Whether you have a ton of games saved to your console, store thousands of photos on your tablet or have years worth of documents saved to your PC, having extra storage on hand can only help you in the future. Thankfully, we typically see a bunch of great deals on SSDs, microSD cards and other storage gadgets for Black Friday, and this year is no different. Items from Samsung, Crucial and SanDisk have been discounted, many to record-low prices, making it a great time to stock up for yourself or for loved ones who have been making the most of their last few gigabytes. Here are the best storage deals we found for Black Friday 2022.
SanDisk Ultra microSD card
SanDisk
SanDisk's 256GB Ultra microSD card is down to a record low of $22 for Black Friday. This is one of the best deals on a single microSD card for the day, as it represents a 55-percent discount off the regular price. This card can be used in many different devices, including the Nintendo Switch, and it supports up to 120MB/s transfer speeds.
Crucial's MX500 internal drive is down to a new low of $68 for the 1TB version, and you can find discounts on the other configurations, too. We've long recommended this drive for its standard form factor, its sequential reads/write speeds of up to 560/510 MB/s and its AES 256-bit hardware encryption. It also has integrated power loss immunity, which saves all of your work even when there's a power outage.
The rugged Samsung T7 Shield portable SSD in 1TB is on sale for $100 for Black Friday, which matches its record-low price. We've been fans of the T7 lineup for quite some time, and the latest edition has a rubberized exterior that helps protect it from drops from almost 10 feet high. It's also IP65 water- and dust-resistant, while retaining that palm-sized, pocket-friendly design we've come to expect from the series. It supports 1,050/1,000 MB/s read/write speeds and it has Dynamic Thermal Guard to keep performance steady even when you're pushing the drive to its limits.
If you need a solid drive for your new PS5, Samsung's 980 Pro is a good choice. The 1TB version with an included heatsink is on sale for only $120 for Black Friday, and since it comes with that accessory, it'll be ready to go for your console out of the box. We like its read speeds of 7,000MB/s, its smart thermal control and the fact that you can maintain and customize it using Samsung's Magician software.
Samsung's EVO Select microSD card in 256GB is down to $25 for Black Friday. While not a record-low price, it's close to it and a 38-percent discount. It supports transfer speeds of up to 130MB/s and it comes with a full-sized adapter, allowing you to use it with even more gadgets. It would make a good addition to your DSLR camera, Nintendo Switch or tablet.
Crucial's budget-friendly P5 Plus internal drive is down to a record low of $94. Its standard price makes it pretty affordable all the time, but it's a particularly attractive option when on sale like this. Just remember that it doesn't come with a heatsink by default, so you'll have to provide one yourself if you plan on using it with the PS5.
Crucial's X8 portable drive in 2TB is on sale for $140, which is a record-low price. We like this drive for its compact yet durable design that's drop-, shock- and vibration-resistant, plus its read speeds of up to 1,050MB/s. It also comes with a USB-C to A and a USB-C to C cable, so you can use it with almost any device.
SanDisk's 2TB Extreme portable SSD has dropped to $145 for Black Friday, which is the cheapest we've seen it. You're getting up to 1,050MB/s read and up to 1,000MB/s write speeds with this pocket-friendly drive, plus a design that's IP55 water and dust resistant, plus able to withstand drops from up to two meters. We also like that it has a carabiner loop built in so you can attach it to your bag before you head out.
Lexar's Play microSD card is on sale for only $15 right now. That'll get you the 128GB model, but this card goes up to a whopping 1TB of storage, and that version is down to $136 for Black Friday. This card supports 150MB/s read speeds and comes with five years of limited product support.
If you need more than one card at a good price, PNY has a two-pack of 128GB microSD cards for only $23. These cards have read speeds up to 100MB/s and they're pretty durable as they are magnet-, shock-, temperature- and waterproof.
Anker has put a quite a lengthy list of products on sale at Amazon for Black Friday, and if you have a lot of devices, here's your chance to grab a bunch of charging accessories at discounted prices. The Anker 735 65W GaNPrime charger, for instance, is currently selling for $42 or 30 percent off its retail price of $60. It has two USB-C and one USB-A port, and being a GaN charger means it's more powerful and can charge faster than its traditional counterparts despite being smaller in size. The Anker 735 works with mobile devices, such as the latest iPhones and the Samsung Galaxy phones, as well as laptops like the 2020 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models.
The Anker 521 Nano Pro charger is also on sale for $28.79 or 20 percent less than its regular price. It's a 40W charger that comes with two USB-C ports and can be used with mobile devices, tablets and laptops like the MacBook Air. If you're looking for a portable charger for your iPhone, though, you'll probably want to spend your money on the Anker 622 Magnetic Battery. The 5,000 mAh wireless power bank is a collaboration between Anker and PopSockets, which means it comes with a collapsible grip that can double as a stand. It's currently on sale for $40 or 43 percent less than retail.
Need a lot more power than what the 622 Magnetic Battery can provide? The Anker PowerCore 24K is currently available for $100, as well, which is $50 less than its typical price. It has a 24,000 mAh capacity, a 140W output and has one USB-A and two USB-C ports for your phones, tablets and laptops.
In case what you need is a power strip for travel or to keep your home office cables organized, you can also get Anker's 727 Charging Station. It has two AC outlets, two USB-A ports and two USB-C ports, so you can keep six devices plugged in simultaneously. The power strip has a maximum output of 100W and is only about the size of an iPhone Pro Max model.
For your wireless charging needs, there's the Anker PowerWave Go 3-in-1 charging station, which is currently selling for $126 or $54 less than its retail price. The package comes with a wireless charging base for your phone, an Apple Watch charging module and a 10,000 mAh detachable wireless charger that you can carry around with you. It also includes a 45W Anker Nano II power adapter and a 5-foot USB-C to USB-C cable.
Anker's Power Strip Surge Protector with 12 outlets, two USB-A and one USB-C port is also on sale if you're looking for something simpler and straightforward. You can get it for $26 or $10 less than retail. And if you're just looking to stock up on cables, the Anker Powerline+ II Lightning Cables are also selling for $33.59 for a three-pack bundle. Each pack comes with a three-foot, a six-foot and a 10-foot cable for all Apple devices that have a lightning port.
