TP-Link makes a bunch of IoT gadgets that can make your home a bit smarter, and now you can pick up a number of them for less. Amazon has a one-day sale on TP-Link devices that brings many of them down to record-low prices. We particularly like the company's Kasa Smart Light Bulbs, which earned a spot in our best smart lights guide. You fan grab a two pack of those multicolored bulbs for $17, which is a return to their Prime Day price. If you prefer white lights, a four pack of those bulbs is 38 percent off and down to $28.
Both the white and color packs that are on sale are WiFi lights, which means they don't need a central smart home hub to work. You'll simply connect them to your home's WiFi network via the TP-Link companion app, and then you'll be able to control them from your smartphone. The mobile app is pretty easy to use, allowing you to cycle through light colors, set schedules, change dimness settings and even check out usage stats per bulb. These TP-Link lights are also compatible with Amazon's Alexa and the Google Assistant, so you'll be able to control them with voice commands as well.
Smart lights are some of the easiest IoT gadgets to install in your home, but you can also easily make "dumb" things around your home a bit smarter with the right plugs. TP-Link makes a bunch of smart plugs that we've recommended in the past, and a couple of packs have been discounted in this sale. A four pack of the Kasa Mini Smart Plugs is 20 percent off and down to $24, while one of the Kasa Outdoor Smart Dimmer Plugs is 40 percent off and on sale for $18. The former is for indoor use only, but they let you plug in a coffee maker, kettle, lamp or other things and control them via your smartphone. Similarly to the Kasa smart lights, the plug's companion app lets you set schedules and check usage for all of your appliances, and you can use Away Mode to automatically turn things on or off when you're out of the house.
Finally, there are quite a few networking gadgets included in this sale. You can pick up Gigabit Ethernet switches for up to 56 percent off, and a number of routers and mesh systems for less. Key among them is the TP-Link Deco AX3000 mesh WiFi 6 system, which has returned to its Prime Day price of $200. The pack includes three Deco X55 routers that you can place around your home to cover up to 6,500 square feet. You'll be able to connect up to 150 devices wirelessly to your network, and each node has three Ethernet ports, which means you have more options to hardwire devices for even better speeds if you wish.
If you have an aging machine that could use a storage upgrade, or you need a new portable drive before the new semester begins, you can pick up many Crucial gadgets for less at Amazon right now. A slew of Crucial's internal and portable SSDs are up to 29 percent off, and that includes one of our favorites. The Crucial MX500 internal drive in 1TB is 24 percent off and down to $76, which is the best price we've seen. Also discounted are the Crucial P5 Plus SSD in 2TB, which is down to $226, and the X6 portable drive in 1TB, which is 25 percent off and down to $83.
Crucial's MX500 has been a favorite among Engadget staffers for quite some time. It has a standard 2.5-inch form factor, so it'll fit into many machines, and decent sequential read/write speeds of 560/510 MB/s. It also has 256-bit hardware-based encryption and integrated power loss immunity, which should protect your saved work if power gets cut off. The five-year warranty that it comes with is a nice perk as well.
The P5 Plus drive earned a spot on our list of storage options for the PlayStation 5 thanks to its 6,600 MB/s sequential reads and heatsink compatibility. It doesn't come with a heatsink by default, but you do have the option to add one to your order when you're buying from Amazon. The 2TB drive alone is on sale for $226 right now, but you can get it with a heatsink for only about $10 more.
As for external SSDs, Crucial's X6 is a good all-around solution for most people. It supports read speeds of up to 800 MB/s, works with a variety of devices including PC, Android, iOS gadgets and has a lightweight, pocket-friendly design. If you're willing to spend a bit more, you can get a speed upgrade by opting for the Crucial X8 drive, which supports read speeds up to 1,050 MB/s.The 1TB version of that drive will set you back $90 in this sale.
Google has made some solid wireless earbuds over the past couple of years, but the latest Pixel Buds Pro are its best yet. We gave them a score of 87 when we reviewed them last month, and now you can pick the buds up while they're on discount for the first time. Amazon has the Pixel Buds Pro in charcoal and lemongrass for $175, which is $25 off their usual price and a record low. The more affordable Pixel Buds A-Series have also been discounted to $69, which is their lowest price yet.
