Jeff Dunn

 

Fri, Dec 22, 2023

While it’s a bit too late to receive most gifts in time for Christmas, there are still a handful of good gadget deals floating around if you’re shopping for yourself. If you need a new laptop today, for instance, multiple configurations of the 13-inch MacBook Air are $200 off Apple’s list price. The 15-inch Air, meanwhile, is available for as low as $999, a $300 discount. A bundle of Apple’s AirTags is down to $79, while a pack of Tile trackers is down to $50. The Xbox Series X is still $150 off, and the major video game storefronts have kicked off their annual winter sales, with sweeping discounts across Steam, the Nintendo eShop, the PlayStation Store and the Microsoft Store. We’re also seeing price drops on recommended gaming mice, wall chargers, wireless earbuds and more. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.

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  Anker 735 Charger (Nano II 65W)

  $30  $40

  Save $10

  See at Amazon

• 

  Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds

  $249  $299

  Save $50

  See at Amazon

• 

  Beats Fit Pro

  $160  $200

  Save $40

  See at Amazon

• 

  Hisense U6K LED TV (55-inch)

  $350  $580

  Save $230

  See at Amazon

• 

  LG A2 OLED TV (48-inch)

  $550  $600

  Save $50

  See at Best Buy

• 

  8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller with Charging Dock

  $56  $70

  Save $14

  See at Best Buy

• 

  Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023)

  $90  $140

  Save $50

  See at Amazon

• 

  Samsung Smart Monitor M80C (32-inch)

  $400  $700

  Save $300

  See at Amazon

Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget

Apple MacBook Air (13.6-inch)

$1,299   $1,499   Save $200

This is the lowest price we’ve seen for this version of the top pick in our laptop buying guide. This configuration includes Apple’s M2 chip, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. 

$1,299 at B&H

A configuration of the 13.6-inch MacBook Air with an Apple M2 chip, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD is down to $1,299 at B&H. That’s $200 off Apple’s list price. If you can live with less storage and memory, a variant with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD is also $200 off at $899. A version of the 15.3-inch Air with the same specs, meanwhile, is $300 off and down to an all-time low of $999. The M2 MacBook Air is the top pick in our guide to the best laptops, and both models earned a score of 96 in their respective reviews.

That said, you should only grab one of these if you need a notebook right away, as a recent report from Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman said that Apple plans to launch updated MacBook Airs in the coming months. If you absolutely can’t wait, however, the current models remain supremely well-built and should perform well for everyday tasks for years to come.

If you want a more affordable desktop PC, the M2 Mac mini is also on sale for an all-time low of $479. That’s about $30 off its usual street price, though, again, it’s likely just a matter of time until we see a refresh with Apple’s new M3 chip.

Larian Studios

Baldur’s Gate 3 (PC)

$54  $60  Save $6

This is a modest 10 percent discount, but it’s the first real price drop we’ve seen for this highly acclaimed turn-based RPG, and it comes as part of a wider range of sales at various gaming storefronts this week. This price is also available at GOG, and the PS5 version is 10 percent off at $63.

$54 at Steam

It’s a great time to pick up a new video game, as Steam, Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox have all kicked off their respective holiday sales. There are simply too many deals for us to list them all here, but one highlight is Baldur’s Gate 3 for $54. That’s only $6 off its usual price, but it’s the first discount to date for the recent game of the year winner and recommendation in our guide to the best couch co-op games. The PS5 version of the RPG is also on sale for $63, another 10 percent discount.

Beyond that, other notables include the sweeping open-world RPG Elden Ring for $36, the stylish roguelike Hades for $12.49 and the superb 3D platformers Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury for $35. Mass Effect Legendary Edition, which compiles three classic action-RPGs, is available for just $6, while Halo: The Master Chief Collection, which includes six entries in the Xbox’s premier FPS series, is back down to $10. A few more personal recommendations: the all-time great puzzler Portal 2 for a buck, the frantic 2D platformer Pizza Tower for $15, the wonderfully kinetic FPS Titanfall 2 for $4 and the ultra-stylish third-person shooter Max Payne 3 for $6. Outside of these sales, the intense mech-action game Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is down to a new low of $40 at Amazon.

