Amazon Prime Day 2023 is a few days away on July 11th, but you don't have to wait until then to get a good deal. The company has started to roll out a few early Prime Day deals before the two-day shopping event officially commences, including, as expected, several discounts on its own devices and services. We've rounded up the best early Prime Day deals we can find below. Remember that you'll need to subscribe to Prime to take advantage of many (but not all) of the offers, and that there's always a chance that prices drop lower during the event itself. For those with no interest in Prime, we've also included a few of the best tech deals from this week that aren't explicitly tied to the event. We'll stay on the lookout as Prime Day gets nearer and update this roundup with new offers as they arise.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max

Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Max has dropped to $25 for Prime members before Prime Day, which is more than half off its regular price and ties its all-time low. This the most powerful streaming dongle Amazon makes, with a superior processor than the standard Fire TV Stick 4K, plus support for WiFi 6, Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos audio. While Amazon's Fire TV OS can be messy compared to other platforms from Roku, Google and Apple, it still gets you access to just about all of the major streaming apps. A few other Fire streaming devices have been discounted as well, including the latest Fire TV Cube, which Prime members can pick up for $110.

Amazon Fire HD 8

If you're on an ultra-tight budget and need a new tablet, the Fire HD 8 is worth considering at its current deal price of $55, which matches its lowest price to date. Normally, the device retails around $90. This tablet has a smaller (8-inch) and lower-resolution (1,280x800) display than the Fire HD 10, and it isn’t as quick in day-to-day use. Like all Fire tablets, its app support lags well behind iPadOS, which is most noticeable in its lack of Google apps. But it has just enough power for the basics, it gets a solid 10-ish hours of battery life and it’s light in the hand. You can expand its 32GB of storage with a microSD card, too. If all you want is a competent tablet for casual reading and streaming for as little as possible, it should do the job.

Amazon Echo Buds (2023)

The latest Echo Buds just arrived in May yet they’re already 30 percent off at Amazon for Prime members. You can get them for $35, which is $15 off and ties the lowest price we’ve seen. We recommended the Echo Buds to those who prefer an open design in our best budget wireless earbuds guide. They lack active noise cancellation and don't completely seal off the ear canal, but their sound quality is decent for the price, and they come with features we don't often see in cheap earbuds, such as multipoint connectivity, auto-pausing and a customizable EQ tool. Naturally, they also work well with Alexa. If you hate the feeling of in-ear headphones, they'll be a good value.  

Amazon eGift Card + $5 promo credit

Amazon is giving Prime members a $5 promotional credit when they buy an eGift card valued at $50 or more before July 10th. You'll need to use the promo credit by August 25, 2023, but the only things it won't apply to are items sold by third-party merchants and e-books.

Blink Mini

Prime members can get a two-pack of Blink Mini security cameras for $34 right now. Single cameras are also on sale for $18. While these Blink cameras are wired, they have most of the same features as the standard wireless models, including 1080p video recording, motion alerts and support for two-way talk. Several other Blink wireless cameras are on sale as well.

Amazon Kindle Unlimited 3-month membership

If you're a Prime member who has never subscribed to Kindle Unlimited, you can get a three-month trial to Amazon's e-book service for no extra cost. Normally, the subscription goes for $12 a month after a 30-day free trial. Just note that the membership will be set to auto-renew by default. As a refresher, Kindle Unlimited makes a selection of e-books, audiobooks and digital magazines accessible on-demand. It doesn't include every e-book in the Kindle library, but it may still be worthwhile if you're a particularly avid reader. If nothing else, this deal makes it easier to figure out if it's worth paying for. 

Audible Premium Plus 3-month membership

Similar to that Kindle Unlimited offer, Prime members who are new to Audible Premium Plus can get three months of the audiobook service for free. This membership usually costs $14.95 a month after a 30-day free trial, so you're saving about $30. Premium Plus is Audible's upper tier: Like the less expensive Audible Plus, it provides an assortment of audiobooks, podcasts and other audio content you can access on-demand. The main difference is that it also includes a monthly credit that you can use to buy any book in the Audible store permanently. As with Kindle Unlimited, Premium Plus will be most worth it if you burn through audiobooks and podcasts quickly, but this extended trial is a comfier way to see if it's useful. Again, be aware that the subscription will be set to auto-renew by default.

Amazon Echo Dot

Amazon has knocked the latest Echo Dot down to $23, which is roughly half off its typical street price, and is throwing in a Sengled color smart bulb for no extra cost. We consider the Echo Dot the best smart speaker you can get for less than $50 thanks to its compact design, surprisingly good sound quality for its size and handy Alexa integration. The newest Echo Dots can also act as Eero WiFi boosters, adding up to 1,000 square feet of coverage to your existing Eero system.

Amazon Echo

Amazon has discounted several other Echo speakers as well. The base Echo, for one, is down to $55, which is $5 more than its all-time low but still $35 off its typical going rate. This is the top pick for less than $100 in our smart speaker buying guide, as it represents a clear step-up from the Echo Dot in terms of sound quality. If you aren’t tied to Apple or Google, we generally found it to outperform the HomePod Mini and Nest Audio as well.

If you’re looking for something more affordable than the Echo Dot, the unidirectional Echo Pop doesn’t sound as nice, but it offers most of the same Alexa capabilities and is currently on sale for $18. The Echo Dot with Clock, meanwhile, has similar hardware to the standard Dot, but adds an LED display that can show the time and basic weather and music info. That one is down to a new low of $30. And while the larger Echo Studio can’t top something like the Sonos Era 100, it’s still the best-sounding Echo, and it could be a decent value at its current price of $155 if you already own several other Alexa speakers and want to save some cash. That deal also matches the lowest price we’ve tracked.

Amazon Echo Show 5

The latest Echo Show 5 is half off and down to a record low of $45. We’ve previously recommended the Show 5 to those who prefer Alexa over the Google Assistant and want a smart display that won’t take up much space. It’s particularly useful as a smart alarm clock, as it has a gentle sunrise alarm feature and a tap-to-snooze function. This new model has a faster processor, a slightly larger speaker and an extra mic for better Alexa performance.

Amazon Echo Show 8

If you don’t need something so compact, the Echo Show 8 is our favorite Amazon smart display overall and is currently on sale for $60. That’s a new all-time low and roughly $45 off the device’s average street price. Compared to the 5.5-inch panel on the Echo Show 5, the 8-inch touchscreen here is much better suited for making video calls or viewing photos. You get a vastly superior camera, more powerful speakers and a faster processor as well. As with the Show 5, there's also a physical camera shutter and mic mute button.

The more spacious Echo Show 10 and Echo Show 15 are also down to new lows at $163 and $182, respectively. Neither of those devices are outright bad, but our reviews found them to be less universally appealing than their smaller and more affordable siblings.

Ring Video Doorbell + Echo Show 5

Amazon’s sweeping early Prime Day sale on Ring devices includes a bundle that gives you the Ring Video Doorbell plus an Echo Show 5 for only $65. Considering the Video Doorbell alone is going for $55 as an early Prime Day deal, that means you’ll only spend $10 on the Show 5 if you opt for the bundle. The Video Doorbell itself is a fairly basic 1080p option, but it's easy to install and generally accurate at delivering motion alerts

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids

The 16GB version of Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite Kids is down to $105, which is $65 off and a new low. While this e-reader is marketed toward children, it features the same hardware as the standard Paperwhite, with a lightweight and waterproof design, 6.8-inch 300 ppi display, 10-week battery life and extensive e-book library. Here, though, you also get a cover case, a longer two-year warranty and a year of Amazon's Kids+ service (which you can ignore if you aren’t buying for a little one). We gave the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition a review score of 97 back in 2021. The Kids edition lacks that model’s ad-free lock screen (when you aren't using a child account, at least), upgraded front light, wireless charging and 32GB of storage, but the two devices are otherwise similar.

Motorola Razr+

The foldable Moto Razr+ only just arrived last month, but it's already received a 15 percent discount for Prime Day, albeit in a roundabout way. You'll need to be a Prime member and request an invite first, after which you’ll be able to buy the phone on Prime Day for the discounted price. While jumping through Amazon’s hoops is annoying, doing so will get you an unlocked Razr+ for $850 instead of $1,000.

We spent some time with the new foldable before it came out last month and gave it a full review upon its debut. The verdict? Samsung’s Galaxy foldables have some serious competition. The Razr+ has a 6.9-inch screen when open and offers a 3.6-inch screen when folded, which is much larger than the 1.9-inch exterior screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 4. The foldable design unlocks different uses, as it can act as its own tripod in addition to taking up less space in your pocket. 

Eero Pro routers

A number of Eero and Eero Pro WiFi router packs have been discounted for Prime members ahead of the shopping event. You can pick up one Eero router for as low as $45, or an Eero Pro router for $70. We recommend going for the Eero Pro if you can, since it's a tri-band system that supports speeds up to 1Gbps and covers slightly more square feet than the standard Eero does. Just keep in mind that these are not the latest Eero systems; for WiFi 6 support, you'll have to shell out a bit more money for an Eero 6 set.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen)

Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro are back on sale for $200, which is $50 off their usual rate and a record low. These remain the best true wireless earbuds for Apple lovers, even though the company didn't drastically overhaul the design with this latest model. Most of the new features are under the hood, with Apple noticeably improving the pair's sound quality, noise cancellation and transparency mode.

Samsung Pro Plus microSD card

The 256GB version of Samsung's latest Pro Plus microSD card is down to a new low of $20. That's $10 off its MSRP. If you need more space, the 512GB model is within a couple dollars of its best price at $43.52. The Pro Plus is the top pick in our guide to the best microSD cards, as it finished at or near the top of all of our sequential and random speed tests. It's also backed by a 10-year warranty.

Samsung 980 Pro

The 2TB version of Samsung's 980 Pro is down to a new low of $100. We've seen this SSD steadily drop in price over the course of the year, but this deal marks a roughly $35 drop from the device’s average street price in recent months. The 980 Pro isn’t Samsung’s fastest SSD – that would be the 990 Pro, the 1TB model of which is down to $70 – but it still meets Sony's requirements for expanding the PS5’s storage. You’ll just need to add a heatsink for a few bucks more to go along with it. If you aren't buying for a PS5 specifically, a speedy PCIe 4.0 drive like this may be overkill but will provide fast storage all the same.

Both this and the Evo Plus microSD card deal come as part of a wider sale on Samsung storage devices. This includes the Fit Plus, a tiny flash drive we recommend in our best SSDs guide, down to $22, and the T7 Shield, a ruggedized version of one of our favorite portable SSDs, back down to $75. Both deals match the lowest prices we’ve tracked, and nothing in the sale is exclusive to Prime subscribers.

Apple iPad (9th gen)

The 64GB model of Apple's 9th-gen iPad is down to $250 at Amazon, matching the lowest price we've tracked. You'll see the price listed as $279 and an additional $29 discount will apply at checkout. Apple normally sells the device for $329, though we've seen it retail closer to $275 in recent months. This is the budget pick in our iPad buying guide: It lacks the accessory support, thinner bezels and laminated display of the iPad Air, but it's by far the most affordable route into iPadOS, and it remains fast and comfortable enough for casual reading, streaming and gaming. It's also the only current iPad with a headphone jack.

PlayStation 5 DualSense Wireless Controller

The white version of Sony's DualSense controller is available for $59 at Amazon, which isn't the lowest price we've seen but still marks a $10 drop over its usual going rate. GameStop also has it for a dollar more. We haven't seen many discounts on the PS5 gamepad over the past few months, so if you've been meaning to pick up a spare, this is a good chance to save. 

Shark RV1001AE

Shark makes some of our favorite robot vacuums and right now the Shark RV1001AE is half price, bringing it down to $300. This model has a bagless, self-emptying base, that you won’t have to empty for quite some time as it has a claimed capacity of up to 45 days. While we didn’t try this exact model, we have found robovacs from Shark to be simple to set up, with a particularly easy-to-use companion app. Shark's mapping function is typically accurate and the bagless base here should save you money in the long run, as buying device-specific bags can get pricey.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is down to $199 for a 40mm model and $229 for a 44mm model. We gave the Galaxy Watch 5 a score of 85 last year, and it's currently the "best for Android users" pick in our smartwatch buying guide. While its battery life could be better, its design is durable and attractive, its OS is easy to navigate and its health tracking is relatively comprehensive. Samsung is expected to announce a Galaxy Watch 6 in the coming weeks, however, so it may be worth waiting to see how that model stacks up if you don't need a new smartwatch right this instant.

Google Pixel 7a + Pixel Buds A-Series

Amazon knocked $100 off a bundle that includes the Google Pixel 7a smartphone and the Pixel Buds A-Series, bringing it down to $499. This is a great bundle if you've needed a phone upgrade but didn't want to spend a ton of money. The Pixel 7a is the best midrange phone you can get right now, thanks to its fast Tensor G2 chipset, smooth 90Hz display, IP67 water resistance, fantastic cameras and support for wireless charging. The Pixel Buds A-Series are almost the earbud complement to the Pixel 7a — they're not as feature-rich as the Pixel Buds Pro, but they have deep Google Assistant integration, solid sound quality and a comfy fit.

Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know, and hear from Autoblog’s car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals.

While the absolute best true wireless earbuds tend to cost between $150 and $300, the market has matured to the point where it’s possible to get something good enough without spending triple digits. Yes, you’ll still find lots of junk in the bargain bin, but with each passing year, we’re seeing more earbuds that offer pleasing sound, solid battery life and extensive feature sets without putting a heavy burden on your wallet. To help those on a budget, we researched and tested a range of true wireless earbuds that cost less than $100. These are the ones we found to offer the best value.

Best for most: Anker Soundcore Space A40

The Anker Soundcore Space A40 are often available for $80 but offer the kind of performance and features you’d see from earphones that cost twice as much. Their little round earpieces are light and evenly balanced, so they shouldn’t be a pain for most to wear for hours at a time. The default sound profile is good enough: It’s warm, with a bump in the upper-bass and a dip in the treble that can dull some finer details but sounds pleasant on the whole. Unlike many cheaper headphones, it doesn’t completely blow out the low-end. As with many modern pairs, you can tweak the sound with custom EQ tools in the Soundcore app. Using these won’t make the Space A40 sound as nice as the best premium pairs, but it can give them a touch more deep bass or high-frequency emphasis. The app in general is easy to use, and it saves any changes you make directly to the earphones.

The Space A40's best feature is their active noise cancellation (ANC), which is outstanding for the money. It won’t totally block out higher-pitched sounds, but it’s plenty effective at muting the rumbles of a train or jet engine. By default, Anker uses an adaptive ANC system that automatically tweaks the intensity based on your surroundings, though you can manually set it to strong, moderate or weak levels, too. That’s great for those with sensitive ears. There’s also a transparency mode, which isn’t nearly as good as what you’d find on a high-end pair like the AirPods Pro but works in a pinch.

Most of the little touches you’d want from a modern set of headphones are here as well. The Space A40 can connect to two devices simultaneously, and you can use one earbud on its own. Battery life is solid at eight-ish hours per charge, while the included case can supply another 40 or so hours and supports wireless charging. The IPX4 water resistance rating isn’t anything special but still means the earphones can survive light rain and everyday sweat. The touch control scheme can feel somewhat busy, as it lets you assign up to six different shortcuts to different taps and long presses and effectively forces you to omit a function or two, but it works reliably. We’ve had no real connection issues, either.

The only major shortcomings are the mic quality and the lack of auto-pausing when you remove an earbud. The former doesn’t handle sibilant sounds very well and can lose your voice in particularly noisy areas, so this isn’t the best option for phone calls, but it’s usable.

Bluetooth: v5.2
Active noise cancellation: Yes
Transparency mode: Yes
Custom EQ: Yes
Charging port: USB-C
Wireless charging: Yes
Water resistance: IPX4
Multipoint connectivity: Yes (2 devices)
Auto-pause: No
Battery life (rated): 10 hrs, 50 hrs w/ case
Fast charging (rated): 10 mins = 4 hrs
Codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC
Warranty: 18 months

Runner up: EarFun Air Pro 3

The $80 EarFun Air Pro 3 are a commendable alternative to the Space A40 if you see them on sale or if you prefer an AirPods-style “stem” design. Like the Space A40, they come with ANC, a transparency mode, a relatively stable fit, a pocketable case that supports Qi wireless charging and the ability to connect to two devices at once. Battery life is slightly worse, closer to six or seven hours than eight, but it’s not bad. Their IPX5 water resistance rating is a touch better, as is their built-in mic.

The Air Pro 3 sounds decent, too. By default, they have an excited, V-shaped EQ curve, with intense bass and a noticeable spike in the treble. Some might enjoy this, as it gives EDM and pop a good sense of thump, but others might find it fatiguing, and it can make higher frequencies sound a hair too sharp. The Space A40’s sound isn’t exactly balanced, but it should be a little more agreeable for most. You can still rein in and personalize the sound with a (less flexible) custom EQ tool in the EarFun app, though.

Likewise, the Air Pro 3’s active noise cancellation is serviceable in most cases, but it’s a half-step behind the Space A40 and isn't customizable. Plus, while the design is generally comfortable for extended listening, it’s bulkier than our top pick. On the plus side, the touch controls are slightly more extensive, as you can triple-tap each earbud to access additional shortcuts.

Bluetooth: v5.3
Active noise cancellation: Yes
Transparency mode: Yes
Custom EQ: Yes
Charging port: USB-C
Wireless charging: Yes
Water resistance: IPX5
Multipoint connectivity: Yes (2 devices)
Auto-pause: No
Battery life (rated): 9 hrs w/ ANC on, 7 hrs w/ ANC off, 45 hrs w/ case
Fast charging (rated): 10 mins = 2 hrs
Codecs: SBC, AAC, LC3, aptX adaptive
Warranty: 18 months

Best under $50: EarFun Free 2S

If you don’t want to spend more than $50 on a set of true wireless earbuds, consider the Earfun Free 2S. Like the Air Pro 3, it has a big bass response and a smaller bump in the treble. It misses details in the mids and can get fatiguing over extended periods, but it’s a richer example of this kind of “fun” sound signature than most pairs in this price range. You can adjust the sound through EarFun’s app as well, though there’s still fewer EQ presets to choose from than with the Soundcore Space A40.

The earpieces themselves are well-shaped and not oversized; combined with their soft silicone ear tips, they should be comfortable for most to wear over long periods of time. An IPX7 rating means they’re fully waterproof, too. There’s a suite of reliable touch controls and battery life sits at around seven hours. The included case adds another 30 or so hours and supports wireless charging, too. It’s not the smallest case we’ve used, but it’s not so large that it can’t fit in a pocket, either.

That said, you start to run into more “you get what you pay for” situations once you drop into this price range. In addition to not sounding quite as sharp as our pricier picks, the Free 2S lack active noise cancellation, multi-device connectivity, auto-pausing and a transparency mode. And though their mic quality is decent in most cases, it’s pretty susceptible to wind noise.

Bluetooth: v5.2
Active noise cancellation: No
Transparency mode: No
Custom EQ: Yes
Charging port: USB-C
Wireless charging: Yes
Water resistance: IPX7
Multipoint connectivity: No
Auto-pause: No
Battery life (rated): 7 hrs, 30 hrs w/ case
Fast charging (rated): 10 mins = 2 hrs
Codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX
Warranty: 18 months

Best for workouts: Jabra Elite 3

The Jabra Elite 3 are a couple of years old, but since they’re frequently on sale in the $60 to $70 range, they’re still worth a look. They’re particularly useful for workouts, as their compact design should be snug yet comfortable for most. What’s more, they don’t require any bulky wing stabilizers or over-ear hooks. They also have an IP55 water resistance rating, which should be enough to withstand most gym sessions. (As with most earbuds, you should give them a light cleaning between workouts.) Plus, they use physical buttons instead of touch controls. When you’re on the move, having that immediate, tactile feedback is more reliable for quickly changing tracks or adjusting volume.

The Elite 3 still sound better than most pairs in this price range, too. As noted in our review the Elite 3’s signature is balanced enough for most music, with a slight but not overbearing bass boost that gives tracks a nice sense of body. By default, it sounds a bit better than both the Space A40 and the Air Pro: The treble is more present than the former, and the bass is less boomy than the latter. It’s more measured than the Free 2S as well, so if you see the Elite 3 on sale for around $50, it’s the pair to get. Similar to our other top picks, you can also customize the Elite 3’s EQ through the Jabra Sound+ app.

Where the Elite 3 falls short is in all the other stuff. There’s no active noise cancellation, no wireless charging, no multipoint connectivity and no auto-pausing. And while there is a transparency mode, the effect is so meager that you’re better off just removing the earpieces entirely. The seven-ish hours of battery life is solid, however, and you can use a single earbud at a time if needed. Call quality is acceptable as well, though not a standout feature.

You could also consider the Elite 4, which launched in March and feature both ANC and multipoint connectivity. At $100, though, most budget-conscious buyers are better off with the Space A40.

Bluetooth: v5.2
Active noise cancellation: No
Transparency mode: Yes
Custom EQ: Yes
Charging port: USB-C
Wireless charging: No
Water resistance: IP55
Multipoint connectivity: No
Auto-pause: No
Battery life (tested): 7 hrs, 28 hrs w/ case
Fast charging (rated): 10 mins = 1 hr
Codecs: SBC, aptX
Warranty: 2 years (w/ Sound+ app registration)

Best for an open design: Amazon Echo Buds (2023)

All of our picks so far are technically earphones, meaning they extend into your ear canal. For many people, that is inherently uncomfortable. Unfortunately, the market for decent yet affordable “earbuds,” which rest on the concha instead of going all the way in your ear, is spotty. If you can’t bring yourself to pay for a pair of AirPods, though, the Amazon Echo Buds are a worthy compromise at $50.

The plastic earpieces here aren’t exactly premium, but they rest lightly in the ear and feel sturdily put together. They let in and leak noise more easily than in-ear headphones, but if you prefer open earbuds, that’s a feature rather than a bug. If the fit doesn’t feel right, you can shed a little bulk by removing the pre-installed silicone covers. (Like most open earbuds, though, comfort here is dependent on your ear shape.) Mic quality is more than adequate, and the circular touch panels give ample room for using the controls, which are customizable and consistently responsive. Battery life sits around five hours, which is middling but not out of character for budget earbuds. The pocket-friendly case adds about three full charges, but it’s worth noting that Amazon doesn’t include a USB-C charging cable. A poor IPX2 water resistance rating means you should avoid the gym, too.

While the Echo Buds sound fine out of the box, I'd use the EQ sliders in the Alexa app to bring down the treble a click or two. By default, the highs are a bit too edgy. That said, this emphasis lends a nice crispness to things like vocals, cymbals and strings, and there’s enough separation to keep complex tracks from sounding totally muddled. The profile here isn’t as full-bodied as the latest AirPods, and no open earbuds deliver true sub-bass, but there’s at least some rumble for hip-hop and EDM.

Unlike many cheap earbuds, the Echo Buds support auto-pausing and multipoint. I often had to manually pause playback on one device before I could switch to the other, but having the feature at all at this price is great. Unsurprisingly, they also come with Alexa baked in, which you can access hands-free. You manage the Echo Buds through the Alexa app, which is much more cluttered than a dedicated audio app but includes extras like a lost device tracker and sidetone control for phone calls. And if you want nothing to do with Alexa, it also lets you turn off the mics and wake-word support.

Bluetooth: v5.2
Active noise cancellation: No
Transparency mode: No
Custom EQ: Yes
Charging port: USB-C
Wireless charging: No
Water resistance: IPX2
Multipoint connectivity: Yes (2 devices)
Auto-pause: Yes
Battery life (rated): 5 hrs, 6 hrs w/ wake word off, 20 hrs w/ case
Fast charging: 15 mins = 2 hrs
Codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX
Warranty: 1 year

Honorable mentions

JLab Go Air Pop

If you just want a competent pair of wireless earbuds for as little money as possible, take a look at the JLab Go Air Pop. For $25, they have a light design with decent isolation, plus eight to nine hours of battery life, IPX4 water resistance and a full set of touch controls that actually work. JLab even lets you swap between three EQ presets from the buds themselves. It’s still worth upgrading to the EarFun Free 2S if you can afford it, as the Go Air Pop sounds boomier by comparison and isn’t as clear in the treble and upper-mids. There’s no app support, either. But for $25, expect trade offs like this.

QCY T20 AilyPods

If you want the cheapest acceptable pair of open earbuds, meanwhile, get the QCY T20 AilyPods. They are an unabashed rip-off of the third-gen AirPods from a relatively obscure Chinese brand, but they cost $33 and their pleasingly smooth sound is arguably better than the Echo Buds out of the box. They have a higher IPX4 water resistance rating, too. There’s no auto-pausing or multipoint, however, and their touch controls border on unusable. The Echo Buds’ sound is also easier to tidy up, as the handful of EQ presets in the QCY app actually make things worse.

Nothing Ear Stick

The Nothing Ear Stick have a fashionable transparent design and a case that looks like a big, clear tube of lipstick. To access the earbuds, you just twist the case, which is always fun. The earpieces feel sturdy and polished, with responsive controls built around AirPods-style stem squeezes. Audio quality isn’t bad, either, though the treble is a little shouty by default. The main problem is that these are unsealed earbuds that cost $99. That’s still under our “budget” threshold, but it’s a little too close to AirPods territory for a pair with far fewer software tricks to make up for the sound sacrifices inherent to this design. If you’re particular about aesthetics and must have open earbuds, then the Ear Stick are a good take on the idea. Most others are better off with the Space A40.

