Top Prime Day Tech Bargains: Exclusive October 2024 Shopping Guide - ZDNet

Top Prime Day Computer Bargains: The Ultimate Shopping Guide for October 2024 - Insights

Amazon’s October Prime Day event wrapped up last night, but there are still quite a few deals going strong. After combing through the remaining sales, we’ve put together a list of the 30 best sales still live on devices we’ve personally gone hands-on with , from all price points.

Also: The best October Prime Day deals live now

From Apple’s MacBook Pro M3 (which is still $300 off) to the versatile and high-performing Dell XPS 15 (2024) (which is $230 off), these are some of the best deals still live that we’ve found. Just make sure to act fast, since these laptop deals are about to power down.

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Our favorite Amazon October Prime Day laptop deals

Apple MacBook Pro M3 14-inch for $1,299 ($300 off): Apple’s M3 MacBook Pro is our tested pick for the best laptop out there in terms of performance and hardware. At just $1,299, it’s one of the lowest price points we’ve seen.
Apple MacBook Air M3 13-inch for $899 (Space Gray or Silver colorways only, $200 off): The MacBook Air with the M3 chip remains one of the thinnest, lightest laptops available. With Apple’s powerful M3 chip on board, this laptop can easily handle demanding tasks.
Apple MacBook Air M2 13-inch for $749 (Silver colorway only, $250 off): The previous version of Apple’s MacBook Air with the M2 processor is no slouch. The MacBook Air with 2022’s M2 chip allows for some pretty major savings at one of the lowest prices we’ve seen.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Snapdragon X Elite for $1,499 ($100 off): This Copilot+ certified laptop features the more competent Snapdragon X Elite chip and 1TB of storage.
Acer Nitro 16 Gaming Laptop for $1,152 ($147 off): This staple from Acer’s gaming series features a 16-inch display with a blazing 165Hz refresh rate along with 1TB of storage.

Apple MacBook Pro M3 14-inch Save $300

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Current price: $1,299
Original price: $1,599

Apple’s M3 MacBook Pro sets the standard for performance and portability, with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB hard drive. The cool and battery-efficient M3 processor is industry-respected for blazing through productivity tasks and demanding workloads like editing 4K video, graphic design, entertainment, and multitasking.

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Apple MacBook Air M3 (13-inch) Save $200

Apple/ZDNET

Current price: $899
Original price: $1,099

The MacBook Air M3 is as high-performing as it is ultraportable. The latest in Apple silicon provides a powerful and battery-efficient core to a thin and light laptop that is under half an inch thin. With a 13.6-inch liquid retina display, 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU, the MacBook Air set the standard in portability and continues to push the limits for what an ultraportable laptop can do.

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Apple MacBook Air M2 (13-inch) Save $250

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Current price: $749
Original price: $999

If you’re looking to save a little bit more on a light and thin MacBook Air, the previous version with the M2 chip is not a huge jump in processing power, and it’s 20% off. The M2 version features a 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU like last year’s version, as well as the same 500-nit liquid retina display that supports 1 billion colors for vibrant images.

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Microsoft Surface Laptop (2024) Save $100

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Current price: $1,499
Original price: $1,599

Microsoft’s 2024 Surface Laptop is a fast, lightweight laptop with a fantastic battery. It was one of our favorite devices we tested this year. Armed with the Snapdragon X Elite processor, the Surface Laptop runs cool and efficiently. It has a gorgeous display and ultraportable body that’s well-rounded enough for any use case.

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Best laptops for students

Dell/ZDNET

Dell XPS 15 (2024) for $1,535 ($224 off) - Dell’s flagship XPS 15 laptop is as versatile as it is well-equipped; neither too big nor too small. The 2024 version with the Intel Core i7 processor, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD is a device that will last your whole time at school, and it’s currently marked down to $1,537, a savings of over $230.
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook for $209 ($10 off) - If you need a lightweight device with a good webcam, it doesn’t get more affordable than Lenovo’s IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook. Already at just a few hundred bucks, you can save some extra cash during Amazon’s October Prime Day sale.
Acer Chromebook 314 for $339 ($110 off) - For a Chromebook with a little bit more storage and a full HD display, this 14-inch Acer machine is a solid campus companion.
Lenovo V15 Essential Laptop for $399 ($100 off) - Lenovo’s V15 laptop is a well-rounded machine with a full 1TB of storage, which is enough for multiple years’ worth of documents and files.

Best gaming laptops under $1,000

Asus/ZDNET

Acer Nitro V Gaming Laptop for $664 ($86 off) - Acer’s Nitro V comes with a more accessible hardware loadout that keeps the price much lower than its more expensive big brother. You’ve still got an Intel Core i5 processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2050, and a blazing-fast 144Hz display for a great cloud gaming setup.
Asus ROG Strix G17 (2022) for $949 ($250 off) - The ROG Strix G17 from Asus’ 2022 lineup is marked down significantly to make room for the 2024 models, but that doesn’t mean this machine can’t handle high-end gaming. It’s got 16GB of RAM and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU and bold design, all for under $1,000.
MSI Thin 15 (2023) for $920 ($79 off) - As its name implies, the Thin 15 is an ultraportable gaming machine with an Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics card along with a 15.6-inch, 144Hz display. Last year’s version is a solid gaming option under that $1,000 price point.
Asus TUF Gaming A15 (2024) for $599 ($100 off) - The TUF line of laptops features solid gaming hardware along with military-grade durability. The A15 is a solid gaming laptop that fits this description to a T, marked way down to a competitive price for 8GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2050 graphics card.

