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Laptop prices have risen significantly over the past six months. The memory shortage wreaked havoc on prices, even causing Apple to hike them up in June. That makes deals on big shopping events like Amazon Prime Day even more important. For the retailer's Prime Big Deal Days fall sale, I've spotted a number of my favorite laptops among the dozens I've already tested this year.
So, whether you're looking for a new MacBook or a budget Windows device, you'll find some excellent picks below. In addition, check out more deals in our roundup of the Absolute Prime Day Deals and Best Apple Prime Day Deals.
Updated 3 pm ET October 7: We've added deals on useful accessories and reviewed all the laptop deals. We've added the HP OmniBook 3, removed an expired deal, and added a different Lenovo LOQ 15 configuration.
MacBook Air (M5)
The MacBook Air is $200 off for Prime Day, bringing it to $1,099. That's the cheapest it's been since June. It's a remarkable deal compared to the competition, especially given the 512 GB of storage and 16 GB of RAM it comes with. Apple raised prices across the board on Macs this past June, but this discount reverses that issue entirely. This sale is on the latest M5 model, which came out this past spring and performed really well in all my testing. It's currently at the top of my recommendations not only as the best MacBook but also as the best overall laptop of any kind. That $200 discount applies to every configuration of the MacBook Air available on Amazon, including the larger 15-inch model.
Not only is this the MacBook I recommend to buy for most people, it's also the best laptop deal this week. Neither the MacBook Neo nor the MacBook Pro are being discounted by anything out of the ordinary.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8
This is the best price on the latest version of the Surface Laptop since it launched. I've been tracking it closely, primarily because of how expensive it has been in comparison to the older model from 2024. The price difference always made me recommend the 2024 version, even though it had a slower Snapdragon chip inside. This discount, which is $500 off the retail price and $70 cheaper than it's ever been, brings it close enough to the price of the 2024 model to justify itself. The Snapdragon X2 Elite's GPU performance compared to the X1 model is significant enough to justify the extra money.
For what it's worth, though, the 2024 Surface Laptop 13.8-inch model is currently selling for $1,096, which is also a great deal. If you're trying to get your purchase closer to $1,000, I still think that model is one of the best Windows laptops you can buy.
HP OmniBook 5
The HP OmniBook 5 has been my favorite budget laptop for a while now. It avoids so many of the pitfalls of cheap Windows devices, including typical low-end screens, thick chassis, and poor battery life. This one has a beautiful OLED screen, is as thin as a MacBook Neo, and gets fantastic battery life, thanks to the Snapdragon X chip inside. The one compromise is the touchpad, which still isn't very good.
HP.com typically has the lowest price, which is $780 right now. But Amazon has that beat during Prime Day, at only $750 for the 16-inch model. Not only is it cheaper, but it also comes with 512 GB of storage, twice the amount as the discounted HP.com model. I should say that I prefer the 14-inch model, just because the 1920 x 1200 resolution looks a bit sharper on it.
Lenovo LOQ 15
This has long since been one of my go-to affordable gaming laptops to recommend for two very important reasons. First off, most budget gaming laptops have terrible screens. That's true of the Alienware 15, the MSI Cyborg A16, and even the Lenovo LOQ 15 Essential Edition—all gaming laptops in the same price range as the Lenovo LOQ 15. But the LOQ 15 display has good color coverage, so greens and reds don't look oversaturated. With that benefit, the LOQ 15 still tends to cost less than its alternatives. Yesterday, the RTX 5050 configuration had dropped down to $1,100. While that deal is gone, the more powerful RTX 5060 version is now discounted. It's marked down $150 on Amazon to $1,400, which comes with a terabyte of storage. Walmart also dropped its price to $1,300 for its 512 GB model.
HP OmniBook 3
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If the HP OmniBook 5 is still too expensive, I'd recommend looking at the OmniBook 3, which is also on sale for Prime Day. Both the 16-inch and 14-inch models are discounted, though I think the 14-inch model is a bit stronger. I normally don't recommend Windows laptops this cheap, as they often come with far too many compromises. This one has a few, including the poor touchpad and slightly chunky chassis. The key here is the Snapdragon X inside, which delivers great battery life and decent performance, two things that $500 Windows laptops tend to struggle with. The more expensive OmniBook 5 gets you a better OLED screen, a thinner chassis, and a more refined design.
Additional Laptop Deals
There are a number of affordable laptops being sold at good prices, but the deals aren't specific to Prime Day. Some were already on sale, and some are cheaper at other retailers.
MacBook Neo for $689: The MacBook Neo is only $10 off, but it's already one of the most affordable laptops Apple has ever sold. The limitation of 8 GB of RAM is definitely its biggest issue (especially since it can't be upgraded to 16 GB), but the laptop has enough strengths to make it a good option for those with fairly basic computing needs.
Dell XPS 13 for $900: This laptop often gets dinged for only having 8 GB of RAM, but the 16 GB model avoids that issue. And at $900, it's still an incredible deal. The display is absolutely gorgeous, and it's still one of the most compact laptops you can buy. It'd be the perfect laptop for college or travel, thanks to its insanely long battery life.
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x for $985: This is one of my favorite laptops under $1,000. If you want a larger display without adding much thickness, this is it. It's an excellent alternative to the 15-inch MacBook Air and costs a fraction of the price.
Asus Chromebook CX14 for $200: As a first laptop for a kid, the CX14 should do the trick. It's a surprisingly modern-feeling Chromebook for the price, and it comes with plenty of ports. The display isn't the best, nor is the touchpad. But it's $79 off right now at Best Buy, bringing the price down to just $200.
Laptop Accessory Deals
AmazonBasics
Ergonomic Laptop Stand
It might not be the prettiest laptop stand out there, but this basic model does the job. For only $25, the Amazon Basics Laptop Stand is incredibly sturdy and rigid, with plenty of height adjustment to reach eye level.
- Photograph: Luke Larsen
- Photograph: Luke Larsen
- Photograph: Luke Larsen
- Photograph: Luke Larsen
- Photograph: Luke Larsen
- Photograph: Luke Larsen
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- Photograph: Simon Hill
- Photograph: Simon Hill
- Photograph: Simon Hill
Ecoflow
Rapid Pro Power Bank
This power bank delivers close to the maximum capacity allowed on flights. It'll charge your laptop and phone at the same time. It has three USB-C ports (one 140 W and two 65 W), a retractable USB-C cable (140 W), and a display to show all sorts of charging stats. —Simon Hill
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