One of the most convenient things about Apple’s AirPods is their ability pair quickly with other Apple devices. But sometimes things don't always go as planned — Bluetooth connections get interrupted, a snafu occurs and you may find yourself scratching your head a bit before you can listen to your favorite playlist. To help in those situations, we’ve put together a guide to getting your AirPods to pair up with your iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch. We’ve also included advice on how to connect your buds to non-Apple devices, as well as how to reset your AirPods if you ever need to start from scratch.
How to connect AirPods to an iPhone or iPad
If you’re trying to pair your AirPods to a new iPhone or iPad, and your buds are already connected to an older model, the connection should automatically transfer to your new device, provided you use the same Apple ID on your new device.
New AirPods, on the other hand, should automatically pair with your iPhone or iPad simply by holding the AirPods case near your device with the lid open. When an image of your new AirPods appears at the bottom of the screen tap the Connect button.
But that doesn’t always happen. If your AirPods don’t automatically connect, follow these steps:
1. Swipe down from the upper right corner of your iPhone or iPad’s screen to open the Control Center.
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2. Long press the Bluetooth icon to expand the connections window. (Don’t tap, as this toggles Bluetooth on and off.)
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3. Long press the Bluetooth icon again.
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4. With your AirPods in the case and the case lid open, bring them near your iPhone. If your AirPods show up in the list of Bluetooth devices, tap their name. If they don’t show up, tap Bluetooth Settings at the bottom of the window.
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5. With your AirPods in the case and the case lid open, press and hold the button at the back of the case until the light at the front of the case flashes white. When you see AirPods in the list of devices, tap their name to connect.
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6. If your AirPods still don’t connect, go back to your home screen (swipe up from the bottom edge of your screen), close the lid on the AirPods, wait 15 seconds, then try the steps again. Make sure both your phone and AirPods are charged and you’re running the most recent version of iOS, which you can check by going to the Settings app, scrolling down to General and tapping on Software Update.
How to connect AirPods to a Mac
Unlike iPads and iPhones, Macs don’t automatically connect to AirPods. To connect them manually, follow these steps:
1. Click the Apple icon in the upper left corner of your screen, select System Preferences, then click the Bluetooth icon.
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2. With your AirPods in the case and the case open, bring them near your Mac and press and hold the button on the back of the case until the small light on the front of the case flashes white.
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3. Your AirPods should show up in the Bluetooth window on your Mac. Click the Connect button to pair your AirPods.
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4. If your AirPods don’t show up in the Bluetooth dialog box, shut the AirPods case and wait 15 seconds, then open the case and press the back button again. You may have to try the pairing process a few times before your AirPods show up on the list. If you still have trouble, make sure the AirPods are fully charged and you have the latest OS version installed on your Mac. Restarting your computer can also help.
How to connect AirPods to an Apple Watch
Like connections with iPhones and iPads, pairing your AirPods to your Apple Watch typically happens automatically. If you need to manually link them, follow these steps:
1. Depress the crown to bring up your Home Screen, aka the screen that shows all your apps. If you have grid view turned on, drag the grid around until you find Settings. If you havelist view enabled, scroll or turn the crown to find the Settings icon. (Apps appear in alphabetical order.)
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2. In Settings, scroll down to Bluetooth and tap on it. You should see a list of available nearby Bluetooth devices, regardless of whether they’re connected.
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3. With your AirPods in the case and the case lid open, bring your AirPods near your watch. Tap the name of your AirPods in the list of Bluetooth devices. They should automatically connect.
4. If they don’t automatically connect, make sure both your AirPods and Apple Watch are charged. Check that your Apple Watch is updated to the latest software version, which, again, you can do by navigating to Settings, tapping General and then Software Update. Finally, make sure Bluetooth is turned on, which is a toggle switch at the bottom of the Bluetooth menu.
Other Bluetooth devices
Your AirPods and AirPods Pro will connect to many Bluetooth-enabled, non-Apple devices. You won’t be able to use Siri, but you can hear and talk, and the press-to-pause button on the stem typically still works. While some devices will vary, the procedure for most devices is as follows:
Open the Bluetooth menu on your device. For Chromebook, this is in the Quick Settings panel. For Windows, it’s in the Settings section of your Start menu. On Android phones, swipe down from the top of the screen and long press the Bluetooth icon.
With your AirPods in the case and the lid open, bring your AirPods near your device.
When your AirPods show up in the list of Bluetooth devices, tap their name.
If the AirPods don’t show up, keep the lid open and press the button at the back of the case until the light at the front flashes white.
When your AirPods appear in the list, tap their name. If they don’t appear, make sure your earbuds and device are charged. Shut the lid for 30 seconds and try again. Restarting your device and repeating the process can also help.
How to switch AirPods between devices
As of iOS 14, AirPods and AirPods Pro automatically switch between your iPhone and iPad, depending on which device is playing audio. For example, if you’re watching a show on your iPad and you get a call on your iPhone, the AirPods will switch over to your phone to answer the call.
If you want to manually switch your AirPods from device to another, follow these steps. Of course, these instructions only apply if you’ve already connected your AirPods to the device. If you haven’t done that, follow the steps above.
On an iPhone or iPad:
To make your AirPods switch to your iPhone or iPad, follow the same steps one through three in the pairing instructions above, with a different step four:
Swipe down from the upper right corner of your iPhone or iPad’s screen to open the control center.
Long press the Bluetooth icon to expand the connections window. (Don’t tap, as this toggles Bluetooth on and off.)
Long press the Bluetooth icon again.
In the list of devices that appears, select your AirPods.
On a Mac:
Switching your AirPods to your Mac is easiest to do through the Control Center by following these steps:
1. Click on the Control Center icon in your menu bar in the upper left corner.
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2. Click on the text that says “Bluetooth” (not the Bluetooth icon, which toggles Bluetooth on and off).
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3. Select your AirPods from the list of available devices.
Amy Skorheim / Engadget
On an Apple Watch:
To connect your AirPods to your Apple Watch, follow the same steps one through two in the pairing instructions above, with a different step three:
Press the crown to bring up your home screen and tap on Settings.
Scroll down to Bluetooth and tap on it.
Select your AirPods from the list of devices.
How to reset your AirPods
If your AirPods won’t charge, won’t pair, or if you’re giving your buds to a new owner, you may want to do a factory reset. Here’s how:
Put your AirPods in the case, shut the lid, wait 30 seconds, then open the lid.
Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad and tap on Bluetooth.
Tap the blue, circled “i” next to your AirPods.
Tap Forget This Device at the bottom of the AirPods’ details screen.
Tap the red Forget Device button that appears at the bottom of the screen.
Confirm you want to remove your AirPods in the pop up window.
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7. To reconnect your AirPods, don’t navigate away from the Bluetooth screen.
8. Open the lid and bring the case (with your AirPods inside) near your iPhone or iPad.
9. Press and hold the button at the back of the case until the light on the front flashes white.
10. Your AirPods will either show up in the list of Bluetooth devices, or you’ll see a pop up window with an image of the AirPods and a Connect button. Tap your AirPods name or the Connect button.
The new 11-inch iPad Pro has hit its lowest price ever at Amazon, which means you can grab the base version of Apple's premium tablet for just $699. That's $100 off the list price and $40 less than it was before Black Friday. It won't arrive in time for Christmas, but if you've had your eye on the Pro, this will likely be the lowest price you'll see this year. The steepest discount goes to the 128GB model with WiFi and the applies to the Silver colorway. If you want a bit more storage, both the 256 GB WiFi model and the 512GB WiFi models are also on sale, with both models seeing a $60 discount. We should note that the WiFi plus cellular configurations and the giant, TB size models aren't discounted right now.
