I’ve been spending the past few months digging into laptop pricing, and one thing is incredibly obvious here. Laptops are getting wildly expensive, thanks in part to the rising cost of RAM. With Amazon Prime Day peeking around the corner (June 23 to June 26), early discounts are already starting to appear.
That’s why I’ve pulled together the best laptop deals worth watching right now across the biggest categories: everyday budget laptops, gaming laptops, Chromebooks, and so on. I’m pretty tuned in to the landscape because I oversee all laptop and Chromebook coverage here at PCWorld. I also maintain our best laptop deals roundup daily, along with our best laptops of roundup weekly.
Before diving in, don’t forget that you’ll need to be a Prime subscriber to take advantage of Prime Day deals. You can discover how to get Amazon Prime for free here.
Deals at a glance
Best laptop deal: Microsoft Suface Laptop, $1,499 ($700.99 off)
Microsoft
Who is this for?
Anyone who wants a really good laptop at a fantastic discount should consider the Surface Laptop.
Why is this a good deal?
The Surface Laptop is pretty much the complete package as far as I’m concerned. Not only is it pretty lightweight at 3.7 pounds, but it’s also got a Snapdragon X Elite chip and 16GB of RAM. That’s plenty for hopping on video calls and streaming your favorite shows. Throw in the excellent battery life (Microsoft says it can last up to 20 hours) and a 15-inch 2496×1664 PixelSense display, and it’s easy to see what makes this machine so appealing. It’s even more so for $700 off.
Get the Microsoft Surface Laptop for $1,499
Best budget laptop deal: Asus Vivobook Go, $380 ($45 off)
Asus
Who is this for?
The Vivobook Go is for anyone who just needs a barebones machine. Just something reliable for browsing or streaming. Whatever it is you do when you’re killing time.
Why is this a good deal?
The Vivobook Go sits in that increasingly important “just enough laptop” category. It’s not trying to be crazy powerful. It’s trying to be consistent.
This is the laptop you use for reading Reddit stories, watching Netflix, and getting lost in a Wikipedia hole. The lighter stuff. That’s what the AMD Ryzen 5 7520U CPU is made for. It’s solid, especially under $400.
Get the Asus Vivobook Go for $380
Best gaming laptop deal: Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 AI, $1,749.99 ($450 off)
Acer
Who is this for?
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 AI is for anyone who wants high-end 1440p gaming performance in a strong portable package.
Why is this a good deal?
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 AI sits squarely in the “upper mid-to-high tier gaming laptop” quality. This is where discounts start to matter a lot.
Basically, you can crank up the graphics on this one. Inside there’s an RTX 5070 Ti GPU and an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, which is a pretty common combination we see in high-performance laptops.
The trade-off is pretty obvious. It’s not exactly lightweight at six pounds, but what can you do really? It’s got high-powered components inside of it. Those need more space to cool down so they can run properly.
Get the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 AI for $1,749
Best budget gaming laptop deal: Asus TUF Gaming F16, $999.37 ($200.62 off)
Asus
Who is this for?
Anyone who wants good 1080p gaming performance without dropping a ton of cash, and “good enough” power for late night gaming sessions or some editing work, will appreciate this Asus TUF Gaming F16.
Why is this a good deal?
I’m a fan of the TUF line of laptops. The prices are reasonable (for the most part) and performance is consistent. The model that’s on sale today hits the bullseye.
The Intel Core 5 210H CPU and the RTX 4050 GPU can definitely deliver good-looking 1080p gaming on this machine. It’s not a powerhouse. But it’s dependable. Just don’t go cranking up the graphics all the way, lean on Nvidia’s DLSS upscaling technology in games that support it, and you’ll be fine.
Get the Asus TUF Gaming F16 for $999
Best Chromebook deal: Lenovo Chromebook Plus, $514.89 ($65.01 off)
Lenovo
Who is this for?
The Lenovo Chromebook Plus is for anyone who mainly works in the browser and wants something low-maintenance.
Why is this a good deal?
Chromebook Plus models are Google’s attempt to push Chromebooks out of the extreme budget category. Honestly? It works. Just go in with realistic expectations and you’ll be fine.
Inside the Lenovo Chromebook Plus, there’s an Intel Core 3 N355 processor and 8GB of RAM. It shouldn’t slow down on you when you’re typing with friends on Discord, but if you’re deeply into gaming or creative work, then this isn’t the laptop for you.
Get the Lenovo Chromebook Plus for $515
Other great Prime Day deals
These aren’t the only early Prime Day deals being tracked by the PCWorld team. If you’re looking to supercharge your home setup with the juiciest tech sales, hit the links for only the best expert-curated picks we’ve found.
FAQ
What kind of laptop should I get?
Good question! Always on the go? A 2-in-1 is handy, you can flip it into tablet mode for notes. Gaming? Look for good graphics and a high-refresh screen. Just want something for emails and browsing? Budget Windows laptops work fine.
How can I tell whether a laptop is a good Prime Day deal?
I rely on a free tool called CamelCamelCamel (yes, that’s really the name). It tracks Amazon price history, so you can tell if that “deal” is actually the real thing. Just make an account, copy the ASIN number from the product page (it 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 big names like Dell, Acer, HP, Lenovo make good machines. You might have a personal preference, though.
How much memory do I need?
I usually tell people to shoot for at least 8GB of RAM. Anything less and your laptop’s going to feel sluggish. If you can spring for 16GB, you’ll definitely notice things running smoother, especially if you’re the type that keeps 20 tabs open at once (no judgement here, I’m just as bad). And if you’re doing heavier stuff like video editing, big spreadsheets, or creative work, 32GB+ is the way to go.
Is now a good time to buy?
Yes! Prime Day usually has some of the lowest prices of the year.