The best Black Friday 2018 deals on Apple products: $250 iPad and HomePod, $100 off Apple Watch and more! – CNET

In the market for Apple gear? You know what you’re getting into: premium prices, infrequent sales, small discounts.

Ah, but Black Friday is coming, and that’s when absolutely everything goes on sale, right? Even Apple gear? In some cases, yes, there will be deals to be had. Below I’ve rounded up the best prices I can find on the Apple AirPods, iPad and Watch. Keep in mind these deals aren’t available now; they’re coming on or around Nov. 23.

Read more: Black Friday 2018: The best deals you can get right now

Before we dive in, some buying advice. First, you can get discounts right now by shopping for refurbished items from Apple proper. Currently, for example, the refurbished Apple Watch Series 3 38mm is $239, a savings of $40. And you can save $80 on the refurbished iPad Pro 9.7 (32GB). Apple’s certified refurbs are usually indistinguishable from new, and have the same warranty as their new counterparts.

Second, many stores — Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Target, etc. — will have the same sale prices on Apple gear. So is there any advantage to choosing one over another? There might be: Check your favorite cashback service to see if one store is offering a higher rebate rate than another.

For example, below you’ll see the iPad at $250 from a variety of stores. If you find, say, a 5 percent cashback option at one store and only 2 percent at the others, you’ll pocket $12.50 instead of just $5. Those extra savings add up!

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Apple iPad 9.7 (2018): $250 (save $80)

Sarah Tew/CNET

Not that long ago, even the base model iPad would run you $500. Although this one lacks Pro features, it’s still the current-generation model at an $80 savings. It’ll be available not just at Walmart, but also Costco, Target and other stores.

See at Walmart iPad 2018 review

Apple AirPods: $139 (save $20)

Óscar Gutiérrez/CNET

Surprisingly, Apple’s highly sought-after wire-free earbuds dipped as low as $129 during a few pre-Black Friday sales — but the best option for Black Friday proper is, for now, at Newegg.

See at Newegg AirPods review

Apple Watch Series 3 (38mm + GPS): $179 (save $100)

César Salza / CNET

The Apple Watch deal to beat is at… Meijer? Yep, the superstore chain will knock $100 off the price of the base Series 3 model, undercutting the likes of Best Buy, Target and Walmart.

See at Meijer AirPods review

Apple HomePod: $250 (save $100)

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Apple’s Siri-powered smart speaker offers some of the best sound in its class, and Best Buy will chop a rare $100 off the regular price.

See at Best Buy HomePod review

We’ll update this post when we spot better deals on these and other Apple items. So check back soon!


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Read more: CNET’s complete guide to Black Friday 2018

Read more: CNET’s Holiday Gift Guide 2018


CNET’s Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on PCs, phones, gadgets and much more. Note that CNET may get a share of revenue from the sale of the products featured on this page. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals page and follow the Cheapskate on Facebook and Twitter!

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