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Black Friday: Last minute loot-n-scoot roundup for slackers that prefer online buys

matt warner
Updated ·5 min read


I am lazy. I like being lazy. When Black Friday was niche and relatively unknown compared to today the experience was fun for bargain hunting... Now, everyone and their grandmother get in on the wheeling and dealing. It's crowded, too crowded. I do not want to spend my Thanksgiving encroached by of slack-jawed mouth breathers in a line that lasts for an eternity. Ditching friends and football for a 50 dollar hard drive deal just isn't worth the hassle, oh, and I guess spending time with the family during commercials is important too.

That doesn't mean those that don't participate in this consumer activism are left to fend for the scraps after the animals are done pillaging the brick and mortar stores. Some big chains are offering online Black Friday deals before "Cyber Monday" launches, another gimmick to rob poor blokes such as myself blind. I went ahead and compiled a list primarily of online deals that are suited towards MMOG players, and the necessary trappings and innards that connect our gaming contraptions to these fantasy worlds to make all that fanciful magic happen.



Blah-Blah:

  • MIR: Mail-in-rebate

  • Shipping (shipping is not included unless otherwise noted. Shipping costs will vary depending on your zip code. Five dollars is a good starting point)

  • This list doesn't cover any virtual items. I know Maple Story is having a Black Friday sale for in-game items.

  • Buy at your own risk.

  • If you want me to add a deal, post it in the comments please. (I'm still adding a few links throughout the day) Last Updated: 11/23/07 Time: 10:45 AM PST I haven't found any good deals on keyboards or mice that are in-stock. Same goes with motherboards and processors. Frys B&M has some great deals on mobos and processors.

MMOGs:

  • Guild Wars: AMAZON - $10.00

  • World of Warcraft: BESTBUY, AMAZON - $10.00 [free shipping @ best buy, amazon free shipping starts at $25.00]

  • Lord of the Rings: Shadows of Angmar: BESTBUY - $10.00 [currently on back order + free shipping]

  • Final Fantasy XI: The Vana'diel Collection 2007: BESTBUY, AMAZON - $19.00 [free shipping @ best buy, amazon free shipping starts at $25.00 - pretty good buy if you want to get all the expansions minus Wings of the Goddess, purchase also includes free 30 day subscription]

Memory:

  • 2x 1GB OCZ DDR2-800 PC2-6400 Dual Channel Desktop Memory FRYS - $20.00 [after $40.00 MIR + free shipping!]

  • 1GB Crucial DDR2-667 PC5300 Desktop Memory FRYS - $5.00 [after $20.00 MIR]

  • 1GB Crucial DDR2-667 PC5300 Notebook Memory FRYS - $5.00 [after $20.00 MIR]

  • 2x 1GB PNY DDR2-667 PC5300 Notebook Memory STAPLES - $48.00 [after $9.00 instant coupon]

(Both OCZ and Crucial are quality brands. I use Crucial in several systems. Be sure your motherboard can support the brand and type of RAM.)

Video Cards:

  • EVGA Geforce FX5200 AGP FRYS - $0 [after 30.00 MIR - you still pay shipping costs and any applicable taxes so it's not free per se]

(This card will probably be able to play WoW since I played WoW over a year on a GF4 TI 4200. I wouldn't recommend it though. It's a good spare card for a server box or just to have as a backup in case your AGP card blows up. If you haven't upgraded your main rig to PCIE yet, may the gaming gods have mercy on your soul.)

If you are in the market for a new PCIE card I highly recommend the 8800GT. I would wait for prices to come down as the card in high-demand and a lot of outlets are price gouging. The price should average around $250.00. You are getting a bum deal if you shell out $300.000 for it. Do not waste your money on the 8800GTS either.

Monitors:

  • Vison 19" Wide LCD (1440x900, 800:1, 5ms) FRYS - $90.00 [after $40.00 MIR] + FREE Canon iP1800 Photo Inkjet Printer (after mail-in rebate) with the purchase of ANY Desktop, Notebook or NEW LCD !!!

  • Hanns-G 21.6" Widescreen LCD Monitor (1680x1050, 1000:1, 5 ms) STAPLES - $150.00 [after $30.00 instant coupon and $50.00 rebate + free shipping!]

Audio:

  • LOGITECH Z-5300e speaker AMAZON - $93.00 [originally $200.00]

Computer Cases:

  • COOLER MASTER CAC-T05-UW Centurion 5 Mid Tower Case (Silver) Retail ZIPZOOMFLY - $0 [after $30.00 MIR, free shipping if you pay via paypal]

  • COOLER MASTER Elite 330 RC-330-KKN1-GP Black SECC ATX Mid Tower Computer Case NEWEGG - $0 [after 30.00 MIR + free shipping!]

Hard Drives:

  • Maxtor 300GB Serial ATA/300 16MB Buffer L01F300 - Retail Hard Drive Kit FRYS - $50.00 (Keep in mind Seagate owns Maxtor and I tend to have better luck with Seagates drives than Western Digital. Either way you can't really go wrong with 50 bucks for a sata hard drive]

Power Supplies:

  • COOLER MASTER eXtreme RP-500-PCAR ATX from factor 12V V2.01 500W Power Supply 90-132V/180-260V - Retail NEWEGG - $10.00 [after $30.00 MIR + free shipping!] CLUBIT - $4.00 [after $39.00 in MIRs]

Bonus Joystiq Black Friday bonanza:

Sources: To many various deal forums and sites to list them all here, but if you want a more comprehensive view of all the online and afk deals going on today check out BFADS.NET