Amazon Prime Day 2023 is one week away on July 11th, but you don't have to wait until then to get a good deal. The company has started to roll out a few early Prime Day deals before the two-day shopping event officially commences, including, as expected, several discounts on its own devices and services. We've rounded up the best early access Prime Day deals we can find below. Remember that you'll need to subscribe to Prime to take advantage of many (but not all) of the offers, and that there's always a chance that prices drop lower during the event itself. For those with no interest in Prime, we've also included a few of the best tech deals from this week that aren't explicitly tied to the event. We'll stay on the lookout as Prime Day gets nearer and update this roundup with new offers as they arise.

Amazon's Fire HD 10 tablet

Prime members can save 50 percent on Amazon’s Fire HD 10 tablet right now, which is $75 off its $150 list price, and the lowest we’ve seen for the company’s largest slate. It’s a decent entertainment companion, letting you stream video, browse the web, get sucked into social media and make Zoom calls. It has a 1080p screen resolution, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Note that the 50 percent discount applies to the version with lockscreen ads, so you’ll see promotions on both when your device is in sleep mode and at the bottom of your home screen. If you want a Fire HD 10 without ads, you’ll pay $90, which is still a 45 percent discount, but again, only for Prime members

Echo Buds (2023)

The latest generation of Echo Buds just came out in May yet they’re already 30 percent off at Amazon for Prime members. Usually $50, you can get them for $35, which is $15 off and the lowest price we’ve seen yet. For the third generation of Amazon’s buds, the company dropped the starting price $70 lower than the second gen buds, but also removed the active noise cancellation and changed the shape to eliminate the in-ear tip. Most other specs stayed the same, including built-in Alexa assistance and customizable tap controls. The charge capacity of the case actually went up by a few hours, giving you 20 total hours from the buds and case combined.

Blink Mini

A two-pack of Blink Mini security cameras is on sale for $34 right now, or you can get one for only $18. While these cameras are wired, they have most of the same features as the standard wireless Blink cameras including 1080p video recordings and support for two-way talk and motion alerts. Most other Blink wireless cameras are on sale right now as well, allowing you to deck out your whole space with multiple cameras for much less than usual.

Amazon eGift Card + $5 promo credit

Amazon will give Prime members a $5 promotional credit when you buy an eGift card valued at $50 or more before July 10th. You must use the promo credit by August 25, 2023, but there’s a wide range of stuff you can use it on. The only things you cannot buy with the promo credit are items sold by third-party merchants and e-books.

Ring Video Doorbell + Echo Show 5

Amazon’s huge Ring early Prime Day sale includes a bundle that gives you the Ring Video Doorbell plus an Echo Show 5 for only $65. Considering the Video Doorbell by itself is going for $55 as an early Prime Day deal, that means you’ll only spend $10 on the Show 5 if you opt for the bundle. Now’s a good time to add to your existing Ring security system, or start from scratch, while most of the lineup is up to half off for Prime members.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max

Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Max has dropped to only $25 for Prime members before Prime Day, which is more than half off its regular price. This is the most powerful streaming dongle Amazon makes, with 40 percent more power than the standard Fire TV Stick 4K, plus support for WiFi 6, HDR10+, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos audio. A few other Fire streaming devices have been discounted as well, including the latest Fire TV Cube, which Prime members can pick up for $110.

Amazon Kindle Unlimited 3-month membership

If you're a Prime member who has never subscribed to Kindle Unlimited, you can get a three-month trial to Amazon's e-book service for no extra cost. Normally, the subscription goes for $12 a month after a 30-day free trial. Just note that the membership will be set to auto-renew by default. As a refresher, Kindle Unlimited makes a selection of e-books, audiobooks and digital magazines accessible on-demand. It doesn't include every e-book in the Kindle library, but it may still be worthwhile if you're a particularly avid reader. If nothing else, this deal makes it easier to figure out if it's worth paying for. 

Audible Premium Plus 3-month membership

Similar to that Kindle Unlimited offer, Prime members who are new to Audible Premium Plus can get three months of the audiobook service for free. This membership usually costs $14.95 a month after a 30-day free trial, so you're saving about $30. Premium Plus is Audible's upper tier: Like the less expensive Audible Plus, it provides an assortment of audiobooks, podcasts and other audio content you can access on-demand. The main difference is that it also includes a monthly credit that you can use to buy any book in the Audible store permanently. As with Kindle Unlimited, Premium Plus will be most worth it if you burn through audiobooks and podcasts quickly, but this extended trial is a comfier way to see if it's useful. Again, be aware that the subscription will be set to auto-renew by default.

Motorola Razr+

The foldable Moto Razr+, which went on sale just this week, is already getting a 15 percent discount at Amazon for Prime Day. The promo is only for Prime members and you’ll need to request an invite, after which you’ll be able to buy the phone on prime day for the discounted price. While jumping through Amazon’s hoops is mildly annoying, doing so will get you an unlocked Razr+ $850 instead of $1,000.

We spent some time with the new foldable before it came out and gave it a full review upon its debut. The verdict? Samsung’s Galaxy foldables have some serious competition. The Razr+ has a 6.9-inch screen when open and offers a 3.6-inch screen when folded, which is much larger than the 1.9-inch exterior screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 4. The foldable design unlocks different uses, including acting as its own tripod and taking up less space in your pocket. Plus the compact puck has a cool retro vibe, while feeling futuristic at the same time.

Eero Pro routers

A number of Eero and Eero Pro WiFi router packs have been discounted for Prime members ahead of the shopping event. You can pick up one Eero router for as low as $45, or an Eero Pro router for $70. We recommend going for the Eero Pro if you can, since it's a tri-band system that supports speeds up to 1Gbps and covers slightly more square feet than the standard Eero does. Just keep in mind that these are not the latest Eero systems; for WiFi 6 support, you'll have to shell out a bit more money for an Eero 6 set.

Amazon Eero 6+ system + FireTV Stick 4K Max

If you’ve signed up for gigabit internet from your ISP, this might be a good time to get a mesh WiFi system that can deliver those speeds. Right now Amazon is selling three Eero 6+ mesh WiFi routers bundled with a FireTV Stick 4K Max for $195 to Prime members. That’s $160 less than you’d pay for the four devices separately. The streaming device can turn any TV smart and supports not just 4K video, but also the enhanced throughput of WiFi 6. If you don’t need the FireTV Stick, the three Eero 6+ mesh routers alone are selling for the same $195, which is a 35 percent discount off the list price.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen)

Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro are back on sale for $200, which is $50 off their usual rate and a record low. These remain the best true wireless earbuds for Apple lovers, even though the company didn't overhaul their design with the latest update. All of the new features are under the hood, with Apple noticeably improving sound quality, noise cancellation and transparency mode.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is $10 off at Amazon and Walmart, bringing the hit Switch game down to a more traditional price of $60. As our review notes, Tears of the Kingdom doesn't stray too far from Breath of the Wild, but it enriches its landmark predecessor's ideas with a full-size underworld, fantastical sky islands and malleable crafting mechanics. Most importantly, it gets the core promise of a Zelda game right: that sense of being and adventuring in another world.

There are a few other video game deals of note. For the Switch, Metroid Dread, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Fire Emblem: Three Houses are each down to $42, the remake of the classic RPG Live A Live is down to $35 and the Portal Companion Collection is on sale for $10. Over on PC, the open-world racer Forza Horizon 5 is down to $30, while Prime members can claim a couple of underrated older gems, the space FPS Prey and the 2D Metroidvania SteamWorld Dig 2, for no added cost.

Samsung Pro Plus microSD card

The 128GB version of Samsung's latest Pro Plus microSD card is down to a new low of $13. That's $6 off its MSRP. If you need more space, the 512GB model is within a few cents of its best price at $43.52. The Pro Plus is the top pick in our guide to the best microSD cards, as it finished at or near the top of all of our sequential and random speed tests. It also comes with a 10-year warranty.

Apple Watch Series 8

Apple’s flagship smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 8, usually sells for $399 for the 41mm GPS model, but right now Amazon is selling it for $329, which matches its all-time low. The smartwatch has dipped to this discount quite a few times over the last few months and this time it applies to the Midnight, Silver and Starlight colorways, not the Product Red version. The option with the larger, 45mm case is currently $359, or 16 percent off its usual $429, but only in Midnight or Starlight — Product Red and Silver are not on sale. The Series 8 is our top pick in our guide to smartwatches because it combines detailed health and fitness tracking with seamless iPhone integration. New features include temperature sensors, ECG and blood oxygen readings, crash detection, and improved sleep metrics.

Apple iPad (9th gen)

The 64GB model of Apple's 9th-gen iPad is down to $250 at Amazon, matching the lowest price we've tracked. You'll see the price listed as $279 and an additional $29 discount will apply at checkout. Apple normally sells the device for $329, though we've seen it retail closer to $275 in recent months. This is the budget pick in our iPad buying guide: It lacks the accessory support, thinner bezels and laminated display of the iPad Air, but it's by far the most affordable route into iPadOS, and it remains fast and comfortable enough for casual reading, streaming and gaming. It's also the only current iPad with a headphone jack.

Apple MacBook Air M1

Apple's M1 MacBook Air is back on sale for $800, which is a deal we've seen multiple times before but ties the laptop's all-time low. Like the 9th-gen iPad, the M1 MacBook Air is on the older side these days; if you can afford the newest Air with an updated design, better webcam and faster M2 chip, it's worth doing so. But if you just want a competent MacBook to do light work and web browsing for as little cash as possible, the M1 Air remains a solid value at this price. Its keyboard, trackpad and battery life are still excellent, and the M1 chip is still fast enough for the essentials. Just make sure you stick to lighter workloads, though, as this model only has 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. 

Xbox Series X + bonus controller bundle

Microsoft had a big showing at this month's Summer Game Fest, so if you planned on picking up an Xbox Series X before Starfield and Forza Motorsport arrive, note that Verizon is selling the $500 console with a second controller for no extra cost. That isn't anything crazy, but spare Xbox controllers normally go for $50 or so, and discounts of any kind for the Series X have been few and far between. In fact, Microsoft said this week that it's raising the price of the console in much of the world on August 1. The $300 Xbox Series S is still a strong value for those who don't care about top-of-the-line hardware, but if you need a disc drive and more consistent performance, the Series X is your best bet.

Shark RV1001AE

Shark makes some of our favorite robot vacuums and right now the Shark RV1001AE is half price, making it $300 instead of its $600 street price. This model has a bagless, self-emptying base, that you won’t have to empty for quite some time as it has a claimed capacity of up to 45 days. While we didn’t try this exact model, we’ve found vacs from Shark to be easy to set up and appreciate Shark’s easy-to-use companion app. Shark’s mapping function is also accurate and the bagless base will save you money in the long run as buying device-specific bags can get pricey.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is down to $199 for a 40mm model and $229 for a 44mm model. We gave the Galaxy Watch 5 a score of 85 last year, and it's currently the "best for Android users" pick in our smartwatch buying guide. While its battery life could be better, its design is durable and attractive, its OS is easy to navigate and its health tracking is relatively comprehensive. Samsung is expected to announce a Galaxy Watch 6 in the coming weeks, however, so it may be worth waiting to see how that model stacks up if you don't need a new smartwatch right this instant.

Google Pixel 7a + Pixel Buds A-Series

Amazon knocked $100 off a bundle that includes the Google Pixel 7a smartphone and the Pixel Buds A-Series, bringing it down to $499. This is a great bundle if you've needed a phone upgrade but didn't want to spend a ton of money. The Pixel 7a is the best midrange phone you can get right now, thanks to its fast Tensor G2 chipset, smooth 90Hz display, IP67 water resistance, fantastic cameras and support for wireless charging. The Pixel Buds A-Series are almost the earbud-complement to the Pixel 7a — they're not as feature-rich as the Pixel Buds Pro, but they have deep Google Assistant integration, solid sound quality and a comfy fit.

Xbox Wireless Headset

Xbox’s Wireless Headset is 20 percent off and down to $80 right now. It’s designed to work with the Xbox Series X, S and One, along with Windows 10 devices, too. It supports spatial audio technologies including Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos, and DTS Headphone:X, and it has up to 15 hours of battery life.

Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know, and hear from Autoblog’s car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals.

Amazon has announced that Prime Day 2023 will begin on July 11th, but you don't have to wait until then to get a good deal. The company has started to roll out a few early Prime Day deals before the two-day shopping event officially commences, including, as expected, several discounts on its own devices and services. We've rounded up the best early access Prime Day deals we can find below. Remember that you'll need to subscribe to Prime to take advantage of many (but not all) of the offers, and that there's always a chance that prices drop lower during the event itself. For those with no interest in Prime, we've also included a few of the best tech deals from this week that aren't explicitly tied to the event. We'll stay on the lookout as Prime Day gets nearer and update this roundup with new offers as they arise.

