I’ve spent the last few months researching laptop prices and one thing is incredibly obvious here. Laptops are becoming insanely expensive thanks in part to the rising cost of RAM. But with Prime Day just around the corner (October 6 and 7), some really attractive discounts are starting to appear.
That’s why I’ve rounded up the best laptop deals worth checking out right now in the most important categories: budget everyday laptops, gaming laptops, Chromebooks, etc. I’m keeping a pretty close eye on the landscape because I oversee all laptop and Chromebook coverage here at PCWorld. I also keep our roundup of the best laptop deals daily, along with our roundup of the best laptops weekly.
Before you dive in, don’t forget that you’ll need to be a Prime subscriber to take advantage of those deals. You can find out how to get Amazon Prime for free here.
Offers at a glance
- Best laptop deal: Microsoft Surface Laptop, $1,379.53 ($220.46 off at Amazon)
- Best budget laptop deal: Asus Vivobook Go 15, $399.99 ($64.81 off Amazon)
- Best gaming laptop deal: Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S, $1,366.11 ($762.89 off Amazon)
- Best budget gaming laptop deal: HP Victus 15, $749.99 ($149.01 off Amazon)
- Best Chromebook deal: Lenovo Chromebook Plus, $450 ($75 off Amazon)
Best laptop deal: Microsoft Surface Laptop, $1,379.53 ($220.46 off at Amazon)
microsoft
Who is this for?
Anyone who wants a In fact A good laptop with a fantastic discount should consider the Surface Laptop.
Why is it a good business?
As far as I’m concerned, the Surface Laptop is pretty much the complete package. Not only is it fairly light at 3.7 pounds, but it also has a Snapdragon X Elite chip and 16GB of RAM. That’s enough to make video calls and stream your favorite shows. Add in excellent battery life (Microsoft says it can last up to 20 hours) and a 15-inch, 2496×1664 PixelSense touchscreen, and it’s easy to see what makes this machine so appealing.
Get the Microsoft Surface Laptop for $1,379.53
Best budget laptop deal: Asus Vivobook Go, $399.99 ($64.81 off Amazon)
asus
Who is this for?
The Vivobook Go is for anyone who just needs a basic machine. Just something reliable to browse or stream. Whatever you do when you’re busy killing time.
Why is it a good business?
The Vivobook Go falls into that increasingly important “laptop enough” category. It’s not about being incredibly powerful. It’s about being consistent.
This is the laptop you use to read Reddit stories, watch Netflix, and get lost in a Wikipedia hole. The lighter things. That’s exactly what the entry-level AMD processor is made for. This is a good machine, especially for under $500.
Get the Asus Vivobook Go for $399.99
Best gaming laptop deal: Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S, $1,366.11 ($762.89 off Amazon)
Acer
Who is this for?
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S is for anyone who wants excellent gaming performance and a high refresh rate display. Its 240 Hz OLED panel is especially attractive for more competitive games where fluid movement is essential.
Why is it a good business?
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S sits squarely in the “upper midrange” box. This is where discounts start to matter a lot. Inside is an RTX 5060 GPU with 8GB of GDDR7 memory and an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, which is plenty powerful for modern titles, especially when combined with Nvidia’s much-vaunted performance-enhancing DLSS AI feature.
However, the most important thing is the screen. You’ll get a 16-inch 2560×1600 OLED panel with a 240Hz refresh rate, meaning it should be sharp and fast.
The trade-off is pretty obvious. It’s not exactly light at five pounds, but what can you really do? It has high-power components inside. These need more space to cool down and function properly.
Get the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S for $1,366.11
Best budget gaming laptop deal: HP Victus 15, $749.99 ($149.01 off at Amazon)
horsepower
Who is this for?
Anyone who wants good 1080p gaming performance without spending a lot of money and “good enough” power for late night gaming sessions or some editing work will appreciate the HP Victus 15.
Why is it a good business?
HP’s Victus laptops are indeed solid budget gaming laptops, which we can attest to here at PCWorld. The prices are reasonable (for the most part) and the performance is consistent. The model that is on sale today hits the mark.
This particular machine comes with an Intel Core i5-13420H CPU and RTX 3050 graphics. I know, I know, it’s older, weaker hardware. But listen to me. It’s perfectly capable of delivering engaging 1080p gaming, especially when you take the graphics into account (don’t turn them up to the max). Instead, remember to rely on Nvidia’s DLSS upscaling technology in games that support it; everything will be fine.
Get the HP 15 Diet for $749.99
Best Chromebook deal: Lenovo Chromebook Plus, $450 ($75 off Amazon)
lenovo
Who is this for?
The Lenovo Chromebook Plus is for anyone who works primarily in the browser, prefers Chrome OS, and wants something that requires little maintenance.
Why is it a good business?
The Chromebook Plus models are Google’s attempt to move Chromebooks out of the extreme budget category. Honestly? Works. Just go in with realistic expectations and you’ll be fine.
Inside the Lenovo Chromebook Plus, there is an Intel Core 3 N355 processor and 8 GB of RAM. It shouldn’t slow you down when chatting with friends on Discord, but if you’re really into gaming or creative work, then this isn’t the laptop for you; no Chromebook should be.
Get the Lenovo Chromebook Plus for $450
Other great early Prime Day deals
These aren’t the only early Prime Day deals the PCWorld team is tracking. If you’re looking to supercharge your home setup with the juiciest tech sales, click the links for only the best, expert-curated picks we’ve found.
- Best early Prime Day monitor deals: OLED, home office, and more
- Best early Prime Day mini PC deals: Big savings on small computers
- The best early Prime Day deals on Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs
- Best early Amazon Prime Day tech deals: Big sales picked by experts
Frequently asked questions
What type of laptop should you get?
Good question! Always on the move? A 2 in 1 is useful, you can put it in tablet mode to take notes. Gaming? Look for good graphics and a high refresh display. Just want something for emails and browsing? Inexpensive Windows laptops work well.
How can I tell if a laptop is a good early Prime Day deal?
I rely on a free tool called CamelCamelCamel (yes, that’s really the name). Track Amazon’s price history, so you can know if that “deal” is actually real. Simply create an account, copy the ASIN number from the product page (starts with “B”) and you’ll get a graph showing how the price has gone up or down. It’s a super easy way to see if you’re getting the lowest price.
Do laptop brands matter?
Not as much as you might think. Most of the big names like Dell, Acer, HP and Lenovo are good machines. Although you may have a personal preference.
How much memory do I need?
I usually tell people to go for at least 8GB of RAM. Anything less and your laptop will feel sluggish. If you can go for 16GB, you’ll definitely notice that everything runs better, especially if you’re the type to keep 20 tabs open at once (don’t judge, I’m just as bad), although 16GB laptops can be quite expensive in today’s PC climate. And if you’re doing heavier things like video editing, large spreadsheets, or creative work, 32GB or more is the way to go.
Is now a good time to buy?
Yeah! Prime Day typically has some of the lowest prices of the year.
