Dealmaster: All the Apple devices worth buying at Black Friday prices

Dealmaster: All the Apple devices worth buying at Black Friday prices

2019-11-29 17:36:32

These are probably the best deals on Apple devices we'll see through year's end.

Staff —

These are probably the best deals on Apple devices we'll see through year's end.

2019 iPad

Enlarge / The 2019, seventh-generation iPad with a 10.2-inch display.

Samuel Axon

Apple devices are constantly in high demand, and yet they rarely go on sale. But for Black Friday 2019, a number of retailers have sales and discounts on some of the most popular Apple products as of late.

Let's start with Apple's wireless earbuds—AirPods are now $139 at Amazon, and that includes the standard charging case. These are the second-generation AirPods and the regular charging case; the optional wireless charging case is available separately at its regular price of $79. AirPods were down to $129 a few hours ago, but that deal appears to have expired. Regardless, this AirPods bundle gives you the essentials at a good sale price.

The new AirPods Pro are also on sale today—now you can get the new and improved earbuds for $234.98, which is about $15 off their regular price of $250. These are in-ear version of the original AirPods, which could make them more comfortable for those that found the shape of AirPods less than ideal. AirPods Pro use the same H1chip found in second-gen AirPods to pair with Apple devices, but the have active noise cancellation and "transparency mode," features that the original AirPods do not have. The former mode blocks out ambient noise, while the latter mode lets in some external sound so it's easier to hear others around you.

Target has the 38mm Apple Watch Series 3 for $169, while the 42mm model is $199. That's $30 cheaper than you'll find those devices on Apple's online store. While they aren't as discounted as Walmart's early Black Friday deals (which put the 38mm Series 3 at $129 and the 48mm model at $159), those deals are no longer available. It's always worth checking to see if stock comes back at those sale prices, but that's unlikely at this point.

The Apple Watch Series 3 is a solid option for those don't need or want the bells and whistles that come with the more expensive Series 4 and Series 5 models, such as ECG technology and an always-on display. If ECG readings and fall detection are important to you, Best Buy has the Apple Watch Series 4 for $299, which is $50 off its regular price.

On the iPad spectrum, the best deal is $249 for the 2019 iPad. This is the lowest price we've seen this iPad hit (a 32GB model typically costs $329), and although it has hit this price before, this is probably the last time this year it will so affordable.

But that's not the only iPad on sale: now you can get $150 to $200 off the 11-inch iPad Pro (depending on storage capacity). This is the latest model of the iPad Pro that Apple introduced last year that, in addition to being a powerful creative tool, could also be a laptop alternative.

Thanks to advancements and new features in iPadOS, the iPad Pros are more powerful and efficient than ever. When paired with a keyboard accessory (or even when connected to an external USB-C monitor), it's possible to use the tablet almost like you would a typical laptop. Granted, it's not exactly the same experience, but iPad diehards will appreciate the experience and may consider ditching their regular laptop for the iPad Pro. The device also works with the second-generation Apple Pencil, a tool that artists and notetakers swear by and one that has been much improved when compared to the first-generation Pencil (namely with wireless charging capabilities and automatic pairing).

Unsurprisingly, your best bet to get discounted Apple products is to shop at a retailer like Amazon, Walmart, or Best Buy. However, Apple is running its own Black Friday promotion that includes up to a $200 Apple Store gift card when you buy select Apple products. You can get a $25 gift card when you purchase AirPods, Apple TV, or an Apple Watch Series 3, a $100 gift card when you purchase an 11-inch or 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and a $200 gift card when you purchase a MacBook Pro or an iMac. That's just a few of the gift card offerings Apple has, so browse the online store to see all of the options.

Check out the full list below for all of the worthwhile Black Friday Apple deals.

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Note: Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs.

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