Walmart makes a rare CES appearance to promote AI-powered shopping

Posted on 11/01/2024 by Malak Saleh

When Walmart announced it would be holding a CES keynote for the first time, we were admittedly a little skeptical. Now it all makes sense, though: America’s largest retailer came to CES 2024 in Las Vegas to talk about AI. In a joint announcement on Tuesday, the company said that it’s teaming up with Microsoft to build what it bills as AI-powered shopping experiences. In his keynote, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon described how the integration of AI across its website and apps will be used to study shopper behavior and suggest future purchases.

As you might expect, given Microsoft’s involvement, the artificial intelligence underpinning these experiences will be powered by large language models made available through this partnership with Microsoft. The AI it plans on deploying will use a combination of retail-specific search functions based on Walmart’s own proprietary technologies and Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI service.

Walmart’s new generative AI-powered search functions will be available on iOS and Android mobile devices as well as through the company’s website. The new search features will give shoppers more options for interacting with the retailer’s digital inventory. For example, instead of searching for items like soda and chips, a shopper can look for product recommendations for specific events like a birthday celebration or game day watch party by telling the website, in natural language, what they need help shopping for.

During the keynote, McMilon said that the algorithms are designed to highlight relevant product categories after a search that will “serve up a curated list of the best items.” These new algorithmic shopping initiatives will directly compete with Google’s AI search tool SGE and Amazon’s large language model-powered product listing program.

While it seems that most of the efforts on the AI front are consumer-facing, the company said new AI search functions will not just help shoppers. It will also expand tools available to store associates intended to help streamline job-related tasks and workflows. This can also be seen in its announcement that at Sam's Club, which is owned by Walmart, employees will soon no longer need to check shopping receipts as people leave stores. Instead, it will deploy an AI tool that verifies customer purchases.

Additionally, Walmart teased ‘Walmart InHome Replenishment,’ which also will use artificial intelligence to predict what items in a shopper’s cart need to be replenished in a timely manner. This offering will be added as an extension to its ‘InHome’ program that became available to Walmart+ shoppers in 2019.

Aside from AI, the retailer also teased plans to weave augmented reality into its shopping experience. The company teased ‘Shop with Friends,’ a beta social commerce offering that uses augmented reality to allow shoppers the option to share virtual outfits with friends for feedback while shopping. Lastly, Walmart will expand its drone delivery testing program to more shoppers in Texas as a starting point. 1.8 million additional households will get access to drone delivery services that help shoppers get items as fast as 30 minutes.

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/walmart-makes-a-rare-ces-appearance-to-promote-ai-powered-shopping-005538465.html?src=rss

Apple’s MacBook Air M2 is up to $300 off, plus the rest of the week’s best tech deals

Posted on 22/12/2023 by Jeff Dunn

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-macbook-air-m2-is-up-to-300-off-plus-the-rest-of-the-weeks-best-tech-deals-165034046.html?src=rss

Apple’s MacBook Air M2 is up to $300 off, plus the rest of the week’s best tech deals

Posted on 22/12/2023 by Jeff Dunn

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/apples-macbook-air-m2-is-up-to-300-off-plus-the-rest-of-the-weeks-best-tech-deals-165034046.html?src=rss

An Apple AirTags four-pack is back on sale for $80

Posted on 15/12/2023 by Kris Holt

There are plenty of folks out there who'd prefer a practical gift to an offbeat one this holiday season. Apple's AirTags are handy little devices that could help you find and recover lost items, and so they make for great holiday gifts (as long as your intended recipient is an iPhone user). Now is a good time to pick up a few AirTags as a pack of four is on sale for $80. That's $19 off the regular price and it matches a deal we saw during the Black Friday period.

The AirTag is our pick for the best Bluetooth tracker for iPhones as it taps into Apple's global Find My network. After you pair an AirTag with an iPhone or iPad, you'll be able to find it as long as it's within range of another Apple device. Otherwise, you'll be able to view the AirTag's last known location to give you a starting point.

If you put the AirTag into Lost Mode, you'll receive a notification as soon as the tracker appears on the Find My network. Folks with an iPhone 11 or later will have ultra-wideband support on their device. That means they can harness the Find Nearby feature, which can guide them to the exact location of the AirTag once they're within a certain range without having to set off the device's ringer. As you get close to the tracker, your phone will start to vibrate.

In addition, the AirTag is a robust little thing as it's water- and dust-resistant. You won't have to be too concerned about the battery either, as it only needs to be replaced roughly once a year. Meanwhile, you might want to consider picking up an AirTag accessory such as a case or holder to secure the tracker.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/an-apple-airtags-four-pack-is-back-on-sale-for-80-163816952.html?src=rss

The 12 best last-minute Christmas gifts for 2025 that will arrive by December 24

Posted on 13/12/2023 by Valentina Palladino

We’re almost out of time — the holidays are just about here, and if you’re still doing your holiday shopping, you’re not alone. Between wrapping things up at work before some well-deserved time off and making sure you have everything you need to host family and friends, it can be hard to find the time to go shop for some gifts. And if you’re going to physical stores right now, you’re probably being met with half-empty shelves. But the internet remains an option, even this late in the game: you still have time to buy holiday gifts online.

