The Apple deals worth shopping before Black Friday (and the discounts to expect)

Black Friday often brings the best Apple deals of the year, but not everyone wants to spend their Thanksgiving weekend shopping online (or in person). Thankfully, if you want to get a head start, you don’t have to wait. As is typical, the early Black Friday deals are already beginning to trickle in, including some of the best deals we’ve seen all year on Apple devices like the latest entry-level AirPods and new M5-powered MacBook Pro. Other Apple gadgets aren’t quite as steeply discounted, but some are discounted enough to be worth considering.

If you want to avoid the holiday rush, we’ve gathered the best Apple deals you can get in the run-up to the main event. We’ve also included recent price history and our expectations for Black Friday proper, so you can decide whether to make your purchase now or hold out for a potentially better deal.

What to expect on Black Friday

Although we’re currently seeing a number of Apple products sitting at their lowest price to date, several of these deals could drop even lower as we get closer to Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Past deal history gives us a few clues about what to expect. 

• Apple Watches: Apple’s latest-gen Apple Watches often hit their best prices to date during Black Friday. Last year, for instance, the Series 10 dropped to $329, while the second-gen SE fell to a mere $149 in its entry-level configuration. We anticipate that some of the last-gen models will be heavily discounted come the 28th, especially as retailers aim to offload remaining stock.
• AirPods: Historically, the newest AirPods receive their most significant discounts around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, so it’s likely that we’ll see a deal on the newer AirPods Pro 3, which have only received a modest $10 discount thus far. Last-gen models like second-gen AirPods Pro with USB-C are also likely to receive steep discounts, though we don’t anticipate them dropping much further than their current low of $139. Current-gen models — including the AirPods 4 — could dip again, too, especially given they recently hit a new low of $84.99 ($45 off) before climbing back up.
• iPads and MacBooks: New iPad models, including the new M5 iPad Pro, may dip a little further in price next week, especially since they’ve recently been hovering just above their lowest prices to date. Previous sales indicate the current-gen base iPad could drop to as low as $279 on Black Friday, which would match its best price to date. As for laptops, both the latest MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are already sitting at a record low price, so there’s no telling whether we’ll see additional discounts.
• AirTags: Last year, you could pick up an individual AirTag for $19 or a four-pack for $69.99. However, Apple’s location trackers are already available for less than that, and there’s no indication they will drop further in price, given many Black Friday promos have already kicked off.

The best wireless earbud and headphone deals

Apple AirPods Pro (second-gen) with USB-C

The second-gen AirPods Pro improve upon Apple’s original pair with better noise cancellation, improved sound quality, and onboard volume controls. They also now ship with a USB-C charging case, as opposed to Lightning. Read our original review.

Where to Buy:

• $249 $139 at Walmart
• $249.99 $189.99 at Best Buy

• The cream-colored Beats Solo Buds are at Walmart for $39 ($40 off), which is the best price we’ve seen on the entry-level wireless earbuds to date. They lack noise cancellation but deliver balanced, clean sound and an impressive 18 hours of battery life. They also include four sets of ear tips and work well with both iOS and Android, though bear in mind you’ll need to drop them into the case and recharge them over USB-C. Read our hands-on impressions.

Apple EarPods (USB-C)

Apple’s wired earbuds are comfortable, offer great microphone quality for the price, and feature a built-in remote for controlling audio playback.

Where to Buy:

• $19 $16.99 at Amazon
• $19 $16.99 at Walmart

The best Apple Watch deals

Apple Watch Series 11 (42mm, GPS)

Although the Apple Watch Series 11 is the same size as its predecessor, it features a 5G cellular modem, a display that’s twice as durable, and slightly improved battery life. Read our review.

Where to Buy:

• $399 $349.99 at Amazon
• $399 $349.99 at Walmart
• $399 at Best Buy

Apple Watch SE 3

The Apple Watch SE 3 offers some big upgrades over its predecessor, including an always-on display, allowing you to glance at the time or unread notifications. It also has Apple’s powerful S10 chip, which enables on-device Siri requests. Read our review.

Where to Buy:

• $249 $199.99 at Amazon (40mm, GPS)
• $279 $229.99 at Amazon (44mm, GPS)
• $249 $239 at Costco (40mm, GPS)

• The 42mm Apple Watch Series 10 with GPS is on sale at Walmart starting at $249 ($150 off), which is its best price to date. While the Series 11 offers slightly longer battery life, a more efficient 5G modem, and a more scratch-resistant display, the Series 10 remains an excellent smartwatch. It features a large, wide-angle OLED display and the same S10 SiP chip found in the Series 11. It also supports FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection and offers the same hypertension notifications, courtesy of the recent watchOS 26 update. Read our review.
• You can buy the 40mm Apple Watch SE (second-gen) with GPS at Amazon starting at $159.99 ($90 off), which is $10 shy of the all-time low we saw during Black Friday last year. If you’re on a tight budget, the last-gen Apple Watch SE is still worth considering. It lacks some of Apple’s newer sensors and doesn’t offer an always-on display, but it remains relatively fast, given that it uses the same chipset as the Apple Watch Series 8. It also provides all the essentials, including daily activity and sleep tracking, heart-rate monitoring, fall and crash detection, and access to the newer Vitals app in watchOS 26.

The best iPad deals

11-inch iPad Pro (M5, 2025)

Apple’s newest iPad Pros have an M5 processor, an N1 chip, and a C1X chip for cellular versions. They’re faster, support Wi-Fi 7, charge more quickly, and start with 12GB of RAM. Read our review.

