Tag Archives: author_name|Jeff Dunn

The Xbox Series X is discounted again, plus the rest of the week’s best tech deals

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The holiday shopping season is reaching the home stretch, but we're here to help if you're looking for a good deal on a last-minute tech gift. The Xbox Series X, for one, is back on sale at several retailers. Walmart has the game console down to an all-time low of $349, but if stock runs dry there, you can still grab it for $399 at Microsoft, Amazon and other stores. Beyond that, a four-pack of Apple's AirTag trackers is $19 off, the latest AirPods Pro are $50 off and a number of Sonos devices are discounted as part of a big holiday sale. We're also seeing price drops on recommended gaming laptops, MacBooks, tablets, microSD cards and more. Here are the best deals from this week that you can still buy today. Just be aware that not everything may ship in time for Christmas.

The Xbox Series X is available for $349 at Walmart at the time of writing, though stock appears to be spotty. If that deal runs out for good, a bundle that pairs the beefy game console with the action-RPG Diablo IV is down to $399 at Microsoft. That's $160 less than the usual cost of buying each separately. Amazon, GameStop and others have the console alone for $399 as well. While the Series X remains a bit light on must-play exclusives, the Xbox library includes a diverse collection of games we like, from blockbusters like Forza Horizon 5 to quirkier hits like Hi-Fi Rush to smaller-scale gems like Pentiment. The hardware itself is powerful enough to play games at a steady 4K/60 fps, with some titles capable of reaching higher frame rates. Unlike the less powerful Xbox Series S — which is $60 off itself — it also includes a disc drive. There's at least some chance we see a Series X refresh in 2024, but the current machine is an easier sell when it's discounted to this extent.

A four-pack of Apple's AirTags is back down to $80 at Amazon, Walmart and other retailers. That's about $9 off its usual street price and $19 less than buying from Apple directly. The AirTag is the "best for iPhones" pick in our Bluetooth tracker buying guide, as its ultra-wideband wireless tech and ability to tap into Apple's Find My device network make it particularly convenient for locating lost items. Its battery is easily replaceable, too, plus it's water-resistant. It lacks any built-in adhesive or keyring hole, however, so you'll need to buy an extra accessory if you want to attach it to an item.

The USB-C version of Apple's AirPods Pro is once again on sale for $200 at Amazon and Best Buy. We saw these noise-canceling earphones fall $10 cheaper during Black Friday, but this is still $20 below their average street price and $49 below Apple's list price. The AirPods Pro continues to offer effective active noise cancellation, pleasingly warm sound and a host of Apple-device-specific conveniences, which is why they're the "best for iOS" pick in our guide to the best wireless earbuds. Note, however, that Apple started selling this model's USB-C charging case on its own earlier this week, so if you're sitting on a Lightning-based pair and want to make the conversion, you can now do so without having to buy a whole new set.

You can get a $10 Amazon.com credit for no extra cost when you buy a digital Apple gift card worth $100 or more. Just use the code HOLAPP at checkout. If you'd rather shop at Target, that retailer is offering a $10 Target gift card alongside the same purchase until December 16. As a refresher, you can put an Apple gift card toward services like Apple Music and iCloud, App Store credit and purchases at Apple.com or Apple retail stores. We see promos like this periodically, but any bit of bonus money should be welcome if you often shop at these stores anyway.

Sonos is running a holiday sale that brings many of its smart speakers, soundbars and home theater devices back to the prices we saw on Black Friday. The flagship Sonos Arc soundbar is $180 off at $719, for one, while the mid-range Sonos Beam and budget-level Sonos Ray are down to $399 and $223, respectively. All three are picks in our soundbar buying guide. Beyond that, the Sonos Era 100 is $50 off at $199 — with a two-pack discounted by $120 — while the larger Sonos Five is $110 off at $439. Both of those make our guide to the best smart speakers. Other devices like the Sonos Sub, Sub Mini and Roam are also cheaper than usual. 

