There's no such thing as having too much local storage. Whether it's for backups or extra space for all your stuff, an external SSD is always useful to have on hand. Samsung's portable SSDs are a go-to for many folks, and a recent model with ample storage for most people is on sale for nearly half off in an early Black Friday deal.
The 4TB T9 Portable SSD has dropped to $300. That's a $250 discount and the deal brings the external storage device almost to a record low price.
According to Samsung, the T9 is around twice as fast as the T7 (our current pick for the best external SSD for PS5). The company claims that it can transfer a 4GB video in nearly two seconds or a 90-minute 4K video (of 21GB) in 12 seconds. The two-lane USB interface offers data transfer rates of up to 20 Gbps, while the SSD has sequential read and write speeds of up to 2,000 MB/s.
That means it shouldn't take long at all to transfer games and other files to and from your PS5's internal storage when need be (the console can run PS4 games from an external drive, but not PS5 titles). It'll be a useful option for moving your files between different computers as well. Alternatively, you might use it to store your 4K movie collection.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-4tb-samsung-t9-portable-ssd-is-nearly-half-off-in-this-early-black-friday-deal-153043895.html?src=rss
The PlayStation 5 Pro is nearly here, as it hits retailers on November 7. If you’ve been on the fence about dropping a cool $700 on a mid-generation refresh, Sony just published a list of more than 50 games that will offer enhanced versions when the console launches later this week.
This list includes modern favorites like Baldur’s Gate 3, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and God of War Ragnarök. It also features newer games like NBA2K 25 and Dragon Age: The Veilguard. All told, it’s a pretty decent start. The console will unlock all kinds of graphical enhancements, like advanced ray tracing, higher frame rates and Sony’s proprietary upscaling system called PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution.
However, it’s also worth pointing out some games that aren’t on the list. Gran Turismo 7 is missing, despite an enhanced version already being announced. It must not be ready yet. Final Fantasy XVI is also absent from the list, and that one has frame rate issues on the PS5. The same goes for both Returnal and Elden Ring. Now, just because these games aren’t on the launch list, doesn’t mean they won’t get enhanced versions down the line. It probably depends on how many consoles Sony sells.
The PS5 Pro offers more than just slight graphical upgrades to pre-existing titles. It boasts faster memory, support for Wi-Fi 7 and ships with a large 2TB SSD. Digital Foundryrecently did an unboxing and also found 2GB of additional DDR5 RAM and a user-accessible battery bay. These are all nifty upgrades, though I’m still not sure if all of this adds up to me spending $700.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-announces-more-than-50-enhanced-games-available-for-ps5-pro-at-launch-174020762.html?src=rss
I think my colleague Cherlynn Low jinxed us in the last installment with her mention of a slower than usual October. The last week of the month was jam-packed with news, especially from Apple, so we're in for a busy few weeks of reviews to finish out the year. This week, we tested Amazon's long-awaited color E Ink ereader, a DJI action cam that's finally a worthy GoPro rival and Google's latest tv-streaming device. Here's a quick round-up of the week's in-depth reviews, and a quick preview of what's to come in the post-Halloween deluge.
Kindle Colorsoft review
by Valentina Palladino
After years of users clamoring for a color E Ink option, Amazon finally obliged with the Kindle Colorsoft. This model fills a key gap in the company's ereader lineup, with swift performance and a host of conveniences. The key problem is that it's expensive at $280, plus there's a blue tint to the display when warm light it off. What's more, text isn't as sharp when reading in black and white. Still, this new model will be great for things like graphic novels and other material where you really need to see things in full color. "While it’s very late to the color E Ink party, the Kindle Colorsoft is a solid premium ereader that provides an excellent experience both in color and black and white," Valentina notes.
DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro review
by Steve Dent
Our camera expert Steve Dent put DJI's new action cam through its paces to see if the company did enough to catch up to the likes of GoPro. The short answer is yes, as the Osmo Action 5 Pro has the best battery life of any model in the category on top of good low-light performance, useful subject tracking and built-in memory. Color quality and video sharpness could be better, but DJI has finally given the competition something to worry about with this model.
"It’s one of the best action cameras I’ve used, with battery life well above rivals, a solid waterproof construction and full support for DJI’s Mic 2," Steve writes. "If low-light performance is key, head straight for DJI’s Action 5 Pro."
Google TV Streamer review
by Amy Skorheim
Another streaming device from Google? Yep! The Google TV Streamer isn't a perfect option for your living room, but according to buying advice reporter Amy Skorheim, there's a lot to like about this tiny gadget. Google doubled the price compared to the previous option, which isn't great, and the company didn't include an HDMI cable or support for Wi-Fi 6 or 6E. Once you dive in though, the mix of great UI, attractive design, speedy performance and smart home compatibility make the TV Streamer a handy device.
"Yes, the extra RAM and storage is great, but there are a few features — like Wi-Fi 6E support, true assistant capabilities, screaming processor speeds — that Google could have packed in to make the $100 price tag unassailable," Amy explains. "The Google TV Streamer is responsive and quick, packing the best streaming interface out there with smart home features that are useful and properly integrated."
Upcoming reviews: All the Macs, Sonos Arc Ultra and PS5 Pro
Over the course of three days this week, Apple announced a new iMac, Mac mini and MacBook Pro, all of which are powered by the company's M4 chips. The biggest design overhaul came in the Mac mini, which truly lives up to its name now that it's a five-inch by five-inch box that's two inches tall, which isn't much bigger than an Apple TV 4K. Of course, the changes to iMac and MacBook Pro warrant a new slate of reviews, so we'll be putting all three machines to the test in the weeks to come.
Sonos' follow-up to the Arc soundbar started shipping this week, and I've received our review unit for testing. Dubbed the Arc Ultra, this model should offer better bass performance from the soundbar itself, before you connect a separate wireless subwoofer. It's the debut for the company's Sound Motion tech, which increases that low-end tone without the need for larger components inside the living room speaker. Look for my review on this unit as early as next week.
Gamers have likely been anticipating a barrage of PS5 Pro reviews, and ours is coming soon as launch day is November 7. As our gaming guru Jessica Conditt shared in her preview last month, it's not a console you need, but rather one that you'll definitely want. Stay tuned for our in-depth thoughts on how the combination of increased power and added tricks factor into that $700 price tag.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-review-recap-amazons-colorful-kindle-djis-latest-action-cam-and-more-140046906.html?src=rss
I think my colleague Cherlynn Low jinxed us in the last installment with her mention of a slower than usual October. The last week of the month was jam-packed with news, especially from Apple, so we're in for a busy few weeks of reviews to finish out the year. This week, we tested Amazon's long-awaited color E Ink ereader, a DJI action cam that's finally a worthy GoPro rival and Google's latest tv-streaming device. Here's a quick round-up of the week's in-depth reviews, and a quick preview of what's to come in the post-Halloween deluge.
Kindle Colorsoft review
by Valentina Palladino
After years of users clamoring for a color E Ink option, Amazon finally obliged with the Kindle Colorsoft. This model fills a key gap in the company's ereader lineup, with swift performance and a host of conveniences. The key problem is that it's expensive at $280, plus there's a blue tint to the display when warm light it off. What's more, text isn't as sharp when reading in black and white. Still, this new model will be great for things like graphic novels and other material where you really need to see things in full color. "While it’s very late to the color E Ink party, the Kindle Colorsoft is a solid premium ereader that provides an excellent experience both in color and black and white," Valentina notes.
DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro review
by Steve Dent
Our camera expert Steve Dent put DJI's new action cam through its paces to see if the company did enough to catch up to the likes of GoPro. The short answer is yes, as the Osmo Action 5 Pro has the best battery life of any model in the category on top of good low-light performance, useful subject tracking and built-in memory. Color quality and video sharpness could be better, but DJI has finally given the competition something to worry about with this model.
