Sony has reportedly begun rolling out a cloud streaming beta for PS Plus Premium subscribers — and it supports up to 4K resolution. Announced in June as being in the “early stages” of development, the feature will support PS Plus catalog titles, game trials and “supported digital PS5 titles that players own.” The feature could help PlayStation owners avoid lengthy downloads that take up precious storage.

An alleged PlayStation email to an invited tester, posted on Reddit, reads, “We’re excited to unveil PS5 cloud streaming, and your help testing it means a lot to us.” The beta period uses exclusive invite codes that can’t be shared with other users. The email notes that features could change before cloud streaming’s official launch.

User ArashiGames wrote on ResetEra that they tested God of War: Ragnarok at 2160p with “no issues so far.” They described resolution options ranging from 720p to 2160p for that title, and they said Returnal streamed in 4K. “There’s a new section in the PS+ menu that is for Streaming PS5 Games,” the beta-tester wrote. “Just click the game and it loads in a few seconds.” They listed Horizon Forbidden West, Fortnite, Destiny 2 and Death Stranding (among others) as streaming options. 4K resolution could prove a competitive advantage against Xbox Cloud Gaming, which maxes out at 1080p resolution and 60fps.

Sony’s upcoming “Project Q” streaming handheld will have an 8-inch, 1080p screen with a 60Hz refresh rate. The accessory is confirmed to use Remote Play (streaming directly from a console rather than the cloud) but could theoretically support cloud streaming as well. The device is set to launch later this year for an as-yet-unknown price.

Game streaming will be exclusive to PS Plus Premium members. The $18 / mo. service already supports cloud gaming for PS4, PS3 and select “classic” titles. It lets you stream available games to PS5, PS4 or PC.

Netflix’s push into video games continues, as the company just dropped a dedicated controller app for iOS devices. The app, simply called “Netflix Game Controller,” lets you use your phone or tablet as a gamepad once you pair the device with your TV. This will allow you to play games available through Netflix’s service on the TV, while controlling things from your mobile device.

Though the app is already available for download, further news remains scant. For instance, we don’t know what games it will support or any details surrounding the pairing process. We also don’t know if and when this will be followed up by an Android app. The app’s description just teases that the gamepad functionality is “coming soon to Netflix.”

This isn’t a huge surprise, given the company’s expanding growth as an indie game publisher. Netflix Games has published or hosted nearly 70 titles in the past two years, some of which are accessible via the regular Netflix streaming app with others available on mobile devices and gaming consoles. These aren’t throwaway titles, either, as games like Oxenfree II: Lost Signals released to critical acclaim. Oxenfree developer Night School has gone on to become Netflix’s first in-house studio.

Other titles coming to the Netflix platform in the coming months include indie standouts like Storytellers, Paper Trail and the Monument Valley series. There’s also an Assassin’s Creed game in the works, along with a port of the mobile title LEGO: Legacy Heroes Unboxed. It’s a safe assumption that you should be able to use the recently-launched controller app to play some of these games. Engadget reached out to Netflix to inquire about compatibility and the possibility of an Android release. A company spokesperson said that it isn't making comments at this time. 

Since last year, Netflix has run a Discord bot that helps people find shows and movies to watch together based on what's available in their location. The company is expanding the "Hey, Netflix" bot's capabilities today with a text-based game.

This is the first time Netflix is bringing a game along these lines to Discord. As you might imagine, it ties into something that you'll be able to stream on Netflix soon, an action movie called Heart of Stone that stars Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan. The film will land on Netflix this Friday.

In Heart of Stone: Maze of Odds, you'll take on the role of a double agent (similar to Gadot's character in the film). Netflix says you'll need to quickly make decisions in "action-driven situations." Based on some details that Netflix shared in advance, it seems that you'll need to choose between some preset options, much like the interactive TV shows and movies it has released in the past.

Intriguingly, Netflix says Heart of Stone: Maze of Odds will be different each time you play it. The Discord bot randomly chooses scenarios from a bank of situations. Additionally, you'll be able to play it solo or ask friends to join in for multiplayer action. The game includes collectibles for you to pick up along the way too. Lastly, while Discord users around the world can check out the game, it's worth noting that it's only available in English.

Netflix has been making a big push into games in general over the last couple of years. Last month, it released Oxenfree II, the first game from one of its in-house studios. The company also just debuted a game controller app for iPhone and iPad. As such, you'll soon be able to play its games (which are typically included with a Netflix subscription) on compatible TVs as well as phones and tablets.

Typically, smart grills equal pellet grills. While pellet models played a key role in popularizing connected outdoor cooking, there are plenty of other options for controlling and monitoring things from the comforts of your living room. After introducing a smart controller for its ceramic grills in 2018, Kamado Joe released its own connected pellet version in 2020. Earlier this year, the company combined its add-on controller with its popular charcoal-burning red cookers, resulting in the Konnected Joe.

At first glance, the Konnected Joe looks like any other ceramic grill in Kamado Joe’s lineup. However, the bottom half is black where most of the company’s other options are solid red. The display (or Kontrol Board) also sets the Konnected Joe apart, and it’s situated beside three food probe jacks, the power button and a temperature dial. Here, you can see temperature graphs, select a cook mode and receive alerts. The grill will also advise you on how to adjust the vents based on your selected temperature. Buttons on the left allow you to set timers and reconnect to WiFi, in addition to adjusting the display to show grill or food temperatures in large numbers visible from afar.