All Sonos speakers generally provide the same perks: clean sound quality relative to other devices in their price range, easy pairing with other Sonos speakers, uncomplicated setups, AirPlay support and access to various streaming services through the Sonos app. They aren't cheap, and their connectivity can be limited, but they should suit most people looking to build a multi-room audio system. Just note that new Arc, Roam and other devices could arrive in 2024, according to a recent Bloomberg report.  

The Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet is back on sale for $60, which is $5 more than its all-time low but $40 off Amazon's list price. That price applies to the model with 32GB of storage; if you want more space (and don't have a microSD card), the 64GB model is available for a low of $70. The Fire HD 8 is far from an iPad in terms of performance and app support, but it may be the cheapest competent tablet for most people. It's light, it lasts 10 or so hours on a charge and it's quick enough for basic web browsing and video streaming. Amazon's Fire OS still includes lock screen ads and heavily pushes the company's own services, but it's hard to do better at this price.

The 10.1-inch Fire HD 10 is also $50 off and down to $90, which is a $10 more than its Black Friday price. That one has the same software issues, but it's faster than the Fire HD 8 and features a sharper 1080p display.

If you'd prefer a more premium Android slate, the Google Pixel Tablet is discounted to $399 at Amazon, Best Buy and others. We've seen this deal pop up a few times over the last month, but it matches the lowest price we've tracked. The Pixel Tablet earned a score of 85 in our review earlier this year. It's a perfectly solid 11-inch tablet in its own right, but what sets it apart is its included charging speaker dock. Pop the tablet onto that and it'll function like a pseudo-smart display. It's not the exact same as a Nest Hub Max, but you can use it to control smart home devices, stream music, display photos and the like. This discounted model includes 128GB of storage, but the 256GB version is also $100 off and available for $499.

A 6.56-foot strip of the Govee LED Strip Light M1 is on sale for $40, which matches the lowest price we've seen. Normally, it retails around $60. We recommend the Strip Light M1 in our smart lights buying guide. It's simple to set up and delivers impressively bright colors to any area of the house where you'd like to add ambient lighting. You can apply different effects to separate parts of the strip through Govee's app, plus it's compatible with the Matter smart home standard. It can be an eyesore when it's not lit up, however, so you may not want to stick it out in the open. 

The 256GB version of Samsung's Evo Select microSD card is still on sale for $15, which is within 60 cents of the lowest price we've seen. Normally, it retails around $18. The Evo Select is the "best value" recommendation in our microSD card buying guide: It's not as fast as our top picks, but it's quick enough for most tasks — expanding a Nintendo Switch's storage, for instance — and it provides a better cost-per-gigabyte ratio than most cards.

If you're looking to stock up on a few new PC games, the Epic Games Store has kicked off its latest Holiday Sale. The key here is the Epic Coupon, which takes 33 percent off most games in the store as long as your cart totals $14.99 or more. The coupon will renew after each use, and you can apply it to games that are already discounted as part of the sale. This brings several new-ish titles down to the lowest prices we've tracked: The acclaimed survival horror game Alan Wake 2 is down to $27 with the coupon, for instance, while the shooter Remnant II and the action game Star Wars Jedi: Survivor can be had for lows of $20 and $23, respectively. Others like The Last of Us Part I, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Mortal Kombat 1 are also down to all-time lows. Epic says the sale will run until January 10.

A version of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 with a small Olive Alpine Loop is available for $699 at Amazon with a clippable coupon. That ties the lowest price we've tracked and takes $100 off Apple's MSRP. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 puts all the software benefits of the Series 9 in a more rugged design with a bigger and brighter display, twice the rated battery life and a customizable "Action Button" that you can use to quickly start a task. It also offers better waterproofing, more accurate GPS, a depth sensor and a loud siren for emergency SOS purposes. It is entirely too much smartwatch for most people, but this price makes it a little more appealing for endurance athletes with money to burn.