"It’s one of the best action cameras I’ve used, with battery life well above rivals, a solid waterproof construction and full support for DJI’s Mic 2," Steve writes. "If low-light performance is key, head straight for DJI’s Action 5 Pro."
Google TV Streamer review
by Amy Skorheim
Another streaming device from Google? Yep! The Google TV Streamer isn't a perfect option for your living room, but according to buying advice reporter Amy Skorheim, there's a lot to like about this tiny gadget. Google doubled the price compared to the previous option, which isn't great, and the company didn't include an HDMI cable or support for Wi-Fi 6 or 6E. Once you dive in though, the mix of great UI, attractive design, speedy performance and smart home compatibility make the TV Streamer a handy device.
"Yes, the extra RAM and storage is great, but there are a few features — like Wi-Fi 6E support, true assistant capabilities, screaming processor speeds — that Google could have packed in to make the $100 price tag unassailable," Amy explains. "The Google TV Streamer is responsive and quick, packing the best streaming interface out there with smart home features that are useful and properly integrated."
Upcoming reviews: All the Macs, Sonos Arc Ultra and PS5 Pro
Over the course of three days this week, Apple announced a new iMac, Mac mini and MacBook Pro, all of which are powered by the company's M4 chips. The biggest design overhaul came in the Mac mini, which truly lives up to its name now that it's a five-inch by five-inch box that's two inches tall, which isn't much bigger than an Apple TV 4K. Of course, the changes to iMac and MacBook Pro warrant a new slate of reviews, so we'll be putting all three machines to the test in the weeks to come.
Sonos' follow-up to the Arc soundbar started shipping this week, and I've received our review unit for testing. Dubbed the Arc Ultra, this model should offer better bass performance from the soundbar itself, before you connect a separate wireless subwoofer. It's the debut for the company's Sound Motion tech, which increases that low-end tone without the need for larger components inside the living room speaker. Look for my review on this unit as early as next week.
Gamers have likely been anticipating a barrage of PS5 Pro reviews, and ours is coming soon as launch day is November 7. As our gaming guru Jessica Conditt shared in her preview last month, it's not a console you need, but rather one that you'll definitely want. Stay tuned for our in-depth thoughts on how the combination of increased power and added tricks factor into that $700 price tag.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-review-recap-amazons-colorful-kindle-djis-latest-action-cam-and-more-140046906.html?src=rss
One of fantasy and sci-fi’s all-time greats has passed away. Artist Greg Hildebrandt, known for his iconic work on Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Marvel and Magic: The Gathering, died on Thursday at 85. He and his twin brother Tim, who died in 2006, were a powerhouse duo — the Brothers Hildebrandt — until they decided to pursue solo careers in 1981.
The duo was perhaps best known for their “Style B” poster (above) for the original Star Wars in 1977. Released in the UK (Tom Jung’s “Style A” was the original US poster), the art shows Luke Skywalker heroically hoisting his lightsaber high above his head like King Arthur wielded Excalibur. He’s flanked by a blaster-toting Princess Leia, with C-3PO and R2-D2 looking on from behind. Darth Vader’s imposing mask peers down on them in the background among a sea of stars, the Death Star and starfighters.
As for Luke and Leia’s noteworthy lack of resemblance to Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher, neither the Brothers Hildebrandt nor Jung had access to the actors’ photos. So, they made do with generic hero images that could have been ripped from 1970s fantasy book covers. (Still rad, if not screen-accurate.) The Hildebrandt poster was used in the UK until January 1978, when it was replaced by Tom Chantrell’s “Style C” poster, which depicted the actual cast.
Greg Hildebrandt / X
The brothers were also strongly associated with a series of The Lord of the Rings calendars. Decades before Peter Jackson brought the films to live action (and even before the 1978 animated version), their art — which drew on their influence from classic Disney films — was the most prominent visualization of Tolkien’s epic for many a 1970s fantasy reader.