Tile has discounted a handful of its popular Bluetooth item trackers ahead of Black Friday. The deals include the latest Tile Mate tracker down to $18, which is about $7 off its usual going rate and tied for the lowest price we've seen. The diminutive Tile Sticker is on sale for $20, which is $1 more than its all-time low but still $10 off its typical street price. The credit-card-shaped Tile Slim, meanwhile, is discounted to $25, which is $2 above the all-time low but also roughly $10 below its average street price.
The offers are available at third-party retailers like Amazon and Tile's own online store; the latter includes a few extra discounted bundles, and some of the deals there include a year of the company's Premium subscription, which includes perks like free battery replacements. Tile is advertising the discounts as its "Holiday Sale," so we expect them to carry over into Black Friday proper.
Tile trackers remain a worthy alternative to Apple's AirTags — which are also on sale this week — for Android users. They aren't as precise at locating an attached item as AirTags, and they can't leverage a device network as mammoth as Apple's, but their crowd-finding network is the next largest available, and the three trackers on sale here can use Bluetooth to directly locate lost items about 200-250 feet away. They're also available in a more versatile range of designs: The Mate, for instance, has a built-in keyring hole, while the Sticker can attach directly to smaller items through an adhesive back.
Tile was acquired last year by family tracking company Life360, which recently said it would integrate Tile with its own locator service. The parent company promised to scale down its selling of user data earlier this year after past reports, but tracking devices like these still aren't likely to appeal to privacy hawks. None of the devices on sale here include a replaceable battery, either — that's now limited to the $35 Tile Pro, which isn't discounted. (Tile estimates the sealed batteries in the Mate, Sticker and Slim will last up to three years.) Still, if you tend to misplace your keys or wallet and want some extra peace of mind, these can provide that, and now they're a little more affordable.
Though Black Friday is technically a week away, we're already seeing a barrage of sales that we expect to carry over into the shopping holiday. Several of Apple's iPads, Apple Watches and MacBooks are available at their lowest prices to date, for instance, as are a plethora of devices from Amazon and Google. PlayStation and Xbox have kicked off their respective Black Friday sales, too, and there are numerous discounts on wireless headphones we like. We expect to see many more deals go live in the coming days, but for now, here are the best early Black Friday deals from this week that you can still get today.
Apple iPad 10.2-inch and iPad Pro
Chris Velazco/Engadget
It's a good time to be in the market for a new iPad, as several of Apple's tablets are back down to the lowest prices we've tracked. The entry-level iPad, for instance, is on sale for $270. That's about $25 below the 10.2-inch tablet's average street price over the last few months. We gave the device a review score of 86 last year; while it lacks the more modern design of Apple's newer slates, we still consider it the best budget tablet you can buy.
If you want a step up, the latest iteration of the 11-inch iPad Pro is $70 off less than a month after launch. We gave that one a score of 87, praising its top-of-the-line M2 chip and 120Hz display, though the iPad Air (currently down to $520) is still a better value for most. If money is no object, the 512GB version of last year's 12.9-inch iPad Pro isn't that far off from the newer model; it's down to $1,000, which is roughly $275 lower than its typical street price as of late.
Apple Watch Series 8
Cherlynn Low / Engadget
The Apple Watch Series 8 is down to $349 ahead of Black Friday, which matches its lowest price to date and sits about $40 below the typical price we've seen in recent months. That deal is for the 41mm model; if you'd like a larger case, the 45mm version is down to a new low of $379, which is also $40 off its usual street price. The Series 8 is the top pick in our best smartwatches guide: It's probably not worth the upgrade if you're coming from a Series 5 or newer, but it continues to offer the most robust blend of app support, fitness tracking, smartphone connectivity and style you can get in a wearable.
Apple's M2-equipped MacBook Air is still on sale for $1,050, which is the best price we've tracked and about $75 off its typical price online in recent months. We gave it a review score of 96 earlier this year, and it's currently the top pick in our guide to the best laptops. This entry-level model suffers from slower storage speeds than pricier configurations, so it's not ideal for pro-level work, but its premium-feeling hardware, vibrant display and powerful SoC should still make it a pleasure for more common tasks.
If you want a cheaper route into macOS, the 2020 MacBook Air with Apple's M1 SoC is back down to $800, which is about $100 off its usual going rate. That model is saddled with thicker bezels, tinnier speakers, a worse webcam, slower charging and slightly worse performance than the new Air, but its long battery life, still-speedy chip and comfortable keyboard and trackpad still make it a fine value for casual web browsing and basic work at this deal price.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen)
This one is more of a PSA than an ongoing deal: As spotted at Slickdeals, the latest AirPods Pro are set to drop to $199 at Target starting November 20, which is the lowest price we've tracked. If you can't wait a couple days, the earphones are on sale for $230 now, which is $19 off Apple's MSRP and about $10 off the average street price we've seen since the pair launched this past September.
Either way, while there's no shortage of good wireless noise-cancelling earphones these days, the AirPods Pro continue to offer powerful ANC, rich bass and particular ease of use with other Apple devices. Battery life and call quality are just average, though. Our review gave the pair a score of 88.
If you prefer a more open design, we'll note that the second-gen standard AirPods are still available for $90, which is roughly $15 below its typical street price. Again, though, it might be best to wait, as Walmart's product listing says that it'll have that pair available for $79 starting next week.
Sony noise-cancelling headphones sale
Sony has discounted a number of its premier noise-cancelling headphones ahead of Black Friday, which include the flagship WH-1000XM5 marked back down to $348. That's a $50 discount for the feature-rich cans, matching the all-time low for what we consider the best wireless headphones you can buy. If you want to save some cash, the last-gen WH-1000XM4s are back to a low of $228 themselves. That pair isn't as comfortable as the newer model, but it delivers a similar feature set and bass-forward sound for less money. It also avoids the auto-adjusting ANC of the XM5, which some may prefer.
