The 128GB model of Apple's 12.9-inch iPad Pro is back down to $1,000 at Amazon, matching the lowest price we've tracked. It's listed at $1,049, but an additional coupon for $49.01 will be applied at checkout. For reference, Apple typically sells the tablet for $1,099, though we've periodically seen it drop to $1,049 since it launched last October.
The iPad Pro is the top choice in our guide to the best tablets, and the 12.9-inch model specifically is the "best for power users" pick in our breakdown of the best iPads. To be clear, this is more tablet than most people need, as the iPad Air or entry-level iPad are much better values for those just looking for browse the web, read e-books, stream video and do some basic work on a tablet. But for those who have cash to burn and want the biggest and most powerful iPad Apple makes, this is it.
The iPad Pro's M2 chip is the same as the one in the latest MacBook Air, and its display is the most advanced of any iPad, with a 120Hz refresh rate and mini-LED backlighting that allows for better contrast and brightness. (The latter feature isn't available on the 11-inch Pro.) Compared to the Air, its speakers are more robust, it has a faster Thunderbolt USB-C port and its camera system is more advanced, with a flash and ultrawide lens. All told, we gave the tablet a review score of 87 last year.
It's still best to look at this as a premium tablet than a universal laptop replacement, as iPadOS can still make multitasking and other basic PC tasks more convoluted than they could be. That said, its spacious display, fast chip and Apple Pencil support can make it a powerful tool for creative types in particular. If you've been thinking about taking the plunge, this deal makes the device at least a little more affordable. If you don't need the latest and greatest chip, meanwhile, note that a 256GB cellular model of the previous-generation iPad Pro is down to the same price at Best Buy.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-129-inch-ipad-pro-with-m2-drops-back-to-its-all-time-low-131053672.html?src=rss
Most of the time, the best gaming headset isn’t a “gaming headset” at all. Although these devices are often thought of as a distinct niche within the wider headphone market, they're ultimately still headphones. And while it’s certainly not impossible to get a gaming headset that sounds nice, doing so still tends to come at a higher cost than a comparable pair of wired headphones (yes, those still exist).
A good wired headphone remains your best bet if you want the most detailed sound possible at a given price point and don’t need something especially portable, which is usually the case when you’re gaming. If you need to chat with friends, you can always buy an external microphone, whether it’s a USB mic, a cheaper clip-on mic or a standalone headset mic like the Antlion ModMic or V-Moda BoomPro. In many cases, those will make your voice sound clearer and fuller than the ones included with a gaming headset.
But we do recognize that many people just want the convenience of an all-in-one combo, value and aesthetics be damned. So after testing out a few dozen pairs over the past several months, we’ve put together a list of good headphones for gaming and dedicated gaming headsets. We recommend you consider the former first, but all of them should make your play time more enjoyable.
What to look for in good gaming headphones
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
Evaluating headphones is a particularly subjective exercise, so calling one pair the absolute “best” is something of a fool’s errand. At a certain point, everything becomes a matter of taste. For most, a headphone with a wide soundstage and strong imaging performance – i.e., the ability to position sounds correctly, so you can more precisely tell where footsteps and other game effects are coming from – will provide the most immersive experience, the kind that makes you feel like your head is within a given scene.
For that, you want a headphone with an open-back design. That is to say, an over-ear pair whose earcups do not completely seal off the ear from air and outside noise. The big trade-off is that these are inherently terrible at isolating you from external sound and preventing others from hearing what you’re playing. So if you often play games in a noisy environment, their benefits will be blunted. But in a quiet room, the best open-back pairs sounds significantly wider and more precise than more common closed-back models.
More up for debate is how a good gaming headphone should sound. If you want something that’ll help you in competitive multiplayer games, you'll likely prefer a headphone with a flatter sound signature, so a game’s mix won’t be overly boosted in one direction and mask the smaller details of what’s happening around you. A slightly brighter sound, one that pushes the upper frequencies a smidge, may also work. Open-back headphones almost never have huge sub-bass, so you rarely have to worry about low-end sounds muddying up the rest of the signature. In this light, the fact that an overwhelming amount of gaming headsets are closed-back and bass-heavy seems counterintuitive.
Lots of people love bass, though. And if you aren’t just worried about competitive play, some extra low-end can add a touch of excitement to heavy action scenes or a rousing soundtrack. You still don’t want a pair that boosts it too hard – which many dedicated gaming headsets do – but the point is that what makes a pair “immersive” to one person may sound dull to another.
Best headphones for gaming: Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X should please a wide swath of people willing to pay for a capital-N nice set of headphones for gaming. This pair has great imaging performance and the kind of spacious soundstage expected from an open-back design. Bass is a little more present here than on many open-back headphones as well. There still isn’t much in the way of deep sub-bass, as expected, but there’s enough warmth to give in-game explosions a bit more juice without muddying up the mid-range frequencies. The mids get the most emphasis overall, but they’re clear and that forwardness isn’t a bad thing when you’re trying to listen for enemy players in a competitive FPS like Counter-Strike. The treble isn’t pushed quite as hard, but it’s neither overly recessed nor harsh.
All of this means the DT 900 Pro X sounds detailed but not boring, so it should play nice whether you’re trying to win a multiplayer game or taking in a more cinematic single-player experience. And when you’re not gaming, you get an enjoyable sound for music.
Everything’s built well, too. It’ll clamp down slightly harder than average if you have a large head, but it balances its weight well, and its wonderfully soft velour earpads go a long way toward keeping the pair comfortable over long sessions. It comes with two detachable cables, including a three-meter option that’s convenient if you sit far from your PC. This design can’t fold up, though.
Like all open-back headphones, the DT 900 Pro X leak and let in lots of noise, so it’s not great on the go. Clearly, if you can afford an ultra-premium pair like Sennheiser’s HD 800 S, you’ll get more space and true-to-life detail. But for a relatively attainable $250 to $300, the DT 900 Pro X should satisfy.
Best headphones for gaming under $200: Sennheiser HD 560S
If you’d rather not spend as much, the Sennheiser HD 560S is another excellent open-back headphone that’s typically available for around $150. Like the DT 900 Pro X, it has a wide soundstage that’ll help you feel immersed in a given game. Its sound is slightly more neutral on the whole, so you won’t feel like you’re missing any part of a mix, and it retrieves a lovely amount of detail from the treble and mid-range frequencies. There's less bass power for explosions, though, and the treble, while more present, may sound piercing at times. Imaging isn’t quite as nuanced either, though it’s nowhere near poor.
Design-wise, the HD 560S are plenty comfortable to wear for extended periods. They don’t clamp down too hard on those with big heads (like yours truly), and the velour earpads hug your ears softly. The included cable is removable, too. The plastic frame doesn’t feel as sturdy or premium as the DT 900 Pro X, however, so you won’t want to chuck them around haphazardly. It won’t block much outside noise either, nor will it prevent those around you from hearing what you're playing. Nevertheless, the HD 560S is a pleasure and a great value.
Best headphones for gaming under $50: Koss KSC75
If you can’t spend more than $50, it’s still hard to top the Koss KSC75. It costs $20, but judging purely on audio quality, it’s better than some headphones priced closer to $100. This pair is very obviously devoid of deep bass, so you won’t get that full-bodied oomph from in-game effects. You also won't hear all the intricate details you'd pick up with the pricier headphones above. But it locates sounds accurately and its open design gives it a real sense of width. It’s a superb value for competitive play.
