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The best Black Friday tech sales: Save on tablets, earbuds and more

Black Friday is here — shop discounted Apple, Bose and Google products.
By Harry Rabinowitz

Black Friday is officially here, and retailers are offering notable discounts on tech products during the event. Many of these sales run through Cyber Monday, and you can also find deals on TVs, home and kitchen products.

We compiled the best tech deals that we think you’ll want to know about. We’ll continue updating you about new savings opportunities throughout the next few days. We also compiled a list of Black Friday bestsellers, so you can see what other Select readers are shopping for during the sale event.

SKIP AHEAD Best Black Friday tech deals | Best Black Friday tech sales

Selected.Our top picks

Best Black Friday tech deals 2023

All of our recommendations below are based on our previous coverage and reporting. We also included a handful of products we’ve tried ourselves, including Select Giftable Tech Award winners.  We’re running deals through price trackers like CamelCamelCamel to ensure each product is either at its lowest price ever or its lowest price in at least three months.

Apple iPad (9th Gen)

4.8-star average rating from 54,400 reviews on Amazon

This is Apple’s most affordable iPad and it’s at the lowest price ever. I’ve used it for years to watch TV shows, stream movies, reference recipes while cooking and hop on family video calls. It also has the same 10-hour battery life as the latest iPads. It comes in two colors with either 64GB or 256GB of storage.

Beats Studio Pro Headphones

4.3-star average rating from 1,094 reviews on Amazon

Lowest price ever

At half off their usual price, the Beats Studio Pro are a good deal for premium noise-canceling headphones. You can use them up to 40 hours before they need to be charged, and they offer active noise canceling and transparency mode, according to the brand. These headphones also have the same head-tracking and spatial audio features as the AirPods Pro, and come in four colors.

Anker Nano 621 Power Bank (Lightning)

4.3-star average rating from 1,666 reviews on Amazon

This pocket-sized portable power bank can fit into any bag, and is specifically designed for Apple devices like iPhones, iPads and AirPods. It’s been a great travel companion, in my experience, keeping my tech fully charged throughout the day. It has a built-in lightning connector so you can plug it into compatible devices without needing an extra cord. You can also conveniently recharge the power bank as needed with the included USB-C cable.

Kasa Smart Plug (2-Pack)

4.6-star average rating from 67,680 reviews on Amazon

These are some of our staff’s favorite smart plugs; they work with both Alexa and Google voice assistants and let you control your electronics from anywhere. You can even use your smartphone and the Kasa app to schedule certain devices to turn on and off, according to the brand.

Apple AirTag

4.7-star average rating from 153,629 reviews on Amazon

Apple’s AirTag is a great gift for anyone who tends to misplace their keys, purse, backpack or anything else. The coin-sized tracker connects to Apple’s FindMy app and can point to the precise location of the AirTag. It does not come with a strap, so gifting a holder like this one from Belkin can make it even more useful.

Belkin 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand

4.3-star average rating from 3,180 reviews on Amazon

Lowest price ever

Charging all of your bedside devices at the end of the day can be a huge pain, especially if you only have one outlet nearby. This wireless charging station has slots for your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods. Plus, it can charge through non-metal phone cases up to 3mm thick, according to the brand. It only works on devices that are compatible with wireless charging: for Apple devices that means all iPhone 8s and later, all Apple Watches and all AirPods Pro models. 

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen, USB-C)

4.7-star average rating from 2,511 reviews on Amazon

AirPods Pro are some of the best wireless earbuds on the market right now. Multiple Select staff members use these earbuds on their daily commute, to make  calls and listen to music while working out. In our experience, they have a crisp sound and excellent noise-canceling features. These second-generation models come with multiple ear tips in the box, a lanyard loop on the charging case and touch-sensitive volume controls on the earbuds for easy adjustments. This version has a USB-C port for charging instead of a Lightning port. (Note: While these are 99 cents more than their lowest price ever and are not currently their lowest price in three months, we still consider this a good deal.)

Nintendo Switch Mario Kart 8 Bundle

4.8-star average rating from 5,180 reviews on Amazon

This holiday bundle comes with a Nintendo Switch console, plus Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and three months of the Nintendo Online membership at no extra cost. About half the NBC Select team owns the Switch. It can be played handheld or you can easily connect it to a TV for big-screen action.  The console has tons of games for beginners and gamers alike, including multiplayer games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Chamberlain Smart Garage Control

4.3-star average rating from 95,199 reviews on Amazon

This smart gadget ensures that you’ll never have to worry about whether you remembered to close your garage door. It pairs with the My Q companion app, which you can use to open and close the door from anywhere. You can also create schedules so the door closes at specific times, or give entry access to others, according to the brand.

Google Nest Hub

4.7-star average rating from 3,815 reviews on Best Buy

This staff-favorite smart home hub is like a smart speaker and tablet in one. Using Google Home, you can control all your smart gadgets, plus view smart home security video feeds on the screen. You can also do basic tablet tasks like check your calendar, view photo galleries, stream movies, listen to music and hop on video chats.

Apple MacBook Air M2 (2023, 15-inch)

4.8-star average rating from 920 reviews on Amazon

Lowest price ever

This is the first Apple MacBook Air with a 15-inch screen, giving it a little more weight than the 13-inch version (3.3 pounds vs. 2.8), but it’s a much bigger screen fit for multitasking, watching shows and more. It also has six built-in speakers, up from four. Like the smaller version, it still has up to 18 hours of battery life, a new and improved 1080p HD camera and multiple colors to choose from.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

4.5-star average rating from 1,647 reviews on Amazon

Lowest price ever

The Amazon Fire Stick plugs directly into your TV’s HDMI port and connects to your Wi-Fi, letting you stream shows, movies, music, video games and more. You can also launch apps and search for content using your voice and the remote’s built-in Amazon Alexa voice assistant. This model is compatible with 4K TVs and supports Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, according to the brand.

