If you've been eyeing the Google Pixel 9a, now's a good time to pounce. That's because you can get a $100 gift card for free when you buy the flagship-quality midrange phone. In Engadget's review, Sam Rutherford deemed it "the best value of any Android phone.”
The $100 gift card bonus is live at Amazon, Best Buy and the Google Store. Each has pros and cons, but it makes the most sense to order from the retailer where you shop the most.
The Pixel 9a is Google's entry point into the Pixel ecosystem. Its sub-flagship pricing masks a handset that, in many ways, rivals phones that cost twice as much. It has a 6.3-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. We found it to be sharp, colorful and "one of the best displays in this price range.”
It uses the same Tensor G4 processor found in the more expensive Pixel 9 brethren. The only performance compromise you'll find is its 8GB of RAM vs. the 12GB in the standard Pixel 9. That will only reveal itself if you're heavy into multitasking or gaming. Given the $300 price discrepancy between it and the Pixel 9, it's hard to nitpick much about that.
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
Google's Pixel lineup is known for its camera prowess, and the 9a is no exception. It pairs a 48MP main camera with a 13MP ultra-wide lens. Although there's no telephoto, it compensates with AI-based Super Res Zoom that can achieve up to 8x digital zoom. The phone also has Google's Night Sight feature for sharp, balanced low-light photography.
We found that the camera outperforms the $1,299 Galaxy S25 Ultra in color accuracy, detail and low-light performance. It's also competitive with the S25U in ultra-wide shots. The latter edges it out there (if only slightly) because of better color saturation. Still, we're talking about a $800 pricing discrepancy, so the fact that it's in the conversation is no small achievement.
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
The Pixel 9a's only drawbacks are its lower 8GB of RAM, slower charging speeds than flagships, its lack of optical zoom and its plastic backing (rather than glass). But for $499 — essentially $399 if you use that gift card forpurchases you'd make anyway — this is a nice deal for a nearly flagship Android handset that made our list of the best smartphones.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-the-google-pixel-9a-with-100-store-credit-at-amazon-best-buy-and-the-google-store-164530159.html?src=rss
The recently-released Apple iPad Air M3 is already on sale via Amazon. You can pick up the 11-inch model starting at $499 and the 13-inch version starting at $699. If Amazon isn’t your bag, these deals are also available at Best Buy.
This model topped our list of the best iPads, and we said it the perfect choice for most consumers. The M3 chip is extremely powerful, which increases performance and multitasking when compared to the base iPad. It offers support for the Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard, which is nice, and the overall design is lovely.
The battery can last up to 12 hours, which is a decent metric for a modern tablet. The two 12MP cameras won’t be winning any awards, but they get the job done. These are also fairly lightweight, which makes sense given the name. The 11-inch version weighs around a pound and the 13-inch model shoots up to 1.36 pounds. That’s light enough for long-term use without any real issues.
While the screen is gorgeous, it’s not an OLED. It also maxes out with a 60Hz refresh rate, which is on the lower end. It’s worth noting that the $499 base price for the 11-inch model gets you 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. Other variations are on sale, but the cost can add up. For instance, the 13-inch version with a 1TB drive will set you back $1,200.
Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-ipad-air-m3-is-100-off-151340723.html?src=rss
Apple’s AirPods 4 earbuds are on sale via Amazon for $100. This is a record low price and a discount of $30. This particular deal is also available at Walmart and Best Buy.
These earbuds are considered some of the best AirPods available for purchase. The sound quality has been improved over the previous generation, which is nice. The big selling point to me, however, is the refined design. The AirPods 4 feature a legitimately comfortable fit, which is pretty rare in the earbud space. They don’t even fall out when moving around, which is something we noted in our official review.
This model features the H2 chip that was originally introduced with the AirPods Pro. The chip allows for some advanced features, like Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking. The earbuds also offer Adaptive EQ and 48kHz audio for video calls. Apple has even included the newly-developed Voice Isolation feature that removes ambient noise when talking on the phone.
The AirPods 4 earbuds do not have onboard volume controls and there’s no option for wireless charging. Also, this model doesn’t include ANC. The ANC-equipped version is on sale today for $149, which is a discount of 17 percent. The high-end AirPods Pro 2 earbuds are also on sale right now for $169. This is a discount of 32 percent, as the regular price is $249.
Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-airpods-4-fall-back-to-a-record-low-of-100-152310784.html?src=rss
If you've been waiting for a good deal on Apple's latest M4 MacBook Air, today seems like a good time to take the plunge. Both Amazon and Best Buy are currently selling the new MacBook Air for $150 off its list price, bringing the notebook down to a record low of $849 from $999. That's the best discount we've tracked. Between the two retailers, all four of the device's color options are on sale.
Note that this price applies to the entry-level model with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. If you're willing to pay extra for more storage space, a version with a 512GB SSD is also $150 off at $1,049. If you want more memory, a variant with 24GB of RAM and 512GB of storage is similarly discounted at $1,249. Both of those deals represent all-time lows as well.
Apple only released the MacBook Air M4 in mid-March and we've since named it 2025's best MacBook overall. We gave it in a 92 in our review, as it still packs an accurate (albeit 60Hz) display and excellent keyboard in a slim, sturdy build that weighs 2.7 pounds and measures 0.44 inches thick. But it's the M4 chip that really gives the Air a boost; the 13-inch model has a 10-core CPU, 8-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine, all of which are more than fast enough for most everyday tasks. Battery life is another plus: The notebook lasted over 18 hours while playing HD video in our testing.
If you're looking for something a little bigger, then it might be worth getting the 15-inch MacBook Air M4. That one is also $150 off in several configurations at Amazon and Best Buy, starting at $1,049 for 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD and moving up to $1,449 for 24GB of RAM and double the storage. Again, each of these deals mark new lows. Apart from its larger display, the 15-inch MacBook Air has a larger trackpad and better speakers than its 13-inch counterpart but is largely identical otherwise.
Update (4/28/2025): Several configurations of the M4 MacBook Air have dropped further in price since this article was first published, so we've updated our post accordingly.
Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-m4-macbook-air-drops-to-a-new-record-low-price-of-849-144625334.html?src=rss
Apple devices currently hold the top honor in our guide to the best laptops, smartwatches and tablets. But the company’s gear isn’t cheap — and you won’t find sales at Apple’s own website either. But that doesn’t mean you can only get a new iPad or MacBook at full price. Other retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Target and B&H Photo often host considerable discounts, sometimes on the order of a few hundred dollars in savings.
At Engadget, we’ve tested and reviewed every major device Apple has released — including the brand new MacBook Air M4, the Mac Studio M4 Max, a new iPad Air M3, and of course the iPhone 16. One thing to note is that it’s harder to find unlocked current-model iPhones on sale — for those you’ll need to go directly to Apple’s site or buy through a wireless carrier.
It's springtime, and deals at this time of year are never what they are in, say, November when Black Friday deals are live. So even in a normal year, deals would be harder to come by right now. But the uncertainty surrounding tariffs seems to be having an effect on both in-stock levels and the number of deals currently offered. Still, we scoured retailer's pages and gathered the best Apple deals out there. We'll continue to hunt and update this list every week. If you’re thinking of buying an Apple product, check here first to see if you can save some cash.
Best iPad deals
Apple iPad Air 13-inch (M3) for $730 ($69 off): We gave the 13-inch iPad Air a review score of 89 when it was released in March. It has a bigger and slightly brighter display than its 11-inch counterpart; otherwise, the two slates are the same. If you plan to keep your iPad hooked up to a keyboard, the extra screen space is lovely for taking in movies and multitasking for work. In general, the newest Air is a spec bump, but we still recommend it over the standard model if you can swing it: Its display is more color-rich and better at fending off glare, the speakers are more robust, it works with Apple’s best accessories and its performance should hold up better in the years ahead.
Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) for $899 ($100 off): The iPad Pro is more tablet than most people need, but it’s the ultimate iPad for those who can stomach its price tag. It’s wonderfully thin, its OLED display is one of the best we’ve seen on a consumer device and its M4 chip can handle virtually anything you’d ever do on an iPad. It’s also the only Apple tablet with Face ID, plus it has a better speaker setup than the iPad Air. We gave it a score of 84 in our review, with the only real drawback being how expensive it all is. Also at Best Buy.
AirPods 4 with ANC for $169 ($10 off):These buds have ANC, but they don’t have the interchangeable ear tips you’ll find on the AirPods Pro 2. Even so, they have an improved fit over the last version, plus good sound quality and a heap of advanced features. Also at Walmart.
