Tbh Black Friday is usually the peak for savings. Grabbed my Apple MacBook Air M2 13-inch 8GB RAM 256GB SSD on sale then and saved tons without even leaving my couch.

Saw this thread and just had to jump in because I went through the same thing last year. I ended up super happy with my choice but the trick is definitely using tools like CamelCamelCamel or Honey to see the actual price history. Some deals are just the normal price with a fake sticker, so checking those sites is huge. If you have got 800 bucks, you have some solid options. I compared a few before buying and the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED 16GB RAM 512GB SSD is incredible if you want a screen that makes everything look amazing. The colors are so deep compared to an old Dell. On the other hand, something like the HP Pavilion Plus 14 16GB RAM 1TB SSD is usually priced right in your bracket during sales. It feels a bit more like a workhorse than the Asus, and having that extra storage for classes is a big plus. Dont sweat the Friday vs Monday thing too much. I usually just buy whenever the tracker shows it hit its lowest point. Most big retailers do holiday price protection now anyway. If you buy on Friday and it drops ten bucks on Monday, you can usually just message support and theyll refund the difference. Works like a charm and keeps the stress levels low while you are shopping from your couch!

Honestly, after hunting for tech deals for the last decade, the line between Black Friday and Cyber Monday has basically vanished. You definitely dont need to go to a physical store anymore. In my experience, the best online deals for high-end laptops actually drop the week leading up to Friday. Waiting until Monday often means the top-tier specs are already sold out, which sucks if you are on a strict budget. Since you have 800 bucks, you can actually get way more power for your money with a Windows machine than a base MacBook. I've tried many different setups for schoolwork over the years, and if you want something that actually lasts, look for at least 16GB of RAM. The Lenovo Yoga 7i 14-inch Intel Core i7 16GB RAM 512GB SSD usually hits that $700-$800 range during these sales and it feels super premium. If you prefer a larger screen for multitasking, the ASUS Vivobook 16X 16-inch Ryzen 7 16GB RAM 1TB SSD is another powerhouse that frequently gets deep discounts online. Cyber Monday is mostly just a last chance for whatever didnt sell on Friday. If you see a solid price on Thursday night or Friday morning online, just pull the trigger. Dont risk it by waiting for a Monday miracle that probably wont happen... stock levels are always the biggest gamble.