Among Hildebrandt’s many other projects were comics for Marvel and DC, illustrations for Wizards of the Coast (Magic: The Gathering and Harry Potter), magazines Omni, Heavy Metal and Amazing Stories, album art for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Black Sabbath and a long list of book covers.
Hildebrandt also fought for freedom with his artistic gifts. After Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, he contributed illustrations for Operation USA’s benefit anthology comic book series. Profits were donated to Ukrainian refugee relief efforts. Explaining his decision, he wrote, “Any project that I can lend my art to that will thwart Putin is a project I will join with all my heart, soul and mind.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/greg-hildebrandt-iconic-star-wars-and-lord-of-the-rings-artist-has-died-at-85-193026772.html?src=rss
Atari and developer Digital Eclipse have announced details of the next paid expansion for Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration, a remarkable collection that's both a compilation of many of the publisher's games and a documentary about its half-century history. This second DLC is called The First Console War and it highlights the rivalry with Mattel’s Intellivision, Atari's first real competitor in the console market.
The bundle includes 19 more games and eight video segments that delve into the rivalry, as well as what eventually led to Mattel making games for Atari systems. Atari and Digital Eclipse say the DLC includes more The First Console War DLC features additional interviews, vintage ads and never-before-seen historical artifacts that help tell the story of the battle between Atari and Mattel. As it happens, it was a war Atari ended up decisively winning, as it bought the Intellivision brand earlier this year.
The DLC includes prototypes and other games that never saw the light of day until now. The full list is as follows:
Air Raiders — 2600 M Network
Antbear — 2600 M Network (unreleased, based on Stern IP)
Armor Ambush — 2600 M Network
Astroblast — 2600 M Network
Frogs & Flies — 2600 M Network
International Soccer — 2600 M Network
Dark Cavern — 2600 M Network
Star Strike — 2600 M Network
Super Challenge Baseball — 2600 M Network
Super Challenge Football — 2600 M Network
Swordfight — 2600 M Network (rare, unreleased)
Sea Battle — 2600 M Network (rare, unreleased)
Tower of Mystery (unreleased prototype, recently rescued)
Video Pinball — 2600
Basketball — 2600
Hardball — Atari 8-bit (XE)
Final Legacy (prototype) — 5200
Xari Arena — Atari 8—bit
Desert Falcon — 7800
The Last Console War follows a previous DLC called The Wider World of Atari that arrived in September and added another 19 games to the collection. Factoring in the two expansions, Atari 50 will have around 130 games in total.
Those who already have Atari 50 on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 and PS5 will be able to snap up The Last Console War on November 8. If you have the game on Atari VCS, you'll get the DLC as a free update early next year.
If you're interested in picking up a bundle of the base game and both expansions, you can do just that with Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration Expanded Edition. That'll be available on November 8 as well. The physical edition for Switch and PS5 costs $40. A steelbook for the Switch includes Atari 2600 art cards and other goodies and will run you $50.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/atari-50s-console-war-expansion-adds-19-more-games-on-november-8-181033645.html?src=rss
Atari and developer Digital Eclipse have announced details of the next paid expansion for Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration, a remarkable collection that's both a compilation of many of the publisher's games and a documentary about its half-century history. This second DLC is called The First Console War and it highlights the rivalry with Mattel’s Intellivision, Atari's first real competitor in the console market.
The bundle includes 19 more games and eight video segments that delve into the rivalry, as well as what eventually led to Mattel making games for Atari systems. Atari and Digital Eclipse say the DLC includes more The First Console War DLC features additional interviews, vintage ads and never-before-seen historical artifacts that help tell the story of the battle between Atari and Mattel. As it happens, it was a war Atari ended up decisively winning, as it bought the Intellivision brand earlier this year.
