Jake PetersonJake PetersonSenior Technology Editor
ExperienceJake Peterson is Lifehacker’s Tech Editor, and has been covering tech news and how-tos for nearly a decade. His team covers all things technology, including AI, smartphones, computers, game consoles, and subscriptions.
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October 1, 2026
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There’s good news and bad news when it comes to laptop deals ahead of Amazon’s October Prime Day sale. The good news: You’ll find no shortage of discounts on these devices right now. The bad news? Most of those deals aren’t worth your time. While you might see some massive price cuts on laptops, either the brand isn’t reputable, or the machine is actually pretty old. Sure, it may technically be 40% off the original price, but that doesn’t mean much when the original retail price is from five years ago.
As such, I’ve been searching for deals that are actually worth your money; even on sale, a laptop is a big purchase, so I don’t want you to buy something that will fail you shortly after it arrives. Here’s what I’ve found so far, including some smaller discounts on MacBooks and significant savings on specific MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models. There are also some good deals on Windows laptops, for basic users and gamers alike.
M5 MacBook Air
If you’re in the market for a new MacBook Air, you can save a bit by buying through Amazon—particularly on the 15-inch model. While Apple wants you to spend $1,499 on the 15-inch M5 MacBook Air, Amazon will take $100 off that price. You can save $150 if you opt for the model with 24GB RAM, but the 15-inch MacBook Air’s base model will be plenty of computer for most people. With it, you get Apple’s M5 chip, a 15.3-inch display, 512GB of storage, and 16GB of RAM.
M5 MacBook Pro
If you’re looking for a more “premium” MacBook without spending upwards of than $2,000, the M5 MacBook Pro might be the move. It uses the same M5 chip as the MacBook Air, but comes with the hardware perks of the Pro line, including a 14.2-inch mini-LED display, built-in fans, an HDMI port, and an SD card reader. It offers the best of both MacBook worlds, but at a better price than the Pros: Right now, Amazon will sell you one with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage for $1,839, $160 off the retail price of $1,999.
M5 MacBook Pro (14-inch)
$1,599.00
at Best Buy
$1,599.00
at Best Buy
M5 Pro MacBook Pro
If you need more power, you’ll find decent deals on Apple’s Pro MacBooks as well. The cheapest option right now is the M5 Pro with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, which Amazon currently sells for $2,351.99, but multiple M5 Pro models have been discounted. That includes the upgraded M5 Pro with an 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU, which Amazon is selling for $2,699, or $500 off its retail price. If you’re looking for a larger display, the 16-inch model is currently $2,816, or $183 off, while the upgraded model with 48GB of RAM, an 18-core CPU, and a 20-core GPU is $232 off at $3,367.
M5 Max MacBook Pro
If you want the best Apple has to offer, there’s M5 Max. These laptops are anything but cheap, even with their pre-October Prime Day discounts, but if you’re already looking at these models, any deal will be appreciated. This 14-inch M5 Max MacBook Pro, with 36GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, is 15% off at $3,499, down $600. That’s the best deal in this category. Looking at the larger models, this 16-inch M5 Max MacBook Pro is $4,117, down $282, for 36GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. If you upgrade to the 48GB RAM model, which adds two extra GPU cores to the mix, you’ll spend $4,499, $500 off the list price.
Dell 15.6-inch Touchscreen Laptop
If you need a Windows laptop with a large screen that can churn through basic tasks like email, web browsing, and office work, this option from Dell might be worth your time. This machine comes with a 15.6-inch 1080p display with 8GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and an Intel 13th Generation Core i5 chip. Its retail price of $849.99 is a bit steep for what you get, but right now, Best Buy has the laptop $370 off. For $479.99, this is a great choice for most computing needs—though if you know you’ll have more demanding work, this likely isn’t the machine for you.
