Tuesday, October 06, 2020
When are we going to start seeing some deals? Right? It's been a rough year for tech just because certain global events have cut into a lot of supply lines and left us with overpriced, under-stocked devices in a lot of categories. Luckily, though, Black Friday is almost here. And you know Black Friday won't let you down when it comes to some major discounts.
Microsoft has every reason to be a major player during the holiday, too. There's a new console, the Xbox Series X, coming out this year, which means the old console, the Xbox One X, is going to be on sale in a big way. The Surface lineup has been growing over the last couple years, too, and we fully expect to see a lot of those go on sale. Microsoft's Black Friday sale is going to be your chance to save on video games, virtual reality, and more.
Black Friday is going to be interesting this year, too. Usually this is a sales holiday notably marked by the rush of customers at stores as they open, but things are different now. Retailers are banking on there being far fewer people in store and a lot more people shopping online. That's good news for Microsoft considering the company decided earlier this year to close all of its physical locations anyway. This is a chance for Microsoft to really put a stamp on the digital space and become the place people want to go when they shop online.
We will stay on top of all the newest information you need to know to shop at Microsoft during Black Friday this year, and we will update this post as that information becomes available.
When will Microsoft's Black Friday event start?
Like I said, Black Friday is going to be very different this time around. The actual day is Nov. 27, but if the deals are more online this year it's a safe bet they won't be concentrated to a single day. We already know plenty of other retailers have said the deals will start early in November and stretch into December. Plus, Prime Day is coming much later than it usually does. With Prime Day in mid-October and Black Friday looking to be a month-long thing, we expect to see Microsoft's Black Friday deals much earlier than before.
Last year, we saw Microsoft's ad-scan at the very beginning of November. The ad scan is usually the first giant mass of information we have about Microsoft's hours and the deals we can expect. Microsoft might not even have an ad scan this year since the physical locations probably won't be a priority. We'll still see something from Microsoft soon enough, and we'll drop that information here. So keep checking back.
What are the best things to buy during Microsoft's Black Friday sale?
The two easiest answers to this question are: Surface products and the Xbox One X gaming console bundles. Microsoft introduced a new console, the Xbox Series X, this year. It's fully releasing on November 10. Generally speaking, because the console releases so late in the year and it's so new, we don't expect to see a lot of actual deals on the new console. You might get some gaming bundles or maybe a free controller with your purchase, but direct discounts will be rare. The best deals on the newest console will probably be on the less expensive Xbox Series S, particularly because it's an all-digital console so you'll be able to get gift card bundles and things like that.
The real savings will be on the previous generation as retailers try to clear them out before they become discontinued and stock becomes rare. And you're going to see some amazing bundles. There's nothing wrong with the Xbox One X, either. It has some of the best games ever, support for 4K content, and plenty more. If you can get all that with several free games, free accessories, or just a straight up direct discount that takes $100 or more off the price, why wouldn't you?
Microsoft's store will also be a good place to get a new laptop, like a Surface 2-in-1. Expect Surface deals that include direct discounts up to $300 or more, packages that throw in the Type Cover for free, and discounts on other accessories like the Surface Pen. Microsoft just updated a couple of the Surface product lines, too, including the Laptop Go and Surface Pro X. If you're interested in a Surface, that's a good place to start. You'll also see other Windows 10 laptops on sale through Microsoft, including USB-C ultrabooks, gaming laptops, and more.
Microsoft's online store should be a great alternate retailer for the standard price drops, too. We'll see things like smart speakers, smart home devices, routers, and other tech go on sale at a lot of places at once. Check out Microsoft if you're worried about places like Amazon or Best Buy running out of stock. Microsoft will generally be a good place for price matches on those things.
Wondering if there are deals going on right now? Of course there are. Microsoft ain't no slouch. Get a head start on the savings long before everyone else:
Surface Pro 7 | More than $300 off
Check out a few bundles featuring major direct discounts and free Type Cover bundles. These are just a preview of the Surface deals we expect to see over the coming months, but the discounts are big enough that you should take advantage of what you see now.
Surface Laptop 3 | Up to $200 off
The Laptop 3 tries to be a bit more traditional compared to the regular Surface tablets, but it still has all the style, design, and sleekness of the Surface lineup. Plus it has the power of a great laptop. It won't let you down and neither will these savings.
Xbox Game Pass | $1 for new subscribers
Xbox Game Pass will be the way to play video games if you're in the Microsoft ecosystem. Whether you play on the older console, the new console, or just on PC, Game Pass is going to give you access to hundreds of video games for a small monthly fee. If you're not a new subscriber, stay tuned. We expect to see some amazing Game Pass deals during the holidays, especially after some of the newer games get released.
Accessories Sale at Microsoft | Up to $81 off
Right now Microsoft is having a huge sale on all sorts of accessories, with some savings up to as much as $81 off. Many of the accessories have already sold out, so you'll want to give this list a scan. Save on Bluetooth speakers, headphones, mice, keyboards, and a whole lot more.
Will the Microsoft Black Friday ad leak early?
It always does, technically. Black Friday is, of course, the last Friday in November. Last year we saw Microsoft's ad on November 1. We're hoping to get a much better idea of Microsoft's Black Friday plans by late October this year since things are going to be a lot more flexible and a lot more online this time around.
Of course, whatever we see early probably won't be the full extend of what will go on sale at Microsoft. For one thing, Microsoft doesn't have an official ad like the standard brick & mortar retailers. It's more of a preview of what Microsoft plans to do that year. Also, we think the deals are going to be spread out over a longer period of time instead of concentrated to a single day or week. Expect to see some sales going into December and leading up to Christmas. So whatever we learn about early might not be the last time we learn something new from Microsoft. Keep checking back here for more information.
Will Microsoft's retail stores have Black Friday hours?
Probably! But I wouldn't expect much. If you have a store nearby and it hasn't shut down yet, you should at least be able to get some price matches with the online store. We doubt there will be any real incentive to go into the store versus shopping online given everything we know about Microsoft and about Black Friday this year. The only real advantage there will be if you don't want to wait for shipping and just want to walk out with your new product. Snatch it up at a Microsoft Store and get playing by that evening.
Let Thrifter help you
Black Friday is going to be a little different this year which means it might be harder than usual to know how to maximize your savings during the event. The team over at Thrifter is full of professional deal hunters who will literally be providing around the clock coverage of everything on Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. From the best savings as they hit to roundups of what you should be buying, the team will aim to make it as easy as possible to find the best deals that are available from the first to the last minute.
Give them a follow on Twitter to keep up-to-date on all the best deals as they happen in real-time.
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