Amazon's Fire HD 10 tablet

Prime members can save 50 percent on Amazon’s Fire HD 10 tablet right now, which is $75 off its $150 list price, and the lowest we’ve seen for the company’s largest slate. It’s a decent entertainment companion, letting you stream video, browse the web, get sucked into social media and make Zoom calls. It has a 1080p screen resolution, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Note that the 50 percent discount applies to the version with lockscreen ads, so you’ll see promotions on both when your device is in sleep mode and at the bottom of your home screen. If you want a Fire HD 10 without ads, you’ll pay $90, which is still a 45 percent discount, but again, only for Prime members

Echo Buds (2023)

The latest generation of Echo Buds just came out in May yet they’re already 30 percent off at Amazon for Prime members. Usually $50, you can get them for $35, which is $15 off and the lowest price we’ve seen yet. For the third generation of Amazon’s buds, the company dropped the starting price $70 lower than the second gen buds, but also removed the active noise cancellation and changed the shape to eliminate the in-ear tip. Most other specs stayed the same, including built-in Alexa assistance and customizable tap controls. The charge capacity of the case actually went up by a few hours, giving you 20 total hours from the buds and case combined.

Amazon Kindle Unlimited 3-month membership

If you're a Prime member who has never subscribed to Kindle Unlimited, you can get a three-month trial to Amazon's e-book service for no extra cost. Normally, the subscription goes for $12 a month after a 30-day free trial. Just note that the membership will be set to auto-renew by default. As a refresher, Kindle Unlimited makes a selection of e-books, audiobooks and digital magazines accessible on-demand. It doesn't include every e-book in the Kindle library, but it may still be worthwhile if you're a particularly avid reader. If nothing else, this deal makes it easier to figure out if it's worth paying for. 

Audible Premium Plus 3-month membership

Similar to that Kindle Unlimited offer, Prime members who are new to Audible Premium Plus can get three months of the audiobook service for free. This membership usually costs $14.95 a month after a 30-day free trial, so you're saving about $30. Premium Plus is Audible's upper tier: Like the less expensive Audible Plus, it provides an assortment of audiobooks, podcasts and other audio content you can access on-demand. The main difference is that it also includes a monthly credit that you can use to buy any book in the Audible store permanently. As with Kindle Unlimited, Premium Plus will be most worth it if you burn through audiobooks and podcasts quickly, but this extended trial is a comfier way to see if it's useful. Again, be aware that the subscription will be set to auto-renew by default.

Motorola Razr+

The foldable Moto Razr+, which went on sale just this week, is already getting a 15 percent discount at Amazon for Prime Day. The promo is only for Prime members and you’ll need to request an invite, after which you’ll be able to buy the phone on prime day for the discounted price. While jumping through Amazon’s hoops is mildly annoying, doing so will get you an unlocked Razr+ $850 instead of $1,000.

We spent some time with the new foldable before it came out and gave it a full review upon its debut. The verdict? Samsung’s Galaxy foldables have some serious competition. The Razr+ has a 6.9-inch screen when open and offers a 3.6-inch screen when folded, which is much larger than the 1.9-inch exterior screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 4. The foldable design unlocks different uses, including acting as its own tripod and taking up less space in your pocket. Plus the compact puck has a cool retro vibe, while feeling futuristic at the same time.

Eero Pro routers

A number of Eero and Eero Pro WiFi router packs have been discounted for Prime members ahead of the shopping event. You can pick up one Eero router for as low as $45, or an Eero Pro router for $70. We recommend going for the Eero Pro if you can, since it's a tri-band system that supports speeds up to 1Gbps and covers slightly more square feet than the standard Eero does. Just keep in mind that these are not the latest Eero systems; for WiFi 6 support, you'll have to shell out a bit more money for an Eero 6 set.

Amazon Eero 6+ system + FireTV Stick 4K Max

If you’ve signed up for gigabit internet from your ISP, this might be a good time to get a mesh WiFi system that can deliver those speeds. Right now Amazon is selling three Eero 6+ mesh WiFi routers bundled with a FireTV Stick 4K Max for $195 to Prime members. That’s $160 less than you’d pay for the four devices separately. The streaming device can turn any TV smart and supports not just 4K video, but also the enhanced throughput of WiFi 6. If you don’t need the FireTV Stick, the three Eero 6+ mesh routers alone are selling for the same $195, which is a 35 percent discount off the list price.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen)

Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro are back on sale for $200, which is $50 off their usual rate and a record low. These remain the best true wireless earbuds for Apple lovers, even though the company didn't overhaul their design with the latest update. All of the new features are under the hood, with Apple noticeably improving sound quality, noise cancellation and transparency mode.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is $10 off at Amazon and Walmart, bringing the hit Switch game down to a more traditional price of $60. As our review notes, Tears of the Kingdom doesn't stray too far from Breath of the Wild, but it enriches its landmark predecessor's ideas with a full-size underworld, fantastical sky islands and malleable crafting mechanics. Most importantly, it gets the core promise of a Zelda game right: that sense of being and adventuring in another world.

There are a few other video game deals of note. For the Switch, Metroid Dread, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Fire Emblem: Three Houses are each down to $42, the remake of the classic RPG Live A Live is down to $35 and the Portal Companion Collection is on sale for $10. Over on PC, the open-world racer Forza Horizon 5 is down to $30, while Prime members can claim a couple of underrated older gems, the space FPS Prey and the 2D Metroidvania SteamWorld Dig 2, for no added cost.

Samsung Pro Plus microSD card

The 128GB version of Samsung's latest Pro Plus microSD card is down to a new low of $13. That's $6 off its MSRP. If you need more space, the 512GB model is within a few cents of its best price at $43.52. The Pro Plus is the top pick in our guide to the best microSD cards, as it finished at or near the top of all of our sequential and random speed tests. It also comes with a 10-year warranty.

Apple Watch Series 8

Apple’s flagship smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 8, usually sells for $399 for the 41mm GPS model, but right now Amazon is selling it for $329, which matches its all-time low. The smartwatch has dipped to this discount quite a few times over the last few months and this time it applies to the Midnight, Silver and Starlight colorways, not the Product Red version. The option with the larger, 45mm case is currently $359, or 16 percent off its usual $429, but only in Midnight or Starlight — Product Red and Silver are not on sale. The Series 8 is our top pick in our guide to smartwatches because it combines detailed health and fitness tracking with seamless iPhone integration. New features include temperature sensors, ECG and blood oxygen readings, crash detection, and improved sleep metrics.

Apple iPad (9th gen)

The 64GB model of Apple's 9th-gen iPad is down to $250 at Amazon, matching the lowest price we've tracked. You'll see the price listed as $279 and an additional $29 discount will apply at checkout. Apple normally sells the device for $329, though we've seen it retail closer to $275 in recent months. This is the budget pick in our iPad buying guide: It lacks the accessory support, thinner bezels and laminated display of the iPad Air, but it's by far the most affordable route into iPadOS, and it remains fast and comfortable enough for casual reading, streaming and gaming. It's also the only current iPad with a headphone jack.

Apple MacBook Air M1

Apple's M1 MacBook Air is back on sale for $800, which is a deal we've seen multiple times before but ties the laptop's all-time low. Like the 9th-gen iPad, the M1 MacBook Air is on the older side these days; if you can afford the newest Air with an updated design, better webcam and faster M2 chip, it's worth doing so. But if you just want a competent MacBook to do light work and web browsing for as little cash as possible, the M1 Air remains a solid value at this price. Its keyboard, trackpad and battery life are still excellent, and the M1 chip is still fast enough for the essentials. Just make sure you stick to lighter workloads, though, as this model only has 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. 

Xbox Series X + bonus controller bundle

Microsoft had a big showing at this month's Summer Game Fest, so if you planned on picking up an Xbox Series X before Starfield and Forza Motorsport arrive, note that Verizon is selling the $500 console with a second controller for no extra cost. That isn't anything crazy, but spare Xbox controllers normally go for $50 or so, and discounts of any kind for the Series X have been few and far between. In fact, Microsoft said this week that it's raising the price of the console in much of the world on August 1. The $300 Xbox Series S is still a strong value for those who don't care about top-of-the-line hardware, but if you need a disc drive and more consistent performance, the Series X is your best bet.

Shark RV1001AE

Shark makes some of our favorite robot vacuums and right now the Shark RV1001AE is half price, making it $300 instead of its $600 street price. This model has a bagless, self-emptying base, that you won’t have to empty for quite some time as it has a claimed capacity of up to 45 days. While we didn’t try this exact model, we’ve found vacs from Shark to be easy to set up and appreciate Shark’s easy-to-use companion app. Shark’s mapping function is also accurate and the bagless base will save you money in the long run as buying device-specific bags can get pricey.

Samsung QN90B 55-inch 4K TV

The 55-inch version of Samsung's QN90B, a recommendation from our gaming TV buying guide, has dropped to $998. That's a new all-time low. Most reviews say this TV delivers enough brightness for well-lit rooms, with smooth motion performance and richer contrast than most non-OLED TVs thanks to its Mini LED backlighting. It also has four full HDMI 2.1 ports and can play up to 120 Hz in 4K. It still can't match the contrast, response time or viewing angles of a good OLED TV, but it should be better equipped for rooms plagued by glare. Like most Samsung TVs, however, it doesn't support Dolby Vision HDR. Samsung has replaced this 2022 model with the new QN90C, but the 55-inch version of that set currently costs $600 more, so the QN90B remains the better value for the time being. 

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is down to $229 for a 40mm model and $259 for a 44mm model. Neither deal represents an all-time low, but both are within $10 of their best prices to date. We gave the Galaxy Watch 5 a score of 85 last year, and it's currently the "best for Android users" pick in our smartwatch buying guide. While its battery life could be better, its design is durable and attractive, its OS is easy to navigate and its health tracking is relatively comprehensive. Samsung is expected to announce a Galaxy Watch 6 in the coming weeks, however, so it may be worth waiting to see how that model stacks up if you don't need a new smartwatch right this instant.

Google Pixel 7a + Pixel Buds A-Series

Amazon knocked $100 off a bundle that includes the Google Pixel 7a smartphone and the Pixel Buds A-Series, bringing it down to $499. This is a great bundle if you've needed a phone upgrade but didn't want to spend a ton of money. The Pixel 7a is the best midrange phone you can get right now, thanks to its fast Tensor G2 chipset, smooth 90Hz display, IP67 water resistance, fantastic cameras and support for wireless charging. The Pixel Buds A-Series are almost the earbud-complement to the Pixel 7a — they're not as feature-rich as the Pixel Buds Pro, but they have deep Google Assistant integration, solid sound quality and a comfy fit.

Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know, and hear from Autoblog’s car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals.

Amazon has announced that Prime Day 2023 will begin on July 11th, but you don't have to wait until then to get a good deal. The company has started to roll out a few early Prime Day deals before the two-day shopping event officially commences, including, as expected, several discounts on its own devices and services. We've rounded up the best early access Prime Day deals we can find below. Remember that you'll need to subscribe to Prime to take advantage of many (but not all) of the offers, and that there's always a chance that prices drop lower during the event itself. For those with no interest in Prime, we've also included a few of the best tech deals from this week that aren't explicitly tied to the event. We'll stay on the lookout as Prime Day gets nearer and update this roundup with new offers as they arise.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids

Prime members can get Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite Kids for $90. That's $70 off the 6.8-inch e-reader's normal going rate and a new all-time low. While this device is marketed for children, its hardware is identical to the standard Paperwhite, with the same lightweight and waterproof design, 300 ppi display and 10-week battery life. It has the same extensive e-book library, too. With the Kids model, though, you get a case, an extended warranty (two years instead of one) and a year of Amazon's Kids+ service. We gave the pricier Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition a review score of 97 back in 2021; the Kids edition lacks that variant's ad-free lock screen (when you aren't in Kids mode, at least), upgraded front light, wireless charging and 32GB of storage, but the two are otherwise similar.

Amazon Fire HD Kids tablets

If you want to buy your little one a tablet, Amazon has also discounted its entire lineup of Fire Kids slates for Prime members. The Fire HD 8 Kids and Kids Pro are each down to $75, while the Fire HD 10 Kids and Kids Pro are available for $120 apiece. Those are all-time lows for each respective tablet. 

All of these devices will feel sluggish next to an iPad, and Amazon's app selection is more limited than Apple's. If you just need a cheap screen for a young kid to read comics and watch TV shows, though, they should do the job. The Fire HD 10 is the better option of the two: Its processor is a bit faster, and its 10.1-inch 1080p display is both larger and sharper. But both tablets come with strong parental controls, protective cases, built-in kickstands, two-year warranties, and a year's subscription to Amazon Kids+. The Kids tablets have big rubbery cases built to withstand the abuse of a toddler, while the Kids Pro editions have slimmer hard-plastic cases designed for slightly older children. 