A variant of the 15.3-inch MacBook Air with an Apple M2 chip, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD is available for $1,449 at Amazon and Best Buy. That's $250 off Apple's list price and the best price we've seen outside of a couple of special offers for My Best Buy Plus members. We gave the 15-inch Air a review score of 96 in June and currently recommend it in our laptop buying guide. The M2 chip remains plenty fast for everyday tasks, and the chassis is still supremely well-built, with a crisp display, comfortable keyboard, reliable touchpad, long-lasting battery and lively speakers. 

We recommend starting with 16GB of memory, but if you really need to save cash, configs of the 13- and 15-inch Air with less RAM and storage are also $200 to $250 off. You should only buy this if you need a new laptop right now, though; according to a report from reliable Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, Apple plans to roll out updated MacBook Airs with its new M3 chip in a few months, potentially in March.

Best Buy has a configuration of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 with an AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU on sale for $1,100. That's the lowest price we've tracked and $100 less than the deal we saw on Black Friday. This model also includes a 14-inch display with a 1440p resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate. The ROG Zephyrus G14 is the top pick in our guide to the best gaming laptops: This config is plenty capable for playing modern AAA games but, at 3.6 pounds, it's not a complete anchor to carry around. A solid keyboard and trackpad help, too, though the 720p webcam could be sharper and there's a good bit of bloatware installed by default. The 512GB SSD isn't especially large either, though you can upgrade the storage if needed.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-xbox-series-x-is-discounted-again-plus-the-rest-of-the-weeks-best-tech-deals-172230913.html?src=rss

Anker headphones and charging accessories are up to 43 percent off right now

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If you're looking to grab a wallet-friendly pair of wireless headphones or restock your charging gear for the holidays, a few recent Amazon sales on Anker accessories may be of interest. Several of Anker's Soundcore headphones, including a couple of top picks from our guide to the best budget wireless earbuds, are currently down to the lowest prices we've tracked, as are a handful of charging stations, cables, power banks and similar accessories. There's a decent amount of discounts between the sales, but we'll run through the highlights below. 

This deal has been available for the past few days, but it brings the the top recommendation in our budget wireless earbuds guide back down to the all-time low we saw on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The Soundcore Space A40 delivers a number of features we'd expect from more expensive pairs, including wireless charging, multi-device pairing, eight- to 10-hour battery life and, most notably, genuinely useful active noise cancellation (ANC). Its warm sound profile isn't the most accurate we've tested, but it should be pleasing to most, and you can customize the EQ curve through the Soundcore app. Call quality is just OK, however, and playback won't automatically pause when you remove an earbud.

The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC is the runner up in our budget earbuds guide, as it offers a highly similar feature set to the Soundcore Space A40 but comes in an AirPods-style "stem" design. It's bulkier as a result, but some may find this shape easier to remove. It supports auto-pausing and has slightly more extensive touch controls as well, though the former can be finicky, and its more bass-heavy sound may not be to everyone's liking. Right now the Liberty 4 NC is $30 off and down to $70, which is another all-time low we previously saw on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. 

While the Soundcore Space Q45 isn't a formal pick in any of our guides, it's worth considering at this price if you want a set of over-ear noise-cancelers for less than $100. This $50 discount matches the best deal we've seen. The Space Q45's adaptive ANC system can't top the best wireless headphones on the market, but it's good for the money, and its lively V-shaped sound should be fun for pop music. A comfy design and multi-device pairing also help. Mic quality is mediocre, however.

If you want a more affordable set of over-ears, the Soundcore Life Q30 is also worth a look at $56, though that pair isn't as sturdily built and its default sound might be too bass-heavy for most tastes.

Moving onto to charging gear, the Anker 335 Wireless Charger is down to $17, which matches the lowest price we've seen. This is a three-in-one wireless charging station that can partially fold up and lets you refill a smartphone, Apple Watch and set of wireless earbuds at the same time. It's not as fast as the best wireless chargers we've tested — maxing at 10W for Samsung phones, 7.5W for iPhones, and 5W for other devices — and you need to supply your own USB-A charging puck to use an Apple Watch. Larger iPhone 15 models may not fit, either. But if you can live with all of that and just want a way to passively top up your devices throughout the day, this is an affordable and travel-friendly way to make it happen.