The catch is that it’s built like a set of free airline headphones. The KSC75 has an odd clip-on design that, while lightweight, won’t be comfortable for everyone. It certainly looks like it costs $20, though Koss backs it with a lifetime warranty that essentially lets you get endless replacements for $9 each. Even if the KSC75 are pushing 20 years old, its sound remains relatively well-balanced and particularly well-suited for gaming.
Best gaming headset: Astro A40 TR
If you must have a dedicated gaming headset with a built-in mic, consider the Astro A40 TR. Another open-back pair, it has a more spacious soundstage than usual for the category – though it's not on par with better non-gaming headphones – and it generally localizes sounds correctly. This profile emphasizes the bass, giving explosions a smooth and satisfying thump, but it doesn’t overdo it like many other headsets marketed toward gaming.
The sound here is still a step behind the DT 900 Pro X or HD 560S, especially for online shooters, as the pushed upper-bass and lower-mids can blunt finer details a bit more. Footsteps usually won’t sound as clear. But compared to most gaming headsets, the A40’s profile is better balanced, and it does well to envelop you in the sounds of a busy scene.
Comfort shouldn’t be an issue, either. The A40 is on the bulkier side, but its weight is evenly distributed and doesn’t clamp down overly hard. The fuzzy earpads are soft and breathable, while the earcups are roomy enough to fit larger ears. The headset has the usual open-back shortcomings, though: It leaks a bunch of sound and blocks almost zero outside noise. The design looks “gamer-y," too, and there’s no built-in volume control. The whole thing is mostly made of plastic, though it doesn’t come off as flimsy.
The A40’s mic, meanwhile, is just OK. It picks up background noises while you chat, and voices sound somewhat muffled. It’s serviceable but you’d buy the A40 for its sound quality first. The mic isn’t detachable either, but you can easily flip it up and out of the way.
The A40 has been around for four years now, but its price has come down from $150 to a more reasonable $130 in that time. Astro sells an optional DAC with extra controls for $130, but at that price we’d strongly advise buying a good “normal” headphone and external mic.
Best budget gaming headset: HyperX Cloud Stinger 2
You won’t find a good open-back gaming headset under $50, so if you’re on a tight budget and require a built-in mic, you’ll have to compromise on sound quality. With that in mind, the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 is a decent buy at its typical street price of $40. Its mic belies that low price, making voices sound relatively clear and accurate. In fact, it’s a clear step-up from the Astro A40. It’s not detachable but it’s flexible and automatically mutes when you slide it out of the way. This pair also gets the comfort part right, as the pleather earcups don’t clamp down hard and have enough soft padding where it counts.
The Cloud Stinger 2 has a V-shaped sound profile, which is to say it exaggerates the bass and treble while recessing the mid-range. It’s not bad for what it is, and it’ll definitely give action scenes a heavy sense of impact. But the upper-bass is pushed to the point where it may get tiring over time, and you lose some of the fine details you’d hear on a more natural-sounding headphone. Since this is a cheap closed-back headset, the Cloud Stinger 2 also doesn’t sound nearly as wide as the pairs above, nor is it as nuanced about positioning sounds accurately. It’s less than ideal for competitive games as a result, though it can still sound “fun” with many other titles.
Beyond that, the plastic design feels cheap-ish, it doesn’t block much outside noise despite being closed-back and its cable isn’t removable. Nevertheless, you have to pick your battles in this price range. The Cloud Stinger 2 is flawed, but it does enough well to make sense for a certain type of person.
A quick PSA on wireless gaming headsets
Most people do not need a wireless gaming headset. The PS5 and Xbox Series X/S have a headphone jack built into their controllers, and it's still readily available on the Switch and most gaming PCs. The cost of an OK wireless headset is usually higher than the cost of a comparable wired model, and for the money you often get worse audio quality and a less clear microphone on the wireless versions. You also risk introducing issues with latency. The latter is why non-gaming Bluetooth headphones are a no-go here.
Best wireless gaming headset: HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless
If you really want a wireless headset – say, if your gaming PC is situated at the far end of your desk – you should look for a pair that makes the “wireless” part of the equation a little less apparent. The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless does this thanks to its absurdly long battery life. HyperX rates it at 300 hours, but we were able to squeeze out a couple dozen more at moderate volumes. iFixit did a helpful teardown if you’re curious as to how this is possible, but it’s not a stretch to say one charge here could last you months of play time.
The sound here is typical of many gaming headsets: slightly V-shaped, with overemphasized bass that can make game effects sound exciting but often presents footsteps and finer details with less clarity. As a closed-back headphone, it also won’t sound as spacious or natural as the more open pairs above. (Wireless gaming headsets with an open-back design are virtually nonexistent.) It’s not bad by wireless gaming headset standards, and it generally places sounds in the right place; it’s just not tuned or designed as optimally as a pair like the Astro A40.
The headset itself is comfortable to wear for hours at a time, with plush padding that doesn’t feel too tight, though the faux leather material on the earpads may make your ears feel mildly warm. Everything is sturdy, and the headband is nicely flexible. The boom mic is also fine, though that’s relative to other wireless headsets. It cancels out background noise well and keeps voices legible, but they won’t sound as crisp or full-bodied as they could be on wired headphones with good mics. It's better than the A40, though.
A word of warning: Don’t bother with HyperX’s companion software. While you can use the company’s Ngenuity app to customize the headset's EQ and activate a DTS:X surround sound feature, several users have reported that this introduces noticeable latency, and HyperX doesn’t look to be fixing it. If you really want these features, use a third-party EQ app and the spatial audio tools built into Windows and the PS5. By default, the included USB dongle offers a steady wireless connection.
The other caveat is that the Cloud Alpha Wireless only works with PCs and PlayStation consoles, or a Switch while docked. It also can’t connect over a cable or Bluetooth. If you’re looking for a competent alternative for Xbox, we note a few recommendations below.
Best premium wireless gaming headset: Audeze Maxwell
The Audeze Maxwell isn’t an amazing value at $299 (or $329 for the Xbox model), but if you’ve got cash to burn, it’s a wireless headset with genuinely impressive audio and mic quality. Its planar-magnetic drivers do well reproducing smaller intricacies in a given scene, and its default signature is like a more refined version of the common “gaming headset” sound. Bass is smooth and impactful but not bloated, while highs are crisp but not overly sharp. Some effects in the mids can sound thin, and as this is aclosed-back headset, it can’t provide the same immersive width and precise imaging as the open-back models above. Ironically, it may be better for music than games. Still, for a wireless headset, it’s unusually pleasant and detailed. Audeze’s app includes several EQ presets as well.
Similarly, the Maxwell’s detachable boom mic is a standout. It does a phenomenal job of muting background noise, and while voices lose some air, they still sound clearer and fuller than on most wireless headsets we’ve tested.
The Maxwell is on the bulky side, and its headband uses an odd suspension mechanism that effectively isn’t adjustable without taking the headset off. The squishy padded ear cups will likely make your ears feel warm, but they keep the headset comfortable and isolate a fair amount of outside noise. The design also feels substantial, with the headband made from steel. The essential controls are built into the left earcup, and the device can connect over Bluetooth or a 3.5mm cable in addition to a USB-C wireless dongle. You can even pair with two devices at once, one over the dongle and another over Bluetooth. The headset needs to be powered on in order to play music over a cable, however.
Audeze rates the Maxwell’s battery life at roughly 80 hours, though you'll get less than that if you play at high volumes or use features like Bluetooth or sidetone heavily. While this can’t touch the Cloud Alpha Wireless, it’s still much better than most wireless headsets.
