When Spotify announced its stripped down Car View mode in 2019, it seemed like a smart way to prevent drivers from being distracted on the road. Whenever you connected to your car over Bluetooth, it would remove extraneous elements like menu buttons and album art. Instead, it gave you large buttons to pause and play music; jump to the previous or next track; or like a specific song. Nifty! But hope you didn't get too attached, as Spotify has confirmed it's "retiring" the feature, according to a recent support thread (via Android Police).
A Spotify moderator, who was replying to a user who noticed the feature had disappeared from his Android app, noted that Spotify is "actively exploring a variety of new ways to deliver the best in-car listening experience." They added that removing car view is necessary to "make way for new innovations." That's reasonable enough, though it doesn't excuse dumping a genuinely useful safety feature without a clear replacement.
The moderator suggested using Google Assistant (or Siri on iOS) to control Spotify hands-free, something that would also work while navigating with Google or Apple Maps. And, to be fair, that's how many people (including myself) end up controlling tunes on the road.
It could be that Spotify is de-prioritizing Car View simply because there are so many other ways to handle music playback in cars. If you've got a modern car with CarPlay or Android Auto support, you'll only be interacting with your in-dash display and will never see Car View in action. Many vehicles made in the last decade also have some sort of media control on their steering wheels.
Billy Steele/Engadget
Of course, there's a more nefarious objective, as some Spotify users mentioned in the forum thread. It could be that the company is trying to push people towards Car Thing, its $80 display accessory. We found it to be a useful upgrade for older cars, but it also seemed superfluous when you could just mount your phone and control Spotify directly. Without Car View mode, though, that strange gadget all of a sudden seems more helpful. In cases like this, though, the simplest explanation usually comes down to companies realizing certain features aren't being used much.
We've reached out to Spotify for a full explanation about Car View's retirement, and will update when we hear back.
LG has appointed a new CEO to lead its electronics business. Starting December 1st, current Chief Strategy Officer William Cho will take over for Bong-seok Kwon as the CEO of LG Electronics. Meanwhile, according to The Korea Herald, Kwon will head up LG’s main holding company. Cho has been with LG Electronics since 1987. Prior to his most recent role, he served as the president of LG Canada, and later had the same role at LG Australia and LG USA.
Cho is about to take the reins of LG Electronics at an inflection point for the company. It recently shut down its mobile division in July after the unit failed to make a profit in 23 consecutive quarters. At this point, LG Electronics is probably best known for its TVs and monitors, but there too it faces tough competition from Samsung and a variety of Chinese competitors.
However, Cho will have help from a handful of executives the company has shuffled into new positions. Most notably, there’s Ik-hwan Jang who’s about to take up the top position at the company’s Business Solutions unit. Jang was most recently responsible for overseeing LG’s IT business portfolio where he helped LG become a powerhouse in the monitor space.
When you’re a gamer, you’ve always got an eye out for good deals on your favorite titles. For hardware and accessories it’s a bit trickier though — they don’t go on sale as often, and it’s hard to tell what will serve your needs best. However, we’ve found a few intriguing picks worth checking out this Black Friday, either because you’re in the market to upgrade your battle station, or you just want to try something new but not spend a lot of money while doing so.
8Bitdo Sn30 Pro+
8Bitdo has a reputation for making comfortable, affordable game controllers, and we thought the Sn30 Pro+ was its best yet for the Nintendo Switch when it first came out. The wireless accessory has a design based on the iconic SNES controller with a plethora of buttons and handles that rival the comfort provided by Nintendo's own Switch Pro controller. On top of that, it comes with a removable battery pack and it supports AA batteries as well. Today only, you can pick up the Sn30 Pro+ for only $40, or 20 percent off its normal price and a new record-low.
The Razer Blade is one of our favorite gaming laptops thanks to its slick design, array of customization options and strong performance. Today only, you can grab the 2020 Razer Blade 15 Advanced for $1,400, or $1,200 off its normal price. This model has a Core i7 processor, RTX 2070 Super Max-Q graphics, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage and a 1080p 300Hz display.
60 percent keyboards are all the rage now, and the Huntsman Mini is one of the best. That’s all thanks to features like its super quick opto-mechanical keys, braided USB-C cord and brilliant RGB lighting. It’s great for people who don’t have a lot of space at their workstation, as well as anyone else who’d like to slim down their gaming space. Right now you can add this to your desk for only $80, so it won’t take up a lot of your space or money.
I wasn’t entirely sold on haptics at first, but the HS60 won me over. The vibration actually ended up being a big boon during the stress of the last year, and the large, comfortable cups meant I never needed to take it off. The only real drawback was that this is a wired set of cans — but for $90 it’s still a steal for a high-quality gaming headset.
If you or someone who know wants to break into the game-streaming world, Elgato's Streamdeck is one of those gadgets that can make it much easier to do so. It's a small desktop controller with 15 LCD keys that you can customize to manage programs like OBS, Twitch and others. It makes multitasking while on stream much easier and it'll make your entire setup feel more professional, too. The Streamdeck is on sale right now for $100, or $50 off its normal price.
Having a good microphone is essential if you're going to live stream, and Blue's Yeti is one of the best values out there. It's a USB mic, so you can simply plug it into your setup and start using it. It also has a special setting that's ideal for streaming. The mic's on sale for $90, or only a couple dollars shy of its all-time low, and the Blue Yeti Nano is also on sale for $80.
The controller that comes with your Xbox is pretty good, but sometimes you might need a little more features from your gamepad. The Wolverine Ultimate may be wired, but it also has interchangeable thumbtacks and d-pads, so you can actually tweak the controller’s layout according to the games you play and your own personal preferences. If you’re serious about your gaming it’s a good investment, made even easier by a price drop to $100.
Touchscreens are fine for casual games, but when you’re tackling something a little more hardcore like Fortnite the Kishi is just the thing you need. It adds d-pads and shoulder buttons to your gaming experience, and folds up nicely when not in use. Since it connects to your device directly via Lightning port or USB-C and not via Bluetooth you don’t have to worry about keeping it charged, though you do need to make sure you buy the right one for your device. Right now it’s an affordable $45, a 44 percent discount, while a bunch of other Razer peripherals are on sale, too.