Where to Buy:

• $999 $927 at Amazon (256GB, Wi-Fi)
• $1199 $1150 at Amazon (512GB, Wi-Fi)
• $1599 $1516 at Amazon (1TB, Wi-Fi)

• The latest 13-inch iPad Pro is also on sale at Amazon in its 256GB base configuration for $1,240 ($58 off), which is just $5 shy of its all-time low. If you need more storage, the 1TB model is down to $1,794 ($105 off) at Amazon, while the 2TB version is going for $2,164 ($135 off). The heavier 13-incher is nearly identical to the 11-inch model, but it offers more screen real estate and higher resolution.

11-inch iPad Air M3

The latest 11-inch iPad Air features Apple’s fast M3 chip with GPU upgrades like dynamic caching for smoother performance in demanding apps. It also supports the Apple Pencil Pro and the newest Magic Keyboard, which features a larger build and a 14-key function row. Read our review.

Where to Buy:

• $599 $499.99 at Amazon (128GB, Wi-Fi)
• $599 at Best Buy (128GB, Wi-Fi)

• If you want a larger display, the 13-inch version of the M3-powered iPad Air with 128GB of storage is also on sale at Amazon, where you can buy it for $699.99 ($100 off), $50 shy of its record low price.

13-inch iPad Pro M4

The last-gen iPad Pro comes in either an 11- or 13-inch configuration with Apple’s M4 processor. Both feature an OLED display and a thinner build than previous models, as well as horizontal placement for the front camera and support for the Apple Pencil Pro. Read our review.

Where to Buy:

• $1299 $1049.99 at Amazon (256GB, Wi-Fi)
• $1499 $1399 at Amazon (512GB, Wi-Fi)
• $1899 at Amazon (1TB, Wi-Fi)

• Apple’s latest entry-level iPad is on sale at Amazon, Walmart, and Target with Wi-Fi and 128GB of storage starting at $299 ($50 off), which is $20 more than its best price to date. If you just need a tablet for play and light work, the latest iPad is a great choice. It offers twice the base storage of its predecessor and runs on Apple’s A16 Bionic chip, which provides it with enough oomph for most basic tasks. That said, it doesn’t support Apple Intelligence and works with fewer accessories than Apple’s higher-end tablets. Read our review.

The best MacBook deals

13-inch MacBook Air (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD)

Powered by the M4 chip, Apple’s latest 13-inch MacBook Air is faster than its predecessor and offers double the base RAM. It can also connect to two external displays with the lid open, unlike prior models, and features an improved 12-megapixel Center Stage webcam. Read our review.

Where to Buy:

• $999 $749.99 at Amazon
• $999 $749.99 at Costco
• $999 at Apple

MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5, 2025)

Apple’s 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro takes everything we loved about the M4 model — including all-day battery life and a 12-megapixel webcam — and improves upon it with an M5 chip. It also offers faster storage and a 10-core CPU / 10-core GPU that’s up to 3.5x faster at AI tasks. Read our review.

Where to Buy:

• $1599 $1472 at Amazon (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD)
• $1799 $1648 at Amazon (16GB RAM, 1TB SSD)
• $1999 $1985 at Amazon (24GB RAM, 1TB SSD)

• The last-gen 16-inch MacBook Pro is still a powerhouse even if it runs on the older M4 Pro chip, and right now you can buy it with 24GB of RAM and 512GB of storage $2,199 (about $300 off) at Amazon, which is just a few dollars shy of its all-time low. Compared to the 14-inch last-gen model, it adds faster Thunderbolt 5 ports and a sharper 12-megapixel Center Stage webcam. The new M5-powered MacBook Pros don’t yet come in a 16-inch size, so if you want a larger display, this is your best bet. Read our review of the 14-inch M4-powered MacBook Pro.
• If you’re in the market for a desktop and don’t mind supplying your own keyboard and mouse, you can buy the M4 Mac Mini with an M4 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage for $499 ($100 off) at Amazon, which is one of its best prices to date. The desktop can handle everyday tasks with ease, along with some light gaming and 4K video editing. It can also run up to three displays simultaneously and offers a great port selection that includes three Thunderbolt 4 (USB4) ports, gigabit ethernet, HDMI, two 10Gbps USB-C (USB 3) ports, and a front-facing 3.5mm audio jack. Read our review.

AirTags and other miscellaneous deals

Apple AirTag

Apple’s AirTags can help you find your lost items with their UWB technology. You’ll get the best compatibility with an iPhone, though Apple released an Android app to detect an AirTag’s location if one seems to be following you. Read our original review.

Where to Buy:

• $29 $17.97 at Amazon
• $29 $17.97 at Walmart
• $99 $64.98 at Amazon (four-pack)

• You can buy the Apple Pencil Pro for $99 ($30 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and Target, which is $10 more than its record low price. If you own the latest iPad Pro, iPad Mini, or an M2- or M3-based iPad Air, this is a fantastic stylus that offers several features not found on the entry-level Apple Pencil with USB-C. In addition to wireless charging, you get Find My support, pressure sensitivity, and a “Barrel Roll” gyroscope that allows you to easily adjust the angle of your pen with a twist.

Anker MagGo Qi2 Certified 15W Wireless Charger

The latest version of Anker’s magnetic MagGo charging pads supports 15W Qi2 and has a five-foot USB-C cable.

Where to Buy:

• $29.99 $19.99 at Amazon (without adapter, Prime only)
• $35.99 $23.99 at Amazon (with adapter, Prime only)