The best laptop deals in September 2024

A Microsoft Surface laptop, HP laptop and Asus laptop on a green background

We're entering a quieter period now as most sales are behind us and there are still a few weeks until we ramp up to the massive end-of-year sales. Still, there are laptop deals aplenty out there if you're on the hunt for a new device. I've searched through all the major retailers and manufacturers to bring you the very best laptop deals available right now.

Given we're outside of any major sales these offers are not all the strongest we've seen this year, but there's still a wide selection of laptop deals that should suit a a variety of budgets and needs. If you're not desperate to buy now, it could be worth holding out until October when we expect the end-of-year sales to ramp up with the second Amazon Prime Day event.

I've considered price, quality and value for money for our hand-picked selection, which also features many laptops fully recommended by TechRadar's expert reviewers who assemble and regularly update our best laptops guide. There are cheap Chromebooks for schoolwork, the best value budget devices for everyday use and the biggest discounts on premium performance powerhouses.

Have confidence that, however much you spend, you're getting a quality device that has likely been fully tried and tested by us. And, where it hasn't, we've looked at the performance of previous models, user reviews, the manufacturer's history and other factors to determine whether it's worth buying.

Today's best laptop deals - quick links

The best laptop deals in September 2024

Dell Inspiron 15: $699.99$499.99 at Dell
DisplayProcessorRAMStorageOS

Dell Inspiron 15: was $699.99 now $499.99 at Dell
Display
- 15.6 inches
Processor - Intel i7
RAM - 16GB
Storage - 1TB
OS - Windows 11

💰 Good price for a powerful laptop
✅ Solid performance and lots of storage
❌ Bulky, limited battery life and dated

Dell's latest set of laptop deals feature this slightly older but excellent value all-around device. With an Intel i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a large 1TB, it's a terrific buy if you have a reasonable budget and need a device that will comfortably handle your day-to-day computing jobs and general work. Expect solid performance, good multitasking capabilities, and speedy load times, but be aware of the bulky 15.6-inch size and battery life of around 6-8 hours that hamper its portability. Altogether, though, this is an impressive laptop for the price.

Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Chromebook: $429$279 at Best BuyDisplayProcessorRAMStorageOS

Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Chromebook: was $429 now $279 at Best Buy
Display - 15.6 inches
Processor - Intel Pentium Silver N6000
RAM - 8GB
Storage - 128GB
OS - ChromeOS

💰 Good low price for a reasonably powerful laptop
✅ Touch screen and enough RAM for light use
❌ Poor processor and ChromeOS has limits

We've seen better cheap Chromebook deals recently, but this is still a good value-for-money option if you need a basic everyday device but don't want to compromise too heavily on performance like you would with a sub-$200 laptop. An Intel processor and 8GB of RAM is a decent pairing with the lightweight ChromeOS, so it's capable of general tasks and light use, such as web browsing, sending emails, word processing and watching videos. Just be aware it's missing some advanced features of a Windows machine and has limited storage, but benefits include a handy touchscreen, better performance with cheaper components and excellent battery life.

Dell XPS 13: $1,299$999.99 at Dell
DisplayProcessorRAMStorageOS

Dell XPS 13: was $1,299 now $999.99 at Dell
Display
- 13.4 inches
Processor - Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite
RAM - 16GB
Storage - 512GB
OS - Windows 11

💰 First big discount on the new model
✅ Powerful, exceptional battery life, great display
❌ More storage would be nice

This is the biggest discount yet on one of the brand-new Dell XPS 13 models. As a Copilot Plus PC, it comes with one of the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon processors that boast fantastic all-around performance and exceptional battery life of around 17 hours. These are things we called out as the main positives in our Dell XPS 13 review, alongside the gorgeous OLED display and sleek overall design. It's a high-end premium device for users who need speed, performance, and responsiveness for coding, multitasking, and creative tasks.

