Best Buy's full Black Friday sale is now live - these are the 26 gaming deals I'd grab this week

Is Best Buy open on Thanksgiving Day?

A number of retailers are opening on Thanksgiving Day, but Best Buy is not among them. While some stores are operating on earlier opening hours on Black Friday itself, you're free to enjoy your turkey without worrying about all the TVs being taken when November 29 does roll around.

I recently reviewed the Razer Kraken V4 Pro, but I'd opt for the V3 Pro this Black Friday

The Razer Kraken V4 Pro is a solid piece of kit, but it's certainly held back by its incredibly high $399.99 MSRP. I'm not seeing any advances on that price across Black Friday sales so far - but the previous generation has dropped to a fantastic $99.99 record-low. Yes, you'll drop some of the more advanced haptic features, the chunkier design is a bit heavier, and your audio and mic will be of a lesser quality. But considering there's $300 difference between the two? The V3 Pro is looking like far better value for money right now.

Razer Kraken V3 Pro | $199.99 $99.99 at Best Buy

Personal Pick: Razer BlackShark V2 Hyperspeed

The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro ruled the roost in the world of the best PC headsets for a while there, but then the brand released a cheaper version. The Razer BlackShark V2 Hyperspeed is my favorite of the two - you're spending significantly less but still picking up the same TriForce Titanium drivers and HyperClear Super Wideband microphone - and that classic pilot-style form factor makes a return as well. There are telltale signs of a lower price tag, the build quality isn't up to the Pro's standard (I found some significant cushion pinching around the left cup straight out of the box), and the microphone is non-detachable. However, if you're a PC player who spends most of their time on comms, this is a much better buy overall.

Razer BlackShark V2 Hyperspeed | $129.99 $99.99 at Best Buy

Two of my favorite recent PS5 games are at record-low prices

I've just spotted Astro Bot and Spider-Man 2 taking record breaking discounts over at Best Buy, dropping down to their lowest prices ever for the very first time. Coming in first, we've got Astro Bot, a September release that hasn't shaved anything off its MSRP in its life so far. I was surprised when I saw this $49.99 sale price, then - especially considering it's, in my opinion, the best platformer on Sony's current gen console. If you prefer your action in the sky, though, Spider-Man 2 is your best bet. The 2023 release has dropped to $49.99 a couple of times this year, but those savings are incredibly rare. That's why today's $39.99 sale price is so impressive. That's a $30 discount on a blockbuster of a game, and a record-low price.

Astro Bot | $59.99 $49.99 at Best Buy

Spider-Man 2 | $69.99 $39.99 at Best Buy

Brand spotlight: Razer

Razer has some of the best gaming gear on the market, and some of its cheaper gadgets are already taking part in Best Buy's Black Friday deals. While I'm still waiting on the Razer Viper V3 Pro, the brand's gaming mice are looking strongest in these early offers so far. Headsets are looking pretty good, with the BlackShark V2 Hyperspeed down to $99.99, but keyboards and controllers are only seeing around $20 off on average. Considering these are premium gadgets, those are prices worth waiting on.

Razer Basilisk V3 | $69.99 $39.99 at Best Buy

Razer Viper V3 HyperSpeed | $69.99 $59.99 at Best Buy

Razer BlackShark V2 Hyperspeed | $129.99 $99.99 at Best Buy

PSA: If you want a Portal, I wouldn't wait

It's not discounted, but I've seen the PlayStation Portal running out of stock in the UK which means demand has increased significantly since the news broke that you no longer need a PS5 to stream via the system. That's a pretty considerable game changer for the handheld, and while stock is holding out right now at Best Buy I wouldn't be surprised if it started to falter over the weekend.

I'm not expecting any Black Friday deals on this device. Sony has already unveiled its official savings, and the new features mean it's not going to be a product retailers discount lightly. We're likely looking at another year at full $199.99.

