds can sense when you’re moving around and dial in the noise cancellation to suit your surroundings, ramping up when you’re on public transport or allowing in traffic sounds if you’re walking near a road. In our round-up of the best wireless earbuds of 2021, our reviewer praised the earphones’ bass response and overall quality. “Although these are small, light earbuds, they manage significant bass as well as great, precise clarity in higher notes. At once delicate and powerful, they have some of the best audio of any wireless headphones.”
Sony ZV1 compact vlogging camera, black: Was £699, now £599, Currys.co.uk
Whether you want to kickstart your YouTube career or just take beautiful snapshots on your travels, the Sony ZV1 is the best compact camera you can buy. Right now there’s £100 off in Currys’s Black Friday sale. We awarded the Sony ZV1 the top spot in our round-up of the best vlogging cameras earlier this year. “It offers the features and functionality of a way more expensive mirrorless camera, in a compact package that’s as convenient to carry around as a smartphone,” said our expert tester.
Oculus quest 2 VR gaming headset, elite strap and carry case bundle: Was £397, now £359, Currys.co.uk
Gaming is pushed further into the future every time Oculus releases a new system and the quest 2 headset could be the biggest step yet. We think this is one of the best Christmas gifts for gamers, so you’ll want to make sure you get it now. The elite strap is the best way to secure the console to your head as you play and the carry case will keep it safe on the move. Grabbing the bundle will give you big savings on these essential accessories too.
Sony WH-1000XM4 noise cancelling headphones: Was £299, now £249, Currys.co.uk
If you prefer over-ear headphones to in-ears, then look no further than the Sony WH-1000XM4s. These are the best wireless headphones we’ve ever tested, and right now they’re discounted by £50 at Currys. In our review we were blown away by the audio, saying “while the active noise cancellation quality might just be pipped by the Bose NC 700s (was £349.95, now £289.95,Bose.co.uk), it’s an incredibly fine margin, and when it comes to the full package, the XM4s can’t be beaten. The audio quality on offer is top of the tree, with barely a foot put wrong.”
Oral-B genius X electric toothbrush: Was £299.99, now £89.99, Amazon.co.uk
Electric toothbrushes bounce around in price constantly, making it difficult to spot a genuinely good deal on one. We’ve seen the Oral-B genius X on sale for as little as £100 at Boots, but £89.99 is the its lowest-ever price. In our review, our tester called it “a smart electric brush with premium cleaning ability”, with a useful app that “aims to be your personal brushing coach”.
Beats studio 3: Was £299.95, now £149, Amazon.co.uk
As with the Beats solo 3, these are another great pair of active noise-cancelling headphones. Embedded inside is Apple’s W1 chip which allows these to pair seamlessly with all Apple products, much like the AirPods. Plus, Beats says that you should get a lengthy 20 hours on a single charge with ANC turned on. This is the lowest price we’ve ever seen them sell for, so it’s worth snapping them up before they sell out.
Apple iPhone 13 pro: Was £71 per month, now £35.50 per month, Three.co.uk
Three is offering the latest iPhone at half price for the first six months of a contract. While there is an upfront cost of £69 on the 128GB pro model, you still get unlimited texts, calls and fast 5G data. Plus, you’ll also receive a £100 gift voucher to spend at Amazon. Our iPhone 13 pro review praised the new camera, saying “the swathe of photographic improvements alone are worth upgrading for, made possible by a faster processor and better camera sensors.”
Want to see all of our iPhone Black Friday deals? Head to our dedicated Apple Black Friday deals page.
Google Nest mini, second generation: Was £49, now £18, Currys.co.uk
We thought the Google nest mini was the best smart speaker you could get for the price, and now that price has been more than halved. Though it measures less than 4in across, this tiny speaker packs a punch and easily carries its sound across any room of the house. It makes use of the market-leading Google Assistant software, making interaction with your AI helper far less painful than it can be with other brands. Our review of the nest mini said it was “a great bit of kit, with a sound that comfortably outperforms its size and microphones that cope with most situations with ease”.
Nintendo Switch neon red/neon blue bundle with ‘Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’: Was £329.98, now £259.99, Argos.co.uk
The red and blue neon version of the Nintendo Switch is our favourite colour variant, and now this bundle with Mario Kart 8 is on sale at its lowest ever price. As usual, you get the neon colourway with its contrasting joy-cons, as well as the black Switch dock. With this early Black Friday deal, you’re essentially just paying for the console and getting Mario Kart for free. Pick it up now and you’ll be racing around Rainbow Road in no time.
