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Our favorite Sony earbuds hit an all-time low, plus the rest of the week's best tech deals

By: Jeff Dunn
20 December 2024 at 09:32

We're less than a week from Christmas, and if you haven't finished your holiday shopping, well, you should probably get on that. While it's likely too late to get most items shipped by Wednesday morning, there are still tons of decent tech deals available for those you're seeing after the holiday β€” or if you just want to treat yourself. For one, Sony's WF-1000XM5, our pick for the best wireless earbuds, is down to an all-time low of $198, while the 10th-gen iPad is back at its best-ever price at $250. Several other gadgets we recommend are similarly discounted, including the PlayStation 5, Roku Streaming Stick 4K and Apple AirTags. Here are the best tech deals from this week you can still get today.Β 

  • Sony WF-1000XM5 for $198 at Amazon ($102 off MSRP): The XM5s are the top pick in our guide to the best wireless earbuds, offering exceptional noise cancellation, a warm yet customizable sound, 8-12 hours of battery life and loads of handy bonus features. The design may not fit everyone's ears comfortably, but it's slimmer and lighter than previous versions. This discount matches the lowest price we've seen and undercuts the pair's Black Friday deal by $30. Also at Target and Best Buy.Β 

  • Apple iPad (10th gen) for $250 at Amazon ($99 off): This matches the best price we've seen for the budget pick in our iPad buying guide. Just note that it only applies to the silver model, and you'll need to clip an on-page coupon to see the full discount at checkout. While the entry-level iPad lacks the laminated display, faster chip and wider accessory support of the iPad Air, it gets close enough to be a strong value for casual web browsing, reading and gaming.

  • Roku Streaming Stick 4K for $29 at Amazon ($21 off): A pick from our guide to the best streaming devices, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is snappy and easy to navigate, with support for all the major HDR formats, streaming apps (Twitch aside) and Apple AirPlay. Its search function isn’t as comprehensive as some competing streamers, however, and the UI isn't the most exciting to look at. This deal ties the price we saw on Black Friday; it's a few bucks above than the stick's all-time low but still $5 off its typical going rate in recent months. Also at Target and Best Buy.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K
The Roku Streaming Stick 4K.
Will Lipman Photography for Engadget
The PlayStation 5 Slim and PlayStation 5 Slim Digital Edition, with a Sony DualSense PS5 controller.
The Sony PlayStation 5 (left) and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition.
PlayStation
  • Apple AirTags (4-pack) for $70 at Amazon ($29 off): Apple's Bluetooth tracker is our top pick for iPhone users, unsurprisingly, as it accurately locates tagged items right from the Find My app. Its waterproof design and replaceable battery are nice, too, though you'll need to grab a holder or case if you want to attach one to your keys. This deal isn't quite an all-time low for a four-pack, but it beats the street price we've seen for most of the past month by a couple bucks. Also at Best Buy.

  • Apple Pencil (2nd gen) for $80 at Amazon ($49 off): This discount comes within a dollar of the best price to date for Apple's second-gen Pencil stylus, which remains an accurate tool for sketching and notetaking. To be clear, though, you should only get it if you have an older iPad Air, Pro or mini and don't plan on upgrading anytime soon. Otherwise, go for the Apple Pencil Pro, which works with the newer models and adds built-in Find My support, among other conveniences. Also at Target.

  • LG B4 OLED TV (48”) + $50 Best Buy gift card for $600 at Best Buy ($250 off): The B4 is LG’s entry-level OLED TV for 2024. It gets you the core benefits of any good OLED set β€” excellent contrast with deep black tones, wide viewing angles, fast motion, etc. β€” but it’s not as bright as some upper-tier OLEDs, so it’s better off in a darker room. That said, this is a stellar value if you don’t mind a smaller panel. This offer ties the largest cash discount we've seen and, unlike the deal we saw on Black Friday, it also includes with a $50 digital gift card.

A white Apple AirTag Bluetooth tracker with a
The Apple AirTag.
Photo by Chris Velazco / Engadget
The Keychron Q3 Max mechanical keyboard in white rests on top of a brown wooden outdoor table.
The Keychron Q3 Max mechanical keyboard.
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
  • Anker Soundcore Space A40 for $45 at Amazon ($40 off): The Soundcore Space A40 is the longtime top pick in our guide to the best budget earbuds. While it can't match the Sony XM5s in terms of sound quality and noise-canceling strength, it gets admirably close for way less cash. Wireless charging, multipoint connectivity, 8-10 hours of battery life and a compact design all help, though call quality is mediocre, and there's no auto-pausing when you remove an earbud. This is the same deal we saw on Black Friday; outside of a couple drops for Costco members, it ties an all-time low. Also at Anker with an on-page coupon.

  • JLab Go Air Pop for $10 at Target ($15 off): The Go Air Pop is another pair we highlight in our budget earbuds buying guide. It's about as basic as the price would suggest, with no active noise cancellation (ANC), an all-plastic design and a relatively boomy sound. JLab released a new ANC version in October. That said, the older model's audio quality is still passable, its built-in touch controls actually work and it gets a solid 8-9 hours of battery life. If you just want a competent pair for as little money as possible, it's hard to beat $10. This deal ties the Pop's all-time low.

  • Keychron Q3 Max for $182 at Keychron ($32 off): The Keychron Q Max series is the top pick in our guide to the best mechanical keyboards, pairing an upscale (if heavy) aluminum case with a delightful typing experience and deep customizability. This ties the all-time low we saw on Black Friday for the tenkeyless model, but other sizes are discounted as well. Also at Amazon for $188, but only for Prime members.

The new Aloe color for the Pixel 8a is the best-looking of the bunch.
The Google Pixel 8a.
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget
  • Beats Pill for $100 at Amazon ($50 off): We gave the latest Beats Pill a score of 83 over the summer and currently recommend it in our Bluetooth speaker buying guide. It's not the best pure value, and it struggles at maximum volume, but in general it pumps out strong bass without sounding imbalanced. A clean, water-resistant design, ample battery life and wired audio support over USB-C add to the appeal. This deal ties the speaker's all-time low. Also at Target and Walmart.

  • Samsung Pro Plus (512GB) for $38 at Amazon ($38 off): The Pro Plus is the top pick in our guide to the best microSD cards. It's not the cheapest option, but it was faster than most in our benchmark tests, with a particular edge in random performance. That helps it play a bit nicer in a portable gaming PC or a device like the Raspberry Pi, where it’d more frequently have to access smaller bits of data in random locations. The 512GB model here has previously sold for less, but this discount marks its lowest price since March. Also at Samsung and B&H.

  • Google Pixel 8a for $399 at Amazon ($100 off): This is the second-best price we've seen for an unlocked Pixel 8a, which we consider the best midrange phone for Android fans. It has most of the headline features you'd get from a flagship Pixel phone β€” excellent cameras, a crisp 120Hz OLED display, clean software with updates through 2031, solid performance and battery life β€” only it puts them in a slightly cheaper plastic frame with slower charging speeds. At this price, though, that should be easier to live with. Also at Target and Best Buy.

An image of a power bank on a table.
The Anker Prime Power Bank.
Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget
  • Anker Prime Power Bank for $78 at Amazon ($52 off): The Anker Prime is the premium pick in our guide to the best power banks. It may be overkill for most, but its hefty 20,000mAh capacity and pair of 100W USB-C ports mean it can recharge multiple laptops β€” let alone mobile devices β€” at full speed. There's a 65W USB-A port as well, plus a handy display that keeps you updated on the battery's status. This deal ties the lowest price we've seen. Also at Anker with an on-page coupon.

  • Anker 525 Charging Station for $30 at Amazon ($26 off, Prime only): We recommend this 67W desktop charging station in our remote worker gift guide. It's not the fastest model around, but it packs four USB ports (two USB-C, two USB-A) and three AC outlets in a design that's compact enough to fit on a crowded desk. This deal is another all-time low, though it's only available to Prime members.Β 

  • Twelve South AirFly Pro for $40 at Amazon ($15 off): Another holiday gift guide recommendation, the AirFly Pro is a Bluetooth transmitter that lets you pair up to two sets of wireless headphones to an inflight entertainment system, older treadmill or most other devices with a 3.5mm jack. This discount marks the lowest price we've seen in a couple of years. Also at Best Buy.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/our-favorite-sony-earbuds-hit-an-all-time-low-plus-the-rest-of-the-weeks-best-tech-deals-173211089.html?src=rss

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Β© Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget

Sony WF-1000XM5 review

The 12 best last-minute Christmas gifts for the 2024 holiday season

By: Engadget
18 December 2024 at 07:42

The holidays are nearly here and if you’re a bit behind on your gift shopping, you’re not alone. The holidays can truly sneak up on you, and this year that’s been more true than ever. Between wrapping things up at work before some well-deserved time off and making sure you have everything you need to host family and friends, it can be hard to find the time to go to a store to pick out presents. And when you do finally get there, you may be met with half-empty shelves. But this is where the internet comes in handy: you still have time to buy holiday gifts online.