PlayStation Portal | $199.99 at Best Buy

Spider-Man 2 just superhero-landed on a record-low price

I've only seen Spider-Man 2 take price drops twice over the course of the year so far, but Best Buy has a new record-low that saves you an extra $10 compared to previous discounts. You'll find the duo available for just $39.99 right now - $30 off the $69.99 MSRP. That's a rare offer, especially considering previous sales only had it at $49.99. I've just finished my first run and thoroughly enjoyed every set piece, car chase, and web sling.

Marvel Spider-Man 2 | $69.99 $39.99 at Best Buy

PSA: Best Buy has some more Switch deals brewing

I've just spotted that Best Buy's selection of Switch bundles are going to look even better on Sunday. The retailer is advertising an additional $75 in savings on top of the $79.98 added value in these OLED and standard edition package deals. If that means what I think it means, the $349.99 price of the premium system might drop to $274.99. The standard edition could be as cheap as $224.99. That would be the best Black Friday Nintendo Switch deal I've ever seen.

DualSense controllers are $20 off

Now that Sony's official sale is upon us, Best Buy also has some excellent discounts on DualSense pads. There's good news and bad news here, though. The good news is this is the lowest price I've seen since the MSRP rose earlier in the year... ah, I've spoiled the bad news. DualSense controllers are now more expensive, so while previous Black Friday deals have had them down to $50 in the past, today's $54.99 rate might be as good as it gets.

DualSense Controller | $74.99 $54.99 at Best Buy

Personal Pick: SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless has sat at the top of my list of the best gaming headsets since it launched. This is a super luxurious device, with an excellent build quality, handy hot-swappable batteries, and audio that gives every game just that extra punch. With a $349.99 MSRP under its belt, this is no cheap set of cups though. When SteelSeries launched its newer white model earlier this year, something strange happened. The new device started dropping its price tag far more frequently than the original black version. It's been hopping either side of that $300 line for a few months now, but we're now back down to the year's best $279.99 sales price.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless | $349.99 $279.99 at Best Buy

This RTX 4070 Super gaming PC just dropped back to a record-low price

This Acer Predator Orion has only ever been $1,449.99 twice before today, which means Best Buy's current $300 discount is working particularly hard for you. The configuration packs a solid 97-14700F processor with 32GB RAM and a 1TB SSD - all alongside that impressive RTX 4070 Super GPU. Savings are fairly hard to spot on this model - it's been at full price more than it's been at discounted in the last few months. However, previous offers only ever reached $1,549.99.

Acer Predator Orion (RTX 4070 Super) | $1,749.99 $1,449.99 at Best Buy

Speaking of PS5...

Sony's full official Black Friday sale lands today, which means Best Buy has the year's best price on the PSVR 2 Horizon Call of the Mountain bundle. You're saving a massive $250 on this bumper pack - which is surprising, considering I'm seeing the exact same discount on the headset by itself. If you're keen to scale those frozen wilds until dawn zeroes in, this is the offer for you. (I couldn't fit a Forbidden West in there, I tried for so long)

PSVR 2 | Horizon Call of the Mountain | $599.99 $349.99 at Best Buy

Best Buy just launched two new PS5 Slim bundles

The Fortnite Cobalt Star PS5 Slim bundles are now on sale at Best Buy, with some considerable savings on the package deal. You'll find both the Digital and full disc version of the console included, with those numbers ticking all the way down to just $374.99 on the former. I normally only ever see $50 off when bundles (or even consoles by themselves) are discounted, so this is a massive opportunity.

PS5 Slim | Fortnite Cobalt Star Bundle | $499.99 $424.99 at Best Buy

PS5 Slim Digital | Fortnite Cobalt Star Bundle | $449.99 $374.99 at Best Buy

Best Buy vs Amazon

Amazon also launched its full Black Friday sale yesterday, so where should you head first? That can quickly be decided if you already have a subscription to one - if you're a Prime member it's worth checking out what Amazon has to offer, but My Best Buy Plus subscribers have a slightly healthier supply of exclusive discounts and similar shipping benefits.

