2024 has been a big year for PC lovers as the long-awaited Snapdragon X chip finally landed on Windows. Such an ARM-based processor surely means better battery life and super-fast performances, but its expensive pricing may not make it a buying option for anyone – until now, at least.
We are right in the middle of the biggest week of the year for discounted shopping after all and, among the best Black Friday PC deals available, there’s also a next-generation Windows laptop. The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge seriously axed its pricing to celebrate Black Friday, in fact, going from $1,349.99 to a stunning $799.99 alongside the opportunity to get up to $500 in trade-in credit for an eligible device.
The good news doesn’t end here either. Getting one of the best VPN apps is also a bargain right now thanks to some great Black Friday VPN deals that make these services even better value for money. So, why risk the privacy and security of your shiny new PC?
Why you need a Snapdragon VPN?
A VPN, short for virtual private network, is security software that encrypts all your internet connections. This activity boosts your online privacy and security by preventing your ISP (internet service provider), cybercriminals, and anyone else from knowing what you’re doing online.
Every time you connect to a VPN, your real IP address location is also masked. IP-spoofing doesn’t just mean online anonymity but also grants you access to content that’d otherwise be geo-restricted – whether that’s a foreign streaming library or a censored website.
Using a VPN is especially crucial if you’ll be using your new PC to connect to public Wi-Fi, as hackers may exploit these unsecured networks to compromise your device. A gaming VPN can also boost your defense against widespread DDoS attacks and any potential bandwidth throttling.
While not delivering the same security as the best antivirus software, many VPNs – our top pick NordVPN, included – now come with built-in malware and ad-blocker to strengthen the overall security of your device.
How to pick the top Black Friday Snapdragon VPN
The first thing you need to check when choosing your Snapdragon VPN is that the software you picked comes with ARM support. Snapdragon devices have some VPN compatibility issues, in fact, that providers are slowly addressing.
At the time of writing, only six of the top VPN services on the market support Windows ARM devices. These are NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access (PIA), Proton VPN and Windscribe. More providers are expected to join this list soon.
Only six of the top VPN services on the market support Windows ARM devices
Now that you have boiled down your choices, you really need to think about what you’d like to use your VPN for.
All the Snapdragon-supported services come with strong privacy and security features, such as an independent audited no-log privacy policy, strong encryption protocol, and extra security features. Yet, for example, if connection speeds are a priority for you, I would opt for one of the fastest VPNs around – NordVPN, Surfhark, or Proton VPN.
Your budget is another big variable – especially during Black Friday. Among these six, the best cheap VPN out there, Surfshark, made the most dramatic reductions to its prices with a discount of up to 87% off and six months free on top.
Most providers aren’t just offering great VPN services nowadays. Therefore, if you want to gear up your new Snapdragon PC with a security bundle, I recommend looking into ExpressVPN’s new 2-year plan which includes its Identity Defender suite – and it’s now a bargain.
ExpressVPN’s ID theft suite, however, is available for US users only at the time of writing. If you’re based somewhere else, you could opt for a top-tier NordVPN plan that includes its new (and discounted) NordProtect bundle.