Gigabyte Gaming A18
This gaming laptop from Gigabyte is a great pickup. In fact, it’s PCMag’s choice for the best midrange gaming laptop of 2026. The outlet praises the performance you get for the money, especially with an 18-inch display at 165Hz. It even ekes out some solid battery life, though you typically get the most out of a gaming laptop when it’s plugged into power. While this Gigabyte laptop retails for $1,999.99, Amazon currently has it for $150 off that price.
What do you think so far?
Gigabyte Gaming A18
$1,836.99
at Amazon
$2,099.99Save $263.00
$1,836.99
at Amazon
$2,099.99Save $263.00
Acer Swift Go 16 AI
The Acer Swift Go 16 AI has a mouthful of a name, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a great laptop. This is Wirecutter’s favorite big Windows laptop, with a sharp 16-inch 1200p OLED touchscreen display, an Intel Core Ultra 5 Series 3 2026 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. This machine typically retails for a solid $999.99, but Best Buy currently has it $300 off. If you need a larger Windows laptop with more power than the Dell listed above, this is a great choice for $699.99.
Acer Swift Go 16 AI
$999.99
at Best Buy
$999.99
at Best Buy
October Prime Day FAQ
When is Prime Day in October?
Amazon Prime Day is an annual event held in June or July. Amazon’s October Prime Day event, known as Prime Big Deal Days, is a two-day sale that starts Oct. 6 and ends on Oct. 7.
What goes on sale during October Prime Day?
Since Prime Big Deal Days happens in the fall, you’re likely to see more deals on gaming and indoor gym equipment. Amazon has already announced some of the 35 categories that will be on sale, including beauty, tech, kitchen, fashion, and home. Some brands Amazon has already mentioned are: Shark, Princess Polly, Soundcore by Anker, UGG, Nest New York, Sony, Tarte, Adidas, and Barefoot Dreams.
Is Prime Day once a year?
Prime Day happens every summer. Prime Big Deal Days (or October Prime Day) happens every October. Amazon’s Big Spring Sale happens every spring.
Best Prime Day Laptop DealsAsus Vivobook S16 Ryzen AI 7 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 16″ Laptop—
$879.99(List Price $1,095.14)
ASUS Vivobook Go Ryzen 5 7520 15″ 1080p Laptop (8GB/512GB)—
(List Price $445.00)
Microsoft Surface Snapdragon X Plus 256GB SSD 16GB RAM 13″ Touch Laptop—
$695.00(List Price $899.99)
<a href="https://cc.lifehacker.com/v1/otc/06ZVRiLmglGs4QA6plTXzTC?merchant=05kie42h3YvHwjr4G1w80Qq&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0DGLSB5NC&template=article&module=offer-group&element=offer&item=offer-group-item&position=4&element_label=Samsung+Galaxy+Book5+Pro+360+Intel+Ultra+7+1TB+SSD+16GB+RAM+16%22+3K+AMOLED+2-in-1+Laptop&u=https%3A%2F%2Flifehacker.com%2Ftech%2Fbest-laptop-deals-early-october-prime-day-2026&product_uuid=033bouZHCGM9SBPI1V7UfIi&offer_uuid=05G1Nr67r8dLJT7x0yizB9B&object_type=article&object_uuid=01M3WE4NHRXVD5EDRW166PV1X4&data-aps-asin=B0DGLSB5NC&data-aps-asc-tag=lifehack088-20&data-aps-asc-subtag=01M3WE4NHRXVD5EDRW166PV1X4″ rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 Intel Ultra 7 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 16″ 3K AMOLED 2-in-1 Laptop—
$1,199.99(List Price $1,999.99)
MSI Katana A15 AI Ryzen 9 RTX 4070 1TB SSD 32GB RAM 15.6″ Laptop—
$1,546.42(List Price $1,699.99)
HP OmniBook 5 Snapdragon X Plus 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 16″ 2K Touch Laptop—
$799.00(List Price $799.00)
Asus TUF Gaming A15 Ryzen 5 RTX 3050 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 15.6″ Laptop—
$829.00(List Price $999.99)
Deals are selected by our commerce team
Jake Peterson
Senior Technology Editor
Covering tech news, how-to guides, explainers, and more.
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