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Apple Store Black Friday deals stink: Get these instead

Published Nov 16th, 2023 11:14AM EST
Image: Michael Buckner for BGR

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If you’ve been waiting for all the Apple Store Black Friday 2023 deals the company has planned, we have two important updates for you. First, Apple finally announced all of its holiday deals, so the wait is over. And second, you must be new at this because Apple’s own Black Friday deals are always awful.

I’m not exaggerating. They’re truly, deeply terrible deals.

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Amazon Logo See Pricing
Amazon Logo See Pricing
Amazon Logo See Pricing

The simple fact is that Apple doesn’t do discounts. Any Apple fan can tell you that. Instead, the company has its own interpretation of Black Friday deals.

In a nutshell, all of Apple’s prices remain the same, but you get gift cards of varying denominations depending on what you purchase. And yes, they’re Apple Store gift cards, so you can’t spend that money anywhere else.

It’s a shame that Apple doesn’t have better deals each year for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. But the good news is that it doesn’t really matter. Thankfully, other retailers have stepped in with amazing Apple deals!

Here, we’ll show you tons of Apple Black Friday 2023 deals that are so much better than what Apple is offering. And be sure to visit our other guides covering the best Apple Watch deals and AirPods deals.

Here are Apple’s official deals

Apple Store Black Friday dealsImage source: Christian de Looper for BGR

Before we get to the good stuff, let’s take a look at all the Apple Store Black Friday deals that Apple is offering for 2023. These deals are available from November 24 through the end of the day on November 27.

  • $75 gift card with select iPhone models
  • Up to a $75 gift card with select AirPods models
  • $50 gift card with select Apple Watch models
  • Up to a $100 gift card with select iPad models
  • Up to a $200 gift card with a MacBook Air or Mac mini
  • Up to a $50 gift card with Apple TV 4K or HomePod
  • Up to a $50 gift card with select Beats headphones
  • Up to a $50 gift card with select Apple accessories

If you zoned out halfway through reading those deals, we can’t blame you. The good news is that there are MUCH better Apple deals out there for Black Friday 2023. And you can get them right now!

Better Apple deals for Black Friday

Apple Store Black Friday dealsImage source: Christian de Looper for BGR

There are tons of amazing deals out there right now that are so much better than the official Apple Store Black Friday sale.

The best example is probably AirPods Pro 2 with Lightning for just $189. Everyone knows how great AirPods Pro are, and now is your chance to pick up a pair at the lowest price of 2023.

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Or, if you want to spend as little as possible, AirPods 2 are down to just $69 at Amazon and Walmart. That’s a new all-time low price, so this deal is a definite sellout risk.

Other AirPods models are also discounted right now, including a massive $69 discount on AirPods Max. Be sure to check out our roundup of the best AirPods deals for more info on all of these great Black Friday discounts.

Also, if you don’t mind refurbs, you’ll find even lower prices on Geek Squad Certified Refurbished AirPods 2, and Geek Squad Certified Refurbished AirPods Pro at Best Buy.

Even more Apple deals

Apple Store Black Friday 2022 dealsImage source: Christian de Looper for BGR

There are so many more great Black Friday deals in 2023 available right now that are better than anything from the Apple Store.

You’ll find some of our favorites below, including up to $50 off the Apple Watch Series 9 and the M1 MacBook Air for $749.99. Or. you can upgrade to the M2 MacBook Air 15-inch for just $1,049.99, which is also an all-time low. There are a bunch of terrific iPad deals that you should definitely take advantage of, too.

iPhone deals

See our Apple Black Friday 2023 deals roundup for all the hottest iPhone deals available now.

Apple Watch deals

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Amazon Logo Available on Amazon
Amazon Logo Available on Amazon

iPad deals

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Amazon Logo Available on Amazon
Amazon Logo Available on Amazon
Amazon Logo Available on Amazon

MacBook deals

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Amazon Logo Available on Amazon

Why we recommend these Apple deals

iPhone 15 Pro MaxImage source: Christian de Looper for BGR

Apple products are always wildly popular ahead of the holidays. But the Black Friday deals at the Apple Store aren’t very good at all.

Other top retailers, including Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart, and Target, are offering much better Apple deals for Black Friday 2023. That includes deep discounts on iPhones, AirPods, Apple Watch models, iPad tablets, MacBook laptops, and plenty more.

Meanwhile, Apple charges full price for all of these items. The only bonus is that you’ll get an Apple Store gift card with your purchase.

Some people shop at the Apple Store all the time, and they might be okay with getting a gift card instead of a discount. Even still, we recommend taking advantage of the other deals we’ve mentioned here instead.

It’s just simple math: top retailers have bigger discounts than the value of the gift cards Apple is offering. You’ll simply never come out ahead shopping official Apple Store Black Friday deals.

Be sure to check out our guide on Apple Black Friday 2023 deals for more.


More Black Friday 2023 coverage

If you’re looking for all the best deals for Black Friday 2023, you’ll find them in our extensive coverage.

The shopping experts at BGR have combed through all the biggest Black Friday sales online. We have hand-picked all the best deals with the deepest discounts on popular items. The team here at BGR has more than 4 decades of combined experience finding all the best bargains for our readers. With that in mind, you can rest assured that this is your one-stop shop for all of your Black Friday deal-hunting needs.

Below, you’ll find all of BGR’s guides on the best deals and sales of Black Friday 2023. Be sure to browse through them all if you want to see the very best sales that are available this year. And you should also check back regularly because we’ll update them periodically with new sales as they go live.

Maren Estrada Deals Editor

Maren Estrada has been the Editor of BGR Deals since it launched in 2013. She has more than 20 years of experience testing more than 1,500 products, and reviewing a wide range of consumer electronics including mobile devices, smart home products, computers, and home appliances.

Previously, she was a leading consultant specializing in copywriting, product development, and new product launches.