The DLC includes prototypes and other games that never saw the light of day until now. The full list is as follows:
Air Raiders — 2600 M Network
Antbear — 2600 M Network (unreleased, based on Stern IP)
Armor Ambush — 2600 M Network
Astroblast — 2600 M Network
Frogs & Flies — 2600 M Network
International Soccer — 2600 M Network
Dark Cavern — 2600 M Network
Star Strike — 2600 M Network
Super Challenge Baseball — 2600 M Network
Super Challenge Football — 2600 M Network
Swordfight — 2600 M Network (rare, unreleased)
Sea Battle — 2600 M Network (rare, unreleased)
Tower of Mystery (unreleased prototype, recently rescued)
Video Pinball — 2600
Basketball — 2600
Hardball — Atari 8-bit (XE)
Final Legacy (prototype) — 5200
Xari Arena — Atari 8—bit
Desert Falcon — 7800
The Last Console War follows a previous DLC called The Wider World of Atari that arrived in September and added another 19 games to the collection. Factoring in the two expansions, Atari 50 will have around 130 games in total.
Those who already have Atari 50 on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 and PS5 will be able to snap up The Last Console War on November 8. If you have the game on Atari VCS, you'll get the DLC as a free update early next year.
If you're interested in picking up a bundle of the base game and both expansions, you can do just that with Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration Expanded Edition. That'll be available on November 8 as well. The physical edition for Switch and PS5 costs $40. A steelbook for the Switch includes Atari 2600 art cards and other goodies and will run you $50.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/atari-50s-console-war-expansion-adds-19-more-games-on-november-8-181033645.html?src=rss
It's the start of a new month and, as always, Amazon is set to give away a ton of PC games to Prime members. Once again, it's a pretty strong lineup. There's a broad range of offerings from immersive sims and classic platformers to splashy action-adventure titles and chaotic cooking simulators.
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (one of our favorite games of 2021), Mafia: Definitive Edition (a 2020 remake of the 2002 original), Dishonored, Elite Dangerous and Super Meat Boy are among the more well-known titles on the list. Overcooked is brilliant fun and, in my opinion, a perfect relationship test. Meanwhile, if the idea of building and running a dinosaur theme park in which the attractions hopefully won't run amok is your thing, Jurassic World Evolution is one on the options.
You can claim Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (via the Epic Games Store) and Mafia: Definitive Edition (via GOG) today. Here's what else you can snap up and when, along with the launcher you can play each game on:
November 7
Dishonored - Definitive Edition (GOG)
Duck Paradox (GOG)
Close To The Sun (GOG)
Disney•Pixar Cars (Amazon Games App)
Bang Bang Racing (Amazon Games App)
Snakebird Complete (Epic Games Store)
November 14
Ms. Holmes: The Case of the Dancing Men Collector's Edition (Amazon Games App)
Mystery Case Files: The Dalimar Legacy Collector's Edition (Amazon Games App)
Shogun Showdown (GOG)
You still have time to grab some of October's Prime Gaming freebies, such as A Plague Tale: Innocence and Death's Door. Meanwhile, the latest batch of games that you can stream on Luna's Prime Gaming channel in eligible countries include Jackbox Party Pack 7, Saints Row: The Third - Remastered, Moving Out, Endling - Extinction is Forever and Infinite Minigolf, alongside mainstays including Fortnite and XDefiant.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/amazon-prime-free-games-for-november-include-dishonored-and-guardians-of-the-galaxy-170021817.html?src=rss
It's the start of a new month and, as always, Amazon is set to give away a ton of PC games to Prime members. Once again, it's a pretty strong lineup. There's a broad range of offerings from immersive sims and classic platformers to splashy action-adventure titles and chaotic cooking simulators.
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (one of our favorite games of 2021), Mafia: Definitive Edition (a 2020 remake of the 2002 original), Dishonored, Elite Dangerous and Super Meat Boy are among the more well-known titles on the list. Overcooked is brilliant fun and, in my opinion, a perfect relationship test. Meanwhile, if the idea of building and running a dinosaur theme park in which the attractions hopefully won't run amok is your thing, Jurassic World Evolution is one on the options.