Best MacBook deals and Mac discounts
MacBook Air (M4, 13-inch) for $899 ($100 off): Apple's latest MacBook Air is another device that only came out last month but already has a modest discount at some retailers. One of the things we appreciated most in our review was the slight price drop for the base configuration. Instead of starting at $1,099 like the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air, the M4 starts at $999. Add in this discount and the fact that the ultraportable packs Apple's latest M-series chip, and you've got yourself a pretty good deal on a capable laptop — one that happens to be our favorite laptop overall. Also at B&H Photo.
MacBook Air (M3, 15-inch) for $999 ($300 off): The last-gen M3 MacBook Air has officially been discontinued, but it remains a superb laptop while the last bits of stock remain available. We gave this 15-inch model a score of 90 in in our review — outside of its slower chip (which is still plenty fast for everyday use), marginally improved camera and inability to power two external displays with the lid open, it's virtually identical to the newer version.
MacBook Air (M2, 13-inch) for $799 ($200 off): With the launch of the M4 MacBook Air, the M2 model feels a little old — though it's objectively a solid laptop. We called it Apple's "near-perfect" Mac in our original review, praising it for its excellent performance, gorgeous screen and thinner design.
iMac (M4, 24-inch) for $1,193 ($106 off): For an all-in-one solution, the M4 iMac is a good pick thanks to its powerful performance, standard 16GB of RAM and improved webcam. Just note that it only comes in the 24-inch screen size option.
Those waiting for a good deal on Apple's latest M4 MacBook Air should check out Amazon now. The online retailer has the new MacBook Air for $100 off, down to $899 from $999, which is the best discount we've seen. At the moment, the discount is only available on the midnight color option.
Apple only released the MacBook Air M4 in Mid-March and it's already our pick for 2025's best MacBook overall. We gave it in a 92 in our review thanks to features like its 13.6-inch liquid retina display and slim build — it weighs 2.7 pounds and is 0.44 inches thick. But, it's the M4 chip that really gives this MacBook Air a boost. The 13-inch model has a 10-core CPU, 8-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine. Plus, it lasted over 18 hours while playing HD video.
If you're looking for something a little bigger and with more RAM, then it might be worth getting the 15-inch MacBook Air M4. It's currently down to $1,449 from $1,599 and offers 24GB of RAM, compared to the 13-inch's 16GB. Similarly to the 13-inch deal, this one is also only available at the discounted price in the midnight colorway.
Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-m4-macbook-air-drops-to-a-new-record-low-price-144625480.html?src=rss
Not everyone needs a super-expensive, top-of-the-line laptop, and the good news is you don’t have to break the bank to get a solid machine. Whether you're a student, a casual user or just looking for an affordable device for everyday tasks, there are plenty of great options out there. The trick is finding the best cheap Windows laptop that balances performance, build quality and battery life without making too many compromises.
What to look for in a budget-friendly Windows laptop
While you can do a lot even when spending little on a Windows laptop, you must set your expectations accordingly. The biggest downside when purchasing a budget laptop (of any kind, really) is limited power. You’ll want to carefully consider a few specs, the most important among them being the processor (CPU). Many Windows laptops under $500 run on Intel Celeron or Pentium chipsets, but you can find some with Core i3/i5 and AMD Ryzen 3/5 CPUs at the higher end of the price spectrum.
We recommend getting the most powerful CPU you can afford because it will dictate how fast the computer will feel overall. Memory (RAM) is also important because, the more you have, the easier it will be for the laptop to manage things like a dozen browser tabs while you edit a Word document and stream music in the background.
When it comes to storage, consider how much you want to save locally. If you primarily work in Google Docs or save most things in the cloud, you may not need a machine with a ton of onboard storage. Just remember that your digital space will also be taken up by apps, so it may be worth getting a little extra storage than you think you need if you know you’ll be downloading big programs. A final side note: solid state drives (SSDs) are ubiquitous at this point, not to mention faster and more efficient than hard drives (HDDs), so we recommend getting a laptop with that type of storage.
As for screens, there’s a healthy mix of HD (720p resolution) and FHD (1080p) options in this price range and we recommend springing for a notebook with a 1080p display if you can. Touchscreens aren’t as common in the budget space as standard panels, but you’ll only really miss one if you get a 2-in-1 laptop.
Before we get to our recommended specs for a cheap Windows laptop, it’s worth mentioning that Microsoft clearly lays out the true minimum requirements for any Windows 11 machine. Those include a 1GHz or faster processor that includes two or more cores, at least 4GB of RAM and 64GB of available storage space. That’s the bare minimum to run Windows 11; we recommend giving yourself some wiggle room by choosing a machine that will perform well now and for years to come.