There are hundreds more deals beyond those, so it’s worth perusing the sales for yourself if you’re looking to pad your backlog. (Use sites like Deku Deals and IsThereAnyDeal to ensure you’re getting a good price.) All of these promos will run into 2024, so even if you don’t want anything right now, you’ll have time to apply any gift cards you may receive over the holidays. PC gamers should note that the Epic Games Store is still running its holiday sale, which includes a recurring 33 percent coupon that makes many games cheaper than they are on Steam and other storefronts.

Photo by Chris Velazco / Engadget

Apple AirTag

$24   $28   Save $4

This is only about a dollar more than the lowest price we’ve seen for Apple’s diminutive Bluetooth tracker.

$24 at Amazon

The Apple AirTag is the top pick for iPhone owners in our Bluetooth tracker buying guide, as it can utilize Apple’s giant Find My device network to locate lost items with impressive accuracy. Right now you can get a single AirTag for $24, which is $6 off Apple’s list price, or a four-pack for $79, which is $20 off. The former is about $1 off the lowest price we’ve tracked; the latter is a deal we’ve seen for much of the past few weeks, but it still comes within $5 of its all-time low. Just be aware that you’ll need an extra accessory or two if you want to attach an AirTag to a particular item, as it lacks any keyring holes or built-in adhesive. These deals are available at several retailers, including Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy.

Tile

Tile Essentials 4-Pack

$50  $80  Save $30

This is the best price we’ve seen for this bundle of Bluetooth trackers, which includes two Tile Mates, a Tile Slim and a Tile Sticker.

$50 at Amazon

Tile’s trackers are among the better AirTag alternatives for Android users, and right now a four-pack that includes two Tile Mates, a Tile Slim and a Tile Sticker is down to a new low of $50. Normally, this bundle costs about $75. Tile’s devices generally aren’t as precise as AirTags, but its feature set is mostly similar and its crowd-finding network is still decently large. The varying designs here are more convenient, too — you can easily slip a Tile Slim into a wallet and attach a Tile Mate to a keyring without any third-party accessories. None of these devices have replaceable batteries, however, and Tile locks separation alerts (which let you know when you’ve travelled too far from a tracked item) behind a subscription fee.

Photo by Aaron Souppouris / Engadget

Xbox Series X

$349  $500  Save $151

This is $10 more than the all-time low for Microsoft’s most powerful Xbox console.

$349 at Walmart

The Xbox Series X is still $150 off and down to $350 at Best Buy, Walmart and Target, though the latter two may require in-store pickup. If those offers run dry, you can still get a bundle that pairs the console with the action-RPG Diablo IV for $50 more. While the console briefly dipped to $340 earlier this week, these are still nice entry points to Microsoft’s highest-end game console, which can play many games at a steady 4K/60 fps. The hardware also includes a disc drive, unlike the lower-cost Xbox Series S. And while the Xbox library is a bit light on top-tier exclusives, it still includes a diverse range of games we like. There’s a chance Microsoft launches an all-digital Series X refresh at some point in 2024, but the existing model is an easier buy at this price.

Photo by Jon Turi / Engadget

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 + $10 Amazon credit

$60  $100  Save $40

This is one of the lowest prices we’ve seen for this recommended Bluetooth speaker, which you can get with a $10 Amazon credit for no extra cost. The offer only applies to select colors, though.

$60 at Amazon

The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 is down to $60 at Amazon and Target, which is a little more than $20 off the compact portable speaker’s typical street price. To sweeten the deal, both retailers are throwing in $10 of store credit alongside the purchase. That’ll come in the form of an e-gift card at Target, while Amazon says it’ll apply the credit to your account 30 days after shipment. We recommend the Wonderboom 3 in our guide to the best portable Bluetooth speakers, praising its rugged, waterproof design and punchy-for-the-size sound quality. Battery life should last between 14 and 20 hours depending on how much you crank the volume.