Other notable gaming headsets
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro is overpriced at $250, and it can make higher frequencies sound harsh, but its bass and mids are good, it’s super comfortable and its retractable mic is noticeably clearer than the Astro A40’s. Its included DAC is also useful, letting you adjust the headset’s EQ and game/chat mix. But while the closed-back design is mildly better at blocking outside noise, it won’t provide the same sense of width as the A40.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless
SteelSeries also sells a wireless version of the Nova Pro, which typically retails between $300 and $350. The Audeze Maxwell will sound better to most, but this is likely its closest competitor and it has useful bonus features like the ability to connect to multiple gaming devices simultaneously (with the Xbox model) and hot-swap battery packs.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro 7X
If you need a wireless alternative to the Cloud Alpha Wireless for Xbox, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X should work. It’s another bass-forward pair, and its mic is comparable to the one on Cloud Alpha Wireless. Like the other Nova models, it offers multiple connectivity options, including Bluetooth and a 3.5mm cable. And while it's marketed for the Xbox, it can also connect to PCs and PS5s. Its 30 or so hours of battery life are well short of the Cloud Alpha Wireless, though, and its sound signature can make the treble sound somewhat wonky.
HyperX Cloud Alpha
The wired HyperX Cloud Alpha is often on sale for $80 or less, and at that price it’s a decent middle ground between the Cloud Stinger 2 and Astro A40 if you absolutely need a closed-back gaming headset. It’s old, but its plush earpads and headband remain comfy, and its detachable mic, while not superb, is still better than Astro’s pair. Its treble is underemphasized, however, and again it sounds more “in your head” than the A40.
Logitech G535
The Logitech G535 is an impressively light (236g) and comfy wireless headset that’s often available for $100. It has a more neutral sound signature than the Cloud Alpha Wireless and Arctis Nova 7X: not flat, but less beholden to big, thumping bass. It can make mid-range details sound thin, and if anything it could use a little more sub-bass, but it’s an agreeable listen overall. It can also connect over Bluetooth. However, its mic gives up some fullness compared to the Cloud Alpha Wireless (which already wasn’t superb), and its 30-ish hours of battery life are a massive drop-off. Plus, it doesn’t work with Xbox, and it strangely forces you to crank the volume to reach a listenable level. But if you don’t want to spend a ton on a wireless headset, it’s the best of the $100-and-under options we tested.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-gaming-headset-130006477.html?src=rss
Samsung's T7 Shield is a ruggedized version of our favorite portable SSD, offering IP65-rated water and dust resistance and a durable rubber casing on top of steady data transfer speeds. As part of the company's latest round of discounts on its various storage devices, both the 1TB and 2TB versions of the drive are priced lower-than-usual at Amazon, Best Buy and Samsung's own online store. The former is down to $80, which matches its all-time low, while the latter is on sale for $130, which is the best price we've seen outside of a very brief drop to $120 last August. For reference, the 1TB model has sat at this price for the last couple of weeks, but it's still about $10 below the average going rate we've seen in recent months. The 2TB model, meanwhile, has typically retailed around $150 as of late.
The T7 Shield isn't the only good portable SSD in this price range, as other USB 3.2 Gen 2 drives like the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD and WD My Passport SSD can squeeze out a bit more performance and have longer five-year warranties (Samsung gives a three-year warranty). But the speed differences aren't huge, and while all SSDs are more durable than older HDDs, the T7 Shield's rugged shell should provide extra peace of mind if you often bring your laptop on the road and need to transfer or backup files. For many, the best option is whatever's cheapest at the time; right now, that's the T7 Shield.
Samsung has a few other noteworthy deals on storage gear. The 256GB Samsung Evo Select is down to $19, which is an all-time low for a quick and reliable microSD card. If you don't need as much space, the 128GB Pro Plus microSD card is a bit faster and down to a low of $14. And while the ultrafast speeds of a PCIe 4.0 SSD like the 990 Pro aren't necessary for most, the 1TB version of that drive is available for a low of $100 for those building a higher-end PC (just make sure its firmware is up-to-date).
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-t7-shield-portable-ssd-is-down-to-an-all-time-low-of-80-152254959.html?src=rss
It's Friday, which means it's time for another roundup of good tech deals. Today's highlights include Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite back down to $100, which is within $5 of the popular e-reader's all-time low. Apple's AirPods Pro are $50 off their list price at $200, while the Apple Watch SE is a good value at $219. Beyond that, we're still seeing a handful of deals on Super Mario games for the Nintendo Switch, as well as discounts on Samsung storage gear and Logitech's MX Keys Mini keyboard, among others. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite is on sale for $100, which is $5 more than the e-reader's all-time low but still $30 or so less than its usual street price. We gave the "Signature Edition" of the Paperwhite a review score of 97 in late 2021; by comparison, this model has less storage (8GB instead of 32GB), no Qi wireless charging and a slightly less advanced front light. Those shouldn't be dealbreakers, though, as the standard Paperwhite still provides a sharp 6.8-inch display that's easy on the eyes, a lightweight and waterproof design with a USB-C port and access to the same mammoth e-book library.
There are excellent alternatives here: Kobo's Clara 2E, the top pick in our guide to the best e-readers, is a similarly capable device for those who'd rather not shop in Amazon's closed-off ecosystem, while Amazon's base Kindle offers a more affordable entry point into the Kindle library. Both of those models have six-inch displays, though. if you'd prefer a larger screen and don't mind buying your e-books from Amazon, the Paperwhite is still highly comfortable — and a good value at this price.
Samsung Evo Select
Samsung's Evo Select is a dependable way to add more storage space to a Nintendo Switch, Raspberry Pi, GoPro or any other gadget that supports microSD cards. The 256GB model is currently available for $19, which is a new low. This V30- and U3-rated card isn't the absolute fastest you can buy, but it's quick enough to run games and record 4K video with minimal issues, and it's backed by a 10-year warranty. Most importantly, it's affordable. For reference, this variant typically retails around $25.
Nintendo has a few other Switch game deals of note going on this week. The acclaimed FPS games Doomand Doom Eternal are down to all-time lows of $10 and $13, respectively, while a bundle that pairs the beloved RPGs Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Goldenis $10 off at $30. The latter is the first discount we've seen for those Switch ports. Portal Companion Collection, which includes the classic first-person puzzler Portal and its co-op-friendly sequel Portal 2, is down to a low of $12 as well.
Logitech MX Keys Mini
Logitech's MX Keys Mini is a compact wireless keyboard we recommend in our guide to the best iPad accessories. It has a slim profile, but its backlit and well-spaced keys are more comfortable to type on than most portable keyboards we've tested. Typically priced around $100, the MX Keys Mini is currently available for $66 at Lenovo when you use the code EXTRA5 in your cart prior to checkout. This deal technically applies to the Business version of the device, which means it comes with a different USB receiver that isn't compatible with many older Logitech devices. However, the keyboard can still pair with and quickly swap between three separate devices over Bluetooth.
Apple AirPods Pro
We've seen Apple's AirPods Pro fall to $200 multiple times in recent months, but this discount still comes within a dollar of the lowest price we've seen. Normally, the noise-cancelling earbuds go for around $225. We gave the second-gen AirPods Pro a score of 88 in our review last year, and they're currently the "best for iOS" pick in our guide to the best wireless earbuds. There are more well-rounded pairs out there with better battery life and mic performance, but Apple's in-ears still deliver impressive ANC and sound quality, and they're particularly easy to use with other Apple devices.