USPS, UPS and FedEx have laid out their holiday shipping deadlines for 2025. At this point, we recommend picking up small, affordable gifts that will ship quickly from retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target so you have plenty of time to wrap them up nicely and make it look like you had everything well-planned from the start. Here are the best last-minute Christmas gifts you can get right now and still have in time before the holidays.

Best last-minute Christmas gifts

Holiday shipping deadlines for 2025

USPS: Ground Advantage — December 17, Priority Mail Express: December 20
UPS: Three-Day Select — December 19, Next Day Air — December 23
FedEx: Ground Economy — December 15, First Overnight — December 23
Amazon Prime: December 23

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-12-best-last-minute-christmas-gifts-for-2025-that-will-arrive-by-december-24-140037753.html?src=rss

Arturia V Collection X is its biggest upgrade in years

Posted on 12/12/2023 by Terrence O'Brien

Arturia V Collection X is one of the biggest updates to the virtual synth library in quite some time. Six new instruments have been added (though, most have been available separately before) and two have been rebuilt from the ground up. That brings the grand total number of instruments in V Collection to 38, and over the last few years at least six of those have been completely revamped with dramatic improvements.

MiniFreak V, Acid V, Augmented Brass and Augmented Grand Piano were all available previously as standalone instruments, but now they are joining the V Collection proper. Two completely new instruments are also entering the fold. Augmented Woodwinds and CP-70 V. Augmented Woodwinds is, as you might have guessed, a take on Arturia’s Augmented series, except here the synths are paired with woodwind samples. CP-70 V is an emulation of Yamaha’s electric piano from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s used most notably by The Grateful Dead and Genesis.

Augmented Woodwinds, Brass and Grand Piano

Arturia V Collection X Augmented Woodwinds

I’ll admit to being somewhat skeptical of Augmented Woodwinds at first. I think Augmented Strings and Grand Piano are excellent, but have found little use for Brass and Voices so far, and woodwinds often feel like some of the most difficult acoustic instruments to get right in a sample library. Yet, Arturia pulls it off, largely by leaning into the synth side of things pretty strongly. You’re never going to convince anyone that the sounds coming out of it are from a flesh-and-blood woodwind ensemble, but the soft cinematic pads and leads you can coax out of it are compelling, especially when paired with an MPE controller like the Push or Seaboard Rise 2. (With the exception of a few presets that seem to come undone when faced with MPE input, at least.)

Like the rest of the Augmented series, Woodwinds, Brass and Grand Piano feel built especially with scoring in mind. That’s not to say you can’t find a use for them in a pop song or jazz arrangement, but these are all about atmosphere and texture, and there’s a healthy dose of sounds that would only be appropriate in the tensest moments of a cosmic horror film.

They all have a suite of advanced controls where you can build almost any sound you want from its four layer engine (two samples and two synths). You can even completely disable the sample layers and go woodwind-less, though, you might as well use one of the other plugins at that point.

CP-70 V

The other completely new instrument, CP-70 V, is a lot more straightforward. It’s an electric piano. A very specific one that hasn’t enjoyed the same level of reverence as the Rhodes or Wurlitzer, but isn’t without its merits. The CP-70 used strings like a real piano, instead of the metal reeds and tines found in Rhodes in Wurlitzers. It also used piezo pickups instead of magnetic ones, resulting in a sound that is significantly closer to an actual acoustic piano. That was definitely a huge selling point for touring acts in the ‘70s and ‘80s that wanted the sound of a grand piano, but didn’t want to lug one on the road.

The result though, is less characterful than those other electric pianos. It’s brighter and there’s less room for shaping the sound without adding effects. Arturia seems to do an admirable job of capturing the spirit of the CP-70, but it comes close enough to sounding like a real piano, I’d be far more likely to reach for the regular ol' Piano V plugin in most cases.

MiniFreak V

Acid V and MiniFreak V both launched earlier this year. And frankly, nothing has changed with Acid V in the roughly four months since I wrote about it, so I won’t say much beyond, it’s an excellent TB-303 emulator. It does what you expect it to and not much else, but with about one-tenth of the headaches of the real thing.

MiniFreak V, on the other hand, got a major update yesterday with a new wavetable engine, new super unison effect and some improvements to the LFO. The 32 wavetables are pretty solid and modern sounding. And perhaps, best of all, they seem to be able to handle bass better than some of the other oscillators — an area the Freak line has always felt a little weak in. There are 64 new presets designed to show off the strength of the wavetable engine and there’s some real winners in there. Yes, there are plenty of weirdo sound effects and dubstep bass wubs, but there are also some lovely chilly pads and delicate keys.

Additionally, Arturia is finally adding preset packs for the MiniFreak and MiniFreak V to its store. There are two paid soundpacks, but also three free ones and, well, I can’t recommend that you download Deserted Lands from Oscillator Sink enough. It’s basically just one gorgeous broken patch after another. This was sort of a running theme, though. With MiniFreak 2.0, Augmented Woodwinds and the rebuilt Mini V4, Arturia really improved the quality of its presets. Whether they were designed in house or by an artist they worked with, most felt designed to show off what the plugins were capable of musically, as opposed to technically. That wasn’t necessarily the case with the MiniFreak, the MicroFreak or even Pigments.