The high price of many headsets plus the need for a computer that can run the programs has kept VR out of a lot of people’s reach. The all-in-one Oculus Quest 2 only needs a phone to set up an account with, and can give you plenty of excellent VR experiences for only $299. This week it becomes a whole lot more tempting with the addition of a $50 gift card from Amazon, Best Buy and Target, which can be used toward any product you want, though we’d recommend the Oculus Link cable so you can connect your headset to a computer.
Google’s Stadia service has seen a lot of upsand downs since its launch, but it still has a lot of promise. Right now you can grab yourself a Stadia Premiere Edition for only $22 over at the Google Store. The first month of the service is free so it’s not a lot of cash to drop to try it out, and even if you decide it’s not your cup of tea you’re still the proud owner of a Chromecast Ultra (normally $20 on its own), as well as a comfortable gamepad that can be used for PC games as well.
If you like to play online multiplayer on your PS4 or PS5, a PlayStation Plus is non-negotiable, but even if you’d rather go solo a subscription can be a big bonus. You get cloud backup for your saves, discounts on games from the PlayStation store, built-in game assistance for select PS5 games. But the best part of all has to be the roster of free games doled out monthly — November has Knockout City, Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning and First Class Trouble, while previous months have seen AAA titles like Final Fantasy VII Remake and Mortal Kombat X. Usually a yearly subscription is $60, but right now you can sign up (or extend an existing plan) for only $40.
Toys that blend the real and virtual worlds are a dime a dozen lately, but this take on the legendary Mario Kart series is one that even adults can enjoy. You can build your own courses at home, and race against virtual opponents on the Switch. The normally high price point of $100 for a single cart has kept this out of a lot of gamers’ hands, but right now it’s a much friendlier $60 — so all you need to worry about having room for building your dream track.
If you want to feel a bit better about the amount of time you spend gaming, consider adding the Ring Fit Adventure to your repertoire. The game has you exercising in order to progress through the story while the Switch's Joy-Cons, attached to the provided leg straps and ring, track your movements. You might be surprised by how quickly you break a sweat while fighting fantasy creatures and exploring the game's world. The ring Fit Adventure sold out numerous times over the past year or so — likely thanks to many trying to make working out at home more fun — and it's an even better buy at this $54 sale price.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Black Friday typically presents lots of opportunities to smarten up your abode, with everything from connected bulbs to robot vacuums undergoing deep discounts for the holidays. We’ve already seen a few of these items go on sale as part of early Black Friday efforts, and we’ll definitely see more today and over the weekend. These devices include not just the aforementioned bulbs and robot vacuums but also sous vide machines, Instant Pots, Nest Hubs and more. To prevent you from sifting through all these sales yourself, we’ve done the hard work for you. Here are some of the best ones we’ve seen so far.
iRobot Roomba 694
iRobot
One of our favorite robot vacuums, the iRobot Roomba 694, is now $95 off, which brings its price down to $180. It does a great job cleaning both hard and carpeted surfaces, plus the app is easy to use. It has a three-stage cleaning system plus dirt detect sensors that will prompt it to clean high-traffic spots of your home more thoroughly. It navigates obstacles really well too. It’ll even suggest an extra clean during high pollen or pet shedding season. The Roomba 694 is compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa as well.
If you don’t mind spending more money, iRobot’s higher-end Roomba i3+ is on sale for $300 (down from $400). It’s a little more intelligent with personalized cleaning suggestions and it automatically recharges itself too. You can also get the i3+ with an automatic dirt disposal unit, where it’ll empty itself out so you don’t have to.
The Shark AV2501 AI robot vacuum with the extra-large HEPA self-empty base is usually $650, but is now at an all-time low price of $450. Not only does it empty itself, but the base actually has a 60-day capacity. That means you can go two whole months before having to take it out. On top of that, the true HEPA filtration captures 99.97 percent of dust and allergens, it has LIDAR technology to accurately map out your home, and you can set up schedules, on-demand cleaning, UltraClean Mode and more via the app, Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.
iRobot's latest vacuum, the Roomba j7+, has dropped to $649 at Wellbots when you use the code ENGADGET200 at checkout for $200 off. This is one of the higher-end robo-vacs the company makes and it has new AI-driven computer vision technology that can detect objects and move around them as it cleans. That means it'll better avoid things like chairs and table legs, as well as unexpected obstacles like pet poop. It also comes with a clean base into which the robot will empty debris at the end of every cleaning job.
Black Friday is usually a great time for those looking to score a great deal on an Instant Pot, and this year is no different. Currently, the six-quart Instant Pot Duo Plus is half off, bringing it from $120 to just $60. It’s one we think works great for most people due to its simple design plus it has plenty of features. Not only is it an excellent pressure cooker, you can also use it for slow cooking, sautéing, cooking rice, making yogurt, steaming, sous vide cooking and sterilizing.
Other models are on sale too. The six-quart Duo Crisp is now $100 ($50 off) while the six-quart Pro is $80 ($50 off) and the eight-quart Pro Crisp is $170 ($80 off). The Duo Crisp has many of the same features as the Duo Plus, except it has an additional crisping lid that adds additional features such as broiling, dehydrating and air frying. The Pro adds a few extra features for advanced users, such as five programmable buttons for your own recipes, while the Pro Crisp has an additional air fryer lid.
Another pressure cooker on sale is the Ninja Foodi Deluxe XL. The price has dropped from $250 to just $140, which is a 44 percent discount. The Ninja Foodi Deluxe XL has an 8 quart capacity plus a crisping air-frying technology built right in, so there’s no need to buy two separate appliances. It has 12 different functions: pressure cook, air fry, steam, slow cook, yogurt maker, sear, bake, roast, broil, dehydrate, sous vide and keep warm.
August has dropped the price of its WiFi smart lock to $170. If you’d rather upgrade your deadbolt entirely however, then August’s WiFi Smart Lock is the better option. It’s down from $230 to just $180. It easily installs on any door and you can grant access to friends and family using the app. It has built-in WiFi so you don’t need an external WiFi hub, and it’ll work seamlessly with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit. Features like Auto-Unlock and DoorSense bring peace of mind, instantly opening the door when you’re nearby and alerting you when it’s locked safely behind you. We praised it in our review for its ease-of-use and security features.
