The biggest percentage drop in the early Black Friday pile isn't an Apple product. It's the Ring Battery Doorbell 2K, listed at $40, down from $99. That's about 60% off, and nothing in the Apple column comes close.
Here's what the early lists show as of Nov. 3, so check live prices before you click.
The cheap stuff has the best cuts
- Ring Battery Doorbell 2K: $40, was $99
- Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus: $40, was $70
- Apple iPad 11-inch (A16): $400, was $449
- AirPods Pro 3: $199, was $249
Those are from Yahoo's early deals roundup. The same list has the Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro) at $569 at Amazon, though it doesn't say what the regular price is, so I can't tell you how good that one is.
Apple's discounts are real but modest
MacRumors is tracking Apple gear at or near its lowest prices. The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is $699.99 at Amazon, down $99 from $799. The M5 MacBook Air is $1,099.99, which is $199 off. The MacBook Neo is $669.22, a $30 cut from $699, and MacRumors calls that discount rare.
The MacBook Air deal needs context. MacRumors says Amazon's $199 cut matches the best prices it has seen since a price hike. So it's good compared with today's sticker, not compared with what the laptop cost before the increase. Apple's Mac mini has been discounted by $119 to $150 for weeks, with prices starting at $779.99. A deal that's been running for weeks isn't going to vanish tomorrow.
What I'd do
If you've been meaning to put a camera on your front door or turn an old TV into a streamer, those $40 deals are the clearest wins here. Both are cheap enough that being wrong costs you little. The AirPods Pro 3 at $199 is a decent buy too, if yours have died.
The $99 off the Apple Watch Ultra 4 is nice, but it's about 12% off a $799 watch. I'd only buy it now if you actually need one. The MacBook Neo's $30 is barely a deal, and I'd skip chasing it.
One more note on the language. Some retailers and deal sites are already using "all-time low" freely, and one CNN Underscored writer doubts that a tracker's current price will drop further by Black Friday. That's an opinion, not a promise. Retailers often rotate prices again closer to the day.
The practical move: pick the one or two items you were going to buy anyway, check that the price still holds on Amazon, and buy it if the discount is deep. If it's an Apple product with only a $30 cut, wait. Black Friday itself is weeks away, and the list will change.
My take
Honestly, this is a steal. It's still early, but if you've had your eye on something like this, the deal is worth jumping on.
Sources: Yahoo Tech, MacRumors, CNN Underscored
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. TechByDave is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Some links in this post may be affiliate links; if you buy something through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