The iPad Pro was released at the end of October, and the biggest update came with the addition of Apple's latest processor, the M2 chip. That made an already powerful tablet even more so. We gave the slab an 87 in our review, praising both the "ludicrously" fast speeds and best-in-class screen. The iPad Pro handily makes use of Apple's new Stage Manager, which allows for multitasking with overlapping and resizable windows. The feature finally gives the Pro the opportunity to properly harness all the speed it's been given.
Paired up the Magic Keyboard, the tablet is an extremely capable hybrid device, though with that accessory's $300 price tag, you've essentially entered laptop price range. That said, the iPad Pro is still an impressive tablet with plenty of power and a great screen. The changes to this model probably aren't enough to warrant an upgrade if you've got 2021's model. But if you've been thinking about grabbing a Pro, this $100 discount is a great time to snap it up.
The cut-off dates for holiday shopping have mostly passed, but that doesn't mean the deals have disappeared. We're seeing prices that match Black Friday, like the Beats Fit Pro for just $160 and Bose's QuietComfort Earbuds II for $249. Some items have even dipped below their Cyber Week prices, like GoPro's Hero 11 Black Mini, the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro and Eufy's RoboVac X8 Hybrid. While these items may not ship out in time to wrap them up as gifts, this is still a great opportunity to grab devices and tech you've had your eye on, and save a little in the process. Here are the best deals from the week that you can still get today.
Apple MacBook Air M2
Amazon and B&H Photo are both selling the base MacBook Air M2 with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage at an all-time low of $999. The 512GB model is discounted at B&H, too with $180 savings. We think Apple's latest ultra-thin portable is the definition of a well-rounded laptop. It's fast for day-to-day productivity or even more intensive work on like media editing. The screen feels more expansive than its 13.6-inch size might suggest and the speakers are surprisingly strong. There's no SD card slot or a 120Hz screen, and the Air probably isn't what you want for intensive gaming or heavy video and audio editing, but it's a well rounded daily drive. For more intense use, you'll likely want to go for the 2021 MacBook Pro models. Right now the 16-inch MacBook Pro is $450 off at B&H, bringing it down to $3,049.
The second generation Apple Pencil is the best stylus you can get for your iPad Pro or Air and one of the our top-recommended accessories. At $130, the Pencil isn't cheap and doesn't often go on sale, but right now it's down to $89 at Amazon. That's a 31 percent discount and matches its all-time low price. It's great for drawing and sketching using a wide range of drawing apps, and with the Scribble setting enabled, you can convert your handwriting into typed text in virtually any text field.
The second-generation improves upon the prior iteration with the addition of on-board tap controls and wireless charging while magnetically snapped to the edge of your iPad Pro or iPad Air. The second-generation stylus is compatible with the latest iPad Pro, Mini and Air models, but not with the 2022 standard iPad. To go with that tablet, you'll want the first-generation Apple Pencil, currently $95 at Amazon.
If you missed the Black Friday deals on Google's Pixel devices, here's a second chance at grabbing one at a discount. Right now a Pixel 6a smartphone is up to 33 percent off while Pixel 7 smartphones are up to 17 percent off. That brings an unlocked 5G Pixel 6a down to just $299 and an unlocked 5G Google Pixel 7 down to $499. If you want a Pixel 7 Pro, that's seeing a $150 discount, bringing it to $749. We called the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro "the best bargain in flagship phones" in our review back in October, praising their smarter software and upgraded cameras.
The sale also extends to the Pixel Watch which is $50 off during the sale. That brings Google's new smartwatch down to $300, which is its lowest price yet. We admired the gorgeous design and the integration of Fitbit health and fitness features in our review.
Google's Pixel Buds A-Series are also on sale, down to just $69 after a 30 percent discount. The A-Series are the more affordable of Google's two earbud offerings, and we were impressed by the sound quality, seamless integration of the Google Assistant and large number of features they offer for the price. Which is even more impressive after this latest discount.
The same sale that's discounting the Pixel products above also extends to devices from Google's smart home brand, Nest. Right now the Nest Thermostat, Nest Security Cam and Nest Doorbell have dropped to some of the lowest prices we've seen. The Nest Thermostat helps you program an energy efficient schedule and lets you control your temp from anywhere via the Google Home app. During the sale, its down just just $90, which is $40 off the usual price.
Also compatible with the Google Home app, Nest Security cameras are 30 percent off, making it a good time to act if you wanted an extra set of "eyes" keeping tabs on your home. The smart cameras can tell the difference between people, pets and vehicles and sends you relevant alerts so you can check in with your phone at any time. The Google Nest Doorbell packs many of the same features as the security cams, but this version keeps an eye on your front door. The wireless, battery-powered version of the doorbell is 33 percent off during the sale, bringing the price down from $180 to just $120.
As part of a larger sale on Beats earbuds, Amazon is offering the Beats Fit Pro for just $160, which is $40 off the list price and the same as it was for Black Friday. All four colorways are discounted, including white, black, purple and green. You can also snag the Beats Studio Buds for just $90 in black, red, white, blue or gray — that's a steep 40 percent discount off the usual price.
In our review of the Beats Fit Pro, we admired the balanced sound quality and comfortable fit. We also liked how the buds come with nearly all of the features you'll get with the AirPods Pro, like Siri's assistance and spacial audio support. They're also workout-ready with an IPX4 sweat-resistant rating and have a decent six-hour battery life. There's no wireless charging though, a drawback you may be able to overlook when the buds are $40 cheaper than usual.
If you want your personal audio delivered in an over-the-ear package, you may be pleased to hear that Bose's QuietComfort 45 is on sale for $229 at Amazon, B&H Photo, and Bose. This is close to the lowest price so far for these headphones which is $100 below Bose's list price, and the same price they went for on Cyber Monday. According to Bose, the deal is only scheduled to run through Monday.
In our guide to the best wireless headphones, we called the headphones a solid option and gave them a score of 86 in our review. The cans are lightweight and extremely comfortable, like the name suggests. The noise cancellation is smooth and capable and the sound quality is balanced and pleasant. To get and even more precise sound, you can use the graphic equalizer settings in Bose's companion app.
The sale is part of a larger Bose sale, many of which are gathered here on Amazon's sale page, so if you're looking for Bose speakers or earbuds too, now's a good time to grab them.
The newest GoPro is the Hero 11 Black Mini, a smaller version of GoPro's top-end action camera. Right now you can get it for 42 percent off at GoPro's website when you bundle it with a GoPro subscription. The camera is usually $400, but when you add a year of the GoPro subscription for $50, GoPro will knock $150 off the price. Then, after you add the camera to your cart, you'll get an additional 15 percent discount as part of GoPro's holiday sale. If that sounds like a lot of numbers, the bottom line is you can get the Mini for just $262.50, and it includes a year of a GoPro subscription. That's a good discount considering the Hero 11 Mini by itself is $400 right now at Amazon.
In our hands-on test of the Mini we noted a few drawbacks like a status-only display instead of a touchscreen and no photo mode. That means you'll need to control the camera with the companion app and pull stills your video. But as a helmet- or body-mounted camera, we think this device excels. It has horizon lock and Hyperview mode like the larger Hero 11, plus it offers a second pair of mounting fingers to get the camera oriented exactly the direction you want.
The 13.3-inch MacBook Pro is on sale at B&H Photo right now for just $1,099. That's the lowest price the laptop has seen since its release back in June and is even below what it went for during Black Friday sales. The 13-inch model is the only one of Apple's Pro laptops that got an update this year, receiving Apple's latest M2 processor chip. When we reviewed the laptop after its debut, we praised it's faster speeds (thanks to that new chip), excellent build and long battery life. While we prefer the older model 14-inch MacBook Pro and called the M2-enabled MacBook Air "near perfect," this is still a good time to buy if you've had your eye on a Pro Apple laptop with their latest processor.
