The vacations are nonetheless months away, however in order for you the very best offers on a brand new laptop computer or smartphone, it is best to in all probability begin procuring now. In line with a brand new CNET survey, practically half of buyers aren’t ready till Black Friday and Cyber Monday to buy. As a substitute, they’re searching for tech for the vacations months early to beat potential rising costs and shortages.
However is procuring early the very best technique? I spoke with CNET’s resident tech and procuring consultants to seek out out.
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Here is what they are saying it’s worthwhile to find out about navigating early gross sales, discovering the very best offers and avoiding widespread pitfalls, like product shortages and hidden worth hikes.
- Many US adults (59%) are involved in buying tech units this vacation season. Smartphones (26%) and laptops (23%) are on the high of buyers’ lists.
- The common US shopper plans to spend $931.18 on tech units this vacation season, and millennials plan to spend $139 extra.
- Over half (59%) plan to buy Black Friday gross sales to save cash on vacation tech purchases, adopted by comparability procuring (37%).
- Half of buyers plan to buy tech early (August to October), however 1 / 4 plan to buy in November.
- Practically 9 in 10 (87%) have procuring considerations about buying client tech this vacation season, together with rising costs and tariffs.
Consumers plan to spend a median of $931 on tech this vacation season
CNET discovered that US buyers plan to spend a median of $931.18 on tech this vacation season, and some units high their procuring lists. The millennial technology expects to spend extra, with a median of $1,070.57 on tech this vacation season. Gen X plans to spend the least, with $747.02.
Smartphones and laptops are on the high of vacation tech want lists
Smartphones (26%) and laptops (23%) are the highest two tech devices most US adults are shopping for this vacation season. Between new options and widespread releases, CNET consultants shared why smartphones and laptops are wanted this 12 months and what to know before you purchase.
Smartphones
New smartphone models, together with the Google Pixel 10 and Apple’s iPhone 17, are launched months earlier than the vacations. Some options, like Apple Intelligence and Gemini Nano, are restricted to newer fashions. David Lumb, CNET’s cellular knowledgeable and reporter, says that will persuade you to purchase a brand new telephone for the vacations.
“It is in all probability the time of 12 months when shoppers’ previous telephones begin to really feel lengthy within the tooth — and with new iPhones usually launched in September, they could be tempted by their further options and capabilities.”
However do not anticipate to see steep reductions on these newly launched fashions in time for the vacations. Lumb says most brand-new telephones launched inside the previous few months will not have nice vacation offers. Typically Samsung would not observe this pattern, however Apple hardly ever reductions its telephones. You may even see a $100 low cost on final 12 months’s iPhone when the brand new one is launched.
When’s the very best time to purchase? If you happen to’re nonetheless planning to purchase a brand new telephone this 12 months, November is the very best time to search for one, particularly throughout Black Friday and Cyber Monday week. Retailers may have the very best offers then, however do not anticipate huge reductions. Some telephone carriers might supply trade-in affords, however evaluating offers remains to be greatest.
“One of the simplest ways to save cash on brand-new premium telephones is to search for bundles and offers from carriers and third-party retailers like Greatest Purchase or Amazon,” Lumb says. “And be sure to’re taking good care of your previous telephone to get probably the most trade-in worth, which may prevent lots of of {dollars} off a brand new one whenever you flip in your previous one.”
There are nonetheless just a few widespread budget-friendly smartphones if you happen to’re searching for a very good deal however do not want the most recent and biggest.
“Whereas this 12 months’s new iPhone 16E stretches the thought of ‘price range’ at $600, the $429 iPhone SE launched in 2022 stays probably the most inexpensive iOS telephone,” Lumb says. “Android followers have way more choices across the similar worth vary, just like the $499 Google Pixel 9A or $400 Samsung Galaxy A36, and into true price range territory with the $300 Moto G Power 5G, $250 TCL 60 XE NxtPaper 5G and $200 Samsung Galaxy A16.”
Laptops
Offers can be found on a number of kinds of laptops, together with budget-friendly choices and high-performance gaming models. Relying in your wants, you possibly can select from loads of laptops, however CNET recommends the M4 MacBook Air or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7.
Before you purchase a laptop computer this vacation season, Josh Goldman, CNET’s laptop computer knowledgeable and managing editor, recommends setting a price range and expectations first.
“One of the best transfer is to set a price range, attempt to stick with it and take a look at offers from retailers and direct from the producers,” Goldman says. Most significantly, be sure to’re getting a laptop computer with the options and specs you want now and within the foreseeable future.
When’s the very best time to purchase? Goldman says if Amazon follows its traditional fall Prime Day sale, it is best to begin to see good offers on computer systems then. Offers are anticipated to proceed by Black Friday and the week of Cyber Monday. You could find the bottom laptop computer costs throughout Black Friday, however there are gross sales all year long.
“Until you are shopping for one as a present or have an pressing want, one other sale is at all times simply across the nook,” Goldman says.
TVs are additionally on vacation procuring lists
One in 5 (20%) buyers is contemplating shopping for TVs this vacation season. Whereas CNET tracks weekly TV offers and lists the best TVs of this year, it is nonetheless a first-rate time to purchase now.
When’s the very best time to purchase? David Katzmaier, CNET’s resident TV knowledgeable and senior editorial director, says the very best time to start out searching for one is often round Black Friday. Offers will proceed by the vacation season, main as much as the Tremendous Bowl in February. You should still discover offers through the fall Prime Day or different early gross sales.
Katzmaier recommends utilizing a worth tracker, like Keepa, for historic pricing and to identify a very good deal. Keepa is one in every of a number of web sites with a browser extension to trace Amazon product costs. Specialists additionally advocate CamelCamelCamel.