Essentially, Google made small changes to the earbuds' design and also added a few key features to make them worthy of the "Pro" moniker. The buds themselves are bit more oval shaped than the previous models, helping them fit better into the contours of the ear. They're IPX4-rated, so they'll survive sweaty workouts, and they have onboard controls that let you play/pause, skip tracks, adjust the volume and switch between ANC and transparency mode.
ANC is arguably the biggest new feature on the Pixel Buds Pro, and Google did a pretty good job with it. The buds use a six-core audio chip for active noise cancellation, and a feature called Silent Seal helps block out even more noise and minimize sound leaks. All of those things combine to make solid ANC that blocks out noises like a TV show playing in the same room as you or sounds of people talking nearby. Sound quality is also quite good and Google added a feature called Volume EQ that automatically adjusts tuning when you change the volume, so the highs, miss and lows are more balanced and nuanced at any volume.
The buds' companion app lets you do things like customize touch controls, change sound modes, fine-tune Google Assistant features and check in on the last known location of the earbuds. You can also turn on automatic switching between Android devices in the app, which will come in handy when you use a few devices in tandem. Finally, when it comes to battery life, you'll get roughly 13 hours out of the Pixel Buds Pro when using ANC or up to 20 hours with that feature turned off. Google also added wireless charging capabilities to the buds' carrying case, which is a feature that previous iterations didn't have. So while the Pixel Buds Pro are Google's most expensive wireless earbuds to date, they're also its best sounding, most capable and most versatile buds yet.
Labor Day is rapidly approaching and we're already starting to see more tech deals pop up across the web. Amazon discounted a bunch of its own gadgets this week, including the new Kindle Paperwhite, its Signature Edition and the Kindle Oasis, as well as a bunch of Fire TV Sticks and Fire tablets. A couple of iRobot's more advanced robot vacuums are hundreds of dollars off, and you can still pick up the base iPad for only $299. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.
Kindle Paperwhite
Almost all of Amazon's e-readers have been discounted — the Kindle Paperwhite is down to $110, while the Paperwhite Signature Edition is on sale for $150. The high-end Kindle Oasis has also been discounted to $200. We consider the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition to be the best e-reader available right now, and we gave it a score of 97 for its bigger, more responsive screen, USB-C charging and wireless charging capabilities and its plenty of onboard storage.
Apple's M2-powered MacBook Air in starlight is $100 off and down to $1,099, which is the best price we've seen since launch. We gave the laptop a score of 9 for its thinner design, gorgeous 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display and excellent performance. While we generally think the M2 Air is best for most people, you can also save on the M2-powered,13-inch MacBook Pro by going to B&H Photo. The online retailer has the laptop with a whopping 24GB of RAM for $1,749, which is $150 off its usual price.
Most models of Apple's iPad are on sale at Amazon right now, so you can pick one up for as low as $299. We gave it a score of 86 for its solid performance, excellent battery life and improved Center Stage cameras.
The Apple TV 4K is back in stock at Amazon and on sale for $120. While not quite as cheap as it was on Prime Day last month ($109), this remains one of the best prices we've seen no our favorite high-end set-top box. We gave the device a score of 90 for its fast performance, Dolby Vision and Atmos support, HomeKit integration and much-improved Siri remote.
The Product Red version of the Apple Watch Series 7 (45mm) is on sale for $320 right now. We gave the wearable a score of 90 for its larger screen, faster charging and handy watchOS capabilities. However, if you want the latest from Apple, it may be worth waiting until September when the company historically has announced its latest phones and smartwatches.
iRobot's Roomba j7+ is $200 off and down to $599 right now, while the s9+ has the same discount and is on sale for $799. These are some of our favorite robot vacuums, and they're made even better by these sale prices. The j7+ has advanced obstacle detection that helps it avoid pet poop and other hazards, while the s9+ has the strongest suction power of any Roomba.