A pick from our power bank buying guide, the Anker Nano is an ultracompact portable battery that can connect directly to a device through its built-in, foldable USB-C port. It has a capacity of 5,000mAh and supplies up to 22.5W of power — though some devices will get a bit less — so it's best suited for emergency situations where you might need a quick refill but don't want to carry around a heftier power bank. You'll want to be gentle when attaching the connector, though. Right now the "shell white" version of the Nano is on sale for $21, which ties its best price to date. 

If you have an older iPhone, the Lightning-based version of this charger is also discounted to a low of $20.

Among the rest, a two-pack of 10-foot USB-C to Lightning cables is down to a low of $20 for those willing to pay extra for a braided model. The compact 20W Anker 511 Charger is available for $12.59 with a 10 percent coupon, which is about a dollar more than the lowest price we've seen. And the 65W Anker 735 Charger can be had for $34 with a 15 percent coupon; that's about $6 more than its best-ever price, but it's a more powerful multiport model we recommend in our fast charger buying guide.

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

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/anker-headphones-and-charging-accessories-are-up-to-43-percent-off-right-now-165634084.html?src=rss

Anker headphones and charging accessories are up to 43 percent off right now

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If you're looking to grab a wallet-friendly pair of wireless headphones or restock your charging gear for the holidays, a few recent Amazon sales on Anker accessories may be of interest. Several of Anker's Soundcore headphones, including a couple of top picks from our guide to the best budget wireless earbuds, are currently down to the lowest prices we've tracked, as are a handful of charging stations, cables, power banks and similar accessories. There's a decent amount of discounts between the sales, but we'll run through the highlights below. 

This deal has been available for the past few days, but it brings the the top recommendation in our budget wireless earbuds guide back down to the all-time low we saw on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The Soundcore Space A40 delivers a number of features we'd expect from more expensive pairs, including wireless charging, multi-device pairing, eight- to 10-hour battery life and, most notably, genuinely useful active noise cancellation (ANC). Its warm sound profile isn't the most accurate we've tested, but it should be pleasing to most, and you can customize the EQ curve through the Soundcore app. Call quality is just OK, however, and playback won't automatically pause when you remove an earbud.

The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC is the runner up in our budget earbuds guide, as it offers a highly similar feature set to the Soundcore Space A40 but comes in an AirPods-style "stem" design. It's bulkier as a result, but some may find this shape easier to remove. It supports auto-pausing and has slightly more extensive touch controls as well, though the former can be finicky, and its more bass-heavy sound may not be to everyone's liking. Right now the Liberty 4 NC is $30 off and down to $70, which is another all-time low we previously saw on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. 

While the Soundcore Space Q45 isn't a formal pick in any of our guides, it's worth considering at this price if you want a set of over-ear noise-cancelers for less than $100. This $50 discount matches the best deal we've seen. The Space Q45's adaptive ANC system can't top the best wireless headphones on the market, but it's good for the money, and its lively V-shaped sound should be fun for pop music. A comfy design and multi-device pairing also help. Mic quality is mediocre, however.

If you want a more affordable set of over-ears, the Soundcore Life Q30 is also worth a look at $56, though that pair isn't as sturdily built and its default sound might be too bass-heavy for most tastes.

Moving onto to charging gear, the Anker 335 Wireless Charger is down to $17, which matches the lowest price we've seen. This is a three-in-one wireless charging station that can partially fold up and lets you refill a smartphone, Apple Watch and set of wireless earbuds at the same time. It's not as fast as the best wireless chargers we've tested — maxing at 10W for Samsung phones, 7.5W for iPhones, and 5W for other devices — and you need to supply your own USB-A charging puck to use an Apple Watch. Larger iPhone 15 models may not fit, either. But if you can live with all of that and just want a way to passively top up your devices throughout the day, this is an affordable and travel-friendly way to make it happen.