CYNC’s full color direct connect smart bulbs are discounted for Black Friday: the 4-pack is down from $45 to $35, while the 2-pack is down from $24 to just $17. These light bulbs are great because all you need to do is screw them in and connect them directly to GE's app; there’s no need for a separate WiFi hub. They can change to all kinds of different colors plus different color temperatures as well. The app lets you schedule the lights for certain times of day, and you can also use either Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to control your lights.
Philips Hue White & Color Ambiance A19 LED smart lights
Philips
Philips’ Hue White & Color Ambiance A19 LED Starter Kit is down from $190 to $140 for Black Friday. This kit comes with three bulbs, a Hue Bridge to connect them to, plus an included dimmer switch just in case you prefer not to use your phone to control the lights. You can sync them with your movie, music or game for a custom mood lighting. The app also lets you schedule wake and sleep routines with the lights. Plus, you can control them with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or Apple HomeKit.
Philips is also selling a Bluetooth version of the A19 in a 3-pack for $100 (down from $135). They have the same color profiles and dimming capabilities, and you can connect them to your phone via Bluetooth for instant light control in one room. If you want the full set of smart lighting features however, you’ll still want the Hue bridge mentioned above. If you're more interested in Hue light strips, a starter pack that includes the Hue bridge is 55 percent off and down to $50.
Google’s Nest Hub Max was originally priced at $230 but is now $180. The Nest Hub Max is basically Google Assistant housed inside a 10-inch display. It works as a digital photo frame and you can also use it to watch YouTube videos and step-by-step cooking instructions. There’s a built-in camera which can be used for facial recognition so that each family member can access their own notes and calendar. You can also use it for video calls via Google Duo, Meet or Zoom. It’s especially useful if you have Nest devices in the house, as you can use it to check out Nest cams and control various other smart home products.
If you’d rather have a smart display without a camera, then consider Google’s 2nd-gen Nest Hub. It is also deeply discounted for Black Friday, with a 50 percent discount that drops it from $100 to $50. It has all of the features of the Nest Hub Max but without the camera, which makes it more suitable for more intimate settings like the bedroom. In fact, the 2nd-gen Nest Hub even has a sleep sensor, which you can use to figure out your sleeping patterns.
Google’s Nest Audio is the company’s best smart speaker to-date, and it’s currently down from $100 to just $60. The Nest Audio is attractive, minimalist and best of all, it has really great audio quality. The sound is even better if you have two paired in stereo mode, and since the Nest Audio is so affordable right now, you could afford to get two for not much more than the original price. Like other Google Assistant speakers, the Nest Audio lets you set reminders, ask various questions and control your smart home.
If you don’t care that much about audio quality and size is important to you, Google’s second-generation Nest Mini is on sale now too. Down from $50, it’s 50 percent off at just $25. The tiny hockey-puck like speaker might not sound as good as the Nest Audio but the audio is actually decent for its size. Of course, the main reason to get it is for Google Assistant, which will answer all your queries, let you set reminders and calendar appointments, and control your smart home too.
Say goodbye to WiFi dead zones with this Google Nest WiFi router 3-pack, which is currently on sale for just $249 (originally $349). This bundle includes one mesh router along with two access points, which is ideal for those with mid- to large-sized homes. Not only does it have a simple installation process, but each access point comes with a built-in smart speaker. This means that you don’t need to purchase an additional smart speaker if you don’t want to; each will have Google Assistant’s smarts baked right in. Plus, the mesh WiFi network will improve your home internet considerably, making it faster and more reliable.
Google’s outdoor Nest Cam Battery is down from $180 to $150, for a total savings of $30. This security camera is meant to be used outdoors due to its weather resistance, though you can use it indoors too if you like. As its name suggests, it’s entirely battery-powered so it doesn’t need to be hardwired into your house. You can have back-and-forth conversations with whoever’s on the other end of the camera and if you have a Nest Aware subscription, you’ll get 24/7 live view recording as well. It’ll even notify you if it sees a person, animal, or vehicle.
Google’s top-of-the-line smart thermostat is down from $250 to just $180 for Black Friday. As its name suggests, the Nest Learning Smart Thermostat will learn your home system over time. From there, it’ll change the temperature to make your home more energy efficient. So if you’re usually out of the house between 9AM and 5PM for example, it’ll automatically turn down the thermostat during those times without you having to prompt it. Plus, the Nest Learning Smart Thermostat looks quite sleek as well due to its metal trim.
The more affordable smart thermostat from Google is also on sale right now. The Nest Smart Thermostat has dropped from $130 to just $100 for Black Friday. You can get it in a few different colors — Snow, Charcoal, Fog and Sand. It’s slimmer than the higher-end Nest Thermostat, and it has a touch-sensitive edge and a mirrored display that looks great on the wall. It also has plenty of smarts, with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa controls, plus an Eco mode that’ll keep your home at a specified temperature when you’re out of the house.
The Echo Show 8 smart display is on sale for $90, or $40 off its normal rate. It earned a score of 87 from us for its attractive design, stellar audio quality and improved camera for video calls. This smart display has arguably the best sized display for anywhere in the home — its 8-inch screen could work well on nightstand, a kitchen counter, an entry table and many other places. Both the first- and second-gen Show 8s have discounted bundles that include a Blink Mini camera for only $5 extra, too.
If you prefer something a bit smaller, the Echo Show 5 has dropped to $45, or $40 off its normal price. This is the best Echo smart display if you want one as a smart alarm clock. We like its ambient light sensor, smart home controls and tap-to-snooze feature.
Amazon's Echo smart speaker is on sale for $60 right now. We gave it a score of 89 for its solid audio quality, attractive design and inclusion of a 3.5mm audio jack. Out of the popular $100 smart speakers, we think the Echo has the best audio quality of them all, and you'll only enhance the experience if you have two of them playing together in stereo mode.
For those more concerned about space than audio quality, the tiny Echo Dot has dropped to $30, and you can grab the Echo Dot with Clock for only $35. These are much better suited for small spaces like a home office or a nightstand. We gave the Dot a score of 88 for its good audio quality for the price, compact design and tap-to-snooze feature.