The Konnected Joe retains a lot of the features that make the company’s ceramic grills great for your deck or patio. The Kontrol Tower top vent, Air Lift hinge and heavy-duty cart all make using the grill easier. Inside, the company’s two-tier Divide & Conquer design allows you to cook different foods at different temperatures by changing the proximity of the stainless steel grates to the fire. You can also set up one side for direct grilling while using a heat deflector for indirect on the other. Most of the components for the grill are semi-circular, which makes the Konnected Joe just as versatile as a regular Kamado Joe. The folding side shelves are modestly sized, but they’re enough to hold a plate, tray or small cutting board.

Kamado Joe’s latest smart grill is compatible with all of the accessories for the Classic Joe grill, except for the charcoal basket. This means you can add a rotisserie (JoeTisserie), pizza stone (DoJoe) and more to expand the capabilities of the Konnected Joe. There’s a ton of options here, ranging from the affordable half-moon reversible griddle ($70) to the pricey JoeTisserie ($300), with some bundles going for even more. You don’t need to purchase anything extra to get started with the Konnected Joe, though. The grill ships with grates, heat deflectors for low-and-slow cooking and all you need for that optional two-tier configuration.

Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget

Just under the three food probe jacks is a dedicated button for the Automatic Fire Starter (AFS). WiFi connectivity may get the bulk of the attention on this Kamado Joe, but the AFS is the real star. It’s essentially a heating element at the bottom of the cooking chamber where you load your charcoal and wood chunks. When you turn it on, it runs for 15 minutes to light your charcoal without any additional lighter fluid or fire starters. I’ve used this every time I’ve cooked with the Konnected Joe, even when I’m otherwise running the grill in Classic Cook Mode without the automatic temperature control. It consistently, completely lit up the charcoal. See ya later, charcoal chimney.

In addition to built-in WiFi, another key aspect of smart grilling is a mobile app. The Kamado Joe App allows you to adjust time and temperature without being directly in front of the grill. During my tests, changes were typically quick although there have been a few times I had to input the desired temperature twice to get it to stick. Those temperature graphs from the onboard display are here as well, alongside the ability to browse recipes and monitor food probe temps. However, where Kamado Joe currently lags behind the competition is its library of recipes and how they’re presented.

Right now, there are over 150 recipes available in the Kamado Joe app, organized by food type and cooking method. For comparison, the Traeger app currently houses over 1,000. The Kamado Joe app is also missing a few glaring items, like pulled pork, but the company says it continuously adds new recipes. It also said it’s working to bring recipe videos and step-by-step guidance to the app sometime next year. These are two more items that both Traeger and Weber offer in their apps and they can be a big help when you’re trying a new recipe or are a beginner griller. Still, the app does a solid job with the basics of monitoring and controlling the grill.

Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget

Another area the Kamado Joe app could offer guidance is preparing the grill to cook. There are some tips in recipes, like waiting for clean smoke when you add wood chunks before putting any food on, but there aren’t any tips on how much charcoal to add in the first place. This is a lesson I learned the hard way, as the Konnected Joe would consistently overshoot the set temperature during low-and-slow smoking in my initial tests.

After consulting with the company, I determined I was using too much charcoal and the extra fuel was igniting before I needed it during the longer sessions. Using less at the start fixed my problem, but extended cooking times may require you to add more. This means moving your food and any racks to the side to access the bottom of the chamber. It’s not ideal, but it’s hardly a dealbreaker.

None of this means much if the grill can’t produce great-tasting food, and the Konnected Joe does an excellent job in that regard. Since this is mostly a Kamado Joe ceramic grill with some smart-cooking bits added on, its performance is similar to those non-WiFi models. You get the flavor of charcoal, which has a more pronounced smoky essence than pellet grills produce. Sure, you can impart plenty of smoke with wood pellets, but what you get from charcoal is just different. And, at least to me, it’s slightly more intense. You also get the flavor of charcoal through direct cooking for a true grilled essence as opposed to hot-and-fast searing on a pellet grill.

Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget

Over the course of testing, I did a mix of high-heat grilling and slow-smoked barbecue. This included a lot of steaks, a Boston Butt for pulled pork, baby back ribs and more. I was consistently impressed by the charcoal smoke flavor present in all of my cooks, especially in the longer sessions for the pork shoulder and ribs. What’s more, the Konnected Joe allows you a bit more room to experiment with types of wood as you add chunks to supplement the charcoal. There are different kinds of pellets intended for different foods, but sometimes those aren’t a single type of wood even if they're labeled as such. For example, Weber’s Cherry pellets are 60 percent Maple. With the Konnected Joe, you can grab a bag of a single type of wood chunks (I use Kingsford) and change them up based on what you’re cooking.

Another thing you need to be aware of (and this applies to ceramic grills in general) is the long cool-down period. Due to the nature of the materials, these models retain heat a lot more efficiently than a kettle or gas grill – or even most pellet options. This is great while you’re cooking, but it also means you need to plan for an extended time for the grill to cool off before you can put the cover on. As an example, I finished cooking ribs around 5PM at a temperature of 275 degrees (a five-hour cook). When I locked up for the night around 11PM, the grill was still warm to the touch, so I couldn’t cover it yet. High-heat searing required even more time to cool off, and in most cases, I had to leave the grill uncovered until the next day.

Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget

One area where the Konnected Joe surpasses WiFi-enabled pellet grills is the ease of cleanup. You only need to use the included ash tool to scrape debris through the holes in the bottom of the cooking chamber, leaving larger pieces of used charcoal for the next cook. A tray inside the bottom vent slides out for easy disposal. If there’s a large amount of ash, you may need to use the tool to scrape that slot, but you shouldn’t need to get out the shop vac like you do for a pellet grill. Of course, the accessories may require a thorough scrubbing after use, but that’s nothing some grill cleaner or soapy water can’t handle.