Want more great discounts on videogames? Check out our dedicated Black Friday gaming deals page.
Microsoft Surface go 2 10in tablet PC: Was £529, now £339, Amazon.co.uk
Microsoft’s budget tablet is a gorgeous portable device that – unlike the rival iPad and Galaxy tab – runs a full-fat version of Windows and so is compatible with all of the same apps, programs and software you can use on your desktop machine. The Surface go 2 appeared in our list of the best tablets in 2021, where our reviewer described how it can “double as a laptop if you add the type cover (£99, Currys.co.uk), a sturdy keyboard that fits to the front of the tablet and is sold separately.” The more advanced Surface go 3 launched recently, which is why you can pick up last year’s version so cheaply today.
Rode microphones NT-USB mini, black: Was £99, now £72.25, Amazon.co.uk
Want to up your Zoom game? The top pick in our round-up of the best USB microphones, the Rode NT-USB mini can be picked up with a 24 per cent discount at Amazon today. The mic is often on sale for around £89, but this is the cheapest it’s ever been. Our reviews praised the NT-USB mini for its size and recording quality. “A petite condenser microphone, it delivers superb sound quality in a compact and professional-looking package. It sits on a neatly designed magnetic stand, which can be rotated and angled to pick up your voice wherever it’s positioned on the desk,” they said.
Samsung Galaxy S21 5G, 128GB, phantom grey: Was £769, now £649, Johnlewis.com
There’s £120 off the Samsung Galaxy S21 at John Lewis & Partners right now. The flagship device launched earlier this year and is still one of the best Android phones you can lay your hands on, with a class-leading triple-lens camera, a creamy smooth 120Hz refresh rate and a beautiful edge-to-edge screen.
Facebook portal: Was £149, now £79, Currys.co.uk
There’s £70 off the Facebook portal TV in Currys’s Black Friday sales event. This smart, low-profile camera sits beneath your TV and uses the screen to make and take video calls with friends on Messenger and WhatsApp. Call quality is said to be crystal clear and the face-tracking camera ensures you or your family are always centred in frame. Fun features such as a story time mode with playful AR filters help families stay in touch over long distances.
Amazon Fire 7 Tablet, 16 GB, black - with ads: Was £49.99, now £29.99, Amazon.co.uk
There’s £20 off Amazon’s best-selling tablet right now. The seven inch Fire 7 is a cheap and cheerful way to read books, browse the web, watch movies and TV shows and listen to your music on the go. It’s not the most powerful device you can buy, but it has features where it matters: there are front-facing and rear cameras, integrated Alexa and expandable storage, plus all of the major streaming apps and catch-up services. The Fire 7 was already ridiculously good value at £49.99, and now at just £29.99 a pop, you could use them to tile your bathroom.
LG OLED C1 48in 4K HDMI 2.1 smart TV with Dolby vision IQ: Was £1,299, now £999, Box.co.uk
The LG OLED48C16LA is relatively compact for an OLED TV at “just” 48in. However, thanks to the use of top-end OLED panel technology and Dolby Atmos tuned speakers, it still delivers a rich and cinematic viewing experience. It’d be the ideal choice for anyone with a small flat or who doesn’t want the TV to dominate the living space like some other OLED behemoths in this list. Right now at Box there’s a £300 discount.
Want to see all of our Black Friday TV discounts? Head to our dedicated Black Friday TV deals page.
TP-Link deco M5 whole home mesh wi-fi system: Was £149.99, now £122.99, Amazon.co.uk
Do you suffer from wi-fi dead zones? Then consider a mesh network: a set of wi-fi boosters positioned around the home to relay and extend the signal from your router. Your connected devices recognise the entire mesh as a single access point, meaning there’s no dropouts or reconnecting as you move around your home. TP-Link is a market-leader in networking hardware, and the M5 whole home mesh system is ideal for expanding your wi-fi across large homes and several floors. It comes with Alexa built in too, so each point in the mesh doubles up as a smart speaker.
Google Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 pro with 200GB of 5G data: £35 per month, Mobiles.co.uk
Mobiles.co.uk has the best Black Friday deals on the brilliant new Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 pro phones, so have a browse for the one that works best for you. We’ve highlighted the 200GB data plan with Vodafone here, which comes with no upfront cost and 5G connectivity for £35 per month over two years. For an extra £4 per month you can get the same 200GB deal on the Pixel 6 pro (£39 per month, Mobiles.co.uk).