Mini V4

This was the single biggest shock of the lot, honestly. Mini V was also a decent enough Minimoog Model D emulation, but the world is filled with those. It was never the reason to seek out V Collection specifically, but it was good enough that you didn’t need to go find an alternative. Mini V4, however, is incredible. The difference is subtle, but definitely noticeable if you load up the default template in both Mini V3 and V4 and play them side by side. For one, the V4 is a touch louder, but it’s also fuller. Part of that, I think, is there’s more inherent instability in the new oscillator model. As you start playing at the lower reaches of the keyboard you can hear it more clearly.

You can also play lower notes. Where V3 simply doesn’t work below A-1, V4 will let you get all the way down to C-2, though, there’s very little musical reason for you to go down that far.

The differences become more apparent when you start messing with the filter. More bass is retained as you start turning up the resonance in the new version, and it remains usable even with it pinned. The frequency cutoff is also smoother with a bit more of a guttural growl as you start isolating those lower frequencies.

While the Minimoog obviously excels at bass, and Arturia makes sure to showcase that, there are also a lot of presets that push the sound in different directions. The benefit of a plugin over the actual vintage synth is that you can have eight notes of polyphony here. That gives this virtual Model D the freedom to play unstable pads and electric-piano style keys.

The addition of a “vintage” knob is also quite welcome here. While I love things being ever-so-slightly out of tune and for there to be a gentle whisper of white noise in the background, others might want a more buttoned up sound.

It’s also worth pointing out that Arturia didn’t go too overboard with the features here. There’s no modulation matrix or sequencer or motion recording. There’s a handful of useful effects, an arpeggiator and MPE controls, and not much else beyond what you’d find on the original.

Wurli V3

Similar to the Mini V, Arturia took its Wurlitzer plugin and decided to start over agin. The results are excellent, if a touch less dramatic than with the Moog emulation. The general tone is brighter and it sings a bit more in the lower registers. There also seems to be a wider stereo field than before as well. The cumulative effect is something a bit more inviting.

The new mic and amp simulations help it feel more alive and like you're actually in a room with a Wurli instead of just playing one through your computer. And the age parameter adds instability to the sound, allowing you to get that "just found this keyboard in my uncle's basement where it's been sitting untouched for 30 years" sound. Not to mention it absolutely nails the sound of Supertramp's "The Logical Song."

The Wurli isn’t a plugin I reach for terribly often, but I appreciated the improved tone that should help it cut through a mix a bit better. It’s also far more versatile than the CP-70 V, though even with the improvements I’m far more likely to reach for a Rhodes.

Arturia V Collection X is available now and existing Arturia customers will get a discount, depending on what software they already own. If you're new, the full price of $599 might be a bit tough to swallow, but it still represents one of the better deals in soft syths.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/arturia-v-collection-x-is-its-biggest-upgrade-in-years-160015345.html?src=rss

Google’s new AI experiment composes abstract musical clips inspired by instruments

Posted on 01/12/2023 by Will Shanklin

Google’s new generative AI experiment lets you create music “inspired by” over 100 instruments worldwide. Instrument Playground starts by asking for a simple prompt containing a musical instrument’s name, optionally preceded by an adjective like “upbeat,” “strange” or “gloomy.” It will then spit out a 20-second audio clip as a starting point to compose (often extremely offbeat or abstract) music that may or may not include the sound of the specific instrument you entered.

Simon Doury, an Artist in Residence at Google Arts & Culture Lab, designed the experiment. It taps into Google’s MusicLM, a text-to-AI tool it made available to the public in May.

Instrument Playground invites you to “choose one of over 100 instruments from around the world you’d like to play,” suggesting some lesser-known to Americans like the veena from India, dizi from China or mbria from Zimbabwe. Meanwhile, prefixing your instrument prompt with an adjective lets you suggest styles like “moody,” “happy” or “romantic.”

The experiment works less literally than you might expect. For example, “angry tuba” doesn’t generate the aggressive brass solo you’d expect. Instead, it sounds more like a synthesized pipe organ with tuba aspirations. Similarly, “strange didgeridoo” came out like an ominous section of a Hans Zimmer score. The results seem like abstract compositions with layers of sound that (sort of) capture the feeling — more than the specific sound — of the prompt.

It also rejects some adjectives for inexplicable reasons. When I enter “quirky” or “psychedelic,” an error pop-up tells me it doesn’t allow prompts referencing specific artists.

Once the experiment generates a clip you like for a starting point, you can choose from “Ambient,” “Beat” and “Pitch” to control different aspects of the composition, turning it into something more uniquely yours. If you want to add more instruments (or whatever sounds it makes in response to instrument-based prompts), an advanced mode opens a sequencer to layer and loop up to four tracks for your oddball musical masterpiece. Finally, you can download a .wav file of your track once you’re happy with it.