A pick from our power bank buying guide, the Anker Nano is an ultracompact portable battery that can connect directly to a device through its built-in, foldable USB-C port. It has a capacity of 5,000mAh and supplies up to 22.5W of power — though some devices will get a bit less — so it's best suited for emergency situations where you might need a quick refill but don't want to carry around a heftier power bank. You'll want to be gentle when attaching the connector, though. Right now the "shell white" version of the Nano is on sale for $21, which ties its best price to date. 

If you have an older iPhone, the Lightning-based version of this charger is also discounted to a low of $20.

Among the rest, a two-pack of 10-foot USB-C to Lightning cables is down to a low of $20 for those willing to pay extra for a braided model. The compact 20W Anker 511 Charger is available for $12.59 with a 10 percent coupon, which is about a dollar more than the lowest price we've seen. And the 65W Anker 735 Charger can be had for $34 with a 15 percent coupon; that's about $6 more than its best-ever price, but it's a more powerful multiport model we recommend in our fast charger buying guide.

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

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/anker-headphones-and-charging-accessories-are-up-to-43-percent-off-right-now-165634084.html?src=rss

Amazon device deals include an Echo Show 5 and smart bulb bundle for $40

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If you've been thinking of grabbing or gifting a new Echo device for the holidays, here's a quick PSA: A number of Amazon's smart speakers and displays are currently on sale for the lowest prices we've tracked, and many of them can be bundled with a Sengled smart light bulb for no extra cost. An Echo Show 5 bundle is down to $40, for instance, while one for the Echo Dot is available for $23. Beyond that, the latest Echo Show 8 is available for a low of $105, albeit without any extras. A bundle with the full-size Echo is also $40 off at $60, though that's a few bucks higher than its all-time low. Most of these deals have been lingering since around Black Friday, but each still represents a good chance to save. 

We recommend the Echo and Echo Dot in our guide to the best smart speakers, while the 8-inch Echo Show 8 and 5.5-inch Echo Show 5 are picks in our guide to the best smart displays. If you can afford the higher-end model of each pairing, they should be worth it: The Echo sounds decidedly fuller than the Echo Dot, while the Echo Show 8 has a better display, richer speakers and a much sharper camera than the Echo Show 5. But the Dot still performs well for its size and remains a good value for those looking to see if they'd get any use out of an Alexa speaker in the first place, while the Echo Show 5 can be useful on a bedside table as a sort of smart alarm clock. 

Amazon's Alexa assistant still has plenty of deficiencies — and all Alexa-based devices carry inherent security and privacy concerns — but for simpler requests and controlling other compatible smart home gear hands-free, each of these devices generally work well. The Sengled bulb, meanwhile, is a fairly simple color model that's compatible with the new Matter standard and normally costs around $20 on its own.

If you want the absolute cheapest Echo speaker, the Echo Pop is also on sale for $17 with the same smart bulb, but most people should get the superior-sounding Echo Dot when it's only a few dollars higher. The Echo Dot with Clock, which includes an LED display for showing the time and other basic info, is worth a longer look at $40, though that's $10 more than the lowest price we've tracked. On the smart display side, the Echo Show 10 is $80 off and down to $170, but we found that auto-rotating display to offer little extra value over the Echo Show 8 in our review.

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

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-device-deals-include-an-echo-show-5-and-smart-bulb-bundle-for-40-160851722.html?src=rss

Google’s Pixel Tablet falls back to an all-time low of $399

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Truly great Android tablets are uncommon, but the Google Pixel Tablet stands out among them for its ability to function like a smart display. If you've been interested in picking one up, the 11-inch slate is back on sale for $399 at several retailers, including Amazon, Target, Wellbots, and Google's online store. We've seen this $100 discount a couple of times over the past month, but it nevertheless matches the lowest price we've tracked. This deal applies to the 128GB versions of the device in each colorway; if you need more storage space, the 256GB models are also $100 off at $499. Google says the offer will run through December 17, and it comes as part of a wider range of Pixel device deals the company is running this week.