USPS, UPS and FedEx have laid out their holiday shipping deadlines for 2024: Ship your items via the post office by December 18 to have them safely arrive before Christmas, while FedEx and UPS have deadlines of December 13 and December 20, respectively. At this point, we recommend picking up small, affordable gifts that will ship quickly from retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target so you have plenty of time to wrap them up nicely and make it look like you had everything well-planned from the start. Here are the best last-minute Christmas gifts you can get right now and still have in time before the holidays.

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-12-best-last-minute-christmas-gifts-for-the-2024-holiday-season-140037775.html?src=rss

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Β© Engadget

The best last-minute Christmas gifts

The 18 best Cyber Monday deals on camera gear from Nikon, DJI, Canon and others

2 December 2024 at 04:55

It can be tough to shop for a photographer or videographer during the holidays because there’s so much gear out there, and a lot of it is super expensive. Whether you’ve got someone like that on your holiday gift list, or you’re looking to upgrade some of your own camera gear, Cyber Monday deals can help make it less burdensome on your wallet. Most of the major camera manufacturers including Sony, Canon, DJI, Nikon and GoPro are offering substantial discounts this year on a bunch of products, so it’s likely you’ll find something that will fit within your budget. These are the best Cyber Monday camera deals we found for 2024.

Cyber Monday action cam and drone deals

  • GoPro Hero 13 Black accessory bundle for $349 (22 percent off): GoPro's best deal in my opinion is the Hero 13 Black accessory bundle pack. It not only gives you the company's awesome video camera with up to 5.3K capture, but two enduro batteries, the "Handler" handle, two curved adhesive mounts, a 64GB microSD card and a carrying case for the same price as the camera alone.

  • DJI Osmo Action 4 action cam for $209 (30 percent off): Even though it was superceded by the Action 5, DJI's Osmo Action 4 is still a great action cam. It has a relatively large 1/1.3-inch sensor so it's great in low light, and offers 4K 120p video. You also get DJI's Rocksteady 3.0 stabilization, long battery life and a nifty magnetic locking system.

  • Insta360 Ace Pro action cam for $300 (14 percent off): The Ace Pro is the first action camera with 8K recording, something we've still yet to see from GoPro or DJI. Another unique feature is the flip-up selfie screen that eliminates the need for a front screen. This is the lowest price we've seen yet for this model.Β 

  • Insta360 X4 action cam for $425 (15 percent off): Insta360's X4 sets the standard for 360 video with up to 8K of resolution, and it's now on sale at the lowest price we've seen yet. Rugged and waterproof, it offers powerful image stabilization, an invisible selfie stick and fun video modes.Β 

Cyber Monday mirrorless and compact camera deals

  • Canon EOS R100 camera with two lenses for $499 (40 percent off): This is one of the best camera deals going right now, letting you pick up Canon's small but powerful EOS R100 plus two lenses that cover from 18mm up to 210mm (27-315mm full-frame equivalent). Its size makes it ideal for travel and the lens selection will let you shoot anything from people pics to wildlife or bird shots.Β 

  • Sony ZV-1 II camera for $698 (22 percent off): The ZV-1 II is an ideal vlogging camera thanks to features like product showcase and background defocus that make it easy for creators to grab the perfect shot. The latest model features a wider zoom lens and more intuitive touchscreen, so it's better than ever for creators on the go.

  • Canon EOS R8 camera for $1,199 (20 percent off): The R8 has Canon’s excellent Dual Pixel AF with subject recognition AI, and can shoot bursts at up to 40 fps. It's equally strong with video, supporting oversampled 10-bit 4K at up to 60 fps.

  • Panasonic Lumix S9 camera with 20mm-60mm lens $1,498 (17 percent off): This is one of the best deals on a full-frame creator camera that we've seen. After testing one recently I found it to be small but powerful, with reliable autofocus, awesome video quality and those famous real-time LUTs so that creators can get the perfect look with no fuss.Β 

  • Sony A7 IV camera for $2,098 (16 percent off): Sony's 33-megapixel A7 IV is the best mid-range mirrorless camera you can get, thanks to a great mix of speed, resolution and video powers. The biggest selling point is the reliable autofocus that ensures you'll get sharp photos nearly all the time.

  • Nikon Z8 camera for $3,497 (13 percent off): The Nikon Z8 is the most powerful hybrid camera you can get for the money, thanks to the 45.7-megapixel stacked sensor, incredible burst speeds, high image quality and 8K RAW video capture. It stacks up feature-for-feature against Canon's slightly better R5 II, but currently costs a whopping $800 less.Β 

Cyber Monday camera accessory deals

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-18-best-cyber-monday-deals-on-camera-gear-from-nikon-dji-canon-and-others-125544283.html?src=rss

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Β© Engadget

Cyber Monday camera deals

Lego Cyber Monday deals: Save up to 29 percent on Star Wars, Super Mario sets

We’re big Lego fans here at Engadget, so it’s not difficult for us to understand why the building block sets are some of the first items to sell out during the holiday shopping season. Kids and adults alike seek out Lego sets all year round, and they make particularly good gifts. Whether you know your recipient loves Star Wars or Super Mario, or they don’t have a fan-favorite franchise and just love building stuff, there are Lego sets out there that all kinds of people will love.

And no, they don’t all cost hundreds of dollars β€” some, like seasonal advent calendars, come in at $50 or less. If you’ve got a Lego lover on your holiday shopping list (or if that person is you), these are the best Cyber Monday Lego deals for 2024 that you can still get now that Cyber Monday is nearly over. Most of these deals are on Amazon, but you can find the same (or similar) pricing direct at Lego and other retailers like Target.

The highlights for Cyber Monday include a couple of Lego advent calendars: one for Disney fans and another that's more general for all kids. Lego makes a bunch of other advent calendars in addition to these, and we expect to see more of them go on sale in the coming days.

There's also the beautiful Insect Collection, which when completed, includes three life-size, posable models of a butterfly, Hercules beetle and Chinese mantis. Even as someone who detests bun appreciate the elegance of this set and how striking they'd look sitting on a shelf.

Star Wars, Super Mario and Harry Potter sets have been discounted as well. For example, this Star Wars set recreates the "boarding the Tantive IV" scene from Star Wars: A New Hope in which the Rebels battle Darth Vader and his Stormtroopers. This Super Mario expansion set includes a brick-built Bowser and his muscle car, and once complete, you can pull the lever on the car to make its hood ornament move. We'll be updating this post through the entire Black Friday and Cyber Monday time period, so check back for the latest offers.

Cyber Monday Lego deals

Expired Cyber Monday deals

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/lego-cyber-monday-deals-save-up-to-29-percent-on-star-wars-super-mario-sets-195025962.html?src=rss

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Β© Engadget / Lego

Lego Cyber Monday deals

The best Cyber Monday TV deals for 2024: Save on models from Samsung, LG, Sony, Hisense and more

By: Jeff Dunn
2 December 2024 at 16:00

Cyber Monday is nearing its end, but there's still time to grab a good TV at a decent price. If you’re hoping to make a living room upgrade but aren’t sure which set to get β€” and you don’t want to fall victim to the many junky deals retailers throw out this time of year β€” we’re here to help.

We’ve spent the past several days scouring reviews and checking price histories to figure out which Cyber Monday TV deals are actually worthwhile. You can find our current favorites below, which include OLED and budget-level models alike from Samsung, LG, Hisense, Sony and TCL. If you’re already happy with your TV, we’ve also included a few standout streaming deals, both on devices from Amazon and Roku and services like Hulu and Peacock.

As in recent years, most of Cyber Monday's better TV discounts are leftovers from Black Friday. Some of those, in turn, have been available for a few weeks. Still, most of the discounts below represent all-time lows.

The best Cyber Monday TV deals for 2024

  • Hisense U6N QLED TV (55”) for $350 at Best Buy ($200 off MSRP): Reviews around the web have praised the U6N as one of the year’s best budget-level TVs. It’s one of the few options in its price range with mini-LED backlighting, quantum dots and full-array local dimming, features that help it deliver better contrast and richer colors than most of its direct rivals. Its picture will wash out if you don’t view it straight-on, and its 60Hz refresh rate isn’t the best for gaming, but it’s a good bargain all the same. While this deal has been live for several weeks, it’s still an all-time low. Other sizes are similarly discounted. Also at Amazon.

  • Hisense U7N QLED TV (65”) for $678 at Amazon ($322 off): The U7N is a standout for those who don’t want to pay for a high-end set but can still go above the budget tier. It delivers higher brightness levels and better contrast than the cheaper Hisense U6N, plus it can play at 144Hz in 4K, so it can make PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X games more fluid in motion. Its viewing angles still aren’t ideal, however, and it’s limited to just two gaming-friendly HDMI 2.1 ports. This is the 65-inch model's best price to date. If Amazon runs out of stock, the set is also on sale at Best Buy for $700. If you'd prefer a smaller size, the 55-inch model is available for a new low of $478.