In addition to the sale on Bose's QuietComfort 45 headphones above, you can also save on their QuietComfort Earbuds II. The wireless earbuds are now on sale for $249 at Amazon, Bose and B&H Photo, matching the all-time low we saw for Black Friday. These usually go for $299 and Bose saysthe deal will run through the end of the year.
We gave the earbuds a score of 87 in our review, they're our favorite earbuds for active noise cancellation (ANC) in our wireless earbuds guide as they're impressively good at muting both low- and high-frequency sounds so you can focus on whatever you're listening to. if you do want to keep tabs on what's going on, the Aware Mode is an improved transparency option over the last model (but still doesn't beat the AirPods Pro). The audio quality is smooth with a richer high-end than the previous QC earbud from Bose. Note that these are on the larger size for in-ear buds, which may start to feel heavy after a while. You'll get around six to seven hours of battery life, but keep in mind there's no wireless charging, but the case holds three additional charges.
The new Apple Watch Ultra is quickly becoming a strong option for divers, explorers and athletes, but it's not cheap. The rugged wearable usually goes for $800, but we're seeing a $60 discount right now at Adorama. The deal only applies to the green strap option, but if you plan to swap out the band anyway, that's probably not an issue.
We gave it an 85 in our review, admiring the bright screen and durability of the build, calling it a "monster truck of a watch." The battery is great, giving around three days of usage on a charge, and the hiking capabilities like GPS, Backtrack and waypoint kept our team safely on track on the New Jersey’s South Mountain reservation.
Robot vacuums are a true time saver, but they're not cheap. Right now Amazon is discounting many models of Eufy vacs, with savings of up to 51 percent. That puts many vacs below the discounts we saw for Black Friday. The RoboVac X8 Hybrid made the cut as one of our recommended robot vacuums in our guide. Right now it's going for $280 instead of its usual $550, which is a 49 percent discount and $40 cheaper than it was for Cyber Week. If you don't need the mopping function, you can grab the RoboVac X8 for $260.
We also recommend the Eufy RoboVac 11S for its thin profile and good suction. We named it the best "bang for your buck option" in our budget smart vac guide and right now it's just $200. For a little more suction power, you might go for the RoboVac 11S Max. It's down to $150 for Prime members. If you're not a member, it's $250. The RoboVac G30 Edge and RoboVac G30 Hybrid are also on sale, priced at $160 and $180, respectively. There's a total of six vacs on sale, so you've been thinking about getting a little help with the floors, there's sure to be a model that'll fit your needs.
Microsoft's Xbox Series S is down to $230 at Verizon, which is $70 less than the compact game console's MSRP. While this discount isn't as steep as some of the offers we saw around Black Friday, it's still $10 below the typical sale price that's been available in the time since.
We gave the Series S a review score of 85 when it launched in late 2020: It's not powerful enough to play games in 4K like the brawnier Xbox Series X, but it's a much more affordable entry point into the exact same library. It's a fine choice for a secondary console hooked up to a monitor or bedroom TV. Do note, though, that it's a digital-only affair, with no disc drive and only 512GB of built-in storage.
If you'd like help keeping your floors clean, a robot vacuum is a great way to go — but they're usually pretty pricy. Right now Amazon is discounting many models of Eufy vacs, with deals up to 51 percent off, putting many of them below the discounts we saw for Black Friday. The biggest call out from the sale is the Eufy RoboVac X8. Both the vacuum-only model and the mop-plus-vac hybrid are on sale. The RoboVac X8 Hybrid is going for $280 instead of its usual $550. That's a 49 percent discount and $40 cheaper than it was for Cyber Week. If you don't need the mopping powers of the hybrid model, the RoboVac X8 is down to $260. That's a $240 discount which is also $40 less than it was for post-Thanksgiving sales.
If you're not familiar with the brand, Eufy vacs tends to be more affordable alternatives to Shark and iRobot offerings, but they performed admirably in our tests. We particularly liked the Eufy RoboVac 11S for its thin profile (that can reach more places), good suction and remarkable collision avoidance. We even named the 11S the best "bang for your buck option" in our budget smart vac guide. One thing to note is that it doesn't have WiFi, you'll rely on the remote to handle most vacuuming chores, including scheduling. That said, it is one of the cheaper robo-vacs to begin with, and the sale brings the price down to $200. For a little more suction power, you might go for the RoboVac 11S Max. It's down to $150, but only for Prime members, otherwise it's $250.
The RoboVac G30 Edge is a model we recommend if you want something a little newer than the S11, prefer having WiFi capabilities and are willing to spend a little extra. It usually retails for $290 but is $160, or 45 percent off, during the sale. And finally, the biggest discount of the sale goes to the RoboVac G30 Hybrid, which adds mopping duty to its list of capabilities. The Hybrid has the same suction power at the G30 Edge and the same 100 minute runtime, but you'll usually pay an $80 premium over the Edge for the mop technology. Thanks to the sale, the two-in-one vac is down to just $180, which is a healthy 51 percent discount.
All the vacuums in the sale are sold either by Woot (an Amazon company) or by Eufy, which is owned by Anker (a long-time Amazon partner). Amazon will be shipping all of the units, and while it's too late to get most of these by Christmas, they're a great deal if you're looking to keep your floors clean in the new year without adding anything to your to-do list.
As the name suggests, the Hero 11 Black Mini is a smaller version of GoPro's latest top-end action camera. Right now it's seeing a 42 percent discount at GoPro's website when you bundle it with a GoPro subscription. By itself, the camera goes for $400, but when you add the $50 yearly subscription, GoPro will knock $150 off the price. As part of GoPro's holiday sale, when you add the camera to your cart, you'll see an additional 15 percent discount. That brings the total for the camera plus the subscription down to $262.50. Not bad considering the Hero 11 Mini by itself is going for $400 right now at Amazon.
We did a hands-on with the Mini when it came out this November and were impressed by what it can do. True, it only has a small status-only display instead of a touchscreen, there's no photo mode and the unit did get a bit hot shooting in 5.3K at 60fps indoors. That said, you can control the Mini via the app on your phone, you can pull stills from video to get around the no-photo-mode limitation and the overheating disappears when shooting at lower definitions.
Limitations aside, where the camera excels is as a helmet- or body-mounted action cam, or as a secondary shot-getter. It has a second pair of mounting fingers that make it easier to face the camera forward and it includes many of the features — like horizon lock and Hyperview mode — that make its larger sibling so capable. Battery-wise, we got about a hour of continuous recording at the highest quality and almost two hours recording at lower definitions.
It's worth noting that the larger camera, the Hero 11 Black is also $150 off with a GoPro subscription and is also getting that extra 15 percent off at checkout. If you decide you do want a screen, this is a good time to grab the bigger version.
As for the subscription, it's a $50-per-year service that gets you unlimited cloud storage and automatic uploads when the camera is plugged in. It also grants you a camera replacement should you smash yours in service of getting a particularly good shot. The subscription also gets you up to 50 percent off at GoPro.com, and could theoretically pay for itself if you plan on buying a lot of accessories.
You can always cancel the service before you're charged again next year, so there's little reason not to go for the $150 off. The extra 15 percent discount means it's the lowest price we've seen the Mini yet, making today a good one to add another GoPro camera to your collection — or get that collection started in the first place.