The Blink Indoor and Outdoor one-camera kits are on sale for $50 and $60, respectively. These cams are totally wireless, so you can place them almost anywhere. They supports 1080p recording, motion alerts, two-way audio and temperature monitoring, too. If you want something even more compact and don't mind dealing with a wire, the Blink Mini is also on sale for only $20.
Lenovo’s Smart Clock is a few years old now, which is probably why it’s so deeply discounted; it’s down from $80 to just $35. It’s still a really solid alarm clock with plenty of Google Assistant smarts. You can use it to check the weather, stream your favorite tunes and control your smart home too. You can use it to check out compatible Nest cams around the house. It also has plenty of clock features such as different clock faces and the ability to set custom schedules, alarms and timers. You can also just yell “Stop” to shut off the alarm in the morning. There’s a USB port in the back that you can use to charge your mobile devices too.
Alternatively, you can get the newer Lenovo Smart Clock 2, which has dropped from $90 to $70 for Black Friday. It has essentially the same features as its predecessor, but it now has a wireless charging dock attached. That means you can charge a couple of devices at the same time; one on the Qi charging pad and one via a USB cable.
For something a little more basic, the Lenovo Smart Clock Essential is down from $50 to $30. It’s a much simpler version of the two other Lenovo Smart Clocks. Instead of an LCD display, all it shows are big LED numbers. But it still has built-in Google Assistant and it has a nightlight as well.
Facebook’s Portal has dropped from $180 to just $80, making it a really good deal. The Portal is a smart display that’s mostly focused on video calls. It has a smart camera tech that can actually pan and zoom to keep you in frame as you move around the room. Plus, it supports a wide array of video call platforms including Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Zoom, Webex and GoToMeeting. It has a lot of video call features as well such as AR effects, fun backgrounds, storytime animations and more. Built-in Alexa also gives it smart home controls and step-by-step cooking instructions as well.
Other Facebook Portal devices are on sale as well. The Portal+ is down from $350 to $300 while the Portal Go has dropped from $200 to $150. The Portal+ has the largest screen at around 14 inches, making it more suitable for larger spaces like a living room or a big kitchen. The Portal Go, on the other hand, is meant to be portable and carried from room to room; it even has a handle on the back.
The TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini has dropped from $18 to $13. It’s one of our favorite smart plugs due to its ease of use. It can turn any electronic item into a smart one, be it a simple lamp or a humidifier. When plugged into the Kasa, the devices can be controlled easily using the app. You can turn them on and off, create schedules and set timers using the app. If you want to use voice command, it works with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant as well.
Arlo’s Pro 4 Spotlight Camera Security Bundle is down from $600 to $400 for Black Friday. It includes three wire-free cameras, all of which can be used either indoors or outdoors. They can capture 2K HDR footage in color night vision. There’s also a built-in spot light, two-way audio so you can communicate with anyone on the other side of the camera, plus a smart siren that can be triggered automatically or remotely. They’re battery-powered so you don’t need to hard-wire them in too, which is great. The Arlo Pro 4 cameras are compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant plus the IFTTT protocol.
Netgear has a few items on sale for Black Friday this year. One is its Orbi AX4200 Tri-Band Mesh WiFi System, which is down from $750 to $650. The company says it’ll cover up to 7,500 square feet with reliable WiFi. This bundle comes with three different Orbi units along with a built-in cable modem. It’s compatible with WiFi 6 and Netgear promises speeds of up to 4.2Gbps over 40 devices. The company is also offering the system in a pack with one router and three satellites for $550 (down from $650), which will cover up to 10,000 square feet instead.
The Eero 6 dual-band mesh WiFi system is down to $77, or 40 percent off its normal price. One node can cover up to 1,500 square feet and it supports WiFi 6. The Eero Pro 6 is also on sale and it's a bit more advanced than the standard 6: it's a tri-band system that supports WiFi 6 and covers up to 2,000 square feet with just one node.
The Breville Joule is one of our favorite sous vide cookers and its price has dropped by 20 percent; the white version is now $160 while the stainless steel option is $200. Sous vide cookers are wonderful because they’re able to cook foods at precise temperatures. This way you can get perfectly done meats every time, no guesswork required. The Joule is particularly impressive because it’s small, sleek and it fits perfectly inside the kitchen drawer. It works with WiFi and Bluetooth, and you can use the app to control the temperature from anywhere in the home.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Your friends and family may not have microSD cards and portable hard drives on their wish lists, but they are some of the most useful gadgets you can give someone. With so much of our lives stored on our devices, anyone could use a little more digital space for photos, documents, games and more. Black Friday has brought a ton of sales on storage devices, knocking hundreds off some of the most expensive models and bringing even the most budget-friendly accessories down to dirt-cheap prices. We gathered the best deals we could find here so you don't have to go searching for them.
Crucial MX500
One of our favorite SSDs, the Crucial MX500, is on sale for $85, or just a few dollars more than its record-low price. It’s a standard 2.5-inch drive that works with both laptops and desktops, making it a good option if you need more space or just want to upgrade from a slow HDD. It also has AES-256 bit hardware encryption and integrated power loss immunity.
Samsung’s EVO Select microSDXC card in 128GB is down to $16, or 20 percent off its normal price. This is the latest model and while you can find microSD cards for less, EVO is a reliable brand and you're getting a full-sized adapter with this one.
Patriot's Viper VP4300 internal SSD in 2TB is 14 percent off right now, knocking it down to $370. This is our favorite SSD for the PS5 thanks to its sequential read speeds of 7,400MB/s and preinstalled heatsink.
The Samsung T7 SSD in 1TB is down to a record low of $110, which is 35 percent off and the best price we've seen. You can also get the 1TB T7 Touch with a built-in fingerprint reader for 21 percent off, or $150. It has reads speeds up to 1,050 MB/s and write speeds up to 1,000 MB/s, plus it has a shock-resistant unibody and support for Dynamic Thermal Guard to control heat levels.
Samsung's 980 Pro is one of the best internal SSDs you can get right now and it's on sale for $170. It has sequential read speeds up to 7,000MB/s and it'll work with the PS5 as long as you have a heatsink attached.
