Black Friday 2026 lands on Friday, November 27, and the Apple Watch sales have already started to trickle in. Amazon has the Ultra 4 at a matched all-time low, Best Buy is cutting the Ultra 3 hard, and October’s Prime Day gave us a clear set of prices to beat. The real question is not whether Apple Watches will go on sale. It is whether the next three weeks will actually beat what you can already get.
Short answer: if you want an Ultra 4, $699.99 on Amazon already matches its lowest price, so there is little reason to wait. For the Series 12, the October low is $349.99 for the 42mm, and last year’s pattern suggests Black Friday may only match it or shave a little more. The SE 3 at $199 is the safest bargain of the lot.
Apple Watch Black Friday 2026 at a glance
Retailers rarely discount a watch deeply in its first season, so the numbers below come from sales that have already happened rather than from guesses. The Series 12 and Ultra 4 only went on sale on September 18, and we covered the early markdowns in our look at the Prime Day record lows on the Series 12 and Ultra 4.
The grey dots are behind us. Prime Day set the Series 12 floor, and on October 31 Amazon cut the Ultra 4 to $699.99, which MacRumors reported as a match of its all-time low. Best Buy has also been pricing Ultra 3 models at $549 against an $799 list price during the early Black Friday window, according to MacRumors’ early deals roundup.
The prices to beat
Use this table as your benchmark. If a Black Friday listing is not at least as good as the number in the third column, it is not really a Black Friday deal.
| Model | Apple’s price | Lowest 2026 price so far | Where it happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| SE 3, 40mm GPS | $249 | $199 | Amazon, October Prime Day |
| Series 11, 42mm GPS | $399 | $279 | June Prime Day |
| Series 12, 42mm GPS | $399 | $349.99 | Amazon, October Prime Day |
| Series 12, 46mm GPS | $449 | $399.99 | Amazon, October Prime Day |
| Ultra 3 | $799 | $549 | Best Buy, early November |
| Ultra 4, select styles | $799 | $699.99 | Amazon, October 31 |
Sources: MacRumors, AppleInsider, 9to5Mac, PhoneArena. Prices checked November 8, 2026 and subject to change.
Notice how little the newest watches have moved in percentage terms. The Series 12 is down about 13 percent and the Ultra 4 about 12 percent, while the older Ultra 3 is down roughly 31 percent. That gap is the main rule of Apple Watch shopping: the previous generation is where the big discounts live.
What happened on Black Friday last year
The best predictor of this year’s sale is last year’s. During Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2025, 9to5Mac and MacRumors tracked these prices on the then-new lineup:
| Model (2025) | List price | Black Friday week low |
|---|---|---|
| SE 3, 40mm | $249 | $199 |
| SE 3, 44mm | $279 | $229 to $230 |
| Series 11, 42mm GPS | $399 | $329 |
| Ultra 3 | $799 | $699 |
| Ultra 2 (older) | $799 | $599 |
Two patterns stand out. First, the brand-new flagship got a modest cut of $50 to $100, almost exactly what it already gets today. Second, the biggest percentage savings went to older hardware, such as the Ultra 2 at $599 and the Series 10 46mm that Walmart sold for $150. Apple itself also leaned on gift cards, offering $50 with the SE and Series 11 in the US instead of cutting the sticker price.
Check before you click: the headline price usually applies to one size, one color or one band. Cellular models, titanium cases and Milanese loops are priced separately. For example, Amazon’s Ultra 4 with a Black Milanese Loop was listed at $799.99 while the base style sat at $699.99.
Which Apple Watch should you buy this Black Friday?
Apple Watch SE 3: the safe bargain
At $199 it has already hit its 2025 Black Friday low, and it keeps the same level of software support as the pricier models. It skips the premium sensors, but for notifications, workouts and Apple Pay it does everything most people need. If you see it at $199 or below, buy it.
Series 12: wait only if you can live without it
The 42mm sits at $349.99 and the 46mm at $399.99. Based on last year, the most likely outcome is that Black Friday matches those numbers, with a small chance of an extra $20 to $30 off. If you are weighing it against last year’s model, our breakdown of what actually changed in the Series 12 and Ultra 4 shows the gap is smaller than the marketing suggests, which makes a discounted Series 11 or even a cheap SE 3 a sensible alternative.
Ultra 3: the value play
A $549 Ultra 3 gives you the large rugged case, long battery and dual-frequency GPS for roughly the price of a Series 12. For hikers, runners and anyone who hates charging every night, this is the most interesting early deal.
Ultra 4: buy now if you want one
The $699.99 price already ties the lowest the Ultra 4 has been, so Black Friday would have to beat it to be worth waiting. Stock on discounted styles can vanish, so there is a real cost to holding out for an extra $20.
| If you are… | Best Black Friday target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A first-time smartwatch buyer | SE 3 at $199 or less | Lowest price, full software support |
| An everyday iPhone user | Series 12 42mm at $349.99 or less | Newest chip and sensors |
| Chasing the best value | Ultra 3 at $549 | Rugged case at mid-range money |
| An endurance athlete | Ultra 4 at $699.99 | Longest battery in the lineup |
| Happy with last year’s tech | Series 11 under $300 | Deepest percentage discount |
Is an Apple Watch worth buying at all?
If you are still deciding whether you need one, read our honest take on whether the Apple Watch is worth it in 2026 before a countdown timer makes the decision for you. A discount only helps if you would have used the watch at full price.
How to get the best Black Friday price
- Set a target price from the table above and ignore anything that does not beat it.
- Compare Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart and Target. They often match each other within hours.
- Pick the exact size, case and connectivity first. The lowest price is often a single configuration.
- Buy from the retailer itself, not a marketplace seller, so returns and AppleCare+ stay simple.
- Save the receipt. Many retailers offer holiday return windows that run into January.
Frequently asked questions
When is Apple Watch Black Friday 2026?
Black Friday is November 27, 2026 and Cyber Monday is November 30. Retailers have already started early sales, and many will run deals for the full week.
Will Apple Watch prices drop below Prime Day levels?
Probably not by much on the newest models. Last year’s Black Friday prices were close to the earlier fall lows, and the biggest extra savings came on older watches.
Does Apple discount Apple Watches on Black Friday?
Apple usually avoids direct price cuts and offers gift cards on select models instead. Third-party retailers like Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart are where the actual price drops happen.
Should I buy a Series 11 or a Series 12 on sale?
If the Series 11 is under $300 and the Series 12 is near $350, the older model is the better value for most people. The Series 12 makes sense if you want the newest sensors and the longest software support.
The bottom line
Treat Black Friday as a chance to confirm a price, not to discover one. The SE 3 at $199, the Ultra 3 at $549 and the Ultra 4 at $699.99 are already good deals, and the Series 12 at $349.99 is fair. Decide which watch you want, set the number you will pay, and only wait if that number has not been hit yet. Prices change quickly, so check the retailer page before you buy.
Sources and further reading
- MacRumors: Apple Black Friday roundup
- MacRumors: Apple Watch Ultra 4 hits all-time low price
- 9to5Mac: Early Black Friday Apple deals
- PhoneArena: Apple Watch Ultra 4 holiday discount
- 9to5Mac: Apple Watch Black Friday deals 2025
About this article: GeekBlog covers U.S. technology news, AI, phones, smartwatches and gaming. Every story is written and checked under our Editorial Policy. Spotted a mistake or have a story tip? Contact our editors.