Not sure which to go for? Check out our Pixel 6 versus Pixel 6 pro comparison, where our reviewer recommended the phones to “Android fans who want to experience the first truly premium handset from Google, a high-end luxury smartphone to rival the best that Apple and Samsung can offer.”
Google Nest hub, second generation: Was £89.99, now £59.99, Store.google.com
This is the newest version of Google’s screen-equipped smart speaker. As well as playing music and responding to voice commands, the Nest hub can display useful information such as commute times and public transport delays in the morning, recipe tutorials while you cook dinner, or appointments, alarms and weather updates before bed. Position it on your bedside table and it can use motion and sound sensing to analyse your sleep duration and quality without the use of wearables, giving you an overview of your sleep patterns and suggesting nightly routines that could help to improve your sleep hygiene.
Google Pixel buds a-series: Was £99.99, now £79.99, Store.google.com
The second-generation Pixel buds are a huge improvement over the previous design, and deliver excellent, richly detailed audio in a neat form factor that makes them comfortable to wear over long periods. Built-in Google Assistant and smart features, such as how the buds adjust the volume as you walk from a loud space to a quiet space, make these a top pick for Android users. In our Pixel buds a-series review, we heralded them as “AirPods for the Android crowd”.
Samsung Galaxy tab S7+ book cover, dark grey: Was £74.99, now £53.40, Amazon.co.uk
The Galaxy tab S7+ book cover protects the tablet when closed – which we’d hope was pretty obvious – and also acts as a helpful kickstand to prop up the device at one of two angles. Its most convenient feature, however, is the little nook compartment in the hinge for storing the eminently losable S-pen stylus. It’s a classy accessory (the tablet is sold separately, to be absolutely clear) and is now just £53.40 in Amazon’s Cyber Monday sale.
Tile mate, 2022 version: Was £19.99, now £13.99, Johnlewis.com
Tiles are tiny Bluetooth beepers that clip to your stuff so that later, when you can’t find your stuff, you can use your phone or ask your smart speaker to make your stuff ring out. The 2022 version features in our round-up of the best key finders. They’re louder than the previous models, have an increased Bluetooth range and a replaceable battery that lasts about a year. Now just £13.99 each at John Lewis & Partners, they make the perfect stocking filler for the person in your life who says: “Keys, keys, keys! Have you seen my keys? Did you move them?”
Google Chromecast: Was £30, now £16.99, Argos.co.uk
The newest version of Google’s Chromecast streaming dongle is almost half price in Argos’s Black Friday sale. The Jammie Dodger sized device plugs into a free HDMI port on your TV, enabling you to stream video entertainment, music and pictures from your phone, tablet or laptop. If you can watch or listen to it on your phone, you can pop it on your TV at the press of a button or with a voice command.
Huawei watch 3: Was £349.99, now £279.99, Huawei.com
The first Huawei watch to use the company’s new HarmonyOS operating system, the Huawei watch 3 is a beautiful, high-performance and fitness-first wearable with a bright AMOLED display and a stylish design. The software lags behind Apple and Google’s offerings when it comes to third-party apps, but the health sensors, workout modes and GPS tracking make it a fantastic choice for Android users.
Amazon Echo dot (3rd gen) smart speaker: Was £39.99, now £18.99, Amazon.co.uk
Amazon’s Echo dot speakers are some of the hottest items on Black Friday, partly because the retailer slashes the price of its own-brand products by a ridiculously large amount. While we’re still waiting for discounts on the latest fourth gen Echo dot, Amazon has unveiled an impressive half-price offer on the third gen model. In our review of the latest Echo dot, our tester said of the range: “Amazon’s smart speakers are wildly popular, with good reason: Alexa is easy to set up, simple to navigate and the speakers themselves are of a high quality.” If you’re less precious about having the latest model, this early deal is for you.
GoPro hero10 black action camera: Was £479.99, now £429.99, Amazon.co.uk
GoPro creates the world’s best action cameras. Compact, light and capable of surviving falls from aeroplanes, they record super-smooth and stabilized footage in the harshest, wettest, coldest, hottest and bumpiest conditions. The hero10 is the camera of choice for extreme sports enthusiasts and adventurous tourists alike, but they also make excellent helmet cams for bikers who want to capture the road around them in perfect detail. We featured the previous version in our round-up of the best action cameras, where our writer said that the 5K footage was the "real selling point", and that the "addition of a front-facing screen without needing to buy additional extras adds to the camera’s value”.