Samsung Galaxy S23
The unlocked, 128GB version of Samsung's Galaxy S23 is down to $700, which is a $100 discount for a phone that launched in February. The S23 isn't a top pick in our guide to the best smartphones, and it's not as strong of a value as Google's Pixel 7, but it's worth considering if you specifically want a smaller handset with flagship-level features. It's fast and well-built, and its 6.1-inch, 120Hz OLED display should be smooth and vibrant. The camera isn't top-tier in low-light settings but still far from poor overall, and Samsung is promising four years of OS upgrades, with an extra year of security updates.
The S23 isn't the phone to buy for battery life, though, as its smaller size means there's less space for a battery that can last longer than a day. We gave the 6.6-inch Galaxy S23+ a review score of 86 earlier this year: Apart from the larger frame, that phone comes with twice as much storage by default, faster charging support and a bigger battery, but the two devices are otherwise similar.
Fully Cora standing desk converter
The Fully Cora is a simple standing desk converter that we've previously recommended. It's meant more for a laptop and a handful of accessories than a full keyboard and monitor setup, but if you just want a way to sit less while working, it's a relatively unobtrusive, lightweight and easy-to-adjust tool for doing that. The device is currently available for $90 as part of a wider sale at Fully's online store. It's technically been at this price for a few weeks, but it's still half off Fully's MSRP. Just note that you may have to invest in a separate stand to keep your laptop at a more comfortable eye level.
Apple Watch SE
The Apple Watch SE has dropped to $219, which is within $10 of the lowest price we've seen. This isn't the first time we've seen the smartwatch hit this price, but it's still $30 below Apple's MSRP. We gave the latest SE a review score of 89 last September, and we currently recommend it for first-time and budget-conscious wearable buyers in our guide to the best smartwatches.
Compared to the pricier Apple Watch Series 8, the top pick in our guide, the SE lacks an always-on display mode, fast charging and premium features like a skin temperature sensor, ECG monitor and blood oxygen sensor. Its display is a smidge smaller, too. That said, it still provides most of the core Apple Watch feature set for way less money, with support for notifications, heart-rate monitoring and crash detection. It also uses the same processor as the Series 8, so it doesn't feel slow in everyday use.
Samsung 980 Pro SSD with Heatsink
The 1TB model of Samsung's 980 Pro SSD with an integrated heatsink is on sale for $87, which is a new all-time low. On average, the device has run closer to $120 in recent months, though its price has steadily dipped over time. We recommend this speedy PCI Express 4.0 drive in our guide to the best SSDs for the PS5, as it meets Sony's strict requirements for upgrading that console's storage.
It's best if you buy the 980 Pro for that specific purpose, though. If you simply want a new SSD for an aging PC and don't care about gaming, a less expensive PCIe 3.0 drive should be a better value. For that market, SK Hynix's Gold P31 is a well-regarded option that's currently down to $72 for a 1TB model.
Apple + Target gift card bundle
Here's a simple one: If you buy a $100 Apple gift card at Target, the retailer will throw in a $10 Target gift card for no extra cost. As a reminder, an Apple gift card can be used on purchases at the company's physical retail shops, the App Store and Apple services like iCloud and Apple Music. Target has run this promotion several times before, but if you plan on shopping at Apple and Target in the near future anyway, it's effectively a bit of free money. Target says the offer will end on April 8.
Blue Yeti Nano
The grey model of the Blue Yeti Nano is on sale for $53 at Amazon. Outside of a very brief drop to $50 last year, that's the lowest price we've tracked. The Yeti Nano is a compact USB microphone we've recommended in the past. There are certainly clearer-sounding options for those looking to get into more professional recordings, but if you just want a mic upgrade for your work calls that's easy to set up and won't take up a ton of room on your desk, the Yeti Nano is a decent value when it's discounted to this extent. If space is less of a concern, note that the standard Yeti is down to $80; that mic is bigger but sounds better and offers more pickup patters to accommodate different types of recordings.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max
Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K Max is back down to $35, matching the lowest price we've tracked. The 4K media player has regularly bounced between this deal price and its MSRP of $55 in recent months, but for less than $40 it's a good value for those who want to add more streaming services to their TV. The device itself is reasonably fast and supports most of the major apps and HDR formats. (Compared to the standard Fire TV Stick 4K, the speed upgrade is enough to make the 4K Max a better buy.) It has voice search functionality built into its remote, which is convenient. For tinkerers, it's also easier to sideload unsupported apps here than it is with similarly priced streamers.
The caveat is that the Fire TV UI tends to advertise Amazon's own content over shows and search results from other apps. That means the 4K Max will work best if you regularly use Amazon services like Alexa and Prime Video. If you aren't as beholden to Amazon, Roku's Streaming Stick 4K and Google's Chromecast are close alternatives that we recommend in our guide to the best streaming devices. The former has a simpler and more neutral interface, while the latter is generally more accurate at searching and better about personalizing its UI to your viewing habits.
Ninja DZ401 Foodi air fryer
Ninja's DZ401 Foodi is the "best dual-zone" pick in our guide to the best air fryers, offering two baskets that allow you to cook two foods in two different ways at the same time. Not everyone needs something this hefty, but if you often have to cook for a large family, it can be useful. The 10-quart model is down to $180, which is roughly $20 below its usual going rate. The device dropped as low as $130 during the holidays last year, but this discount matches the lowest price we've seen in 2023.
Master & Dynamic MW75
A recommendation from our guide to the best wireless headphones, Master & Dynamic's MW75 is on sale for $419 with the checkout code GIVEGET30. Normally, this noise-cancelling pair goes for $599. Even at 30 percent off, it's hard to call the MW75 a great value, as its ANC can't really match less expensive alternatives like the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Bose QuietComfort 45. But the pair stands out for its decidedly upscale design, which uses a premium-feeling blend of leather, aluminum and tempered glass. It sounds nice as well, though some may prefer a bit less treble presence by default.
Either way, we don't see the MW75 drop this low very often, so if you've got cash to burn and are particular about aesthetics, it's worth considering. The code above is applicable to various other Master & Dynamic headphones as well; the company says the sale will run through April 10.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-kindle-paperwhite-falls-back-to-100-best-tech-deals-this-week-150031378.html?src=rss
It’s difficult to pinpoint the best music streaming service for everyone. Most of the popular options available today hit on the essentials: a giant and diverse library of music that you can access à la carte, sort into playlists, download for offline listening and play across multiple devices. Most are available for around the same price, too. That said, there are subtle yet significant differences in features and philosophy among them that can determine which will fit into your life best. To assist those thinking about trying a new music app, we’ve spent the past few months using most popular music streaming services simultaneously, testing their limits and seeing how they adapt to our input.
Most well-rounded: Apple Music
No music streaming service is perfect, but for many, Apple Music should get the closest to covering all of the necessary bases. It has a library of more than 100 million songs, all of which are available in lossless streaming quality for no extra cost. Its user interface doesn’t make it too hard to get to your music library and strikes a balance between useful algorithmic recommendations and smartly curated content from actual people. It’s one of the few music streaming services that lets you upload your own music files and naturally it’s tightly integrated with Apple devices.
Apple Music’s ALAC files have a minimum resolution of 16-bit/44.1kHz, which is the same quality you’d hear from a CD. A smaller but still significant selection can stream at higher resolutions up to 24-bit/192kHz. A significant number of albums are also available in Dolby Atmos surround sound mixes, or “spatial audio.”