Sony's budget-friendly WH-CH710N headphones are on sale for an excellent price of $98. While we have seen them cheaper before, this 35-percent discount is a good one for these ANC cans. We like them for their comfortable design, solid noise cancellation and long battery life.
Most models of Google's Pixel 6 Pro are on sale right now — both the 128GB and 256GB versions are $250 off and down to $649 and $749, respectively. The standard Pixel 6 is also on sale for $499. The Pro is one of our favorites at the moment, and we like it for its striking design, excellent performance and battery life, plus it has some of the best cameras you'll find on any smartphone.
Amazon knocked $15 off its Fire TV Stick 4K Max, bringing it down to $40. A couple of other Fire TV dongles are on sale, too: you can pick up the standard Fire TV Stick for $25 and the Fire TV Stick Lite for only $20. The TV Stick 4K Max is the most capable of the bunch, with support for Dolby Vision, WiFi 6 and more.
Amazon's latest version of the Fire 7 tablet is 25 percent off and down to $45 for the first time since it came out a couple of months ago. It's a decent slab if you want something affordable to use as a couch device, or to give to your kids. If you're looking for something specifically geared towards children, Amazon has a bunch of Fire Kids tablets and Kindle Kids e-readers on sale right now, too.
The Echo Show 15 smart display is $60 off and down to $190, which is only $10 more than its record-low price. We gave it a score of 78 for its beautiful design, large screen and useful widgets. If you only have space for something smaller, you can still pick up the Echo Show 5 for only $40.
Amazon Prime members can save up to 40 percent on Anker charging accessories, including the 521 magnetic battery pack for MagSafe-compatible iPhones, which is $20 off and down to $30. It's a 5,000 mAh portable battery that attaches to the back of the latest iPhones to power them up. Also on sale is Anker's 511 2-in-1 power bank, which is down to $35. That accessory works with more devices since it's an AC charger and portable battery in one.
Samsung's new T7 Shield SSD in 1TB is down to a new record low of $98, which is $62 less than usual. This is the most durable version of Samsung's palm-sized portable drive, featuring a rubberized exterior and enough protection to survive up to 9.8-foot drops. It has sequential read speeds of up to 1,050 MB/s and write speeds of up to 1,000 MB/s, plus Dynamic Thermal Guard and 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard.
The Beats Studio Buds are back on sale for $100, or $50 off their usual rate. These are some of the best Beats earbuds for most people and we gave them a score of 84 for their comfortable design, good sound quality and ANC and fast pairing with both iOS and Android devices.
Sony's LinkBuds S are on sale for $148, which is 26 percent off and a new all-time low. These buds came out earlier this year and support smart playback, which lets them automatically play and pause music depending on what you're doing.
Jabra's Elite 3 earbuds are on sale for $58 right now, which is 28 percent off their normal price.We gave them a score of 88 for their comfortable fit, impressive sound quality and good battery life.
We may be only about one month away from Apple possibly announcing the next generation of its smartwatch, but those who want a new wearable now can pick up the Series 7 for less at Amazon. the online retailer has knocked down the prices of the 41mm and 45mm GPS Product Red versions of the Watch to $290 and $320, respectively. Both models are on sale, but they also both have additional coupons that will be automatically applied at checkout to bring them down to those final sale prices.
Apple has consistently made the Watch better with each iteration, and the Series 7 is no exception. It wasn't a massive departure from the Series 6 that came before it, but the company did make some important improvements. The Series 7 has a larger screen, making it easier to read text and even type out messages on its display. While its design is mostly the same as the previous version, the Series 7 is the first Apple Watch with an IP6X dust resistance rating, making it the most durable version of the Watch to date. Apple also sped up the charging time on this Watch, allowing you to get a 10-percent boost in battery life in only 10 minutes of charging.