If you’re looking for a charcoal-burning alternative to the Konnected Joe, you don’t have to go far. Parent company Middleby Outdoor also owns the Masterbuilt brand that has the Gravity Series smart grills we tested in 2020. While the Gravity Series 560 was the first version, the company has since introduced the larger Gravity Series 800 that comes with a griddle insert and the Gravity Series 1050 with the largest cooking capacity of the trio.

The design is the same across all three models: a gravity-fed hopper on the right side funnels charcoal down to a digitally-controlled fan to maintain temperatures. You can add wood chunks to the ash bin to produce more smoke. The Gravity Series is capable of hot-and-fast searing, low-and-slow smoking and everything in between, all with the ability to monitor temperatures from your sofa. One key issue with those grills is they can be difficult to light when you have used charcoal at the bottom of the hopper, so it’s best to cycle through and have fresh fuel to light, mixing any used bits mid-chamber.

Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget

If ease of use is your top priority, a pellet model is worth considering when shopping for a smart grill. In addition to full-featured apps for monitoring and controlling the grill from afar, Traeger and Weber both offer easy-to-follow recipe guidance. Both companies also give you estimated completion times in their apps (via Meater for Traeger) so you have an idea of when to have the sides ready (and to keep hungry guests informed of the situation).

What’s more, pellet grills don’t require you to futz with components to add more fuel as you simply refill the hopper outside of the cooking area if you start to run low. Cleanup is a little more involved, but for longer cooks that don’t require any spritzing to keep the meat moist or wrapping to expedite cooking, this type of grill is truly set it and forget it. Weber’s most recent model is the SmokeFire Sear+, which offers over 1,000 square inches of cooking space for $1,599. The best new Traeger for most people is the recently redesigned Ironwood, the smaller version of which is $1,800.

At $1,699, the Konnected Joe is very expensive for a charcoal grill. However, it’s more affordable than the Classic Joe Series III, which offers the same cooking area without the connectivity and AFS igniter. A comparably sized Big Green Egg is around $1,100, but again, you’ll need a secondary device for any kind of temperature monitoring. When you pit it against WiFi-equipped pellet grills, the Konnected Joe isn’t that far off. In fact, it’s slightly cheaper than Kamado Joe’s own Pellet Joe. A connected grill and all the convenience that it affords has never been cheap, but the Konnected Joe pairs all the versatility of a ceramic cooker with the advantages of charcoal and performs well. If the company can expand and refine its companion app, this grill will be a complete package – even if it commands a steep investment.

Call Devolver Digital whatever you want — except a liar. The indie publisher's inaugural Devolver Delayed showcase delivered on its promise, featuring five games whose release windows have been pushed out of 2023 and into 2024. Which, of course, kind of means Devolver was lying when it initially announced these games, but let's live in the now.

So, here's the list of Devolver games that are now due out next year, minus the maniacal corporate joy that underpinned the actual showcase: Skate Story, The Plucky Squire, Stick it to the Stickman, Anger Foot and Pepper Grinder.

Skate Story is the hardest delay to swallow, personally speaking. Developed by Sam Eng, Skate Story is a highly stylized skateboarding game set in a dark, neon-streaked hellscape and starring a demon made of glass. It looks trippy and fast-paced, and I was very much looking forward to playing it this year. Skate Story is now coming to PC in 2024 and it's available to wishlist on Steam.

Stick it to the Stickman and Anger Foot are both products of Free Lives, the studio behind Broforce, Gorn and Genital Jousting, and a longtime Devolver partner. Both Stickman and Anger Foot are coming to PC next year and are available to wishlist right now.

The Plucky Squire looks to be an extraordinarily cute platforming adventure that swaps between 2D and 3D visuals. This one comes from All Possible Futures and it's heading to PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch (in 2024, of course). Last on the delay list, Pepper Grinder is a 2D platformer featuring a character with a big drill, and it's being developed by Oregon-based studio Ahr Ech for PC and Switch.

The Devolver Delayed showcase also provided some relief, in the end. A handful of the publisher's games have decidedly not been delayed and are still targeting 2023 release windows, including Gunbrella, Wizard with a Gun, KarmaZoo, The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood and — most notably, in my book — The Talos Principle II. A sequel to the 2014 award-winning game from Croteam, The Talos Principle II promises more first-person laser-based puzzles, philosophical pontification and existential dread, and it's all still coming out in 2023 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood is actually due out on August 16, just over one week from today. It's the latest game from Deconstructeam, the Spanish studio behind Gods Will Be Watching and The Red Strings Club, and the preview had me happily building tarot decks and flirting with immortal beings.

If you've still been hemming and hawing about whether Sony's PlayStation 5 is worth dropping half a grand for, you're in luck. One of the best gaming consoles on the market is having a nice sale to start your week off right. Right now, Sony's PS5 disc model is down to $449 from $500 — a solid 10 percent discount. Sure, it's not a massive chunk of change, but $50 can buy you a game or two or even an extra controller.

Sony's PS5 was a solid choice when it first came out in 2020 (we gave it an 87 at the time) and has seen active improvements in the few years since. Most recently, a software beta update has added more accessibility options, like the ability to use a second controller for assistance in games. It also doubled M.2 SSD limits from 4TB to 8TB and added Dolby Atmos support to increase the number of devices you can play sound through.

Whether you go for the console or have one already, you can take advantage of some accessories also being on sale. The DualSense Wireless Controller is down to $49 in almost every color, from classic White to Galactic Purple. Sony's PlayStation Pulse 3D Wireless Headset is even at an all-time low price in its Gray Camouflage model, down to $70 from $100. All in all, this is a very good time to hop fully on the PS5 train.