Best laptops for photo editing

Acer Chromebook Spin 714 for $522 ($227 off): If you’re looking for a good sale price on a convertible 2-in-1, Acer’s Chromebook Spin 714 brings all the light efficiency of a Chromebook to a portable form factor. This is a great editing device if you often use Google Photos. Also, with a new purchase, you get Gemini Advanced, 2TB of cloud storage, and more free for three months.
Asus Zenbook Duo Laptop for $1,679 ($20 off): Asus’ Duo is a game-changing machine with its dual 14-inch OLED displays and powerful hardware, allowing for a wide range of configurations that creatives will love.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Snapdragon X Elite for $1,499 ($100 off): This Copilot+ certified laptop features the more competent Snapdragon X Elite chip and 1TB of storage.

More October Prime Day 2024 laptop deals

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

Lenovo IdeaPad 1 for $384 (save $65): Lenovo’s IdeaPads are designed to be accessible, well-rounded laptops for a diverse range of users, and the IdeaPad 1 is a solid, affordable option. The 8GB of RAM and 512 GB of memory on board are an accessible configuration for a machine that’s well-equipped for the basics at a price that you can’t argue with.
Acer Predator Triton Neo 16 for $1,500 (save $400): This high-end gaming and content creation laptop has a Calman Verified display for better color accuracy as well as an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU.
Acer Nitro 16 for $799 (save $200): This mid-range gaming laptop has a 16-inch display with a 165Hz refresh rate and is built with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics card.
Acer Swift Go 14 for $927 (save $72): This lightweight laptop features an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU, Intel Arc graphics, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD.
HP 17-inch Touch Laptop for $479 (Save $80): For a large-screen laptop with touch capabilities, HP’s 17-inch Touch comes in a variety of bold colorways, and is bundled with a mouse in this QVC deal. This is a solid choice for users who want a large screen to play media, but only need a basic hardware configuration.

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Best Buy laptop deals

Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 for $3,000 (save $700): This high-end gaming laptop is built with an AMD Ryzen 9 X3D processor, 32GB of RAM, a 2TB SSD, and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card.
Alienware x16 R2 for $2,000 (save $700): A high-end gaming and content creation laptop with a GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card, Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 OLED for $2,300 (save $400): A premium-grade gaming laptop with a 16-inch OLED display, 240Hz refresh rate, and GeForce RTX 4080 graphics card.
Gigabyte Aero 14 OLED for $1,200 (save $500): A mid-range gaming and content creation laptop with a 14-inch OLED display, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics card, and Intel Core i7-13700H CPU.
Samsung Galaxy Book 3 360 for $700 (save $550): A great mid-range 2-in-1 laptop with a 13.3-inch AMOLED display, Intel Core i7-1360P CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD.
MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo for $800 (save $500): A premium-grade 2-in-1 with a mid-range price, Bluetooth connectivity, and Thunderbolt 4 support.
HP Envy 2-in-1 for $650 (save $400): A budget-friendly 2-in-1 laptop with a 14-inch 2K display, AMD Ryzen 7 CPU, and 1TB SSD.
Apple MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max for $2,999 (save $500): Apple’s flagship content creation and workstation laptop has 36GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and M3 Max chip with integrated graphics processors.
Acer Chromebook Spin 714 for $499 (save $200): A budget-friendly 2-in-1 laptop that’s perfect for students with a 14-inch touchscreen display, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD.

FAQs

When is Amazon’s October Prime Day 2024?

Amazon Prime Day event lasts from Tuesday, Oct. 8 through Wednesday, Oct. 9, but there are noteworthy deals before and after those days as well.

Are laptops really cheaper on Prime Day?

Amazon hasn’t historically been the premiere destination for laptop deals, but the ones it lists for Prime Day have been too good to ignore. The MacBook deals, for example, were pretty major when they first dropped, since Apple is notorious for being restrictive about sales. The deals on Prime Day have gotten better each year, with more and more manufacturers participating with a broader range of devices.

How did we choose these October Prime Day deals?

We searched for laptop deals on Amazon that are significant markdowns from their regular prices, and on products that we have either gone hands-on ourselves or can vouch for as solid laptops worth consideration. 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.

When compiling the list of the best deals, we considered the following:

Price: Naturally, the price point of our recommended laptops has to include a worthwhile discount. While some discounts are small in relation to an overall price tag - for example, $30 off a $150 device - and other discounts are in the hundreds of dollars, we wanted to ensure that in any case, it’s value for money.
Features: We included a range of laptops with features sure to appeal to you, including different screen sizes, processors, memory options, and storage. Furthermore, these laptops include varying levels of security, parental lock options, and display resolutions.
Use cases: At ZDNET, we also took into account different use cases. You might be in the market for a budget-friendly, basic laptop for a child, for example, or you may need a future-proof laptop suitable for work. Or, it might be a gaming device you’re after. So, we have compiled a set of recommendations based on different purposes.