Apple AirPods pro: Was £239, now £185, Amazon.co.uk
Apple AirPods pro are pretty expensive but, thanks to Amazon’s early Black Friday sale, you can snap them up with a £40 discount. In our review of the earbuds, our tester said they “are a high-end pair of earphones that are difficult to find much fault in”. Retaining a similar design to the original AirPods (was £119, now £99, Amazon.co.uk), they feature Apple’s signature glossy white finish but come with three different sized silicone eartips, so you can find the perfect fit for you.
Logitech streamcam: Was £139, now £74.99, Amazon.co.uk
A webcam designed for creators and social media stars, the Logitech streamcam can be quickly twisted 90 degrees to film in portrait mode for Instagram reels and TikTok posts. We featured this webcam in our round-up of the best cameras for vloggers, where our reviewer recommended the streamcam for everyday Zoom meetings. “The best-use case for the streamcam is with Zoom calls and video podcasts,” they wrote, “where you need a no-fuss desktop camera that’s always on, but don’t want to look like you’re broadcasting from the bottom of a lake.
Xiaomi mi 11 5G smartphone, 256GB: Was £799, now £599, Amazon.co.uk
The mi 11 is a top-tier Xiaomi phone that doesn’t cut any corners. It’s a 5G-capable Android device with a smooth-scrolling 120hz AMOLED screen and great performance. Our reviewer was smitten with the lite version, calling it “a smart, polished operator that delivers when it comes to multimedia usage. The inclusion of 5G capability here really makes the device a serious, stylish contender for your cash.” You won’t find a phone this good for £599 anywhere else this Black Friday.
Sennheiser momentum true wireless 2 earbuds: Was £279, now £179, Amazon.co.uk
These noise-cancelling earbuds from Sennheiser are some of the best we’ve tested and featured in our round-up of the best wireless earbuds of 2021. Our review called them “a significant upgrade. You don’t need to compromise on performance in exchange for comfort, or put up with unnecessary bulkiness if you want punchy, clear sound.” The only major downside we found in was their high price, but they’re a third off at Amazon right now.
Pure air electric scooter: Was £449, now £399, Pureelectric.com
This is the improved version of the original Pure air, which we awarded best buy status in our round-up of the best electric scooters. The second generation Pure air electric scooter features a more powerful 500W motor for better acceleration and improved uphill performance, particularly for taller and heavier riders. It’s ideal for anyone who lives at the bottom of a hill, and is waterproof for zooming to the office in all manner of wet weather conditions.
All new Amazon Kindle paperwhite: Was £139.99, now £104.99, Amazon.co.uk
Whether you’re an avid reader or shopping for a bookworm, now is the time to snap up the newest Kindle as there’s currently £25 off its paperwhite model. The device took the top spot in our guide to the best ereaders, with our writer noting that it’s “a big step up from the entry-level Kindle”. It features “a high-resolution screen which is extremely easy to read” and the “design is elegant with the screen flush to the frame”.
Garmin forerunner 645 music GPS running watch: Was £349.99, now £179.99, Very.co.uk
Perfect for runners who prefer to leave their phone and wallet at home, the Garmin forerunner 645 has storage for 500 songs, Bluetooth connectivity and contactless payment built in, freeing up your pockets while you exercise. The usual health sensors track everything from heart rate and cadence, while GPS tracks your location and pace. While this particular model didn’t make it into our list of the best running watches, two similar Garmin forerunners did.
JBL live 220BT wireless in-ear headphones: Was £69.99, now £47.70, Amazon.co.uk
A stylish neckband style pair of in-ear headphones, the JBL live 220BT combines the comfort of wireless earbuds with the convenience of wired. The decent ten-hour battery life and fast charging times ensure you’ll never unexpectedly run out of juice, while clever touches such as how the music automatically decreases in volume while you’re speaking are impressive at this low price point.
Roku Express: Was £29.99, now £13.99, Amazon.co.uk
TV-streaming sticks don’t get much cheaper than this. At less than half its regular price, the Roku Express gives access to Netflix, Disney+, iPlayer and all of your favourite streaming services. All you do is plug it into your TV, connect it to your Wi-Fi network, and away you go. The resolution is capped to Full HD instead of the superior 4K, but that’s still absolutely fine for a smaller bedroom television or computer monitor.