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"A $3,000 podcasting kit, in this economy?" That was my first thought when I learned about Nomono's portable recording setup last year. Since then, the price has dropped slightly to $2,490. But my main concern remains: Who needs this thing when you can get a small audio recorder and lavalier mics for far less? Still, I was intrigued.

Nomono's kit includes four wireless lav mics, as well as a space recorder for room tone and spatial data, all of which charge in a portable carrying case. Your recordings are automatically uploaded to Nomono's cloud service, where you can optimize their audio quality (and eventually edit them in your browser). As someone who's been podcasting regularly since 2008, the notion of an all-in-one kit that can easily tackle local recordings sounds like an absolute dream. Nomono's kit has the potential to be something the podcasting industry has needed for years, but can the company justify its incredibly high price?

Clearly, this isn't a product aimed at everyone — it's certainly not for beginners, and I'd argue it's far beyond the scope of what most podcasters actually need. But after testing Nomono's kit for a few weeks, I can see how it could be helpful for recording studios and companies that need flexible podcasting solutions. It doesn't require much training to use, it delivers high quality recordings, and it can be deployed just about anywhere. For those folks, spending $2,490 on Nomono's kit may make more sense than having an engineer dedicate time to every single recording. Add in a cloud subscription, which can cost as much as $29 a month, and it definitely doesn't seem like something for mere podcasting mortals.

You can tell Nomono is striving for Apple-level design simply by looking at its hardware. Even though everything is made of plastic, nothing feels cheap. The egg-like charging case has a cloth handle at the top as well as a USB-C port. Its two halves snap together with secure clasps — flip those open, take off the top and you're presented with four lavalier microphones around the space recorder. It's like an adorable podcasting bird nest.

Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

The space recorder serves as the hub for the entire Nomono experience: It's a rectangular device featuring omnidirectional microphones for capturing room tone with spatial information (it can tell where everyone is located during a conversation). There's a small screen at the top displaying the battery levels of all the connected lavs, as well as prominent recording and directional buttons. On the side, it features a USB-C port and a 3.5 millimeter headphone jack. As you're capturing audio, the space recorder takes in data from the lav mics and uploads it to Nomono's cloud once your session is done.

The lavaliers aren't nearly as unique: They're small, indiscrete square pucks featuring four LED colors (helpful for distinguishing each track). They grip onto your clothes with small magnets — making them easy to put on, but potentially just as easy to slip off. The lavs never fell off during my testing, but I constantly worried about knocking one off and losing the tiny magnet. (Nomono includes some additional magnets in its bundled accessory kit, which also has windscreen sleeves for the lavs and space recorder.)

Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

Setting up Nomono's hardware was relatively straightforward: After charging the case, I downloaded the Nomono Companion app, created an account, and paired the kit to my phone. The app shows battery levels for the lav mics and space recorder. To capture audio, you just need to remove the space recorder and at least one lav, then hit record. That process was surprisingly fast and reliable — I was typically able to get recordings started in under 30 seconds.

Wrapping up a session is mostly dependent on your internet connection. It took under 60 seconds for a 90-minute recording to get uploaded, and then I had to wait a few more minutes for Nomono's cloud to process the upload. It was far faster for short recording tests, just be prepared to wait a bit if you're planning to push lots of audio. Nomono’s hardware delivers 16-bit 48kHz WAV files for each lavalier, as well as an ambisonic WAV file (with up to four tracks) from the space recorder.

The quality of those recordings are crisp and detailed even in slightly noisy outdoor spaces. The lavs don't sound nearly as rich or nuanced as a premium dynamic or condenser microphone, but I didn't really expect them to. I'd consider them on-par with other wireless lavaliers I've used during video production (our podcast editor, Ben Ellman, described the sound as being ideal for video shoots). A conversation with my wife also sounded surprisingly clear, with none of the crosstalk issues or echoes I've encountered with cheaper multi-mic solutions.

Nomono

To give your recordings a bit more polish, Nomono also offers three levels of enhancement through its cloud platform: on the light end, it features a high-pass filter, cross-talk reduction, notch EQ filter, de-noising and de-essing (for removing harsh "S" sounds and other sibilants). Medium enhancement adds loudness normalization, a tone-shaping EQ and adaptive level, while full enhancement goes even heavier on the latter two features. While you can still download pure, unfiltered tracks, these enhancements are useful for the less audio savvy.

Eventually, you can choose to spatialize your recording through Nomono’s online platform, which makes each audio track sound like they’re coming from different directions (depending on where the space recorder was placed during the session). That feature wasn't available while I was testing the kit, and to be honest, it's also not something I'd ever consider using in a podcast. 

Nomono's full audio enhancement did a decent job of cutting down highway sounds and other street noise while I was recording in front of my local Starbucks (see above), but it also made my voice sound a bit tinny and compressed. Basically, don't expect any miracles. While It's useful to have simple ways to cut down background noise, you'll still need to find a relatively quiet recording space to capture the best audio. (Otherwise, why even buy such an expensive podcasting kit?!)

The company plans to launch its online editor by the end of 2023, which could also potentially include the ability to edit spatial recordings. Since this isn’t exactly a consumer solution, I’d bet that most people buying Nomono’s hardware already have more sophisticated ways to edit audio.

Here's a comparison of Nomono's lavalier versus the Rode Procaster XLR microphone: 

While Nomono’s hardware mostly impressed me, its online platform made it tough to deal with larger files. It took over five minutes for it to prepare a 90 minute track for download (including its bundled spatial audio file). And that didn’t include the time it took to actually grab the file, which would be dependent on your internet connection. I understand the appeal of a seamless online audio solution, but it’s annoying when I know it would be faster to just grab a file from a device sitting right on my desk. 

