Looking for a laptop deal? Don't bother with the Amazon Spring Sale - these deals from Best Buy and Walmart are way better

Apple MacBook Air M1 and Dell XPS 13 on blue background with don't miss text overlay

(Image credit: Future)

The big news for bargain hunters this week is Amazon's Big Spring Sale - an online event that's serving up thousands of discounts on everything from own-brand devices to big-screen TVs. There is one category that's conspicuously lacking in quality deals, however, and that's laptops.

In my opinion (as TechRadar's deals editor), you're way better served by heading on over to other retailers this week - notably Best Buy, Dell, and Walmart. All three of these retailers are offering exceptional discounts today on some of our favorite models with prices that are reaching Black Friday levels.

For example, over at Walmart right now you can bag the Apple MacBook Air M1 for just $699 (was $999) - a record-breaking discount on this superb laptop. Sure, it's a little older now but the MacBook Air M1 is still an exceptionally capable machine for everyday use - and incredibly light too.

I'd also recommend Dell's superb deals on its range of XPS 13 Ultrabooks. For example, the baseline 2022 model starts at just $599 (was $799) and there's also an option to get an upgraded Core i7 model for $799 (was $999). These aren't as cheap as some of the options out there right now (notably at Best Buy), but these are Black Friday-level deals that are well worth considering.

For comparison's sake, most of Amazon's laptop deals in the Big Spring Sale are on budget machines like this Asus Vivobook Go for $279.99 (was $329) or this Lenovo IdeaPad 1 for $269 (was $299).

These deals are 'Okay' but they're nowhere near as good as something like this HP 15 for $349 at Best Buy or this Inspiron 15 at Dell for $399. The best deal I've found at Amazon is this HP 15 for $699 (was $839), but again I wouldn't recommend it over the MacBook Air M1 at Walmart - which is superb value.

A record-low price on one of our favorites

Apple MacBook Air M1: was $999 now $699 at Walmart
Processor: Apple M1
RAM: 8GB
SSD: 256GB

Record low price: while we've seen the Air M1 go for as little as $749 previously, Walmart has just beaten that already-excellent discount by a whole $50 today. Not only is this an outstanding price for such a powerful laptop that still holds up great for 2024, but this could be the last chance to pick one up now that it's officially discontinued. Don't miss this awesome deal if you're looking for a great bang for the buck MacBook!

Best Buy has great budget laptops right now

Dell Inspiron 15 laptop: was $649 now $399.99 at Dell
Processor: AMD Ryzen 7-5700U
RAM: 16GB
SSD: 1TB

Recommended: We're sneaking this deal from Dell into our list because it's absolutely fantastic value. For just shy of $400 you get yourself a powerful Ryzen 7 chipset, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. While it's not a high-end laptop by any means, this Dell Inspiron is just about the best bang for the buck option you can get right now. If you need a reliable work-from-home laptop, this one is a particularly strong choice currently.

For high-end Windows laptops - check out Dell

Dell XPS 13 laptop: was $799 now $599 at Dell
Processor: Intel Core i5-1230U
RAM: 8GB
SSD: 256GB

The cheapest Dell XPS 13 you can buy right now is a third of the price of the latest 14-inch model. In fact, at $599, this deal is the cheapest XPS 13 we've ever seen. There are some trade-offs, of course, in the fact that you get a relatively small 256GB SSD and an older 12th gen Intel Core i5, but this machine still features a premium high-end design. If you're just looking for a machine to cover the basics this one is a great choice.

Dell XPS 13 laptop: was $1,099 now $799 at Dell
Processor: Intel Core i7-1250U
RAM: 16GB
SSD: 512GB

This mid-range Dell XPS 13 might just be one of the best buys out there if you're looking for a reasonably powerful lightweight Windows laptop. At $300 off, this one is a steal considering you get a powerful combination of a Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD. While not as cheap as the model above, this one is a better buy if you need a machine to handle more intensive applications - not least because this is a Black Friday-level deal.

Dell XPS 13 Plus: was $1,499 now $999 at Dell
Processor: Intel Core i7-1360P
RAM: 16GB
SSD: 512GB

Price cut: we originally singled out this Dell XPS 13 Plus as a fantastic buy at its original sales price of $1,099 but now it's been reduced even further to a record-low of just $999. The Dell XPS 13 Plus is the closest in design and specs to the latest XPS 14, although it doesn't have the option to bundle in a GPU. Still, this laptop is a great performer with its Core i7 chipset - and it looks absolutely gorgeous with its sleek, trackpad-less design. At $999, this one is currently a massive $700 cheaper than the new 14-inch model so it could be a good option if you want a stylish lightweight laptop without completely breaking the bank. Check out our <a href="https://salesfrenzy.shop/computing/laptops/dell-xps-13-plus-2023-review-still-the-odd-one-out-in-the-xps-family">Dell XPS 13 Plus (2023) review for a full rundown of this model.

More deals from the Amazon Spring Sale

Amazon Devices: Amazon Fire TVs from $178.99
Apple: AirPods, iPads, MacBooks from $99
Appliances: deals on refrigerators, ovens & laundry
Beauty: electric toothbrushes, makeup & skincare
Clothing: 60% off activewear, luggage & shoes
Easter: gifts & decor from $9.99
Fitness: save on equipment & accessories
Kitchen: Ninja, Keurig & Instant Pot from $49.99
Laptops: devices from $78.99
Mattresses: deals from $186
Outdoors: 40% off patio, lawn and garden
Toys: up to 50% off best-selling toys for all ages
TVs: smart TVs from $79.99
Vacuums: up to 55% off Shark and Dyson

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Alex is TechRadar's retail editor, specializing in deals, buying advice, and general tips on how to save our readers as much cash as possible. He's covered events like Black Friday and Amazon in some capacity for over seven years now; both in editorial and other ecommerce adjacent roles on TechRadar, T3, GamesRadar, and other Future PLC sites. Alex's expertise touches on most areas, but he has a particular love for phones, laptops, and cameras, being an avid photographer.