Anker's Soundcore Space A40 is the top recommendation in our guide to the best budget wireless earbuds, as it offers enjoyable sound and a meaty set of features for well under $100. If you're looking to buy a set on the cheap, take note: A new sale on Amazon has dropped the earbuds down to $49, which matches the lowest price we've seen. The earbuds technically have a list price of $100, but they've sold for $59 for most of 2024, so you're saving about $10 here. We last saw this discount about a month ago. The deal itself is sold by Anker directly and applies to the black model; the blue and white versions are also on sale for $1 more. 

We recommend the Space A40 because it has the kind of feature set we expect from much more expensive earbuds. Its adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC) isn't quite on par with the absolute best from Sony or Bose — particularly when it comes to voices and higher-pitched sounds — but it's still superb for $50, and more than capable of muting the hum of an office or daily commute. The earpieces are small, comfortable and IPX4-rated, so they should hold up for all but the sweatiest gym-goers. Battery life comes in around eight hours per charge, with another 40 or so available through its case, which is easy to pocket and supports wireless charging. The pair can connect to two devices simultaneously, and there's a usable (if not superlative) transparency mode for letting in outside noise.

The Space A40 has a warm sound profile out of the box, with a noticeable but not overwhelming boost in the upper-bass region. The highs are a bit underemphasized, so some tracks won't sound as crisply detailed as they might on more expensive pairs. But it should be pleasant for most, and Anker's companion app includes an EQ for tweaking the sound if needed. The main downsides here are the mediocre mic, which isn't the clearest for phone calls, and the lack of in-ear detection, which means the earbuds won't automatically pause when you take them out of your ears.

If all of this sounds appealing but you'd prefer an AirPods-style shape with easy-to-grab "stems," Anker's Soundcore Liberty 4 NC is the runner up in our guide, and it's also on sale for $74.50. That's about $5 more than the pair's all-time low but $25 less than its usual going rate. This model sounds more bass-heavy by default, but it has just about all the same features, with slightly more extensive touch controls.

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Google is expected to launch a new Pixel 8a phone at its I/O conference next month, but if you're willing to buy last year's model, a new sale has dropped the Pixel 7a down to the lowest price we've tracked. The handset is now available for $349, which is $150 less than Google's list price and $25 below the prior low we've seen in recent months. The only better deals we've found for an unlocked model have required you to trade in another device. This discount applies to the black, light blue and white colorways and is available at several retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, Target and Google's online store. Google says the offer will run through May 4. 

The Pixel 7a is the top budget pick in our guide to the best Android phones, and Engadget's Sam Rutherford gave it a score of 90 in our review last May. When it's discounted to this extent, it remains a good value. Its cameras still outshine just about everything else in this price range, and it still provides a largely bloat-free version of Android. Its Tensor G2 can sometimes run hot but is still plenty quick for everyday tasks. Though it won't be kept up to date for as long as the flagship Pixel 8, it'll still receive OS updates through May 2026 and security updates through May 2028. 

The mostly plastic design and 6.1-inch OLED display are both a step down from more expensive devices, but they should be more than acceptable at this price. The latter can run at a 90Hz refresh rate, which again isn't on the level of top-tier models but makes scrolling feel smoother than it'd be on many cheap Android phones. Along those lines, while the Pixel 7a's wireless charging tops out at a relatively slow 7.5W, the fact that it supports wireless charging at all is welcome. Battery life is solid but not class-leading in general, though wired charging also isn't the fastest at 18W.

If you don't need a new phone right this second, it still makes sense to see if Google follows tradition and releases a new A-series phone in a few weeks. There's been a spate of Pixel 8a leaks over the past several months, all of which suggest a device that'll fall more closely in line with the current Pixel 8. Exactly how much the new phone will cost is unclear, however. If you want upgrade today and must stay on a tighter budget, we'd expect this deal to stay worthwhile after I/O has passed. It's also worth noting that the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are on sale for $549 and $799, respectively, though neither of those are all-time lows.

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