Black Friday always brings a deluge of laptop deals, but figuring out which notebooks are actually worth your money can be messy. To help you avoid wasting hundreds on a hunk of junk, we’ve scoured the web and sorted out the best Black Friday laptop deals we could find below. Our findings include noteworthy deals on top MacBooks, gaming laptops, Chromebooks, Windows ultrabooks, budget models and more, so if you’re looking to make a laptop refresh, there should be something to suit your needs.

Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, M2)

The 13.6-inch Apple MacBook Air is down to $929 at B&H for an entry-level configuration with 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD and Apple’s M2 chip. That’s $30 more than the lowest price we’ve seen but still $170 less than buying from Apple directly. If you need more RAM and storage space, a model with 16GB of memory and a 512GB SSD is $200 off at $1,299. The M2 MacBook Air is the top pick in our guide to the best laptops, and this 13-inch model earned a score of 96 in our review last year. It’s worth noting that a refresh with Apple’s new M3 chip is reportedly planned for the first half of 2024, and the SSD in the entry-level config is technically slower than the storage in higher-capacity models. But if you need a new notebook right away, the M2 Air still ticks all the requisite design and performance boxes for everyday use.

Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M2)

The 15.3-inch MacBook Air is $250 off in various configurations at Amazon, B&H, Best Buy and others. A model with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD is available for $1,249, for instance, while another config with twice the memory is $1,449. We gave the 15-inch Air a review score of 96 this past June. It carries a similarly crisp display, comfortable keyboard, long-lasting battery and speedy M2 chip as the smaller Air, but it adds a more powerful speaker system alongside its roomier display. Its base config also comes with a 10-core GPU by default, whereas the 13-inch Air starts with an 8-core GPU. This is another one we expect to see updated with an M3 chip in 2024, though. These discounts have been around for much of the past month, but we haven’t seen the notebook go for less very often.

Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3 Pro)

Apple only released its latest MacBook Pros last month, but the new notebooks are already discounted for Black Friday. The 14.2-inch MacBook Pro, for one, is down to $1,799 at Amazon and B&H for a model with an M3 Pro chip, 18GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. That’s $200 off Apple’s list price. A 1TB model is $150 off at $2,249, while a variant with the more powerful M3 Max chip is $200 off at $2,999.

As the name suggests, the MacBook Pro is really meant for coders, multimedia editors and other professional types who’re willing to trade some portability for additional horsepower and a brighter and faster Liquid Retina XDR display. If you fall into that bracket, though, the new Pros are suitably fast, efficient and elegantly designed. We gave the 14-inch Pro a score of 90 in our review earlier this month.

The new entry-level MacBook Pro with a 14-inch display and a base M3 chip is also on sale for $1,449. That’s a $150 discount, but we advise most people to steer clear of this model. It sits in something of a no man’s land between the MacBook Air and the higher-end MacBook Pros: It has the excellent display of the latter, but few people need that, and it’s limited to 8GB of memory, which is hardly enough for “pro”-level tasks. Most are better off saving some cash and grabbing an Air with 16GB of RAM.

Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch)

The 16.2-inch MacBook Pro is discounted as well. A model with an M3 Pro chip, 18GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD is down to $2,229 at Amazon, B&H and Best Buy. That’s $200 off. A variant with 36GB of RAM is $2,649 (or $250 off), while another with an M3 Max chip and a 1TB SSD is $3,299 (or $200 off). The 16-inch Pro is virtually identical to the 14-inch model; it’s just a bit larger and heavier, and its battery lasts a touch longer.

Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, M1)

The older 13-inch MacBook Air that was released in 2020 and uses Apple’s M1 chip is also on sale, with an entry-level config available for $750. We’ve seen this deal a handful of times over the last few months, but it matches the lowest price we’ve seen. It’s really worth stepping up to the M2 Air if you can: It’ll get you a more modern design, a faster chip, a sharper webcam and improved speakers. The 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD in this config is only suitable for casual use, and this model will almost certainly be discontinued when we get the inevitable M3 refresh. But if you’re on a stricter budget and really want a MacBook, the M1 Air is still well-built, long-lasting and fast enough for the essentials. We currently highlight it in our guide to the best budget laptops.

Dell XPS 13 (9315)

Dell’s XPS 13 is down to $799 for a configuration with a Core i7-1250U processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD and a 13.4-inch, 1,920 x 1,200 resolution display. That’s $300 off Dell’s list price and only a little bit higher than the lowest price we’ve seen. The XPS 13 is the top pick in our guide to the best Windows laptops thanks to its svelte design, dependable keyboard and trackpad, lengthy battery life and solid display. You’re not getting the latest processor here, but this model is still performant enough for everyday work. The main issue here is port selection: There’s only two Thunderbolt 4 ports and no dedicated headphone jack. Still, if you can tolerate using a dongle every now and then, this is a good price for a high-quality ultrabook.

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus

The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is down to $379 at Best Buy, which is $120 off its list price. This is the latest iteration of the top pick in our Chromebook buying guide. Its 14-inch, 1,920 x 1,200 IPS touchscreen is good for the money, and it’s plenty fast for the web browsing and light work you’d do with Chrome OS. Both its keyboard and trackpad are comfortable, plus it comes with a decent 1080p webcam. This model comes with an Intel Core i3-1315U processor, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of eMMC storage, one USB-A port, two USB-C 3.2 ports and a microSD card slot. The chassis isn’t especially light at 3.6 pounds, and we found the battery to last roughly seven hours in testing, which is just OK. But for less than $400, this is a strong value.

HP Pavilion Aero 13

The HP Pavilion Aero 13 is down to $550 for a model with an AMD Ryzen 5 7535U processor, 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. This notebook goes on sale fairly often, but this is the lowest price we’ve seen for this config. The Pavilion Aero 13 is the top Windows pick in our budget laptop buying guide. It’s impressively light (2.2 pounds) and slim (0.67 inches) for the money, while its 13.3-inch, 1,920 x 1,200 IPS display is sufficiently bright and colorful. It comes with a solid backlit keyboard and the essential ports as well. It’s still a budget laptop, so it doesn’t have the sturdiest chassis, and it’s saddled with a 720p webcam. You’ll also have to navigate some bloatware. But if you want a cheaper notebook that doesn’t totally sacrifice aesthetics, it’s a decent option.

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is available for $1,200 at Best Buy for a configuration with a Ryzen 9 7940HS processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD and a GeForce RTX 4060 GPU. That matches the lowest price we’ve seen and takes $400 off ASUS’ list price. This model also has a 14-inch 1440p display with a 165Hz refresh rate. The ROG Zephyrus G14 is the top overall recommendation in our guide to the best gaming laptops. It’s a compact notebook that’s plenty capable for triple-A gaming but doesn’t totally sacrifice the “laptop” part of the phrase “gaming laptop.” It’s relatively light and portable at 3.6 pounds, and its keyboard and trackpad both work well. Its 720p webcam could stand to be sharper, though.

MSI Stealth 14 Studio

The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is another gaming laptop we like, and right now Best Buy has it for $1,100. This model includes a Core i7-13620H chip, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, an RTX 4060 GPU and a 14-inch 1,920 x 1,200 display with a 165Hz refresh rate. We gave the Stealth 14 Studio a score of 87 in our review this past June; like the ROG Zephyrus G14, it’s light for a gaming laptop (3.75 pounds) and offers capable performance for everyday gaming. This config is a lower-end model than the one we reviewed — it has a slightly slower CPU and its display isn’t as sharp or fast — but the gist is the same. Its biggest flaws are its middling 720p webcam and the fact that it can run hot under load. It’s still a gaming laptop, so battery life isn’t amazing either.

Whether you should get this config over the ROG Zephyrus G14 deal above comes down to if you can sacrifice a higher-res display for more storage space. The G14 has more ports as well, though the Stealth 14 Studio includes a Thunderbolt 4 port, which may be important if you ever plan on connecting an external GPU.

Dell G15 5530 Gaming Laptop

A version of Dell’s G15 5530 Gaming Laptop with a Ryzen 7 7840HS processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, an RTX 4060 GPU and a 15.6-inch, 1080p, 165Hz display is down to $900 at Amazon. That’s a 22 percent discount and the lowest price we’ve tracked. Another model with a more powerful Core i7-13650HX chip and 1TB of RAM is available for $1,160, which is about $190 below its average street price. This is the most recent version of the “best budget” pick in our gaming laptops buying guide. It’s big, heavy (6.2 pounds) and not especially premium feeling, but it’s strong enough to play many games at high-ish settings, and its memory and storage are user-upgradeable.

Alienware m18

The 18-inch Alienware m18 is down to $2,390 at Amazon for a model with a Ryzen 9 7845HX processor, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and a 480Hz display with a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution. Nobody would call this affordable, but it’s still 20 percent off Dell’s list price and the lowest price we’ve seen outside of special offers. The m18 is another pick from our gaming laptops guide: It’s too huge to be truly portable and weighs nearly nine pounds, but the giant screen is nice for taking in games, it’s sturdily built and it can consistently run demanding titles at high frame rates. It’s also upgradeable, plus it has a wide array of ports. You’ll want to keep it near a charger, though, and it’s far from the quietest notebook we’ve used.