“That means, when it goes on sale, you understand how deep the low cost actually is and you’ll pounce if it is a whole lot. Ready is often the very best technique and when the TV hits an all-time low, go for it,” Katzmaier says.
Nonetheless, the extra substantial reductions are often on the costlier TV choices as a result of they price extra, however you possibly can nonetheless discover good affords on different fashions.
“One of the best offers we discover are sometimes midpriced fashions — neither tremendous price range nor actually high-end — that go on sale throughout Black Friday,” Katzmaier says. “These are additionally the sorts of TVs that do the very best in our evaluations.”
Consumers are involved about shopping for tech for the vacations
Practically 9 in 10 (87%) of buyers are fearful about buying tech this vacation season.
By the numbers, over half (52%) are fearful about tariffs and rising costs on tech they plan to purchase, whereas 48% fear about discovering high quality tech at an inexpensive worth. Different considerations embrace buyers with the ability to afford new tech (38%), going into debt or straining their funds to buy units (26%) and availability and shortages (23%).
The considerations are legitimate. Vacation tech procuring is probably not easy crusing for some widespread tech units, like video gaming consoles and smartphones. Here is a better look and what CNET consultants are seeing.
Over half of buyers are fearful about rising costs and tariffs
With over half of buyers fearful about rising costs and tariffs, Russell Holly, CNET’s procuring knowledgeable and director of commerce, has seen loads of proof that means tariffs on private electronics and residential tech will have an effect on costs throughout gross sales this 12 months. Nonetheless, you will get forward of some worth hikes on private and residential tech necessities.
“Issues like AA batteries, alternative batteries for AirTags and even kitchen requirements like dishwasher tabs will cut back attainable worth gouging later,” Holly says.
Goldman says that it is much less about tariffs for a lot of retailers. There are different financial components impacting costs.
“We have seen some small worth will increase, however a number of producers we have requested concerning the influence of tariffs have mentioned the will increase are extra about basic inflation and that generally newer tech simply prices extra, which is true,” Goldman says. “Typically it’s important to wait a few years for the most recent and biggest to change into extra inexpensive.”
Practically half are fearful about discovering tech at an inexpensive worth
Bridget Carey, CNET’s client tech knowledgeable and editor, suggested procuring with warning and never shopping for the primary gadget you see, particularly if you happen to’re involved about discovering high quality units at a very good worth. Extra paid social media influencers and AI-generated search outcomes are skewing high suggestions, which is probably not the very best or correct, she says. That is why she recommends taking an additional jiffy to do your analysis to save cash and frustration from a tool you are sad with.
“Earlier than making a big buy, it is extra essential this 12 months to seek out evaluations written by unbiased, trusted sources to weed out the junk — or simply that can assist you discover the suitable model on your wants,” Carey provides.
Count on shortages on widespread tech gadgets
Some widespread newly launched gadgets might face shortages this vacation procuring season, particularly if there is a whole lot. That is a priority that just about 1 in 4 (23%) have. If there is a must-have merchandise in your checklist, just like the extremely anticipated iPhone 17 or the Nintendo Switch 2, do not wait to purchase it if it is in inventory and you’ll afford it. That is as a result of ready for decrease costs might imply lacking out on the merchandise altogether.
For instance, Carey predicts that the Nintendo Change 2 could also be tighter on provide as December approaches.
“Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser advised CBS there could be a gentle provide of Change 2 items coming all year long. However our CNET Change 2 restock tracker has discovered shops commonly going out of inventory, so I’d store sooner relatively than later to keep away from disappointment,” Carey says.
Half of US adults are searching for tech forward of the vacation season
Fascinated by vacation procuring earlier than Halloween might sound odd, however Carey recommends planning your procuring checklist now.
“With the price of tech rising, you will wish to be ready to leap on any sale you see in October and early November. Black Friday is not only one weekend anymore — it begins in October.” However you will nonetheless wish to preserve a watch out for gross sales after October and take note of return insurance policies simply in case you discover a higher deal.
CNET discovered that half of tech buyers plan to buy early — September and October — to ease a few of their procuring considerations. Nonetheless, most buyers (25%) plan to attend till November, and 6% will wait till December.
How US adults are trimming prices on client tech and companies
Near 9 in 10 (89%) buyers plan to make use of numerous methods. Purchasing on Black Friday is the preferred money-saving technique (59%). Different widespread strategies embrace comparability procuring (37%), procuring throughout Fall Prime Day and competing retailer gross sales (34%), procuring refurbished or pre-owned tech (23%) and procuring earlier (22%).
If you happen to’re evaluating costs, particularly throughout gross sales, Holly advises ensuring you are getting a deal.
“Instruments like CamelCamelCamel.com will present you the worth historical past of a product, so you understand whether or not the sale is real and the way tariffs have affected the worth over the course of this 12 months,” Holly says. “You may also confirm reductions by CNET’s Offers web page, the place we actively observe reductions to be sure to’re getting the bottom worth.”
So when’s the very best time to purchase tech and home equipment?
Holly provides that Black Friday gross sales concentrate on leisure and widespread items. It is also a very good time to buy TVs, eBikes and gaming equipment. Fall gross sales earlier than Black Friday usually concentrate on residence home equipment, laptops and emergency preparedness.
“One of the best technique for ensuring you are getting the very best offers is to prioritize extra sensible life enhancements first and be prepared for leisure purchases nearer to the top of the 12 months,” mentioned Holly.
Methodology
CNET commissioned YouGov Plc to conduct the survey. All figures, until in any other case acknowledged, are from YouGov Plc. The whole pattern dimension was 2,395 US adults, of whom 1,369 have been involved in buying client tech services or products this winter vacation season. Fieldwork was undertaken Aug. 20-22, 2025. The survey was carried out on-line. The figures have been weighted and are consultant of all US adults (aged 18+).