Lossless streaming isn’t a game-changer for most casual listeners. You need a decent set of wired headphones and an external DAC (or a good speaker system) to take full advantage, and the upgrade isn’t so stark that non-enthusiasts will care. That said, even if the difference is subtle, a lossless file does sound better than a more compressed one, particularly in the way it draws out higher-frequency sounds from cymbals, strings and the like.
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
Spatial audio, on the other hand, is more of a fun gimmick: technologically impressive, yes, and sometimes genuinely immersive, but just as likely to make a record sound less natural.
Relative to other music streaming services, Apple Music’s UI is perfectly serviceable. In general, it emphasizes human curation more than peers like Spotify or YouTube Music. It’s not as great an emphasis as it used to be, and the home “Listen Now” tab can be a smorgasbord of hit-and-miss suggestions based on your recent listening history. Still, the service is littered with clever, editor-picked playlists. The default search page holds several different genre tabs, each of which holds relevant playlists, music videos and a typically spot-on list of “essential albums.” Artist pages often spotlight a group’s most essential works alongside playlists of “deep cuts,” artists that likely inspired them, artists that were influenced by them and so on.
Streaming radio stations are one of Apple Music’s biggest differentiators. There’s a regular rotation of shows that feature artist interviews and have a sort of pre-internet feel. The main tabs often make room to highlight new buzzy releases, and you can find top charts for different countries and cities. All of this gives Apple Music an air of taste, something that can help you find music but prioritizes a personal touch.
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
Beyond that, getting a simple view of your saved artists, albums, songs and playlists is uncomplicated. You can reliably search for tracks by lyrics, and there’s a great lyrics view for impromptu karaoke sessions. Creating playlists and downloading albums for offline listening is straightforward, and you can start a radio station from any song. While your imported music won’t be available in lossless quality, being able to upload music at all is a great boon for those with big iTunes libraries. Just note that you’re capped at 100,000 tracks that aren’t already available in the app.
If you enjoy classical music, Apple recently launched an Apple Music Classical app that’s dedicated to the genre and comes included with most Apple Music plans. Booting those works into a separate app is somewhat cumbersome, though.
There are still some drawbacks. While Apple Music has apps for Android, Windows and web browsers, the Windows app is only available in a buggy “preview” form as of this writing and there’s no lossless streaming in a browser. It’s best used with Apple devices. There’s (bafflingly) no way to see a list of your “loved” songs in the mobile app. There’s no free tier or annual family plan, either, and the individual plan is $1 more a month than some competitors.
Free tier: No Individual plan: $11/month or $109/year Family plan: $17/month (up to 6 members) Voice plan: $5/month (only usable with Siri) Student plan: $6/month
Best for music discovery: Spotify
Spotify leans much harder on algorithmic suggestions than Apple Music, but having a giant treasure trove of user listening data for so many years has allowed the service to fine-tune its music recommendation engine. This is the main reason to consider it: No service is more accurate at reading the music you like and serving up worthwhile suggestions for other songs you might enjoy (even if its UI is arguably getting worse with every update). As the most popular music streaming app, it’s also available on a wide array of devices.
Spotify is particularly impressive at creating playlists. “Discover Weekly” is famously adept at digging up unheard tracks and artists that align with your tastes. “Release Radar” is similarly impressive at spotlighting new tracks from artists you follow and those with complementary sounds. A selection of “Daily Mix” playlists blend past likes with deeper cuts from artists in your library and similar songs from ones who aren’t, then sorts them by mood as much as genre. Based on what you’ve been playing, you may wake up to one mix that’s mostly upbeat electro, another marked by soaring indie rock, and another with spacey hip-hop. While its selections can be more hit-or-miss, a new “Niche Mixes” feature lets you search for a mood or genre and have the app generate a relevant playlist. Simply following the algorithm down its rabbit holes makes it easy to find somethingyou can enjoy in just a few taps.
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
That said, there are still a ton of human-curated playlists to peruse as well. Regularly updated lists like “Rap Caviar,” “New Music Friday” and “Viva Latino” may not be tailored specifically for you, but they’re clearly programmed by knowledgeable people in-tune with current trends. A huge range of less frequently updated playlists based on genres, eras and vibes give the same impression. There’s a human touch here; it’s just not emphasized as much as it is in Apple Music, so which you’ll prefer depends on how willing you are to let an algorithm lead the way.
Spotify’s interface isn’t bad, but some recent changes have made it harder to use. The home tab has rows of suggestions based on your recent listening history. I went through a big yacht rock phase while researching this guide, for example, so my homepage became peppered with playlists like “Soft Rock Classics,” “All Out 70s,” and “Totally Stress Free.” It wasn’t all stuff like that, but the point is that the service will sensibly morph and adapt as your listening habits change.
Sorting and searching through your own library is relatively clean, and a playlist with all your liked songs is featured prominently in the “Playlists” section. There’s a useful lyrics view for sing-alongs. Search usually works as it should, letting you look up music by title, lyric, artist or even context like “workout” or “studying.”
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
Making and sharing a playlist is a breeze. Artist pages aren’t as comprehensive as Apple Music’s, but they do include a list of upcoming tour dates, with links to tickets from sites like Songkick, AXS and Ticketmaster. The search tab has dedicated pages for various genres and vibes, from “Jazz” and “R&B” to “In the car” and “League of Legends.” You can start a radio station from any track, too, though this might repeat songs over time.
Spotify has made a huge push into podcasts and audiobooks in recent years, snapping up exclusive deals with several popular shows along the way (for better or worse). Some may find this convenient, but it makes the UI feel cluttered. A row with “Your shows” is displayed right at the top of the home tab, which includes not only the shows you’ve subscribed to, but annoyingly, ones you’ve recently put on just once. Apple Music and many others completely omit podcasts, so they’ll be less aggravating if you’d prefer your music app to focus solely on music.
On the mobile app, you can filter the home screen by music, podcasts and audiobooks, but Spotify recently revamped these to look more like TikTok-style feeds with huge, autoplaying suggestion cards. This may look fresh, but scrolling through an endless feed, one or two suggestions at a time, is not an efficient way to find content. Similarly, the prominently featured AI-powered DJ tool is technically impressive but also has a tendency to make jarring jumps from genre to genre. It speaks to an app that may be putting a little too much emphasis on its algorithmic prowess.
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
Spotify doesn’t offer lossless streaming, instead topping out at a relatively low 320Kbps bitrate using the Ogg Vorbis format. Web browser playback uses AAC and maxes out at 256Kbps. The company announced a CD-quality “HiFi” tier more than two years ago and says that’s still on the way, but how it’ll work and what it’ll cost remains unclear.
Spotify offers a more robust free tier than most of its peers. You’ll have to deal with ads, an even lower 160 Kbps bitrate, and limits on track skips and on-demand playback, but you can still listen to several personalized playlists and enjoy much of the library. For casual background listening, it may be enough.
While it doesn’t have a practical effect on your listening experience, Spotify is particularly terrible when it comes to artist payouts. Some music workers have even launched advocacy campaigns seeking fairer compensation and greater transparency. Music streaming isn’t an ideal setup for artists, particularly independent acts, but Spotify is the poster child for everything wrong with the current system.