If you're both or neither, it depends on what you want to buy. Gaming laptops, PCs, and components are all stocked better at Best Buy. There's much more curation on these shelves so you won't run into unknown brands that reviewers haven't had their hands on yet or older configurations with price tags that are far out of the realm of value. Best Buy carries the latest models and a few older ones for their lower prices, but crucially - it doesn't operate with third party marketplace sellers. That means there's far less of a risk of scam merchants and a much easier shopping experience.

Amazon does, however, have a much wider range of items on sale. It's a larger retailer with more space for accessories and peripherals - if you're after charging docks, memory cards, cables, or extra desk accessories I'd head here instead.

Both retailers look like they're price matching each other with their discounts on well known headsets, mice, keyboards, and chairs. There are some outliers, but in general you'll find similar prices on both sites right now.

Welcome to day two! The good news is I'm still seeing all my top picks in stock and at sale prices right now - the bad news is competition is going to seriously start to heat up this weekend. Don't be fooled by the fact that Black Friday itself is still a week away - early shoppers have been taking advantage of pre-Holiday sales for years, so much so that some of the biggest offers sometimes don't even make it to the main event.

I'm off to hunt down any new PS5, Xbox, Switch, and PC deals that may have hit the shelves overnight and will bring everything I find right here.

Personal Pick: Asus ROG Ally Z1E

I've been rolling with the Asus ROG Ally since it launched, and while a hairy release window initially had me doubting the system things have been fully ironed out since then. It's a handheld PC that provides the full Windows experience at a lower price than its rivals and with plenty of speed. I've been using the Z1E version to run through indie games and Triple-As alike, and it's handled heavier titles like Assassin's Creed: Odyssey even on battery power particularly well.

Asus ROG Ally Z1E | $649.99 $499.99 at Best Buy

Lego Super Mario sets are seeing some solid savings

Best Buy is going a little harder on Lego deals this year, and its Super Mario selection is showing up with some smaller but still solid discounts. Some savings are reserved for Plus members, but there's a good supply of price cuts available for the masses as well.

Super Mario Starter Course | $59.99 $44.99 at Best Buy

Super Mario Donkey Kong's Tree House | $59.99 $47.99 at Best Buy

Super Mario Bowser's Muscle Car | $29.99 $23.99 at Best Buy

Super Mario Piranha Plant | $59.99 $47.99 with Plus at Best Buy

Personal Pick: SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5x

It's no secret, I'm a big fan of SteelSeries headsets. The latest Arctis Nova 5, however, offers some of the best value for console players on the market right now. From a tech standpoint, it's running with the same drivers as the more expensive Nova 7 model for expansive, rich audio and plenty of clear bass. However, it's the accompanying app that really seals the deal. With well over 100 presets designed specifically for a massive roster of games, all hand-crafted by sound engineers and the devs themselves it's a fantastic way to get EQ settings into console players' hands.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5x | $129.99 $99.99 at Best Buy

Should you buy before Black Friday?

Of course, we're still a whole week away from official Black Friday deals, so some trepidation around early offers is natural. I've seen the same trend pop up every year which could put your mind at ease, though. Retailers tend to run their discounts through Thanksgiving week and into Black Friday, with very minimal additional price drops (if any do occur) on the big day itself. If something is discounted now, it's likely it won't go any further this month. Plus, Best Buy is offering its Holiday Price Match Guarantee - so refunds are on the table if you do jump in early and find a lower price at the site later in the sale.

Personal Pick: Corsair K70 Pro Mini Wireless

Corsair stepped away from its established rulebook with the K70 Pro Mini Wireless. It's a smaller 60% deck, which does mean you'll need to lean on additional key functions (and there are no arrow buttons), but it's packed with additional features. 50 onboard preset slots, hot-swappable switches, and solid connection options, the K70 Pro Mini is a beast in a small form factor. I did find the out-of-box typing experience to be a little scratchy, but a quick swap of the switches will fix that if you find the same.

Corsair K70 Pro Mini Wireless | $179.99 $84.99 at Amazon

I've found a few more Nintendo Switch games

Best Buy's going a lot harder on digital titles in its early sale - making the most of these last few days before Nintendo's own offers land on the shelves. While still largely third-party, there are a number of titles included in this digital sale, reaching up to 75% off games like Sonic X Shadow Generations, Plants vs Zombies, Wolfenstein II, and It Takes Two.