The space recorder didn’t show up on my Mac or PC when I connected to it, unfortunately. Nomono representatives say the company is planning to make offline features available next year, but for now, it's focused on a cloud-based workflow because they believe it's the "most convenient and time-efficient" solution for users. That also means livestreaming is out of the question with this kit, though it may show up in a future Nomono product, the company tells me.

I’d have a much easier time justifying Nomono’s high price if I knew I could use its hardware without relying on a website. This isn’t my first time at the gadget startup rodeo: What good is this $2,490 recording kit if the company goes out of business in a year or two?

Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

It’s clear that Nomono has developed something special, but it’s hard to imagine this recording kit being the only solution for an audio-savvy company. You’ll still need to have a dedicated podcasting space with hard-wired microphones. What Nomono offers is flexibility: What if you need to record in another room, in someone else’s office, or at a hotel? In those situations, a self-contained $2,490 podcasting kit might not seem so wild.

Devolver Digital has cultivated a name for itself over the years as a publisher with an offbeat approach to marketing games. To that end, it has announced a Devolver Delayed event, which it calls the "first-ever showcase celebrating games that are courageously moving into 2024." It seems Devolver will try to have things both ways by pushing back some release dates and, at the same time, poking fun at the never-ending spate of game delays. You'll be able to watch the stream below at 11AM ET on August 7th.

The publisher has a bunch of intriguing games currently slated for the rest of the year. I'm really looking forward to Skate Story, which has already blown many people away with its ultra-stylish visuals, so I hope that one isn't pushed back until 2024. The same goes for The Plucky Squire, an utterly adorable-looking adventure game that sees you switching between 2D and 3D environments.

Other titles on Devolver's books for 2023 include "gritty noir-punk action-adventure" Gunbrella. The publisher confirmed that game hasn't been delayed, but will feature in the showcase. The fate of the likes of Wizard with a Gun, The Talos Principle 2 and Pepper Grinder remains to be seen. However, Baby Steps (which looks like a 3D version of QWOP with a man-baby for a lead character) is already scheduled for a 2024 debut.

This week's best tech deals include Apple's MacBook Air M2 falling back to an all-time low of $949. While Apple may announce a new Air later this year, the top pick in our best laptops guide is still a strong value at this price if you need a new notebook today. Beyond laptops, several Amazon devices are available for the same prices we saw during Prime Day last month, including the Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $25 and the Echo Show 8 for $60. Google's Pixel Tablet has received its first major discount, while a few wireless earbuds and gaming accessories we like are also on sale. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.

Apple MacBook Air M2

Apple's 13-inch MacBook Air with an M2 chip is down to $949 at B&H and Best Buy, matching the lowest price we've tracked. Apple normally sells this 8GB RAM/256GB SSD configuration for $1,099, though we've often seen it go for $50 less elsewhere. Regardless, this is the top pick in our guide to the best laptops, and it earned a review score of 96 last year. It continues to offer almost everything we look for in a mainstream notebook: a thin design, a bright and accurate display, long battery life, a comfortable keyboard, useful speakers and dependable performance for most day-to-day tasks. The storage in this config is technically slower than higher-capacity models, but that shouldn't be a major hindrance unless you plan on doing more intense tasks like media editing. 

The older M1-based MacBook Air is still available for an all-time low of $750 if you want to pay as little as possible for a competent MacBook, though you'll have to deal with a more dated design and a mediocre 720p webcam. There's an important caveat to both of these deals, too: According to a recent Bloomberg report, Apple could launch an updated 13-inch MacBook Air with a new M3 chip as soon as this October. The current models are still strong values if you need a notebook right now, but if you can afford to wait for the latest and greatest, you may want to hold off.

Anker 622 Magnetic Battery

The Anker 622 Magnetic Battery is a pocket-friendly wireless power bank that we've recommended in the past. Right now it's down to $40, which isn't quite an all-time low but is still $20 off its typical going rate. 

This 5,000mAh (19.25Wh) battery can't fully refill most iPhones from nothing, and it only charges at 7.5W, so like many wireless models, it won't be as fast as using a cable. It can also get hot. Still, its slim frame snaps easily onto the back of any MagSafe-compatible iPhone, and it can deliver around an 80 percent charge to a standard iPhone 14. It also has a built-in kickstand, so it can prop your phone up when you're not using it. If you really want the convenience of a fully wireless charger, it's a fine value. 

Note that Anker sells an "upgraded" version of the 622 with a USB-C port on the side instead of the bottom, though that's a bit more expensive as of this writing. If you're willing to trade some thinness for more power, the 10,000mAh Anker 633 is also worth a look. Just be aware that all of these won't work if you use a case that isn't MagSafe-compatible.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max

A number of Amazon devices are available for the same prices we saw during the company's Prime Day sale last month. This time, however, the deals are only available at non-Amazon retailers. 

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max, for instance, is back down to $25 at Lowe's, Target and Best Buy. That matches the best price we've seen for the 4K streaming stick and comes in about $20 off its average street price. While we generally prefer Roku and Google's streaming platforms over Amazon's Fire OS, the 4K Max is still a suitable option for casual streaming. It supports just about all the major apps and HDR standards, it has Alexa voice controls built into its remote and it's fairly quick to load menus. 

You'll get the most out of any Fire TV device if you already use Amazon services like Prime Video or Alexa, as Fire OS tends to prioritize the company's own offerings throughout the UI. You'll have to deal with ads as well, and there's no support for Apple AirPlay or Google Cast. For $25, though, those issues might be easier to look past.