Lenovo IdeaPad 1i: $499.99$329.99 at Best Buy
DisplayProcessorRAMStorageOS

Lenovo IdeaPad 1i: was $499.99 now $329.99 at Best Buy
Display
- 15.6 inches
Processor - Intel i3
RAM - 8GB
Storage - 256GB
OS - Windows 11

💰 Today's best cheap Windows laptop
✅ Good entry-level performance for the price
❌ Some weaker and older components

If you'd prefer a cheap Windows laptop then Best Buy has almost $200 off this Lenovo IdeaPad 1i. With an Intel i3 processor and 8GB of RAM, it offers an acceptable level of performance for everyday use, basic work tasks and video calls. The 256GB SSD is a reasonable size that will easily fit all of your most important files and applications. A thin and light design, as well as up to 10 hours of battery life, round out this solid portable machine for the price.

MacBook Air 13-inch (M3): $1,099$899 at Amazon
DisplayProcessor RAMStorageOS

MacBook Air 13-inch (M3): was $1,099 now $899 at Amazon
Display
- 13 inches
Processor - Apple M1
RAM - 8GB
Storage - 256GB
OS - MacOS

💰 A great saving - but has been $50 cheaper before
✅ Five-star performance, design and battery life
❌ Still pricey, and with limited storage

The latest MacBook Air is down to $899 at Amazon – that's just $50 more than the previous historic low price. The brand-new model was released earlier this year and runs on the powerful M3 chipset, making it a great buy for creatives and anyone after a high-end device. Our five-star MacBook Air 13-inch M3 review praised its excellent performance, lengthy 18 hours of battery life and slick fan-less design. We think it's the best laptop you can buy right now if you've got a decent budget for a portable and powerful machine.

Asus Chromebook 14: $299 $139 at Best Buy
DisplayProcessorRAMStorageOS

Asus Chromebook 14: was $299 now $139 at Best Buy
Display
- 14 inches
Processor - MediaTek Kompanio 520
RAM - 4GB
Storage - 64GB
OS - ChromeOS

💰 Super-cheap
✅ Great for students or light use at home
❌ Struggles with anything beyond basic tasks

This Asus Chromebook 14 is a basic device but it's ridiculously cheap, making it a great buy for light use such as general browsing and schoolwork. It also boasts full-day battery life thanks to the lean but perfectly functional Chrome OS from Google, meaning it's best suited for students or those always on the move. If you have under $150 to spend and need a cheap laptop then you won't find a better option right now.

Microsoft Surface Pro 11: $1,697.99$1,499.99 at Best Buy
DisplayProcessorRAMStorageOS

Microsoft Surface Pro 11: was $1,697.99 now $1,499.99 at Best Buy
Display
- 13-inch OLED
Processor - Snapdragon X Elite
RAM - 16GB
Storage - 512GB
OS - Windows 11

💰 Includes keyboard cover for free
✅ Flexible, versatile, and new tablet-laptop hybrid
❌ More powerful devices available for a similar price

You usually have to pay extra to get a Surface Pro Signature Keyboard with Microsoft's laptop-tablet hybrids, but this bundle deal at Best Buy chucks one in for free – saving you almost $200 at the same time. We were super-impressed with these new models that boast a gorgeous 13-inch PixelSense Flow OLED display at 2880 x 1920 resolution so it looks sharp and crisp with some vibrant colors and deep blacks. Meanwhile, the Snapdragon X Elite processor ensures excellent battery life and combines well with its many AI features to simplify your life. There’s also 16GB of memory and a 512GB SSD that ensures speedy performance and plenty of storage space.

Apple MacBook Air M1 (2020): $999$649 at Walmart
DisplayProcessorRAMStorageOS

Apple MacBook Air M1 (2020): was $999 now $649 at Walmart
Display
- 13 inches
Processor - Apple M1
RAM - 8GB
Storage - 256GB
OS - MacOS

💰 Unbeatable price for a MacBook
✅ A powerful Apple device for all users
❌ Older model - soon to be discontinued

Walmart is offering the MacBook Air M1 for a new record-low price of $649, which is a steal for the device that sat atop our best laptop guide for many months. It may be a little dated now but this is still a powerful Apple device that holds up well in 2024. It can handle the computing needs of most users: be that work, browsing, video calls and even some creative tasks such as video and photo editing. Just be aware that Apple has ceased production on this model, so while it's still being supported, it may be your last chance to snag one of the best laptop deals ever before it disappears from the digital shelves for good.