Google included the following holiday-themed example to inspire you to get started. If that looks like something you want to play with, you can visit Instrument Playground and log in with your Google account to begin composing.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/googles-new-ai-experiment-composes-abstract-musical-clips-inspired-by-instruments-203732054.html?src=rss

What we bought: Casio’s latest flagship digital piano doubles as drool-worthy furniture

Posted on 28/11/2023 by Lawrence Bonk

Casio’s instrument division has been around a long time, as anyone who got into music as a kid by making fart noises into an SK-1 knows. However, the company is mostly known for entry-level digital pianos that get the job done, but don’t offer much by way of modern conveniences. In recent years, Casio has been dipping its toes into the waters of high-end instruments like the Privia PX-S7000.

The latest Privia entry is a sizable leap over most starter pianos. This is a serious instrument for serious players, with that quad-speaker system, 88 hybrid hammer action keys that feel fantastic, plenty of high-tech bells and whistles and, most importantly, access to three realistic-sounding piano models, along with 400 other instruments. Oh, and it has a hefty $2,400 price tag to match.

All of that is well and good, but let’s talk about why I really decided to splurge on this thing over the myriad of other digital pianos out there — it’s absolutely gorgeous. It hits that sweet spot between a musical instrument and a piece of high-end furniture. I fell in love pretty much instantly when I saw it online. I wasn’t able to try it out ahead of time, as my options here in Minnesota are limited when it comes to testing synths and digital instruments, so I just went for it. My plan was to return the thing if it was a lemon but, as you can see, it’s still there. It’s not a lemon. Maybe it’s a strawberry? Those are pretty.

I had just moved into a mostly-bare new home and had an entire house to fill for the first time in my life. I wanted something that tied the living room together and I don’t really understand visual art, so I went with what I know: expensive musical instruments. It did the trick. It looks stunning sitting there and almost makes up for the lack of wall art.

Casio PX-S7000 out of the box

The piano itself has elegant spruce sides, and it ships with a sleek and sturdy wooden beech stand. There’s also a nice-looking three-pedal unit that attaches near the bottom, providing yet another feature that makes this digital piano feel, well, not-so digital. It weighs just 60 pounds, so it was easy for me to try out different placements on the fly without destroying my back. Real pianos weigh hundreds and even thousands of pounds — I’ve ruined enough friendships in my life asking people to help me move them around, thank you very much.

I ended up with the black model, though it’s also available in white and “harmonious mustard.” Personally, I think the mustard is the most attractive option, but the eye-popping paint job adds another $200 to the price. I’m financially irresponsible, but even I have my limits. I still lust over that warm and luscious yellow, though.

The Privia PX-S7000 is not just a conversation piece, it also sounds and feels eerily similar to playing the real thing. The three primary piano models are excellent, but digital recreations of classic instruments are nothing new. This instrument combines those excellent piano models with a realistic-sounding speaker system and a keybed that’s incredibly satisfying to play.

How it sounds: The tech inside the Casio PX-S7000

The keybed feels great, with a textured surface on each key that calls to mind, you guessed it, an actual piano. There’s a proprietary technology here, called Smart Hybrid Hammer Action, but I don’t really understand the specifics. All I know is that the keys spring back nicely and do their part to keep the illusion going that you’re playing an analog instrument. There’s a heaviness to the key presses and an oh-so-satisfying thunk as each press returns to the resting position. It’s just plain fun to play. (Though I’m not exactly Rachmaninoff. I’m more of a dime-store Paul McCartney.)

Another proprietary system, Casio’s Multi-Dimensional Morphing AiR Sound Source, helps increase the fun factor by adding a bit of damper, string and aliquot resonance with each press. This tech is based on the sound engine from the even more expensive Celviano line of digital pianos, so it’s nice to see it pop up in a cheaper model. There’s also some counterweight and damping voodoo going on underneath the hood. This is the closest I’ve ever felt to the “real thing” with a digital instrument, though I haven’t spent any time with ultra-high-end digital pianos as a comparison point. I have, though, spent hundreds and hundreds of hours playing real pianos, starting in my grandmother’s den as a wee tyke.

When I’m playing the Privia SX-7000, it sounds like the tones are coming from everywhere at once, thanks to the quad-speaker spatial sound system. They really put me in the center of the action and, believe it or not, this actually makes me play better, especially when compared to my caveman plunks on a MIDI controller.

The main draws here are the three piano models, but this is a digital instrument in the year 2023, so there’s some high-tech fun to be had. Casio has introduced a new feature that pairs analog piano sounds and electric tones with on-board effects to recreate the vibe of classic songs. For instance, you can tap away at a piano that sounds like John Lennon’s Imagine, Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, Stevie Wonder's Superstition and dozens more. There’s even a microphone input and 25 vocal effects options for sing-alongs. I’ve used both to great effect. Starting with a famous piano sound helps me drum up song ideas and plugging a mic in lets me hear my vocals at a decent volume without having to emote like Whitney Houston during the last key change of I Will Always Love You.

