'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?
ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.
When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.
ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form.
The best early Labor Day 2026 laptop deals: Apple, Lenovo, Dell, and more
Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
Labor Day means the end of summer and back to school -- but not without snagging a good deal on a new laptop. There are some notable sales happening before the holiday, and we're tracking price drops on both Macs and PCs that we recommend personally -- not just for students, but for the office, for creators, or everyday use.
Also: The best laptops of 2026: Expert tested and reviewed
All the laptops on this list we've either tested in our lab, gone hands-on with, or are familiar with through testing similar models. We approach testing in two parts: assessing performance through real-world scenarios and industry-standard benchmarking programs. With that in mind, we're confident these laptops are solid picks for a variety of use cases.
Also: The best early Labor Day deals to shop now: Save on TVs, Apple devices, and more
The best Labor Day laptop deals
- Current price: $2,513 (10% off)
- Regular price: $2,785
When this laptop debuted at CES, we were impressed with its modular build extremely lightweight build. The 14th-gen ThinkPad is way more repairable than an average laptop, with replaceable parts that either an IT team or consumer will appreciate -- especially with the inflated cost of RAM right now.
Review: I tested Lenovo's new modular ThinkPad, and it renewed my faith in repairable laptops
- Current price: $1,849 (8% off)
- Regular price: $1,999
The M5 MacBook Pro is the latest in Apple Silicon, on sale now as it prepares to launch the next generation of processors later this fall. This is a well-priced but high-end model featuring 16GB of unified memory, a 1TB SSD, and the gorgeous 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display that's vivid enough for content creators, designers, or any professional.
Also: M5 MacBook Pro vs. M4 MacBook Air: I compared Apple's most popular laptops, and this one wins
- Current price: $1,399 (44% off)
- Regular price: $2,499
The 2026 Galaxy Book6 is over $1,000 off, bringing the price down to a very competitive $1,399, especially for the high-end hardware you're getting: an Intel Core Ultra 7 355, 16GB of memory, a 1TB SSD, and over 20 hours of battery life. Not to mention the 120Hz LED touch screen. This is certainly one of the better deals we've seen, and a very competitive price for this Samsung model.
Also: Samsung Galaxy Book 6 Pro review: The smarter buy for professionals on a budget
- Current price: $869 (40% off)
- Regular price: $1,469
HP's 16-inch OmniBook 5 was one of the most battery-efficient laptops in this price range I've ever tested -- hands-down. It's got a standard set of hardware that places it firmly in the mid-range category, with a typical build and average display. But that 20+ hour battery is what really sets it apart, especially at $600 off.
Also: This $700 Windows laptop has better battery life than some of the newest models I've tested
- Current price: $1,599 (20% off)
- Regular price: $1,999
This year's Surface Laptop is significantly marked down going into the second half of the year, and at $400 off, is a very good deal for what you're getting: a Snapdragon X2 Elite processor, 16GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and fantastic battery life.
Also: The most premium work laptop I've tested so far lets me finally ditch Wi-Fi for good
- Current price: $1,049 (16% off)
- Regular price: $1,249
Armed with 16GB of RAM and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050, this is a capable gaming laptop for a very affordable price. We're fans of its sheer value, sleek design (for a gaming laptop), and versatility both work and gaming.
Review: I tested MSI's latest gaming laptop, and it works just as hard as it plays
- Current price: $1,529 (7% off)
- Regular price: $1,649
We're big fans of Lenovo's LOQ line of budget gaming laptops, both for their bang for buck and versatility. The 2026 model we tested has an AMD Ryzen 7 250 processor, GeForce RTX 5060 graphics card, and 16GB of RAM, not to mention the 15.3-inch display at 165Hz refresh.
Review: This Lenovo gaming laptop has no business being this good for work
- Current price: $1,399 (13% off)
- Regular price: $1,599
The 13-inch MacBook Air M5 is the latest and greatest from Apple's ultraportable lineup. Featuring 16GB of unified memory, 1TB of local storage, and up to 18 hours of battery life, the M5 Air is the most powerful and lightweight MacBook to date.
Review: After using the MacBook Neo for weeks, switching to the Air has been refreshingly sweet
More early Labor Day laptop deals
- Lenovo IdeaPad (16-inch): for $749 (save $940): This 16-inch IdeaPad is a whopping $940 off the original price, over half off from what it originally listed as. It's got an Intel Core i5 processor and 16GB of RAM, making it a modest hardware loadout, but ideal for everyday tasks, working out of the browser, and typical workflows.
- Alienware 15: $1,499: (Save $500): Alienware's most affordable laptop to date features one of the best builds you're going to find at this price point.
- Dell 14 Plus: $1,619: (Save $150): 2025's Dell 14 Plus features either an AMD Ryzen AI 5 or 7 and up to 32GB of RAM for a sleek and reliable jack-of-all-trades device.
- Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3: $499 (save $400): Looking for a mid-sized laptop with a full keyboard and lightweight build? This 15.6-inch IdeaPad features modest hardware designed for basic tasks at an extremely competitive price.
When is Labor Day?
This year, Labor Day falls on Monday, Sept. 7th. Many of the sales will kick off the week prior, with early sales starting now.
Are laptops really cheaper during Labor Day sales?
Yes, because Labor Day is the last chance for retailers to offload certain models before they are refreshed in fall lineups, and ahead of Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales, which kicks off the holiday shopping season.