Amazon Echo Dot Kids

Staying on the kid-friendly Amazon device train, the latest Amazon Echo Dot Kids is on sale for $28. That's another all-time low and about $25 below the smart speaker's typical street price. Again, the offer is only available to Prime members. The Echo Dot Kids has the same impressive hardware as the standard model, which we consider the best small smart speaker for most people. The main difference is its cutesy design: One model looks like a dragon, the other looks like an owl. Like the Kids devices above, it also comes with a two-year warranty and a year of Amazon Kids+. In this case, the latter supplies kid-friendly podcasts, playlists and audiobooks along with more education-focused Alexa skills. The quality of that content can be hit or miss, but it's all age-appropriate.

Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd gen)

If you subscribe to Prime, you can get two Echo Show 5 Kids smart displays for $100 by adding them both to your cart and using the code SHOW5KIDS at checkout. The recently refreshed smart display normally goes for $100, so this offer gives you two for the price of one. Like most other Amazon Kids devices, the Echo Show 5 Kids takes the same hardware as the "normal" variant and adds a more playful design, a longer warranty and easier access to kid-friendly content. The 5.5-inch device isn't as powerful as the larger Echo Show 8 for streaming or making video calls, but it makes for a nice smart alarm clock or bedside display if you regularly use Alexa. Of note, the device also comes with a physical camera shutter and mic mute button for when the kids aren't playing around.

Amazon Echo Pop + Ring Video Doorbell

A bundle that pairs Amazon's Echo Pop speaker with a wired Ring Video Doorbell is down to $40 for Prime members. The Pop is more or less a cheaper version of the Echo Dot with a unidirectional design and less powerful audio quality, but it goes for $40 on its own, so this deal effectively nets you a video doorbell for no extra cost. The Ring doorbell here is decidedly entry-level, too, as it lacks local storage, won't work with existing chimes and requires a subscription to store and view recordings. Like other Ring devices, it also comes with its share of privacy concerns. But if you just want the basics for as little as possible, it captures 1080p video and is generally easy to setup and use.

If you don't care about the Echo Pop, the doorbell alone is available for $35, which is about $20 off its street price. A bundle with the doorbell and the Ring Chime, meanwhile, is down to $50, which is roughly $25 less than usual. Both of those offers are also exclusive to Prime members.

Amazon Kindle Unlimited 3-month membership

If you're a Prime member who has never subscribed to Kindle Unlimited, you can get a three-month trial to Amazon's e-book service for no extra cost. Normally, the subscription goes for $12 a month after a 30-day free trial. Just note that the membership will be set to auto-renew by default. As a refresher, Kindle Unlimited makes a selection of e-books, audiobooks and digital magazines accessible on-demand. It doesn't include every e-book in the Kindle library, but it may still be worthwhile if you're a particularly avid reader. If nothing else, this deal makes it easier to figure out if it's worth paying for. 

Audible Premium Plus 3-month membership

Similar to that Kindle Unlimited offer, Prime members who are new to Audible Premium Plus can get three months of the audiobook service for free. This membership usually costs $14.95 a month after a 30-day free trial, so you're saving about $30. Premium Plus is Audible's upper tier: Like the less expensive Audible Plus, it provides an assortment of audiobooks, podcasts and other audio content you can access on-demand. The main difference is that it also includes a monthly credit that you can use to buy any book in the Audible store permanently. As with Kindle Unlimited, Premium Plus will be most worth it if you burn through audiobooks and podcasts quickly, but this extended trial is a comfier way to see if it's useful. Again, be aware that the subscription will be set to auto-renew by default.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is $10 off at Amazon and Walmart, bringing the hit Switch game down to a more traditional price of $60. As our review notes, Tears of the Kingdom doesn't stray too far from Breath of the Wild, but it enriches its landmark predecessor's ideas with a full-size underworld, fantastical sky islands and malleable crafting mechanics. Most importantly, it gets the core promise of a Zelda game right: that sense of being and adventuring in another world.

There are a few other video game deals of note. For the Switch, Metroid Dread, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Fire Emblem: Three Houses are each down to $42, the remake of the classic RPG Live A Live is down to $35 and the Portal Companion Collection is on sale for $10. Over on PC, the open-world racer Forza Horizon 5 is down to $30, while Prime members can claim a couple of underrated older gems, the space FPS Prey and the 2D Metroidvania SteamWorld Dig 2, for no added cost.

Samsung Pro Plus microSD card

The 128GB version of Samsung's latest Pro Plus microSD card is down to a new low of $13. That's $6 off its MSRP. If you need more space, the 512GB model is within a few cents of its best price at $43.52. The Pro Plus is the top pick in our guide to the best microSD cards, as it finished at or near the top of all of our sequential and random speed tests. It also comes with a 10-year warranty.

Samsung 980 Pro SSD with Heatsink

The variant of Samsung's 980 Pro with an integrated heatsink is available for $63 with an on-page coupon. We've seen this SSD steadily drop in price over the course of the year, but this deals marks a new all-time low. You can get the 2TB version for $126 with a coupon as well, which is another new low. The 980 Pro is not the newest SSD Samsung makes, but this heatsink-equipped model meets Sony's requirements for expanding the storage of a PlayStation 5, and we recommend it in our guide to the best SSDs for the console. If you aren't buying for a PS5 specifically, the non-heatsink model is available for a few dollars less, though a speedy PCIe 4.0 drive like this may be overkill for some.

Apple iPad (9th gen)

The 64GB model of Apple's 9th-gen iPad is down to $250 at Amazon, matching the lowest price we've tracked. You should see the full discount at checkout. Apple normally sells the device for $329, though we've seen it retail closer to $275 in recent months. This is the budget pick in our iPad buying guide: It lacks the accessory support, thinner bezels and laminated display of the iPad Air, but it's by far the most affordable route into iPadOS, and it remains fast and comfortable enough for casual reading, streaming and gaming. It's also the only current iPad with a headphone jack.

Apple MacBook Air M1

Apple's M1 MacBook Air is back on sale for $800, which is a deal we've seen multiple times before but ties the laptop's all-time low. Like the 9th-gen iPad, the M1 MacBook Air is on the older side these days; if you can afford the newest Air with an updated design, better webcam and faster M2 chip, it's worth doing so. But if you just want a competent MacBook to do light work and web browsing for as little cash as possible, the M1 Air remains a solid value at this price. Its keyboard, trackpad and battery life are still excellent, and the M1 chip is still fast enough for the essentials. Just make sure you stick to lighter workloads, though, as this model only has 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. 

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch

For those with more demanding needs, a configuration of the 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M2 Pro chip, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD is down to $2,199 at Amazon and B&H. That's the best price we've seen for this config, which features a 12-core CPU and 19-core GPU. Apple normally sells this model for $2,499, though we've seen it go for less on Amazon in recent months. We gave the latest MacBook Pro a score of 92 early this year; our review applied to the higher-end M2 Max model, but this version still has a premium design and capable performance for most power users. The downsides are that it's expensive and not upgradeable, but if you must have high-end laptop for serious photo and video editing, this discount offers at least a little extra relief to your bank account.

Xbox Series X + bonus controller bundle

Microsoft had a big showing at this month's Summer Game Fest, so if you planned on picking up an Xbox Series X before Starfield and Forza Motorsport arrive, note that Verizon is selling the $500 console with a second controller for no extra cost. That isn't anything crazy, but spare Xbox controllers normally go for $50 or so, and discounts of any kind for the Series X have been few and far between. In fact, Microsoft said this week that it's raising the price of the console in much of the world on August 1. The $300 Xbox Series S is still a strong value for those who don't care about top-of-the-line hardware, but if you need a disc drive and more consistent performance, the Series X is your best bet.

Samsung QN90B 55-inch 4K TV

The 55-inch version of Samsung's QN90B, a recommendation from our gaming TV buying guide, has dropped to $998. That's a new all-time low. Most reviews say this TV delivers enough brightness for well-lit rooms, with smooth motion performance and richer contrast than most non-OLED TVs thanks to its Mini LED backlighting. It also has four full HDMI 2.1 ports and can play up to 120 Hz in 4K. It still can't match the contrast, response time or viewing angles of a good OLED TV, but it should be better equipped for rooms plagued by glare. Like most Samsung TVs, however, it doesn't support Dolby Vision HDR. Samsung has replaced this 2022 model with the new QN90C, but the 55-inch version of that set currently costs $600 more, so the QN90B remains the better value for the time being. 

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is down to $229 for a 40mm model and $259 for a 44mm model. Neither deal represents an all-time low, but both are within $10 of their best prices to date. We gave the Galaxy Watch 5 a score of 85 last year, and it's currently the "best for Android users" pick in our smartwatch buying guide. While its battery life could be better, its design is durable and attractive, its OS is easy to navigate and its health tracking is relatively comprehensive. Samsung is expected to announce a Galaxy Watch 6 in the coming weeks, however, so it may be worth waiting to see how that model stacks up if you don't need a new smartwatch right this instant.

Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know, and hear from Autoblog’s car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals.

Sony has once again discounted a number of its wireless headphones and earbuds, including a few models we've recommended in past reviews and buying guides. The flagship WH-1000XM5, for one, is back down to $348. While that isn't an all-time low, it's still $50 off the noise-cancelling pair's typical going rate over the past few months. The XM5s are the top pick in our guide to the best wireless headphones, and we gave them a review score of 95 last year thanks to their powerful active noise cancellation (ANC), comfy fit, punchy yet customizable sound and roughly 30-hour battery life. Like other Sony headphones, they also come with a handful of useful software features; "Speak-to-Chat," for example, automatically pauses your music when the headphones detect that you're speaking.

If that's too expensive, the previous-generation WH-1000XM4 remains a solid buy at its current deal price of $278. Again, that's not an all-time low, but it's $70 less than usual. The XM4s are a little bulkier than their successor, with a worse mic for phone calls and slightly boomier sound out of the box. We found their ANC to be worse at muting mid- and treble-range sounds as well, though it's still more effective than most wireless models. Otherwise, the XM4's feature set is mostly the same, plus they can fold up for easier storage. The XM5s also rely on an automatic ANC adjustment system, which some may prefer to avoid. We gave the XM4 a review score of 94 back in 2020.

If you want a set of in-ear headphones, the WF-1000XM4 is down to $198. Though we've seen this deal for much of the last few months, it's $70 off the list price for the top pick in our best wireless earbuds guide. We're still fans of this pair's ANC, sound quality and battery life, but be warned: Severalrecentleaks suggest that Sony will launch a follow-up model in the near future, so it might be worth waiting. If you're willing to trade wireless charging, a couple hours of battery life and some ANC strength for a smaller and lighter design, the LinkBuds S are also worth a look at $128. They're an honorable mention in our guide, and this deal takes about $30 off their average street price. You can find a full rundown of the sale at Amazon and Sony's online store, among other retailers.

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It's Friday, which means it's time for another roundup of good deals on recommended gadgets and gear. The highlights this week include a new low on Sony's God of War Ragnarök PlayStation 5 bundle; at $500, it essentially pairs the console with one of our favorite PS5 games for no extra cost. Several other PS5 and PS4 games are also on sale, while annual PlayStation Plus subscriptions are 25 percent off. Outside of video games, Sonos is still running a Father's Day sale on various speakers and soundbars, while Samsung's fast 980 Pro SSD is down to new low of $66. And while the big Apple news of the week was the unveiling of the Vision Pro headset, several of the company's existing devices are discounted, including the second-gen Pencil, third-gen AirPods, AirTag and M2 MacBook Air. Here are the best deals from this week that you can still get today.

PlayStation 5 + God of War Ragnarök bundle

After its first couple of years on the market were plagued by stock shortages, the PlayStation 5 has become much easier to buy in recent months. If you're still looking to grab one, though, a bundle that pairs the console with a digital version of the acclaimed action game God of War Ragnarök is down to $500 at several retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, GameStop, Best Buy and PlayStation Direct.

Besides a couple of in-store only deals, that marks a new all-time low. This bundle originally cost $559, though we saw it temporarily drop to $509 earlier this year. The standard PS5 goes for $500 on its own, so this deal essentially nets you one of our favorite games of 2022 for no extra cost. Sony's listing says the offer will run until August 1. If you can live without a disc drive, meanwhile, a bundle that pairs the game with the PS5 Digital Edition has been available for $459 for much of the year.

PlayStation Days of Play sale

If you already own a PS5 or PS4, Sony has also discounted a range of PlayStation games, services and accessories as part of its latest "Days of Play" sale. Annual PlayStation Plus subscriptions are 25 percent off across the board, for one, bringing the standard Essential tier down to $45, the Extra tier down to $75 and the Premium tier down to $90. As a refresher, a Plus membership is required to play many PlayStation games online and access cloud saves. It also doles out a few "free" games each month. PlayStation Plus Extra adds an Xbox Game Pass-style game catalog, while PlayStation Plus Premium throws in a collection of classic games and cloud streaming support. The Essential tier should be enough for most, but if you're really hurting for things to play, the higher tiers may be worth it. 