Where to buy the best laptop deals

Amazon: discounts on Chromebooks and laptops, plus the best MacBook prices

Amazon: discounts on Chromebooks and laptops, plus the best MacBook prices
Amazon has a regularly rotating selection of laptop deals, though you do have to wade through a lot of junk sold by third-party sellers. Still, it's often the best place to go for cheap Chromebooks and mid-range devices, so worth a look if your budget is around $500 or less. For those after a more premium device, Amazon often has the best prices available across the Apple MacBook range – but these tend to sell out quickly.

Best Buy: low prices for Chromebooks, mid-range laptops and Apple devices

Best Buy: low prices for Chromebooks, mid-range laptops and Apple devices
Best Buy always has a strong selection of laptop deals that cover a full range of prices and use cases. You can often find cheap Chromebooks for under $200 and discounts of up to $500 on dozens of Windows laptops. Plus, it often price matches (or beats) Amazon for deals on premium Apple MacBooks - which are sometimes even cheaper for My Best Buy members.

Dell: regular flash sales on Inspiron and XPS laptops

Dell: regular flash sales on Inspiron and XPS laptops
Dell's always has a selection of deals on its most laptops devices, but if you time it right during a major event or flash sale you can get some record-low prices. This includes several limited-time offers on well-built versions of it's Inspiron and XPS devices that feature high-end components or better-than-average specs for the price.

HP: weekly deals and 24-hour flash sales

HP: weekly deals and 24-hour flash sales
There's a new selection of laptop deals available at HP each week so you can save on Chromebooks, traditional devices and 2-in-1 machines all the time. Some of these are excellent value for money, but watch out for the devices that skimp on storage in order to drive the price down. The very limited 24-hour offers are usually the best value, but you have to snap those up quickly.

Target: cheap new and refurbished laptops

Target: cheap new and refurbished laptops
Target usually has a small selection of laptop deals available, including various new and refurbished options. If you're looking to spend more on a powerful device then your choices are limited and we'd suggest trying elsewhere like Best Buy or Amazon. However, we have seen a few big discounts on high-end laptops from the likes of Microsoft, HP and Lenovo when it has them in stock.

Lenovo: savings of up to 70% on laptops

Lenovo: savings of up to 70% on laptops
The official Lenovo store doesn't present its deals in the most easy-to-digest way but you can sometimes find a good laptop offer or two amongst the chaos. We try to pick them out and share them up top when we find them. If you want to brave the store for yourself then you can regularly find savings on the manufacturer's ThinkPad, IdeaPad, Duet and Yoga devices.

Microsoft: big savings on Surface devices

Microsoft: big savings on Surface devices
Going direct to Microsoft is usually the best option if you're interested in one of the manufacturer's popular Surface devices. Sales are live on a regular basis with extra discounts on the latest Surface Pro and Surface Laptop devices. There are sometimes discounted bundles on older generation models with vital accessories such as a Keyboard Cover included for free.

Laptop deals: our buying advice

It can be overwhelming looking for laptop deals if you're not sure where to start. You may have an idea of how much you want to spend, what you need the device for or what key features you want included, but how do convert that information into the right laptop and ensure you pay the right price?

Well, that's what we're here for. We hunt down the best laptop deals each week and share them with your right here so you can bag exactly what you're after at a good price.

Here are a few words of advice from us based on our experience hunting down the best laptop deals and a little explainer on the process we go through to ensure we surface only the best offers on this page.

How much should I spend on a laptop?

The answer to this ultimately comes down to what you need the laptop to do. Below, we've looked at several different price brackets and what you can expect from a laptop in each range. Use that to give you an idea of how far your budget will go or what you need to spend to get the right laptop deal for you.

When to spend under $200 on a laptop

👍 You just need a basic laptop: Laptops under $200 are not very powerful and are usually slightly older, but are fine for basic everyday tasks such as web browsing, sending emails, video calls and watching videos. 

🔋 Battery life and portability are key: In this price range, a lot of laptops are either 11 inches or 14 inches - that's great for on-the-go use. Plus, with less demanding components, these devices can last up to 20 hours.

🌐 You use a lot of web applications: Storage space on these laptops is limited, but that's less of an issue if you use Google Docs or Microsoft 365 as productivity apps and rely more on cloud storage for files and photos.