The new mesh router from Google, Nest WiFi Pro, launched back in October and is just now seeing its first discount. If you've been thinking about stepping up to the newly opened 6GHz WiFi band or are curious to see how Google's new smart home industry standard, Matter, will operate once it launches, this might be the time to add the routers to your cart.
You'll get the best deal with the two-pack, which is 17 percent off, making it $250 for the set. The three-pack and the single unit are both 15 percent off, bringing them down to $340 and $170, respectively. We're seeing discounts for all three packs at Amazon, but you can also head over to Wellbots and snag the three-pack for the same $340.
Google currently makes three different routers, Google WiFi, Nest WiFi and the new Nest WiFi Pro, which has a shiny new design and is the only one running WiFi 6E. If you're curious what that means, in a nutshell, in 2020 the FCC opened up more airwaves in the 6Ghz band for WiFi to run on, which allows your home WiFi to get better wireless connections with less congestion.
Google states that WiFi 6E will be up to twice as fast as the previous WiFi 6 standard. Of course, only devices that are WiFi 6E compatible will be able to access the new airwaves. But since these routers are tri-band, they also provide access to the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz frequency bands, meaning any device that currently runs on your WiFi will also run on these routers. Also keep in mind that these don't replace your modem, one router plugs into your ISP's modem or gateway (a combined modem router).
A single Nest WiFi Pro unit will extend coverage to a home up to 2,200 square feet. With three routers, you'll get up to 6,600 square feet of coverage. The routers are also ready to act as a hub that will work with Matter, Google's forthcoming smart home industry standard that's intended to bring more universal connectivity (as in, working with Apple, Samsung and Amazon devices) to the smart home landscape. It'll also make new smart home devices easier to set up and use. Matter is scheduled for this Fall and these Nest WiFi Pro routers will be ready when the service launches.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday may be behind us, but many of the deals are still live as of today. A few deals even popped up after the shopping holidays ended, keeping our deals radar from getting rusty. Samsung still has a few good discounts including the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Frame TVs. Apple's latest iPad is $30 off and sales on a few games for the PS5 and Nintendo Switch are still going strong. If you missed out on Black Friday or still have some shopping to do, now is a good time to grab an Instant Pot for holiday cooking, a Roomba to keep the floors spotless or a great pair of earbuds to unwind with some music. Here are the best deals from Cyber Week that you can still get today.
Roku Streaming Stick 4K
Most of Roku's streaming devices are still on sale. Including the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, which is half price. At just $25, it matches the price of Amazon's 4K stick, and it's our current favorite streaming device. The Roku Streambar is down to $80, which is $50 less than usual and a record low. Roku's 2022 Ultra set-top box has dropped to a new low of $69.
Roku's Streaming Stick 4K is on sale for $25 right now, which is half off its usual price. This small dongle connects directly to your TV's HDMI port and streams content in 4K, supports Dolby Vision and offers voice command capabilities via its remote. And finally, Roku's Express has dropped to $18 which is one of the best prices we've seen. If you just want an inexpensive streaming device with basic features, the Express is a solid option.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is $450 off right now, bringing the rather expensive foldable phone down to $1350 for the 256GB configuration. That includes a $100 "not trade-in" credit. If you do have an old phone to turn in, you'll get at least $300 credit (if it's a Galaxy device) and up to $1,000, depending on the phone and condition. We gave it an Engadget score of 86 with particular praise for the longer zoom on the upgraded cameras and an improved battery life that lasted 17 hours and 13 minutes in our test, which is three more hours than the previous generation. The Z Fold 4 is also great at multitasking. In the end, we called it "a cutting-edge device that’s actually ready for the mainstream."
Apple's 2022 standard-model iPad is the 10th generation of the multipurpose slate, earning an 85 in our review back in October. We were concerned at the price hike over the previous generation, which brought it to a steep $449. But now that it's going for $419, it's a little easier on your wallet. What we did like was the complete redesign, the solid 10-plus hours of battery, and the addition of a landscape-oriented front-facing camera. Note that the iPad standard only works with the first generation of the Apple Pencil.
The Xbox Series S is down to $240 at Amazon, and Woot has the device available for $220 outright — albeit for an international model, which means your instruction manual may be in Spanish — but it's a full $80 off the usual $300.
The Series S is good value for PlayStation or Switch users who want a cheaper way into the Xbox ecosystem. We gave the Series S a review score of 85 at launch, noting that while it isn't doesn't handle 4K gaming and won't play physical games (just digital versions), it can still play all the same games as the pricier Xbox Series X and offers incredibly smooth gameplay.
Anker’s 577 Thunderbolt docking station is what we recommend getting for people who work from home. It's a multi-purpose, powerful brick into which you can plug all of your necessities. With 13 ports, there’s a good chance every peripheral you use will find a home. Plus it supports 85W laptop charging power your your machine as you use it.
Right now, Woot is running a sale on Samsung's 2022 Frame TVs that includes some of the best prices we've seen. The best value is the 50-inch model, which is down to $870 — a healthy 33 percent off. You'll see steep discounts across the range, though, including the sweet-spot 55-inch and 65-inch models (now $1,100 and $1,490). We like the Frame for its ability to look convincingly like art when you're not watching it.
If you want to experiment with using an iPad Pro as a laptop, Apple's Magic Keyboard is one of the best typing solutions out there. However, like most first-party Apple accessories, it'll cost you. But you can get the 12.9-inch model for $100 less than usual from Amazon. Right now the white keyboard is down to $250, which is the lowest price we've seen it. We gave it an Engadget score of 84, appreciating the luxurious feel of the keys and precision of the trackpad.
If you need a spare gamepad for your Xbox or PC, Microsoft's wireless Xbox Series X/S controller is available for $40 at Microsoft. That's about $20 below the controller's usual going rate. The sale applies to multiple finishes, though some colors are priced at $45. Just note that these pads still rely on AA batteries by default; if you want one rechargeable battery, that'll cost you another $25.
If you're looking to build out your game library, this week saw several sales on games for all three of the major consoles. Some were at or near their lowest prices to date and a few are still going on as of today. One of the most acclaimed and popular games of 2022, Elden Ringfor PS4 or PS5 is currently on sale for $35 at Walmart, which is $15 below the usual going rate. One of our favorite sequels of the year, the robot-battling open-world game Horizon Forbidden West, is down to a new low of $35 for PS4 and $40 for PS5.
For Switch, the over-the-top hack-and-slasher Bayonetta 3, which only became available about a month ago,is available for $45. Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, another recently released hack-and-slasher, is at an all-time low of $28, which is lower than it was for Cyber Monday.
Razer's Blade 14 with an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX chip, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and an RTX 3070 Ti GPU is currently down to $2,000 at Amazon. That's about $350 off its average price and tied for the best price we've tracked. We gave the Blade 14 a review score of 84 last year, and we've recommended the similar Blade 15 in recent buying guides and gift guides. It can run hot, and you can still get similarly powerful gaming laptops for less cash, but the Blade still packs enough power to play demanding games at higher settings in a slim and slick-feeling design that weighs less than four pounds.
The HyperX Cloud Alpha is down to $55 at Best Buy which is $45 below the wired headset's list price and close to the best price we've tracked. It's a sturdy, no-frills gaming headset that's comfortable to wear for hours. A good set of non-gaming headphones will sound better for the price, but the profile here is still relatively well-balanced, and the included mic is perfectly fine for everyday party chats.
Most of Hisense's TVs are on sale for Cyber Week. If you're looking to spend as little as possible on a still-decent TV, then you can't get much better than Hisense's 43-inch R6-Series Roku TV for $200. It supports 4K content and Dolby Vision, plus it runs on Roku's smart TV operating system.