  • Hisense U8N QLED TV (65”) for $898 at Amazon ($602 off): The U8N is another well-reviewed 2024 TV from Hisense. Like the lower-cost Hisense U7N, it offers mini-LED backlighting, quantum-dot color and 4K/144Hz support, plus it runs on the handy Google TV platform. The extra cash nets you a punchier image, with superb contrast for a non-OLED TV and higher brightness across the board. This deal ties an all-time low. Other sizes are discounted as well, but note that the 55-inch version isn’t as bright as its larger counterparts, while the 75-inch set has slightly worse contrast. Viewing angles aren’t super wide either way. Also at Best Buy.

  • LG B4 OLED TV (48”) for $600 at Best Buy ($200 off): The B4 is LG’s entry-level OLED TV for 2024. It gets you the essential perks of any good OLED set β€” excellent contrast with deep black tones, wide viewing angles, fast motion, etc. β€” but it’s not as bright as some upper-tier OLEDs, so it’s best kept in a darker room. That said, this is a stellar value if you don’t mind a smaller panel. This discount ties an all-time low. The 55-inch version is also on sale for a low of $997, a price we've seen a few times before, while the 65-inch model is available for $1,197.

The LG C3 OLED TV.
The LG C3 OLED TV.
LG
  • LG C3 OLED TV (77”) for $1,500 at Best Buy ($800 off): The C3 is a mid-tier OLED TV from 2023, though it isn’t a major downgrade from the newer LG C4 (which isn’t majorly discounted). It uses a traditional WOLED panel, so it can’t put out the same rich colors as more technically advanced competitors like the Samsung S90D, nor can it get as bright. However, it’ll still look fantastic to those who aren’t picky about premium TVs, with top-notch contrast, motion and viewing angles. Overall brightness is better than the B4 above. There are four HDMI 2.1 ports and all the requisite gaming features on top of that, plus it supports Dolby Vision HDR, unlike Samsung’s TVs. This is the lowest price we’ve seen for the 77-inch model and a nice value for those in search of a larger high-quality TV.

  • Samsung S90D QD-OLED TV (65”) for $1,398 at Amazon ($800 off): The Samsung S90D is a premium TV that’s notable for its QD-OLED panel, which mixes the benefits of a good OLED display with a layer of quantum dots. This helps it put out a wider gamut of more vibrant colors, so images tend to β€œpop” more than they would on more traditional OLED TVs like the LG B4 or C4. It also has four HDMI 2.1 ports. Like all Samsung TVs, however, it doesn’t support the popular Dolby Vision HDR format. This is the lowest price to date for the 65-inch model. Also at Samsung, B&H and Best Buy. Other sizes are discounted as well, but be aware that only the 55-, 65- and 75-inch versions use the superior QD-OLED tech.

  • Samsung S95D QD-OLED TV (55”) for $1,898 at Amazon ($500 off): The S95D is Samsung’s flagship set for 2024. Its QD-OLED panel is excellent but mainly stands out for having a matte finish, which makes it noticeably more effective at fending off glare than most OLED TVs. That said, there’s no Dolby Vision, and the matte coating can make black tones look closer to gray under direct light. In general, it’s more TV than most people need. But if you’ve got cash to burn, this deal is another all-time low. Also at Samsung and Best Buy, with other sizes on sale.

Samsung's The Frame TV.
  • Samsung QN90D QLED TV (43”) for $898 at Amazon ($400 off): The Samsung QN90D is another high-end LED TV for those willing to trade the deep contrast and wide viewing angles of a good OLED set for higher brightness. There’s still no Dolby Vision, and most reviewers we trust suggest that the Hisense U8N is a better value. This set has two more HDMI 2.1 ports, though, plus it comes in a wider range of sizes, all of which offer similar performance. This is the lowest price we’ve seen for the 43-inch model. Other sizes are also discounted. Also at Samsung, B&H and others.

  • Samsung The Frame TV (2024) QLED TV (55”) for $898 at Amazon ($600 off): The Frame TV lags behind other sets in its price range in terms of picture quality, as it lacks local dimming to boost contrast. Instead, you’d buy it for its style, since it’s built to look like a framed piece of wall art and display actual artwork on-screen. Beyond that, this is one of the few TVs with a matte finish, which helps it ward off glare in bright rooms. This model was available for about $150 less at eBay earlier this week with a coupon deal, but that offer has expired. The discount here still takes about $350 off the set's average street price in recent months, though. Other sizes are on sale, but note that the 43- and 50-inch versions have a lower 60Hz refresh rate (instead of 120Hz) and lack variable refresh rate tech. Also at Best Buy and Samsung.

  • TCL Q550F QLED TV (55”) for $250 at Best Buy ($200 off): The TCL Q5 is a relatively basic LED TV with a 60Hz refresh rate and no local dimming or HDMI 2.1 ports. This model also uses Amazon’s Fire OS software, which isn’t quite as clean as other platforms. Most people should get the better-looking Hisense U6N instead. But if you really want to save an extra $100 or just need a cheap TV for a back room, it should do the job. This discount for the 55-inch model is the best we’ve tracked.

The Sony Bravia 7.
  • TCL Q68 QLED TV (55”) for $300 at Woot ($200 off): The Q68 is another cheapo LED TV that broadly falls short of the Hisense U6N’s picture quality, though it should offer better contrast than the TCL Q5 thanks to its local dimming feature. Like the Q5 and U6N, it can also play at a 120Hz refresh rate if you drop the resolution to 1080p or 1440p, which is nice for gaming. If you don’t want to spend any more than $300 for a 55-inch set, this is the lowest price we’ve found for this particular model.

  • TCL QM8 QLED TV (75”) for $1,300 at Amazon ($700 off): If the Hisense U8N becomes unavailable, the TCL QM8 looks to be a decent alternative. It can get even brighter, according to reviewers we trust, but it has slightly worse contrast. This is a new low for the latest 75-inch model. Also at Best Buy, with other sizes on sale.

  • Sony Bravia 7 QLED TV (55”) for $1,298 at Amazon ($402 off): The Bravia 7 is a relatively premium set with mini-LED backlighting to improve contrast and quantum dots to boost colors. Reviews suggest that it provides accurate colors out of the box and does well to preserve details in lower-resolution content, so it’s worth considering over the Hisense U8N if those are chief concerns. It only has two HDMI 2.1 ports, however, and it’s another LED TV with mediocre viewing angles. Most people will be happier with an OLED TV at this price, though this deal is an all-time low. Also at Walmart and B&H, with other sizes similarly discounted.

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max.

The best Cyber Monday streaming deals for 2024

  • Roku Streaming Stick 4K for $29 at Amazon ($21 off): A pick from our guide to the best streaming devices, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K gets you snappy performance, Apple AirPlay support, and a dead-simple interface that makes it easy to access free shows and movies. It works with the necessary HDR formats and apps as well (Twitch aside), though its search function isn’t as in-depth as some of its peers, and the UI looks fairly bland. This deal is $4 more than the best price we’ve tracked but still $11 off the stick’s average going rate in recent months. Also at Target and Best Buy.

  • Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $33 at Amazon ($27 off): This is a new low for Amazon’s best streaming stick, which runs fast and supports all the major apps and HDR formats. We’ve found it to be surprisingly flexible as a gaming device, too, though you’ll have to put up with an ad-heavy UI that promotes Prime Video and other Amazon services above all else.

  • Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K for $22 at Amazon ($28 off): The standard Fire TV Stick 4K offers the same core experience as the pricier 4K Max β€” for better or worse β€” but comes with a slightly slower processor, half as much storage (8GB) and Wi-Fi 6 instead of the faster Wi-Fi 6E. Still, this is a decent value if you just want a competent 4K streamer for as little as possible. This deal is another all-time low. Also at Target, Best Buy and others.

  • Roku Ultra (2024) for $79 at Amazon ($21 off): The Roku Ultra is overkill for most people, but it might be worth it if you like Roku's simpler UI and need a full-on set-top box with built-in Ethernet and USB ports. Unlike the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, it comes bundled with a rechargeable remote that supports voice controls, a lost remote finder tool and backlit buttons. (You can buy that separately, though.) This latest model added a faster processor and Wi-Fi 6 support. This discount ties the lowest price we’ve tracked. Also at Roku, B&H and others.

Disney+ Original shows and movies.
Disney+.
Disney
  • Disney+ and Hulu Duo Basic bundle one-year subscription for $36 ($96 off): The Duo Basic plan includes the ad-supported tiers of both Disney+ and Hulu. Normally, it'd cost $11 per month. Alternatively, you can get just Hulu's ad-based tier for $0.99 per month for one year, making the final cost $12. One of the older streaming services, Hulu still offers a wide range of recent TV episodes and a strong library of original series like Only Murders in the Building, The Bear, Pen15 and The Handmaid’s Tale. Disney+, meanwhile, remains home to just about everything Disney-, Pixar-, Marvel- and Star Wars-related. The only catch here is that both offers are only available to new and returning users who haven’t subscribed in the last month. Both subscriptions will also auto-renew by default, so you’ll have to cancel manually if you don’t want to pay beyond the discounted period.