Free tier: Yes Individual plan: $10/month (12-month subscription gift cards for $99) Duo plan: $12/month (2 members) Family plan: $16/month (up to 6 members) Student plan: $5/month
Best for more obscure music: YouTube Music
From a UI or streaming quality perspective, there’s little reason to choose YouTube Music instead of Apple Music or Spotify. Still, Google’s music service has a few unique selling points that could make it worthwhile. Arguably the most compelling is that it comes included with a YouTube Premium subscription. For $12 a month or $120 a year, this also removes ads from YouTube, lets you download videos for offline viewing and enables background playback. Those features alone are massive benefits if you’re a frequent YouTube user, and you get a full music service on top.
Even without the perk of ad-free YouTube, YouTube Music benefits from a close integration with the video platform. YouTube is home to a mountain of content not available on other top music streaming services and integrates it with your music library. If you’re into rare live performances, deep underground hip-hop, obscure soundtracks, nightmarish Neil Cicierega mashups or Aphex Twin remixes made entirely from the sounds of Super Mario 64, this is the service for you.
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
If you sign up for YouTube Music with the same account you use for YouTube, music you’ve liked on the latter will already be there and help inform the service’s recommendations. Naturally, this integration also makes YouTube Music the best choice for music videos, which you can swap to with a single tap.
Because it’s wrangling so much material, however, YouTube Music’s UI can feel scattershot and overwhelming. Scrolling down the home page reveals a hodgepodge of recent listens, liked music, curated and community-generated playlists, “similar to” suggestions, radio stations, music videos, algorithmically personalized mixes, new releases and top charts. Searching for an artist may display community playlists and covers underneath more traditional results; it also tends to blend singles with full albums, and it doesn’t display albums in chronological order. Content originally hosted on YouTube won’t integrate with your library as neatly as standard material, either.
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
That said, the sheer mass of suggestions make YouTube Music good at surfacing new music you might like, and its “Discover Mix” works nearly as well as Spotify’s Discover Weekly. A few buttons at the top of the app can filter the home page’s suggestions to suit different moods: Relax, Workout, Energize, Commute or Focus. You can start a radio station from any song, though we also found this to regurgitate previously liked tracks more than we’d prefer. You can upload up to 100,000 of your own music files, too, which’ll be available even if you aren’t a paid subscriber (these won’t affect the service’s recommendations, however).
YouTube Music lacks lossless streaming and tops out at a relatively low 256 Kbps bitrate, so it’s not for audio enthusiasts. There’s no dedicated desktop app, and while there is an ad-supported tier, it stops playback whenever you exit the app on a phone and maxes at a rough 128 Kbps bitrate. All of your playlists are limited to a maximum of 5,000 songs. Podcast support is on the way, though as of this writing it’s unclear how that’ll look. Google also has a long history of killing its own products, including this service’s predecessor; we’d understand if that makes you skittish long-term, though the company seems committed to improving YouTube Music today.
Free tier: Yes Individual plan: $10/month or $100/year; also available as part of YouTube Premium subscription for $12/month or $120/year Family plan: $15/month (up to 6 members) Student plan: $5/month
Another good option: Amazon Music Unlimited
Amazon Music Unlimited is a strong alternative to Apple Music and Spotify if you want podcasts and lossless streaming within the same app. Like Apple Music, it offers 100+ million songs in CD quality at no extra cost, with a smaller but ever-growing selection of FLAC files available in “Ultra HD” (24-bit/192kHz). Various tracks are mixed in Dolby Atmos or Sony’s 360 Reality Audio as well. Like Spotify, its catalog encompasses a wide selection of non-music content. Most of the major podcast networks are represented, and several shows are presented ad-free.
If you already subscribe to Amazon Prime, you can get Music Unlimited for less than its rivals, with an individual plan available for $9 a month or $89 a year. It’s not a massive discount, but $10 or $20 less each year isn’t nothing when the broad differences between music streaming services are so marginal. Naturally, Music Unlimited works the smoothest on Amazon’s fleet of Alexa devices as well.
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
Music Unlimited’s UI is similar to its peers but has some annoyances. Amazon is more aggressive than Spotify when it comes to pushing podcasts that don’t align with your listening history. Radio stations and algorithmic playlists don’t display what songs are in the queue. Search isn’t as precise as the options above, and you can’t directly search through the saved albums on your library page. Amazon is also less proactive about surfacing new music you might like than Apple or Spotify. Even still, Music Unlimited delivers an impressive catalog for a potentially cut-rate price.
Free tier: Yes Individual plan: $11/month; $9/month or $89/year with Amazon Prime Family plan: $16/month or $159/year (up to 6 members) Single device plan: $5/month (for one Echo or Fire TV only) Student plan: $6/month
Honorable mentions
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
Tidal
Tidal offers the highest royalty rates for artists, CD-quality streaming at no extra cost, a free tier, a library of more than 100 million songs and an experience rich with human curation and feature-style content. If you’re a music nerd and determined to not give another monthly fee to a tech industry behemoth, it’s a good choice. Its apps aren’t quite as smooth as those from Apple Music, though, and its highest-resolution tier costs $20 a month. Those high-res tracks are also encoded in MQA, a partly lossy format that still sounds sharp but isn’t open-source like FLAC.
Qobuz
Qobuz is a favorite in audiophile circles, particularly when it’s paired with the Roon music player. Like Tidal, it downplays algorithmic discovery for a more considered, editorial-heavy approach. It offers up to 24-bit/192kHz FLAC streams and includes a digital music store for purchasing high-res downloads of various albums. It’s particularly attentive to classical music. But unless you want to avoid Apple or Amazon, you can get similarly high-quality streaming for a lower price. Some may also find the UI leans too hard on personal curation and requires too much effort to discover new music.
Deezer
Deezer has an attractive interface, a competitive library, CD-quality streaming and the ability to upload your own MP3 files to the service from a desktop. It’s at least worth a look if you want an independent service and don’t fancy yourself an audiophile. Though, its suggestions and playlists generally aren’t as robust as its competitors. It also lacks a high-res tier to match Apple, Amazon, Tidal or Qobuz.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-music-streaming-service-130046189.html?src=rss
Apple's latest Mac Mini has dropped to $549 at Amazon and B&H. Outside of special discounts for education customers, this matches the lowest price we've seen for the entry-level model with 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD and Apple's M2 chip. For reference, Apple normally sells this variant for $599.
We gave the Mac Mini with the beefier M2 Pro chip a review score of 86 earlier this year. This model won't be as powerful for video editing or software development, but the hardware is just as compact, and the base M2 is still plenty fast and quiet for web browsing, less hardcore work and general use. Just make sure that's all you want out of the device first, as, like most Macs, you can't upgrade the Mini's internals over time. And while the Mini's lack of front-facing ports is annoying, on the back it has two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, an Ethernet jack and a headphone jack.
As with other recent Macs, this entry-level Mac Mini technically has slower SSD performance than its predecessor, but the drop-off shouldn't be significant in real-world use, especially if you stick to the less intense tasks at which this model is aimed. If you think you'll need more storage and don't want to use an external drive, a variant with a 512GB SSD is available for $749. If you plan on using the desktop daily for the next several years, buying a model with at least 16GB of RAM may be a better value; those options start at $799. But if you just want the cheapest Mac desktop possible, the base model is still a great compact PC for the essentials, and this discount makes it a little more affordable.
The Apple Watch SE is back on sale for $219 at Amazon and Best Buy, bringing what was already one of the better values on the wearable market within $10 of the lowest price we've tracked. Though we've seen this deal a few times since the SE launched last September, it's still $30 off Apple's MSRP and about $20 off the device's usual street price. Note that this offer is for the 40mm model; if you want the larger 44mm case size, that variant is down to $249, which is a slightly less significant discount.