SanDisk’s tough and tiny Extreme portable SSD in 1TB is half off for Black Friday, bringing it down to $120. This model remains a bit more expensive than others, but you’re paying for added physical protections. Not only is it small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, but it’s also IP55 water- and dust-resistant and it can withstand drops from up to two meters. It also has password protection and 256‐bit AES hardware encryption.
PNY's XLR8 CS3040 SSD in 1TB is 31 percent off, bringing it down to a record low of $125. It has sequential read speeds up to 5,600MB/s, and while it's compatible with the PS5, you will need to add your own cooling solution.
Sabrent's Rocket 4 Plus internal SSD has dropped to $160. In addition to already being more affordable than many competitors, it provides read speeds up to 7,000 MB/s and write speeds up to 5,300 MB/s when connected to a PCIe Gen4 motherboard.
Crucial’s P5 NAND NVMe SSD in 1TB is on sale for $145 right now, or 19 percent off its regular rate. This drive can reach sequential read speeds of up to 3,400MB/s and its M.2 format makes it a good option for both desktop and laptop users.
The Crucial X6 portable drive in 1TB is on sale for $80, or 38 percent off its normal price. We like it for its fast 540 MB/s read speeds, durable design that's shock, drop, vibration and temperature resistant and its compatibility with a wide range of devices — including the PS5.
Lexar's Professional SD cards are on sale for $60 for a 64GB card and $100 for a 128GB card. These are good options for photographers and videographers and most capacities have been discounted right now, so you should be able to find precisely the right model you need.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
It's officially Black Friday and that means if you didn't snatch up any of the early deals that came and went earlier this month, now's the time to shop. Despite kicking off the holiday season (unbearably) early this year with a deluge of deals, retailers are still have some compelling Black Friday sales today. However, just like most years, not every deal is worth your money — especially when it comes to gadgets and electronics. We've sifted through all of the Black Friday tech deals we could find to come up with a list of only the best ones that you should consider this year. Here are the best tech deals we could find for Black Friday.
Sony WH-1000XM4
Billy Steele / Engadget
Our favorite pair of Sony headphones, the WH-1000XM4, are down to $248 right now, which is just about $100 off their regular price. We gave these cans a score of 94 for their powerful ANC, immersive sound quality and multi-device connectivity.
The updated AirPods Pro with the MagSafe case are on sale for $159 at Walmart and $169 at Amazon. If you're a Sam's Club member, you can grab the Pros for $150 with $70 of Scan & Go Savings starting today. These offer the best sound quality and fit of any of Apple's earbuds, and now they have a magnetic wireless charging case that's compatible with MagSafe accessories.
The Apple Watch SE has been knocked down to $219, or about $60 off its normal price. This is the best Watch for wearable newbies as well as those with tight budgets. We gave it a score of 88 for its responsive performance, comfortable design and solid feature set for the price.
Bose's new QuietComfort 45 headphones remain on sale for $279 right now, or $50 off their normal price. We gave them a score of 86 for their clear, balanced audio, improved ANC and long battery life.
Sony's excellent WF-1000XM4 earbuds are down to $248. We gave them a score of 86 for their great sound quality, powerful ANC and improved battery life.
The Roomba 694 is $95 off for Black Friday, bringing it down to $179. This model came out earlier this year and works well on both hard and carpeted floors, supports WiFi connectivity for Alexa and Google Assistant commands and can be controlled via the iRobot mobile app.
Samsung’s EVO Select microSDXC card in 128GB is down to $16, or 20 percent off its normal price. This is the latest model and while you can find microSD cards for less, EVO is a reliable brand and you're getting a full-sized adapter with this one.
Elgato's Streamdeck is on sale right now for $100, or $50 off its normal price. If you or someone who know wants to break into the game-streaming world, the Streamdeck is one of those gadgets that can make it much easier to do so. It's a small desktop controller with 15 LCD keys that you can customize to manage programs like OBS, Twitch and others. It makes multitasking while on stream much easier and it'll make your entire setup feel more professional, too.
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 smartphone is on sale for $850 right now, and you can get a free pair of Galaxy Buds 2 when you buy. This was the most impressive Samsung foldable to come out this year and we gave it a score of 82 for its striking, flexible screen, attractive build and water-resistant design.
OnePlus' latest flagship, the 9 Pro, has dropped to $799 for Black Friday, which is a whopping $270 off its normal price. The OnePlus 9 is also on sale for $599, or $130 off its normal price. We gave the Pro a score of 88 for its fantastic display, stellar performance and improved camera setup.
Amazon's standard Kindle has been discounted to $50, which is its best price yet. We gave this e-reader a score of 91 for its improved contrast display, extra front lights and sleeker design.
Sony's affordable WH-CH710N wireless headphones are even cheaper right now at $78. We like these cans for their deep, punchy bass, solid ANC and 35-hour battery life.
The six-quart Instant Pot Duo Plus is down to $60 for Black Friday, which is half off its normal price. This model supports pressure cook, warm, sauté, rice cook, sous vide and more modes, and its mid-size capacity makes it good for preparing food for many people.
Google's Nest Audio is down to $60, or $40 off its normal price. This is one of the best smart speakers you can get, especially if you already use the Google Assistant. We gave it a score of 87 for its solid audio quality, attractive design and good performance.
Amazon's Echo smart speaker is on sale for $60 right now. We gave it a score of 89 for its solid audio quality, attractive design and inclusion of a 3.5mm audio jack.
Both the Galaxy S7 and S7+ tablets have been discounted for Black Friday, down to $499 and $699, respectively. Either would be good options for Android lovers looking for a new tablet — we were impressed by their beautiful build, vibrant 120Hz displays, long battery lives and S Pen support.
The Beats Studio Buds have been discounted to $100. These are some of the best Beats buds for most people and we gave them a score of 84 for their balanced sound, hands-free Siri controls and quick pairing with both iOS and Android.
Jabra's Elite 85t earbuds are on sale for $150, which is $80 off its normal price. These earbuds impressed us with their strong ANC, comfortable size and wireless charging case.
You can pick up the Fitbit Charge 5 for $130, or $50 less than usual. This is Fitbit's most comprehensive fitness band and it earned a score of 82 from us for its full-color touchscreen, built-in GPS, onboard EDA sensors for stress tracking and multi-day battery life.
