Forget Black Friday: The excellent HP Envy 13 is now just $499

(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

Black Friday is days away but Microsoft is already offering what could be the best laptop deal of the year.

Microsoft is selling the HP Envy 13 for just $499 after a $350 discount. This specific model has a 1080p display along with a Core i5-8265U CPU, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD.

HP Envy 13 (1080p, Core i5): was $849 now $499
Our favorite laptop for college students, the HP Envy 13 is perfect for anyone who wants a premium, portable laptop without breaking the bank. We thought the Envy 13 was an excellent deal when it sold for $849. At $499, it's a must buy.View Deal

What makes this such a great deal isn't just the heavy discount, but that the Envy 13 is one of the best laptops of the year. In fact, we gave it a 4.5-star rating and named it the best laptop for college students.

The laptop sports a slim aluminum chassis, packs fast performance and the FHD model (the one on sale) lasts for 11+ hours on a charge. On top of that, the base model's 1080p display is better than those you find on more expensive laptops and the Envy 13's triple-speaker setup pumps out loud and clean sound.

The Envy 13 was one of the best-valued laptops when it launched at $849. Now, at $499, it's a no-brainer for anyone who needs an ultraportable 13-inch laptop for browsing the web, watching videos or getting work done during travel.

We'd typically advise you to wait until Black Friday to buy a new laptop, but this deal is too good to ignore. If you want a top-notch laptop at a super-low price, buy the HP Envy 13 from Microsoft before it sells out.