Among in-ear pairs, the WF-1000XM4 and LinkBuds S are also on sale for $178 and $128, respectively. Again, both of those deals match the lowest prices we've seen. Between the two, the WF-1000XM4 offers more detailed sound, stronger noise isolation and a bit more battery life, though the LinkBuds S have a lighter and more comfortable fit. We gave the former a score of 86 last year.
Xbox controllers and games
Aaron Souppouris/Engadget
If you need an extra gamepad for your Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, or PC, Microsoft is selling its comfy Xbox Wireless Controller from $39 at various retailers. That isn't the lowest price we've seen, but it's still about $10 less than the typical prices we see online. The sale applies to multiple colorways, though getting the controller in anything other than black or white will cost an extra $5-10. If you don't want to deal with Bluetooth pairing on PC, you can also grab a bundle that pairs the gamepad a wireless adapter for $50. Just remember that the Xbox pad charges via AA batteries by default; a rechargeable unit costs $25.
We don't expect most game consoles to be discounted for Black Friday, but the Xbox Series S is an exception. Right now, Target is selling the diminutive device for $250and throwing in a $50 gift card with the purchase. Provided you use that gift card, that's effectively a $100 savings. If you aren't a frequent Target shopper, Amazon has console down to $240 on its own.
The Series S itself isn't as powerful as the Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5: It's not built for 4K gaming or especially high frame rates, it doesn't have a disc drive and it only includes 512GB of built-in storage. But it can play all the same games as the Series X, its SSD still allows for fast loading times and its compact design is easy to tuck away. It's a fitting choice for a secondary TV or those who want a more casual route into the Xbox library. We gave the console a review score of 85 when it first released in late 2020.
PlayStation controllers, subscriptions and games
Aaron Souppouris/Engadget
If you're prefer the PlayStation 5, Sony has dropped that machine's DualSense controllers down to $49, which is a new low and $20 off their usual going rate. Again, this sale applies to multiple finishes, though most are not priced higher than the standard white model. There are other accessory deals, too: Sony's DualSense Charging Station is back to its all-time low of $20, as is the PS5 Media Remote for those who often use the console as a media streamer.
If you need to re-up your PlayStation Plus subscription, Sony has also cut the price of memberships to all three of that service's tiers by 25 percent. This brings the basic "Essential" tier down to $45, the "Extra" tier to $75, and the "Premium" tier to $90. As a refresher, the Essential tier gets you access to online multiplayer, an allotment of cloud storage and a handful of free game downloads each month. The Extra tier adds an on-demand library with a few hundred games, while the Premium tier adds cloud game streaming and a selection of "classic" PlayStation games selection on top of that.
Roku's Streambar is down to $80 at multiple retailers, which is about $30 below its average street price in recent months and matches the lowest price we've tracked. This is a highly compact, 2.0-channel soundbar that doubles as a 4K HDR Roku streamer. You can get more expansive sound from other soundbars, but the Streambar will still outperform most built-in TV speakers, and having a streaming player built in is still useful for smartening up an older TV. We gave it a review score of 86 back in 2020. If you don't need a soundbar, Roku's excellent Streaming Stick 4K is still on sale for $25 as well.
Google's has set its annual Black Friday sale live, bringing solid discounts on a number of its Pixel and Nest devices. The notable offers here include the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are down to $500 and $750, respectively — both represent the lowest price we've tracked for what our review called "the best bargains in flagship phones." Normally, the handsets have retailed closer to $595 and $880.
The Pixel 6a, meanwhile, is back at its all-time low of $299, down from a typical street price around $385. We gave that device a review score of 89 this past July — it gets you the same clean software as the flagship models and excellent camera performance for the price, though it does sacrifice wireless charging and a higher refresh rate, among other perks, by comparison.
With its built-in GPS and accurate activity tracking, Fitbit Charge 5 is the top pick in our guide to the best fitness trackers. Right now it's on sale for $100, which is about $25 off its usual street price and marks an all-time low.
All of Amazon's Fire TV Stick streamers are on sale, with the Fire TV Stick 4K Max down to $35, the Fire TV Stick 4K down to $25, the Fire TV Stick down to $20, and the Fire TV Stick Lite down to $15. We've seen these deals numerous times in the past, but they match the best prices we've seen for the two 4K sticks and bring the 1080p models within $3 of their respective lows.
We did a quick breakdown of the differences between these streamers earlier this week. All of them saddle you with an ad-heavy UI that steers you toward Amazon's own content, but they continue to work well for casual streaming, and they should prove convenient if you frequently use Alexa, Prime Video or other Amazon services already (or if you'd like to sideload unsupported apps).
Amazon Fire tablet sale
Amazon
Not to be outdone, just about all of Amazon's Fire tablets are at or near their best-ever prices as well. The pick of the bunch is the Fire HD 10 for $75, which matches its all-time low and comes in about $40 than its usual going rate. Like all Fire tablets, it's not the most premium-feeling thing and its interface heavily steers you toward Amazon content. Still, it's faster than Amazon's other slates, and its 10.1-inch 1080p display is more pleasing for web browsing and streaming video. At this price, it's great value for casual tablet users or those who often enjoy Amazon services like Audible, Prime Video or Prime Music.
The recently-refreshedFire HD 8 isn't a bad alternative if you want something smaller or cheaper, though. It's down to $55, which marks a new low. The various Kids editions of these tablets are also on sale — as a reminder, those tack on a protective case, a longer two-year warranty, and a year-long subscription to the company's Kids+ content service. The entry-level Fire 7 is also on sale for a low of $40, though we generally advise against buying that model given its non-HD display and sluggish performance.
The Paperwhite Signature Edition, meanwhile, quadruples the built-in storage to 32GB, adds Qi wireless charging and an auto-adjusting backlight. It's down a new low at $130, and we gave it a glowing review score of 97 last year. The sale brings the top-end Kindle Oasis to a best-ever price of $205 as well; that one is overkill for most people, but it still has the largest display of any Kindle.
Amazon Echo sale
Amazon
Beyond that, a wide range of Amazon Echo speakers and Echo Show smart displays are available for low or near-low prices, too. Among the highlights, the recently updated Echo Dot is down to $25, which is the first major discount we've tracked and half off its street price up to now. The variant with a built-in clock is down to a new low of $40, meanwhile, as is the fuller-sounding base Echo. If you want a smart display, the Echo Show 8 is a worthy choice at $70; we gave that one a review score of 87 last year and generally consider it the most appropriate mix of size, speed and audio quality among Alexa displays.