The Chromecast with Google TV has dropped to $40, which is $10 cheaper than usual. We gave the device a score of 86 for its 4K HDR streaming capabilities, Dolby Vision and Atmos support plus its much needed and very handy new remote.
The Roku Streambar is down to $80 right now, or $50 off its normal price. It's a compact soundbar that will upgrade any living room relying on an old TV with weak audio. We gave it a score of 86 for its solid audio quality, Dolby Audio support and built-in 4K streaming technology.
NVIDIA's Shield TV has dropped to $129, or $20 cheaper than usual. This is one of the more powerful streaming devices available today thanks to its Tegra X1+ processor, support for Dolby Vision HDR, Dolby Atmos, Chromecast 4K and AI-powered 4K upscaling.
The Samsung T7 SSD in 1TB is down to a record low of $110, which is 35 percent off and the best price we've seen. You can also get the 1TB T7 Touch with a built-in fingerprint reader for 21 percent off, or $150. It has reads speeds up to 1,050 MB/s and write speeds up to 1,000 MB/s, plus it has a shock-resistant unibody and support for Dynamic Thermal Guard to control heat levels.
The compact Crucial MX500 internal drive in 1TB is down to $85, which is just a couple of dollars shy of its all-time-low price. We like its sequential read speeds of up to 560 MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 510 MB/s, along with its standard 2.5-inch design and integrated power loss immunity feature.
Sony's X950H LED smart TV is on sale for $800, which is 33 percent off. While not an OLED set, this TV has local dimming LED backlighting along with the Android TV operating system, Google Assistant and Alexa support, Game Mode and AirPlay 2 and HomeKit compatibility.
Vizio's 55-inch H1 OLED TV is $300 off right now, bringing it down to $1,000. This is a solid price for a mid-sized OLED set that supports Dolby Vision HDR, Vizio's IQ Ultra processor, 120Hz gaming with VRR and built-in AirPlay and Chromecast technology.
A three-pack of Philips Hue White and Color smart lights is on sale for $100, or about $30 off its normal price. While not a record low, it's a good sale price on smart bulbs that rarely see deep discounts. These can be controlled via the Philips Hue app and almost any voice assistant including Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri, and they support thousands of colors as well as 50,000 shares of warm and cool white light.
First-time subscribers to Adobe CC can get the All Apps plan for 40 percent off right now, bringing the monthly charge down to $30. If you're a student, it's even cheaper — just $16 per month for first-time customers. These programs are considered standard in most creative fields, so it's worth grabbing this deal if you know you'll be using things like Photoshop or Illustrator in the future.
The meditation app Headspace is down to $5 per month for new and returning customers for Black Friday. That's 60 percent off the normal price, and those who want to pay for a year upfront will get 50 percent off and pay only $35 for the year. Headspace has a bunch of guided meditation sessions along with sleep stories, calming ambient music, guided yoga sessions for stress management and more.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Following a warning letter from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Owlet has stopped selling its popular Smart Sock family in the US. On October 5th, the agency contacted Owlet to tell the company it was selling the wearables “without marketing approval, clearance or authorization.”
In a response spotted by Deseret News, Owlet says it’s complying with the FDA’s request. It has stopped selling the socks while it seeks clearance from the FDA. The company says it will offer a “new sleep monitoring solution” in the near future.
“With over one million babies monitored, we are extremely proud of the innovation and technology Owlet has delivered,” the company said. “We will continue to stay focused on our mission and cooperate with the FDA so we can continue to provide sleep monitoring products and solutions to parents and babies.”
If you own the Smart Sock 3 or one of its predecessors, Owlet notes the FDA didn’t identify any safety with the wearables. It also hasn’t asked the company to issue a recall. Owlet says it will continue to support those products while it works on a new device.
While we've had weeks of early Black Friday deals already, Thanksgiving has brought additional sales, some of which we expect to continue through Black Friday proper. This has been a trend for the past few years — if you happen to be online and searching for Black Friday deals a few hours before the day arrives, you can expect at least a handful of solid early sales. And that strategy may pay off this year even more than others as supply chain issues continue to push back shipping estimates. The sooner you grab the items on your gift list, the better the chance they'll arrive on time. To make your search a bit easier, we gathered the best early Black Friday tech deals we could find here.
Sony WH-1000XM4
Billy Steele / Engadget
Our favorite pair of Sony headphones, the WH-1000XM4, are down to $248 right now, which is just about $100 off their regular price. We gave these cans a score of 94 for their powerful ANC, immersive sound quality and multi-device connectivity.
The updated AirPods Pro with the MagSafe case are on sale for $159 at Amazon and Walmart right now. If you're a Sam's Club member, you can grab the Pros for $150 with $70 of Scan & Go Savings beginning on Black Friday. These offer the best sound quality and fit of any of Apple's earbuds, and now they have a magnetic wireless charging case that's compatible with MagSafe accessories.
The Apple Watch SE has been knocked down to $219, or about $60 off its normal price. This is the best Watch for wearable newbies as well as those with tight budgets. We gave it a score of 88 for its responsive performance, comfortable design and solid feature set for the price.
Amazon's latest 24-hour sale knocks up to 25 percent off drives from Western Digital as well as up to 30 percent off microSD cards, thumb drives and more from SanDisk, Lexar, PNY and others. Some of the highlights include the the SanDisk Extreme portable drive in 2TB, which is 60 percent off and down to $185, Lexar's 1TB Play microSD card, which is down to a record low of $128 and a 64GB Lexar Professional 2000x SD card, which is on sale for $60.
Bose's new QuietComfort 45 headphones remain on sale for $279 right now, or $50 off their normal price. We gave them a score of 86 for their clear, balanced audio, improved ANC and long battery life.
Sony's excellent WF-1000XM4 earbuds are down to $248. We gave them a score of 86 for their great sound quality, powerful ANC and improved battery life.
The Roomba 694 is $95 off for Black Friday, bringing it down to $179. This model came out earlier this year and works well on both hard and carpeted floors, supports WiFi connectivity for Alexa and Google Assistant commands and can be controlled via the iRobot mobile app.
Samsung’s EVO Select microSDXC card in 128GB is down to $16, or 20 percent off its normal price. This is the latest model and while you can find microSD cards for less, EVO is a reliable brand and you're getting a full-sized adapter with this one.
