(MONEY Magazine) – LAPTOPS: They're priced to move. Every year, major retailers cut exclusive holiday deals with computer makers. This time, look for big discounts on mid-priced laptops (down to about $800, from $1,100) the last three weeks of December.

DIGITAL CAMERAS: Time to click. The market is saturated with new models, and now's the time to jump in. Plan to pay about $300 for four-megapixel, entry-level cameras (best for family snaps), or around $500 for shutterbug models.

DVD RECORDERS: Hit the pause. If you can't deal with your VCR any longer, these units are worth a look: Prices have fallen to around $300. But they're expected to get both cheaper and faster next year. Wait until then.

HDTV: Buy bulk. Pay 10 grand for a big, sleek plasma screen—or sacrifice floor space and save huge: 36-inch direct-view HDTVs now cost $1,300 and 42-inch rear-projection HD sets (the classic big screen) retail for $1,000. The savings speak for themselves.

—JONAH FREEDMAN