We note the Pixel Tablet in our tablet buying guide, and Engadget Deputy Editor Cherlynn Low gave the device a review score of 85 this past June. Taken purely as a tablet, it's not as pleasant as the top Android pick in our guide, Samsung's Galaxy Tab S9: It uses an LCD panel instead of OLED, the screen is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and Samsung's software experience is generally better-suited to multitasking and productivity. But for $350 or so less, the Pixel Tablet's 2,560 x 1,600 resolution display, Tensor G2 chip and 5,000mAh battery are still more than nice enough for video streaming, gaming, web browsing and other casual tablet tasks. Google says it'll support the device with OS updates through June 2026 (with security updates through June 2028), though, as with all Android tablets, some apps aren't as optimized for large screens here as they are on iPads.

What sets the Pixel Tablet apart is the dock that comes with it, which serves as both a charger and a dedicated speaker. When you pop the tablet onto that, it can go into a "Hub Mode" and work along the lines of a Nest Hub Max. It's not quite as seamless, but you can still use the Google Assistant to control certain smart home devices, cast video from a phone, showcase photos, stream music and the like. If you've been in the market for both a tablet and smart display anyway, this is a clever compromise, though you should still want the former first and foremost.

A few other Google devices we recommend are also on sale. The top Android picks in our guide to the best smartphones, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, are down to $531 and $799, respectively. The former applies to a 256GB model and beats the deal we saw on Black Friday by $78. Beyond that, the 4K Chromecast has dropped back to $38, the entry-level Nest Thermostat is down to $90 and the Pixel Watch 2 is still down to a low of $300.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/googles-pixel-tablet-falls-back-to-an-all-time-low-of-399-154549399.html?src=rss

Google’s Pixel Tablet falls back to an all-time low of $399

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Truly great Android tablets are uncommon, but the Google Pixel Tablet stands out among them for its ability to function like a smart display. If you've been interested in picking one up, the 11-inch slate is back on sale for $399 at several retailers, including Amazon, Target, Wellbots, and Google's online store. We've seen this $100 discount a couple of times over the past month, but it nevertheless matches the lowest price we've tracked. This deal applies to the 128GB versions of the device in each colorway; if you need more storage space, the 256GB models are also $100 off at $499. Google says the offer will run through December 17, and it comes as part of a wider range of Pixel device deals the company is running this week.

We note the Pixel Tablet in our tablet buying guide, and Engadget Deputy Editor Cherlynn Low gave the device a review score of 85 this past June. Taken purely as a tablet, it's not as pleasant as the top Android pick in our guide, Samsung's Galaxy Tab S9: It uses an LCD panel instead of OLED, the screen is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and Samsung's software experience is generally better-suited to multitasking and productivity. But for $350 or so less, the Pixel Tablet's 2,560 x 1,600 resolution display, Tensor G2 chip and 5,000mAh battery are still more than nice enough for video streaming, gaming, web browsing and other casual tablet tasks. Google says it'll support the device with OS updates through June 2026 (with security updates through June 2028), though, as with all Android tablets, some apps aren't as optimized for large screens here as they are on iPads.

What sets the Pixel Tablet apart is the dock that comes with it, which serves as both a charger and a dedicated speaker. When you pop the tablet onto that, it can go into a "Hub Mode" and work along the lines of a Nest Hub Max. It's not quite as seamless, but you can still use the Google Assistant to control certain smart home devices, cast video from a phone, showcase photos, stream music and the like. If you've been in the market for both a tablet and smart display anyway, this is a clever compromise, though you should still want the former first and foremost.

A few other Google devices we recommend are also on sale. The top Android picks in our guide to the best smartphones, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, are down to $531 and $799, respectively. The former applies to a 256GB model and beats the deal we saw on Black Friday by $78. Beyond that, the 4K Chromecast has dropped back to $38, the entry-level Nest Thermostat is down to $90 and the Pixel Watch 2 is still down to a low of $300.