Elgato's Streamdeck is on sale right now for $100, or $50 off its normal price. If you or someone who know wants to break into the game-streaming world, the Streamdeck is one of those gadgets that can make it much easier to do so. It's a small desktop controller with 15 LCD keys that you can customize to manage programs like OBS, Twitch and others. It makes multitasking while on stream much easier and it'll make your entire setup feel more professional, too.
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 smartphone is on sale for $850 right now, and you can get a free pair of Galaxy Buds 2 when you buy. This was the most impressive Samsung foldable to come out this year and we gave it a score of 82 for its striking, flexible screen, attractive build and water-resistant design.
OnePlus' latest flagship, the 9 Pro, has dropped to $799 for Black Friday, which is a whopping $270 off its normal price. The OnePlus 9 is also on sale for $599, or $130 off its normal price. We gave the Pro a score of 88 for its fantastic display, stellar performance and improved camera setup.
Amazon's standard Kindle has been discounted to $50, which is its best price yet. We gave this e-reader a score of 91 for its improved contrast display, extra front lights and sleeker design. If you buy two Kindles, you'll get an extra $20 off as well, bringing the price for each down to $40.
Sony's affordable WH-CH710N wireless headphones are even cheaper right now at $78. We like these cans for their deep, punchy bass, solid ANC and 35-hour battery life.
The six-quart Instant Pot Duo Plus is down to $60 for Black Friday, which is half off its normal price. This model supports pressure cook, warm, sauté, rice cook, sous vide and more modes, and its mid-size capacity makes it good for preparing food for many people.
Google's Nest Audio is down to $60, or $40 off its normal price. This is one of the best smart speakers you can get, especially if you already use the Google Assistant. We gave it a score of 87 for its solid audio quality, attractive design and good performance.
Amazon's Echo smart speaker is on sale for $60 right now. We gave it a score of 89 for its solid audio quality, attractive design and inclusion of a 3.5mm audio jack.
Both the Galaxy S7 and S7+ tablets have been discounted for Black Friday, down to $499 and $699, respectively. Either would be good options for Android lovers looking for a new tablet — we were impressed by their beautiful build, vibrant 120Hz displays, long battery lives and S Pen support.
The Beats Studio Buds have been discounted to $100. These are some of the best Beats buds for most people and we gave them a score of 84 for their balanced sound, hands-free Siri controls and quick pairing with both iOS and Android.
Jabra's Elite 85t earbuds are on sale for $150, which is $80 off its normal price. These earbuds impressed us with their strong ANC, comfortable size and wireless charging case.
You can pick up the Fitbit Charge 5 for $130, or $50 less than usual. This is Fitbit's most comprehensive fitness band and it earned a score of 82 from us for its full-color touchscreen, built-in GPS, onboard EDA sensors for stress tracking and multi-day battery life.
The Chromecast with Google TV has dropped to $40, which is $10 cheaper than usual. We gave the device a score of 86 for its 4K HDR streaming capabilities, Dolby Vision and Atmos support plus its much needed and very handy new remote.
The Roku Streambar is down to $80 right now, or $50 off its normal price. It's a compact soundbar that will upgrade any living room relying on an old TV with weak audio. We gave it a score of 86 for its solid audio quality, Dolby Audio support and built-in 4K streaming technology.
NVIDIA's Shield TV has dropped to $129, or roughly $20 cheaper than usual. This is one of the more powerful streaming devices available today thanks to its Tegra X1+ processor, support for Dolby Vision HDR, Dolby Atmos, Chromecast 4K and AI-powered 4K upscaling.
The Samsung T7 SSD in 1TB is down to a record low of $110, which is 35 percent off and the best price we've seen. You can also get the 1TB T7 Touch with a built-in fingerprint reader for 21 percent off, or $150. It has reads speeds up to 1,050 MB/s and write speeds up to 1,000 MB/s, plus it has a shock-resistant unibody and support for Dynamic Thermal Guard to control heat levels.
The compact Crucial MX500 internal drive in 1TB is down to $85, which is just a couple of dollars shy of its all-time-low price. We like its sequential read speeds of up to 560 MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 510 MB/s, along with its standard 2.5-inch design and integrated power loss immunity feature.
Sony's X950H LED smart TV is on sale for $800, which is 33 percent off. While not an OLED set, this TV has local dimming LED backlighting along with the Android TV operating system, Google Assistant and Alexa support, Game Mode and AirPlay 2 and HomeKit compatibility.
Vizio's 55-inch H1 OLED TV is $300 off right now, bringing it down to $1,000. This is a solid price for a mid-sized OLED set that supports Dolby Vision HDR, Vizio's IQ Ultra processor, 120Hz gaming with VRR and built-in AirPlay and Chromecast technology.
A three-pack of Philips Hue White and Color smart lights is on sale for $100, or about $30 off its normal price. While not a record low, it's a good sale price on smart bulbs that rarely see deep discounts. These can be controlled via the Philips Hue app and almost any voice assistant including Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri, and they support thousands of colors as well as 50,000 shares of warm and cool white light.
First-time subscribers to Adobe CC can get the All Apps plan for 40 percent off right now, bringing the monthly charge down to $30. If you're a student, it's even cheaper — just $16 per month for first-time customers. These programs are considered standard in most creative fields, so it's worth grabbing this deal if you know you'll be using things like Photoshop or Illustrator in the future.
The meditation app Headspace is down to $5 per month for new and returning customers for Black Friday. That's 60 percent off the normal price, and those who want to pay for a year upfront will get 50 percent off and pay only $35 for the year. Headspace has a bunch of guided meditation sessions along with sleep stories, calming ambient music, guided yoga sessions for stress management and more.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Fortnite and Final Fantasy. A doomed pairing of the most lucrative recent gaming phenomenon with one of the most storied video-game franchises spanning over 30 years? I love Final Fantasy, mostly. I’m lukewarm on Fortnite and the battle royale format in general. With Metroid Dread, Shin Megami Tensei, Alan Wake Remastered and Deathloop on my to-do list, why am I still glued to a free-to-play mobile game?