Otherwise, Apple brought over all of the excellent features found on the Series 6 to the Series 7. The smartwatch has a built-in GPS, heart rate monitor, ECG tool and blood oxygen monitor, plus features like fall detection and Emergency SOS. Our biggest gripe with it is its lackluster sleep tracking — the Watch focuses on telling you how long you slept and not much else, which is much less data than you'll get from a competing Fitbit or Garmin device. Despite that, we still consider the Apple Watch to be the best smartwatch you can get right now. But if you want the latest and greatest from Apple, you may be better off waiting until the fall when it's very likely the company will announce the next version of the Watch.
We may be only a few months away from the launch of Google's Pixel 7, but those who can't wait for a new smartphone can save a bunch on the Pixel 6 Pro right now. Amazon has the current flagship for $649, which is $250 off its usual rate and the best price we've seen — even cheaper than it was on Prime Day last month. That's what you'll pay for the base, 128GB models, but the 256GB versions are also $250 off, so you can pick one up for as low as $749. The standard Pixel 6 is also on sale for $499.
We like the entire Pixel 6 series, but the Pixel 6 Pro earned a score of 91 from us and earned a spot on our list of best smartphones you can get right now. It's an attractive handset with a striking camera bar on its back, along with a 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED display. It's powered by Google's Tensor Processing Unit, which provides excellent performance while also being efficient — we were able to eke roughly 17 hours of battery life out of this smartphone, so it should easily last all day for most people.
But the Pixel 6 Pro really shines when taking photos. It has a triple rear camera array with a 50-megapixel main sensor, a 12MP wide-angle lens and a 48MP telephoto shooter, and those are in addition to the 11MP, 4K front-facing camera. We consider it to be the best smartphone for photography right now, as it handles all kinds of photos well including large group shots, wide landscapes, close ups, and more. Google's Night Sight also does a fantastic job of producing solid images in low light, and its computational photography features enable things like Magic Eraser, Face Unblur and Long Exposure.
If you're looking for a solid pair of headphones with active noise cancellation that won't break the bank, it's hard to beat Sony's WH-CH710N. They're some of our favorite budget cans thanks to their comfortable fit, good ANC and relatively affordable price tag. While they normally cost $148, you can pick up a pair for only $98 right now at Amazon. That's 35 percent off their usual price and the cheapest we've seen them since Amazon Prime Day last month.
It goes without saying that the WH-CH710N don't have many of the advanced features that the new WH-1000XM5 have, but they still provide a ton of value and, most importantly, won't set you back nearly $400. They're nice-looking headphones that, while not the slickest, have comfortable ear cups and a swivel design. Sony's ANC on these headphones is pretty solid thanks to dual-sensor technology that picks up noises around you and automatically adjusts noise-cancellation levels to accommodate them. They also have an ambient sound mode, so you can activate that when you need to hear what's going on or have a conversation with someone.
The WH-CH710N's battery life is also a big selling point — they'll last up to 35 hours on a single charge, so depending on how much you use them on a daily basis, you'll get a few days of life out of them easily. Plus, they charge via USB-C, so you can use the included cable to power them up or one of the many you probably have laying around already.
The biggest gripe we have with the WH-CH710N is the overall sound quality. They have decent range and good clarity, but they lack the punchy bass that would go a long way to creating fuller sound. But that might not be a dealbreaker for you, especially when you consider all of the other solid features these headphones offer at a great price.
Apple's MacBook Air M2 may not have completely reshaped the PC landscape like the M1 laptop did, but it's arguably the best version of the notebook to date. It earned a score of 96 from us and it would make a solid daily driver for anyone, from college students to working professionals. One of the few downsides is that the M2 laptop is more expensive than its predecessor, but now you can grab one for $100 less than usual from Amazon. The online retailer has the 256GB MacBook Air M2 in starlight for $1,099, which is the best price we've seen since launch.
The latest MacBook Air actually has a slightly different design than previous models. Apple moved away from the wedge shape and made the new laptop uniformly thin, making looking more like the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros. Apple managed to increase the side of the Liquid Retina screen to 13.6 inches by shrinking the surrounding bezels, and while that's only a third of an inch bigger than previous displays, it has a more expansive feel. It also has the relatively new top notch that holds the machine's webcam. On top of that, you're getting improved speakers and a handy MagSafe power adapter in the Air M2's new design. Overall, it feels just updated enough to make a difference in daily use, but not so much that it will feel foreign to Apple diehards.