You can claim Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (via the Epic Games Store) and Mafia: Definitive Edition (via GOG) today. Here's what else you can snap up and when, along with the launcher you can play each game on:
November 7
Dishonored - Definitive Edition (GOG)
Duck Paradox (GOG)
Close To The Sun (GOG)
Disney•Pixar Cars (Amazon Games App)
Bang Bang Racing (Amazon Games App)
Snakebird Complete (Epic Games Store)
November 14
Ms. Holmes: The Case of the Dancing Men Collector's Edition (Amazon Games App)
Mystery Case Files: The Dalimar Legacy Collector's Edition (Amazon Games App)
Shogun Showdown (GOG)
You still have time to grab some of October's Prime Gaming freebies, such as A Plague Tale: Innocence and Death's Door. Meanwhile, the latest batch of games that you can stream on Luna's Prime Gaming channel in eligible countries include Jackbox Party Pack 7, Saints Row: The Third - Remastered, Moving Out, Endling - Extinction is Forever and Infinite Minigolf, alongside mainstays including Fortnite and XDefiant.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/amazon-prime-free-games-for-november-include-dishonored-and-guardians-of-the-galaxy-170021817.html?src=rss
Black Friday may technically just be one day, but it’s evolved to consume the entire month of November in the US at this point. For the past few years, retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target have ushered in the holiday shopping season earlier and earlier, and this year is no different.
Black Friday deals are already here, bringing discounts to some of our favorite tech we’ve tested this year. In the past, we’d advise waiting until the week of Black Friday to get the best of the best discounts, but we’re seeing those sales right now this year. If you’re eager to get a jump start on your holiday shopping, or you want to pick up a few items for yourself, now is the time. These are the best early Black Friday deals we could find; we’ll be updating this post regularly throughout November, so check back for the latest discounts.
Engadget's top picks
Apple 10th-gen iPad for $250 ($100 off with coupon): The best iPad for those on a budget, this model has a modern design, good performance, a landscape-oriented front-facing camera and a solid battery life. It has also done away with the Lightning port in favor of a more modern USB-C port. Note that some color options are on sale for $279 and have an addition coupon that brings the final price down to $250.
Anker 10K MagGo power bank for $60 ($30 off): This is one of our top picks for the best power banks you can buy today thanks to its versatile capacity, speedy Qi2 charging capabilities, clear screen that shows remaining battery power and its built-in kickstand.
DJI Osmo Mobile 6 gimbal for $89 ($40 off): The latest version of DJI's smartphone gimbal includes improved tracking and a new Quick Launch feature for iPhones that automatically launches the companion app in camera view so you can get to filming.
Bose QuietComfort headphones for $199 ($150 off): The latest version of Bose's iconic QC headphones, these cans have excellent ANC, a comfortable (if a bit dated) design, 24 hours of battery life and a quick-charge feature that will get you two hours of battery after just 15 minutes of them being plugged in.
Kindle for $85 ($25 off): The 2024 base Kindle is lighter than ever before, and it has a 6-inch, glare-free screen with an adjustable front light, 16GB of storage, speedier performance and six weeks of battery life.
PS5 Slim Digital for $374 ($75 off): If you've been unable to get your hands on a PS5 until now, you can get a decent discount for the holiday shopping season. It earned a score of 87 in our original review for its speedy 4K gaming, minimal load times and excellent DualSense controller. Also available at Walmart, Target and Sony.
reMarkable 2 bundles starting at $529 ($89 off): Our top pick for the best E Ink tablet for most people has now been discounted when you pick up one of its folio cases and a marker to go along with it. The reMarkable 2 provides an excellent, distraction-free reading and writing experience, plus it has handy integrations with Google Drive and Dropbox.
