(Stacey Zhu/Amazon)
I'm one of PCMag's deputy managing editors on our namesake PC hardware team, focused on laptop and desktop systems. For more than a decade, I've tested PCs and edited computer and hardware reviews. I've also covered every Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping holiday during that time. With the knowledge of what desktop computers are capable of in performance and features, combined with an intimate understanding of how PCs are configured and priced, hunting down legitimate desktop deals is well within my wheelhouse. If you're in the market for a new PC for yourself or someone on your holiday list, these are my favorite deals so far.
For this Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the top desktop deals I've spotted so far all, curiously, come from companies whose names start with the letter "A." From those, I'll highlight three: one of the best mini desktops of all time, a cousin to our number one budget desktop, and an all-in-one PC that brings lots to the table for its deal price.
Anyone who's looked longingly at Apple computers but resisted due to their prices will enjoy this deal. It is indeed the previous generation's baseline model with the M2 processor but for a whopping $130 off its list price. (We gave the M2 Pro Mac mini our Editors' Choice award back when it debuted.) While the M4 Pro-based Mac mini we just reviewed will outstrip it on raw performance tasks, the M2 chip is still plenty today for general home use and even light photo and video editing. This Mac mini model will also work with Apple Intelligence, Apple's suite of AI tools, rolling out to all M-series Macs in phases. Just remember to pick up a compatible keyboard and mouse, as they don't come in the box.
While we didn't review this exact model on sale, it's quite close to the Acer Aspire TC-1780-UA92 that tops our roundup of the best cheap desktop PCs. For even less money with this deal, this model upgrades to a 10-core Intel Core i5-14400 processor but keeps the same 8GB of memory and 512GB solid-state drive. Considering how much we appreciated everything else about this desktop in our review, this is a pure upgrade for less than the list price of the previous model we tested. Also, unlike some desktops, this one has a keyboard and mouse in the box, so you have two fewer things to worry about when clicking that Buy button.
After the deal price is applied, this is the most value-packed AIO I've seen so far, so it's easy to recommend for budget-bound buyers even if we haven't reviewed it. This sleek, 27-inch AIO desktop presents a lot for a little more than 600 bucks, like a peppy AMD Ryzen 5 processor from 2022, a spacious 1TB SSD, and an above-standard 16GB of RAM. The CPU has an integrated graphics processing unit that will drive light multimedia editing and casual gaming well. The desktop also has helpful features, like a privacy shutter on its HD webcam and a faster-than-baseline 75Hz 1080p screen. Despite not reviewing this model, I'm confident in Asus' quality. Several of our buying guides have Asus devices as list-topping products.
And don't forget to check out the Best Early Black Friday Deals Available Now.