Razer Blade 15

The Razer Blade 15 is down to $2,100 at B&H and Newegg for a config with a Core i7-13800H, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, an RTX 4060 GPU and a 15.6-inch IPS display with a 1440p resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate. That’s $400 off and the lowest price we’ve seen for this 2023 model. The Blade 15 is the high-end pick in our gaming laptop buying guide. This model is powerful enough to play most modern games at high settings in 1080p or 1440p, but the main reason to buy any Blade is its design, which is slimmer and generally more premium than most gaming notebooks. Just don’t expect it to last super long on a charge or stay especially cool under load. We gave the 2022 version of the Blade 15 a review score of 86 last year.

Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is down to $2,093 at Amazon and B&H for a configuration with a Core i7-13700H, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of SSD storage and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU. That’s $300 below the notebook’s average going rate and the lowest price we’ve seen since the device arrived a few weeks ago. Other models with different RAM, storage and GPU options are also discounted.

We gave the Surface Laptop Studio 2 a score of 85 in our review. The big hook is its hinged touch display, which lets the bottom of the screen pivot and tilt over the keyboard like an easel for digital artists. We found the 14.4-inch, 2,400 x 1,600 resolution panel to look great more generally, while its battery life, build quality and overall performance all impressed as well. It’s slightly bulkier than competing models, and it’s still expensive even at this price, but this deal makes it a little more approachable for those who like the hinged design and want a laptop for media editing.

Microsoft Surface Pro 9

A configuration of Microsoft’s Surface Pro 9 with a Core i5-1235U processor, 16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD and Microsoft’s Surface Pro Keyboard is down to $1,000 at Best Buy. That’s $540 off Microsoft’s list price. If you don’t need the keyboard, a variant with a stronger Intel Core i7-1255U chip is down to a low of $1,100 at Amazon, Microsoft, B&H and other retailers. That’s an all-time low and roughly $200 off the config’s usual street price. Another Core i7 model with 512GB of storage is on sale for $300 more.

The Surface Pro 9 tops our guide to the best 2-in-1 tablets. While its 12th-gen chip is about to be two generations old, this is still the device to get if you want the functionality of a laptop in the slim design of a tablet. We’re past the point of the year when Microsoft would normally announce a refresh, but the current model should still be useful if you’re coming from an older Surface in desperate need of an upgrade.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/black-friday-laptop-deals-for-2023-save-on-notebooks-from-apple-microsoft-dell-and-more-140021323.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Black Friday laptop deals for 2023: Save on notebooks from Apple, Microsoft, Dell and more

If you’re planning to pick up some new Apple gear in the near future, a new Amazon Black Friday deal may be of interest. If you purchase an Apple gift card totaling $100 or more from the retailer, you can get $15 in Amazon store credit for no extra cost. Just use the code APPLET5USA at checkout to see the offer. The deal applies to the digital version of the card; as of this writing, you can get the credit with a physical Apple gift card as well by using the code APPLET5USAP, though you may not want to clip the coupon on those cards’ product page, as Amazon’s listing says that will only give you a $10 credit. 

Amazon’s fine print says you can only apply the credit once per account, and that you’ll receive the credit alongside an email confirmation within 24 hours of your purchase. From there, you’ll be able to use the credit until January 17, albeit only on products that are listed as shipped and sold by Amazon.com.

As a refresher, you can use an Apple gift card for App Store credit, subscription services like Apple Music or iCloud, and/or purchases made at a physical Apple store. If you often shop at Amazon anyway, this deal effectively gives you a bit of free money, which is always hard to beat around the holidays.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-black-friday-deal-get-a-15-amazon-credit-when-you-buy-a-100-apple-gift-card-134526067.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Apple Black Friday deal: Get a Amazon credit when you buy a 0 Apple gift card

Whether you’re shopping for someone you love or yourself, Black Friday is arguably the best time of the year to stock up on digital storage. If you need a microSD card for your Nintendo Switch or camera, a speedy SSD for your PS5 or a high-capacity portable drive, you can find Black Friday deals on a number of the best models available today. Some of our favorites from Samsung, SanDisk, Crucial and others have hit record-low prices for Black Friday, which may make it tempting to pick up a couple of options to either give as gifts to the techies in your life, or save for yourself to use when the need arises. After combing through the slew of storage deals you’ll find this year, here are the best Black Friday deals on microSD cards, SSDs and more that you can get for 2023.

Samsung Pro Plus microSD

Samsung Evo Select microSD

SanDisk Nintendo Switch microSD

Lexar Professional 1066x microSD

Samsung T9

Samsung T7 Shield

Corsair MP600 Pro LPX SSD

Crucial MX500

Crucial X8

Samsung 980 Pro

WD Black SN850X

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-black-friday-ssd-deals-save-on-microsd-cards-ssds-and-pc-storage-133058225.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – The best Black Friday SSD deals: Save on microSD cards, SSDs and PC storage

Amazon has ereaders aplenty on sale for Black Friday. You can get the entry-level Kindle for $80, close to a record low. In addition, the retailer has its higher-end Kindle Paperwhite for $120, the Kindle Scribe for $240 and the Kindle Oasis for $180.

The latest Kindle, Engadget’s pick for the best budget reader in 2023, has a 6-inch display with a crisp 300ppi pixel density. Its screen is glare-free with a front light you can adjust to match your environment’s brightness. It’s also Amazon’s lightest and most compact Kindle, weighing only 5.56 oz (158 g) — about 23 percent lighter than the Paperwhite.

Typically $100, the Kindle’s $80 sale price approaches its all-time low of $65 from July Prime Day 2023. The device ships in black and denim (blue), includes a charging cable (but not a wall plug) and lasts an estimated six weeks per charge. Its sale price includes lock-screen ads: Although they’re pretty unobtrusive and won’t disturb your reading, you can pay more upfront or change your mind later and pony up (usually $20) to remove them through your Amazon account.

Kindle Paperwhite

Although the budget model will offer enough features for most people, the pricier Kindle Paperwhite adds a few extra perks. Its screen is bigger, at 6.8 inches. Its front light has more LEDs (17) for more even coverage, and it lets you adjust its warmth, making the illumination more yellowish or white to match your surroundings. It also adds IPX8 water resistance, meaning it can handle up to two meters of submersion for up to 60 minutes. In addition, its battery lasts an estimated 10 weeks. Usually $150, Amazon’s Black Friday sale has the Kindle Paperwhite for just $120.

Kindle Scribe

If you want a larger device that doubles as a digital notebook, the Kindle Scribe is also on sale. It has a 10.2-inch display and a bundled stylus for creating notes and annotating PDFs or books. Although its limited cloud syncing abilities have frustrated some customers, the device is cheaper than direct rivals like the reMarkable 2 and Boox’s various e-ink tablets — while including access to the Kindle Store. Typically $340, you can get the Kindle Scribe now for $240.

Kindle Oasis

Although the Kindle Oasis hasn’t been updated in a while, the 2019 model is still an option for those who like using physical page-turn buttons instead of tapping the screen. The 7-inch, 300 ppi ereader has a warm light (similar to the Paperwhite) to adjust its front light from white to amber. Like the Paperwhite, it’s also rated IPX8 for water resistance, and its design and weight distribution make it exceptionally comfortable for one-handed use. The typically $250 Kindle Oasis is on sale for Black Friday for $180, making it easier to justify paying for a (still lovely) four-year-old product.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazons-kindle-is-down-to-80-for-black-friday-133030100.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Amazon’s Kindle is down to for Black Friday

Black Friday is usually one of the best times of the year to buy a new TV, but trying to sort through the barrage of so-called discounts around the web can be exhausting. To help you separate the good sets from the junk, we’ve rounded up the best Black Friday TV deals we could find from Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy and others. Though we don’t formally review TVs at Engadget, we’ve researched user reviews and testing from other sites we trust to ensure our list only includes TVs you’ll be happy to own years down the road. If you’re all set on the TV front, we’ve also included a few Black Friday deals on media streamers and soundbars we like.

Samsung S90C OLED TV (55-inch)

A 55-inch model of Samsung’s S90C OLED TV is available for $1,298 at Amazon, Walmart and B&H. Samsung itself has it for $2 more. This has been the S90C’s price for the last several weeks but, outside of a brief drop to $1,098 at B&H earlier this month, it matches the lowest rate we’ve tracked. The S90C has received near–universal praise for its QD-OLED panel, which uses a layer of quantum dots to boost its peak brightness and color saturation while retaining the high contrast and deep black tones of a typical OLED display. Put another way, it looks great, and it should hold up better than most OLED TVs in a bright room. It’s also an ideal gaming TV, as it has four HDMI 2.1 ports that support up to a 144Hz refresh rate in 4K (on PCs). The main downside is that, like all Samsung TVs, it doesn’t support the popular Dolby Vision HDR format.