Popular meditation app Headspace has kicked off its Black Friday promotion for the year, taking half off its annual and monthly memberships for new and returning subscribers. That brings the annual plan down to $35 and the monthly plan to $6.49 per month. If you take the plunge, just note that the discount only applies for the first year, after which the subscription will auto-renew at its normal going rate. Apps like this aren't magical cure-alls for stress, but we've recommended Headspace in the past for its impressive breadth of guided meditations and accessibility for those new to the practice.
Masterclass has rolled out a Cyber Monday deal that gives two annual memberships to the online education platform for the price of one. Depending on what plan you pick, that's either a $180, $240 or $276 discount. You can technically keep both years for yourself, but the offer is designed for you to gift the second year-long subscription to a loved one, as it'll expire 365 days from your date of purchase if it's not redeemed beforehand. Just note that both subscriptions will be set to auto-renew by default, and while the deal applies to any of the platform's plans, the cheapest subscription doesn't include offline downloads. In any event, Masterclass continues to offer a plethora of insightful courses taught by celebrities and field experts alike, covering everything from cooking with Gordon Ramsey to business strategy with Bob Iger.
At $100 and $150, respectively, both the 1TB and 2TB versions of SanDisk's Extreme Portable SSD are down to their lowest prices to date. For reference, the former usually sits closer to $120, while the latter usually runs closer to $190. This is one of the better portable SSDs on the market, offering a rugged, pocketable design and fast-enough transfer speeds for moving large files on top of the usual reliability of any SSD. It also comes with a five-year warranty.
Staying on the storage front, we're also seeing discounts on a variety of Samsung SSDs and microSD cards. The 2TB model of the 980 Pro SSD is down to a new low of $180, for one, which is a roughly $50 discount. While Samsung recently launched a follow-up, this is still a well-performing PCIe 4.0 drive for those who want to upgrade their PS5's storage. Similarly, the company's Evo Select microSD card isn't the absolute fastest you can buy, but it should more than enough for most needs — its 512GB variant is on sale for $45, which is $15 off its usual price and a new all-time low.
The Roomba 694 is back down to $179, which is about $45 off its usual street price and only $5 more than the lowest price we've tracked. This is a simpler "bump and run" robot vacuum, but it's the budget pick in our guide to the best robovacs thanks to its easy-to-use app, sturdy design and decent cleaning power. If you're willing to pay a bit more for something with smarter navigation and a dock for cleaning and charging, iRobot's Roomba i3+ Evo is a nice step up that's currently available for an all-time low of $350.
Here's a good deal on a rare set of commendable noise-cancelling headphones priced below $100. At $60, this is $10 more than the lowest price we've ever seen for Anker's Soundcore Life Q30, but still $20 off the pair's usual street price. The Q30 offers a comfortable fit, a superb 40+ hours of battery life per charge and noise cancellation that, while a step behind the best premium models, belies its low price. Its mic isn't great, and its sound goes very heavy on the bass by default, but it still offers a lot of headphone for the money.
The Beats Powerbeats Pro are back down to their all-time low of $150, which is about $40 less than the typical street price we see. These earbuds are a pick in our guide to the best wireless workout headphones, where we praised their stable behind-the-ear hook design, AirPods-esque ease of use with iPhones, nine-ish hours of continuous battery life and physical controls. Their case is enormous, though, and their partially-sealed fit may not be for everyone.
Black Friday is typically the best time of year to pick up a new TV, and sure enough, we're starting to see new low prices on well-regarded sets. The 65-inch version of Samsung's S95B OLED TV, for instance, has dropped to a new low of $1,798, which is about $200 below than the typical price we've seen over the past month. This set's "QD-OLED" panel has earnedrave reviews around the web for offering the excellent contrast of most OLED TVs without sacrificing as much in the way of brightness and color saturation.
LG's C2 OLED TV is more prone to those issues, but it still provides inky blacks, wide viewing angles and gaming-friendly features like the ability to play in 4K/120Hz. It looks particularly nice in darker room. It's also available in smaller sizes than the S95B, and its 42-inch model is currently down to a new low of $897, which is about $130 off its usual going rate. If you need something bigger, BuyDig has the 65-inch C2 for the same $1,697 price we've seen for the past month, but includes a $150 gift card with the purchase.
If you're willing to sacrifice some picture quality for a striking design, we've previously sung the praises of Samsung's Frame TV, which is built to look like a giant picture frame and can display art when you aren't watching something. The 55-inch model of that LED TV is back to a low of $998, which is about $300 off its street price. If you're on a tighter budget, Hisense's U6H is a well-reviewed set that's on sale for a more approachable $370, another all-time low.
NVIDIA GeForce Now
NVIDIA is running a promotion that doles out six months of the "Priority" tier of its GeForce Now cloud gaming service for $30, down from its usual $50. The company says this deal is only available to new members, free-tier members, Priority members currently on a 1-month subscription plan and "users on an active promotion or gift card," so it's looking to upsell customers who aren't on one of the service's higher-end plans already. Still, if you've been interested in giving the service a try, this is a more affordable way to avoid the limitations of its free tier. The promo is set to run through November 20.
As a refresher, GeForce Now lets you stream games you already own on platforms like Steam or the Epic Games Store over the cloud, so it'll work best if you have a well-sized library of PC games already. "Priority" is the service's middle tier. You can stream in resolutions up to 1080p and frame rates up to 60 fps, which is a step behind the 4K and 120 fps support of the top "RTX 3080" tier but should be fine for most. You're also allotted up to six hours per session, instead of the one-hour session length of the service's free tier.
Eero mesh router sale
Amazon
If you're looking to upgrade your home WiFi to a mesh networking kit, Amazon's Eero 6 routers aren't necessarily the fastest or most customizable, but they're generally reliable and particularly easy to operate. Right now, a number of Eero systems are on sale. The best middle-ground option is likely the Eero 6 Plus, a three-pack of which is back to its all-time low of $194. That's well down from its usual $299, but if you have a smaller place, two-packs and solo routers are also available for lows of $155 and $90, respectively.