Amazon's most affordable streaming stick, the Fire TV Stick Lite is still going for just $15 right now, which is half off its usual price. This is a good option if you want to upgrade an old, "dumb" TV in your home into a smart one. If you have a 4K screen, grab the Fire TV Stick 4K, which has dropped to $25 or 50 percent off its normal price. For Amazon's most capable streaming stick, grab the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. It's down to $35 right now. It has all of the features of the standard Fire TV Stick 4K: UHD streaming capabilities, Dolby Vision and Atmos support, and the live picture-in-picture feature. But on top of that, it has WiFi 6 support and a bit more RAM than all other Fire streaming sticks, improving its overall performance.
The Vizio V21t-J8 soundbar is our favorite budget-friendly soundbar and it's down to $120 right now, which is 26 percent off its usual price and a near record low. You're getting a 2.1-channel setup with this accessory, plus a 4.5-inch wireless sub along with it. It may not have WiFi connectivity, but that's the main tradeoff you'll have to make. Otherwise, it supports HDMI ARC/eARC, DTS Virtual:X and Bluetooth, and it has a 3.5mm aux jack as well.
If you aren't worried about having the latest model, the 2020 MacBook Air with the M1 chip is on sale for just $799. We gave it an 94 in our review, calling it the best MacBook for most people when it first hit the scene, especially those looking for a casual computer. The M1 chip will still feel like a big upgrade if you're coming from an aging Intel machine, and we also liked this laptop's lovely display, lack of fan noise and good battery life.
Apple's 14-inch MacBook Pro is a still on sale for a whopping $500, bringing it down to $2,000. We gave it and the 16-inch model scores of 92 in our review, with appreciation for the fast M1 Pro and Max processors, excellent display and solid battery life.
Microsoft's Surface Laptop Go 2 is still down to $600. This configuration has a Core i5-1135G7 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. We gave this 12.4-inch notebook a score of 86 earlier this year, and it earned a spot in our guide to the best cheap Windows laptops. It impressed us with its slick design, bright screen, good battery life and USB-C charging.
The 13-inch Surface Laptop 5 with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage is on sale for $1,000, which is the best price we've seen. We gave this machine a score of 83 for its elegant design, bright display, Thunderbolt 4 support and solid performance. We weren't as impressed by its 720p webcam and its non-backlit keyboard, but this notebook is definitely a step up from the Surface Laptop Go 2 and a great pick for daily productivity .
A number of Surface laptops and bundles are still on sale for Cyber Week, direct from Microsoft. The new Surface Pro 9 and the Surface Laptop 5 are up to $200 and $300 off, respectively, while you can save more than $600 on Surface Laptop 4 bundles. We recommend checking out all of Microsoft's discounted bundles, because they are some of the best ways to get all of the things you'd need — like keyboard attachments, styluses and more — to make a Surface machine truly your own.
The Roomba s9+ has been around for a couple of years and it's probably overkill for most people. At $999, it's certainly not cheap, but it did earn a spot in our list of best robot vacuums. Right now, you can pick up the high-end machine for $220 off at Wellbots when you use the code ENG220 at checkout. A final price of $779 is the best we've seen on this smart home gadget, In our testing, we found the s9+ to be an incredibly capable cleaner, and while on the loud side, it's no more noisy than other robo-vacs in this price range.
The latest entry in Elektron's midrange groovebox series is a lot of things — an analog synth, a digital drum machine, an absurdly powerful sequencer. But one thing the Syntakt is not, is cheap. Right now though, the Syntakt is down to $799 across a number of shops. And while it's definitely focused on percussion, a recent firmware update added two new "machines" that focus on more melodic sounds.
When the Minilogue XDlaunched for just $650 it staked a pretty convincing claim to the best bang-for-your-buck synth. A few years later, and it's no less impressive. But its price has crept upwards to $730, but now it's down to $600. Korg is offering a number of discounts across its range, but the clear stand out is this 18-percent off on an incredibly versatile synth. It combines four voices of true analog polyphony with a digital synth engine and effects.
The Universal Audio Volt 76 series stands out from the audio interface pack with a stylish look, low noise and latency, and large easy to use controls. What sets the 76 apart, from even its cheaper Volt brethren is the all analog modeling of its legendary 1176 compressor. The Volt 476 and 276 are both on sale, marked down to $329 and $269, respectively.
While its not meant to take on the road, the Monoprice Soundstage 3 is an excellent pick for at-home listening. Usually $250, the sale price is down to $200 right now. We like its minimalist design and clear, balanced sound. It gets 10 hours of play on a charge, but also has plenty of hard-wire ports if its staying in one place.
Bose SoundLink Revolve II is great for bringing your music outside and we found it had a loud and bright sound that carries nicely through the out of doors. It pumps out 360-degree sound and gets 13 hours of play on a charge. It's usually $220 but is still down to $180 right now.
Solo Stove's fire pits remain up to 40 percent off right now. We like these fire pits because, while on the expensive side, they are good options that don't smoke you out. Aside from the small table-top Mesa, the most affordable of the bunch is the Solo Stove Ranger, which is on sale for $180.
Like the Fire TV and Roku sticks above, the Chromecast with Google TV 4K turns a "dumb" TV into a smart one, and right now it's just $40, down from $50. We reviewed it when it first came out and gave it a score of 86, particularly impressed with the Google Assistant integration.
Crucial's MX500 internal drive is down to a new low of $68 for the 1TB version, and you can find discounts on the other configurations, too. We've long recommended this drive for its standard form factor, its sequential read/write speeds of up to 560/510 MB/s and its AES 256-bit hardware encryption. It also has integrated power loss immunity, which saves all of your work even when there's a power outage.
We were impressed with the Jabra Elite 3 earbuds at their list $80 list price, giving them an 88 in our review. Now that they're below $50, it's still a good day to get a pair. We called them the "new standard for affordable wireless earbuds" because they offer detailed and balanced sound with a booming low end. We got right around the estimated seven-hour battery life and liked Jabra's comfortable new design for the Elite 3 buds.
Sony's WH-1000XM5 headphones are down to $348 right now, which is the best price we've seen since they came out earlier this year. These are our current favorite wireless headphones, and Sony essentially changed only a few things about the previous WH-1000XM4 to make this generation even better. They have improved noise cancellation and sound quality, plus a slick new design and a solid battery life. We also appreciate their Speak-to-Chat feature and multi-device connectivity.
You can pick up the OnePlus 10 Pro smartphone for only $549 right now, which is the lowest we've seen it. The standout feature of this handset is its remarkably fast charging technology. You can get a full charge in just over a half hour using 80W SUPERVOOC charging. However, US users are capped at 65W SUPERVOOC, but that's still the speediest charging standard available stateside. Otherwise, we also appreciated the 10 Pro's lovely 120Hz display and its fast face-unlock feature.
iRobot's Roomba j7 is on sale for $349 right now, which is the cheapest we've seen it, and you can get the j7+ for $599. This is one of iRobot's latest robo-vacs and it has enhanced obstacle avoidance which lets it navigate around a robot vacuum's arch nemesis: pet poop. It also has 10 times the suction power of a standard Roomba, plus support for smart mapping and Alexa and Google Assistant voice control. With the j7+ model, you're also getting a clean base into which the robo-vac will empty its bin after every job.
Blink Mini cameras are usually $35 each, but right now Amazon is selling two for less than the price of one. On the same product page, you'll notice a one-camera configuration option, that's $30, so this really is a case where it's a better deal to get two. The Minis are motion-activated devices (as, in they aren't always on)and have built-in speakers and a mic so you can hear and talk to people (or pets) remotely using your phone.