LG C3 OLED TV (42-inch)

The LG C3 OLED TV is down to $897 for a 42-inch model at Amazon and B&H, which matches its all-time low. The C3 lacks the quantum-dot tech of the Samsung S90C, so it can’t get quite as bright or colorful. But it still offers most of the expected perks of a good OLED panel, including high contrast, wide viewing angles and smooth motion. It supports Dolby Vision HDR as well, plus it’s available in smaller sizes than the S90C — hence why we’re highlighting the 42-inch model here. Larger versions are also discounted, but they’re priced close enough to the S90C that most people should opt for the Samsung TV instead. If you want a premium TV for a smaller space — and can keep the set away from glare — this model should fit the bill.

LG A2 OLED TV (48-inch)

The 48-inch LG A2 OLED TV, meanwhile, is on sale for $550 at Best Buy. We’ve seen numerous deals for this set over the course of the year, but this one matches the lowest price we’ve tracked. The A2 is an entry-level model from 2022, so it’s limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, lacks HDMI 2.1 ports and doesn’t support other gaming-friendly features like VRR. It has noticeably lower peak brightness than higher-end OLEDs like the C3, too, so it won’t pop as much with HDR content. That said, it’s still an OLED TV, so it still delivers deep contrast, bold colors, wide viewing angles and low input lag for the money. At this price, it should be a nice step-up option for smaller or secondary rooms.

Samsung The Frame LED TV (LS03B)

The 55-inch version of Samsung’s The Frame TV is down to $978 at Amazon and B&H, which is nearly $400 off its average street price in recent months. It’s available for a couple bucks more at Samsung and Best Buy. If you want something smaller, the 50-inch model is a good buy at $898, too. This LED TV lacks contrast-boosting features like local dimming and mini-LED backlights, so its picture quality, while good, can’t match the best sets in its price range. Instead, you’d buy a Frame TV for its style. The whole thing is designed to look like a mountable piece of wall art, and when you aren’t watching something, you can use it to display artwork and photos. The TV comes with a few pieces by default, while others are available with an optional subscription.

Hisense U8K LED TV

The 55-inch Hisense U8K is available for $698, which is an all-time low and $50 less than its typical street price in recent months. Best Buy has it for $2 more. The 65-inch model is also at an all-time low of $898. Several reviews have praised the U8K as one of the year’s best values among midrange TVs, one that gets impressively bright and delivers strong contrast for an LED display. It comes with two HDMI 2.1 ports that play 4K video up to 144Hz, it supports all the major HDR formats and its Google TV platform is easier to use than most smart TV UIs. Its motion and color performance will still trail a good OLED TV, though, and reviews say it’ll wash out much more heavily when viewed from an angle. But if you want to stay under $1,000, it should be a good value.

TCL QM8 LED TV (65-inch)

The TCL QM8 is generally regarded as a close rival to the Hisense U8K in the same price bracket. Its 65-inch model is now down to $898 at Amazon and Walmart, which is the lowest price we’ve tracked. Like Hisense’s set, the QM8 uses quantum dots, mini-LED backlights and an expansive local dimming feature to deliver strong contrast for a non-OLED TV and enough brightness to overcome glare in any room. It, too, runs Google TV, and it has two HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K/144Hz video.

The QM8 isn’t available in a size lower than 65 inches, so those who don’t have the space for a larger TV should get the U8K. But TCL’s TV does have one advantage for gamers: Its eARC port is separate from its HDMI 2.1 ports. That means those with a PS5, Xbox Series X and eARC-enabled soundbar can have all three hooked up at once and enjoy 4K/120Hz gaming on the two consoles without having to change inputs. One of the U8K’s HDMI 2.1 ports, on the other hand, doubles as the eARC port, so it might cause a little extra hassle. Otherwise, the two sets appear to offer similar performance.

Hisense U6K LED TV

The Hisense U6K is down to $350 for a 55-inch model and $498 for a 65-inch model, both of which represent all-time lows. The U6K is a well–reviewed option for those on a tighter budget, as it’s one of the few affordable sets to use quantum dots, mini-LED backlights and full-array local dimming. All of that helps it deliver better contrast and color volume than most TVs in this price range. It can’t get as bright as the U8K or TCL QM8, so it won’t exactly sparkle with HDR content, and its picture will degrade when viewed at an angle. Its 60Hz refresh rate and lack of HDMI 2.1 ports mean it’s not ideal for gaming, either. But trade-offs are to be expected for less than $500; if you don’t want to pay up for a higher-end model, this looks to be a solid compromise.

We’ll also note the Hisense U7K, which is down to lows of $480 for a 55-inch set and $700 for a 65-inch one. As its name suggests, this TV sits between the U8K and U6K in Hisense’s lineup: It doesn’t look as rich or bright as the former, but it’s a step up over the latter if you can afford to stretch your budget a little more.

TCL Q6 LED TV

The 65-inch TCL Q6 is available for $500 at Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy, which is $20 more than its all-time low but still $50 below its usual street price. The 75-inch set is down to a new low of $650, however. The Q6 is another budget-level TV released in 2023. Most reviews we trust say it lags well behind the Hisense U6K when it comes to contrast and HDR performance, but it’s worth highlighting because it supports a faster 120Hz refresh rate — so long as you play at a 1080p or 1440p resolution instead of 4K. If you’re a competitive-minded gamer who doesn’t want to spend a ton on a new TV, that extra smoothness might be worthwhile. Note that this set runs Amazon’s Fire TV platform, which’ll work best if you often use Amazon services like Prime Video.

Sony A95L OLED TV

If money is absolutely no object, the 55-inch Sony A95L is $300 off and down to a new “low” of $2,498 at Amazon and B&H. That’s far from cheap, but this ultra-premium QD-OLED TV has received wide praise for delivering perfect black levels, superb image processing, particularly punchy colors, and high brightness levels relative to other OLED sets. It’s another Google TV and, unlike the Samsung S90C, it supports Dolby Vision HDR. It can even play games at 4K/120Hz with Dolby Vision, and several reviews praise the quality of its built-in speakers. The main negative, apart from its eye-watering price, is that it only has two HDMI 2.1 ports. The S90C should be a better value for most, particularly gamers, but this deal makes the A95L at least a little cheaper than usual.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is down to $30 at Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Roku’s online store and others. That’s $5 more than its all-time low but still $14 off the average street price we’ve seen in recent months. The Streaming Stick 4K is the top pick in our guide to the best streaming devices: It runs quickly, it works with all the major streaming services and HDR formats, and it has useful features like AirPlay support and a private listening mode. The Roku UI isn’t the sexiest piece of software design, but it’s a breeze to navigate and its search tool does well to find shows across disparate apps.

Roku Express 4K+

A couple other Roku streamers of note are also on sale. The Roku Express 4K+, for one, is within a dollar of its all-time low at $25. That dongle can’t plug directly into an HDMI port, lacks Dolby Vision support and has slightly slower Wi-Fi than the Streaming Stick 4K, but it offers the same general experience otherwise.

Roku Ultra

The Roku Ultra, meanwhile, is about $30 off at $69. This is the “best set-top box” pick in our media streamer guide. It’s pricier than the Streaming Stick 4K, but it adds an Ethernet jack and a microSD slot for expanded storage. It also comes with Roku’s Voice Remote Pro, which has a rechargeable battery, two programmable shortcut buttons, a remote finder function and a built-in headphone jack for private listening. You can buy the Voice Remote Pro separately and use it with most other Roku streamers, though.

Google Chromecast with Google TV

The Google Chromecast is on sale for $38 at Amazon, Walmart and Target. This is a deal we’ve seen several times before and doesn’t represent an all-time low, but it’s still $12 off Google’s list price. The Chromecast is the runner up in our guide to the best streaming devices: It was released way back in 2020 and doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6, but it still performs competently and supports the major streaming apps. Its biggest selling point is its Google TV interface, which does well to proactively suggest shows you might like based on your viewing history and has a genuinely convenient voice search function. If the idea of a streamer that adjusts to your viewing habits sounds appealing to you, it might be worth grabbing over one of the Roku players above. If you’re shopping for an older TV, the 1080p version of the Chromecast offers just about all of the same benefits and is on sale for $20.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Stick 4K Max

Amazon’s latest Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Stick 4K Max have received their largest discounts since arriving in September. The former is 50 percent off at $25, while the latter is 33 percent off at $40. Between the two, the Max has a slightly faster processor clocked at 2.0GHz (instead of 1.7GHz), 16GB of internal storage (instead of 8GB) and support for Wi-Fi 6E (instead of just Wi-Fi 6). It also includes Amazon’s “Ambient Experience” mode, which displays artwork and widgets when the streamer is idle. That said, both dongles should be quick to load content. Both support the requisite streaming apps, Dolby Atmos and all the major HDR formats as well.

On the higher end of the Fire TV lineup, the Fire TV Cube is also on sale for $110. That ties the all-time low for the streaming box/Alexa speaker hybrid. The main downside with Fire TV devices is the same as it’s been for years: The UI is saddled with ads and not at all shy about nudging you toward Amazon services like Prime Video and Freevee. For most, a Roku or Chromecast should be a bit less obnoxious. But if you often use Amazon apps (or Alexa) and just want a competent 4K streamer for cheap, this may be less of an issue.