Sound settings

All modern digital pianos have a few hundred additional sounds for those times you want to hear an average-sounding bass, and the Privia’s no different. There are 400 sounds to choose from, ranging from good to barely OK. All of the usual bases are covered here, from synth-heavy pads to drum kits and woodwinds. None of these sounds are truly mind-blowing, but they can help generate ideas in a pinch. If I’m recording, however, I prefer a virtual instrument with more control options.

One modern convenience that I enjoy is the included Bluetooth adapter. This is only for incoming sounds, but it’s still pretty cool. I’ve spent many hours streaming music from my phone to the piano and playing along with it. It’s an efficient way to learn new songs.

Casio app

The piano integrates with a Casio app that offers piano lessons and the like, which I haven’t tried because I like learning in my own way. The app also displays PDF scores on your phone or tablet that you can play along to, though I haven’t experimented much with this feature because I (ducks) can’t read music.

The added features are cool — it’s 2023 after all — but the true draw of the Privia SX-7000 is three-fold: it looks great, it sounds great and it feels like playing a real piano. It’s also really expensive, costing around $2,400, so this isn’t for casual hobbyists. I bought it fully expecting to regret my purchase, but that regret never came. Instead, I feel a spark of joy whenever I see it sitting there, inviting me to play Imagine until I’m blue in the face.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/what-we-bought-casios-latest-flagship-digital-piano-doubles-as-drool-worthy-furniture-150038288.html?src=rss

The best Cyber Monday gaming deals for 2023 that are still live today

Posted on 27/11/2023 by Jeff Dunn

Cyber Monday brought a truckload of deals on gaming gear for PCs, PS5, Xbox and Nintendo Switch — and while the big day has passed, many of those discounts are still available. If you want a hand in upgrading your setup, you still have time to do so, as there remain lower-than-usual prices on consoles, games, gaming monitors, mice, keyboards, headsets, handhelds, laptops and other accessories our gaming experts have tested, reviewed and recommended. Here are the best Cyber Monday gaming deals we could find that are still live today.

Cyber Monday gaming console deals

PlayStation 5

The PlayStation 5 remains $50 off and down to $450 at GameStop — though it still appears to require in-store pickup. This offer only applies to the older version of the PS5, not the smaller “slim” version that was announced last month. 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.

If stock for that deal completely runs dry, Sony is still offering a pair of 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 available: 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 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. That bundle is down to $480 at BJ's, while other retailers such as Amazon, Target, Best Buy, GameStop, and Walmart.

Nintendo Switch OLED

Nintendo’s main Switch OLED bundle for Cyber Monday is still live, too. As a refresher, this pairs the $350 console 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. arrived 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. This bundle is available at GameStop, Walmart, Target, Best Buy and Nintendo.com.

Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite

Nintendo is selling a pair of holiday bundles for the $300 Switch and $200 Switch Lite as well: The former is available with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and the same three-month Switch Online sub as above, while the latter now comes with Animal Crossing: New Horizons. It’s really worth stepping up to the Switch OLED’s larger and more vivid display if you can swing it, but both of those games usually cost between $40 and $50 individually. Both make our roundup of the best Switch games as well.

Xbox Series X

Both Xbox consoles are still discounted as well. The Xbox Series X, for one, is still on sale for $440 at Walmart and Microsoft as part of a bundle that also includes the (divisive) 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). Other stores like GameStop and Target have the bundle for $450. The Cyber Monday deal that brought the console down to a low of $400 no longer appears to be available, however.

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. This isn't the lowest price we've seen for Microsoft's entry-level machine, but it's still a good $60 off its usual rate. The subscription normally costs $51 on its own. Other retailers like Walmart and Amazon have it for $250. If the bundle becomes unavailable, Microsoft has the console alone available for $60 off as well.

Note that these offers apply to the older Series S with 512GB of storage, not the updated 1TB variant that Microsoft released earlier this year. If you're willing to pay more, Dell has that model on sale for $300. That's $50 off and one of the few discounts we've seen for the latest iteration of the device.

As a refresher, the Series S lacks a disc drive, and its lesser GPU and RAM count means it can’t hit high frame rates or a 4K resolution as consistently as the Series X. That gulf in power is starting to become more evident as time rolls on. But it can play all the same games, it’s physically smaller and, most importantly, it’s far more affordable if all you need is a cheap route into the Xbox library.

Nintendo eShop gift card

Here's a simple one: Amazon currently has a $35 Nintendo eShop gift card on sale for $31.50, or 10 percent off. Nothing huge, then, but if you’re looking to pad your Switch game backlog or top up a Switch Online subscription anyway, it’s hard to complain about any little bit of (effectively) free money.

Cyber Monday Nintendo Switch game deals

We're still seeing some decent prices on titles we recommend in our guides to the best Switch games and best couch co-op games. The cutesy adventure game Luigi’s Mansion 3 is about $10 off at $40, for instance, while Kirby and the Forgotten Land is still available for a low of $39. Beyond that, the well-reviewed RPG Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is down to $39. The Nintendo eShop’s ongoing “Cyber Deals'' sale has several other discounts of note, including the Portal Companion Collection for a new low of $6.79. There still aren't significant discounts on newer games like Super Mario Bros. Wonder and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, though.