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

Razer Basilisk V3

$40  $70  Save $30

This ties the lowest price we’ve seen for the top pick in our gaming mouse buying guide.

$40 at Amazon

The Razer Basilisk V3 is on sale for $40 at Amazon, Target and Best Buy, a $10 discount that matches the deal price we saw on Black Friday. This is the top pick in our gaming mouse buying guide. It’s not especially light at 100 grams, but it performs reliably, and its sturdy, contoured shape should be comfortable for any grip type. It comes with 11 customizable buttons, and its scroll wheel is impressively versatile, as it can tilt left or right and utilize a free spin mode for faster scrolling. Though the design looks “gamer-y,” its RGB lighting isn’t overly aggressive, either.

Anker

Anker 735 Charger (Nano II 65W)

$30  $40  Save $10

This recommended wall charger includes three ports and can deliver up to 65W of power.

$30 at Amazon

The Anker 735 Charger is down to $30 at Amazon, which is about $10 off its typical street price. This is a fairly compact wall charger with two USB-C ports and a USB-A port. It can supply up to 65W of power, which is enough to refill many smartphones at full speed and charge some smaller laptops. If you need more juice, the Anker 736 Charger is a bit larger but can deliver up to 100W; that one is $15 off and down to $45 with an on-page coupon.

Photo by Billy Steele / Engadget

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds

$249  $299  Save $50

This deal ties the Black Friday pricing for Bose’s latest wireless earbuds, which we recommend to those who want the strongest active noise cancellation possible in a true wireless design.

$249 at Amazon

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are back on sale for $249 at several retailers, which isn’t an all-time low but still takes $50 off the pair’s usual going rate. It also ties the deal we saw on Black Friday. The QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds earned a score of 88 in our review this past September, and they’re currently the “best for noise cancellation” pick in our wireless earbuds buying guide. If you just want the strongest active noise cancellation (ANC) possible in a true wireless form factor, they’re better at muting the outside world than any earbuds we’ve tested. Their default sound goes heavy on the bass, which should please fans of hip-hop and EDM, but you can customize the EQ curve if needed. The design is on the larger side, however, and their battery life and call quality are just OK.

Sony’s WF-1000XM5, the top pick in our guide, is currently available for a dollar less, though that discount has been available for most of the past two months. The WF-10000XM5 is still a more well-rounded option on the whole, but the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds’ ANC is more adept at muting low-end noises like the rumble of a plane or bus engine.

Photo by Billy Steele / Engadget

Beats Fit Pro

$160  $200  Save $40

We recommend the Fit Pro for gym-goers in our wireless earbuds buying guide.

$160 at Amazon

The Beats Fit Pro is the “best for workouts” pick in our wireless earbuds guide, and it’s now on sale for $160 at Amazon, Walmart and others. We’ve seen this deal several times in the past year, but it’s a decent $20 less than the pair’s typical street price. The Fit Pro packs many of the Apple-friendly conveniences of the AirPods Pro — hands-free Siri, easy pairing and audio switching, spatial audio, etc. — in a sportier and more stable design. It sounds nice, too, plus it uses physical buttons instead of touch controls. That said, it lacks wireless charging, it can’t connect to multiple devices simultaneously and its ANC can’t really touch the better options on the market. We gave the Fit Pro a score of 87 in our review. A few other Beats models are also on sale, including the more basic Studio Buds for $80.

Hisense

Hisense U6K LED TV (55-inch)

$350  $580  Save $230

This deal matches the best price we’ve seen for the 55-inch model of Hisense’s highly-rated budget TV.

