Black Friday is only days away, and while it’s the official kick-off to holiday shopping season, if you’re like me and get a little overwhelmed by your gift list, buying early can be a lifesaver. This year, I’m shopping for several gamers in my life, which can become an expensive hobby if you’re not careful. That’s why I’ve been combing through major retailers like Best Buy, Amazon and Walmart to find you (and me) some of the best Black Friday deals on gaming consoles, accessories and games.
Since we’ve got a few days before Black Friday and Cyber Week to follow, keep your eye on this list because the dedicated deals team here at CNET is going to update it whenever we spot a quality deal worth adding.
Best Black Friday gaming console deals
Our reviewer Scott Stein called this one of the best VR headsets around, especially as a budget option, sitting around $300. Right now, Walmart has knocked $50 off the price, which means it’s a good time to snap one up ahead of the holidays. This one comes with Batman: Arkham Shadow and a three-month trial of Meta Horizon Plus.
Best Buy is offering $100 off the slim PS5, and Amazon has it for $101 off. At this price, you get the digital edition of the slim gaming console, a wireless controller and 1TB of storage. Plus, Best Buy has a trade-in program where you can save hundreds off.
Best Black Friday gaming PC and laptop deals
Reviewer Lori Grunin called the Alienware Aurora “the best gaming PC with a novel design.” She noted the slick and fairly compact design, along with how surprisingly quiet it was, as other pros. However, among the cons was cost, especially because there are nearly a dozen versions of the Aurora right now. The starter version is on sale for $450 off, but if you want to upgrade to something closer to what Lori tested, you can pick up a Core Ultra 9 285, RTX 5070 Ti configuration for $2,450, which is $950 less than the regular price.
Best Black Friday game deals
Best Black Friday accessory deals
My son’s best friend brings his Xbox Series S over to our house all the time so that they can — as they explained with an eyeroll — “play the same game without split screen.” This is the perfect, padded case to get him for Christmas. It also doubles as regular storage as needed, and can hold the Series S console and two controllers and their cords.
- Ecomoment wireless gaming headset: $29 (save $37). A great gaming headset for an even better price. These will work with PS5, PS4, PC and more.
- Logitech G713 wired RGB mechanical keyboard: $70 (save $58). If you’re looking for a solid RGB, TKL gaming keyboard, here it is. It even comes with a cloud-shaped palm rest.
- Xbox wireless headset: $96 (save $24). These headphones from the Microsoft Xbox franchise offer clear chat, easy pairing and a battery life of up to 30 hours.
- Xbox wireless controller: $40 (save $24). If you opt for either black or white, you can pick this controller up for a nice discount. Other colors are on sale but not by as much.
- Logitech Driving Force G920 wheel and shifter bundle for Xbox: $279 (save $50). Take those racing games up a notch with this epic accessory that includes a wheel, gear shift and pedals.
- Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro wireless gaming headphones: $290 (save $100). A top-notch headset compatible with Xbox, PS5, PC, Switch and mobile.
- DualSense Edge wireless controller for Playstation: $170 (save $30). Create your own custom controls for the ultimate playing experience.
Best Black Friday gaming gift card deals
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When is Black Friday?
Black Friday is always the day after Thanksgiving — which occurs on the last Thursday in November. That makes Black Friday Nov. 28 this year.
Is Black Friday a good time to shop for gaming deals?
Yes. Black Friday is an excellent time to find deals on gaming consoles and games. Some of the best deals are on accessories like headsets, controllers and keyboards. Outlets like Best Buy, Target and Amazon offer Black Friday deals with some of the best prices of the year on gaming accessories.
Will tarrifs effect Black Friday sales?
Lots of CNET readers areconcerned about tariffs and how they could affect holiday shopping. It’s certainly possible that tariffs could affect Black Friday sales, as we have seen some related price hikes, including on Nintendo Switch consoles. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find great deals on tech and other items. The best way to determine if you’re getting a good deal is to track the item’s price history before making a purchase. You can do this on sites like CamelCamelCamel and Price Tracker, or by using the Keepa browser extension. We’ve rounded up several useful shopping tools for you to check out, and we’ll highlight the best deals we find throughout the event.
Best Black Friday retailers
- Amazon: One of the world’s largest online retailers, Amazon offers massive discounts with significant savings on tech, home appliances, and smart home equipment.
- Walmart: Save big on televisions, laptops, appliances like refrigerators and more at Walmart’s Black Friday event.
- Best Buy: Black Friday is historically a great time to buy TVs, and Best Buy has you covered for that and more.
- Home Depot: Eyeing home improvement tools? Home Depot has the best discounts on tools, appliances, and even grills.
- Target: It may not be as big on Black Friday as other retailers, but Target does offer some great deals on toys, gifts and board games.