  • Peacock Premium 1-year subscription for $20 at Peacock ($60 off, new and returning users only): Peacock isn’t exactly essential, but it should be worth adding to your streaming rotation if you’re big into NBC and Bravo shows, Premier League soccer, WWE events or Sunday Night Football. This is a sizable discount on the service’s ad-supported tier, though it’s only available to new or returning subscribers. Those folks can also get a six-month trial for $2 per month, which works out to a $36 discount. If you don’t see the price drop at checkout, use the code REALDEAL for the one-year promo or REALDEALMONTHLY for the six-month one. Note that the service will auto-renew by default.

  • Max 6-month subscription for $18 at Max ($42 off, new and returning users only): If you’re looking to binge The Sopranos, South Park, The Last of Us or anything else from Warner Bros. Discovery networks like HBO, TNT, TBS and Cartoon Network, you’d get a Max subscription. There’s a fairly sizable movie selection as well, including several films from the buzzy indie studio A24. This deal gives six months of the service’s ad-supported plan for $3 per month ($18 total), but only to new and returning users, and only in the US. Normally, the subscription costs $10 per month. This is another one that’ll auto-renew by default, so it’s worth setting a reminder to cancel before the discounted period ends.

  • Paramount+ with Showtime 2-month subscription for $6 ($20 off, new and returning users only): Paramount’s holiday promo isn’t quite as appealing as the streaming deals above, as it only covers a two-month subscription. Still, if you want to stream local NFL games, Champions League soccer or shows from CBS, Nickelodeon, Showtime and MTV, this is at least a cheaper way to see if you’d actually stick with the service at full price. This deal applies to either the ad-free or ad-supported tier. Again, it’s only available to new and former users, and the subscription will auto-renew until you cancel.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-cyber-monday-tv-deals-for-2024-save-on-models-from-samsung-lg-sony-hisense-and-more-191337414.html?src=rss

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Β© Engadget

The best Cyber Monday TV deals for 2024

Cyber Monday gaming deals for 2024: The best sales for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox and PC

By: Jeff Dunn
2 December 2024 at 17:30

While many of Cyber Monday's better deals are leftovers from Black Friday, it's still a good time to restock on video games and gaming gear on the cheap. If you’re looking to pad out your backlog, pick up a new console or refresh your desktop with new peripherals, we’ve rounded up a bunch of Cyber Monday gaming deals that aren't total junk below.

We’ve dug through reviews and used price history trackers to ensure each offer below is a genuine deal. As of this writing, the selection still includes a ton of popular Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox and PC games for their lowest prices to date, $75 off PS5 consoles and several discounts on accessories we’ve tested and recommended.Β 

A black ASUS ROG Ally X gaming handheld rests with its screen facing the camera on top of a set of Pokemon plushies.
The ASUS ROG Ally X.
Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget
  • ASUS ROG Ally X for $700 at Best Buy ($100 off): The ROG Ally X is the top Windows pick in our guide to the best gaming handhelds. It’s better-equipped to handle recent AAA fare than the Steam Deck, and its 120Hz VRR display does wonders to keep those games looking smooth. Windows itself remains something of a UI tire fire on handheld devices, but it does give you the flexibility to play games from any PC client. This $100 drop isn’t massive but nevertheless ties the handheld’s all-time low.

  • Retroid Pocket 4 Pro for $150 at Retroid ($49 off): The Pocket 4 Pro is the β€œbest under $200” pick in our gaming handhelds guide. It’s an Android device primarily aimed at emulating retro games, so it takes some legwork to get the most out of it. If you’re willing to tinker, though, it can run many games up to the PlayStation 2 and GameCube range fairly comfortably, which is rare at this price. Its responsive buttons and bright 4.7-inch display are nice, too, though you might want to grab Retroid’s grip add-on to make it a little more comfortable. Retroid recently launched the bigger and slightly more powerful Pocket 5 β€” which we’re currently testing β€” but this is a strong value for about $70 less. This discount is a new low. A few lower-power Retroid handhelds are on sale as well.

A black handheld gaming device, the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro, sits on a brown wooden table surrounded by various video games and gamepads, including controllers for the Sony PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube.
The Retroid Pocket 4 Pro.
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
  • PlayStation DualSense Wireless Controller for $54 at Amazon ($21 off): While Sony’s official PS5 controller has sold for less in the past, steeper discounts have been fairly uncommon over the past year, so this is an decent time to stock up if you need a spare. The offer applies to several different color options, though a few are priced $5 higher than the others. Also at Best Buy, Walmart, Target, PlayStation Direct and others.

  • Xbox Wireless Controller for $35 at Lenovo ($25 off): This is another deal we’ve seen in the past, but it’s a decent $10 or so off the Xbox pad’s typical street price. Use the code BFCMXBOX at checkout to see the final price. Also at Amazon, Best Buy, Target and others for $40, with other colorways available for $45 or $50. Just remember that each one requires a pair of AA batteries or a separate pack for power.

  • PlayStation Plus 12-month membership for 30 percent off at PlayStation: Sony’s online service became a worse deal with last year’s sizable price hikes, but it’s still required if you want to play PS5 games online or use cloud saves. This year’s holiday deal is geared more toward upgrading than saving on your current plan, annoyingly, but those just signing up can grab an annual membership for 30 percent off. That brings the standard β€œEssential” tier down to $64. If you’ve been thinking of stepping up from the base service to the higher β€œExtra” or β€œPremium” tiers, you can take 25 or 30 percent off the usual cost of that upgrade. You can check Sony’s overview page for a refresher on what perks are included with each tier.

  • Astro Bot for $50 at Walmart ($10 off): The wonderfully inventive 3D platformer Astro Bot is the closest thing the PS5 has to a modern Super Mario game, even if it is a bit too reverential to the PlayStation brand. Engadget Senior Editor Jessica Conditt called it nothing less than β€œone of the best games Sony has ever made” in her review. The game was briefly available for $43 at Amazon, but this is the best price we've seen otherwise. Also at PlayStation, Best Buy, Target and others.

  • Elden Ring for $20 at Bandai Namco ($40 off): There isn’t much we can say about Elden Ring that hasn’t already been said. Its world runs almost unfathomably deep and feels lived-in (died-in) in a way few games ever have. It’s both haunting and darkly funny (hello, Ordina). It is unafraid to test your resolve and make its quest matter, yet it grants you the freedom to simply walk in a different direction and find new paths forward. It’s great, and this deal brings it down to the best price we’ve tracked. Also at Amazon and Walmart, though stock has been spotty. If you want to double up with the game’s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, a copy that comes with that DLC is on sale for $52.

  • Metaphor: ReFantazio for $50 at Amazon ($20 off): It’s about as subtle as you’d expect a game named β€œMetaphor” to be, but the latest from the minds behind Persona 5 is a fantasy JRPG through and through: bombastic, stylish and deeply earnest. (And long.) This deal is a new low. Also at PlayStation and Xbox for $2 more.

  • Dragon’s Dogma 2 for $40 at Target ($30 off): Another one of the year’s highest-rated RPGs, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is unusually opaque and unforgiving for a major-studio release, but it owns that. If you can deal with some jank and hate the glut of self-serious hand-holdy β€œadventures” that’ve come out in recent years, it should be worth the occasional frustration. Don’t bother if you didn’t like the first one, though. This the biggest discount to date for the PS5 and Xbox versions. Also at Amazon, or at Xbox for $2 more.

  • The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for $30 at Walmart ($40 off): Its story may run in place at times, but Tears of the Kingdom remains a prime example of an open-world game done right. Its world doesn’t kowtow to the player at every turn, and its delightful contraption-building mechanics provide a similar sense of freedom in solving puzzles. This discount is a new low, though as of this writing it only applies to a digital copy.Β 

  • Super Mario RPG for $38 at Best Buy ($12 off): The lively and brisk Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars remains one of the Super Nintendo’s essential games. It didn’t necessarily need a Switch remake, but it got one last year anyway. Thankfully, the new version keeps the original’s oddball spirit in tact as it spruces up the visuals for true 3D. The game fell to $32 last week, but if you’re in the market for a lighter RPG, this is the second-largest discount we've tracked.

  • Portal: Companion Collection for $5 at Nintendo ($15 off): Portal and Portal 2 are two of the most fully actualized games ever made, a pair of human-lab-rat simulators overloaded with wit and mind-opening puzzles. The second is also one of our favorite couch co-op games. This discount ties the lowest price we’ve seen for the Companion Collection, which bundles both games for the Switch, and it comes as part of a wider range of digital game deals at Nintendo’s online store.

