Black Friday shoppers have always been drawn to the tech category, which saw a staggering increase of almost 221% in sales compared to previous years. With Black Friday 2023 approaching, it’s time to buckle up to grab one’s favorite tech product before they go out of stock. To know what to expect in the upcoming sale, it helps to look back at the top game-changing deals and discounts that were offered last year. 

Smartphones
Android, as well as Apple smartphones, have been on sale year after year with some irresistible deals on offer.

With cutting-edge technology and sleek design, Apple iPhones have been the most sought-after tech products during the holiday sale period. Many major phone service providers offer trade-in deals with the overall price deducted, such as up to $800 off. Some service providers offer discounts as high as $500 off the retail price when shoppers sign up for their plans. From gift cards with the purchase to free Apple Watch or iPad, there are several amazing deals that shoppers have access to. Also, older refurbished iPhones go on sale through Apple stores.

Known for reliable performance and high processing speeds, Android phones are a hit among buyers of every budget. All major Android phone brands go for sale during Black Friday. Last year saw some great free trade-in deals with unlimited data from several phone service providers. In addition, major retailers offered gift cards on phone purchases.

Smartwatches
Since their introduction in the tech market, these have been among the highest-selling gadgets during every sale season. Everyone from major brands to retailers has been offering some good discounts ranging between 10% to 15% on the retail price of smartwatches.

Laptop
Last year saw deals on laptops for every type of user. Here are some of the popular categories of laptops and the bargains that were offered by big retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, B&H Photo, and Newegg.

For gamers of every budget, there were tons of savings to be made on all types of gaming systems. New launches of the year had nearly 50% off the launch price. In addition, last-generation gaming laptops were also on sale for half-price. 

From premium to affordable laptops, everything has been available for a fraction of their prices every year during the sale event. For example, last year, there was 20% to 40% off on retail prices of some of the popular laptops for everyday use.

Although their size is compact, notebooks have a high price tag during the non-sale period. But prices have been slashed down repeatedly during the holiday sale season every year.

Tablet
Slates from major manufacturers, including Apple, Amazon, Lenovo, Samsung, and more, have seen deep discounts over the previous years. For example, the Lenovo Tab M8, which had a retail price of $119, was available for just $79 at Walmart last year.

Speakers
For shoppers, there has been no shortage of great speakers to choose from across several price ranges.

Whether one wants a compact speaker for road trips or something with high-bass power for solo dance parties at home, Black Friday is the best time to buy one for a steal. Several top brands lowered the prices of their best-sellers below $100 in last year’s sale event.

For gamers who want to upgrade their in-game audio, the holiday shopping season is the perfect time to grab gaming speakers for a bargain. Last year saw some steep discounts ranging from 30% to 55% on top sellers.

From touch-enabled to in-dash radio capability, car audio speakers have many features. Top-of-the-line features mean a high price tag. But looking back at the previous years’ sales, shoppers can expect great money-saver deals.

Shoppers can take their TV viewing experience to the next level at cheaper prices. The biggest brands have been known to offer bargains with $50 to $90 off in the previous years.

Gaming consoles
During sale periods, gaming enthusiasts have always had a wide range of choices with highly discounted prices.

Previously, huge savings were offered across PlayStation Plus, PlayStation Store, PS5 DualSense wireless controllers, merchandise, and more. Shoppers can look forward to similar deals this year, too.

Last year, consumers snagged bundle deals that included Beat Saber devices and a variety of games with the Oculus.

Year after year, retailers have been offering limited-time deals on bundles from Nintendo as well as discounts on individual games during the sale.

The previous year’s sale had fantastic discounts on the latest Xbox Series games, accessories, Xbox Series headsets, and bundles.

Smart home devices
For consumers who want to upgrade their smart home or want to start on their smart home journey, Black Friday sales have been the perfect time to snag the basics at a steal deal every year.

The prices of top-selling smart speakers have always been slashed down during the sale season. For example, Google’s flagship Nest Mini sold for as low as $18 last year during Black Friday.

Last year’s sale gave shoppers access to steep bargains as high as 50% on smart displays from several major brands.

From 10% discounts on smart switch setups to bundle deals on smart lights, shoppers had some great savings during last year’s sale.

With free shipping and freebies, shoppers had access to fantastic deals on smart security cameras in the previous shopping season.

The price of smart thermostats was at an all-time low during the sale period last year. For example, Amazon’s basic smart thermostat was available at only $42. Shoppers can look forward to similar low prices this year, too.