Probably because it’s expanding the already very-expanded Final Fantasy VII universe. The game that got the sequel CGI movie, the remake, multiple mobile games and more. And yet, barring a smart intro movie that cribs from the opening scenes of FF7R, you won’t see the protagonists (or antagonists) of the iconic RPG — though you’ll be able to cosplay as them.
In First Soldier, you play as, well, recruits looking to become the first Soldier — a specific top-class army member. Cloud, from FFVII, is introduced in the original as “Soldier, First Class” and this game takes everything back 30 years to the early formation of Shinra Corp’s military finest.
The setting, then, is a battle royale to see how augmented soldiers fare against each other (and whatever beasts come their way in the process). The battleground is a surprisingly expansive map on the outskirts of Midgar — while also featuring many of the major landmarks of Midgar’s sectors. Aerith’s church and childhood home is there to be shot at, as is the arena, Sector 7’s markets, the abandoned trainyard and more. The battle theme of FF7 kicks in as helicopters swarm into the area, dropping off recruits. It still gets me excited every time.
The grounds are littered with guns, from handguns to sniper rifles, as well as materia (magic orbs that offer both offensive and support capabilities) and even pretty rare summoning spells. I've yet to summon anything so far. There are also potions to pick up and help extend your chances of survival.
These are the baseline weapons and items. Differentiating itself from Fortnite — if not all BR games; we see you Apex and Warzone — you can also choose a job role, a la most RPGs. This mostly affects your special ability, your melee weapon and how you attack with it. Warrior is a straight-shooting class with a sword and a rush special that closes distance so you can wallop your rivals before they can get a shot in. Monks have the ability to heal themselves when they mete out damage, while Ninjas get an extra jump and the ability to hide in stealth mode for a few seconds.
Sorcerers come with a special ability that supercharges MP recovery for more regular offensive (and healing spells), while the ranger reloads guns faster than the others — and has a very convenient Assess skill that will mark threats around you even when they’re out of sight.
Each feels slightly different to play with, but there’s a pleasant balance to the different roles, though both soldier and monk suffer from having to rely on their melee attack for their advantages.
Let me say this outright; you should play First Soldier with a gamepad. Fortunately, I’m testing out Backbone, a third-party connected controller for iPhone that means I was already in a good place to aim my guns and spells. Magic casting controls are a bit messy — you’ll need to hold down an L-trigger while pressing another collar button to unleash one of three spells you may have picked up. Those melee attacks, which all job classes have, are really hard to land on your enemies, regardless of whether you’re using a gamepad or touch controls. Hopefully, the devs are able to finesse melee attacks as the game progresses.
This means that, in a rather un-Final Fantasy way, you’ll come to depend on your guns for most of your kills. But hey, getting that sniper headshot kill is a thrill. Killing other players or monsters, opening chests and surviving through the rounds will level up your character through the match itself. This adds to your attack damage and increases your HP, meaning you should also last longer. It also rewards proactive play and exploration, and not just trying to survive to the final area.
As you might expect from a free-to-play battle royale game, there are season passes available for purchase. These offer up skins, banners, emotes and more cosmetic goodies for wannabe Soldiers. Even without a pass, you can earn a few rewards by fulfilling “rank” criteria during the battles. Gain stars, level up your rank — which is unrelated to leveling up your individual job ranks — and you’ll gain access to a smattering of wardrobe options or chocobo-raising items. I’m currently wearing a moogle hat, please say hi.
Square Enix
Yes, there’s also a chocobo rearing mini-game buried inside First Soldier, and you’re able to summon your favorite steed to the battles as a very handy transport option. It isn’t the only way to speed around levels, however. There are also cars and bikes to get you within the battle arena. The shrinking arena damages anyone outside its perimeter, but you’re able to persist with potions and healing spells and hopefully make it to safety.
The only drawback growing, as I play, is the fact that my leveling up has no tangible effect on my performance in the game — which is true of most battle royale games. The appeal is that each new battle isn’t affected by the round before it, but then chasing these goals (play two rounds as a warrior; make 300 pts of damage with a shotgun; visit Corneo’s mansion) soon tires. What exactly is the point?
For now, the point is that First Soldier skirmishes are entertaining, and the difficulty curve isn’t too brutal. I’ve won a few rounds, out of 75 players, and come second a handful of times. One colleague told me that early iterations of battle royale games are often filled with bots to juice the numbers (and offer up some encouraging early wins) but I will not let him take this tiny victory away from me.
Hopefully Square Enix has plans to offer more levels, weapons and events to spice it up. There are some limited-edition bosses throughout the Midgar level. I’ve managed to best two of them, but I’ve also been felled by Tonberry — a notoriously powerful monster from the Final Fantasy series— a few too many times. Maybe I should try fighting him as a ninja...
As the Chromebook market has matured, a bunch of higher-end models have come out. Samsung's original Galaxy Chromebook was one of them, but the company realized that paying $1,000 for a Chrome OS machine was a hard sell for most. Enter the Galaxy Chromebook 2, Samsung's correction and a much better laptop with an easier-to-stomach starting price of $449. But now you can get the Galaxy Chromebook 2 for $50 less, or $399, which is a record low. That's for the base model with a Celeron processor, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, but the Core i3 model is also on sale for $549 — $50 more than it's lowest price, but still a decent deal.
Samsung prioritized the right things when developing the Galaxy Chromebook 2. The design is much the same as the original, with a relatively light 2.2-pound frame, a premium build and a fiery red color. The company ditched the lovely yet taxing 4K display from the previous version and opted for a 1080p QLED touchscreen which remains nicer than panels on most other Chromebooks. While the 4K display did a number on the original laptop's battery life, this QLED display isn't as bad. We managed to get about 12 hours of use on a single charge, and while we wish the battery life was a tad longer, it should get you through a work day.
The Galaxy Chromebook 2 has a convertible design, too, so you can use it in tablet mode or prop it up so it acts as a small TV for video streaming. It doesn't come with a stylus like some of Samsung's other laptops, but any Universal Stylus Initiative pen will work with it. If you're eyeing the Galaxy Chromebook 2 as a secondary or travel device, the base model with a Celeron processor may provide all the power you need. But hardcore Chrome OS fans who want to use this machine as their daily driver won't regret shelling out a bit more money for the Core i3 version.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