Google Chromecast with Google TV (HD)

If you're looking to add streaming functionality to an older 1080p or 720p display, note that the 1080p version of the Google Chromecast with Google TV is on sale for $20 at various retailers. That's $10 off the streaming dongle's typical going rate and within $2 of its all-time low. 

This model is effectively identical to the 4K Chromecast we recommend in our media streamer guide, only it maxes at a 1080p resolution, comes with 0.5GB less RAM and doesn't support Dolby Vision HDR. Otherwise, it provides the same extensive app support, impressive search and intuitive interface. Like the 4K model, you'd get this if you want a streamer that's more proactive about recommending shows and movies you might like based on your viewing history. Just note that, unlike Roku's streamers, there's no AirPlay support. You can read our review for more details.

Amazon Echo Show 8

The Echo Show 8 is down to an all-time low of $60 at Lowe's, Kohl's, Target and Best Buy. That's $70 below Amazon's MSRP and $15 below the price we usually see when the device is on sale.

The Echo Show 8 is the top Alexa pick in our guide to the best smart displays and earned a review score of 87 in 2021. If you already prefer Alexa over the Google Assistant for smart home matters, this should be the best balance of price and utility: It's cheaper and less cumbersome than the Echo Show 10, but its 8-inch display and 13-megapixel camera are much better suited to streaming, glancing at information and making video calls than the diminutive Echo Show 5. It's a clear upgrade in the sound department as well. If you do want a smaller display for a bedside table, though, the 5.5-inch model is also back at its Prime Day price of $45.

Amazon Echo Dot

For a more affordable Echo device, the latest Echo Dot is back at its all-time low of $23. The Clock variant, which includes an LED display for displaying the time and other basic info, is also down to a low of $30. The globe-shaped Dot is the "best under $50" pick in our smart speaker buying guide, as it offers all the Alexa functionality you'd expect, plus balanced sound quality for its size. A set of useful tap controls let you whack the speaker to pause music or snooze alarms as well. There's no 3.5mm jack to connect to larger speakers, and no always-listening device like this will ever be ideal for the privacy-conscious. But if you're already sold on the usefulness of smart speakers, this is one of the better bargains in that market. 

Amazon Fire HD 10

The Amazon Fire HD 10 is on sale for $75 at Target and Best Buy, matching another Prime Day discount. For reference, this 10.1-inch tablet has normally sold around $140 in recent months. Though it's a few years old at this point, the Fire HD 10 remains the best value for those interested in a Fire tablet. Its 1080p display is large and sharp enough for enjoying video, its processor is just powerful enough for casual streaming and web browsing, and it gets a solid 10 or so hours of battery life. 

You'll still have to deal with the usual trade-offs of a Fire slate: The app selection is severely limited compared to iPadOS or Android, with no Google services; you'll see lock screen ads unless you pay an extra fee; and the OS goes out of its way to steer you toward Amazon services. Still, if you just want a cheap slate for browsing the web, using Alexa and consuming Amazon e-books and media, there isn't much better for less than $100.

SK Hynix Gold P31

If you want to speed up the storage performance of an older desktop or laptop, the SK Hynix Gold P31 is a well-regarded internal SSD that's received highmarkselsewhere for its power efficiency. Right now, both the 1TB and 2TB models of the drive are down to new all-time lows: the former at $50, and the latter at $93. This is a PCIe 3.0 drive, so it's not the absolute fastest model available, nor is it compatible with the PlayStation 5. For most people looking to load up games or transfer large files, though, it's a great value at these deal prices. It also comes with a five-year warranty. 

Google Pixel Tablet

The Google Pixel Tablet has dropped to $439 for a 128GB model, which marks the first significant discount we've seen for the 11-inch slate since it arrived in June. That’s $60 off its list price. If you need more storage, the 256GB model is $80 off at $519. We think Samsung's Galaxy Tab devices work better purely as Android tablets, but the Pixel Tablet’s big hook is that it can attach to an included speaker dock and double as a Nest Hub Max-style smart display. If that functionality sounds useful to you, it may be worth grabbing. We gave the device a review score of 85 last month.

Logitech G203 Lightsync

The white version of the Logitech G203 Lightsync is available for $20 at Amazon when you clip a $5 on-page coupon. That's roughly $10 below its usual street price. The G203 is the top budget pick in our guide to the best gaming mice thanks to its reliable tracking and sturdy, lightweight (85g) frame. There are a couple of customizable buttons on the side, and the overall shape should work for both righties and lefties. It's certainly on the smaller side, its scroll wheel is somewhat mushy and its rubber cable isn't super flexible, but for $20 it's hard to do better.

HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless

The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless is down to $152 at Amazon, which is about $30 lower than its average street price in recent months. If stock runs dry at Amazon, it's available for $2 more at Best Buy. The Cloud Alpha Wireless is the top wireless pick in our guide to the best gaming headsets, mainly due to its astounding battery life, which can last more than 300 hours on a charge. Its microphone and bass-heavy sound profile aren't nearly as class-leading, but they're fine, and the whole thing is comfortable to wear for hours at a time. The big catch is that you shouldn't bother with HyperX's companion software, as there've been variousreports of it introducing significant latency. The headset only works over a USB dongle, too, not Bluetooth or a cable, and it's not compatible with Xbox. 

Anker Soundcore Motion+

The Anker Soundcore Motion+ is back down to $80 at Amazon and Soundcore when you use the $20 on-page coupon. That's $10 more than the lowest price we've seen but still $20 below Anker's list price. We recommend the Soundcore Motion+ in our guide to the best portable Bluetooth speakers: It's not especially small or light, but it can get loud enough to fill a crowded room, and it delivers a more spacious sound than most speakers in this price range. Its IPX7 water-resistance rating means it can survive in the pool or shower, and it has a 3.5mm input for connecting other devices. The 12 to 15 hours of battery life is a plus as well.

