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Home Innovation Computing Laptops

The 23 best laptop deals right now

New year, new laptop. We've included Windows laptops from Dell, Lenovo, and HP, as well as MacBooks, large-screen laptops, 2-in-1 touchscreen notebooks, and Chromebooks.
Written by Charles McLellan, Senior Editor and  Rebecca Isaacs, Staff Writer on
Reviewed by Emery Wright

While the holidays are over and we've started a new year, there's good news for consumers. At CES, the latest lines of laptops and Chromebooks were announced. So if you're in the market for a new computer, there are major savings on computers in stock as companies prepare to add their 2023 rosters.

ZDNET Recommends

Big box retailers like Best Buy and Amazon can offer great savings, too. We've rounded up the best laptop deals so you can find a portable PC you or a family member will love while saving some major cash.

Keep in mind that stock may be limited for current deals. Coupled with snowstorms, once-in-a-century blizzards, and more,  it may take time for your laptop to arrive, even with two-day shipping offered by most retailers. If you see something that looks like a great deal for you or a loved one, we recommend adding it to your cart ASAP to get it in a timely fashion.

Best laptop deals

Below are the best laptop deals we found. Further down the page, you'll see other interesting laptop deals we spotted at Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy.

Microsoft Surface Pro 7+ & Surface Pro Type Cover

Save $330
Microsoft Surface Pro 7+ & Surface Pro Type Cover
Image: Microsoft
  • Current price: $900
  • Original price: $1,230

Microsoft's Surface Pro 7+ differs from the standard 7 model by supporting a removable/upgradable SSD and offering up to 15 hours of battery life compared to 10.5h. Mobile broadband (4G LTE) is also an option on the 7+ model, although that's not present on this tablet-plus-keyboard cover offer, which comes in at $480 under Microsoft's list price.

Also: The best Surface PC: Every Surface device is Windows 11-ready

Also: Surface Pro 7+ for Business: Here's what makes it different

View now at Microsoft

Razer Blade 14

Save $297
Razer Blade 14
Image: Amazon
  • Current price: $2,303
  • Original price: $2,600

The Razer Blade 14 is one of our picks for best gaming laptops, and according to expert Sean Jackson, delivers a 'perfect balance of power and portability'. With a powerful AMD processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti graphics, along with a 165Hz screen, it packs a lot into a 1.78kg chassis. Quality specs mean a hefty price tag, but it's available here at 23% off.

Also: The best gaming laptops: Top rigs for on-the-go gaming

View now at Best Buy

ThinkPad 14-inch X1 Carbon Gen 10 Intel with Linux

Save $1,048
ThinkPad 14-inch X1 Carbon Gen 10 Intel with Linux
Lenovo
  • Current Price: 1,281
  • Original Price: $2,329

Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 is 45% off right now, saving you over $1,000 on a top-performing laptop. Built with the 12th Generation Intel Core i5-1240P Processor, the e-cores can go up to 3.30GHz and boost up to 4.40GHz. Plus, 8GB RAM, 256 GB SSD storage, and integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics round out the specs on this Linux-based 14-inch laptop.

View now at Lenovo

Aspire 5 Laptop

Save $80
get-more-done-for-less-with-the-acer-aspire-5
Acer
  • Current Price: $400
  • Original Price: $480

Sometimes a higher price doesn't necessarily mean better specs. If you're looking for a budget-friendly laptop deal that can still get you a document processor and internet surfer, the Aspire 5 is for you. The laptops features a 15.6-inch full HD screen, 8GB RAM, and an AMD Ryzen quad-core processor that boosts up to 3.85GHz.

View now at Store.acer

Asus VivoBook S15

Save $130
Asus VivoBook S15
Image: Asus
  • Current price: $600
  • Original price: $730

If you're looking for a good-value all rounder, the 15.6-inch Asus VivoBook S15 is well worth considering. This stylish Core i5-based laptop with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage offered good value at its original retail price of $730. Now at $600, it's even better. 

View now at Asus

More: What are laptop docking stations and which is best for your setup?

Amazon laptop deals

Here are some other holiday laptop deals happening right now at Amazon:

Walmart laptop deals

Here are some other holiday laptop deals happening right now at Walmart:

Best Buy laptop deals

Here are some other laptop deals happening right now at Best Buy:

Lenovo laptop deals

Here are some top deals from Lenovo, the number-one PC manufacturer worldwide in Q3 2022, happening right now:

Apple MacBook deals

Here are some top laptop deals for Apple aficionados happening right now:

How did we choose these laptop deals?

We searched for laptop deals at retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy, and also at the websites of leading manufacturers like Lenovo, HP, Dell, Apple, Acer and Asus. We also used various price trackers to ensure that a claimed deal wasn't spurious.

We have concentrated on quality products from leading vendors, as discounts on these laptops are likely to be most sought-after by potential buyers.

What specs do I need to look for in a laptop?

It depends on your needs. We break it down for you below:

  • Processing power/CPU. So the processor is the computer's brain essentially, and handles the basic programming tasks. Gamers will want a higher processor that can even boost to a higher GHz threshold for AAA games like Death Stranding and Halo Infinite. Higher processor outputs will also apply to content creators who need a laptop to handle editing video software, but if you're using your laptop for general working or just surfing the internet, you can opt for a lower processor. 
  • Graphics card/GPU. Again, gamers and content creators will want a higher graphics card to reflect the beautiful imagery for their gaming. I personally recommend for gamers opting for at least an RTX 3060 at the moment. However, again, internet surfers and workers shouldn't worry too much about the graphics if you're just focusing on building out word documents.
  • Storage. For those that focus on lighter laptop use, 256GB will be plenty of space for your laptop. However, if you need more storage for high-resolution photos, video, or more, you'll want to opt for 512GB of storage or even 1TB.
  • RAM. In conjunction with the CPU, RAM is used to help the computer get through daily tasks, multi-tasking, and is vital to running programs. ZDNET expert Adrian Kingsley-Hughes breaks down RAM needs here, but at minimum, especially for working, you should opt for around 8GB, and gamers will potentially want more.

Do I need a gaming laptop or a "regular" laptop?

Again, it depends on your needs. Those that aren't gamers can opt for a regular laptop with high specs, but content creators or those that work with heavy editing software should opt for a designer's laptop or a gaming laptop. Not because, of course, you want to have the best gaming specs on the side, but because those laptops come with powerful CPUs, GPUs, and high RAM to handle the heavy requirements that software needs.

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