Even if you live for the holiday season, the shopping portion of it can be daunting for us all. Maybe you made a resolution last year to be better prepared this time around, but it’s easy to get sidetracked by all the other demands of everyday life. Holiday sales may have already begun, but if you’re just getting your list together now, you’re not alone.
This is where our holiday gift guide comes in. Every year, we gather our favorite gadgets and other miscellany into one big (and, we hope, helpful) guide. You’ll find gift ideas for the audiophile in your life, video gamers, board gamers, frequent travelers, people who work from home, and others. We also have all of our bread-and-butter gadget categories represented, with lists of our favorite laptops, tablets, smart home devices, home theater gear and gaming accessories.
We also know that gadgets can get expensive fast, so in addition to having a bunch of types of gifts covered in our guide, we have every budget represented, too. Whether you’re ready to splurge this year or need to find inexpensive gifts, we have options for you. And if you’re willing to wait, Black Friday and Cyber Monday should bring a number of great deals on some of our favorite gadgets. If you haven’t crossed everything off your list by that point, be sure to follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter so you don’t miss any of the worthwhile tech deals this season.
We hope that our product recommendations can lessen your holiday stress because you’ll spend less time worrying about which gift to get for whom. And don’t forget to pick up something for yourself along the way – you deserve it.
Check out all of our holiday gift guide stories right here.
Black Friday doesn't officially arrive for a few more weeks, but we're already starting to see retailers run early holiday sales on several gadgets we recommend. Roku's Streaming Stick 4K, for instance, has fallen to a new low of $25, while Sony's WH-1000XM5 headphones are back down to the price we saw during Amazon's Prime Early Access Sale last month. There are offers on Amazon and Google devices beyond that, plus discounts on Roombas, MacBooks, Logitech gaming mice, and Samsung storage gear, among others. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.
Roku Streaming Stick 4K
Roku
This drop to $25 represents a new low for Roku's Streaming Stick 4K, which is currently the top streaming stick in our guide to the best streaming devices. The streamer has normally retailed closer to $40 in recent months. While it's not as luxurious as a new Apple TV 4K, the Streaming Stick 4K still gives you the essentials in a more affordable package. It's fast enough, it supports all the major streaming services (apart from Twitch), and it works with the big HDR standards (Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG). Its tile-based interface is relatively basic and not devoid of ads, but it remains dead-simple to navigate and not as intense about pushing you toward certain services as other streamers. The device also works Apple's AirPlay protocol, so you can beam video to it straight from an iPhone or iPad.
Note that Roku also sells a Streaming Stick 4K+ with an upgraded remote that adds hands-free voice search, a built-in headphone jack for private listening, a rechargeable battery and a lost remote finder function. That device retails for $70, however, and it's not on sale as of this writing. You can still use the Roku app for private listening with the non-Plus model, too. If you prefer a set-top box design and need an Ethernet port, the Roku Ultra is currently discounted to a new low of $70 from its usual $95. And if you prefer the more personalized interface and (far) superior search capabilities of Google's 4K Chromecast, another streamer we recommend, that one is still on sale for $40.
Sony headphone sale
Billy Steele/Engadget
Sony has discounted a number of its most popular wireless headphones ahead of Black Friday, including deals on its best noise-cancelling and true wireless models. Perhaps most notably, the Sony WH-1000XM5 are back down to $348. That's a roughly $50 discount, matching the lowest price to date for what we consider the best wireless headphones you can buy. We gave that pair a score of 95 in our glowing review, but if you want something a bit more affordable, the older but still-capable WH-1000XM4s are available for $228, which also matches an all-time low. (Yes, the names of these things still aren't great.)
The active noise cancellation on both pairs is still among the most effective you can buy, and both headsets come with useful features like a "Speak to Chat" function that automatically pauses your music when you start speaking to someone. The battery on both headphones lasts around 30 hours per charge, which is good, and the two each come with a fun, bass-heavy sound profile out of the box that can be adjusted to something more neutral through an EQ in Sony's companion app.
That said, the XM5s are generally more comfortable to wear for extended periods, and they have a better microphone for making calls. We also found the newer pair to be a bit better at muting out higher- and mid-range noises like human voices, though some may not like that its automatic adjustment system — which re-optimizes the headphone's ANC profile based on your surroundings — can't be turned off. If you prefer physical control buttons to touch inputs or a more neutral default sound, we'll also note that the similarly comfortable Bose QuietComfort 45 is still on sale for $250, though that pair trades away some battery life and extra features by comparison.
If you're looking for noise cancellation in a true wireless form factor, the WF-1000XM4 are available for $178, which again matches the lowest price we've tracked. While Bose's QuietComfort Earbuds II have this pair beat when it comes to raw ANC strength, Sony's earbuds are still far from ineffective, and our review found them to be more well-rounded when it comes to overall features and sound quality. Plus, the Bose earbuds cost $300, and we don't expect them drop this low for Black Friday. Sony's LinkBuds S, meanwhile, are on sale for an all-time low of $128; that model's ANC is a step down from the others noted here, but its design is lighter and more comfortable in the ear.
At $75, this isn't the all-time lowest price we've seen for Amazon's 10.1-inch tablet — the device briefly dropped to $55 at Target earlier this year — but it does match the deals we saw during last year's Black Friday sales and this year's pair of Prime Day events. Discounts on the Fire HD 10 haven't been uncommon over the past year, but most of those sales have dropped the device to either $100 or $110.
When it's discounted to this extent, the Fire HD 10 is a strong value for those who just want a competent tablet for media consumption on the cheap. Amazon's Fire OS still omits access to the Google Play Store and heavily steers you toward the company's own services, but the Fire HD 10's general performance and 1920 x 1200 resolution display are perfectly solid for the money. The device gets a good 12 or so hours of battery life per charge, and a useful "Show Mode" feature lets it double as an Alexa smart display if desired. This deal comes as part of a wider sale on Amazon slates, but of those, the Fire HD 10 should provide the best blend of price and performance for most people.