Cyber Monday Xbox game deals

For Xbox owners, Microsoft’s ongoing Cyber Monday sale still includes a number of picks from our guide to the best Xbox games. The rhythm-action game Hi-Fi Rush, for one, is at a low of $22.49, while the open-world racer Forza Horizon 5 is down to $29. The wonderfully written murder mystery Pentiment is about $7 off at $13.39, the Halo: Master Chief Collection is available for $10 and the third-person shooter Gears 5 is back down to $12. Older gems like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Prey are available for $3 each. And while our review wasn’t huge on Starfield, the Bethesda space RPG is now down to $56 digitally. Many of the multiplatform titles noted above are also on sale; just keep in mind that several of these games are also available with an Xbox Game Pass subscription.

Cyber Monday PS5 game deals

As for the PlayStation 5, most of the better deals we saw on Cyber Monday are no longer available, but the dramatic action-RPG Final Fantasy XVI is still down to $35, the well-reviewed turn-based RPG Octopath Traveler II is still available for $30, and Assassin's Creed Mirage remains $20 off at $40. Sony has also started an "End of Year Deals" sale with a few OK discounts on first-party games, including the wholesome action game Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and the open-world samurai game Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut for $30 each.

Cyber Monday PC game deals

PC gamers still have plenty of deals to shop through as well, albeit only for a few more hours in some cases. Steam is running its annual Autumn Sale through 1pm ET on November 28, while the Epic Games Store’s Cyber Monday sale, which includes a recurring coupon that takes 33 percent off eligible games when your cart totals $15 or more, ends at 11am ET on Tuesday. Humble and GOG are still running storewide promos as well.

These sales include literal decades of games between them, so it’s worth browsing the sales for yourself. One highlight, though, brings the trippy survival horror game Alan Wake 2 down to a new low of $33.49 when you use the aforementioned coupon at Epic. Beyond that, the action-RPG/management sim hybrid Dave the Diver is back at a low of $16, while the madcap platformer Pizza Tower is at a low of $15.

Game of the Year contender Baldur’s Gate 3 isn’t discounted, sadly, but several picks from our list of the best PC games are at lower-than-usual prices. Those include the roguelike Hades for $12.49, the VR-only Half-Life: Alyx for $20, the thoughtful RPG Disco Elysium for $10, the driving sim Euro Truck Simulator 2 for $5 and Stray (aka the cat game) for $20. The 27-game Valve Complete Pack is another standout at $14.

Cyber Monday game controller deals

PS5 DualSense Wireless Controller

If you need a spare controller for your PlayStation 5, Sony’s DualSense wireless pad is still down to $49 in various colors at Amazon, Target and others. While not an absolute all-time low, that’s a nice $20 or $25 off Sony’s list price depending on which finish you choose.

Xbox Wireless Controller

If you’re after a new Xbox gamepad, official Xbox Series X/S controllers remain on sale for $40 at Microsoft. Again, the discounts apply to several different finishes. We typically see the gamepad retail between $50 and $60 depending on the color. The big caveat with the Xbox controller is that it requires a pair of AA batteries for power; we recommend grabbing a rechargeable set like the Panasonic Eneloops to mitigate that annoyance. That said, if you want a new controller for gaming on the PC, the Xbox pad is generally easier to set up and use with most Windows clients than the DualSense.

Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons bundle

Apart from the Switch console bundles, Nintendo is selling a bundle that pairs a red and blue set of Joy-Con controllers with a digital copy of Super Mario Party for $100. A pair of Joy-Cons usually goes for $80, while the game alone typically retails in the $50 range these days, so you’re saving about $30 by getting the two together. Note that this isn’t the latest Mario Party game, though — that would be Mario Party Superstars, which was released in 2021. Still, if you’re looking to play a few new Mario Party boards and need a new set of Joy-Cons anyway, it might be worth the extra cost.

Thrustmaster T300RS GT Edition

The Thrustmaster T300RS GT Edition is a PlayStation- and PC-compatible racing wheel we’ve previously recommended to sim racing fans looking to upgrade from a standard gamepad for the first time. Right now Thrustmaster has it down to $330 for Cyber Monday, which isn’t an all-time low but marks the lowest price we’ve seen over the past few years. The T300RS GT is a belt-driven wheel with a sturdy build quality and stable, responsive pedals. The latter in particular are a step up over less expensive models we’ve tested. This isn't the fastest thing to set up, and it’s been around for several years at this point, but it remains an effective way to make racers like Gran Turismo 7 more expressive.

Cyber Monday gaming handheld and VR headset deals

ASUS ROG Ally

The ASUS ROG Ally is down to $600 at Best Buy, which is $100 off the handheld gaming PC’s normal price and a rare discount. 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.

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

Though it's no longer available with a $50 gift card as it was on Cyber Monday, Meta’s Quest 2 VR headset is still $50 off and down to $249 at Amazon, Target, Walmart, Best Buy and B&H. 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.