EarFun Air Pro 3

Along those lines, the EarFun Air Pro 3 is available for $60 with an on-page coupon at Amazon. We saw these wireless earphones go for $10 less on Prime Day, but this is a $20 drop from EarFun's list price all the same. 

The Air Pro 3 is the runner-up pick in our guide to the best budget wireless earbuds. It has a similar feature set as our top pick, the Soundcore Space A40, with serviceable active noise cancellation, support for wireless charging and multipoint connectivity, IPX5 water resistance and a stable fit. While its excited sound isn't for everyone, it does gives hip-hop and electronic music an intense bass response. Its battery life and ANC aren't quite as impressive as the Space A40's, but if you want to save some cash or just prefer an AirPods-style "stem" design, it's a strong alternative. 

Nothing Ear Stick

The Nothing Ear Stick is an honorable mention in that same guide, and it's now down to $79 at Nothing's online store. That's still a bit pricey for open-style earbuds that inherently lack deep bass, but it's $20 less than usual. 

We recommend the Ear Stick to those who hate the feeling of truly in-ear headphones, as that open design rests on the concha instead of going all the way into the ear canal. While the $50 Amazon Echo Buds are a better overall value, the Ear Stick has a more fashionable design, with a transparent case that twists open like a tube of lipstick. Its audio quality is solid for this style of earbud (and can be customized if needed), while the AirPods-style touch controls are easy to use. Battery life is passable at 6-ish hours per charge. Just remember that this type of design barely blocks outside noise, so it's not ideal for a flight or crowded office.

Apple AirTag

The Apple AirTag is back down to $25 at Amazon and Walmart, which is only a modest $4 discount but nevertheless matches the lowest price we've seen this year. The AirTag is the "best for iPhones" pick in our guide to the best Bluetooth trackers, as it leverages Apple's giant Find My network and ultra-wideband wireless tech to locate lost items accurately. 

Bluetooth trackers like this have certainly faced their share of scrutiny in recent years, as there've been numerouscases of bad actors using the devices to track unsuspecting victims, prompting Apple and Google to develop new anti-stalking measures. The device can be unintentionally overactive about sending alerts, and on a much less serious note, it lacks a ring hole or built-in adhesive to easily affix the device to something like a keychain. All that said, if you own an iPhone and just want some extra peace of mind in case you lose your wallet, keys or whatever else, the AirTag is one of the better options available.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 + Z Fold 5 pre-orders

Amazon still has a number of pre-order deals for Samsung's upcoming crop of foldable phones and smartwatches. The 512GB Galaxy Z Flip 5 is available with a $150 Amazon gift card for $1,000, while the 512GB Galaxy Z Fold 5 is bundled with a $200 gift card for $1,800. When those phones become widely available on August 11, they'll start with half the storage space. The $300 Galaxy Watch 6 and $400 Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, meanwhile, are each available with a $50 gift card. We'll have reviews for all these devices in the near future, but if you already know you're going to get one, consider this a PSA. For early impressions, you can read our hands-on previews for the Z Flip 5, Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Watch 6.

49-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 (G95SC)

If you want to go all-out on your next monitor, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 is a mammoth 49-inch display that's excessive in almost every way. Its curved QD-OLED panel has a 32:9 aspect ratio, 240Hz refresh rate, 5,120 x 1,440 resolution and dual built-in speakers alongside the usual color, contrast and response time benefits. We haven't tested the device ourselves, but otherreviewsaroundthe webhave been glowing. 

The downside is that it costs $2,200. That's a lot! Right now, though, the device is $400 off. Clearly, that's lightyears from cheap, and even at that price, the panel won't get as bright as the best non-OLED options. But if money is no object, this looks to be as high-end as ultrawide monitors currently get, and now it's a smidge less expensive.

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We only just reviewed the ROG Ally, and it’s already been dethroned as the “most powerful handheld gaming PC yet.” Or at least, it’s going to have to scoot over a little and let the Ayaneo 2S squeeze in. The two portable PCs have a lot in common: They both have 7-inch displays, they both run Windows 11, they both sport Zen 4-based AMD APUs and they both want to draw your attention away from the cheaper, older, bigger, but fan-favorite Steam Deck.

The Ayaneo 2S does best the ROG Ally in a few important areas though. The displays might be the same size, but the 2S has a 1200p resolution (ASUS’s is 1080p), the 2S has a larger battery (50Wh vs 40) and the Ally is only available with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The Ayaneo 2S is available in multiple configurations that start where the Ally does and go right up to 64GB RAM and a cavernous 4TB of storage. It’s important to note, though, that even the most affordable Zen 4-based Ayaneo starts at $999 (or $699 if you’re quick enough to bag an early bird) compared to the Ally’s relative affordability (starting at $699).

While Ayaneo competes with the likes of Valve and ASUS on a technical level, in most other ways, the company is more of an upstart in the world of gaming hardware. But one that has earned a dedicated army of fans thanks to its spec-heavy approach to product design.

The Ayaneo 2S isn’t just the Ayaneo 2 with a new 7840U processor, but that is by far the most important difference. Cosmetically the two are almost identical bar some larger vent holes on the 2S. There’s also a minor tweak to the triggers that stop them making a noise when fully depressed and an improved fingerprint reader. Most of the other upgrades are to do with cooling, including a graphene patch that has been added and the aforementioned airflow design.

Photo by James Trew / Engadget

Either way, the new, more powerful processor is really what makes the 2S interesting. ASUS entering the handheld space has added credibility to the portable PC gaming space, perhaps creating a stepping stone between the dependability and smoother UI of the Steam Deck and the tech-heavy, but less refined experience of Ayaneo products. So when ASUS announced the ROG Ally, Ayaneo probably didn’t like losing a superlative claim (of being more powerful than Valve’s competition).