Apple TV 4K

Deals for the Apple TV 4K have been extremely uncommon over the past year and, sadly, we aren’t seeing any new cash discounts on Black Friday. However, if you’re willing to pay the full $129 list price at Apple’s online store (or $149 for a 128GB model), you can get a $25 Apple Gift Card for no extra cost. That’s not much of a deal, but if you’ve had your eye on the set-top box and already planned on paying for Apple Music, iCloud or any other Apple service, it’s better than nothing.

We call the Apple TV 4K the “best premium” pick in our media streamer guide. It’s much pricier than a Roku or Chromecast, but it’s consistently fast, its Siri-based remote works well and it supports Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision. It also integrates tightly with other Apple devices and services; you can quick-pair a set of AirPods, for instance, and beam content directly to the box via AirPlay. Apple’s tvOS interface is slick and easy to read too, though it tends to advertise Apple TV+ shows over those from other services.

Sonos soundbar sale

Sonos is running a Black Friday sale that includes a range of discounts on soundbars and home theater gear. The deals include the flagship Sonos Arc soundbar for $719, which is a $180 discount. The mid-range Sonos Beam (Gen 2) and the more basic Sonos Ray are also on sale for $399 and $223, respectively; that’s a $100 drop for the former and a $56 drop for the latter. All three devices are recommendations in our guide to the best soundbars. Elsewhere, the Sonos Sub (Gen 3) subwoofer is $160 off at $639, while the more compact Sonos Sub Mini is $86 off at $343.

We gave the Arc, Beam and Ray review scores of 85, 88 and 82, respectively. The Arc and Beam both technically support Dolby Atmos, but the former’s larger frame and upward-firing drivers help it sound more spacious. The Ray is a smaller and more basic model that doesn’t sound as dynamic, but it still performs well for its size and price. Each device gets you the core perks of a Sonos speaker: easy pairing with other Sonos devices, a simple setup process, a straightforward app with access to a variety of streaming services, AirPlay support, a stylish design and so on. Discounts on Sonos devices are fairly rare, though it’s worth noting that a recent Bloomberg report said the company is working on an updated Arc and other home theater equipment.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/black-friday-tv-deals-worth-your-money-from-samsung-lg-sony-and-others-130031633.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – The Black Friday TV deals worth your money from Samsung, LG, Sony and others

Amazon and Black Friday go together like peanut butter and heavily discounted jelly. The web retail giant unveiled a spate of deals for the day, including an extremely attractive offer on its Fire HD 10 tablet. You can snag one for 43 percent off, dropping the price down to $80. This is a record-low for Amazon’s mid-level device.

You aren’t even getting an older tablet here, as the deal’s for the company’s latest and greatest 2023 model. To that end, you get a 10.1-inch full HD screen, an octa-core 2 GHz processor, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage. Not bad for $80, right? This isn’t the fanciest tablet on the block, but it gets the job done for browsing the web, checking social media and, of course, watching streaming apps. It even comes with a dashboard for controlling smart home devices with taps instead of voice commands.

This deal is for the Fire HD 10 with “lockscreen ads”, so you’ll be shown personalized ads on the screensaver in sleep mode. I’ve found this ad delivery method to be relatively unobtrusive, all things considered. There is one serious caveat, however, that impacts most Amazon tablets. You won’t have access to the Google Play Store, so the app selection is limited. However, all the big ones are still available.

There are other Amazon-branded tablets available with steep discounts as part of this larger Black Friday event. You can get the company’s top-of-the-line Fire 11 Max tablet for $150 instead of $230. This tablet boasts 64GB of storage with an SD slot for more, 4GB of RAM, an octa-core processor and a durable aluminum design. The diminutive Fire HD 8 is also on sale for $60 instead of $100.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-black-friday-deals-include-43-percent-off-the-2023-fire-hd-10-tablet-120052541.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Amazon Black Friday deals include 43 percent off the 2023 Fire HD 10 tablet

We consistently recommend Anker’s charging devices and accessories for a good reason: they perform really well. Now, Anker is running a Black Friday sale on Amazon with many of its best products heavily discounted, like the 60 percent price cut on its USB-C to HDMI Adapter. Anker Black Friday deals cover portable chargers, cords, wall plugs, surge protectors and basically every item needed to keep your devices functioning. Without further ado, here are some of the best Anker products discounted for Black Friday.

Anker Magnetic Power Bank

Anker’s 20W Magnetic Power Bank provides up to 22 hours of extra battery life for the iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15. It’s compatible with MagSafe and has a 10N magnetic force, stronger than the initial MagSafe charger. Its grip makes it super easy to use your iPhone as usual while still giving it a boost. Get the magnetic power bank in Black, White, Purple or Pink — all for the same price.

Anker Prime 100W USB-C Charger

This 100W Anker Prime USB-C Charger is great to have near your desk or bedside table when you want to juice up multiple devices. It comes with one USB-A port and two USB-C ports, with 100W of power evenly distributed when you use two of them (though using all three will still produce a fast charge). It’s compatible with every iPhone since the iPhone 12, along with recent MacBooks, Galaxy Tabs, the HP Chromebook 14 and more. 

Anker 563 10-in-1 USB-C Hub

MacBooks are great, but their lack of an HDMI port can sometimes be frustrating. Anker’s 563 10-in-1 USB-C Hub solves that problem (and with a 4K display) while giving you plenty of extra ports along with it. The device has two HDMI ports, a USB-C port to connect your laptop, a USB-C data port, two USB-A data ports, an Ethernet port, a 100W max PD-IN port, an SD card slot and a microSD card slot.  

Anker iPhone Fast Charging Cable 2-pack

One charging cable is enough in theory, but it always leads to instant regret the moment you realize it’s still at work or even all the way downstairs. Anker’s iPhone Fast Charging Cable 2-pack is nearly half off, making it an easy decision to spring for the extra. The 10-foot-long braided cables can charge an iPhone 14 Pro to 50 percent in 30 minutes (if you have a compatible plug, of course). Either way, their length and overall high-speed charges make them a good option to pick up.

Anker Prime Power Bank 200W

Anker’s 200W Prime Power Bank is the one to buy if you want super fast charging in a compact device. It comes with one USB-A 200W port and two USB-C 100W ports. The included 100W charging base brings the power bank back up to full charge in just an hour and 15 minutes. 

Surge Protector Power Strip

The last thing you want for your nice gaming desktop or console (besides getting very wet) is for it to face a power surge. For $22, Anker’s 12-outlet Surge Protector Power Strip gives you peace of mind that all your devices and game progress are protected. 

Anker SOLIX F1200 Portable Power Station

Are you already dreaming about warmer weather and beautiful camping excursions? If you need a new portable power station for that adventure, now is the time to get it. Anker’s SOLIX F1200 Portable Power Station is half off, bringing it from $1,400 to $700. It’s still quite a chunk of change, but it’s a steal in comparison. It can recharge to 80 percent in just one hour, checks its temperature up to 100 times every second and has a five-year warranty. Plus, it comes with car, AC and solar charging cables. 

Anker Nano Power Bank with Built-in Foldable USB-C Connector

Portable chargers are great, but it’s easy to forget to pack a cord to go along with them. Anker’s Nano Power Bank solves that problem with a foldable USB-C connector built right into it. You can charge the new iPhone 15, any Samsung device, the iPad Pro or Air and more with 22.5W of power. The classic Black and Shell White models are down to $21, and colors like Sprout Green and Ice Lake Blue only cost a couple dollars more.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/anker-black-friday-2023-get-up-to-60-percent-off-portable-chargers-cables-surge-protectors-and-more-124521131.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Anker Black Friday 2023: Get up to 60 percent off portable chargers, cables, surge protectors and more

Black Friday is a time of mystery, and a time to empty your bank account. To that end, the internet’s chock full of deals on Google Nest products today, available via Amazon and Target. If you’ve been on the fence regarding some of these devices, like the well-regarded Google Nest Hub smart home controller/display, now could be your time to shine.

These deals extend beyond the smart display. You can also snag the Google Nest Learning Thermostat or the company’s mesh router system, among several other items. Here are all of the various Google Nest gadgets on sale today, so you can avoid the big box retail stores and any chance of being trampled by excited shoppers.

Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)

Target’s selling the Google Nest Hub smart display for just $50, which is half off the MSRP and one heck of a deal. We admired this device in our review, calling out the louder audio when compared to its predecessor and the simple, pleasant visual aesthetic. We also enjoyed the snappy Google Assistant integration and the embedded motion sensor that not only helps with sleep tracking, but allows you to move your hands in the air to dismiss an alarm.

We even thought this was a good deal at its original price, so it’s an extra-good deal now. There’s a reason, after all, this made our list of the best smart displays. About the only downside for this product is one that accompanies just about every rival device. The sleep tracking is accurate, to a degree, but the data isn’t very insightful. Still, it’s a fantastic option as a smart home controller.

Google Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd Gen)

The biggest draw with this thermostat is right in the name. It features algorithms that learn based on user inputs. Once you make your own schedules a couple of times, the system will begin to automate the task. This drastically cuts down on the amount of time spent standing in front of a small circle attached to the wall or fiddling with an app. It’s now available for $180 instead of $250 via Amazon, a savings of nearly 30 percent.