Apple iPad Air (2020)
Dana Wollman/Engadget
The 256GB variant of Apple's fourth-gen iPad Air is currently on sale for $499 at Walmart, which marks the lowest price we've seen. Now, hear us out on this one. If money is less of a concern, then no, you shouldn't get the 2020 iPad Air when the 2022 model is right there (and still on sale) with its faster M1 chip, upgraded camera, and improved USB-C port. The entry-level 10.2-inch iPad is still a better value for those who just want the essentials, too. However, if you were specifically thinking of getting the new 10th-gen iPad, the last-gen Air packs the same A14 Bionic chip and a nearly identical design (save for a camera on the landscape edge) without giving up support for the second-gen Apple Pencil or a laminated display with a wide color gamut.
The 256GB version of the 10th-gen iPad is priced at $599, so if you must have more than the base 64GB of storage and you can't afford to step up to the current Air, this last-gen model is the better buy despite being two years older. Just note that this deal only applies to certain colorways. Since this looks to be an inventory-clearing situation, we wouldn't be surprised if stock runs dry sooner rather than later, either.
Samsung storage device sale
Samsung
If you're running out of space on your PC, game console, camera or whatever else, Amazon is still running a sale on various Samsung storage devices. Not every deal in the sale is a winner, but the highlights include the 1TB T7 Shield, a ruggedized and water-resistant version of the T7 portable SSD we recommend, marked down to a new low of $90. Though Samsung recently launched a faster 990 Pro internal SSD, the prior 980 Pro is still a fine PCIe 4.0 drive for newer PCs or a PlayStation 5 (with a heatsink), and it's back down to a low of $120 for 1TB. If you need a speedy microSD card, meanwhile, the 256GB Evo Select is a decent buy at $23; that doesn't quite match the all-time low of $20 we saw earlier this year, but it's the best price we've tracked otherwise.
Though no cloud gaming service feels quite as fluid as playing a game locally, NVIDIA's GeForce Now is one of the better takes on the concept, particularly if you already own a hefty library of games on PC. Right now, NVIDIA is running a promotion that doles out a six-month subscription of the "Priority" tier of the service for $30. Normally, that would cost $50. NVIDIA says the deal is only available to new members, free-tier members, Priority members currently on a 1-month subscription plan and "users on an active promotion or gift card," so the idea is to upsell customers who aren't on one of the service's higher-end plans already. This promo is set to run through November 20.
As a refresher, "Priority" is GeForce Now's middle tier: you don't get the 4K/120 fps support of the pricier "RTX 3080" subscription, but you can still stream in resolutions up to 1080p and frame rates up to 60 fps. You're also allotted up to six hours per session instead of the one-hour session length of the service's free tier. (The RTX 3080 tier, meanwhile, allows up to eight-hour sessions.) It's also worth remembering that GeForce Now doesn't follow the same model as other cloud services like Google Stadia (RIP) or Microsoft's Xbox Cloud Gaming: The idea is that you bring games you already own on platforms like Steam or the Epic Games Store, then GeForce Now will let you stream them elsewhere when you're away from your gaming PC. Just make sure enough of your games are actually supported before you take the plunge, and note that your subscription will be set to auto-renew by default.
Google Pixel 6a
Engadget
A quick PSA for anyone looking to buy a good Android phone on a budget: the unlocked Google Pixel 6a is still on sale for $299, which matches the lowest price we've tracked. The handset has a list price of $449, but we've typically seen it float between $350 and $400 over the past few months.
We recommend the Pixel 6a in our best smartphones guide, and we gave it a review score of 89 back in July. Like past Pixel phones, the main perks here are stellar camera performance and a clean take on Android, with OS and security updates guaranteed into 2025 and 2027, respectively. The first-gen Google Tensor chip and 6.1-inch OLED display compare favorably to most phones in this price range, and while its back is made of plastic, the design doesn't look cheap. It's also IP67-rated for dust and water resistance. The 6a isn't without flaws: There's no headphone jack or wireless charging support, the display is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, and the battery life, while good, isn't top-of-the-line. Still, for less than $300, it's difficult to do better.
Amazon Echo Show 5
Nicole Lee/Engadget
It's a good week to be in the market for a smart display, as nearly all of Amazon's Echo Show devices are on sale. Among the highlights, a two-pack of the diminutive Echo Show 5 is down to $60 when you use the code SHOW52PK at checkout. That's about a $20-25 savings off a two-pack's usual street price in recent months. Individual models are on sale for $35, which is a price we've seen a handful of times lately but still a solid value. We gave the 5.5-inch display a review score of 85 last year: You won't want to use it for more involved smart home tasks or video calls, but it works particularly well when used as a smarter alarm clock.
If you'd prefer something bigger and faster, both the 10.1-inch Echo Show 10 and 15.6-inch Echo Show 15 are still available for a low of $170, though our reviews for those devices had a few more reservations by comparison. If you prefer to use the Google Assistant instead of Alexa, meanwhile, Google's seven-inch Nest Hub also plays nice on a bedside table, adding a modicum of sleep tracking functionality and removing any built-in camera. We gave that one a score of 89 last year, and it's currently back to its usual deal price of $50.
At $179, this deal matches the best price we've seen for iRobot's Roomba 694, the top pick in our guide to the best budget robot vacuums. We've seen this price a few times over the course of the year, though over the past few months the device has retailed closer to $225 on average.
We've found the Roomba 694 to be a dependable and easy-to-manage robovac, with decent battery life of at least 45 minutes per charge — and potentially longer depending on the mix of surfaces in your home — and a sturdy design that'll survive its inevitable bumps into your furniture. Since it's WiFi-enabled, you can turn it off and on, and set cleaning schedules, through the iRobot app. You still get what you pay for: Pricier robovacs will be more robust at cleaning larger spaces, and they'll do so in a more orderly fashion than the semi-random, "bump and run" style of the 694 here. (A couple of higher-end Roombas are also on sale as of this writing.) If you only need to clean a smaller area, though, or if you're willing to trade some cleaning smarts for something a bit more affordable, the 694 should do the job at this deal price.