Black Friday shopping tips
It can be easy to get carried away on Black Friday, lured into pulling the trigger and buying stuff you don’t actually want or need. Remember, just because something has had its price reduced and the retailer wants you to buy it, you don’t have to. We should also remind readers that less trustworthy retailers are known to increase the price of a product before Black Friday, only to claim it has been heavily reduced for the big day itself. Check the RRP of whatever you are interested in buying, then check the price elsewhere before reaching for your wallet.
More obvious advice, but make sure you are logged into the websites you plan to buy from, as remembering your password or creating a new account can waste valuable time when often Black Friday deals are time or quantity-limited. Systems like Apple Pay can also help speed things up.
If you plan to make a very large purchase on Black Friday, it could be worth checking with your bank or credit card provider to find out what your spending limit is per purchase. Otherwise, a large and unexpected purchase might be temporarily blocked by the card provider until you can prove you intended to make the purchase. Again, it’s all about making sure the transaction is processed quickly and smoothly.
Where can I find the best Black Friday 2021 deals?
Here, of course. We recommend you bookmark this page and be sure to come back regularly in the run-up to Black Friday. That way, the IndyBest team can be on hand to bring you the very best technology deals and discounts for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
What is Black Friday?
Black Friday, for those who have somehow managed to avoid the carnage of previous years, is a massive shopping event that used to be a single day but has since grown to take up an entire weekend.
It began as an American tradition and takes place the day after Thanksgiving, which always falls on the fourth Thursday of November.
Having eclipsed all other annual shopping days back in the mid-noughties, Black Friday has since grown to take up the entire weekend, spilling over into the following week, or, Cyber Monday.
What’s the history of Black Friday?
The origin of the name is open for debate, but a strong contender is its use by Philadelphia police back in 1961, who used Black Friday to refer to the heavy traffic caused by people heading home after visiting family for Thanksgiving.
Fast-forward to the mid-2000s and retailers began using the name to describe the opening day of the holiday shopping season. Very much an offline sales event at this time, Black Friday would see shops open at midnight as thousands of deal-hungry shoppers would flood in, grab as many cut-price televisions as they could occasionally fall over to the delight of news agency photographers – and return home triumphant.
Since Amazon brought Black Friday to the UK in 2010, the shopping event has felt as traditional as turkey, mince pies and dads panic-buying presents on Christmas Eve.
When is Black Friday 2021?
This year, Black Friday begins on 26 November and will continue across the weekend. Then, after a quick costume change, Cyber Monday will take place on 29 November.
However, Amazon kicked things off early in 2020, with the first deals landing a whole month ahead of schedule. We fully expect the retail giant to do the same again this year, so brace yourself for an early departure.
What is Cyber Monday?
In days of yore, Cyber Monday was the online-only equivalent to Black Friday. Now though, with online shopping bigger than ever, Cyber Monday is just another part of the Black Friday weekend (or week, in many cases).
Some physical retailers like to hold back certain deals until Cyber Monday, making them online-only. But for the most part, the two days have merged into a four-day shopping bonanza.
Last year, Cyber Monday was the largest online shopping day in US retail history, with $10.7bn (£7.7bn) of sales in a single day.
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For further savings on tech, check out these links:
Read more on Black Friday 2021
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Best Black Friday laptop deals – there are hundreds of pounds to be saved on laptops from big-name brands such as Apple, Microsoft and HP
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Best Black Friday mattress deals – rest easy with big offers on brands such as Emma, Eve Sleep and Simba
Best Black Friday Aldi deals – the budget supermarket is expected to slash prices on big-ticket items like the Nintendo Switch
Best Amazon Black Friday deals – our pick of the best bargains from the millions out there
Best Apple Black Friday deals – discover rare offers on the brand’s bestsellers, from AirPods to iPhones
Best Argos Black Friday deals – find discounts on everything from kids to homeware, fitness and DIY
Best Boots Black Friday deals – there’s no better time to save on beauty, skincare, electric toothbrushes and more
Best Currys Black Friday deals – for everything from TVs and laptops to kettles and coffee machines
Best Black Friday Dyson deals – bag a bargain on the brand’s corded, cordless and handheld vacuum cleaners
Best John Lewis & Partners Black Friday deals – the high street stalwart has great prices on fashion, beauty, tech, kids and homeware