We gave the second-generation Apple Watch SE a review score of 89 last year, and we currently note it as the top pick for first-time or budget-sensitive buyers in our guide to the best smartwatches. Compared to the flagship Apple Watch Series 8, the SE lacks more advanced health-tracking features like a skin temperature sensor, ECG monitor and blood oxygen sensor, and its slightly smaller display doesn't have an always-on mode, so it's more cumbersome for checking the time. It also charges slower than the Series 8 or higher-end Apple Watch Ultra. For the most part, though, it provides the usual Apple Watch feature set at a lower price, with notifications, heart-rate monitoring, crash detection and a similar-looking, water-resistant design. This second-gen model runs on the same S8 processor as its pricier siblings, too, so it's just as fast in day-to-day use.
That processor bump is the biggest upgrade from the first-gen Apple Watch SE, but most people with that device shouldn't feel the need to upgrade here. Instead, this model is best for folks upgrading from an older Apple Watch (say, a Series 4 or older) or iPhone owners looking to buy an Apple wearable for the first time without spending more than $300. If that describes you, this deal should make the device a bit more approachable.
It's Friday, which means it's time for another roundup of notable discounts on good tech. Among the highlights, Apple's AirPods Pro are back down to $200, tying the best price we've seen for the iPhone-friendly noise-cancelling earphones. Amazon has dropped the Kindle Paperwhite down to $100, which is $5 above that e-reader's all-time low, while Samsung is running another sale on various storage devices. We're also seeing discounts on Anker USB-C chargers, Asus' ROG Zephyrus G14 gaming laptop and Apple's AirTags, among others. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.
Apple AirPods Pro
Apple's AirPods Pro are once again down to $200, which is a deal we've seen a few times before but still matches the lowest price we've tracked. We gave these noise-canceling earphones a review score of 88 last year and they're currently the "best for iOS" pick in our guide to the best wireless earbuds. While their battery life and call quality could be better, the AirPods Pro still deliver a good, mostly neutral sound profile, impressive noise cancellation and a host of features that make them easy to use with other Apple devices.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite is back down to $100, which is $5 more than the e-reader's all-time low but still $40 off its typical going rate. The Paperwhite itself remains a strong value, with a sharp and relatively spacious 6.8-inch e-ink display, a light and waterproof design with a USB-C port, a smooth front lighting system that keeps the screen easy on the eyes and access to Amazon's massive e-book library.
We gave the "Signature Edition" of the Paperwhite a review score of 97 in late 2021. That model includes more storage space (32GB instead of 8GB), Qi wireless charging support and a slightly improved front light, but it's otherwise identical to the Paperwhite, and its upgrades probably aren't worth the extra cost for most.
It might be worth paying a little bit extra for the Kindle Paperwhite Kids, however, which is currently on sale for $110. That variant is marketed towards children, but it comes with the same hardware, plus a case and a longer two-year warranty. If you are buying for a kid, it also includes a year of Amazon's Kids+ content service. This model is about $45 off its typical street price as of this writing.
Anker 715 USB-C Charger
While not an all-time low, this deal brings Anker's highly compact 715 Charger about $10 below its usual street price. This is a travel-friendly USB-C charger capable of delivering 65W of power, which is enough to charge many phones, tablets and even smaller laptops at full speed. Just note that it only has one port; if you often need to charge multiple devices at once, consider Anker's 736 Charger, a three-port, 100W charger that's currently down to a new low of $52.49.
Samsung Evo Select
A range of Samsung storage gear is on sale this week. For one, Samsung's Evo Select is a U3- and V30-rated microSD card that's plenty quick for most casual needs, be it handling 4K video or expanding a Nintendo Switch's storage. It's backed by a 10-year limited warranty as well. The 128GB and 512GB models are down to $12.49 and $40, respectively, both of which represent all-time lows.
Samsung 980 Pro SSD
Next up, the 980 Pro is a speedy PCIe 4.0 SSD that's suitable for a modern gaming PC or expanding the storage of a PlayStation 5. Its 1TB model is on sale for $80, which is an all-time low. If you need a higher capacity, the 2TB model is a couple dollars above its lowest price at $160.
If you're buying for a PS5 specifically, note that you'll have to pair the drive with a heatsink. For those willing to pay a bit extra for a simpler setup, Samsung sells a version of the 980 Pro with an integrated heatsink, the 1TB model of which is currently down to $100. Either way, it's worth making sure the drive's firmware is up-to-date, as some users previously reported issues with certain Samsung drives that have since been fixed.
Although the 980 Pro is technically an older model in Samsung's lineup, not everyone needs the speed increase of a PCIe 4.0 drive for everyday PC use. For those people, SK Hynix's Gold P31 is a well-reviewed, power-efficient option among PCIe 3.0 drives, and its 1TB model is about $35 off its usual going rate at $72. For those upgrading an older PC from a slow HDD, meanwhile, Crucial's MX500 is a 2.5-inch SATA drive we recommend; that one's 4TB model is currently down to an all-time low of $215.
Samsung T7 Shield
Finally, Samsung's T7 Shield is a more ruggedized version of the top portable drive pick in our guide to the best SSDs. It's not the absolute fastest portable drive you can buy, with read/write speeds rated up to 1,050/1,000 MB/s, but it should be fast enough for most needs, and its rubberized, IP65-rated exterior should help it survive frequent travel. Both the 1TB and 2TB models are down to all-time lows at $80 and $140, respectively.
WD My Passport Portable SSD
If you don't specifically need a ruggedized portable SSD, WD's My Passport drive will get you slightly faster read and write speeds, plus a longer five-year warranty. (The T7 Shield comes with a three-year warranty.) This drive's 1TB and 2TB variants are both down to all-time lows, at $85 and $138, respectively. If those happen to run out of stock, SanDisk's Extreme Portable SSD is a very similar performer; it's down to a low of $90 for a 1TB model and $140 for a 2TB model.
Apple iPad
Apple's 10.2-inch iPad is back down to $250 at Target, which matches the tablet's all-time low and represents a roughly $25 discount from its usual street price. This is the budget pick in our guide to the best iPads, and we gave it a review score of 86 back in 2021. Its thick bezels, non-laminated display and lack of a USB-C port give a much more dated look than other iPads, but for casual use, it's still quick and comfortable enough. As a bonus, it's also the last iPad to have a headphone jack.
If you want a more modern design, the 10.9-inch iPad is also back to an all-time low of $400. That one still lacks a laminated display and support for Apple's best keyboard and Pencil stylus, but it feels much more like an iPad Air, and its landscape-oriented webcam is far more convenient for video calls. We gave this model a review score of 85 last October.
Amazon Echo Show 8
Amazon's Echo Show 8 is on sale for $75, which is $5 more than the all-time low we saw during the holiday season but still about $20 less than the 8-inch smart display's usual street price. We gave the Echo Show 8 a review score of 87 when in launched in 2021, and we currently recommend it as the best smart display for Alexa users in our guide to the best smart home gadgets. If you have a bunch of smart home devices that make use of Amazon's voice assistant, this is still the best blend of size, price and performance in the Echo Show lineup. If you aren't beholden to Alexa, though, note that Google's Nest Hub will naturally play better with Google services like Gmail, Google Calendar and YouTube.
Apple Watch SE
The Apple Watch SE is a stripped-down but less expensive variant of the Apple Watch Series 8, the top pick in our guide to the best smartwatches. We gave the latest model a review score of 89 last September, calling it "the best smartwatch $250 can buy," but right now the 40mm variant is on sale for $220, which is within a dollar of the device's all-time low.