Several high-profile games are also on sale at both third-party retailers and the PlayStation Store, including a handful of entries from our list of the best PlayStation 5 games. The aforementioned God of War Ragnarök, for instance, is $20 off at $49 (or $39 for a PS4 copy), while Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is back at an all-time low of $20. The haunting roguelike Returnal is at a new low of $27, the racing sim Gran Turismo 7 is available for $40 and the gorgeous remake of the PS3 classic Demon's Souls is within $5 of all-time low at $30. The open-world adventure Horizon Forbidden West is down to $30 as well; that price applies to the PS4 copy, but you can upgrade to the PS5 version for no extra cost.

Beyond that, Sony is taking $10 off a handful of alternate cover plates for the PS5, bringing the pink, purple and light blue versions down to $45. The sale as a whole will run through June 12. 

If you're more of an Xbox person, we'll also note that Microsoft is holding its own game sale this week. Some standout deals there include the rhythm-action game Hi-Fi Rush for $24, the narrative-rich RPG Pentiment for $13 and Halo: The Master Chief Collection for $10. All of those represent all-time lows. For PC players, the Halo deal is also available on Steam.

Sonos speaker sale 

Sonos is running a Father's Day sale with discounts on several of the company's well-regarded speakers and soundbars. Here's a rundown of the most notable offers:

• The top-end Sonos Arc soundbar is down to $719, which is a $180 discount and matches its lowest price to date.

• The midrange Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is down to $399, which is $40 more than the best price we've seen but still $100 off its typical selling price.

• The entry-level Sonos Ray soundbar is down to a new low of $223, which is $56 off its MSRP.

• The Sonos Roam portable speaker is available for $134, while the Sonos Roam SL is down to $119. Those are discounts of $45 and $40, respectively. The former is about $7 more than its all-time low, while the latter marks the best price we've tracked. Between the two, the Roam SL lacks integrated mics and the "Automatic Trueplay" feature, which lets Sonos speakers automatically adapt their sound to the acoustics of their current environment.

• The Sonos Move, a heftier yet still portable speaker, is $100 off at $299. That's an all-time low.

• The Sonos One SL, a variant of the One home speaker without built-in microphones, is on sale for $159. That's $30 more than its all-time low but still a $40 discount.

• The Sonos Sub (Gen 3) subwoofer is available for $639, which is about $50 more than the lowest price we've seen but $160 off Sonos' list price all the same.

While none of these devices are cheap, they all deliver impressive sound for their categories and are relatively easy to operate with the Sonos app. We gave the Arc, Beam and Ray review scores of 85, 88 and 82, respectively, and all three are picks in our soundbar buying guide. The Move, Roam and One, meanwhile, earned respective scores of 80, 87 and 90. The Roam is the top portable pick in our guide to the best smart speakers. The One SL is still a decent buy at $159, but note that Sonos has replaced the standard One with a new speaker called the Era 100. Our review found that $249 device to be an improvement across the board, but it's not included in the sale outside of a few pricey bundles. Either way, we usually only see a handful of Sonos sales per year, so this is a good chance to save.

Samsung 980 Pro SSD

The 1TB model of Samsung's 980 Pro SSD is down to $66, which is a new all-time low. We've typically seen it retail between $80 and $90 over the last few months. If you need more space, the 2TB model is down to $130, which is also a new low. While this isn't the newest PCIe 4.0 SSD Samsung sells, it still meets Sony's requirements for expanding the storage of a PlayStation 5. You just need to add a heatsink to go with it. For PC users, not everyone needs the improved performance of a PCIe 4.0 drive like this, but it can still provide a bit of a speed boost for heavier loads.

If you're buying for a PS5, though, Samsung sells a version of the 980 Pro that comes with an integrated heatsink. The 1TB version of that drive is on sale for an all-time low of $80 if you don't mind paying a couple dollars extra for an all-in-one solution. In other Samsung storage deals, the 128GB version of the Fit Plus flash drive, a pick from our best SSDs guide, is available for a low of $15.

Apple MacBook Air

The entry-level version of Apple's 13.6-inch, M2-powered MacBook Air is back down to $999 at B&H, matching the lowest price we've tracked. This is about $60 below the notebook's average street price in recent months and $100 below Apple's MSRP. B&H says the deal will end on June 10.

The Air itself is the top pick in our guide to the best laptops and earned a review score of 96 from us last year. It continues to check all the necessary boxes for an everyday laptop, with a slick and light design, accurate display, comfortable keyboard, MagSafe charging port and long-lasting battery. This 8GB RAM/256GB SSD configuration has slower storage performance than the higher-capacity SKUs, but the drop-off shouldn't be a major hindrance for the non-intense work and web browsing at which the Air is aimed. For those kind of tasks, Apple's M2 chip is still an excellent performer.

Apple announced a new 15.3-inch variant of the M2 MacBook Air earlier this week, which'll arrive on June 13. It looks to be extremely similar to the 13-inch model, albeit with a slightly stronger GPU and a couple extra speakers by default. Apple says that one will start at $1,299, but Amazon has the entry-level model for $50 less. If you already planned on pre-ordering, it's a way to save a few bucks.

Fitbit Inspire 3

The Fitbit Inspire 3 is down to $80 at various retailers. While that's $10 more than the all-time low we saw last Black Friday, it's still $20 below the activity tracker's typical going rate. The Inspire 3 is the top budget pick in our guide to the best fitness trackers, as it gets you a slim and comfortable design with a color touchscreen, up to 10 days of battery life and useful health monitoring. There's no integrated GPS like the Fitbit Charge 5, our top pick, but it still offers automatic workout detection, sleep and heart rate tracking, blood oxygen monitoring, smartphone alerts and most other essentials.

Apple Pencil (2nd gen)

The second-gen Apple Pencil is back on sale for $89 at Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy. That's $4 more than the lowest price we've seen but about $12 below the stylus' average street price in recent months and $40 below Apple's MSRP. Unsurprisingly, we think the Pencil is the best stylus for iPad owners thanks to its consistent accuracy, system-wide pressure sensitivity, magnetic charging and easy pairing with iPadOS. Just make sure your iPad is compatible with this model before buying.  

Peacock Premium

If you don't already subscribe to NBCUniversal's Peacock Premium service, you can get a 12-month subscription for $20 with the code SUMMEROFPEACOCK at checkout. That's a $30 discount. Note that you'll still see ads every now and then with this tier; Peacock Premium Plus, which costs $100 a year, is the ad-free plan, but that isn't available as part of the offer. Still, if you're looking to stream Premier League soccer, most NBC and Bravo shows, WWE live events or Yellowstone, this discount should make dealing with the occasional ad break easier to stomach. The promotion has technically been available since late May, but Peacock says it'll end on June 12, so consider this a PSA.

Apple AirPods (3rd gen)

The third-gen Apple AirPods are once again down to $149. We've seen the wireless earbuds hit this price a few times before; it's $10 more than their all-time low but still $20 less than what you'd pay if you bought from Apple directly. We gave the AirPods a review score of 88 back in late 2021. Their one-size-fits-all design, loose seal and lack of active noise cancellation will be dealbreakers for some, but if you hate the feeling of headphones that insert into your ear canal, the third-gen AirPods are still one of the better-sounding open-back earbuds you can buy. They remain a snap to use with other Apple devices, too, and their IPX4-rated water resistance and seven-hour battery life are solid.

If you need active noise cancellation and don't mind the feel of an in-ear headphones, the AirPods Pro are fuller-sounding, more feature-rich and just as Apple-friendly. They're currently on sale for $200, which is another deal we've seen fairly regularly in recent months but is $50 off Apple's list price all the same. The AirPods Pro are the "best for iOS" pick in our guide to the best wireless earbuds.

Roku, Google and Amazon 4K streaming sticks

It's a decent time to be in the market for a new 4K streaming stick. Both the Roku Streaming Stick 4K and Google Chromecast with Google TV are now available for $40, while Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K Max is on sale for $35. The Streaming Stick 4K is about $5 off its average street price in recent months, while both the Chromecast and Fire TV Stick are about $10 below their usual going rates. 

The Streaming Stick 4K has gone for as little as $25 in the past, but we highlight it here because it's the top pick in our guide to the best streaming devices. Roku offers the most straightforward interface of the three major players, along with useful bonuses like AirPlay 2 support and a private-listening mode. The Chromecast is our runner-up pick; it's more proactive about recommending shows you might like and personalizing the UI to your viewing habits, though it lacks AirPlay. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max isn't as simple or intuitive to navigate as those devices, as it still tends to prioritize Amazon content and services above all else, but its app support and overall performance are similar. It's also more open to sideloading, and its current deal price matches the lowest we've seen.

Meater Plus wireless meat thermometer

The Meater Plus is a wireless meat thermometer that reports food and ambient temperature details to your phone over Bluetooth. We've found it accurate and efficiently designed enough to include in our guide to the best grilling gear, as well as our recent roundup of outdoor gift ideas for Father's Day. If this sounds like something you'd use during cookouts this summer, the thermometer is currently on sale for $80, which is a $20 discount. Meater says the offer will run through June 21.

Apple AirTag

Apple's AirTag tracker is on sale for $25, which is a modest $4 discount but nevertheless matches the best price we've seen since November. The AirTag is the "best for iPhones" pick in our guide to the best Bluetooth trackers, as it leverages Apple's massive Find My network and ultra-wideband wireless tech to locate your lost items accurately. The downside — outside of the general privacy issues that have arisen with these kind of devices — is that it doesn't have a ring hole or built-in adhesive, so you'd need to buy an extra accessory if you wanted to affix it to a keychain or the like. If you want more than one tracker, you can get a four-pack of AirTags for $90.

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If you're looking to buy a new smartwatch, the Apple Watch SE remains one of the better values on the market, and right now its 40mm model is back on sale for $219 at Amazon and Best Buy. Target, meanwhile, has it for a dollar more. We've seen the watch fall to this price a number of times over the past few months, but it's still about $15 below the device's average street price and $30 below Apple's MSRP. If you want the larger 44mm model, that watch is also $30 off Apple's list price at $249. Note that these offers apply to the watch's Midnight, Starlight and Silver finishes.

While neither of these deals are all-time lows — we've seen the 40mm model very briefly fall to $200 once before — they're still strong prices for what you're getting. We gave the second-gen Apple Watch SE a review score of 89 when it arrived last September, and we note it as the best option for first-time buyers in our guide to the best smartwatches. It's essentially a stripped-down version of the Apple Watch Series 8, our top overall pick. The big sacrifice is its lack of an always-on display mode, so you'll have to physically lift up your wrist to check the time or notifications. Beyond that, its display is slightly smaller, it doesn't support fast charging and it lacks more advanced health-tracking features like a skin temperature sensor, ECG monitor and blood oxygen sensor. 

Those won't be massive omissions for many people, though, and the SE keeps the rest of the Apple Watch experience largely intact. It runs on the same chipset as the Series 8, it's still water resistant and it gets you access to standard features like heart-rate monitoring and fall detection. This fall, it'll also receive the same watchOS 10 update that Apple announced at WWDC on Monday. We still think the Series 8 (which is currently available for $329) is the most well-rounded wearable for iPhone owners, and Apple will invariably launch a new Series 9 watch by the end of the year. But for first-time buyers or those looking to upgrade from an older Apple Watch on a budget, this should be a good deal. 

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Apart from being a time to honor those who've served our country and the unofficial start of summer, Memorial Day also brings a number of sales on various appliances and electronics. As we round into the holiday weekend, we've sorted through the cruft and picked out the best tech sales we could find ahead of this Memorial Day. The notable deals include $50 off Sony's excellentWH-1000XM5 headphones, Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K Max back at an all-time low of $35 and Apple's iPad Air down to $500. There are a few sweeping sales on other gear we like as well, including Solo Stove fire pits, Ooni pizza ovens, Samsung storage devices and PC games from the Epic Games Store. 

Amazon Fire TV streamer deals

Amazon has discounted all of its Fire TV streaming devices ahead of Memorial Day. The standout is the Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $35, which is a price we've seen several times before but still matches the device's all-time low. This is the fastest streaming stick Amazon sells, plus its remote comes with Alexa voice control baked in. If you just want a cheap way to put apps on an older 1080p display, the Fire TV Stick Lite is also worth considering at $20, which is $5 more than the lowest price we've seen. 

Beyond that, the base Fire TV Stick 4K is down to $32, the standard Fire TV Stick is down to $25, and the Fire TV Cube, which blends a 4K streamer with an Alexa smart speaker, is down to an all-time low of $120. All Fire TV streamers tend to prioritize Amazon's own content and stuff their UI with ads, so we generally recommend Roku and Google streamers to most people. (The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is an OK value at its current deal price of $40, though we've seen it go for less in the past.) Still, if you use services like Alexa and Prime Video on a regular basis, or if you just want to save a few bucks, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is mostly on par with its peers in terms of performance and app support. 

Sony headphone deals

Sony has put a number of headphones and earbuds back on sale, including the flagship WH-1000XM5 for $348. While that's not an all-time low, it's the first notable discount we've seen on the noise-cancelling over-ears since February and a $50 drop from the pair's usual going rate. The XM5s are the top pick in our guide to the best wireless headphones, and we gave them a review score of 95 last year thanks to their powerful ANC, lightweight design, punchy sound and deep feature set. 

