Black Friday monitor deals are officially coming on November 26, bringing with them the best chance of the entire year to find the lowest prices on a new display for your desktop PC. A good monitor is a vital part of your work or gaming setup, but it’s something that too many overlook when it comes to building or upgrading a desktop system.
However, if it has been awhile since you changed out your display, then you should definitely consider upgrading, and this year’s monitor Black Friday deals are going to offer the best opportunity before 2022 to do it on the cheap. There’s a lot to consider when shopping for a monitor, but we’ve got your back with a quick shopping guide to get you ready to shop the 2021 Black Friday monitor deals — including where you can expect to save the most cash.
Best Black Friday monitor deals we saw last year
The 2020 holiday sales brought a torrent of Black Friday monitor deals, and these proved to be some of the hottest items of the entire shopping season (due no doubt due to last year’s surge of people who started working and studying from home, necessitating some obvious computer upgrades). We saw steep markdowns on everything from cheap Dell and HP work monitors to high-end gaming displays, but a few stand-out deals are worth mentioning.
One of our favorite monitors for productivity, the 24-inch Dell S2421h, got knocked down to $120, with the 27-inch variant being marked down to $160. That 24-inch deal was one of our favorites, but better than the 27-inch Dell deal was the HP V27i 27-ionch monitor which, while a rather basic 1080p display, was discounted to an eye-poppingly cheap $120. That was a fantastic bargain for anybody looking for a mid-sized panel for their workstation.
Another great 27-inch option was the AOC 27B1H. That one got cut down to $150 at Staples. If you wanted to go even bigger than that, the 32-inch HP 32s monitor was on sale for $170, making it by far one of the best large monitor Black Friday deals. Gamers had plenty to feast on as well: the awesome 34-inch curved 1440p Alienware monitor, which is one of our favorite ultrawide gaming displays, was cut down to just $830 (it retailed for more than $1,500 at the time). That one’s been averaging around $900 this year, so it might get discounted even more heavily for the 2021 Black Friday monitor sales.
A more budget-friendly ultrawide gaming panel was the ViewSonic Elite 1440p monitor. This curved ultrawide display saw a $100 hair cut that bumped the price down to $600 — a great deal and a cost-effective alternative to buying two displays. This is just a handful of the many Black Friday monitor deals that were offered up last year, and we expect that the 2021 sales will be every bit as bountiful for bargain-hunting holiday shoppers.
What Black Friday monitor deals we expect to see this year
We don’t expect this year’s fare to be much different than last year’s, other than the fact that modern designs like ultrawide monitors and curved monitors will feature more heavily in contrast to more traditional displays. The 2021 Black Friday monitor deals should be a great chance to score one of these high-end panels at bargain-bin prices.
This isn’t to say that there won’t be plenty of markdowns on cheaper monitors, too. In fact, the Black Friday weekend sales are the perfect time to grab a pair of budget monitors if you want to build a multi-display setup, which is a great way to level up your multi-tasking and productivity.
Maybe you already have a decent enough display but you want to upgrade to a larger screen, a curved monitor, or one with a higher resolution. We expect there to be plenty of mid-range monitor Black Friday deals on these units. HP, Dell, Lenovo, and Acer are all good brands to keep on your radar if you’re looking for these work-oriented displays.
Gaming displays tend to be pricier due to their enhanced resolutions, features like V-sync technology (Nvidia G-Sync or Radeon FreeSync), and higher refresh rates that allow for playing games at a higher framerate. Dell, Alienware, Acer, Asus, and MSI are stand-out names in this market. Dell and Alienware are especially good choices for ultrawide gaming monitors, and since we’ve seen those on sale throughout the year already, they’re sure to be marked down even more when Black Friday rolls around.
Should you buy a monitor on Black Friday or Cyber Monday?
The holiday shopping season is a great time to purchase new electronics items generally, and Black Friday monitor deals are going to bring the lowest prices you’re likely to see before 2022. With supply chain backlogs and component shortages creating some uncertainty in the market this year, however, you shouldn’t wait if you see a deal you like, even in the days before the official sales begin.
Cyber Monday and Cyber Week typically offer discounts that are similar to or the same as those on tap during Black Friday, but don’t assume the one you want will still be available after the post-Thanksgiving holiday weekend is over. Stock runs out fast during sales like this, and that will be doubly true this year due to inventory constraints.
The smart move is to pounce on any monitor Black Friday deals that suit your criteria and hit your price target before they’re gone – you might not get another chance until after Christmas. Don’t feel too much pressure, though, because select retailers have been offering Black Friday price guarantees, meaning they’ll refund you the difference if the item you bought gets discounted further during the sale. That lets you shop without worrying about whether you’re getting the best price.
Black Friday monitor deals FAQ
Whether you’re working from home and staring at a sub-par display for hours on end, you’re seeking the smoothest refresh rate and lowest input lag when gaming, you want to experience the immersion an ultrawide display, or you simply need an extra screen for boosting your productivity, it’s worth the money to upgrade to a new monitor. Don’t rush into these Black Friday monitor deals blind, though. Here’s what you need to know so you can get prepared before you shop.