  • Mass Effect Legendary Edition for $5 at Steam ($55 off): The Mass Effect trilogy doesn’t hold up perfectly β€” the original is very much a game from 2007, while the overarching β€œmorality” system feels ancient in a post-Baldur’s Gate 3 world β€” but it remains as accessible and deeply entertaining as any action-RPG series out there. The Legendary Edition remasters all three titles, and this discount brings the compilation down to its lowest price to date. Also at Epic.

  • Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon for $20 at Bandai Namco ($40 off): Armored Core VI is a big loud action game about building a mech and using it to blow up everything in sight. It rules. Yet it’s not mindless: Its many boss fights are genuine duels, and it’s deeply flexible in how it lets you tweak your death machine to tackle stages in different ways. This price is another new low. Also at GameStop.

  • Unicorn Overlord for $30 at Best Buy ($30 off): Unicorn Overlord’s story leans a little too hard on RPG tropes, but it’s gorgeous, and its battle system should satisfy those who pine for classic Fire Emblem or (especially) Ogre Battle games from yesteryear. Engadget Senior Writer Sam Rutherford called it a β€œmust-play for tactics fans” in his review. This discount is the largest we’ve seen for the PS5 and Xbox editions, and it ties the all-time low for the Switch copy. Also at Amazon and GameStop.

  • Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.1 for $19 at Amazon ($21 off): Few games take the responsibility of entertaining you as seriously as the Metal Gear series; even fewer have as clear of a voice and point of view. The Master Collection may not go as far as it should in updating the landmark stealth games for modern consoles, but if you’ve yet to give them a try, you really ought to take the ride. This deal comes within $1 of the lowest price we’ve tracked for the Switch copy.

  • Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition for $40 at GameStop ($20 off): The moody action-RPG Cyberpunk 2077 started as a technical disaster, but years of patches have ultimately left it in a healthy place, one that lets it more easily lean on its surprisingly pointed narrative and dirty-techno-future art style. This is a new low for the game’s Ultimate Edition, which includes last year’s well-regarded Phantom Liberty expansion.

  • Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth for $25 at Amazon ($45 off): Infinite Wealth is the kind of goofy, playful and wholly excessive RPG that’s come to define the series formerly known as Yakuza. It can border on β€œtoo much,” and you’ll need to have played past entries to get the most out of it, but its turn-based combat is fun, and it’s more endearing than obnoxious in the end. This discount ties the best price we’ve seen for the next-gen versions of the game.

  • Madden NFL 25 for $30 at Amazon ($40 off): Madden could pretty badly use a creative reset, but it’s ultimately still Madden, so there’s fun to be had if you’re in the football mood and feel like denying Patrick Mahomes a championship in at least one realm of existence. This is the best price to date for this year’s latest installment. Also at Walmart, or at PlayStation, Xbox and Steam for $5 more.

  • EA Sports FC 25 for $30 at Amazon ($35 off): We’re not going to sit here and tell you the series formerly known as FIFA is good β€” AI defending is still a mess, and the Ultimate Team mode still blends grinding with gambling to mind-numbing effect β€” but we realize that many people just want to mess around as their favorite footy team. This is a new low for the PS5, PS4 and Xbox editions. Also at Walmart, or at PlayStation, Xbox and Steam for $5 more. The Switch version is down to $30, too, though it won’t run as well.

  • WWE 2K24 for $25 at Amazon ($10 off): We acknowledge that this is $1 off the best-ever price for the physical PS5 and Xbox copies of the latest WWE game, which should scratch the itch for most people looking to do some fantasy booking and digital powerbombing. Just don’t be surprised if you run into a few bugs every now and then; this is a 2K game, after all. Also at Walmart, Target and Best Buy, for $23 at Xbox, and for $20 at Steam. The last-gen versions are on sale for a few bucks less as well.

  • NBA 2K25 for $30 at Walmart ($40 off): NBA 2K has its own longstanding issues with pay-to-win online modes and occasional glitchiness, but its on-court play is generally rock solid if you’re looking to play through a season or run some offline games with friends. This is a new low for the PS5 and Xbox copies of the game. Also at Target, Best Buy and Amazon. Nintendo has the Switch edition for $3 less, though that version is generally slower and more watered-down than the others.

  • WD Black C50 Expansion Card for Xbox (1TB) for $99 at Amazon ($59 off): It’s aggravating, but the only way to fully increase the storage of an Xbox Series X/S is to use a proprietary expansion card. Only two of those currently exist, but the C50 is one, and this discount drops the 1TB model to a new low. It’s normally sold for about $40 more in recent months. Is this still expensive compared to a normal SSD with the same capacity? You bet. But any extra savings should be welcome. A 512GB model is a couple bucks above its all-time low at $67 as well. Also at B&H and Best Buy.

  • Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X/S (2TB) for $200 at Amazon ($160 off): Seagate makes the other official storage expansion card for the Xbox Series X/S. This discount isn’t the best we’ve ever seen, and it’s been live for most of the month, but it’s still roughly $35 below the 2TB model’s typical street price. There’s little performance difference between this and the C50, so which is best merely comes down to how much space you need and whatever one costs less.

  • Crucial P310 (1TB) M.2 2230 SSD for $70 at Amazon ($102 off): The P310 is a small-size SSD you can slot into handheld PCs like the Steam Deck or ROG Ally. It uses cheaper QLC memory, not the faster and more durable TLC, but other reviews suggest that it still performs well for what it is. This is a new low for the 1TB model. The 2TB version is down to its best price yet at $140 as well. Also at B&H.

  • Backbone One mobile game controller for $70 at Amazon ($30 off): The Backbone One is a nifty mobile gamepad that makes playing console-style games on your phone feel a little more natural. This matches the lowest price we’ve tracked for the second-gen model. Both the USB-C and Lightning versions are discounted. Note that the PlayStation-branded version officially supports Sony’s Remote Play app on both Android and iOS, while the standard model only supports it with the latter. Also at Backbone, Walmart and Best Buy.

  • 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller for $48 at Best Buy ($12 off): We’ve raved about this wireless gamepad for Switch and PC in the past. It’s on the small side, but it’s comfortable, and its durable Hall effect joysticks should avoid the β€œdrift” sensation that plagues many modern controllers. This discount isn’t the absolute lowest price we’ve seen, but it’s a solid $12 off the device’s typical street price. If you don’t need Bluetooth support, a version that only connects over a USB dongle and uses Xbox-style face buttons (instead of Switch-style ones) is on sale for $40.

  • Turtle Beach Atlas Air wireless gaming headset for $135 at Amazon ($45 off): The Atlas Air is our pick for the best gaming headset. It’s one of the few wireless pairs with an open-back design, which helps it create a wider, airier and more natural sound than most of its competition. It’s exceptionally comfortable on top of that, though it lets in and leaks noise fairly easily, so you should only buy it if you normally play in a quiet environment. This deal marks the headset’s all-time low. Also at Best Buy.

  • Astro A40 TR gaming headset for $90 at Amazon ($40 off): The A40 TR is our favorite wired gaming headset. It’s not quite as comfy or spacious-sounding as the Turtle Beach Atlas Air, our top overall pick, but its open-back design still makes games sound like they’re happening all around you instead of feeling confined in your head. Just know that it won’t block much outside noise, and its mic isn’t the best. Also at B&H.

  • HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 gaming headset for $30 at Amazon ($20 off): The Cloud Stinger 2 is the budget pick in our gaming headset guide. It’s comfortable, with a solid mic and full-bodied bass, though you shouldn’t expect a particularly accurate sound or exceptional build quality. This deal ties the headset’s all-time low. Also at Target and Best Buy.

  • Keychron Q3 Max mechanical keyboard for $182 at Keychron ($32 off): The Keychron Q Max is the top pick in our guide to the best mechanical keyboards, pairing an upscale (if heavy) aluminum case with a lovely typing experience and extensive customizability. This is the lowest price we’ve seen for the tenkeyless model, but other size layouts are similarly discounted. Also at Amazon for $6 more, but only for Prime members.

  • Keychron V3 Max mechanical keyboard for $87 at Amazon ($22 off, Prime only): The V Max is our favorite mechanical keyboard in the $100 range. It has a plastic frame and suffers a bit more from rattling in the larger keys but otherwise carries most of the same perks as the Q Max line. This Prime-exclusive deal marks the best price we’ve tracked for the tenkeyless model, but other size options are 20 percent off too. Also at Keychron.

  • Keychron C3 Pro mechanical keyboard for $22 at Amazon ($15 off, Prime only): If you want to pay as little as possible for a decent mechanical keyboard, the C3 Pro is the budget pick in our buying guide. Its keycaps are a bit slick, but its typing feel and sound are still levels above the membrane boards you usually find in this price range. This is a new low for the model with Keychron's linear Red switches. Be aware that this version isn’t hot-swappable and only has a red backlight; if you’re willing to pay extra, a more customizable version with RGB lighting is also on sale for $33.