Compared to the Series 8, the SE has a slightly smaller display that isn't always-on, and it lacks premium features like an ECG monitor, skin temperature sensor and blood oxygen sensor. It runs on the same processor, however, and it can still do all the core functions expected of an Apple Watch, including heart-rate monitoring, notifications and fall detection. If you're buying a smartwatch for the first time, or if you're upgrading from an older Apple Watch and want to save some cash, the SE is a superb value. Just remember that this is an iPhone-only affair.
Apple Mac Mini M2
A configuration of Apple's recently refreshed Mac Mini with an M2 chip, 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD is on sale for $700, which is $100 off Apple's list price and an all-time low. We gave the variant with a beefier M2 Pro chip a review score of 86 in January; this model won't be as powerful as that, but it's still a good buy for those who only need a macOS desktop for everyday web browsing and lighter work. The Mac Mini itself is still compact and quiet, while this model gets you two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, an Ethernet jack and a headphone jack. As always, you can't upgrade the Mac Mini's internals after you buy it, so it's likely worth buying a model with more RAM, storage or that M2 Pro chip if you plan on doing development work or heavy media editing and must have this smaller form factor.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
Asus' ROG Zephyrus G14 is the top pick in our guide to the best gaming laptops, and a configuration with a Ryzen 9 6900HS CPU, Radeon RX 6700S GPU, 14-inch 120Hz display, 1TB SSD and 16GB of RAM and is currently down to $1,100 at Best Buy. That matches the lowest price we've seen.
This 2022 iteration of the G14 will be on the way out in the coming months, but at this price, last year's model is still a good value for playing modern games in a QHD resolution at a solid frame rate. Like prior G14s, this is a gaming laptop that stands out for not sacrificing the "laptop" part of the equation: Its keyboard and trackpad are comfortable, it has ample ports, its battery can last around 10 hours when you aren't gaming, and at 3.6 pounds, it won't feel like a total anchor in a backpack. We gave the notebook a review score of 85 last year.
Google Pixel 7
Google's Pixel 7 remains one of the better values on the Android phone market, and right now an unlocked 128GB model is on sale for $449, which is the lowest price we've seen. We gave this 6.3-inch handset a review score of 90 last October. While there are faster flagships out there, the Pixel 7 still offers a top-tier camera, pleasing build quality, a crisp OLED display and a clean version of Android that's still due two more years of OS updates and four more years of security updates.
Google is expected to launch a Pixel 7a phone in the next couple of months that may be very similar to this, but at this price, the Pixel 7 remains a strong value. The excellent Pixel 7 Pro, which has a larger screen and even better camera system, is also on sale for $749, though that's a price we've seen several times in recent months.
If you're looking for a Google smartwatch, meanwhile, the company's Pixel Watch is down to $299, a $40 discount that matches the lowest price we've tracked. That one has a particularly stylish design and useful health tracking features, but be warned that its battery life is lacking compared to other top wearables.
Apple AirTag (4-pack)
A four-pack of Apple's AirTag trackers is on sale for $90, which isn't an all-time low but still comes out to a $10 discount and marks the best price we've seen since the holidays. The AirTag is the "best for iPhones" pick in our guide to the best Bluetooth trackers, as it leverages Apple's extensive Find My crowd-sourcing network and ultra-wideband wireless tech to locate lost items accurately.
Unlike similar devices from Tile or Chipolo, an AirTag annoyingly lacks a built-in adhesive or key ring hole, but there are various accessories you can buy to address that gap. It's also worth noting that bad actors have used AirTags to track people without their content, though Apple has made at least some strides toward addressing those concerns. If you use the device for its intended purpose, it should be effective.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-airpods-pro-drop-back-to-200-best-tech-deals-this-week-154133672.html?src=rss
Chromebooks are designed to be simple and straightforward, but if you’re new to Chrome OS, it may not be immediately obvious how to do certain things. One potential source of confusion is figuring out how to take a screenshot, since the keyboards built into most Chromebooks contain keys you won’t see on a MacBook or Windows laptop. If you’re stuck, don’t worry: Capturing your screen is still easy on Chrome OS, and there are multiple ways to do it. Let’s break it down.
In most cases, the fastest way to take a screenshot on a Chromebook is to press the Control (Ctrl) and Show Windows keys at the same time. This grabs a shot of your entire screen. The Show Windows key, which is unique to Chromebooks, looks like a rectangle with two lines next to it. It’s often located where the F5 key would be on a Windows PC.
Google
Hitting Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows, meanwhile, opens up the Screen Capture toolbar. This presents a menu with options to capture all of your screen, a specific portion or a single open window. You can also take a video recording of part or all of your screen from here.
Alternatively, you can get to these tools through your Chromebook’s Quick Settings menu. To access this, click the clock in the lower right corner of the taskbar – or “shelf,” in ChromeOS terms – then click the Screen Capture icon that appears in the resulting menu.
Note that some Chromebooks have a dedicated Screenshot key, marked by a little camera icon. If you have that, you can just press that button instead of using the shortcuts mentioned above.
Nathan Ingraham / Engadget
If you’re using an external keyboard without a Show Windows or Screenshot key, you can press Ctrl + F5 to take a full-screen capture, or Ctrl + Shift + F5 to pull up the Screen Capture menu and/or grab a partial screenshot. And if you have a ChromeOS tablet, you can take a screenshot by hitting the power and volume down buttons simultaneously.
Once you take a screenshot or recording, Chrome OS will automatically copy it to your clipboard. You’ll then see it appear in a small window in the bottom corner of the display, from which you can edit or delete the capture. Recent screenshots will appear in a holding area on your taskbar/shelf called the Tote, while all of your captures will go to the Downloads folder in the Files app by default. To change that save location, press Shift + Ctrl + Show Windows, select the Settings gear icon, then choose Select Folder.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-take-a-screenshot-on-a-chromebook-150044417.html?src=rss
Amazon's Echo Show 8 is our pick for the best smart display for Alexa users, and it's now on sale for $75 at various retailers. While we've seen this deal before, it's still about $20 below the 8-inch display's typical street price and $55 off Amazon's list price. For reference, the device's all-time low is $70.
We gave the Echo Show 8 a review score of 87 when it launched a couple of years ago, and we currently recommend it in our guides to the best smart displays and best smart home devices. It generally offers the best blend of price and performance within Amazon's smart display lineup; the Echo Show 5 is a bit too small for general-purpose use, while the Echo Show 10 and its rotating display are much pricier and bulkier. The 8-inch, 1,280 x 800 resolution display here, on the other hand, is sizable enough to make video calls and photo viewing comfortable but not so large that it'll look out of place in a kitchen or bedroom. Its built-in speakers are capable of filling a room, and the whole thing is powerful enough to pull up the weather, control your smart home gear, stream video and do other Alexa tasks without much sluggishness. And while no smart speaker or display is really ideal for those protective of their privacy, the Echo Show 8 has a physical camera shutter and mic mute button for when it's not in use.
Like all Echo devices, the Echo Show 8 will work best if you've already invested in other gadgets that work with Alexa. If you're not in that ecosystem but still want a smart display, the 7-inch Google Nest Hub might be a better buy in this price range, as it integrates better with common Google services like Gmail, Google Calendar and YouTube. (The latter only works through a web browser on the Echo Show.) It lacks a camera for video calls, though that might be a good thing for the more privacy-conscious. Nevertheless, if you'd prefer an Alexa-based smart display, this is a decent deal.