Logitech G Pro X Superlight
Igor Bonifacic / Engadget
Logitech's G Pro X Superlight is a high-performing gaming mouse we like for both work and play, and right now it's down to its all-time low of $110, or about $25 off its usual street price. That's still not cheap, but G Pro X Superlight stands out for being exceedingly light (at roughly 63 grams), quick to glide (with its PTFE feet), and consistently responsive in faster-paced games. It has a particularly comfortable scroll wheel, too. You only get a couple of customizable shortcut buttons, and the whole thing only connects over a USB dongle, not Bluetooth. Still, we've found the design comfortable for most hand sizes and grip types. You should still only get a mouse like this if you're serious about PC gaming, but if that's the case, this one should serve you well in and out of those twitchy FPS games. Note that this discount is just one of a handful of deals currently available for mice we recommend.
We've seen Apple's M1 MacBook Air fall to $799 a few times in recent weeks, but if you missed out before, this is still a nice opportunity to save on what remains a commendable laptop for lighter work and casual use. The average street price for this SKU has sat around $920 in recent months.
If you can afford to step up to the newest MacBook Air model based on Apple's M2 chip, you still should: it packs a refreshed design, a bit more performance, a vastly superior webcam and speaker system and a brighter display, among other upgrades. But if you could use the savings, the M1 chip in found in the 2020 MacBook Air is still plenty performant for most tasks, while the notebook's battery life, keyboard, trackpad and overall build quality remain excellent. The 720p webcam, on the other hand, is a disappointment, and the 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage in this specific SKU aren't well-suited to heavier-duty work. But for everyday browsing, streaming and word processing, the M1 Air remains a solid value at $799.
48-inch LG A2 OLED TV
LG
The 48-inch version of LG's A2 OLED TV is still available for $570 at Best Buy, which is the best price we've tracked and matches the lowest price we saw for last year's A1 model in the same size. This is LG's entry-level OLED TV, so it's limited to 60 Hz and lacks gaming-friendly features like a variable refresh rate or HDMI 2.1 ports. If you're looking for a secondary TV away from the living room, though, the A2 still gets you the deep contrast, vibrant colors, and wide viewing angles you'd expect from a good OLED TV. Best Buy is advertising this offer as part of an ongoing "early Black Friday" sale, so we'd expect this to be the lowest price we'll see for this model over the holidays. If you're willing to trade some picture quality for a more striking design, meanwhile, we're still seeing sales on Samsung's The Frame TVs as well.
Gaming mice are different — faster, lighter, more responsive than standard mice — which means they're usually more expensive, too. Right now Amazon has five of the mice that made the cut in our productivity tests at discounts between 24 and 47 percent off. Some of the prices (like that of the Logitech G PRO X Superlight and G502 Lightspeed) are the lowest we've seen so far.
Our weekend editor Igor Bonifacic bought the Superlight for himself and uses it for both gaming and everyday computing. While he was impressed with the lightweight feel and accuracy, he also noted that it has "one of the best scroll wheels" he's ever used. Note that the mouse is not Bluetooth-compatible but uses radio frequency wireless connectivity for faster speeds. You'll need to use the included dongle, which stores in a clever magnetized compartment for travel. At $110, it's the lowest price we've seen so far and a full $50 off the usual MSRP.
Also on sale is the Viper Ultimate from Razer. In our testing, we gave it high marks for being a truly ambidextrous mouse with a light, 74-gram design that "glides across the desk, making it a pleasure to use for extended periods." It packs 70 hours of use on a charge and has eight programmable buttons to carry out in-game operations. At the usual list price of $130, it's pricey but worth it. At this sale price of $60, it's a much easier buy.
Two more gaming mice, the G502 Lightspeed from Logitech and Razer's Orochi V2 (in white and grey) are also discounted right now. The G502 comes with a bevy of gaming-focused features like removable weights and 11 customizable buttons. It's $60 off right now for an all-time-low of $90. For take-it-with-you gaming, the Orochi is a compact ultraportable with six buttons and a whopping 950-hour battery life. Snag this one for 30 percent off in the white or grey colorway.
While not a gaming mouse, Microsoft's Arc Mouse is a sleek and stylish travel pick that pops into an ergonomic arc, then packs flat when you need to take it with you. It's a Bluetooth mouse, with a trackpad area that allows for clicks as well as touch-generated scrolling. It takes two AAA batteries that'll last about six months. At 24 percent off, it's a great mobile mouse for less than $55.
If you want a more ergonomic work experience or need a mouse that's both precise and speedy for gaming, this is an ideal time for an upgrade.
Amazon's October Prime Day offers a great opportunity to pick up a new monitor for your work-from-home or gaming setup. They're often some of the most expensive peripherals to get, so it always helps when you can wait and pick up a new model on sale. A number of monitors from brands like LG, Samsung, Dell and others have been discounted for the Prime Early Access Sale, so chances are you'll find one that's been discounted that's the appropriate size and resolution for your needs. Here are the best monitor deals we could find for October Prime Day.
LG monitor deals
LG
LG discounted a mixture of standard and gaming monitors for Prime Day this time around. The cheapest of the bunch is this 32-inch FHD IPS display for $180, or 28 percent off its normal rate. But if you're a gamer, you should consider this 27-inch LG Ultragear QHD monitor — it has a 144Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time and support for NVIDIA G-Sync.
Samsung's monitor deals include the Smart Monitor M8 for only $500. That's the best price we've seen on the display that doubles as a smart TV. When you're not using it for productivity, you can access streaming services like Netlfix and Prime Video directly from the device, and it has a built-in smart home hub, too. If you don't need all those extra bells and whistles, displays like the $160, 24-inch SR35 monitor and the $280, 32-inch Odyssey G5 are also good options.
There's a big sale on Dell and Sceptre monitors that knocks up to 43 percent off select models. This 24-inch Dell IPS gaming monitor with a 240Hz refresh rate is cheaper than ever at $200, and you can get this all-purpose, 27-inch Dell FHD USB-C monitor for only $224.