As for the features, this is a full-fledged Nest thermostat. It’ll turn the system off when you leave the home, boasts both Google Assistant and Alexa integration for voice controls and promises significant energy savings over time. To that end, it’s Energy Star certified. This has to be wired into your system, however, which is worth considering.

Google Nest Thermostat (2020 release)

If learning algorithms aren’t your thing, you can save even more money by choosing the standard Google Nest Thermostat. This is the latest release from 2020 and Amazon has it on sale for $90 instead of $130, which is a savings of over 30 percent. This device won’t automatically change the temperature, but is Energy Star certified.

It’s also feature-rich, with Wi-Fi connectivity so it doesn’t have to get wired into the system. However, some homes will require a C wire connection to control every aspect of the HVAC unit. Once connected, you can control it via a smartphone app, Google Assistant or even Alexa. There’s also a handy HVAC monitoring system that alerts you to any issues.

Google Nest WiFi Pro Mesh Router (3-pack)

If you want to fill up your home with sweet, sweet internet, a mesh router system is the way to do it. For Black Friday, you can get a Google Nest WiFi Pro 3-pack for $280 instead of $400, a savings of 30 percent. All told, you get nearly 7,000 square feet of coverage with this setup, so even that dank corner of the basement should allow for a robust connection.

We enjoyed this system in our official review, calling out the simple user interface, which is perfect for newbies, and the low price when compared to rival mesh systems. That last point just got a lot better with this deal. It lacks some power, however, when compared to some of the pricier mesh routers out there, but does offer smart home integration.

Google Indoor Nest Security Cam (2nd Gen)

Looking for a simple, yet effective, indoor security camera? This is a good option that has been made even more attractive due to a nice Black Friday discount. It costs $70 instead of $100, which is a savings of 30 percent. This is the latest model of Nest’s entry-level security camera. It’s wired, which could be a dealbreaker to some, and records video at 1080p.

However, it has built-in algorithms that recognize people when compared to animals and vehicles, sending the appropriate alerts through the Google Home app when necessary. The camera boasts night vision technology and the ability to store up to one hour of recorded events should the WiFi go out. You can also watch a live feed via the web, which is always nice.

Google Nest Doorbell Camera (2nd Gen)

This is likely the most popular product in the company’s lineup. Amazon’s selling the latest Google Nest Doorbell Camera for $130 instead of $180, which is a savings of, surprise, nearly 30 percent. This is the wired version, which makes for a more intensive installation process but a more reliable end result. Just like the indoor security camera, this model boasts the same algorithms that differentiate people from animals, packages and vehicles, and there’s no subscription required to use the device.

As for features, the wired Nest Doorbell boasts a 140-degree field of view with a 3:4 aspect ratio, Google Assistant and Alexa integration and the ability to use household speakers as a doorbell chime for quicker alert times.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-nest-devices-are-up-to-half-off-for-black-friday-110100981.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Google Nest devices are up to half off for Black Friday

Black Friday is a great time to pick up big-ticket items while they’re deeply discounted, and robot vacuums fit that bill this year. It’s not hard to drop hundreds on an autonomous dirt-sucker at any other time of the year, but Black Friday deals have discounted a bunch of our favorite models. Before snagging a deal, think about the type of home you have and how you’ll use the machine: do you have carpet or mostly hard flooring? Do you have pets who shed constantly? Do you want a combo vacuum-and-mop machine? Once you have those details settled, check out the best deals on robot vacuums for Black Friday 2023 below.

iRobot Roomba 694

The Roomba 694 is on sale for $159 in this Black Friday deal. It’s our current favorite budget robot vacuum thanks to its strong suction power, easy to use mobile app and handy spot-clean function. It doesn’t come with a clean base, but it has Wi-Fi connectivity and voice control with Alexa.

Anker Eufy RoboVac 11S Max

As part of Anker’s Black Friday deals, the Eufy RoboVac 11S Max is down to $140, but a clippable $10 coupon will bring it down to $130. That’s close to a record low and a steal on one of the best affordable robot vacuums we’ve tested. This model has a super slim design, helping it clean underneath tables, couches and other furniture better than competing machines, and it has a solid battery life as well. It’s not Wi-Fi connected, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It comes with a handy remote with which you can control the machine, making it a decent option for anyone who’s never owned a robot vacuum before.

iRobot Roomba s9+

The Roomba s9+ is the most powerful model that iRobot makes, and it’s down to $600 for Black Friday. It’s usual high price tag may be prohibitive for most, but it’s a much better buy when you can get it on sale like this. We like it’s elegant design, extra-strong suction power, home mapping and object detection features, and the clean base that comes with it.

iRobot Roomba j7+

The Roomba j7+ robot vacuum has dropped to $469 for Black Friday. This model comes with a self-emptying base and it has advanced obstacle detection so it can avoid things like pet poop, should your furry friend have an accident. It also supports cleaning schedules via the iRobot mobile app and voice commands from Alexa, Siri and the Google Assistant.

Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 vacuum and mop

Shark’s AI Ultra robot vacuum and mop has been discounted to $400 for Black Friday. IT has all of the same features in the vacuum-only model, but it also includes a water reservoir and a mop pad with which it can automatically mop floors for you. You have to switch out the dustbin for the reservoir whenever you want to mop, but otherwise the machine is pretty automated and convenient. The self-emptying base that comes with this model is also bagless.

TP-Link Tapo RV10 Plus

TP-Link’s Tapo RV10 Plus has dropped to $250 for Black Friday. It’s normally a decently priced robot vacuum and mop, but this discount makes it an even better buy. In our testing, it did a good job vacuuming and mopping, and it has a pretty good battery life as well. It comes with a self-emptying base, and its companion mobile app is simply to use and provides detailed information about the machine, including suggested maintenance tips.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-robot-vacuum-black-friday-deals-for-every-budget-121558141.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – The best robot vacuum Black Friday deals for every budget

The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), F1’s governing body, says it will employ Computer Vision tech at the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend. Drivers know the exact lines to take at corners for optimal lap times, but sometimes racers go out of bounds as they try to gain an advantage, and officials need to check cars stay within track limits. Four people had to review around 1,200 potential violations in July’s Austrian Grand Prix, and some track limit violations went unpunished in October’s US Grand Prix. The FIA hopes to reduce the number of possible infringements officials manually review to around 50 per race.

Oh, and a tidal wave of deals on the usual gadget suspects. Black Friday gonna Black Friday.

— Mat Smith

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Dbrand is suing Casetify for allegedly stealing its case and skin designs

Casetify apparently left in Easter eggs from Dbrand’s Teardown products.

Accessory maker Dbrand — usually the target of litigation — has filed a “multi-million dollar” lawsuit against Casetify for allegedly ripping off the designs of its “transparent” Teardown products. The skins and cases look like the internal components of the device they’re applied to, such as smartphones and laptops. Dbrand and YouTuber Zack “JerryRigEverything” Nelson say Casetify stole those designs. They claim Casetify’s Inside Out cases have a poorly masked version of a label on Teardown products that features Nelson’s signature phrase “glass is glass, and glass breaks.”

Continue reading.

NVIDIA sued for stealing trade secrets after screen sharing blunder

Valeo said NVIDIA saved millions of dollars by stealing its trade secrets.

Black Friday means… more corporate litigation! NVIDIA is facing a lawsuit from French automotive company Valeo after a screensharing blunder by one of its employees. According to Valeo’s complaint, an NVIDIA engineer who used to work for Valeo had mistakenly shown its source code files on his computer as he was sharing his screen during a meeting between both companies in 2022.

Continue reading.

The best Black Friday deals 2023

Get record-low prices on tech from Apple, Samsung, Google and more.

Black Friday may still technically be one day, but it’s turned into a post-Thanksgiving shopping frenzy. We at Engadget care most about consumer electronics, and Black Friday (along with Cyber Monday) typically brings the best prices on the best tech all year. Notable discounts this year are on AirTags, smart plugs, Dyson hair products, Sonos sound bars and more. Also, it’s worth checking out streaming services subscription deals for Peacock, Max and more.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-formula-1-wants-ai-to-help-it-figure-out-if-a-car-breaks-track-limits-121523661.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – The Morning After: Formula 1 wants AI to help it figure out if a car breaks track limits

It’s finally here — Black Friday 2023 has kicked off in earnest today and there are tons of great deals and record-low prices to be had on some of the best tech of the year. Even though we’ve been seeing early Black Friday deals pop up since late October, today is the day many people have been waiting for. If you’ve held out so far with the hopes of getting the best deals possible on tech like headphones, smartwatches, TVs and more, now’s the time to shop. We’re seeing record lows on tech across all categories, including some of our favorite gear of the year, too. Follow along with our Black Friday live blog where the Engadget team will be surfacing the best tech deals you can get for Black Friday 2023.

Some folks genuinely need a high-powered iPad to boost their productivity and help with tasks such as video editing and image processing. But many others are content to have an Apple tablet just so they can browse the web, catch up with friends and stream movies and TV shows.