How much are monitors on Black Friday?
Monitors are one of the pricier components of your desktop PC setup, but a good one does not have to cost an arm and a leg. You can find monitor Black Friday deals for as little as $100 for a basic 1080p Full HP model, and $200 is not an unreasonable amount to pay for some enhancements like a 1440p Quad HD resolution or extra gaming features. If you start to add in more extras — combining a high resolution with a fast refresh rate, for instance, or opting for an ultrawide panel — prices start to rise to the $300-$500 range. And if you need a really high-end monitor, complete with an ultra-wide display, QHD or UHD panel, and refresh rates of 240Hz or higher, you can easily spend over $1,000.
As with anything, it’s important to know both your needs and your budget to make sure you get the most for your money. Most folks likely will not have to pay more than about $200-250 for a monitor that easily meets their needs, but don’t be afraid to go higher if you have specific upgrades you want. Make sure to check out our round-up of the best computer monitors and our monitor buying guide, as these will give you a good idea of what you get for your cash as well as the best options available to you in 2021.
Do monitors go on sale on Black Friday?
Monitors can get expensive, so the deals extravaganza that is Black Friday can be a welcome sight as it brings plenty of juicy monitor deals to the table. Not all Black Friday monitor deals are as good as they seem, though. Some retailers use Black Friday as an opportunity to get rid of old and outdated stock that they want to clear off their warehouse shelves. If you see a steeply discounted monitor, you need to check that it actually is a good bargain before you hit the “add to cart” button. Read reviews and check its specs first. If it still looks good then go for it – just don’t jump the gun as soon as you see a deep price cut.
Another thing to be aware of is the range of high-pressure tactics some retailers use to rush people into a sale. You might see things like countdown timers or warnings that other shoppers are about to buy the item you are looking at. Don’t let these sales gimmicks influence your decision. If a particular monitor is not right for you, it doesn’t matter how many other people are looking at it. Take your time and do your research, as that will make finding that perfect deal all the sweeter.
Should you wait until Black Friday to buy a monitor?
If you’ve been considering making a purchase from the Black Friday monitor deals, you might be wondering when would be the best time to buy. One issue to consider is that fulfillment is expected to take longer than usual this year due to supply chain issues and the ongoing shortage of semiconductors (which are in everything nowadays, including monitors). So if there’s something you want to buy, particularly if you want it in time for the holidays, then you should purchase it as soon as possible.
That means that it might not be a bad idea to do a little pre-sale shopping and jump on any early monitor Black Friday deals you see before the official event rolls out. Many retailers like to drop some early bargains to draw in shoppers ahead of time, and these markdowns are sometimes just as good as the ones offered during Black Friday weekend. And as mentioned above, some outlets have started offering Black Friday price guarantees. If you make a purchase and the price falls lower, the retailer will refund you the difference.
Who has the best Black Friday monitor deals?
Last year, the retailers with the best monitor Black Friday deals were Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Staples, HP, Dell, and Newegg. That’s no huge surprise given how popular these outlets are for tech during big sales like this. Amazon also ran early “Holiday Dash” Lightning Deals every day in the week before Black Friday weekend. Walmart did something similar, dropping fresh Rollbacks every weekend leading up to Thanksgiving.
Best Buy and Newegg are even more tech-focused than Walmart and Amazon, so you can imagine they’ll be dropping plenty of hot Black Friday monitor deals for you to feast on. The Best Buy Black Friday Sale had some early deals to compete with Amazon and Walmart, while Newegg ran a sale for almost the whole month of November. Keep your eyes on these online stores for the best monitor Black Friday deals, especially if you plan to get your shopping game on a bit early.
Monitor deals you can shop today
If you can’t wait until Black Friday, there are some great monitor deals you can shop today — we’ve rounded up some of the best below.
With 4K UHD quality, this LG monitor delivers crystal clear images and videos, be it with games or movies. You can also ensure noise-free quality when running high-graphics games.
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This 28-inch HP monitor offers a high-res 4K and edge-to-edge panel at one of the lowest prices. It also supports HDR for a more vibrant picture quality.
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This monitor makes all of your entertainment shine with its large 27-inch full HD IPS panel and HDMI inputs that let you hook up your Blu-Ray players and other AV equipment.
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Enjoy a crisp, color-accurate Ultra HD picture on this excellent 4K curved monitor from Dell, which sits at a nice sweet spot in size at 32 inches.
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There’s almost no better monitor option for an ultimate workspace than the huge 43-inch Dell UltraSharp U4320Q. It’s a massive screen that boasts lag-free, ear-to-ear, picturesque coverage.
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With a 27-inch 4K IPS panel and AMD FreeSync technology, this slick Dell display is one of the best Ultra HD monitors you can get in this size class.
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