If you're still looking to pick up a new smart display ahead of the holidays, a newer deal on Amazon's Echo Shows may be of interest. The retailer is currently offering a bundle that pairs its Echo Show 8 with the Kids edition of its Echo Show 5 for $70.
We've seen the Echo Show 8 alone go for $70 for much of the last two months, but that still equals the lowest price we've tracked. Normally, it retails closer to $100. With this deal, you're effectively getting an Echo Show 5 Kids thrown in at no extra cost. That device is currently available on its own for $40, but its average street price over the last few months has sat closer to $60.
Disney+ will switch to a two-tier model on December 8th. After that, the ad-free version, which is the only way the service is currently offered, will increase to $11 per month instead of $8. The new ad-supported plan will then go for $8. If you want to hang on to that $8 per month price for an ad-free plan, you can sign up before December 7th and pay $80 for a year of ad-free streaming. That works out to a 39 percent discount over the elevated $11 per month plan. If you didn't already know, Disney+ includes a dominating trove of content from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, and National Geographic.
Switching to an all-streaming diet often means forgoing live TV and other content cable offers. YouTube TV is one way to get back some of the live sports, live news and "cable channels" you're missing. YouTube's limited time offer is still going and gives you your first three months for $55 per month, with no contract required. If you decide you like what you're seeing, don't cancel and the price will revert to the regular $65 per month.
While some subscription deals time out after a few months, Alo Moves is still offering half-off annual subscriptions for life. The going rate for a yearly membership is currently $200, so this brings it down to $100. The online fitness service currently has more than 3,000 classes, and new classes are added weekly. You can watch on your laptop or via app on an iPhone or iPad. Yoga, pilates, HIIT, and core classes are available, along with meditation and mindfulness sessions, including a power nap sound bath.
Masterclass memberships are annual and include access to all 180 classes they offer. Right now when you buy any membership plan, which range from $180 to $276 per year, you'll get a second free membership to give away. There are classes from Martin Scorsese, Usher, Carlos Santana, Questlove, Alice Waters, David Lynch and 100 other people you've heard of. Classes range from a little over two hours to five-plus hours and are broken into between 12 and 30 lessons each.
Like Masterclass above, this Rosetta Stone membership doesn't make you decide what you want to learn up front. And instead of a yearly membership, this one is for life. The usual price for a lifetime membership is $300, but is still half price right now. With it, you get access to all 25 languages Rosetta Stone offers, complete with customizable lesson plans and immersion learning methods. The deal runs from now through Friday, December 2nd.
Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps includes more than 20 apps, including Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Illustrator and InDesign. From now through December 4th, Adobe's sale takes 25 percent off the monthly price for your entire first year. That brings the price down from its usual $55 per month to just $40 per month.
You can think of Tidal's HiFi membership as Spotify for audiophiles and music super fans, delivering up to 1411 kbps of lossless audio quality to your Android, iPhone or desktop. A membership also includes curated playlists, access to Tidal original documentaries and interviews with musicians, and of course it's all ad free. The holiday deal gives you two months for $2, and bumps up to $10 a month after that.
The iRobot Roomba 694 is currently our favorite budget robot vacuum and is down to $180 right now. That's 33 percent off for a $95 savings that's close to an all-time low. We liked the way the 694 dependably cleaned both carpet and tile, and appreciated the excellent user interface on the app. Setup is straightforward, even for a robo vac newbie. It doesn't come with extra brushes and the spot-clean function is only available as a button on the unit itself, but we still think it's the best budget vac for most people.
The Shark Ion RV765 is the runner up in our guide to budget robo vacs and right now it's down to $150, which is a super low price for any smart vacuum, especially one with a two-hour battery life. We particularly liked the adjustable wheels that automatically reacted to the "terrain" of carpet, rug, or hard floor, and the intuitive app for setting schedules and otherwise controlling the robot.
With a more than 50 percent discount, Eufy's RoboVac X8 Hybrid is down to $320, which is 51 percent off its usual $650 sticker. We gave the X8 a shout out in our robo vac guide for its great customization features, including a "tap and go" option that lets you direct the vac to a particular spot for extra on-demand cleaning. The hybrid X8 can wet-wipe your floors as well as vacuum them, and comes with a fillable tank and swappable cleaning pads to enable the mopping function. If you don't need your vac to mop, the vacuum-only Eufy RoboVac X8 is on sale for 40 percent off, making it just $300 instead of $500 right now.
The Meater Plus is the recommended thermometer in our grilling gear guide. It's still down $80 from its usual $100 price tag. While a wired version is certainly cheaper, we thought the price bump was worth not having to avoid the cables as you work with larger pieces of meat. It's got a 165-foot Bluetooth range and the single probe has two sensors, with one end reading the internal temp of your meat and the exposed end monitoring the ambient temp of your cooking environment.
The Instant Pot Duo makes an excellent gift for just about anyone, but it's also a great way to add some extra capacity to your kitchen for holiday cooking. It dropped down to $79 for Black Friday and is still on sale. That's a 21 percent discount and a great buy, considering all it can do. It features seven functions in one unit, and can act as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté pan, yogurt maker and warmer.
If you like the Google Assistant for your smart display needs, the latest generation of the Google Nest Hub is half price, bringing it down to $50. The seven-inch screen is one inch smaller than the Echo Show 8, and the Google Hub doesn't have an on-board camera, which some might prefer. As a smart display, it'll happily act as a hub to control compatible smart home devices using just your voice.
The Google Nest Cam battery is your best bet for Google Assistant-controlled indoor and outdoor monitoring. While they usually go for $180, they're $60 off right now, making them $120 each. These run on batteries and are rated to handle the weather outside, but they're quite a bit more expensive than some other cameras. They send high def 1080p video to your phone or smart display when they're triggered and are smart enough to tell the difference between pets, cars and people.
When Amazon's Echo Dot first unveiled its new spherical shape in 2020, we tried it out and thought it was a well-rounded speaker in all senses of the word, awarding it a score of 88. For Black Friday it was 50 percent off, putting Amazon's smallest smart speaker down to just $25. Today it's bumped up to $28, which is still a fairly good deal on a speaker that'll let you control your music, lights, thermostats and more with your voice. The Echo Dot even acts as a WiFi extender, adding up to 1,000 square feet of extra coverage, if you use the brand's Eero WiFi routers.
The Blink Video Doorbell is the least expensive doorbell in Amazon's lineup, and right now is down to $35 from its usual price of $50. You can use it wired to your existing doorbell wiring or run the unit on two AA batteries. Your first set of batteries is included and can last up to two years. The unit wakes up with a doorbell press or when it detects motion, enabling two-way talk. Wiring the unit allows it to activate your built-in doorbell chime. On batteries, you'll get alerts via the Blink app.
Logitech's G435 gaming headset typically goes for $80, but right now they're just $49.88. They connect via Bluetooth or with the USB-A dongle for a lower-latency wireless connection. The built-in mics allow for in-game chat and post-game Discord discussions. They'll pair up with a PC and both PlayStation 4 and 5 using the wireless dongle, or via Bluetooth with PC, Mac, and Nintendo Switch. You can pair them with your phone too, but keep in mind these don't have active noise cancellation.
Razer's Kishi mobile controller turns your smartphone into a Switch-like gaming device. It's usually $100, and Black Friday knocked 55 percent off the list price. Now the Android version is just a tad cheaper, bringing the sticker to $40. It's the same $45 for the iPhone version as it was for the shopping holiday. The Kishi connects via your phone's charging port, as opposed to via Bluetooth, so there's no wireless latency. Note that this is the original version of the device, not the recently released V2. That version isn't budging from its $99 MSRP.