If you’re in the latter camp, or you’re looking for an entry-level iPad for another reason, it’s worth considering a slightly older model that’s on sale for Black Friday. The ninth-generation iPad currently starts at $230 for a model with 64GB of storage at Target and Amazon. That’s $99 off the regular price of $329. This is the best price we’ve seen for the tablet all year.

This is our pick for the best budget iPad and we gave it a score of 86 in our 2021 review. Sure, the design is pretty dated, but the 9th-gen iPad is still more than capable of handling casual tasks thanks to its A13 Bionic chip. That’s the same chipset Apple used in the iPhone 11.

The 9th-gen iPad has a 10.2-inch display, but it’s unfortunately somewhat susceptible to glare. Unlike newer iPads, which have switched to a USB-C charging port, you’ll still need a Lightning cable to top up this one’s battery. It’s one of the last iPads to feature a Home button and while the 12MP front-facing camera is capable enough, it’s positioned along a portrait edge of the screen, which makes video calls a little more awkward. One major plus point of this model: it’s the only iPad still on sale that features a headphone jack.

If you’re looking for something with extra power and a more refined design (but aren’t ready to pony up for an iPad Air or Pro), consider snagging the 10th-gen iPad. That’s $100 off for Black Friday as it’s down to $349 for a configuration with 64GB of storage. This tablet has Apple’s A14 Bionic chip. Other pros include USB-C charging and the front-facing camera moving to the landscape edge of the screen. We gave this model a score of 85 in our review.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-black-friday-deals-the-9th-gen-ipad-is-99-off-and-down-to-a-record-low-price-100000164.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Apple Black Friday deals: The 9th-gen iPad is off and down to a record-low price

It’s likely that, if you’re interested in audio gear in any way, shape or form, you’re familiar with Sonos. The brand’s wide variety of speakers are easy to use, versatile and typically deliver great audio. There are many reasons why its products are among the best smart speakers and best soundbars out there. Now would be a great time to pick up Sonos gear, as its speakers and soundbars are up to $180 off for Black Friday through its own store and other retailers. Sonos’ home theater products are up to 20 percent off, while portables are up to 25 percent off. These offers are available until November 27.

Sonos Era 100

The Sonos Era 100 is our pick for the best mid-range speaker around and at $199, it’s $50 off for Black Friday. We gave the Era 100, which debuted earlier this year to replace the Sonos One, a score of 88 in our review. You won’t always find Bluetooth and line-in (though you’ll need an adaptor for that) support on Sonos devices so it’s great that they’re included here. You can use built-in mics to tune the audio output for the room.

Unfortunately, there’s no Ethernet jack or Google Assistant integration — the latter is less of an issue if you connect an Era 100 to another smart speaker with Assistant support. We also found that there’s no real stereo separation on a single speaker. So, if you can swing two units, that might be the way to go. You can pair them for stereo playback and with other Sonos devices for a richer home theater or whole-home audio experience.

Sonos Beam Gen 2

Speaking of home theaters, if that’s the kind of setup you’re looking for, you may want to pick up a Sonos soundbar too. The Sonos Beam includes Dolby Atmos audio in its second iteration, which marks a significant improvement from the first gen as it has more immersive audio. Even though it doesn’t have upward firing Atmos drivers, the Beam Gen 2 sounds darn good. As such, it’s our pick for the best mid-range soundbar. It’s available for $399 during the Black Friday sale.

Sonos Arc

If you’re looking for a more premium soundbar experience, the Sonos Arc may be of interest. The higher-end soundbar has dropped from $899 to $719. We gave the Arc a score of 85 in our review, lauding it for stellar audio and its adaptability in terms of how it accounts for different types of content and other connected speakers. The cylindrical design gives the soundbar a modern look too. As with the Beam, you won’t be able to hook up all of your devices directly to the Arc, since there’s only one HDMI input. Still, it’s our runner-up pick for the best premium soundbar after Sony’s HT-A7000.

Sonos Sub Mini

It may be the case that you’re looking to beef up the low end of your existing Sonos setup. If so, it’s worth considering the Sonos Sub Mini. The compact subwoofer can be all yours for $343 during the Black Friday sale. It’s down from $429. We gave the Sub Mini a score of 87 in our review. It delivers terrific bass output for its size. Unfortunately, it’s not compatible with portable Sonos product, such as the Move and the Roam, but it pairs easily with the company’s wired speakers. As such, the Sub Mini is a great addition to home theater setups in apartments and smaller homes.

Sonos Roam

On the subject of Sonos’ portable speakers, the Roam is on sale too. It’s down from $179 to $134. The Roam is smaller than the Move (it weighs less than a pound). At this price point, it’s even more competitive with many portable Bluetooth speakers. The Roam earned a score of 87 in our review with the durability, waterproofing and audio quality all proving to be plus points. If you can afford two Roam units that you can pair together, even better. However, at around 10 hours, the battery life wasn’t stellar in our testing and the Roam isn’t the loudest portable speaker out there. That’s an important consideration when it comes to outdoor parties. Still, the Sonos Roam is our top pick for the best portable smart speaker. 

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonos-black-friday-deals-knock-up-to-180-off-speakers-and-soundbars-140031968.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Sonos Black Friday deals knock up to 0 off speakers and soundbars

The latest and greatest Apple Watch Series 9 is on sale for $329 as part of a larger Black Friday event over at Amazon. This is a record-low for the smartwatch, which isn’t surprising as it just launched back in September. The deal’s for the 41mm model and is available with multiple band and watch colors.

We loved Apple’s newest smartwatch in our official review, calling out the gesture-based control system that lets you perform many tasks without ever having to swipe on the screen. To that end, the Series 9 has on-board Siri functionality, so requests don’t have to head to your phone before being processed. This drastically improves the speed when using the voice assistant.

Of course, this is an Apple watch so iPhone integration is best-in-class, thanks to the app and the inclusion of a second-generation ultra-wideband (UWB) chipset. You can, for instance, easily use the watch to locate your phone when it has scuttled behind the couch. The iPhone and Apple Watch are meant to go together, like really expensive peanut butter and jelly.

The health and fitness tracking and related sensors are also excellent, which is a primary reason why many people pick up one of these watches. However, the Series 9 lacks blood oxygen and temperature sensors, which may be a dealbreaker for some. There’s also the battery life, which depletes after around 18 hours. This is great for a full day of use, except for those who want to indulge in the watch’s sleep tracking features. In other words, you’ll have to charge it before you go to sleep. Despite those nitpicks, this is the best Apple watch you can buy in 2023.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-apple-watch-series-9-drops-to-a-record-low-329-for-black-friday-110024040.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – The Apple Watch Series 9 drops to a record-low 9 for Black Friday

The Echo Show 5 smart display has dropped to $40 as part of Amazon’s Black Friday sale. That’s 56 percent off the MSRP, representing a savings of $50. This matches a record-low price for the device. It’s worth noting that this deal is for the latest and greatest 3rd-generation of the display that was originally released earlier this year.

The Echo Show 5 made our list of the best smart displays you can buy, and for good reason. This device is only 5.5 inches wide, thus the name, which could be too small for some people, but actually serves a useful purpose. The Echo Show 5 makes for a fantastic bedside device, as it fits snugly on a nightstand or even a small desk.

This also allows it to double as a stellar smart alarm clock, a feature Amazon has encouraged with regular software updates. The screen’s brightness adjusts automatically, thanks to an integrated ambient light sensor, and there’s a nice tap-to-snooze function. There’s even a sunrise alarm that slowly brightens the screen so you can wake up gently instead of being yelled at by a loud beeping noise. It does boast a camera, which might make you feel weird being as how it’ll likely be in the bedroom. Luckily, it also ships with a camera cover.

Amazon’s sale goes beyond the Echo Show 5, if you’re looking for a larger smart display. The latest Echo Show 8 is discounted to $105 from $150 and the large-and-in-charge Echo Show 10 is on sale for $160 instead of $250.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-echo-show-5-drops-to-40-in-amazons-black-friday-sale-130026088.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – The Echo Show 5 drops to in Amazon’s Black Friday sale

If you’ve been eager to upgrade your wireless buds to Apple’s latest, Black Friday deals will make that a little easier to do. The AirPods Pro with USB-C charging case have dropped to a record low of $190, which is $60 off their usual price. The third-gen AirPods are also on sale for $140. While Apple made tons of improvements to the more affordable buds, the AirPods Pro earned a spot on our best wireless earbuds list instead and are worth the extra spend.

The biggest perk of the latest AirPods Pro is their USB-C charging case, upgraded from Lightning earlier this year. The case is also MagSafe compatible, so you can use either a USB-C cable or a wireless charger to power it up. As far as battery life goes, the Pros should get up to six hours of listening time and a total of 30 hours of use when employing the extra juice from the charging case.

When Apple last updated the buds themselves, the company significantly improved audio quality and noise cancelation. Transparency Mode is a standout as well, which is the most natural sounding out of the many buds we’ve tested and reviewed. The AirPods Pro are, unsurprisingly, our top pick wireless earbuds for iOS users precisely because of how well they integrate with iPhones and iPads. You get quick pairing and switching with these buds, hands-free Siri access and spatial audio as well.

