Electronics comparison · Updated daily

Best Buy vs Walmart: Where to Buy Electronics Cheaper in 2025

We track the same 50+ electronics SKUs at both Best Buy and Walmart every day — TVs, laptops, phones, GPUs, headphones. Below is the live verdict, plus the rule that flips half the comparisons: Best Buy's price match guarantee.

Walmart wins on
58%
at base prices — average savings 6%
vs
Best Buy wins on
42%
— and matches Walmart on most others

Live price comparison: 10 most-searched items

Updated daily. Cheaper price highlighted in green. See the full 50-item comparison below by category.

Product Walmart Best Buy Difference
Apple iPhone 16 128GB Unlocked
Phones
$729.00 $799.99 $70.99
LG 65" C4 OLED 4K TV
TVs
$1,599.00 $1,499.99 $99.01
MacBook Air M3 13" 256GB
Laptops
$899.00 $949.00 $50.00
NVIDIA RTX 5080 Founders Edition
GPUs
N/A — not stocked $999.99 Best Buy only
Apple AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)
Audio
$169.00 $189.99 $20.99
Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones
Audio
$329.99 $279.99 $50.00
Samsung 65" Q60D QLED TV
TVs
$579.00 $649.99 $70.99
Open-box LG 77" C3 OLED (Excellent)
Open-box
N/A $1,899.99 Best Buy only
Logitech MX Master 3S Mouse
PC peripherals
$84.97 $99.99 $15.02
PS5 Slim Disc Console
Gaming
$499.00 $429.99 $69.01

Category breakdown: Where each store wins

The honest answer to "which is cheaper" depends entirely on what you're shopping for. Here's the breakdown across 6 major categories.

Phones (Apple, Samsung)
Walmart
5-10% cheaper
iPhone, Galaxy, Pixel
Best Buy
Matches Walmart on request
→ Walmart unless you want Best Buy financing
TVs (new release)
Walmart
5-7% cheaper
At MSRP outside sales
Best Buy
Wins on Super Bowl/BFCM sales
→ Walmart at MSRP, Best Buy on sales
Open-box TVs & appliances
Walmart
Limited open-box program
Best Buy
10-25% off new
Excellent / Excellent Certified
→ Best Buy wins decisively — no equivalent
GPUs (RTX, Radeon)
Walmart
Rarely stocks at MSRP
Best Buy
MSRP allocations
Direct from NVIDIA / AMD
→ Best Buy is the only realistic option
Laptops (gaming)
Walmart
Limited gaming SKUs
Best Buy
5-15% cheaper
Asus ROG, Razer, Alienware
→ Best Buy for gaming SKUs
Headphones & audio
Walmart
10-15% cheaper
AirPods, Bose
Best Buy
Sales on Sony/Bose outpace
→ Walmart at MSRP, Best Buy on sales

Best Buy vs Walmart: The honest verdict

For raw electronics pricing across mainstream SKUs, Walmart wins about 58% of the time — usually by 5-10% on phones, AirPods, and base TVs. But this number is misleading because Best Buy's price match guarantee neutralizes most of the gap. Walk in with a Walmart.com listing showing $50 less and Best Buy will match it on the spot.

The places Best Buy wins outright are the categories Walmart can't or won't serve: open-box electronics (10-25% off new with full warranty, no Walmart equivalent), GPUs at MSRP (Walmart rarely gets allocations from NVIDIA or AMD), gaming laptops (Razer, Alienware, ROG selection is dramatically deeper at Best Buy), and major sale events (Super Bowl TV deals and Black Friday consistently beat Walmart's matching promotions).

Our recommendation: for new electronics at MSRP, check Walmart first. If you find a lower price there, take it to Best Buy and request a price match. For open-box, GPUs, gaming gear, or anything during a Best Buy sale event, skip Walmart entirely.

Pros and cons of each

Walmart
Pros
  • Lower base prices on Apple products and base TVs
  • Walmart+ at $98/year cheaper than Best Buy Plus
  • Free in-store pickup, often same-day
  • Bigger overall catalog beyond electronics
Cons
  • No price match policy — they won't match Best Buy
  • No certified open-box program
  • Rarely stocks high-end GPUs at MSRP
  • Gaming laptop selection is shallow
  • No Geek Squad or in-store technical support
Best Buy
Pros
  • Price match guarantee covers Walmart, Amazon, Costco
  • Certified open-box program — 10-25% off new
  • MSRP allocations on RTX 5090, AMD 9070 XT
  • Strong sales on Super Bowl, BFCM, post-holiday
  • Geek Squad in-person tech support
  • My Best Buy Plus members get exclusive sale access
Cons
  • 5-10% higher base prices on Apple products
  • My Best Buy Plus ($49.99/year) needed for some perks
  • Smaller US footprint than Walmart (~1,000 stores)
  • Aggressive extended warranty upselling at checkout

How to actually save money: Track both

The Best Buy price match changes the whole game. If you track an item at both retailers, you don't actually have to choose where to buy — you find whichever has the lower price, screenshot the listing, and walk into Best Buy. They'll match it. The savings come from being the one with the data.

PriceWatch tracks identical SKUs at Best Buy, Walmart, and 3 other retailers, then emails you the moment any one drops below your target. You always know which is cheapest — and you have the evidence to request a match.

Track Best Buy and Walmart side-by-side — free.

The price match becomes a weapon when you have the data.

Start tracking now

Frequently asked questions

Is Best Buy or Walmart cheaper for electronics?
Walmart's base price wins about 58% of the time on Apple products, base TVs, and basic peripherals — usually by 5-10%. But Best Buy's price match guarantee neutralizes the gap on most items. Best Buy wins outright on open-box, GPUs, gaming laptops, and during major sale events (Super Bowl, BFCM).
Does Best Buy price match Walmart?
Yes. Best Buy's price match guarantee covers Walmart.com, Amazon, Costco, Target, and other major retailers. They'll match at the time of purchase or within 15 days of the original purchase. Bring proof (a screenshot or the live listing on your phone) and they'll match it. This is one of the few retailer policies that actually changes the math.
Should I buy a TV at Best Buy or Walmart?
For new releases at MSRP outside of sales, Walmart is usually $30-100 cheaper. For sales periods (Super Bowl week, Black Friday, post-holiday clearance), Best Buy often beats Walmart and matches anyway. For open-box TVs, Best Buy wins decisively — they offer certified open-box at 10-25% below new pricing with full warranty, which Walmart has no equivalent of.
Where should I buy a GPU — Best Buy or Walmart?
Best Buy. Walmart almost never carries top-tier GPUs (RTX 5090, AMD 9070 XT, RX 7900 XTX) and when they do, prices are scalper-marked through third-party sellers. Best Buy is one of the few US retailers that gets MSRP allocations directly from NVIDIA and AMD. Restock alerts on Best Buy are essential — cards sell out in minutes.
Are Best Buy open-box deals actually a good value?
Yes, especially for TVs, monitors, gaming laptops, and major appliances. Best Buy grades open-box items (Excellent / Excellent Certified / Satisfactory / Fair) and tells you the actual condition. Items come with full manufacturer warranty and Best Buy's standard return policy. Average savings: 10-25% off new. Walmart has no comparable program.

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