If you're looking for a true budget monitor, Acer's got a handful of deals worth considering. You can pick up this 23.8-inch FHD IPS monitor with a 178 degree wide viewing angle for only $95, or this 27-inch Nitro WQHD gaming monitor, with AMD FreeSync Premium and overlocking to 170Hz refresh rates, for only $210 — $90 off its usual rate.
Maybe you have someone in your life who's an avid gamer or game streamer and you want to get them something to take their hobby to the next level. You're in luck — Amazon's October Prime Day has proven to be a boon for gaming deals, discounting everything from gaming laptops to keyboards to controllers and more. A bunch of brands are included, too, like Razer, Logitech, SteelSeries and more, so you may be able to find exactly what they've been asking for at a more affordable price. Here are the best gaming deals we found for the Prime Day Early Access Sale.
Elgato's Stream Deck is down to $90 for October Prime Day, or $50 off its normal price. This is a handy accessory to have for game streamer because you can customize its 15 LCD keys to do things like open apps, switch scenes, adjust audio and more.
The Razer Blade 14 gaming laptop with an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 graphics, 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage is $800 off and down to $2,000. The Blade is one of our favorite gaming laptops thanks to its sleek design and strong performance, and this model has a 14-inch QHD display with a 165Hz refresh rate. It's part of a larger sale on Amazon where you'll find a number of gaming laptops at discounted prices.
A number of SteelSeries headsets have been discounted in this sale, with one of the best being the wireless SteelSeries Arctis 1 for only $70. It supports ultra-low latency connectivity, a detachable microphone and a USB-C adapter for use with the Nintendo Switch and Android phones.
Logitech's new G Cloud gaming handheld device hasn't even officially come out yet, but you can get it for $50 less than its starting price right now. It supports mobile gaming at 1080p, 60fps, along with haptic feedback, gyroscope controls and remappable buttons.
Logitech's Blue Yeti mic is on sale for $90 right now — not an all-time low, but close to it. It's a solid choice for game streamers, aspiring podcasters or anyone who just wants to sound better on video conference calls. It supports four pickup patterns, onboard controls and a plug-and-play design.
Logitech's Blue Yeti Nano mic is on sale for $70 right now. This has been a long-time favorite of ours tanks to its compact design, cardioid and omni pickup patterns and its onboard controls.
Razer's Seiren Mini microphone is $10 off and down to $40, which is only $5 more than its record low. It's an ultra-compact, USB mic can come with you anywhere to amplify your voice on video calls and game streams.
Razer's Viper Ultimate gaming mouse is down to $60 for this sale. We like is ambidextrous design that makes it good for both right- and left-handed gamers, plus its light weight, low latency and eight programmable buttons.
Razer's BlackWidow V3 mechanical keyboard has dropped to $95 for this sale. It comes with doubleshot ABS keycaps, customizable Razer Chroma lighting and an ergonomic wrist rest.
The console version of the SteelSeries Arctis 3 wired headset is on sale for only $34. It works with the PS5, Xbox Series X and S, the Nintendo Switch and other gaming devices, plus it has a clear cast microphone built in and a comfortable yet durable design.
Samsung's massive Odyssey G9 curved monitor has dropped to $1,000, which is $400 off its usual price. It's a QLED panel and it supports both NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD FreeSync, plus a 240Hz refresh rate.
Komplete, Native Instruments' flagship music production bundle, has a little bit of everything. That's always been part of its appeal. It's pricey, but you get monstersynths, a top-notch drum sampler, a virtual guitar rig and Kontakt — which is also a sampler, but calling it one seems incredibly reductive. Native Instruments is still one of the biggest names in the music software world, but it's an increasingly crowded and competitive market. And much of it is moving towards a subscriptionmodel (even Native Instruments). So this year the company is adding some new software in hopes that customers will come back for at least one more big-ticket purchase.
Komplete 14 is the first version to be released since Native Instruments (NI) joined Soundwide, a collection of brands including Izotope and Plugin Alliance, among others. As such, one of the biggest additions to the Komplete library (at least in the $599 Standard version and higher) is Izotope's Ozone 10 Standard. This mastering plug in has legions of fans thanks to its powerful feature set and simple interface. But for many, the biggest selling point is it's AI-powered mastering assistance. Many amateur musicians (myself included) rely on Ozone to master their tracks. You simply play the loudest bit of your song, click a button, and the plugin will suggest a starting point for mastering including compression and EQ. You can then accept the settings, tweak them to your liking or toss them and start from scratch.
Native Instruments
The new partnership also allowed Native Instruments to beef up the bundle with a handful of smaller items from Plugin Alliance and Brainworx like bx_Oberhausen, bx_Crispytuner and LO-FI-AF. None of these instruments or effects individually are likely to convince you one way or another that Komplete's more expensive versions are worth the outlay. But I don't know anyone who is going to complain about having too many plugins.
The only issue is it might not be immediately clear to many users how to get access to those. They're not in the Native Access manager. Instead you'll have to go to your products and serials list on the NI site to get the "Plugin Alliance Bundle for Komplete 14" code. Then you'll head on over to Plugin Alliance and redeem it the code and download a separate plugin manager. Hopefully at some point the two platforms will be integrated to remove the addition steps.
Native Instruments
The big centerpiece of Komplete, as always, is Kontakt. The new version — seven — isn't a giant departure for this industry stalwart. The browser has been updated for better compatibility with HiDPI displays and improved search and filtering tools. The factory library has also been overhauled to take advantage of the graphical overhaul and for better sound. The process of building your own Kontakt instruments has also been simplified with improved creator tools.
Kontakt 7 may not be a significant change from version six, but if you spring for the more expensive versions, like the $1,199 Komplete Ultimate or $1,799 Komplete Collector's Edition, you do get some unique and powerful expansions like Lores, Ashlight, Kinetic Toys and, one of my personal favorites, Piano Colors. The latter combines samples of a grand piano, various synths and textures, along with effects and modulation tools to create complex sounds that walk the line between organic and synthetic.
Native Instruments
The one piece of bad news here is that Kontakt 7, while it is technically included in Komplete 14, isn't available yet and wont ship until some point in October. Komplete 14 is available now starting at $199 for the basic Komplete Selects package, and going all the way up to $1,799 for Komplete Collector's Edition.