Cyber Monday video game storage deals

Samsung Pro Plus

The top pick in our microSD card buying guide, the Samsung Pro Plus, is also on sale. You can grab a 128GB unit for $11, a 256GB unit for $18 and a 512GB unit for $32; the first two of those represent the lowest prices we’ve seen, while the third is within $3 of its all-time low. Despite its relatively affordable price, the Pro Plus was among the fastest cards we tested in both sequential and random performance, so it’s a dependable option if you need to add space to a Switch or Steam Deck.

Elsewhere, Samsung’s Evo Select card is down to $25 for a 512GB unit. That one was a fair bit slower in testing, but the differences aren’t hugely noticeable when it comes to load times on Nintendo’s and Valve’s handhelds, so it should do the job if you want to save a few bucks. Both cards come with 10-year warranties.

WD Black C50 Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X/S

Unlike the PS5 or Switch, the Xbox Series X/S requires you to use a proprietary expansion card if you want to add storage space for current-gen games. If your Xbox is running out of room, WD’s Black C50 is one of those cards, and its 1TB model is now on sale for an all-time low of $124 at Amazon. At Walmart, it's on sale for $1 more. This is much more expensive than a typical SSD with the same capacity, but it’s at least $26 off WD’s usual price. If you need more storage, the 2TB version of Seagate’s Storage Expansion Card is $50 off at $230, which again matches the lowest price we’ve tracked. Both cards perform just about identically.

Cyber Monday gaming mouse deals

Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite

The Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite is the “best for MMOs” pick in our gaming mouse guide, and it’s now down to $50 at Amazon. That’s $2 more than the lowest price we’ve tracked but still $10 below the mouse’s typical going rate. Like most MMO mice, the Scimitar RGB Elite is fairly bulky, but that’s because it has 12 easy-to-distinguish side buttons that you can use to access commands in games like Final Fantasy XIV or Baldur’s Gate 3. Its rounded, gently sloped shape should be comfortable to palm- and claw-grippers of most hand sizes. And while its sensor is fairly old, it’s accurate enough. Just note that its cable is somewhat stiff, and that you probably won’t want to spend much time in Corsair’s messy companion software.

HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2

The HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 is an honorable mention in our gaming mouse guide, as it’s a solid alternative to the Basilisk V3 if you prefer a flatter shape or one more welcoming to lefties. It performs reliably and weighs a scant 53 grams, so it’s easy to flick around in multiplayer games. Right now it’s down to $40 at Amazon and Best Buy, which is an all-time low and roughly $15 below its average street price over the last couple of months.

Logitech G203 Lightsync

Sticking with gaming mice, the Logitech G203 Lightsync is on sale for $20 at Amazon. That's about $8 off its usual going rate. The G203 is the budget pick in our gaming mouse buying guide: It’s small, its scroll wheel is a bit mushy and its rubber cable isn’t especially flexible, but it tracks accurately, it’s built well and its light (85g) shape should suit righties and lefties. For less than $20, it’s hard to do better. If you’d rather go wireless, the Logitech G305 Lightspeed puts a newer sensor in more or less the same shape, and it’s currently discounted to $35.

Cyber Monday gaming monitor deals

LG 27GP850-B

The LG 27GP850-B gaming monitor is available for $300 at LG.com, which is $10 more than its all-time low but about $70 below its average street price. This is the “best for most” pick in our gaming monitor buying guide. It’s a 27-inch IPS panel with a 1440p resolution and a native 165Hz refresh rate — not top of the line by any means, but perfectly competent for most needs. We found it to provide clear motion and fast response times in testing, and it works with both FreeSync and G-Sync to ward off screen tearing regardless of your graphics card. It can’t deliver especially high contrast or deep black tones, but for $300 it’s still a nice value.

Cyber Monday gaming headset deals

Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X

Beyerdynamic's DT 900 Pro X headphones are down to $249 at Target from a trusted third-party seller. That’s only $20 off their usual going rate, but we haven’t seen many larger discounts over the past few months. The DT 900 Pro X is a wired pair of open-back headphones designed for critical listening at home. It’s currently the top pick in our guide to the best headphones for gaming, as its wonderfully spacious sound does well to envelop you in the fine details of any given game. Like most open-back cans, it can’t produce truly deep sub-bass, but it delivers enough low-end to give in-game explosions a powerful sense of impact. A set of soft velour earpads keep the whole thing comfortable, though it can’t fold up, and the open design means it won’t block much external noise when you’re outside of the house.

Sennheiser HD 560S

The Sennheiser HD 560S is another open-back pair of wired headphones we highlight in our gaming headset guide. It’s down to $150 at B&H — that’s not an incredible deal, as the pair often sold for the same rate earlier in the year, but it’s about $30 less than the street price we’ve seen since the summer. Regardless, the HD 560S offers a pleasingly balanced, spacious and detailed sound profile and a frame that’s comfortable to wear for extended periods. It can sometimes sound a little piercing in the treble, it’s not as sturdily built as the DT 900 Pro X and, again, it’ll leak and let in lots of noise. But if you want a pair of audio-centric gaming headphones for less than $200, this is one of the better options in the price range.