View the full digital game sale at Best Buy

Nintendo Switch games aren't looking so hot

I've noticed something strange happening at various retailers this Black Friday. Nintendo Switch games are noticeably absent from most proceedings. I know we're still waiting for the brand's official sales to drop, but we would usually see some early discounts. Woot has been a standout winner so far, kicking even newer releases down to record-lows. However, Best Buy is among those retailer largely ignoring these little cartridges in early events.

There's more in store for us - Ninty itself announced $20 discounts on its titles earlier in the month, so we'll just have to wait and see. Right now, it's only third party developers seeing the real savings.

Personal Pick: Turtle Beach Atlas Air

The Turtle Beach Atlas Air is, without a doubt, the most comfortable gaming headset I've ever put my noggin in. The elasticated mesh headstrap alleviates all pressure from the band itself making for a weightless feel that even SteelSeries can't match. Meanwhile, the generously sized cups offer fantastic support without ever pinching the ear or the side of the head. Not only that, but it sounds great too. The open back drivers make for a particularly wide soundstage, giving games and music far more room to dive into the details and keeping directional audio particularly immersive.

There's just one drawback. That open back design lets sound bleed both in and out of the headset, which means this isn't one for those who play in busier environments.

Turtle Beach Atlas Air | $179.99 $149.99 at Best Buy

PSA: My Best Buy Plus members get extra savings

Like many retailers with subscription plans, Best Buy has reserved some of its heavier savings for its My Best Buy Plus members. These range from additional discounts on already featured tech to deals on gadgets not otherwise featured in today's roster. Included gadgets span the full console spectrum as well, so if you're a card holder it's well worth checking out what's in store.

Asus ROG Ally Z1E | $649.99 $449.99 with Plus

Xbox Wireless Controller | $59.99 $44.99 with Plus

Infinity Game Board | $499.99 $449.99 with Plus

Personal Pick: Razer Basilisk V3

The Razer Basilisk V3 isn't a new mouse by any means - in fact, it's been three years since I first reviewed it. That makes its standings among the best gaming mouse models on the market today all the more impressive. It's currently sitting at a record-low $39.99 at Best Buy, but even its $69.99 MSRP feels fair. Yes, it's wired and it's got a slightly older sensor but I still use this pointer in 2024 and it's packed with handy extra features that go the extra mile - especially for $40. A whole roster of extra programmable buttons, extra ergonomic comfort features, and a smart scroll wheel help this rodent stand out on the shelves.

When will Best Buy's Black Friday sale end?

Best Buy's official Black Friday deals will come at an end on Saturday November 30 at 11:59pm CT. That means we've got a whole week of savings to enjoy, with new discounts landing all the time. I wouldn't be surprised if many of these offers lasted beyond that November 30 threshold, though. I often see retailers simply carrying their discounts through the Cyber Monday sales, running the same deals over the course of the weekend and rebranding at the start of the next week. Still, I also regularly see some of the hottest offers run off the shelves before Thanksgiving even gets underway, so I wouldn't wait around too long.

Does Best Buy price match?

Best Buy doesn't price match with competitors during Black Friday - so there's no asking the site to offer you Amazon or Walmart's current sale prices. Yes, regular offers can be matched if they're from a qualified competitor, but the retailer's terms and conditions state that the Price Match Guarantee does not cover:

"Qualified Competitor offers including... items denoted as Black Friday pricing, special daily or hourly sales and items for sale the Thursday before Thanksgiving Day through the Monday after Thanksgiving." (See more at Best Buy)

However, the retailer is running a Holiday Price Match Guarantee this year. This states that "most" products that you buy between November 1 and December 31 can be price matched if the cost drops again before January 14. That means you're covered if Best Buy does offer further Black Friday deals on these gadgets.

And we're off, Best Buy launched its full Black Friday sale this morning and I've already swung through these shelves a few times so far. I'll be keeping a close eye out for new deals, extra price cuts and any discounts I missed in my first few passes, so stay tuned for more over the next week!