Apple’s third-gen AirPods are a decent option as well, but you won’t get many of the advanced features found on the Pros. There’s no active noise cancelation, nor USB-C charging (you’re stuck with Lightning), but you do get an IPX4-rated design, spatial audio, solid sound quality and all of the same iOS conveniences thanks to the H1 chip inside.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-black-friday-deals-bring-the-airpods-pro-with-usb-c-down-to-190-100004586.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Apple Black Friday deals bring the AirPods Pro with USB-C down to 0

It’s a great time to stock up on Apple’s AirTags if you were looking to buy a few to keep track of valuables and other belongings. The four-pack AirTag bundle is currently on sale for $80 at Amazon this Black Friday, $19 less than what you would pay for it without the discount. That’s $20 apiece for each AirTag, which typically sells for $29, and is nearly an all-time low for the bundle. You can also get a single AirTag in case you don’t have any need for four, but (while also discounted) it’ll set you back $24 instead of just $20. 

Apple’s AirTags leverage the company’s Find My network that’s powered by all of its devices around the world. You’ll need to pair them with an iPhone or an iPad to be able to track them, of course, but as long as they’re within range of another Apple device, you’ll know where they currently are or what their last location was. The Find My map will be able to guide you, so you can find your purse, suitcase, wallet, or whatever it is you’re tracking. 

You can make an AirTag play a sound on its built-in speaker through your phone or tablet to make it easier to find, or you can ask Siri to do it for you. If you have an iPhone 11 or later that supports Ultra Wideband, you’ll have access to the Find Nearby feature that displays the distance to and the direction information for your AirTag. Your phone will also vibrate the closer you get to the tracking device. And if you want to be notified as soon as it’s spotted by Apple’s Find My Network, all you have to do is put the device in Lost Mode. When it comes to maintenance, you don’t have to do much: The AirTag is water and dust resistant, and it runs on a coin battery that you only have to replace once a year or so. 

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-airtag-4-pack-falls-to-80-for-black-friday-101550522.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Apple’s AirTag 4-pack falls to for Black Friday

Black Friday means savings on cameras for content creation, travel photography and more. This year is no exception as all the major manufacturers, including Sony, Canon, DJI, Nikon, GoPro, Fujifilm and Nikon have some stellar deals. Sony is offering its latest compact vlogging camera, the ZV-1F, at just $398 ($100 off), while Canon’s new EOS R100 mirrorless APS-C camera is available with a kit lens for just $449. Panasonic has its full frame Lumix S5 on sale for $1,298 (38 percent off), DJI’s Avata Pro-View combo is $999 (30 percent off) and GoPro’s Hero 11 is down to $300, for a savings of 14 percent. 

Sony’s ZV-1F is its third and most affordable vlogging camera, designed for creators as a “step up” from smartphones. It does that job well thanks to a lightweight body, built-in high-quality microphone, flip-out display, best-in-class autofocus and excellent image quality. The 20mm fixed lens makes it better for vlogging than the ZV1 with a 24-70mm, but the lack of a zoom is its biggest drawback. 

Canon’s 24.2-megapixel R100 gives buyers the benefit of a mirrorless camera, namely the ability to change lenses. It also offers features like 4K 24p video, decently fast 6.5 fps shooting speeds with autofocus, excellent image quality and more. The main issue is the lack of a flip-out display, so it’s not an ideal vlogging camera. It normally costs $600 with a 16-50mm lens, but you can now pick one up for $450, making it the cheapest APS-C mirrorless camera by a good margin. 

we gave the Hero 11 Black a largely positive review when it launched in September. The camera is an iterative upgrade over the excellent Hero 10 Black, meaning it still allows for crisp video at up to 5.3K/60 Hz, 4K/120 Hz, or 2.7K/240 Hz (for extra slow-motion shots), excellent stabilization that keeps moving footage looking smooth, and a rugged, waterproof design that’s small enough to fit on a helmet, bike handle, surfboard, or most other tight spots.

With the arrival of the Lumix S5 II, Panasonic is offering some stellar deals on its predecessor, the S5. It’s smaller and costs less than the Lumix S1, but it actually delivers better video features. That includes a flip-out display, five-axis in-body stabilization and 10-bit 4K recording at up to 60 fps. The autofocus is faster and more accurate than the S1, but not as good as Sony and Canon’s systems for video. Still, at this price, it’s one of the best cameras currently available for content creators.

The Avata is a solid little drone that produces decent-quality 4K 60p log footage. Its biggest advantage over other drones is the speed and maneuverability, along with the propeller guards that let you operate the drone around people. It does have some weird flaws and limitations — the Googles 2 aren’t ideal if you wear glasses, plus the motion controller isn’t ideal for precise FPV flying. Still, there aren’t many other ready-to-fly drones that can do what it does.

Nikon’s Z6 II improves the original with faster speeds, improved eye-detect autofocus and more. You can shoot 4K at up to 60 fps, and grab photos at up to 14 fps. It also offers features like a flip screen, 3.69-million dot EVF and more. It’s normally $1,997, but you can save $400 with Amazon’s current deal. 

Other notable camera and accessory Black Friday deals

Those products are just a smattering of what’s available, but there are others as well. Panasonic also has its brand new S5 II mirrorless camera — its first with phase-detect autofocus — on sale for $1,698 for a savings of $300 (15 percent). 

Sony also has its new A7 IV camera on sale for $2,298, saving you $200 off the list price, while the A7 III is marked down to $1,498 ($502 off) — the best price we’ve ever seen on this model. It’s also got deals on a large number of lenses — to see more, check out its Amazon camera store. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for the latest Panasonic cameras in a bundle, the company has a few solid deals, and Nikon has multiple bundles as well.

There are some notable deals on accessories, too. Lexar’s V60 II memory cards (250MB/s read and 120MB/s write) are up to 35 percent off, with a pair of the the 128GB models priced at just $65 and the 256GB model in a two-pack at $105. If you need faster V90 cards, PNY’s 128GB EliteX-Pro90 Class is marked down $20 to $75, while the 64GB cards are just $48 (20 percent off). MicroSD cards for drones or action cameras are also on sale, including SanDisk’s Extreme 512GB model for $32 (or 71 percent off). More camera deals could arrive later, so stay tuned.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-black-friday-camera-and-drone-deals-for-2023-103025745.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – The best Black Friday camera and drone deals for 2023

If you’ve been waiting to buy a new PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X or Nintendo Switch, Black Friday looks like a good time to pounce. To save you a bit of Googling, we’ve rounded up the best Black Friday game console deals we could find and laid out everywhere you can buy each device below. The offers include genuine discounts on both of the latest Xbox consoles and both the new slim and (non-slim) PS5, as well as a few noteworthy bundles for all three Nintendo Switch models. If you’re looking for a new handheld gaming PC or VR headset, both the ASUS ROG Ally and Meta Quest 2 are seeing unusually steep discounts as well.

PlayStation 5

If you’re in the market for a PS5, Black Friday is a good time to pounce. Both Sony’s new slimline model and the standard disc PlayStation 5 are $50 off and down to $450 at Amazon. But discounts of any kind for Sony’s console have been extremely rare since the device arrived in 2020, and there’s no performance difference between the two models, so this is a great opportunity to save. 

If stock for that deal runs out, Sony is selling a couple of new bundles that do include the latest version of the console: one that comes with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and one that includes Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. You should go with the former while both are in stock: We called Spider-Man 2 a “perfectly balanced game” in our review, while Modern Warfare 3 has been roundly criticized as one of the most undercooked CoD entries in recent memory. Both games cost $70 on their own, so that’s what you’re saving here. As of this writing, the Spider-Man bundle is further discounted by an extra $20 at BJ’s, bringing it down to $480.

As a refresher, Sony says the slim PS5 takes up 30 percent less volume than the original models and weighs up to three pounds less. It also has two USB-C ports instead of one. If the slim Spider-Man 2 bundle runs out of stock, Sony is running a similar deal with the older “fat” PS5 as well.

Buy PlayStation 5 ($500) at:

• Amazon ($450)

• GameStop ($450)

• Target

• Walmart

• Best Buy

• PlayStation Direct

Buy PlayStation 5 + Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III ($500) at:

• BJ’s ($480)

• Amazon

• Walmart

• Target

• GameStop

• Best Buy

• Dell

• Newegg

• PlayStation Direct

Nintendo Switch OLED

Nintendo is bundling the $350 Switch OLED with a digital copy of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and a three-month individual subscription to Nintendo Switch Online for no extra cost. Smash Bros. was released back in 2018, but it still tends to retail between $50 and $60 on its own, while the Switch Online sub normally goes for $8. This version of the console also comes with Smash Bros.-themed controllers.

We’ve seen the Switch OLED go for less in the past, so we’d have liked a more substantial discount — especially with a follow-up console reportedly on the horizon. But if you’re jumping on the Switch bandwagon late, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate remains one of the device’s best games, so there’s still value here.