The Razer Orochi gaming mouse has an MSRP of $70, but right now that's down by half. This mobile mouse made the cut in our search for the ultimate productivity mouse. Even though we called it the most "forgettable-looking option," we were impressed by how lightweight and capable it is. It connects via Bluetooth or wireless dongle and runs on ether an AA or AAA battery, with up to 950 hours on a battery.
The Tile Pro tracker usually goes for $35, and was down $28 for Black Friday, but now it's even more affordable at just $25. The BlueTooth tracker has a convenient lanyard hole making it ideal for a set of keys, but you can also attach it to a pack or luggage. Regardless of what item you attach it to, the Tile app makes sure that item never goes missing. Using Bluetooth when it's within 400 feet, you can make the Tile Pro ring to find things that way. When an item is farther away, the Tile app uses the Tile network to locate the item by anonymously pinging the phones of other Tile users.
This Samsung microSD card is still on sale, with a 38 percent discount on the 256GB size bringing it down to just $25. It offers transfer speeds of up to 130MBps and even includes a SD adapter so you can use it with more of your devices.
A doorbell that works with either Alexa or the Google Assistant, the Kasa Smart Video Doorbell is on sale for just $42, down from its usual $60. In addition to offering app-controllable two-way audio and 1296p video from the 3MP camera, the Kasa doorbell comes with a plug-in chime to let you know when someone rings your bell. This model doesn't have a battery option, so it'll only work by hooking up to your existing doorbell wire.
The rugged Samsung T7 Shield portable SSD in 1TB is on sale for $100 right now, which matches its record-low price. We've been fans of the T7 lineup for quite some time, and the latest edition has a rubberized exterior that helps protect it from drops from almost 10 feet high. It's also IP65 water- and dust-resistant, and supports 1,050/1,000 MB/s read/write speeds.
If you need a solid drive for your new PS5, Samsung's 980 Pro is a good choice. The 1TB version with an included heatsink is on sale for only $120, and since it comes with that accessory, it'll be ready to go for your console. We like its read speeds of 7,000MB/s, its smart thermal control and the fact that you can maintain and customize it using Samsung's Magician software.
Crucial's X8 portable drive in 2TB is on sale for $140, which is a record-low price. We like this drive for its compact yet durable design that's drop-, shock- and vibration-resistant, plus its read speeds of up to 1,050MB/s. It also comes with a USB-C to A and a USB-C to C cable, so you can use it with almost any device.
SanDisk's 2TB Extreme portable SSD dropped to $145 for Black Friday, which was the cheapest we've seen it. Since then, it creeped up by $5, but is still a healthy 67 percent discount. You get up to 1,050MB/s read and up to 1,000MB/s write speeds with this pocket-friendly drive, plus a design that's IP55 water and dust resistant, that's able to withstand drops from up to two meters. We also like that it has a carabiner loop built in so you can attach it to your bag.
Perfect for bumping the capacity of a Nintendo Switch, Lexar's Play microSD card is on sale for only $15 right now. That'll get you the 128GB model, but this card goes up to a whopping 1TB of storage, and that version is down to $100, which is even cheaper than it was for Black Friday. This card supports 150MB/s read speeds and comes with five years of limited product support.
Bose's QuietComfort 45 headphones are available for $249, which is $20 more than their all-time low but still roughly $60 off their average street price. This is an alternative pick in our guide to the best wireless headphones. We liked that the QC 45s have a more neutral sound out of the box, still-capable ANC and a design that's comfortable without sacrificing the ability to fold up. They also use physical buttons instead of touch controls. We gave the QuietComfort 45 a review score of 86 last year.
Sennheiser's Momentum True Wireless 3 are on sale for $200, which is $40 off the usual going rate and tied for the best price we've seen. These are the wireless earphones we recommend if detailed sound quality is your chief concern. Their adaptive ANC is effective, their eight-ish hours of battery life is solid and their default sound profile should satisfy if you enjoy a boosted low-end.
Another honorable mention in our guide to the best wireless headphones, Sennheiser's Momentum 4 is down to $276, which is an all-time low and $25 cheaper than they were for Black Friday. We gave this pair a review score of 82 this past August, admiring the stellar 60 or so hours of battery life per charge and great sound quality right out of the box.
The Echo Studio is a bigger and louder version of the standard Echo smart speaker, built to deliver hi-res audio. It's usually $200 and doesn't often go on sale, but for Black Friday, it's $40 off the list price. We gave the Studio an 88 in our review, saying Amazon had finally nailed the audio element of its smart speaker lineup. With the larger build and speaker array, it's clear Amazon is trying to compete with other smart speaker manufacturers like Sonos and Bose with this one, and for the most part, it does a fine job of it.
I never got into coffee, but I do love a good cuppa. That said, I have zero respect for the natural process of boiling water. The internet tells us that water boils faster at high altitude, and I’ve been living between 6,000 and 8,000 feet for the past ten years. But I swear it was taking longer. Maybe chalk that up to the inverse relationship between patience and age. Somehow evading the laws of thermodynamics, Zwilling’s electric kettle does something spooky to water, boiling it in a fraction of the time I ever thought possible.
Officially called the Zwilling Cool Touch Kettle, it’s made by the German brand Zwilling J. A. Henckels, which I’d previously only known for their chef’s knives that have been around since the 1700s. I stumbled upon the kettle while researching knives for a kitchen roundup at a previous job and decided to buy one. Glad I did.
Amy Skorheim / Engadget
I’ve owned electric kettles before, but they seemed to boil water only moderately faster than a microwave. They also had suspect cleanliness issues, either not allowing access to the interior, or having the heating elements exposed and crusty-looking at the bottom of the kettle. No such problems here, though, with the Zwiling’s fully enclosed, fully accessible interior. I’ve had the kettle for over a year now and it’s got some calcium buildup, but not so bad that I’ve felt the need to clean it.
This kettle is part of Zwilling’s Enfinigy line and besides sounding vaguely indecent, Enfinigy is an indicator of the kettle’s energy optimization. Though it pumps out 1500 watts of power, it’s using those watts for a short period of time, automatically shutting off when water reaches a boil. Simple physics explains the efficiency at work here: the hefty amount of wattage, delivered by an equally hefty cord, fires up an internal element that gets hot quickly. The element sits directly beneath your water, sending heat into the well-insulated chamber where it can’t escape into the ether. Since less heat is wasted, there’s more going directly to boiling the water, and voila, hot water faster.
Amy Skorheim / Engadget
To prove its superiority, I decided to pit the boil times of the Zwilling kettle against my 1,200-watt microwave and natural gas stove. If I compared the results to free throw skills, the kettle is Steph Curry. The microwave and stove are me. In terms of numbers, two eight-ounce cups in the Zwilling boiled in two minutes. The same amount in the microwave took five minutes, and the stove got the water roiling in five minutes and 45 seconds.
You can boil as little as two “cups” at a time (more on that below), which goes fast and saves a bunch of energy in the process. In a ploy to cheat time, I now use the Zwilling to boil pasta water too, adding a tiny amount to a pot on the stove and putting the majority of the H2O in the kettle, transferring it over when it boils. It always results in faster mac and cheese, which makes everyone happy.
My only gripe is the lid. It’s got an easy-open, button-operated mechanism that raises the lid… halfway. Or a little more than halfway, to a 70-degree angle. That’s intentional and meant to keep people from burning their faces with steam, but I always wish it could open a little wider to make adding water and checking the level easier.
Amy Skorheim / Engadget
The only other issue I have is with the interior measurement markings. There are markers for metric liters, which are as straightforward as the metric system itself. But for imperial units, the cup markers are for “coffee cups,” which someone has decided means six ounces, instead of eight. Nice for that one-cup-to-one-tablespoon ratio for coffee, but trickier for cooking. Also do we need to add more complications to imperial measurements?