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

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/googles-pixel-tablet-falls-back-to-an-all-time-low-of-399-154549399.html?src=rss

Roku’s Ultra streamer is on sale for $67

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We call the Roku Ultra the best set-top box for most people in our guide to the best streaming devices, and it's now down to $67 through a new deal at Amazon. That's $33 off Roku's list price and only a little more than a dollar higher than the all-time low for this latest iteration of the streamer. Walmart has the same deal, though it doesn't have the device available for shipping as of this writing. The Ultra has been discounted to $70 at other retailers for the last couple of weeks as part of an ongoing holiday sale, but if you've been looking to pick the streamer up and didn't grab one on Black Friday, this discount lets you save a couple extra bucks.

The Ultra is Roku's highest-end streaming player, and this latest version was released in 2022. The device itself is essentially the same as the prior-generation model that arrived in 2020, but it now comes bundled with Roku's Voice Remote Pro, which upgrades the basic Roku remote with a rechargeable battery, two programmable shortcut buttons, and a headphone jack for private listening without having to use the Roku app. It also gives you the option to use the built-in mic hands-free, and if you ever lose the remote in the couch cushions, there's a built-in speaker that'll play a chime when you hit a remote finder button on the box. It does charge over an ancient microUSB port instead of USB-C, however. Beyond that, the box includes an Ethernet jack for steadier internet connections, plus a USB port for playing local media off external drives.

To be clear, while the Ultra is Roku's most fully-featured streamer, it's not necessarily its best value. That would be the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, which is the top overall pick in our guide and currently available for $28 less. The Ultra is technically more powerful in terms of processing and Wi-Fi performance, but the difference isn't huge in practice. Both devices support just about all the major streaming apps (Twitch excluded) and HDR standards, both work with Apple's AirPlay 2 protocol and both have the same app-based, easy-to-grok interface. It's also worth noting that you can buy the Voice Remote Pro separately. But if you need the Ethernet or USB ports, the Ultra is still a nice alternative to boxes like the Apple TV 4K, and this deal makes it a little cheaper than usual.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/rokus-ultra-streamer-is-on-sale-for-67-153018271.html?src=rss

A four-pack of Apple’s AirTags is back on sale for $80

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Apple's AirTag is still the best bet for iPhone owners who want a Bluetooth tracker to keep tabs on their stuff, and right now a four-pack of the diminutive devices is on sale for $80 at Amazon with an on-page coupon. While that isn't the absolute lowest price we've seen, it's still about $10 less than the bundle's average street price in recent months and $19 less than buying from Apple directly. It also matches the price we saw at most retailers during Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales last month.

We recommend the AirTag in our guide to the best Bluetooth trackers because it taps into Apple's enormous Find My network to locate items accurately. You can place one in a wallet, suitcase, backpack or any other sensitive item; if that item is misplaced, nearby Apple devices with Bluetooth enabled will alert the Find My network when an AirTag is nearby, then Find My will report that location to you. Because there are hundreds of millions of iPhones, iPads, Macs and other Apple devices out in the wild, the chances of pinpointing a lost item are usually high. 

Beyond that, the AirTag supports the ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless protocol, which makes it easier to locate items from close distance. When you're in the vicinity of a lost item, this enables a Precision Finding feature, which displays an arrow and distance estimate on your iPhone to guide you an attached AirTag. The tracker itself is IP67-rated, so it can survive a dip in water, and its CR2032 battery is easily replaceable. By default, the battery should last about a year before it needs a change.