Buy Nintendo Switch OLED + Super Smash Bros. Ultimate + 3-month Nintendo Switch Online Individual Membership ($350) at:

• Walmart

• Target

• GameStop

• Best Buy

• Nintendo

Nintendo Switch

It’s worth stepping up to the Switch OLED’s more vivid and expansive display if you can swing it, but if you really want to save $50, Nintendo is running a holiday bundle for the standard Switch as well. The console still costs its usual $299 but comes with a digital copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and the same three-month Switch Online subscription as above for no extra cost.

We’ve seen this bundle pop up like clockwork over the last few holiday seasons, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, while fun, is a six-year-old port of a nine-year-old Wii U game. So, we won’t call this a great deal. But the game still maintains a busy online community, and Nintendo has updated it with a few dozen DLC tracks over the past two years. Despite its age, it usually costs between $40 and $50 on its own. This bundle has been available since October and isn’t an explicit “Black Friday” deal, so we’d expect it to stick around beyond this week.

Buy Nintendo Switch + Mario Kart 8 Deluxe + 3-month Nintendo Switch Online Individual Membership ($300) at:

• Amazon

• Walmart

• Target

• GameStop

• Best Buy

• BJ’s

• Nintendo

Nintendo Switch Lite

Nintendo’s other ongoing holiday bundle pairs the Switch Lite with a digital copy of Animal Crossing: New Horizons from $199. That’s the console’s normal price, but the game usually goes for around $50. This offer is available at Walmart and Target: The former has the console in a teal finish, while the latter has it in coral. Again, it’s worth getting the Switch OLED if possible, but the handheld-only Switch Lite still has value if you prioritize portability above all else and don’t plan on docking the console up to a TV. New Horizons, meanwhile, remains one of the most purely relaxing games you can buy, even if it’s not as popular now as it was during the height of the pandemic.

Buy Nintendo Switch Lite + Animal Crossing: New Horizons (from $199) at:

• Walmart (Teal)

• Target (Coral)

Xbox Series X

Unlike the PS5 and Nintendo Switch, both Xbox consoles are genuinely discounted for Black Friday. The Xbox Series X, for one, is on sale for $440 at Walmart and Microsoft as part of a bundle that also includes the action-RPG Diablo IV. That’s a rare $60 drop for the console itself, while the game goes for $70 (though it’s currently on sale for $42). Target may have a better deal, though: It’s selling the same bundle for $450 but throwing in a $75 Target gift card on top. Other stores like GameStop, Best Buy and Newegg have the bundle for $450 without any extra coupons or gift cards as of this writing.

If stock of the bundle runs out, the console alone is also available for that same $50 off. You can get that with a $75 gift card at Target or a $50 gift card at Best Buy; for the latter, you can take an extra $50 off and bring the machine down to an all-time low of $400 — but only if you’re My Best Buy Plus or Total member.

Diablo IV has caught its share of flak since arriving in June — it can’t be played offline, its endgame is heavy on grinding and there are pricey microtransactions for cosmetic items — but it could be worthwhile if you’re in the mood a “numbers go up” dungeon crawler. You can read our review for more details. More generally, Microsoft has had some struggles producing hit exclusives, but the Xbox library is still home to plenty of games we like, and the Series X remains a powerful piece of kit for 4K gaming.

Buy Xbox Series X + Diablo IV ($450) at:

• Target (with $75 Target gift card)

• Walmart ($439)

• Microsoft ($440)

• GameStop

• Best Buy

• Newegg

Buy Xbox Series X ($450) at:

• Target (with $75 Target gift card)

• Best Buy (with $50 Best Buy gift card; $399 with My Best Buy Plus or Total)

• Walmart

• Microsoft

• GameStop

• Newegg

Xbox Series S

As for the Xbox Series S, a “Starter Bundle” that packs the digital-only console with a three-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription is on sale for $240 at Microsoft and Target. Other retailers like Walmart, Best Buy and GameStop have it for $10 more. They aren’t all-time lows, but this is still $50 or $60 off the console’s list price, while the subscription normally costs $51 on its own. In general, discounts on the console remain fairly uncommon. Note that these offers apply to the older Series S with 512GB of storage, not the updated 1TB model that Microsoft released earlier this year.

The Series S lacks a disc drive, and its lesser GPU and RAM count means it can’t hit high resolutions and frame rates as consistently as the Series X. That gulf in power is starting to become more evident as time rolls on. Still, the Series S can play all the same games, it’s physically smaller and, most importantly, it’s far more affordable. If you just want a cheap route into the Xbox library and don’t mind playing in 1080p or 1440p, it makes sense as a secondary console.

The one caveat to all Xbox deals right now is the trove of Xbox-related documents that leaked earlier this year as part of Microsoft’s court battle with the FTC. Those detailed apparent refreshes to the Series X and Series S that could arrive in late 2024, but since that info stems from older internal materials, it’s hard to how true it’ll end up being. If you really want a new Xbox today, it should be safe to grab an existing model.

Buy Xbox Series S + 3-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate ($250) at:

• Microsoft ($240)

• Walmart

• Target

• GameStop

• Best Buy

• Newegg

Buy Xbox Series S ($250) at:

• Microsoft

• Walmart

• Target

• Best Buy

ASUS ROG Ally

The ASUS ROG Ally is down to $620 at Best Buy, which is $80 off the handheld gaming PC’s normal price and a rare discount. If you’re a My Best Buy Plus or Total subscriber, you can get it for $600. The ROG Ally is the “best Windows alternative” pick in our guide to the best gaming handhelds. As that title suggests, the ROG Ally runs Windows, which isn’t nearly as straightforward to use on a seven-inch display as the Steam Deck’s Steam OS but makes it easier to play games from other clients such as Epic, Xbox, GOG and Itch.io. The ROG Ally is physically smaller than Valve’s handheld, too, and the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip in this config gives it stronger overall performance. It also has a sharper 1080p display with a faster 120Hz refresh rate.

We’d still recommend the Steam Deck (which isn’t discounted) to most, especially after the launch of the new Steam Deck OLED. Apart from being less prone to software quirks, that machine usually lasts longer on a charge, and the new model’s OLED panel is more vivid. The ROG Ally has also had issues with malfunctioning microSD card readers, so you’ll want to stick to its built-in SSD storage (which is thankfully replaceable). But if you’re willing to brave Windows and want the wider game support, the ROG Ally does enough right to be a solid alternative to traditional gaming laptops.

It’s worth noting that the entry-level version of the ROG Ally with a less powerful AMD Ryzen Z1 chip is also on sale for $450, which is a $150 discount. That’s a decent price if you’ll stick to less-demanding games, but the Z1 Extreme model is significantly faster, so it’s worth the extra cash if you can afford it.

Meta Quest 2

Meta’s Quest 2 VR headset is down to $249 and comes with a $50 store gift card or credit at Amazon, GameStop, Target and Newegg. (For Amazon, use the code META50 at checkout to see the complete offer.) Other retailers like Walmart and B&H have the same $50 discount without a gift card. It’s tougher to recommend the Quest 2 after the release of the comprehensively superior Quest 3 last month; that newer model isn’t on sale as of this writing, but it’s worth the extra cash if you can stretch your budget. If you can’t, though, the Quest 2 still offers a relatively polished VR experience. While it’s designed to be used cordless, it’s still perfectly usable when tethered to a gaming PC as well. We name the Quest 2 the top headset for those on a budget in our VR headset buying guide.

Buy Meta Quest 2 + $50 gift card ($250) at:

• GameStop

• Target

• Newegg

Buy Meta Quest 2 ($250) at:

• Amazon

• Walmart

• B&H

• GameStop

• Best Buy

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/black-friday-gaming-console-deals-nintendo-switch-xbox-playstation-110019125.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – The best Black Friday gaming console deals on Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation 5 and others

Big-ticket tech devices can get crazy expensive, but there are plenty of gadgets and accessories that are surprisingly affordable — and happen to make great gifts and stocking stuffers. We gathered up the gear we’ve tested and reviewed to come up with a big stack of Black Friday deals under $50. Thanks to sales at retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target, as well as deals directly from manufacturers, there’s a slew of gadgets and gifts we recommend that are $50 or less for Black Friday. Check them out and start crossing off your holiday list — or stock up on a few things for yourself — while hanging on to more of your money.

Biolite PD 40 power bank

Moft Sit-Stand Desk

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

Tile Mate

Echo Dot

Echo Dot Kids

Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)

Anker Nano power bank (USB-C)

Blink Mini

Amazon Smart Plug

Kasa Smart Plug

Otterbox Fast Charge

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2

JBL Clip 4 Eco

Newvanga travel power adapter

HyperX Cloud Stinger 2

EarFun Free 2 wireless earbuds

Amazon Echo Buds

Thermacell E55 Mosquito Repeller

Google Chromecast with Google TV (4K)

Logitech Signature M650 mouse

Kasa Smart Light Bulbs

Sengled WiFi Color Changing Bulb

Anker Bio-Braided USB-C to C cable

Anker 100W 10ft USB-C cable

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-black-friday-deals-under-50-for-2023-100007942.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – The best Black Friday deals under for 2023