A new processor is only as good as the performance boost it brings, and even that has to be weighed against any extra tax on the battery (which remains the same 50.25Wh capacity as the original Ayaneo 2). The short version is, there are good gains to be had, but if you were considering the 6800U-based Ayaneo, that’s still a capable performer — and now a more affordable one.

In general the gaming experience on the 2S is superior, as you would hope, to that of the original Ayaneo 2. Broadly speaking, both can handle most games, even demanding AAA titles at very playable frame rates. The difference is more in the power profile/TDP you need to get that enjoyable experience. For example, on the 2S, I was able to get The Witcher 3 to run at a steady 60 fps (“Steam Deck” settings at 800p) with an 11W TDP setting. I could even dial it down to 8W and it’d hover between 55 and 60 fps. For the Ayaneo 2, I had to dial it up to around 15W to achieve a steady 60, or 10W for “almost” 60. This represents a modest, but important upgrade in performance — but every game is different.

With games like Red Dead Redemption 2 or Cyberpunk 2077, the difference is more pronounced. The Ayaneo 2 was able to serve up around mid-20 fps for both of these games at 15W TDP at 1200p. The 2S was able to crank out closer to 40 peak fps with a minimum over 30 at the same power setting. Dial the 2S up to 22W TDP and you can expect over 60 fps no problem.

Photo by James Trew / Engadget

It’s hard to do several side by side comparisons for all games and different situations, but it’s easy to see that the 7840U presents a significant upgrade in performance at the higher end. Some benchmarks even suggest that the Ayaneo 2S consistently bests the performance of the ROG ALLY with like for like settings. This could simply be down to differences in drivers for the new chipsets, but as YouTuber The Phawx points out, modern games often require a lot of VRAM, and APUs like the 7840U lean on system RAM for that, making the higher spec of the Ayaneo a clear advantage.

If you’re less worried about playing heavyweight games, and prefer indie titles or older/lighter games then the 2S really shines, being able to run things like Hades, Trine, Return of the Obra Dinn, Hotline Miami and so on at full/high quality settings without even flinching. Importantly, you’ll be able to do so at a much lower TDP — even as low as 5W for many of the above titles.

It’s with these less-demanding titles where the new processor’s efficiency most noticeably translates into extra battery life. With the Ayaneo 2, at lower TDP settings battery life seems to hover a little over the four hour mark (depending on the game being played). With the 2S, it’s possible to break the five hour mark if you’re frugal — of course this also means disabling wireless, lowering the screen brightness and so on, but it’s a marked improvement.

Sadly, those gains don’t seem to scale up at the high end. Once above 15W I didn’t notice significant gains in battery life. That said, if you’re now able to play a game at 15W that needed 20W of power on an older model, there’s obviously an inherent power saving there, but at like-for-like wattages, these Windows handhelds are still incredibly power hungry.

Ayaneo has been broadly praised for its hardware and performance since it entered the scene, it’s the software side of things where people seem to have the most complaints. It doesn’t take long with the 2S before you’re reminded that you’re basically holding a desktop. Especially if there’s a launcher between you and the game — as EA/Rockstar/Ubisoft titles tend to have. On the Steam Deck, for example, these are handled slightly better, but on the Ayaneo platform it can be ugly with different windows popping up.

The Ayaspace launcher itself rarely gets much praise, but I’ve always found it functional and a nicer experience than just launching titles from the desktop. It doesn’t do an amazing job of hiding Windows from you — you’ll regularly find yourself navigating the desktop with the analog sticks or touchscreen. For the most part you can boot up and get into a game quickly, but the specter of Microsoft’s operating system is never far away.

Photo by James Trew / Engadget

The better news is that Ayaneo has just made version 2.0 of its launcher available for download and it looks promising. The general user interface seems much slicker and more lightweight which feels much more in tune with what you might expect from a console experience. I was only able to spend a short amount of time with it, but aesthetically it feels like an improvement with more controls and settings closer to hand.

Perhaps the bigger problem for the 2S, or Ayaneo owners in general, is that… even in the time between starting this review and finishing it the company’s lineup has changed. The Ayaneo Air 1S, a more compact 7840-based handheld, has been announced. That’s not to be confused with the Air Pro and the Air Plus. Then there’s the Ayaneo Kun, a new, new flagship that’s all new, including an 8-inch display and Steam Deck-like touchpads. Not to mention the dizzying amount of different configurations within each of those, meaning Ayaneo probably has more SKUs than all of its competitors put together.

Predictably, the Ayaneo 2S is a great gaming handheld that outperforms most of its rivals in several key areas. It’ll handle almost any game you throw at it, and likely do so surprisingly well. But there’s still the matter of price. $999+ for a gaming handheld is a huge spend for most people. One of the reasons the Steam Deck has remained so popular despite new, “superior” competition from Ayaneo and ASUS etc. is that it’s relatively affordable.

Ayaneo looks set to continue to cater for those who are willing to pay for the latest and greatest, but it’s also at risk of alienating those users by making their $1,200 handheld feel last-gen in just seven months. At the moment, the company’s fans appear to enjoy the rapid-fire approach to releases. Just as they’re about to stop salivating over the latest product, another one pops up on the horizon. There is, of course, a question mark over how long Ayaneo can keep this up without alienating its fans, or even over-stretching its own resources. At least, for now, the next APU refresh from AMD isn’t set for another year or so, so perhaps that’s a chance for Ayaneo to catch its breath. Or not.