9 can't-miss early Cyber Monday deals on games and tech

Grab that mug of hot cocoa and warm up those mouse-clicking fingers. We're ramping up to the best time of the year for holiday stocking-stuffing, and the only downside for online shoppers is narrowing down the deals. If you've got tech-minded friends on your list, you've clicked to the right place: Here are nine discounts on games, gear, and software we love.

Star Wars Propel Drone: Collector's Edition

Truly, it's a great time for geeks to be alive. The fact that this is an actual, flying T-65 replica X-Wing would be cool enough even if it didn't reach speeds of up to 35 mph. Or come with training missions and dogfight games courtesy of the companion app, which it does. The Star Wars Propel Drone is 66% off at $49.99.

NordVPN

'Tis the season of giving – and getting – but make sure you keep what's already yours. This top-rated VPN by PCMag boasts double-encryption on all data that runs through its 3,521 international servers, and it adheres to a strict no-logging policy that keeps your browsing safe and anonymous. You can get a 2-year subscription now to NordVPN for $95.75, down from the already sale-priced $134.40. Enter the code VPNSAVE20 and take an additional 20% off that.

The Ultimate Excel Bootcamp Bundle

Knowledge is the gift that keeps on giving with this deep dive into the business world's top spreadsheet platform. In four online courses suitable for any experience level, you can work your way to mastery in Excel and the underlying concepts that surround it. A must for anyone in data entry or analysis, lifetime access to the Ultimate Excel Bootcamp Bundle is down to $39 from a regular sale price of $49.

EVO Flow System™ Planner

A different kind of daily planner, this organizational notebook and companion app is perfect for the aspiring go-getter in your life – no matter what their personality. Take the Brain Assessment Test to determine what sort of brain type you are, then take daily notes and set goals tailored to that mindset. The EVO Flow System™ Planner is $39.99, down from the original MSRP of $49.99, but the code CMSAVE20 knocks an extra 20% off.

Trainz: A New Era Platinum Edition Bundle

Sim fans will be all aboard this deluxe installment in the Trainz series, which allows players to design their own rail lines in a number of classic and modern eras, then hop on board and don that virtual conductor's cap. It's model trains for the online age, with an unprecedented level of detail and immersion. Trainz: A New Era Platinum Edition Bundle includes the Standard Edition game plus Deluxe and Platinum Edition routes and extras for $19.99 – and shoppers can take 40% off with the online code CMSAVE40.

The Complete 2018 CompTIA Certification Training Bundle

This online training bundle isn't just a good start for the budding IT professional – it's a complete master class. Learn Linux, Cloud and mobile infrastructure from the top down, with tips on how to pass the corresponding CompTIA exams at each step. With 12 courses and more than 140 hours of education, the Complete 2018 CompTIA Certification Training Bundle is now $49 – down from the already sale-priced $59.

Private Internet Access VPN: 3-Year Subscription

With more than 3,160 servers in 33 countries, this VPN has one of the best infrastructures around. Add to that several additional layers of security like Blowfish CBC algorithm encryption and a tracker/malware blocker and you've got an impenetrable tunnel for your data. A 3-year subscription to Private Internet Access VPN is down to $77.33, a nearly 70% discount from the MSRP of $250.20. Today only, you can save an additional 40% off on top of that with code: CMSAVE40!

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

If you ask us, it's the video game that elevated the COD series to legendary status among shooter fans. Tactical helicopter combat, customizable arsenals, a first-rate storyline – and let's not forget the intense online combat. It's been at $19.99, was sale priced at $14.99, but Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is now down to $9.99 just in time for the holidays. And you can even take 40% off that price with the code CMSAVE40.

Animatron Studio Pro Plan: Lifetime Subscription

This one's a godsend for creatives of any level of experience. Suitable for novice animators yet loaded with features for professional-grade graphics, this tool comes with thousands of pre-animated figures and backgrounds but lets you import, customize and animate any image. A lifetime subscription to the Animatron Studio Pro Plan is half off – that's $49.99, down from $99.99.