As for performance, the MacBook Air M2 handled everything we threw at it. The M2 chipset builds upon the stunningly fast foundation that the M1 processor provided last year, so you can expect a roughly 18 percent performance increase. If you spring for the faster GPU version, you'll get a 35 percent faster graphics than in the M1 model.
We found the M2 to be just as fast as the 13-inch MacBook Pro M2, so if you've been looking for a powerful new laptop but would like to keep things as thin and light as possible, you won't be sacrificing much by opting for the Air M2 over the Pro. The Air M2's battery life is even pretty close to that of the 13-inch Pro — the Air lasted about 16.5 hours in our testing, while the Pro lasted just over 17 hours.
If you're looking for a new streaming device for your home, or for your college-aged kid who's heading back to campus soon, a bunch of Amazon's Fire TV sticks are on sale right now. You'll find the best deal on the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, the company's most powerful streaming dongle, which is $15 off and down to $40. That's only $5 more than it was on Prime Day last month. Also $15 off is the Fire TV Stick, which is down to $25, and you can get $10 off the Fire TV Stick Lite and pick it up for only $20.
Aside from the Fire TV Cube set-top box, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the most capable of Amazon's streaming devices. It supports 4K HDR content with Dolby Vision and Atmos, plus WiFi 6 and voice commands using the included Alexa remote. The remote also has a few preset buttons for Netflix, Prime Video and other services, making it easy to access the platforms you use the most. And for those that have compatible security cameras around their home, the Fire TV stick 4K Max also supports live picture-in-picture view, so you can see your video camera's feed right on your TV without pausing what you're watching.
Both the Fire TV Stick and the TV Stick Lite are more basic models that provide streaming essentials at low prices. The standard dongle supports HD content and Dolby Atmos audio, while the Lite version lacks Dolby Atmos capabilities. Also, the standard stick has buttons on its voice remote to control your TV's power and volume, whereas the Lite model does not. We'd recommend springing for the Fire TV Stick since those few extra features go a long way in daily use, but the Fire TV Stick Lite will still be a good choice for those on tight budgets.
If you've been on the lookout for a robot vacuum to help you clean your home, a new sale at Wellbots gives you the chance to pick up some of iRobot's most advanced devices for less. The Roomba j7 and j7+ robo-vacs are both $200 off when you use the code ENGADGET200 at checkout, bringing them down to $399 and $599, respectively. If you want to go all-out, you can also get $200 off the Roomba s9+ using the same code and get it for $799.
Both the j7 series and the s9+ earned spots in our best robot vacuums guide. The j7 models are better for most people because they're cheaper and still have a ton of advanced features. iRobot came out with these models about one year ago and billed them as their first pet poop-detecting robo-vacs. AI-driven computer vision helps these machines navigate around obstacles more efficiently, which means they should be able to avoid any accidents your pets have on your floors. Plus, if they don't avoid the mess, iRobot promises it'll send you a new vacuum to replace your soiled one.
In use, the Roomba j7 cleans both carpeted and hard floors well and it navigates back to its charging base before it runs out of battery. If you go for the j7+, you'll get a clean base as well, which is essentially a garbage can attached to the charging dock into which the robot empties its bin after each job. If you really don't like vacuuming and want to interact with your machine as little as possible, the clean base will come in handy since it can hold up to 60 days worth of debris.
As for the Roomba s9+, it's probably overkill for most people — but it's one of the best robot vacuums available today. It has a sleek design and, since it has 40x the suction power of a standard Roomba, it cleans floors really well and does a good job picking up pet hair. It also returns to its clean base after each job and it'll empty its dustbin automatically. Both it and the j7 series can connect to iRobot's mobile app, allowing you to start cleaning jobs remotely and set schedules and check in on the machine if it gets stuck anywhere in your home. iRobot's app is another major selling point for these devices — it's pretty straight-forward and easy to use, so if it's your first time using a robot vacuum, it won't be too hard to set it up and customize it to your liking.