HyperX Cloud Stinger 2

If all you want is a decent gaming headset for as little as possible, the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 is worth considering at $35. Though we saw the headset briefly fall down to $30 earlier on Cyber Monday, this deal matches the best price we've seen otherwise. The Cloud Stinger 2 is the budget pick in our gaming headset guide: It sounds narrower and less balanced than the Astro A40, our top pick, but its built-in mic is great for the money and its bass-heavy profile at least makes action scenes feel a little more exciting. It’s all comfy, too, though it’s largely made of plastic.

Logitech G535

The Logitech G535 is another honorable mention in our gaming headsets guide, one that should specifically appeal to those who want a wireless option for less than $100. If that’s you, good news: It’s available for just under $80 at Amazon, B&H and Best Buy, which is about $25 off its usual street price. The G535’s noticeably light frame, relatively balanced sound and Bluetooth support all impress for the price; just note that it doesn’t work with Xbox, and that its mic sounds a bit thinner than the wired headsets highlighted above. Its battery life clocks in at 30 to 35 hours per charge, which is decent but not great.

Cyber Monday gaming keyboard deals

ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless

The ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless is down to a new low of $145 at Amazon, which is a $35 discount. This was a close second to the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless in our testing when it came to wireless gaming keyboards. Its pre-lubed ROG NX switches, superb sound dampening and PBT-coated keycaps make it a pleasure to type on, it’s hot-swappable, plus it lasts longer than SteelSeries’ model on a charge. It just lacks the custom actuation tricks we found so useful on the Apex Pro. Still, if you care about a premium typing feel more than gaming-friendly features, this is a good buy.

ASUS ROG Azoth

The ASUS ROG Azoth, meanwhile, is down to $200 at Amazon and Newegg. That matches the lowest price we’ve seen and marks a roughly $25 drop from the wireless keyboard’s average street price. The Azoth is like a smaller version of the Strix Scope II 96 Wireless with a few more enthusiast touches, including a gasket-mounted design (which gives presses a softer feel), a programmable OLED display and a toolkit for lubing switches in the box. It’s exceptionally well-made, but it probably goes without saying that it’s meant for enthusiasts only, even with this discount.

Cyber Monday gaming laptop deals

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is still 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 whether 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.

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

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-41-best-cyber-monday-gaming-deals-of-2023-pc-accessories-consoles-monitors-games-and-more-224313947.html?src=rss

The best Cyber Monday laptop deals that are still live today

Posted on 27/11/2023 by Jeff Dunn

Cyber Monday is behind us, and while many of the best Cyber Monday laptop deals we could find are no longer available, we're still seeing a handful for notebooks that are worth your money. If you're looking to gift a new notebook this holiday season or just upgrade your own aging device, there's still time to save on top picks from our guides to the best gaming laptops, MacBooks, Chromebooks and Windows laptops and others. Here are the best Cyber Monday laptop deals that are still live today.

Best Cyber Monday MacBook deals

Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, M1)

The older 13-inch MacBook Air that was released in 2020 and uses Apple’s M1 chip is still on sale, with an entry-level config available for $750 at Amazon and Best Buy. 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 newer M2 MacBook 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 whenever we get the inevitable MacBook Air refresh that will reportedly include Apple's M3 chip next year. 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.

Best Cyber Monday Chromebook deals

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.

Best Cyber Monday Windows laptop deals

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.

Dell XPS 15 (9530)

If you want a larger Windows workstation, the 15.6-inch Dell XPS 15 is also on sale. One variant with a Core i7-13700H processor, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, an Intel Arc 370M GPU and a 1,920 x 1,200 IPS display is available for $1,099. That’s $500 off Dell’s MSRP and the lowest historical price we could find for this config. Performance in this model should be good for most, though other versions with a richer 3.5K OLED panel, stronger GPUs and extra RAM and storage are similarly discounted.

We gave the 2022 version of the XPS 15 a review score of 93, calling it “the best 15-inch Windows laptop” in the process. This latest iteration uses a newer generation of Intel chips, but it doesn’t make too many changes in terms of design, which is largely a good thing. It still looks sharp and feels well-made, with slim bezels, an aluminum chassis and a soft carbon fiber deck. Its memory and storage are user-replaceable, and it’s not crazy huge for a 15-inch machine, either. Its webcam is still limited to a measly 720p, however, and it doesn’t offer a 120Hz display option. It doesn’t have any USB-A ports, either, though it does include two Thunderbolt 4 ports alongside a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port and a headphone jack.

HP Pavilion Aero 13

The HP Pavilion Aero 13 is down to $530 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. It's also $20 lower than the deal we saw on Black Friday.

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.

Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is down to $2,043 at Amazon for a configuration with a Core i7-13700H, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU. 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 want a laptop for media editing and like the hinged design.

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 $1,097 at Amazon (or $1,100 at B&H and Best Buy). 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.

Best Cyber Monday gaming laptop deals

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14

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 the category at 3.75 pounds and it 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.

Razer Blade 15

The Razer Blade 15 is down to $2,100 at Amazon and B&H 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.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-cyber-monday-laptop-deals-that-are-still-live-today-153010578.html?src=rss