If you want to save a little extra cash, the XM5's predecessor, the WH-1000XM4, is also worth a look at $278. Again, that's not the lowest these headphones ever been, but it's still $70 below their typical street price. This pair is slightly bulkier than the XM5, its sound is a bit boomier out of the box and it has a worse mic for phone calls. Its ANC, battery life and general feature set are similar, though, and it can fold up for easier storage. The XM5s also use an automatic ANC adjustment system, which some may prefer to avoid. We gave the XM4 a score of 94 back in 2020.

Samsung storage device deals

Samsung has kicked off another round of deals on its microSD cards, SSDs, thumb drives and other storage devices. The offers include the 128GB Samsung Pro Plus, the top pick in our best microSD card guide, paired with a USB reader for $18. That's $8 off its MSRP and a new low. (You can also get the card without the reader for a dollar less.) If you don't need something quite as fast, the Samsung Evo Select is the top value pick in that guide; its 256GB model is down to an all-time low of $18 as well.

Besides microSD cards, the Samsung Fit Plus, an ultracompact flash drive we recommend in our best SSDs guide, is back at a low of $15 for a 128GB model. A 2TB version of the T7 Shield, a rugged version of one of our favorite portable SSDs, is down to $120, while the 4TB model is available for $220. If you're looking for a PCIe Gen 4 SSD to upgrade a PlayStation 5 or high-power gaming PC, the 2TB version of the 980 Pro with an integrated heatsink is about $20 less than usual at $150. The speedier 990 Pro, meanwhile, is down to $100 for a 1TB unit, another all-time low.

Solo Stove sale

Solo Stove is running a site-wide Memorial Day sale that takes up to 45 percent off a number of its popular (mostly) smokeless fire pits. The discounts include the Bonfire 2.0 for $250, which is $150 off the medium-sized pit's MSRP and $50 off its usual street price. What's more, you can add the company's Mesa tabletop fire pit for no extra cost if you add it to your cart and use the code FREEMESA at checkout. Normally, the device goes for $120. The sale also includes the Pi Pizza Oven for $400, which is $100 off its typical going rate. We've sung the praises of Solo Stove's fire pits multiple times in the past, and we currently recommend the Pi in our pizza oven buying guide.

Ooni pizza oven sale

Ooni makes several of the other picks in our pizza oven guide, and this week it's discounted a couple of those as part of its own Memorial Day sale. The deals include the Fyra 12 for $244, which is $105 off its MSRP, and the Karu 16 for $639, which is a $160 discount. Both do well to actually make pies, but we recommend the former if you'd prefer a more compact oven that runs on wood pellets, while the latter is a larger and more versatile option for bigger servings that can use wood, charcoal or gas. We also recommend the Karu 16 in our guide to the best grills and grill accessories.

Epic Games Store Mega Sale

The Epic Games Store has rolled out its latest "Mega Sale," bringing discounts on a number of PC games. While the promotion includes a handful of decent price drops, its real value comes from the "Epic Coupon," which takes 25 percent off most purchases of $14.99 or more. The offer applies whether you buy one or multiple games at a time and stacks on top of any existing discounts. This brings many games back around their best prices to date: Red Dead Redemption II, for instance, is already on sale for $20, but with the coupon it drops to an all-time low of $15.

The coupon also works on games that aren't otherwise part of the sale, so you can take 25 percent off newer titles like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Dead Island 2, which haven't received major discounts elsewhere. (The former's PC port has had a rocky launch, to put it mildly, though a few patches have helped stabilize it.) And because the coupon renews after each eligible purchase, you can use it continuously until the promotion ends on June 15. It won't work on pre-orders, though. If you prefer to get your PC games through Steam, meanwhile, note that Valve's Summer Sale will kick off on June 29.

Apple Gift Card

If you pick up a $100 Apple gift card at Best Buy, the retailer will throw in a $10 Best Buy gift card for no extra cost. The offer also includes a few extended trials to Apple's TV+, Music and News+ subscriptions for new and returning subscribers. We see this deal periodically, but if you shop at Best Buy anyway and plan to use services like the App Store, Apple Music or iCloud, it essentially gets you a bit of free money. Just note that the deal only applies to digital gift cards, not physical ones.

Razer Huntsman Mini

The top pick in our guide to the best 60 percent keyboards, the Razer Huntsman Mini is down to $70 for a model with Razer's Clicky Optical switches. That's $5 more than the ultracompact gaming keyboard's all-time low but still about $15 less than its usual street price. If you prefer a quieter switch with a smoother feel while typing, a variant with Linear Optical switches is on sale for $80, which is about $20 below its typical going rate. Either way, we like the Huntsman Mini for its sturdy build quality, smooth PBT keycaps and per-key RGB backlighting.

Apple iPad Air

The latest iPad Air is once again down to $500, matching the second-best price we've seen and coming in $100 below Apple's MSRP. We gave the Air a review score of 90 last year and call it the best tablet for most people in our iPad buying guide. While it lacks the top-tier M2 chip, 120Hz refresh rate and improved speakers of the iPad Pro, it provides a similarly elegant design at a much lower price, with a better display, faster processor and wider accessory support than Apple's lower-end tablets.

Apple Mac Mini

Apple's entry-level Mac Mini is back on sale for $499, which matches the compact desktop's previous all-time low. This model includes Apple's M2 chip, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. Those specs (along with the device's lack of upgradeability) mean you'll want to stick to relatively light workloads. However, if that's all you need, this is the most affordable route into a competent Mac desktop. If you need more storage, a version with a 512GB SSD is also on sale for $679, which is another all-time low. We gave the Mac Mini with a faster M2 Pro chip a review score of 86 earlier this year, but outside of the CPU bump and a couple extra Thunderbolt ports, the devices are virtually identical.

Apple Pencil

The Apple Pencil has dropped to $85, tying the lowest price we've tracked for the iPad stylus. This is roughly $15 below the device's typical street price in recent months and $44 below Apple's MSRP. We recommend the Pencil in our best iPad accessories guide: For digital artists and note-takers, it's a consistently accurate pen and the only stylus to offer pressure sensitivity across iPadOS. It's also easy to charge and pair, since it can attach to the side of a recent iPad magnetically. Just make sure your iPad is compatible with this second-gen model if you want to take the plunge.

Intel and AMD CPU deals

If you're looking to build or upgrade a PC, we're seeing a handful of good prices on both Intel and AMD processors. Among the better deals available, the Intel Core i5-13500 is down to $210, which is about $40 below the chip's usual going rate and an all-time low. For something more powerful, the Core i7-13700F is available for a new low of $330, which is about $40 less than its typical street price. This is a strong performer for both gaming and productivity at that price; just note that it lacks an integrated GPU. If you prefer an AMD build, meanwhile, the Ryzen 7 7700X might be worth a look at $297. It's not as good of a value as something like the i7-13700F, especially since it requires an AM5 motherboard and DDR5 RAM to work, but it's still a solid mid-range option for gaming if you must have a Ryzen PC. 

Dashlane Premium sale

A password manager is a simple but effective way to boost your online security and simplify the amount of login credentials you need to remember. Dashlane is one of the better options available; in fact, it'll soon be a pick in an upcoming buying guide. If you want to give the service a try, you can get a year of Dashlane Premium for $30 when you use the code MEMDAY23 or MEMORIAL23 at checkout. That's a 50 percent discount. Though Dashlane has a free tier, the Premium plan lets you use the service across multiple devices. It also includes a bundled VPN, a password strength analyzer and "dark web monitoring," which lets you know if your email addresses have been leaked in data breaches.

Paramount Plus and Showtime bundle

Paramount has rolled out a promotion that gives new subscribers three months of its Paramount+ Premium + Showtime bundle for $6 per month, or $18 in total. That's half off its usual going rate. With the glut of streaming TV options available, it's hard to call Paramount+ essential, but we do list it in our guide to the best video streaming services for its growing sports coverage, kid-friendly Nickelodeon shows and original fare like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Showtime, meanwhile, has its share of shows and movies worth checking out, from Yellowjackets to Billions to the recent Oscar winner Everything Everywhere All at Once. This offer is set to run until June 4. If you end up not digging the service, remember to cancel before the trial ends so your subscription doesn't auto-renew at full price.

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Handheld gaming systems are having a moment. Yes, gaming on the go has been a thing since the Game Boy, but the runaway success of the Nintendo Switch and continued growth of mobile processors has brought an explosion of devices that let you play all sorts of games wherever you want. Figuring out the best gaming handheld for you, though, can be complicated. You already know that the Switch is worth buying, but depending on what you want to play, the right handheld could cost you less than $100 or close to $1,000. To help you narrow things down, we’ve extensively researched the handheld market and tested the major contenders, from beefy portable PCs to compact emulation machines.

What to know about the gaming handheld market

Jeff Dunn / Engadget

The market for gaming handhelds can be broken down into three broad tiers. At the top, you have x86-based portable gaming PCs like the Steam Deck or Asus ROG Ally. These are the most powerful handhelds you can buy, as they seek to replicate the experience of a moderately specced gaming desktop. The Steam Deck runs on Linux, but most others use Windows. If you want to play modern, recently released games on the go (and need something stronger than a Switch), this is the type of device you’d get. They can also emulate the widest range of retro consoles. However, they’re typically the largest and most cumbersome devices to hold and their battery life can be short. Naturally, they’re also the most expensive, costing anywhere from $400 to more than $1,000.

Further down on the price spectrum are mobile handhelds like the Logitech G Cloud or Retroid Pocket. These often run Android or Linux and can range from under $50 to $400-ish. They aren’t equipped to play modern console or PC titles, but they’re usually more compact than a portable PC and can still be used for mobile games and cloud streaming. While most are marketed toward those ends, many people actually buy them to emulate classic games through software like RetroArch. Getting emulators to work can be complicated, and accessing the BIOS and ROM files required to play games this way is legally murky. (Engadget does not condone piracy. Backing up files of games you already own for personal use only is considered more defensible, however, so for that a mobile handheld can be a more user- and wallet-friendly way to play the classics on the go.) Today, the ARM chips in top mobile handhelds can emulate games into the sixth generation of consoles.

We’ll call the last tier “handhelds that do their own thing.” This is a catch-all for things like the Switch or Playdate: portable gaming devices that run heavily customized software and aim to provide a unique experience. They aren’t necessarily ideal for emulation or playing the latest multiplatform titles; instead, they often have distinct game libraries. They might not have the widest appeal as a result (Switch excluded), but they’re often easier for less tech-literate folks to just pick up and use.

Best handheld gaming PC for most: Valve Steam Deck

It’s been well-documented over the past year but Valve’s Steam Deck still offers the best balance of price and functionality in the gaming handheld market. Specifically, we’re talking about the entry-level model, which costs $399 and comes with 64GB of eMMC storage (which is easily expandable with a microSD card). The $529 and $649 variants with faster SSDs and, with the highest-end model, a premium glass display are fantastic as well, but a few new Windows handhelds might put dent in their value proposition, at least for some people. (We’ll dig into this more below.)

Nevertheless, the entry-level Steam Deck is still a remarkably capable device. While not every game in the Steam library is compatible with the device’s Linux-based OS, thousands are and the list of officially verified and still-playable titles is growing all the time. It can play some games natively and stably that just aren’t possible on the Nintendo Switch, from Elden Ring to Final Fantasy VII Remake to the Resident Evil 4 remake. The process isn’t quite as plug-and-play as Nintendo’s console, as some games require tweaks to run optimally, and some newer AAA titles are starting to push the device’s limits. But SteamOS makes its settings relatively accessible, and in practice, this is essentially a last-gen console that plays in 720p but can be carried anywhere.

This power makes the Steam Deck a superb device for emulation as well. While some systems need a few tweaks (Wii) and others are more game-dependent (the oft-tricky PS3 and Xbox), most run flawlessly, and just about everything is at least playable. It can even play higher-end Switch games. Using a tool like EmuDeck makes setting all of this up about as easy as it could be, too. Beyond emulation, the Deck’s flexibility makes it a fine device for cloud streaming Xbox games. You can also pair it with a dock and play many (but not all) games at higher resolutions on a TV or monitor.

The Steam Deck’s biggest flaw is its size: At 1.5 pounds, about two inches thick and just under a foot long, it stretches the limits of a “handheld” device. Even if you have large hands, it can be tiring to hold for a couple of hours. Depending on what you play, its battery life can range from eight hours to less than two. The 7-inch IPS LCD display, while decent, isn’t as vibrant as the Switch OLED, and the d-pad is somewhat mushy. All that said, the Deck is a sturdy piece of kit. Its joysticks are pleasingly smooth, the face buttons and triggers are responsive and it dissipates heat comfortably. It doesn’t feel far off from using a normal controller, plus there are four customizable back buttons and two trackpads to make navigating PC-style game UIs easier. And while the whole thing is heavy, its contoured grips slide naturally into the hands. You can read our full Steam Deck review for more details.