$350 at Amazon

The 55-inch version of Hisense’s U6K TV is back down to $350 at Amazon and Best Buy, tying the all-time low we saw around Black Friday. Normally, it retails for $50 to $100 more. Though we don’t review TVs at Engadget, the U6K has received positive reviews from other sites we trust for delivering better-than-usual picture quality for a budget-level TV. It’s one of the few sets in this price range to use mini-LED backlighting, quantum dots and full-array local dimming, which collectively improve its color volume and contrast performance. Reviews say it can’t get as bright as more expensive models, so it won’t be great for HDR content, and its image will wash out when viewed from an angle. It’s also not ideal for gaming, as it’s stuck at a basic 60Hz refresh rate and lacks HDMI 2.1 ports. But if you don’t have tons of cash to burn, it should provide strong value.

LG

LG A2 OLED TV (48-inch)

$550   $600  Save $50

This matches the best price we’ve tracked for the 48-inch version of LG’s entry-level OLED TV.

$550 at Best Buy

If you’re willing to pay a little extra and don’t mind dropping down to a 48-inch TV, the LG A2 is also worth noting at its current price of $550 at Best Buy. This is another deal we’ve seen numerous times, but it ties the best price we’ve tracked. The A2 is LG’s entry-level OLED TV from 2022, but simply being an OLED set means it produces superior contrast, bolder colors, wider viewing angles and smoother motion than most options in this price range. It can’t get especially bright, so it’s best suited away from glare, and like the U6K it lacks HDMI 2.1 features for gaming like VRR. Still, it should be a nice step-up option for smaller or secondary rooms.

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller with Charging Dock

$56  $70  Save $14

This is one of the steeper discounts we’ve seen for this recommended wireless controller for the Nintendo Switch and PCs.

$56 at Best Buy

The 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller is on sale for $56 at Best Buy. That’s a few bucks higher than the lowest price we’ve tracked but still $14 off the device’s typical going rate. The Ultimate Bluetooth Controller is a comfortable and deeply customizable wireless gamepad for Switch and PC that we’ve highlighted before. The big advantage it has over most official controllers is its Hall effect joysticks, which use magnets to read inputs instead of contact-based potentiometers. That means it should be less susceptible to wear over time and avoid the dreaded “stick drift” we often see with traditional gamepads. An accurate d-pad, a nifty charging dock and a pair of customizable back buttons are all nice to have as well.

Amazon

Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023)

$90  $140  Save $50

This is the second-best discount we’ve seen for Amazon’s latest 10.1-inch tablet.

$90 at Amazon

The latest Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet is on sale for $90, which is $10 more than the all-time low we saw on Black Friday but still $50 off its usual going rate. At this price, the Fire HD 10 is one of the better values for those who just want a cheap slate for media consumption. Its 10.1-inch 1080p display is decently sharp and bright, its battery lasts a solid 10-ish hours per charge and it performs fine for simple web browsing and video streaming. This model only comes with 32GB of storage, but you can expand that with a microSD card. Its matte plastic design is still a far cry from an iPad’s build quality, and Amazon’s Fire OS is still a bit of a mess, with lock-screen ads, a limited app store and a general tendency to push you toward the company’s own services. But if you really can’t spend more than $100 on a new tablet, the Fire HD 10 should be an acceptable compromise.

Samsung

Samsung Smart Monitor M80C (32-inch)

$400  $700  Save $300

This versatile monitor can function like a tuner-less smart TV and access various streaming apps even when it’s not connected to a PC.

$400 at Amazon

The 32-inch Samsung Smart Monitor M80C is back down to $400 at Amazon, B&H and other retailers. That’s a roughly $100 discount and the best price we’ve seen outside of education-related special offers. This is one of the more versatile monitors on the market, as it comes with the Tizen platform you’d find on Samsung’s smart TVs built-in. This allows the device to access various streaming services without having to connect to a PC. It’s a decent 4K monitor in its own right, with a VA panel that delivers high contrast, though it’s limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and will look washed out from an angle. You’d buy it for the extra functionality first: Apart from the built-in app support, it can function as a smart home hub, it supports Apple AirPlay and it works with both Alexa and Bixby. There are built-in speakers and a dedicated webcam as well.

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