(ThyBlackMan.com) I’ve probably said it before but it’s the holiday season. That means back-to-back food holidays—if you celebrate them. It also means putting up the decorations and celebrating the season with family. That is, if you’re so inclined to do that. Some of us avoid family like the plague and have wonderful, stress-free fall and winters. One thing that the holiday season means to me is shopping for gifts for family and that means Black Friday and Cyber Monday. That means great sales on tech.
That week alone is worth waiting for because all of the deals come out. Stores run deals year-round but those few days after American Thanksgiving gives us those really deep cuts on some potentially great gifts for loved ones—and ourselves. Clothes and toys might be among your first picks for gifts but your focus should really be on the devices up for grabs.
Why Tech?
I could reply with “Why not tech?” However, this is the holiday shopping season we’re talking about. The thing about getting tech during these shopping days is that the prices dip significantly on roughly everything on shelves. We’re talking currently used tech and devices here. Your Echo Dots, smartphones, smart gear, tablets, and so on.
The currently used tech is the hot picks. Stuff that still sells but are on its way to being a somewhat dated. Again: deep discounts. Versions of devices from last year or the year before that are still better than serviceable. I’m talking something like Roku or Fire Stick and not VCRs and DVDs.
If you’re more in the market for hot and new devices, the discounts tend not to be as deep but some of the price is shaved off a bit. You should still be able to make a nice haul and still get a ton of neat gifts.
What To Get Exactly?
Game consoles from this generation tend to get the deepest discounts. Since the newer consoles and gaming services are likely to be announced or dropped next year, the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 you’re considering will take a nice price cut. I mean, the prices have constantly dropped since their releases earlier in the decade, so by the time Black Friday and Cyber Monday roll around, you’re good.
You’ll also want to keep an eye out for digital games. On these consoles’ marketplaces, there are often publisher sales—discounts by studios that release the games—and seasonal sales. The Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales tend to go the whole week. The next time you’ll be able to jump on it is during the winter but the selection will be different.
If you don’t dig games, smartphones and tablets have really good discounts in stores. This is especially true if you snag older models that still get recent OS updates. I’d target the Galaxy S8 or S9 or the iPhone 9 or X if you’re aiming big. Other manufacturers have quality phones such as Huawei and LG. If you have young ones to shop for, there are budget tablets that they can play marketplace games or watch YouTube and Netflix on, so you don’t have to drop a lot on the sleek tablet but you can do the same for a Samsung Tablet or iPad: hit up the slightly older models.
Pro Tip: Shop Online
A parting piece of advice: save the drive, shop online. The best discounts are always online plus you’ll avoid the lines, midnight waiting, crowds, and shortages. I’ll admit, in my youth, waiting outside for Black Friday is a fond memory but one too many instances of there being shortages soured me on it. Hitting up Amazon, eBay, or even the big store’s websites will save you a ton of time and money.
Staff Writer; M. Swift
This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.