A black keyboard with red backlighting, the Keychron C3 Pro, sits on a light brown desktop.
The Keychron C3 Pro.
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
  • ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) gaming laptop for $1,650 at Best Buy ($350 off): The 14-inch ROG Zephyrus G14 is the top pick in our guide to the best gaming laptops. We gave it a score of 91 in our review this past April, praising its aluminum and (relatively) understated chassis, beautiful 120Hz OLED display and sufficient port selection. It can get toasty under load, and we wish the RAM was user-upgradeable, but this config can handle more demanding fare at high settings and the screen’s native 2.8K resolution without much trouble. It comes with a Ryzen 9 8945HS chip, 32GB of memory, a 1TB SSD and an RTX 4070 GPU. You may not want to completely max out certain games, but you can still get over 60 fps much of the time. In general, you’d buy this because it gets that level of power from a design that’s more portable and elegant than most gaming machines. Outside of one drop to $1,600 back in July, this ties the best price we’ve seen.

  • ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) gaming laptop for $1,615 at Amazon ($285 off): While not a top pick in any of our guides, this configuration of the ROG Strix G16 should be a solid value for those in search of a 16-inch all-rounder gaming notebook. It includes an Intel Core i9-14900X chip, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, which should be enough to run many games at high-ish settings without much hassle. The overall build doesn’t feel cheap, and the 2,560 x 1,600 240Hz display is both sharp and fast. The RAM and storage are user-upgradeable, too, though the battery life and 720p webcam aren’t ideal. This deal matches an all-time low. Another model with a 1080p panel, a Core i7-13650HX chip and a RTX 4060 GPU is on sale for a low of $1,100, but you’ll have to turn down game settings more frequently to get decent frame rates with that one.

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is simply one of the best 14-inch gaming laptops on the market.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14.
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget
  • LG 32GS95UE 32-inch gaming monitor for $950 at Amazon ($450 off): This is the β€œno-compromise” pick in our guide to the best gaming monitors. It’s a premium OLED panel with a sharp 4K resolution and a fast 240Hz refresh rate, though it can jump to a super-smooth 480Hz if you drop to 1080p (and own a PC that can handle that). That’s great if you spend a decent chunk of time in esports-style games like Counter-Strike 2. Being an OLED monitor gives it excellent contrast with deep black tones, though it’s not quite as vivid as the handful of QD-OLED monitors that use quantum dots to boost colors. Still, it’s well worth a look if you have cash to burn and know you’ll use the dual refresh rate modes. This deal is a new low. A similar model with a white finish is also on sale for $50 more.

  • MSI MAG 271QPX QD-OLED E2 27-inch gaming monitor for $500 at Newegg ($200 off): This is within $20 of the lowest price we’ve seen for MSI’s QD-OLED monitor, which blends the high contrast and inky blacks typical of OLED displays with color-enhancing quantum dots. It has a 1440p resolution and 240Hz refresh rate, which should be sufficient for most, though like many OLEDs it’ll look better in dim lighting than a bright room. Also at Best Buy.

  • MSI MPG 321URX 32-inch gaming monitor for $875 at B&H ($75 off): The MPG 321URX (gesundheit) is a larger high-end monitor with a gorgeous QD-OLED panel, a 4K resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate. It also includes a KVM switch and a USB-C port that can deliver up to 90W of charging power. It’s definitely not cheap, but at its current deal price it undercuts its handful of competitors by a fair amount. MSI briefly had it for less than $800 last week, but this is still a decent chunk off its usual street price.

  • ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM 32-inch gaming monitor for $1,000 at B&H ($300 off, backordered): If the MSI 321URX runs out of stock, the PG32UCDM is an excellent alternative with a similar list of features. Some reviewers we trust say it can get brighter than rival monitors with similar specs, plus it supports the popular Dolby Vision HDR format. It's certainly not cheap, but this discount still represents a new low. Also at Amazon and Best Buy.

Cyber Monday gaming deals that are no longer available

  • Valve Steam Deck (LCD, 512GB) for $337 at Steam ($112 off): The Steam Deck tops our guide to the best gaming handhelds. Its SteamOS software is much simpler to pick up and use than Windows, and it's still powerful enough to play loads of games that just can’t run on devices like the Switch. That said, it’s starting to have trouble keeping up with the most graphically demanding titles, and the design has always been rather chunky. This deal matches the lowest price to date for the version with an LCD display and 512GB of storage. The OLED model (not on sale) is better across the board, but this is a fantastic value if you can't pay the extra $200. The discount comes as part of Steam's Autumn Sale, which includes many of the game deals we highlight below.

  • Meta Quest 3S (128GB) + $100 Target digital gift card for $300 at Target ($100 off): Meta only released the Quest 3S last month, so while this isn’t a cash discount, any sort of bonus is worth noting. The device itself is the budget pick in our guide to the best VR headsets: Its older Fresnel lenses certainly aren’t class-leading, but they’re good enough for those new to VR, and the whole thing is just as fast and comfortable as the pricier Quest 3. Most importantly, it can play the same wide array of apps and games. Amazon previously had a similar offer, but that appears to be out of stock.

  • Nintendo Switch Pro Controller for $50 at Walmart ($20 off): Nintendo’s Pro Controller is far more comfortable to hold and satisfying to press than the standard Joy-Cons, so it’s a fine buy if you mainly keep your Switch docked up to a TV. Its 40-hour battery life is great, too, though fighting game and Tetris diehards will likely find its d-pad too imprecise. This discount matches the lowest price we’ve seen in the last couple of years.

  • Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers for $60 at Walmart ($20 off): Between their beady buttons, lack of analog triggers and longstanding drift issues, the Joy-Cons are far from Nintendo’s finest product. Still, they’re the Switch’s default controllers. If you need to restock, this is about as cheap as they’ve been in recent years.

  • Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite MMO gaming mouse for $50 at Amazon ($30 off): The Scimitar RGB Elite is the top MMO pick in our gaming mouse guide. This deal comes within a couple bucks of the lowest price we've seen.Β 

  • Alienware M18 R2 gaming laptop for $2,300 at Dell ($500 off): The M18 R2 is an iteration of the top 18-inch pick in our gaming laptop buying guide. It’s an absolute tank, but it’s put together well, and this configuration can blow through new games at high settings in 1080p or 1440p. It comes with a 165Hz 2,560 x 1,600 panel, an Intel Core i9-14900HX chip, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 GPU. This deal is $100 more than the price we saw on Black Friday but is still a good ways off the notebook's usual going rate. A lower-spec model is on sale for $1,700, though that one will run into issues sooner with more demanding games.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/cyber-monday-gaming-deals-for-2024-the-best-sales-for-playstation-5-nintendo-switch-xbox-and-pc-180738558.html?src=rss

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Β© Engadget

The best Cyber Monday gaming deals for 2024

Samsung Black Friday deal: Get a 256GB Evo Select microSD card for only $18

29 November 2024 at 09:41

You always need extra digital storage when you don’t have any on hand. That’s why it’s always a good idea to pick up an extra microSD card, an additional portable drive and the like when you find them on sale. Black Friday storage deals this year include a ton of good options for all kinds of users, whether you’re a gamer, photographer, creative professional and everything in between. One of the best (and cheapest) discounts comes as part of the Samsung Black Friday sale: the 256GB Evo Select microSD card is down to just $18.

An 18 percent discount might seem modest, but $18 is a new record low price for the storage device. If you want to avoid shopping on Amazon, Samsung has also reduced the cost of the 256GB model on its website, alongside the 128GB, 512GB and 1TB variants.

Samsung’s Evo Select microSD cards are among the best value you’ll find on the market right now. While there are models that offer faster sequential read and write speeds, it’s hard to argue with the Evo Select line’s mix of performance and affordability. In the case of the 256GB model, the capability to deliver sequential read speeds of up to 160 MB/s is good enough for most tasks. I’ve been using a 128GB Evo Select card in my Switch OLED since the end of last year and have no complaints. Plus, each card comes with a 10-year warranty from Samsung. For $18, that’s a steal if you ask us.

If you’re looking for other storage solutions, I’ll also mention here that Engadget has a roundup of the best Black Friday SSD deals. Check that out if you want to save money on a new NVMe, SD card or external drive.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/samsung-black-friday-deal-get-a-256gb-evo-select-microsd-card-for-only-18-133037907.html?src=rss

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Β© Samsung / Engadget

A blue Samsung Evo Select microSD sits on a white background.

The 19 best Black Friday deals on camera gear from Nikon, DJI, Canon and others

30 November 2024 at 19:30

Black Friday is usually the best sale of the year on cameras and accessories and this year there are some particularly great deals this time around. Most of the major manufacturers including Sony, Canon, DJI, Nikon and GoPro are offering substantial discounts across a wide range of products, whether you're looking to spend a couple hundred dollars or several grand. Those include multiple options from our guide to the best cameras of 2024, so you'll get great value for tried and tested gear. These are the best Black Friday camera deals we found for 2024 that you can still get right now.