When to spend $200 - $400 on a laptop

Extra power to cover the basics: Laptops in this price range are still relatively basic, but some upgrades give you extra power to boost performance. 

💻 You prefer a large display: More laptops are available with a 15-inch or 17-inch display once you cross over $200, so consider these options if you'd like a bigger screen. 

🧘‍♀️ You'd like a flexible 2-in-1 device: 2-in-1 devices offer the functionality of a laptop with the versatility of a tablet and you can get some good value options in this price bracket.

When to spend $400 - $600 on a laptop

You need all-around performance: As we hit the mid-range for a laptop, these devices generally offer solid all-around performance for your work and leisure needs with powerful components, up-to-date features and lots of storage.

🛠 Multitasking: If you always end up with dozens of tabs or programs open at once, you'll want to consider a laptop in this price range so you avoid slowdown.

😲 More options: Traditional laptops, 2-in-1 machines, Surface devices and premium Chromebooks are all well-represented in this price range so you have lots of choices depending on your needs and preferences.

When to spend $600 - $800 on a laptop

📈 You want a powerful device: Laptops in this price range are packed with powerful high-end components, so this is how to spend your money if you need a serious workhorse machine.

🤖 More advanced tech: Laptops in this price bracket often come with premium upgrades included as standard, such as high-resolution 4K displays, a touchscreen, impressive battery life, backlit keyboards, improved speakers and more.

🎮 Light gaming: You won't be running modern games in the highest quality, but if you like to play indie games, undemanding current releases or classic favorites in your downtime, then some of these devices are powerful enough to do so.

When to spend over $800 on a laptop

🤑 Get the best money can buy: When you spend over $800 you get some of the best laptops money can buy that are filled with the latest technology. These are premium options are built with high performance, advanced workloads and longevity in mind.

A long-term investment: Buy a cheap laptop and you may have to replace it in a couple of years. Buy one of these and you've got a modern device that will last five years or more with ease.

🎨 Creative powerhouses: Into creative tasks such as photo and video editing or music creation? Many laptops in this price range – especially MacBooks – are designed with those tasks in mind so will excel in those areas.

Apple MacBook Air and Dell XPS 13 on purple background

(Image credit: Future)

How we choose the best laptop deals

It all comes down to what's included in the price. We've been tracking all the best laptop deals for a number of years now, so we have a solid idea of what level of performance and components you can get for your money. Using that as a baseline, we can pick out the treasures from the trash.

We also take into consideration what you might need a laptop for based on the money you have to spend. So, if it's just a basic device for some light work, general browsing and media streaming, there's no point recommending a $1,000 laptop as it would be completely unnecessary. Instead, we look at devices between $100 - $300 that could handle those tasks and recommend some laptop deals accordingly.

However, if there's a particularly good reason to spend a little extra money (maybe for some extra performance-boosting RAM or a healthy storage upgrade) then we'll mention that too for your consideration. Sometimes it's worth that investment to better future-proof yourself and end up with a noticeably better device.

Our search takes us across all the major and specialist retailers, so you can be sure we've taken a comprehensive look across the web to pick out the best laptop deals. All the laptops you see here are hand-picked and judged by a real human, too, so each one is given a proper and detailed assessment before it gets added.

Want more laptop deals?

If you want to continue your research into the best laptop deals any further, you can check out all the latest Chromebook deals for even cheaper devices running the efficient Chrome OS

We've also got an eye on all the best MacBook deals available right now - and there are some terrific savings on Apple devices. Our roundup of the latest Apple promo codes or our Apple student discount guide could help you there, too.

And for the gamers, you'd be better suited over on our guide to this week's cheap gaming laptop deals as the models on this page are built with browsing, work and general use in mind - not gaming.

James Pickard
Senior Deals Editor

James Pickard is a Deals Editor at TechRadar. After many years of scouring the net for the cheapest games and tech for his personal use, he decided to make it his job to share all the best bargains and coupon codes with you. James also has almost a decade of experience covering some of the biggest sales events of the year at Eurogamer and VG247, including Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Amazon Prime Day. When not deals hunting or stacking coupon codes to get the biggest savings, James can be found on the PS5, watching a classic film noir or cheering on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.