The best early Black Friday tech deals
Apple AirPods Pro 2 for $170 ($80 off): The best AirPods you can get right now, these offer a secure, comfortable fit, good sound quality and ANC, plus excellent transparency mode. Thanks to a recent software update, the Pro 2 earbuds can be used as hearing aids if the user takes Apple's new hearing test and it discovers mild to moderate hearing loss.
Apple Watch SE for $169 ($80 off): The most budget-friendly Apple Watch has all of the core features that the flagship one has, but lacks things like ECG monitoring. We consider it to be the best Apple Watch for first-timers, and anyone who's on a tight budget.
Apple MacBook Air (M3, 13-inch) for $849 ($250 off): The latest MacBook Air is our top pick for the best laptop for most people, and this model has 16GB of RAM built in — double the previous base amount. If you're ok with getting an M2 processor, that 13-inch MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM is also on sale for $749.
Apple Mac mini (M4) for $500 ($75 off with coupon): Apple's newest tiny desktop is on sale for $574, but a $25 coupon will bring it down to a record low of $549. It earned a score of 90 in our Mac mini review for its incredibly fast performance, standard 16GB of RAM, smaller design and front-facing USB-C and headphone jack.
Anker Soundcore Space A40 for $45 ($35): The Space A40 is the longtime top pick in our guide to the best budget earbuds, as it delivers the kind of robust feature set we expect from pairs that cost three times as much. Call quality isn't the best, and it won't auto-pause when you take out an earbud, but its warm sound, powerful ANC, eight-ish hours of battery life and comfy design all impress for the money. This deal ties the lowest price we've seen — it's only available to Prime subscribers at Amazon, but you can also grab it at Anker's online store with an on-page coupon.
PS5 DualSense Wireless Controller for $55 ($20 off): If someone on your list already has a PS5 (or if that someone is you), now's the time to stock up on extra controllers. These have a comfortable design and some of the best haptics we've tried on any console controller.
Google Pixel Watch 3 for $280 ($70 off): Google's latest smartwatch is down to an all time low price. This is the model we recommend for anyone with an Android phone in our guide to the best smartwatches and it earned an 84 in our review. It detects workouts quickly, has an extra long battery life and is one of the more attractive smartwatches on the market. The deal applies to the 41mm size with GPS only but the larger and cellular-enabled models are on sale too. Also at Best Buy and Target.
Theragun Mini 2.0 for $149 ($50 off): This compact massager makes a great gift for a beloved parent or anyone else you think could use a little more TLC. It supports a couple of different head attachments that help relieve different muscles of the body and it’s arguably the easiest of Thergun’s devices to throw into a carry on or gym bag.
Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer for $280 ($70 off): One of our favorite air fryers, this machine does a lot more than just air fry thanks to its 11 cooking modes, and while it's larger than a typical air fryer, that means it can cook larger things like a full turkey or chicken.
Echo Dot for $23 ($27 off): This is one of the best smart speakers you can get right now thanks to its compact design, physical button controls that compliment voice commands and its solid sound quality for its size.
Amazon Echo Spot for $45 ($35 off): This recently revived smart display is billed as a smart alarm clock, and it features a customizable screen, big sound for its size and all the perks for Alexa voice commands. You can also grab it bundled with a free TP-Link smart light bulb.
Echo Buds for $25 ($25 off): These are one of our top picks for the best budget wireless earbuds you can get right now thanks to their comfortable design, pocket-friendly case, automatic wear detection, multi-device connectivity and, of course, built-in Alexa voice controls.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $33 ($27 off): Amazon's most powerful dongle supports 4K streaming with Dolby Vision, Wi-Fi 6E and live picture-in-picture mode so you can see security camera feeds directly on your TV as you're watching a show or movie. In addition to being a solid streamer, it also makes a good retro gaming device.
Ring pan and tilt security camera for $50 ($30 off): This security camera joined the Ring lineup only a few months ago, and this is the best price we've seen on it. It's part of a larger Ring sale that discounts home security gear by up to 50 percent.