I didn’t even mention how good it looks. It’s going to live on your countertop its entire life, so thankfully the matte silver-gray hue and streamlined, single-button interface are lovely to look at. And operation is dead simple. Click the button to start, pull the kettle off the base to stop. The button on the lid is in just the right spot, ergonomically speaking, and the pour is smooth and as slow or fast as your preferred drink requires – from an herbal tea flood to a thin pour-over stream. Not all kettles are worthy of a $115 price tag, but this one is.
Easy to use and with a notable emphasis on design, there are many reasons why Apple devices are so desirable. While we saw some great discounts for Black Friday, many of the brand's best and most recent products are also seeing impressive Cyber Monday discounts. Some of the prices also happen to be the lowest we've seen yet. We've sifted through the deals to find out what's on sale for Cyber Monday (and it's quite a bit). Anyone looking to get or gift Apple Watches, AirPods, iPads, and more, these are the deals to go for. Here are the best Cyber Monday deals on Apple devices for 2022.
AirPods Pro
Released just a few months ago, the AirPods Pro are the second generation of Apple's premium ear buds and deliver a massively improved sound quality with excellent noice cancellation. Amazon has them for just $200, which is $50 less than we saw it for during Prime Day back in October. Our reviewer and audio expert Billy Steele gave them an 88 in our review, saying they have "the best transparency mode you’ll find on earbuds."
The second-gen AirPods have dropped back down to $79 for Cyber Monday, which is half off their usual rate. These buds are a bit old at this point, but you can't beat them this holiday season if you want to pick up a pair of AirPods at the lowest price possible. They have a fit similar to Apple's EarPods of yesteryear, plus they have improved wireless connectivity and decent sound quality.
The second-generation Apple Pencil is back down to a record-low price of $89 for Cyber Monday. There are still a couple of iPads that only work with the first-gen stylus, but most of the higher-end models support this one. We consider it to be the best stylus for the iPad, and we like it for its low latency and built-in magnets that let it attach to the side of your tablet.
Released about two years ago, Apple's AirPods Max, the company's premium (and only) over-ear headphones have gone up and down in price, but this deal is a near-best at $449.With an Engadget review of 84, AirPods Max pair up a sleek design with solid noise cancellation and on-board controls that are a joy to use. At their usual MSRP of $549, they aren't cheap, which makes this Cyber Monday deal a very attractive buy.
We gave the Apple Watch Ultra, Apple's latest and most premium watch, a solid 85 in our review. If you've had your eye on the toughest wearable Apple's ever made, grab it now. Amazon has it for just $739, which is 8 percent off and the lowest it's been since its debut. When we took it on a hike, we had to admire its monster (yet comfortable) build and slew of outdoor-focused features, including a customizable Action button and on-board SOS siren. Of course you also get all of the health and fitness tracking Apple Watches are known for, plus a full three days of battery life on a charge.
The Apple Watch Series 8 came out just one week before the Ultra, making it the latest non-top-tier Apple Watch, and it usually sells for $389. Cyber Monday deals have brought that price down to $349, which means you save $50 on a premium smartwatch that's only a couple months old. In our real world test we called it "superb watch that makes a great multipurpose wearable with excellent health and fitness tools." While it doesn't have the hype of the new Ultra, or the budget appeal of the SE, it's still the best smartwatch around.
In our review back in September, we called the new Apple Watch SE "the best smart watch $250 can buy," awarding it a score of 89. Now that the pre-holiday sale has dropped the price down to $229, Apple's most affordable smartwatch is an even better buy. While the battery doesn't have the same longevity as its Apple Watch siblings, we found it lasted until midnight even with heavy use, and never took more than an hour to refill. We liked its crisp display and snappy responsiveness and found that the health and fitness tracking were on par with the more expensive Series 8.
Apple TV 4K, the brand's third generation set-top streaming device just came out in October and is down to $123.50 for Cyber Monday. It got an enthusiastic score of 94 in our review earning high marks for its zippy speeds, polished interface and glorious picture quality. If you've been thinking about upgrading your existing TV or if you want to turn any display with an HDMI port into a powerful streaming device, this is a the time to snap this up.
Apple's 2022 standard-model iPad is the 10th generation of the multipurpose slate, earning an 85 in our review back in October. We were concerned at the price hike over the previous generation, which brought it to a steep $449. But now that it's going for $419, it's a little bit easier to add the base model iPad to your life (or someone else's). What we did like was the complete redesign, the solid 10-plus hours of battery, and the addition of a landscape-oriented front-facing camera. Note that the iPad standard only works with the first generation of the Apple Pencil.
The latest iPad Pro earned an 87 in our review for its fast and powerful M2 chip and having "one of the best screens Apple has ever made." At the $800 list price, it's steep. But right now Amazon has the premium slate for $60 off the 11-inch and $100 off most storage sizes of the 12.9-inch. Both came out in October of this year, and this is the biggest discount we've seen so far. That's a good opportunity to get one of the best designed tablets on the market, complete with a nine-hour battery life and second-gen Apple Pencil support.
Apple's MacBook Air M2 earned an enthusiastic review score of 96 back in July. Right now it's 13 percent off, bringing it down to $1,049. Our Senior Reporter Devindra Hardawar said this version of the MacBook Air "set a new standard for ultraportables." You get the blazing fast M2 chip and an expansive and engrossing screen, all tucked into a frankly gorgeous, razor-thin computer. One of the only downsides we noted was the high price, but Cyber Monday is fixing that for now.
If you want to save even more and aren't worried about having the latest model, the MacBook Air with the M1 chip is on sale for just $799. We gave it an 94 in our review, calling it a the MacBook for most people when it first hit the scene, especially those looking for a casual computer. The M1 chip will still feel like a big upgrade if you're coming from an aging Intel machine, and we also liked this laptop's lovely display, lack of fan noise and good battery life.
Apple's 14-inch MacBook Pro is a whopping $500 off and down to $2,000 for Cyber Monday. We gave it and the 16-inch model scores of 92 in our review, with appreciation for the fast M1 Pro and Max processors, excellent display and solid battery life.
If you've been thinking about connecting your home with Siri's helpful AI interface, the HomePod mini is on sale for $94 for Cyber Monday. The diminutive home speakers earned an 84 score in our review, thanks to their solid sound quality and Siri's continuing improvements to user interactions.
Our current favorite Chromebook, the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i is down to an all time low of $270 right now on Amazon. We've seen it dip down to $300 before, but this is an exceptional low and a great time to pick up a lightweight but speedy Chromebook. When we tested it out for our Chromebook guide, we particularly liked the extra bright and sharp touchscreen paired with the responsive performance. In fact, we said the Flex 5i offers a "level of quality and performance that’s pretty rare to find at this price point." That goes double on Black Friday.
This configuration runs on Intel's Core i3 chip and stocks 8GB of RAM along with 128GB of storage. While that's not a ton of storage, it's more than enough for the way Chromebooks work best, which is as a browser-focused laptop working in harmony with all of Google's apps. It's got a 13.3-inch touchscreen and a good amount of ports, including USB-C and USB-A ports, a microSD card slot and a security lock. Though we found the keys a bit on the smaller side, we still think it's the best Chromebook for most people.
The Flex 5i discount is part of a larger Chromebook sale Amazon is running for Black Friday, which includes laptops from Acer, HP and ASUS in addition to more Lenovo devices. The Acer Chromebook Spin 314 is $90 off, bringing it down to $290. It's the lightweight cousin to the Acer pick from our guide, sharing the same convertible features that allows you to fold it backwards for a tablet-like experience.