Black Friday action cam and drone deals

  • DJI Mini 4K drone for $239 (20 percent off): It's right there in the name, as the DJI Mini 4K can shoot 4K30p or 27K 60p video. That's not bad at all at this price and quality is surprisingly good. Best of all, it weighs less than 250 grams so you don't need any kind of a permit to fly it. If you want to get it with extra batteries and a carrying case, the Fly More Combo is also discounted 20 percent to $359.

  • DJI Osmo Action 4 action cam for $209 (30 percent off): Even though it was superceded by the Action 5, DJI's Osmo Action 4 is still a great action cam. It has a relatively large 1/1.3-inch sensor so it's great in low light, and offers 4K 120p video. You also get DJI's Rocksteady 3.0 stabilization, long battery life and a nifty magnetic locking system.

  • GoPro Hero 13 Black accessory bundle for $349 (22 percent off): GoPro's best deal in my opinion is the Hero 13 Black accessory bundle pack. It not only gives you the company's awesome video camera with up to 5.3K capture, but two enduro batteries, the "Handler" handle, two curved adhesive mounts, a 64GB microSD card and a carrying case for the same price as the camera alone.Β 

  • Insta360 Ace Pro action cam for $300 (14 percent off): The Ace Pro is the first action camera with 8K recording, something we've still yet to see from GoPro or DJI. Another unique feature is the flip-up selfie screen that eliminates the need for a front screen. This is the lowest price we've seen yet for this model.Β 

  • Insta360 X4 action cam for $425 (15 percent off): Insta360's X4 sets the standard for 360 video with up to 8K of resolution, and it's now on sale at the lowest price we've seen yet. Rugged and waterproof, it offers powerful image stabilization, an invisible selfie stick and fun video modes.Β 

Black Friday mirrorless and compact camera deals

  • Canon EOS R100 camera with two lenses for $499 (40 percent off): This is one of the best camera deals going right now, letting you pick up Canon's small but powerful EOS R100 plus two lenses that cover from 18mm up to 210mm (27-315mm full-frame equivalent). Its size makes it ideal for travel and the lens selection will let you shoot anything from people pics to wildlife or bird shots.Β 

  • Sony ZV-1 II camera for $698 (22 percent off): The ZV-1 II is an ideal vlogging camera thanks to features like product showcase and background defocus that make it easy for creators to grab the perfect shot. The latest model features a wider zoom lens and more intuitive touchscreen, so it's better than ever for creators on the go.

  • Nikon Z8 camera for $3,497 (13 percent off): The Nikon Z8 is the most powerful hybrid camera you can get for the money, thanks to the 45.7-megapixel stacked sensor, incredible burst speeds, high image quality and 8K RAW video capture. It stacks up feature-for-feature against Canon's slightly better R5 II, but currently costs a whopping $800 less.

  • Canon EOS R8 camera for $1,199 (20 percent off): The R8 has Canon’s excellent Dual Pixel AF with subject recognition AI, and can shoot bursts at up to 40 fps. It's equally strong with video, supporting oversampled 10-bit 4K at up to 60 fps.

  • Panasonic Lumix S9 camera with 20mm-60mm lens $1,498 (17 percent off): This is one of the best deals on a full-frame creator camera that we've seen. After testing one recently I found it to be small but powerful, with reliable autofocus, awesome video quality and those famous real-time LUTs so that creators can get the perfect look with no fuss.Β 

  • Sony A7 IV camera for $2,098 (16 percent off): Sony's 33-megapixel A7 IV is the best mid-range mirrorless camera you can get, thanks to a great mix of speed, resolution and video powers. The biggest selling point is the reliable autofocus that ensures you'll get sharp photos nearly all the time.Β 

Black Friday camera accessory deals

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-19-best-black-friday-deals-on-camera-gear-from-nikon-dji-canon-and-others-130004779.html?src=rss

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Β© Engadget

The 15 best Black Friday deals on cameras from Nikon, DJI, Canon and others

Steam’s Autumn Sale sees deep discounts on LCD Steam Decks and select games

27 November 2024 at 12:29

It may not be Black Friday yet, but the holiday shopping blitz is already well underway with some significant discounts on games and gaming devices. Steam is in the middle of its Autumn Sale that runs until December 4 and includes a discount on the LCD Steam Deck.

No, it’s not the OLED Steam Deck, but Steam is offering the 512GB Steam Deck with a 25 percent discount that brings the price down to $336.75. Steam’s sale also offered the smaller 64GB LCD model with a 15 percent discount for less than $300 but they’ve already run out of stock.

This may be the best time to pick up a Steam Deck since last summer. In June, Steam knocked down the price of the 64GB variant to just under $300 and the 512GB version for under $400. The 64 and 512GB models are discontinued and won’t be available once Steam runs out of stock. The 256GB LCD model is sticking around for a little while longer for those gamers who can’t afford the fancier versions.

If you’re going to buy a Steam Deck, you’ll need some games to play on it. Steam Autumn Sale also includes some sweet deals on games like Baldur’s Gate 3 for $47.99 and Total War: Warhammer III for $23.99 and early access to Supergiant’s Hades II for $26.99. Steam also has some cool discounts on older games that you’ve been meaning to play like Double Fine’s Psychonauts 2 and Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey for $6 each, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen OrderΒ for $4 and Cities Skylines for $3.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/steams-autumn-sale-sees-deep-discounts-on-lcd-steam-decks-and-select-games-202918983.html?src=rss

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Β© Valve

Steam is offering the 512GB LCD Steam Deck for just under $340.

The PS5 Access controller is on sale in a Black Friday PlayStation deal

By: Kris Holt
26 November 2024 at 09:47

There are a bunch of Black Friday deals on PlayStation products, but here's one that was perhaps a little unexpected. The PS5 Access controller has dropped to $59, which is a record low price. It's slightly over a third off the list price of $90.

Sony created this controller to make the PlayStation 5 more accessible to a wider group of players. It released the Access controller last December.

The Access controller comes with 19 button caps and three stick caps to help players find a configuration that works best for them. A button cap that takes up two sockets might be a better fit for someone compared with the standard one, for instance. There are 23 swappable tags for the button caps to help players identify which input they've mapped to each button. In addition, there are four 3.5mm aux ports, into which players can plug external buttons, switches and other accessories.

It's possible to create as many as 30 profiles with different button and stick settings. Buttons can be disabled to avoid accidental presses too. Meanwhile, there's the option to pair up to two Access controllers and a standard DualSense together as one virtual controller. That way, as many as three people could control the same character, meaning that loved ones and caregivers can offer some direct assistance to those playing the games.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-ps5-access-controller-is-on-sale-in-a-black-friday-playstation-deal-174747478.html?src=rss

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Β© Sony/Engadget

PS5 Access controller with a Black Friday overlay

The 16 best gifts for music lovers

Everyone needs a hobby. And chances are there’s at least one person on your holiday shopping list who fancies themselves a musician. Whether they’re a casual synth noodler, a guitar virtuoso or a singer-songwriter we’ve got recommendations covering a range of price points. Some of these even make a great gift for music lovers who have been considering making the jump to music maker. Perhaps getting their first synth will kickstart a new obsession.

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/best-gifts-for-music-lovers-160024143.html?src=rss

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Β© Engadget

The best gifts for music lovers

Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker just announced a retro-futuristic musical instrument called Orchid

25 November 2024 at 11:32

Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker just announced a musical instrument called Orchid. It’s a nifty-looking chord machine with some modern bells and whistles. For the uninitiated, a chord machine is a device or plugin that allows users to simplify the process of playing chords.

To that end, Orchid lets players initiate full melodic chords by pressing a note on the tiny one-octave keybed. They can be manipulated by using a handful of buttons on the left. Holding down one of these buttons while playing a key changes the chord in all kinds of ways, like transforming something from a major to a minor.

There are a handful of sounds to choose from, and some emulate playing chords on a stringed instrument across multiple octaves. The internal FX and arpeggiator allow for even more unique compositions. Orchid is battery-powered and boasts dual built-in speakers for portable play sessions. The creators are calling it an β€œideas machine” and, yeah, that tracks. Most chord machines I’ve fooled around with have been tied to a computer or instrument via MIDI and this one works standalone.

I would be remiss if I also didn't mention the attractive design, which was whipped up by co-creator Ignacio Germade. This thing has retro-futuristic vibes to spare. It looks very pretty and I want to stare at it lovingly.

Orchid is the first device launched by Telepathic Instruments, a company founded by Parker, Germade and others. There will be just 1,000 of these little beauties available for purchase this December. The initial rollout is being described as a beta test of sorts, with the company saying that β€œthese owners will have the chance to shape and refine” the design before a wider release. It costs $550. That’s a lot of money for a chord machine but, again, it’s standalone and is particularly easy on the eyes.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/tame-impalas-kevin-parker-just-announced-a-retro-futuristic-musical-instrument-called-orchid-193219134.html?src=rss

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Β© Telepathic Instruments

An instrument.

