Support our independent tech coverage. Chrome Unboxed is written by real people, for real people—not search algorithms. Join Chrome Unboxed Plus for just $2 a month to get an ad-free experience, access to our private Discord, and more. Learn more about membership here.
START FREE TRIAL (MONTHLY)START FREE TRIAL (ANNUAL)
If you’re like me, the thought of holiday shopping sends a chill down your spine and conjures up and proverbial panic attack somewhere along the lines of having a root canal. Finding the best deals, beating the Christmas rush and snagging that elusive Black Friday deal has become a feat of almost mythical proportions here in the good ole’ United States.
For some, however, shopping for the holidays is a strategic event that takes weeks or even months of careful planning that rivals some of the greatest chess matches in history. To those, I tip my hat and say “well done.”
But that ain’t me.
The explosive growth of online shopping over the last decade has paved the way for consumers to take advantage of the best deals around without the insanity that comes with getting up at four a.m. to stand in line and hope against hope that you don’t have to engage in fisticuffs with another shopper to get the last Hatchable on the shelf.
While there do remain a few brick and mortar retailers that entice shoppers with the rare, in-store only deal, online savings are becoming the industry standard for Black Friday and Cyber Monday purchases.
Halloween is about to arrive and many retailers are already gearing up for Black Friday sales in an attempt to capture the public’s attention and get the ball rolling for the retail frenzy that is to ensue the day after Thanksgiving.
Being that I would rather stub my pinky toe on my bedpost than wage through the sea of Black Friday shoppers, we are here to help you get the most out of your holiday procurements by sharing the best places to find deals on Chromebooks, Chromecasts, smart-home, accessories and more between now and the Christmas holiday.
Throughout the month of November, we will be sharing the hottest deals from around the web. I will do my best to share a roundup every week until Black Friday to save you some time and headache finding the perfect tech gift to mark off of your list.
For now, I’ve assembled a few deals you can grab immediately as well as amassed a short list of retailers where you may find some Chromebook deals you weren’t expecting.
Acer Chromebook R11
The R11 may be getting a bit long in the tooth but for the price is still a versatile and quite capable Chromebook. The Intel-powered convertible brings Android App support out of the box and offers enough power and performance for just about any casual user.
Right now, you can pick up the quad-core model of the Acer Chromebook R11 on Amazon for the discounted price of $249. It’s a great travel companion and the N3150 processor paired with 4GB of RAM handles makes for a perfect second device to have around the house.
Acer Chromebook 14
You guys know the deal. This is still one of my favorite devices and even though it’s lacking a few higher-end features, the Acer Chromebook 14 is a beautiful machine and still performs like a champ. I’m typing on the Gold one as we speak.
Best Buy is rocking deals on the Silver model this week. You can pick up a new one for just $249 or if refurbished works, it comes in at a cool $199. If you’re looking for the Gold model, Amazon has it new for $30 off retail.
Silver Acer Chromebook 14 @ Best Buy
Samsung Chromebook Pro
Last, but definitely not least is the Chromebook that arguably ushered in a new generation of Chrome OS devices. If Google’s Pixelbook is a bit more than you’d like to spend, you can snag the Samsung Chromebook Pro $50 off on Amazon and get one of the best devices on the market, hands-down.
Now, on to where to find the best deals this season. Obviously, Amazon carries an insurmountable selection of Chromebooks that changes daily. Keeping track of all the deals can be an overwhelming task but we’ll do our best to keep you up-to-date on the best available sales.
If you aren’t an Amazon Prime member, now might be a good time to give it a whirl at no charge. You can try out Amazon Prime for a 30-day free trial and take advantage of exclusive perks and deals. There’s no obligation and you can cancel at any time.
Get fast, free two-day shipping on thousands of products, access to movies, music and Kindle Books and hey, if you like it, it’s only $11 a month after the trial. You can sign up at the link below.
Amazon also has some little-known offerings to score great deals on used, open-box and refurbished products at the Amazon Warehouse. Check out what’s new and you could save some major bucks.
Amazon is also home of the “goldbox.” These are deals of the day where you can catch “lightning deals” and view upcoming discounts to bookmark so you don’t miss out on the savings. Find them here.
Walmart may not carry much in the Chromebook department inside stores, but the ever-growing online side of the retial giant can be a great place to find just what you’re looking for.
With hundreds of resellers and partner stores, you can spend hours looking at devices and if you’re lucky, you might just stumble across a gem. Not only that, Walmart is quickly becoming a herald for other #madebygoogle products like Google Home, Chromecast and Google WIFI.
Best Buy, of course, is the go-to for countless consumers looking to grab up some great deals on tech and the retailer has already started promoting Black Friday on their website and in stores.
You can sign up for holiday deal alerts and stay in the know when the Black Friday melee begins.
Holiday shopping can be exhausting but it doesn’t have to be painful. Stay ahead of the game and check out what’s new here at Chrome Unboxed. Just bookmark our “deals” page so you don’t miss out on the perfect gift. If you happen to find a deal too good to pass up, shoot me an email so we can share. The holiday season is upon us and sharing is caring.