Sonos Era 100 Smart Speaker

4.5-star average rating from 140 reviews on Amazon

Lowest price ever

One of my favorite new products of 2023, this smart speaker always sounds clear and detailed, regardless of the music I am listening to. It’s also very versatile, able to connect over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay or a wired device with the Line-In Adapter (sold separately). It has Sonos and Amazon Alexa voice assistants built in. You can also sync with other Sonos speakers to play music simultaneously around the house, or pair with another Era 100 for a wide stereo soundstage, according to the brand.

Bose Quiet Comfort Headphones

4.4-star average rating from 252 reviews on Amazon

Lowest price ever

These are the headphones I use most often at work, as they offer the strongest noise cancellation, perfect for when you need to block out chatter and focus. They have physical buttons on the ear cups that control noise-cancellation and transparency modes, volume and playback. Included in the clamshell hard case is an audio cable you can use to physically plug the headphones into computers and airplane seatback players.

The previous version, the original Bose QuietComfort 45, are also steeply discounted at $199.

Anker 100W Wall Charger

4.7-star average rating from 2,273 reviews on Amazon

Lowest price ever

This wall charger has an output of 100W, meaning it can charge almost all portable devices — laptops, tablets, phones, you name it. It has two USB-C ports and one USB-A port so you can plug in various devices. The charger’s prongs flip into the brick, so it’s easier to travel with than other bulkier chargers.

Apple Watch Series 9

4.6-star average rating from 545 reviews on Amazon

Lowest price ever

The new Apple Watch Series 9 has a few new tricks that make it one of the best fitness trackers. It has a new hands-free gesture called “double tap” that lets you control the watch by pinching your index finger and thumb together, which can be faster and simpler than tapping, in my experience. And like previous models, it syncs with Apple’s Health and Fitness apps to provide useful data on your workouts and sleep habits. It is also a capable smartwatch, with texting, notifications, tap-to-pay and more. The watch comes in two sizes with dozens of watch bands to choose from.

Apple Watch SE (2023, 2nd Gen)

4.6-star average rating from 2,267 reviews on Amazon

Lowest price ever

The Apple Watch SE is the lowest priced Apple Watch. Much like other models, it can help you track your health, fitness and sleep stats using Apple’s Health and Fitness apps. The display is a little smaller and is a little dimmer in harsh sunlight. It also lacks the always-on display, which you can find on the Series 9. But aside from a few missing features, it delivers a similar feel to Apple’s other watches, in my experience.

Anker 523 PowerCore Slim 10K

4.5-star average rating from 9,440 reviews on Amazon

Lowest price ever

Have you ever run out of charge on a plane, train or bus? I have, and this portable power bank has saved me from being stranded with a dead phone. It has both a USB-A and a USB-C port, meaning you can connect all sorts of cables for charging various devices (it also comes with both types of cables in the box).

Popsockets Phone Wallet

4.5-star average rating from 16,828 reviews on Amazon

Lowest price ever

This is a phone grip and wallet in one. It sticks to the back of any smooth, hard phone case, like plastic, though it does not stick to silicone or other soft cases, according to the brand. The wallet can hold between three and five credit cards, depending on card thickness, while the grip pops out or folds in, as wanted depending on your needs.

Meta Quest 2 VR Headset

4.7-star average rating from 83,788 reviews on Amazon

Lowest price ever

The Meta Quest 2 is one of our favorite VR headsets and gifts for gamers. It has a wide variety of immersive VR games and apps, a high-resolution screen and wireless capabilities. If you are new to VR, I recommend Beat Saber — a fun rhythm game that mixes music and exercise in an energetic and colorful way. Meta recently launched the Meta Quest 3, and while that product has big improvements, we think the Quest 2 is still a great entry point into VR at nearly half the price.

Best Black Friday tech sales 2023

Here are the best Black Friday tech sales that we think you’ll want to know about. 

  1. Amazon: Up to 65% off smart gadgets, audio gear and more
  2. Best Buy: Up to 60% off TVs, appliances, video games and more
  3. Walmart: Up to 70% off home theater equipment, computers and more
  4. Target: Up to 50% off TVs, tablets and more
  5. Sony: Up to 50% off TVs, speakers, cameras and more
  6. Acer: Up to 55% off laptops, computer monitors and more
  7. Samsung: Up to 30% off earbuds, wearable and more
  8. Bose: Up to 40% off headphones, speakers and more
  9. Jabra: Up to 50% off select headphones, earbuds and speakers
  10. Anker: Up to 60% off charging accessories
  11. Asus: Up to 60% off laptops, phones and more
  12. Logitech: Up to 50% off PC accessories, webcams and more
  13. Lenovo: Up to 76% off laptops, PC accessories and more
  14. Dell: Up to 60% off PCs, laptops and monitors

When is Black Friday 2023?

Black Friday takes place every year the day after Thanksgiving. Black Friday 2023 falls on Nov. 24. But Black Friday and Cyber Monday are no longer just 24-hour events, experts say. They’re morphed into weeks of doorbuster deals, and some early sales start in October or November. Throughout the next few days, we’ll continue updating you about new savings opportunities, as well as tips about what to buy during the event and what you may want to wait on purchasing.

Why trust Select?

Harry Rabinowitz is a reporter for NBC Select who has covered deals and sales for over two years. To round up the best Black Friday tech deals, he found discounted products either at their lowest price ever or their lowest prices in three months.

Catch up on Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance, tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.

Harry Rabinowitz

Harry Rabinowitz is a reporter for Select on NBC News.