Anker Black Friday deals include this 3-in-1 foldable magnetic charger at a record-low price

By: Kris Holt
29 November 2024 at 04:38

Black Friday deals are popping up all over the place and there are some good offers on charging gear. An Anker 3-in-1 foldable magnetic charger, which is primarily designed for Apple devices, has dropped to a record low price. Both the white and black models of the MagGo 3-in-1 are available for $82.49, which is a 25 percent discount.

This charger features on our list of the best Apple Watch accessories. It can simultaneously charge your smartwatch, MagSafe-compatible iPhone and, if you have a wireless charging case, AirPods. It's handy when power outlets are at a premium or you want to keep your nightstand or desk as clutter-free as possible.

The MagGo is compact β€” it's similar in size to Apple's Magic Mouse and weighs 6.9 oz. Anker says it can charge an Apple Watch Series 9 from zero to 47 percent capacity in 30 minutes. The charger comes with a 40W USB-C adapter and a five-foot cable.

You can snap up the MagGo as part of a broader sale on Anker devices. There's another good deal on one of the best power banks around. A 3-in-1 model with a 10,000mAh capacity (enough to fully charge an iPhone 15 nearly twice over) has dropped to $30, but only for Prime members. That's a $9 discount. The charger has a built-in AC plug and USB-C cable.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/anker-black-friday-deals-include-this-3-in-1-foldable-magnetic-charger-at-a-record-low-price-155939150.html?src=rss

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Β© Anker

Anker 3-in-1 foldable magnetic charging station

The best board games to gift (and play) this 2024 holiday season

By: Engadget
18 December 2024 at 07:46

We could all use more time away from screens of all types and sizes, and board games are a fun way to do that and bond with friends and family. Classics like Monopoly and Scrabble may be tried and true, but there are dozens of newcomers in the board game world that are worth checking out. You can find plenty of unique sets out there now, from word puzzles to whodunnits to calming playthroughs that showcase the beauty of the little things in life. Here, we’ve collected 13 of our favorite board games that are not only great to keep on hand in your own home, but that will also make solid gifts this holiday season. From games with giant monsters to those with haunted mansions, we’re sure at least one of these will be a hit with friends and family.

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-board-games-to-gift-and-play-this-2024-holiday-season-125529754.html?src=rss

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Β© Engadget

The best board games

Amazon Black Friday deals drop the Echo Pop speaker down to only $18

30 November 2024 at 08:00

It's Black Friday and that means there are some excellent deals on Amazon products, including Kindles, Blink cameras, Ring doorbells and some of our best smart speakers. Take the Echo Pop, which is available for $18, down from $40. The 55 percent discount brings the Amazon Echo Pop to a record-low price.

Amazon launched the Echo Pop in May 2023 as a new entry-level option for Alexa-powered devices. It features a 1.95-inch front-facing speaker which could work well in a small room like a study or a dorm room. It uses Amazon’s AZ2 Neural Edge processor to allow for on-device tasks and lets you do all the standard commands with Alexa. Plus, you can get it in four colors: Charcoal, Glacier White, Lavender Bloom and Midnight Teal.Β 

The Pop isn't the only Echo device on sale ahead of Black Friday. Right now, you can get the fifth-generation Echo Dot for $23, down from $50 β€” a 44 percent discount. The Echo Spot is also on sale, dropping to $45 from $80 and the fourth-generation Echo is $55, down from $100.Β 

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazon-black-friday-deals-drop-the-echo-pop-speaker-down-to-only-18-142842638.html?src=rss

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Β© Engadget / Amazon

Echo Pop

The 12 best gifts under $25 for 2024

The most hyped tech is often also the most expensive: flagship smartphones, ultra-powerful gaming laptops, immersive VR headsets and the like. But it would be wrong to assume that those are the only pieces of technology worth gifting. You don’t have to drain your wallet to get someone a cool gadget that will both be useful and make their lives easier. There are more solid, affordable gadgets out there now more than ever, but that also means you’ll discover some junk along the way. We’ve collected our favorite pieces of tech under $25 that make great gifts and help you to stick to a budget.

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-gifts-under-25-140042014.html?src=rss

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Β© Engadget

The best gifts under $25

Black Friday deals include reMarkable 2 bundles for $89 off

21 November 2024 at 13:00

If you’ve been eyeing the reMarkable 2 for a while, now is a great time to buy one. While the E Ink tablet itself isn’t on sale, reMarkable has discounted the two bundles it offers alongside the 2. Until the end of December 2, you can save $89 off the Type Folio and Book Folio bundles. Both include reMarkable’s Marker Plus stylus, which comes with an eraser feature not found on the regular Marker stylus. It’s also black instead of gray and four grams heavier. As for the two folios, the type one is the one to buy if you need a keyboard.

The reMarkable 2 is easily the best E Ink tablet you can buy right now. It’s the top pick in our E Ink tablet guide, and for good reason. It boasts a tremendous reading and writing experience, with a responsive, low-latency display that offers the closest pen-and-paper experience among the tablets Engadget tested.Β 

The reMarkable 2 makes accessing your favorite books and files easy, too. It includes support for both PDFs and ePUBs, and you can link your Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive and Dropbox to make transferring those files a cinch. Each new reMarkable 2 tablet also comes with a complimentary one-year subscription to Remarkable Connect, which is great for transferring any notes you write to your other devices.

One of the few downsides of the ReMarkable 2 is how expensive it is to buy. Although reMarkable hasn’t directly discounted the tablet, a folio cover and Marker Plus stylus are accessories most people will probably want to buy anyway, so this Black Friday promotion still makes the device more accessible.Β 

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/black-friday-deals-include-remarkable-2-bundles-for-89-off-210003470.html?src=rss

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Β© reMarkable / Engadget

A reMarkable 2 tablet sits on a beige cover.

The 19 best gift ideas for the remote worker in your life

By: Engadget
21 November 2024 at 09:00

For many of us, working from home is the new normal. If you know someone who spends most of their days inside their home office, the holiday season is a good opportunity to help make their day-to-day routine a little more convenient. As a group of remote workers ourselves, we’ve rounded up a few gift ideas that should make the WFH life a little more delightful.

Best gifts for remote workers in 2024

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-work-from-home-gifts-wfh-140037231.html?src=rss

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Β© Engadget

The best gift ideas for the remote worker in your life

The 15 best gifts for dads

By: Engadget
20 November 2024 at 13:00

The holidays are approaching, and you may be scrambling to figure out what you should get dad for the occasion. If you’re shopping for a father who’s into consumer tech, though, we can help. Below, we’ve consulted our many hours of gadget testing and put together a list of standout gift ideas, from VR headsets to pizza ovens to meat thermometers.

Best gifts for dads in 2024

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-gifts-for-dads-170014057.html?src=rss

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Β© Engadget

The best gifts for dad

The PlayStation Black Friday deals will cut 25 to 30 percent off PS Plus subscriptions

20 November 2024 at 11:38

Sony offered a sneak peek at its PlayStation Black Friday deals, which start on Friday. In addition to some (currently nebulous) deals on hardware and games, the sale will include up to 30 percent off PlayStation Plus memberships. The deals will run from November 22 through December 2.

PlayStation Plus subscriptions will be β€œup to” 30 percent off for a 12-month membership. If you’re already a PS Plus Essential Member, you can save 25 percent on the remainder of your plan when upgrading to PlayStation Plus Extra. Or, you can shave off 30 percent if you’re upping your membership from PS Plus Extra to PS Plus Premium / Deluxe.

Promo image for Sony’s PlayStation Black Friday deals. A PS VR2 box with
Sony

Less specific (as of now) are the PlayStation Black Friday deals on hardware and games. Direct from PlayStation and through Sony’s retail partners, there will be sales on PS5 gear, including the Fortnite Cobalt Star Bundle. PS VR2 headsets, DualSense wireless controllers, Pulse headphones or earbuds and PS5 console covers will also be discounted. What we don’t know yet is how much savings Sony will offer on any of it.

Sony didn’t mention the PlayStation Portal, which is about to get a lot more interesting. This week, the company said the handheld will soon run a beta test for cloud streaming. The portable device’s inability to do anything but stream your local PS5 games at launch was a bit baffling, to say the least.

β€œSelect” games for PS5, PS4 and PC will also see price cuts. Sony mentions digital titles like Star Wars Outlaws, Madden β€˜25 and Hogwarts Legacy, so we at least know a few on-sale games to look out for. But similar to the hardware deals, we don’t know how juicy the deals will be (or which other titles will be available). You can check back on Friday morning to learn more.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/the-playstation-black-friday-deals-will-cut-25-to-30-percent-off-ps-plus-subscriptions-193815734.html?src=rss

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Β© Sony

Image (mostly blue) previewing a sale for 12-month PS Plus memberships. The Last of Us Part I game art to the right.
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