A note on more powerful Steam Deck alternatives

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Owning Steam lets Valve undercut most handheld PCs on price, so the entry-level Steam Deck should remain a killer value at $399. If you’re working with a higher budget and want the most powerful handheld possible, though, it might be worth waiting on a few upcoming devices first.

Both the Asus ROG Ally and Ayaneo 2S run on beefy new AMD chips that should be able to play more demanding games at higher frame rates. The ROG Ally could be particularly appealing: Its 7-inch display has a higher resolution (1080p) and faster refresh rate (120Hz) than the Deck, it’s slightly thinner and lighter, and it'll start at a relatively reasonable $600. Reviews fromothersites say that it is indeed more powerful. And since it comes from an established manufacturer, it’s available at major retailers like Best Buy. It comes in two variants: The higher-end model costs $700 and will start shipping in June, while the base SKU doesn’t have a firm release date just yet. We’ll have a full review of the ROG Ally in the coming weeks and will keep on top of the Ayaneo 2S when it arrives.

Both the ROG Ally and Ayaneo 2S run on Windows 11, which means they can play games from not just Steam, but other gaming clients like Epic, GOG, Itch.io or the Xbox app. Yes, it’s technically possible to play non-Steam games on SteamOS, but that’s not the point of the Deck. And while Valve is doing an admirable job of getting more Windows games working on a Linux-based OS, it’s still running a layer. Every now and then, an update will break something in a given game.

But Windows certainly isn’t immune to things going haywire, and so far, no Windows handheld has really nailed a portable UI as well as the Steam Deck. Battery life is often shorter, too. The early consensus on the ROG Ally seems to be that these are still issues there. Plus, the performance jump may not always be massive; its gains over the Deck appear to be most notable at higher power modes, but running at a higher wattage also means nuking the battery. Still, it's faster. And if everything is working right, a handheld running Windows should have fewer limitations.

Of the Windows handhelds we've tested, we’ve found the Ayaneo 2 and Ayaneo Air Plus to be competent alternatives to the Steam Deck with generally higher performance. The GPD Win 4 is relatively well-regarded, too. But the software experience on these devices isn’t nearly as polished as SteamOS, and devices with better hardware are on the way. We’ll update this guide once we’re able to review the ROG Ally or another handheld with a Ryzen 7000 series chip.

Best budget handheld gaming system: Retroid Pocket 3+

The Retroid Pocket 3+ is an Android device with far less power than the Steam Deck or portable Windows PC, so the only way it can play modern games is via cloud streaming. But if you primarily want a handheld to emulate older games when you’re away from your home console or gaming PC, this is a generally comfortable and, at $149, reasonably affordable way to do so.

We praised this handheld’s predecessor, the Pocket 3, in 2022. The Pocket 3+ is effectively the same device, but with a stronger chipset (the Unisoc T618) and more RAM (4GB). The design is like a smaller Nintendo Switch Lite, which is to say it’s slim, lightweight (235g) and not fatiguing to use for hours at a time. The 4.7-inch touch display isn’t huge, but it’s bright and saturated, with a sharp-enough 750 x 1,334 resolution and a 16:9 aspect ratio that plays nice for cloud streaming and emulating systems like the PSP. (You’ll get borders with some older consoles, though.) The hardware still has some quirks: The face buttons are on the beady side, the start and select buttons are oddly placed on the left-hand side and the analog triggers aren’t pressure-sensitive. The joysticks are on the shallower side, too, though they’re smooth and accurate in action. For the money, the Pocket 3+ is built well and easy to transport.

The Pocket 3+ can emulate consoles up to the Dreamcast/PSP range fairly comfortably, so you’ll have few troubles if you’re mainly looking to play older games from the SNES, PS1 and earlier. With a recent firmware update, the device’s performance has also improved with more demanding machines like the PlayStation 2 and GameCube. It’s still not flawless (particularly with the PS2), but numerous games are at least playable, which is impressive at this price. You can also play most native Android games or stream games from a PC, Xbox or PS5. Battery life will depend on what you’re playing but typically lasts between five and seven hours.

Retroid recently launched a handheld called the Pocket Flip that’s more or less the Pocket 3+ with a clamshell design. It costs $10 more and uses sliders instead of joysticks, but if you’d prefer a form factor that’s closer to a Nintendo DS than a Switch Lite, feel free to get that instead.

A more powerful Android option: AYN Odin

The AYN Odin is worth considering if you like the idea of the Retroid Pocket 3+ but are willing to pay a little more for better emulation performance with systems like the GameCube, PS2 and Wii. Its Snapdragon 845 processor and Adreno 635 GPU still can’t run 100 percent of games from those systems, but the Odin can do more than the Pocket 3+, and the handful that are playable on both devices will generally perform better here. The device is even capable of playing some 3DS games.

The Odin is also a better piece of hardware than the Pocket 3+. Its layout is pretty much the same, but it has gentle curves on the back that make it easier to grip, a couple of customizable back buttons and analog triggers that’ll play nicer with more modern games and cloud streaming. It has a larger 6-inch 1080p display, and it should still get around five to seven hours of battery life on average. It’s not as portable as Retroid’s handheld, but it has a more substantial feel on the whole.

All of this makes the Odin a better device than the Pocket 3+, but it’s hard to call it a better value. AYN sells three different Odin models: The base version, which often goes for $240, is probably the “Goldilocks” option for most people. A more powerful Odin Pro comes with twice the RAM (8GB) and storage (128GB) but costs $290; at that price, you’re getting pretty close to the Steam Deck, which is comprehensively superior. There’s also the $200 Odin Lite, which is technically more capable than the Pocket 3+ but less of a jump than its siblings. It’s worth noting that AYN has a new “Loki” series of handhelds on the way as well. Nevertheless, the Odin is a standout among mobile gaming handhelds. You can read our full Odin Pro review for more details.

Another good (but pricey) option: Logitech G Cloud

If the Logitech G Cloud cost $150 or so less, it might be the best Android handheld on the market. Its 7-inch, 1080p display is bright, vibrant and altogether more pleasing to look at than the Retroid Pocket 3+, AYN Odin and even the entry-level Steam Deck. Despite having the same screen size as the Deck, it weighs a half pound less and its contoured grips are easy to hold for hours. Its haptics work as they should, and it gets a good 10 to 12 hours of battery life. The big panel makes it a treat for game streaming, and in terms of emulation, it can play into the Dreamcast/PSP range comfortably. Since Logitech is an established firm, you don’t have to worry about extended shipping fees or wait times, either; just grab one from your retailer of choice and you’ll have it in a few days.

Alas, the G Cloud has typically sold for $300 in recent months. While that’s $50 less than its launch price, it’s still too much when the Pocket 3+ and Odin get you most of the way there for much less, and when the Steam Deck can do far more for $100 extra. The Odin is more powerful, too; the G Cloud can still play some GameCube, 3DS and PS2 games, but not as comfortably, particularly at higher resolutions. Plus, while the G Cloud doesn’t feel cheap, its triggers are somewhat shallow, and its face buttons are just OK. (The triggers are analog, though.) And because the device only supports the FAT32 file system, it can’t play any games larger than 4GB off a microSD card. All that said, the G Cloud is still a more luxurious experience than the Odin and Pocket 3+ in many ways. If money is no object, or if you ever see on sale around $200, it’s worth considering.

A premium device for vintage portable games: Analogue Pocket

The Analogue Pocket is the ultimate Game Boy. As we note in our review, its vertical design is built like a modernized version of Nintendo’s classic handheld. The general layout is the same, and it can even work with classic accessories like the Game Boy Camera. But in contrast, it has four face buttons instead of two, a couple of triggers on the back, microSD and USB-C ports and a rechargeable battery rated for six to 10 hours of playtime. Most notably, there’s a gorgeous 3.5-inch display that’s backlit and incredibly sharp (615 ppi) but can look like an old Game Boy screen through different filter modes. This is an elegant handheld with a premium feel, plus it can output to a TV with an optional dock.

Unlike the retro handhelds mentioned above, the Pocket is designed to play actual cartridges, not just emulate ROM files. It can play Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance games through its cartridge slot, with games from the Sega Game Gear (and eventually, other systems like the TurboGrafx-16 and Atari Lynx) playable through optional adapters. Like past Analogue devices, the Pocket uses field programmable gate array (FPGA) motherboards to mimic its target systems on a hardware level. In practice, this means the Pocket’s “emulation” of older titles is near-perfect, with a level of responsiveness and visual faithfulness that software-based emulation can’t match. Pop a Game Boy or GBA cartridge in here and you can essentially play it as nature intended.

That said, thanks to a big update last year and an active community around the device, the Pocket can also run ROMs off a microSD card and thus play systems like the SNES and Sega Genesis. At $220, the Pocket isn’t cheap, and its shoulder buttons aren’t as crisp to press as the excellent face buttons or d-pad. Still, if you have a collection of Game Boy, Game Gear or GBA games, the Pocket is the most luxurious way to play them, and it’s only become more versatile since launch. Its biggest problem is that it’s extremely hard to get — expect to wait several months for any new order to ship.

A charming indie game machine: Playdate

The Playdate, from app developer and Untitled Goose Game publisher Panic, might be the most niche device in this guide. It’s a tiny yellow box with a 2.7-inch monochrome display, two face buttons, a d-pad and a physical crank built into its side. Our review called it a cross between a Game Boy and a business card, and it is indeed incredibly compact, measuring about three inches tall and just 0.18 pounds. Its game library largely consists of oddball indies, most of which focus on one or two core ideas instead of stuffing in as many mechanics as possible. A couple dozen of those games come with the Playdate for no extra cost, a few others are available through a built-in store and hundreds more can be sideloaded from shops like Itch.io.

None of this is designed for emulation or capital-m “Modern” gaming, and at $200, it’s wildly expensive given its limitations. Plus, while the display is smooth and sharp enough, it’s not backlit, so it’s difficult to view in dim lighting. But beyond that, the Playdate is as polished as it is adorable, and many of its games are simple fun. Battery life is decent at six to eight hours as well. In a sea of devices that try to be everything for everyone, the Playdate’s goals are admirably focused and low-key. For the most part, it achieves them. If you’re into smaller-scale games and have some cash to burn, it’ll be a charming little toy. Like the Analogue Pocket, however, actually getting a hold of one will take some time: As of this writing, Panic says new Playdate orders won’t ship until “late 2023.”

Honorable mentions

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Razer Edge

The Razer Edge sits in a similar no man’s land as the Logitech G Cloud. As we said in our review, the hardware isn’t bad at all. It’s about as powerful as a flagship phone from 2022, so it can play just about all Android games at max settings and emulate GameCube, PS2 and Wii games well. Its 144Hz OLED display is impressive, and both its speakers and battery life are solid.

But the design is odd: It’s essentially a standalone tablet attached to a Razer Kishi V2, so it doesn’t feel quite as stable as something like the AYN Odin or Logitech G Cloud. The display also has a superwide 20:9 aspect ratio that isn’t well-suited to most retro games, so the effective screen space for emulation isn’t much more than what you’d get from a smaller device. It may be one of the more powerful Android handhelds, but at $400, the whole thing is way too expensive.

Miyoo Mini+

The Miyoo Mini+ is more affordable than our top picks and comes in a well-built, Game Boy-style form factor that fits nicely with older games. Its 3.5-inch display really pops for something in the $70 to $80 range, its battery lasts as long as it needs to, and we found it to emulate retro consoles up to the PlayStation 1 without much issue. As a Linux handheld, its software is extensively customizable, though it can require a bit of tinkering to get the most out of it as a result.

Unfortunately, between stock shortages and its lack of availability at major retailers, the Mini+ has been difficult to actually buy. If you can’t find one, Anbernic’s RG35XX should be a decent alternative; it’s a bit easier to pick up and use once it’s set up, though it lacks built-in WiFi.

Mat Smith/ Engadget

Anbernic RG405M

We weren’t able to test it, but the Anbernic RG405M should be a good alternative to the Retroid Pocket 3+ for those who want something more compact. The two devices run on the same chipset, but the RG405M has a 4-inch display and a more substantial metal frame. Its 4:3 aspect ratio means you won’t have to deal with black bars as much for retro games, too, though it can feel crunched with newer systems and cloud streaming. At $175 or so, it’s also pricier than the Pocket 3+.

Backbone One

At their core, all of the mobile handhelds we’ve mentioned are just modified Android or Linux tablets. If you play more casually, you can get a similar experience by hooking up your existing smartphone to a mobile gamepad like the Backbone One. This connects directly to your phone’s USB-C or Lightning port and immediately works with any game with controller support. Its face buttons are somewhat noisy, and its d-pad is a bit spongy, but it’s comfortable for its size and has all the inputs needed to play modern games, including analog triggers and clickable joysticks. There's also a headphone jack and pass-through charging port, plus a useful app for starting party chats. The One costs $100, which isn’t cheap, but it feels much more natural than using a console controller with a clip.