It's important to note that AirTags are not explicitly designed for retrieving stolen items. They could work for that, but if your AirTag is found to be moving with somebody else, they'll receive an alert telling them as much. This kind of feature is meant to ward off bad actors who may use AirTags for stalking purposes, which various reports have found to be an unfortunate side effect of the tracker's effectiveness. (Though Apple and Google have gradually rolled out updates to further combat this behavior.) On a far less serious note, the AirTag also lacks a keyring hole or built-in adhesive, so you'll need to pick up an extra accessory to actually attach it to an item. All that said, if you use it for its intended purpose, a set of AirTags can provide a little extra peace of mind for those who often misplace their things, and this deal makes them a little more approachable.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/a-four-pack-of-apples-airtags-is-back-on-sale-for-80-162029687.html?src=rss

Sony’s WH-1000XM5 headphones are back on sale for $328

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Perplexing name aside, the Sony WH-1000XM5 is our favorite pair of wireless headphones for most people, and now the noise-canceling cans are back on sale for $328. This deal has popped up multiple times in the past year, most recently during the many Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales held over the course of November, but it still takes $72 off Sony's list price. While there've been a few steeper discounts since the headphones arrived in May 2022, we don't see them with much regularity. This offer is available at Amazon, Adorama and B&H; Sony also has it for $2 more.

Engadget Senior News Editor and audio expert Billy Steele gave the WH-1000XM5 a score of 95 in his review last year. This pair's active noise cancellation (ANC) is still among the better options we've tested, and its lightweight, well-constructed design should be comfortable for most to wear over extended periods. Battery life sits at a decent 30 or so hours per charge, the built-in mics are perfectly solid for phone calls and the whole thing can connect to two devices at once. The default sound profile emphasizes the bass, so it'll work best with hip-hop and pop music, though you can rein that in to something more neutral if you're willing to use the EQ tools in Sony's app. That app is home to a few other useful bonus features as well, including "Speak to Chat," which automatically pauses whatever you're playing when you start speaking.

The XM5 isn't without flaws: The design can't fold up (unlike the older Sony XM4s), and you can't manually adjust the strength of the ANC to the extent that you can on other pairs. Bose's QuietComfort Ultra delivers more powerful ANC on the whole, while Apple's AirPods Max can still offer more conveniences to iPhone owners. You can get better sound for the money, too. Taken as a complete package, however, the XM5 remains our top pick. 

If you want a pair of noise-canceling earphones, meanwhile, the Sony WF-1000XM5 has dropped back to $248. Again, that's a deal we've seen for much of the last month, but it matches the price we saw on Black Friday. The WF model tops our guide to the best wireless earbuds, as it provides most of the features noted above in an in-ear design that isolates a good chunk of outside noise even when the ANC isn't turned on.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonys-wh-1000xm5-headphones-are-back-on-sale-for-328-160516896.html?src=rss

The Xbox Series X is down to just $349 right now

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If you've been meaning to pick up an Xbox Series X but weren't able to grab one on Black Friday, good news: Walmart has a bundle that pairs the powerful console with a digital copy of the action-RPG Diablo IV on sale for $349. That's the largest discount we've tracked and a full $151 off the Series X's normal going rate. The game, meanwhile, normally goes for $70. This price also tops the best deals we've seen for the device over the past week; on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the bundle mostly sat at $440.

If the bundle runs out of stock — and given the extent of the discount, we expect it will fairly quickly — Walmart and Amazon also have the console alone on sale for the same $349. But again, you'll likely want to move fast to secure the deal.

As a refresher, the Series X is Microsoft's highest-end Xbox; it packs a stronger GPU and 6GB more RAM than the less expensive Series S, allowing it to play demanding games at higher frame rates and resolutions more consistently. It also comes with a disc drive and 1TB of storage as default. Microsoft has had some struggles producing first-party hits, but Xbox Game Pass remains one of the better values in gaming if you like to sample a wide range of titles, and the Xbox library is still home to plenty of games we like. Diablo IV isn't necessarily one of those, but it could still be worthwhile if you're in the mood for a "numbers go up" dungeon crawler. 

Hanging over every Xbox deal right now is a massive court document leak from September that included details of a potential Series X refresh, which could arrive sometime in 2024 and omit a disc drive altogether. Still, if you want to jump on the Xbox bandwagon today, the current Series X remains a strong value when it's discounted to this extent.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-xbox-series-x-is-down-to-just-349-right-now-133430874.html?src=rss