Black Friday 2026 is on Friday 27 November and Cyber Monday on Monday 30. It's the best week of the year to buy tech… if you go in with a plan. Here's what's worth buying by budget, and when refurbished beats a "deal" on new.
First: note the prices today
The most useful trick is to note today's price of what you want. On Black Friday you'll know whether the discount is real or the price was raised beforehand. We explain it in how to spot fake discounts.
Phones
Phones that have just launched drop very little. Last year's models drop a lot more, and that's usually where the best buy is.
Prefer the latest? Compare first: iPhone 16 vs iPhone 17 and Pixel 9 vs Pixel 10.
Consoles
Consoles are among the biggest drops, especially bundles with games.
Torn between the new Switch and the old one? Read Switch 2 vs Switch OLED.
Laptops
A good time for students. Even so, a good refurbished laptop usually beats a cheap new one on offer.
More options in the best refurbished laptops for students.
Earbuds
We compare them in AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 2.
Deal on new or refurbished?
- The deal brings new close to refurbished → buy new. Fresh battery and the full warranty.
- There's still a big gap → refurbished. Especially for models from one to three years ago.
Summary
- Note today's prices of what you want.
- For phones, look at last year's model: it drops the most.
- For consoles, look for game bundles.
- Always compare with the refurbished price before buying.
All the models are on our Black Friday page.