Blink Mini 2 (two-pack) for $35 ($35 off): The newest Blink Mini wired security camera came out earlier this year and it supports 1080p video recordings, a wider field of view than the previous model and improved low-light performance. It may be wired, but you can use it outside if you wish provided you have the separate $10 weather-resistant adapter.
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
Hisense U8N 4K TV (55-inch) for $698 ($402 off): The U8N is the next step up from the U7N in Hisense's TV lineup, so it should provide better colors, contrast and brightness across the board. If you don't mind buying a smaller panel for around the same price, this is another new low. Also at Best Buy.
Audible Premium Plus for $0.99/month for three months + $20 Audible credit ($64 off): Those who don't currently subscribe to Audible can get three months of the audiobook service's Premium Plus plan for $1. Normally, the service costs $15 per month after a 30-day free trial. As a refresher, Premium Plus is Audible's upper tier: In addition to giving access the full Audible Plus library, it lets you keep one title from a curated selection of audiobooks each month. We wouldn't call it essential, but if you've been on the fence, this is a good way to see if it'd work for you. Just note that the plan will auto-renew until you cancel. Plus, you'll now also get an additional $20 Audible credit to use at your discretion.
Amazon Kindle Unlimited for $0 for one month ($12 off): Amazon's ebook subscription service gives you access to a catalog of thousands titles for unlimited reading, select Audible audiobooks to listen to and included magazines to read. Prime members can get a different deal: two months for only $5.
Headspace annual plan for $35 ($35 off): Our top pick for the best meditation app has tons of courses that address specific anxieties and worries, a good in-app search engine that makes it easy to find the right meditation you need and additional yoga routines, podcasts and music sessions to try out.
MasterClass Premium for $10/month ($10 off): Premium subscriptions, which include access for up to six devices and offline mode, are half off for the holidays. MasterClass' other subscription tiers are also discounted. Those who love learning and want to pick up a new hobby (or refine an existing one) can take courses with some of the best in their respective fields.
Adobe Creative Cloud for $30/month ($30 off): First-time subscribers can get half off Creative Cloud for their first year of membership, bringing the cost down to just $30 per month. This gives you access to Photoshop, Illustrator and the rest of Adobe's suite of apps.
ProtonVPN Plus two-year plan for $72 ($168 off): Our top pick for the best VPN is based on open-source framework and has a no-logs policy. Its easy-to-use apps are available on most platforms including iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and more, and some of them even include a kill-switch feature.
We expect some Black Friday tech deals to start as early as November 1. Over the past few years, retailers have been kicking off the holiday shopping season earlier and earlier. This trend will continue in 2024, and you’ll likely find early Black Friday deals available online and in stores in the weeks before the actual shopping event.
When do Black Friday deals end?
Some Black Friday tech deals will end immediately on Saturday, November 30. But those will likely be few and far between. Along with starting deals earlier and earlier, retailers have also extended Black Friday deals past the day for a while now, too. In the tech space, we’ve seen many Black Friday deals in the past run through Cyber Monday.
Where are the best Black Friday deals?
There is no one place to buy all of the best Black Friday deals, but you can expect the big retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target to have many of the same Black Friday deals available — both in the lead up and on the day itself. We also recommend checking direct-to-consumer sites like Apple, Samsung, Sonos and others to make sure you’re getting the best deal before you cross things off your list.
Does Apple have Black Friday deals?
You typically will not find cash discounts on Apple’s website for Black Friday, though it has offered various gift card bundles during Black Friday in recent years. You may be able to find local Apple store discounts on accessories, but Apple isn’t a retailer known for slashing prices on its products. However, you can find more traditional Apple Black Friday tech deals at other retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Best Buy.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-45-black-friday-tech-deals-worth-shopping-from-amazon-walmart-apple-anker-and-others-163039558.html?src=rss