Specs to look for in an affordable Windows laptop
CPU: Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 processors, at minimum
RAM: At least 8GB
Storage: At least 128GB SSD
Screen: At least 1080p FHD
It’s essential to prioritize what’s important to you. But at the lower end of the budget, a good laptop may not offer everything you need, whereas a great one might. Although most machines come with features like Bluetooth, built-in Wi-Fi and additional ports, you might find not all of them come with the specifics you require, like an SD card slot, webcam, charger, and so on. Be sure to check the spec list of any laptop you’re considering before you buy, especially if you need specific connectors and capabilities.
As for Copilot+, don’t expect to see much of it on truly affordable Windows laptops just yet. Microsoft’s AI features and Copilot assistant require certain specs to run, namely a powerful neural processing unit (NPU), 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Currently, the cheapest Copilot+ AI PCs will run you about $700, so if you’re willing to pay more for those perks, check out our best laptops guide for more options.
If you’re looking for either a gaming laptop or a “Windows on Arm” laptop, both categories will require you to spend more money than we’re discussing here.
Best cheap Windows laptops for 2025
The cheap Windows laptop market moves fast, and — unlike nearly all of our other buying guides — we haven't necessarily tested each specific configuration listed below. However, the combination of these technical specifications and familiar brands represent exactly the sort of entry-level laptops we'd recommend to shoppers in this price range based on our thorough research and expert knowledge.
What to know about the budget Windows laptop market
The best cheap laptop models change all the time. Unlike more expensive, flagship machines, these notebooks can be updated a couple times each year. That can make it hard to track down a specific model at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart or any other retailer. Also, we’ve seen prices vary widely depending on the configuration and retailer you’re looking at.
You can ensure you’re getting a quality laptop by doing a few things. First and foremost, make sure you get a machine that follows the recommended specs we list above. Also, make sure you’re buying from a reputable retailer, including big-box stores like Walmart, Best Buy and Costco, online shops like Amazon or direct manufacturers like Dell, HP, Lenovo and others. If you have a physical store near you (likely a Best Buy in the US), it’s never a bad idea to go play around with some laptops in person before choosing one.
If you decide to shop online from the likes of Amazon or Walmart, double check the seller of the laptop you’re considering. For example, many items on Amazon are “shipped and sold” by Amazon and those are typically the best options. You’ll see that information on Amazon on the right sidebar on a product page, under the Add to Cart and Buy Now buttons. Third-party sellers are common in the affordable laptop space. Amazon sometimes classifies laptop manufacturers as third-party sellers, so you may see a laptop shipped and sold by HP or Dell — that’s a good thing, since it’s coming directly from the manufacturer.
However, there are other third-party electronics sellers out there. We recommend clicking on the third-party seller’s name on Amazon or Walmart (yes, Walmart has them, too) to see how much positive feedback and how many five-star ratings they’ve received from buyers.
What about Chromebooks and tablets?
You may be inclined to recommend a Chromebook or a tablet to anyone considering a budget Windows laptop computer. Those instincts aren’t wrong, but Chromebooks and tablets aren’t the best buy for everyone. Tablets have the most portability, but they will only work for the most mobile-competent users like kids who have been grabbing smartphones out of their parents’ hands since they’ve been dexterous enough to do so. Tablets can also be just as expensive as some of the cheapest Windows laptops, and that’s without a mouse or keyboard.
Chromebooks are a good alternative for those that basically live in a browser, the trade-off being you must give up the “traditional desktop.” And Chrome OS is a more limited operating system than Windows when it comes to the programs you can install and run.
What Windows laptops do well
What can you realistically accomplish on a cheap Windows laptop? Quite a bit, especially if you’re doing one thing (or a limited number of things) at a time. They’re great for everyday tasks like web browsing, checking email, video streaming and more. All of those things can be done on Chromebooks as well, but Windows laptops have a big advantage in Microsoft Office. While yes, there is a browser based version, the native, desktop apps are considered a must have for many and will run smoothly on even the most bare-bones budget laptop. The only caveat is that you may run into some slowdown on low-powered devices if you’re multitasking or working with large data sets in Excel or a lot of photos and graphics in Powerpoint.
When it comes to specs, a bright spot for Windows laptops is storage. Even the most affordable devices tend to have at least a 128GB solid state drive. That will come in handy if you prefer to keep your most important files saved locally on your laptop's hard drive. In contrast, cheaper Chromebooks often have less storage because they’re built on the assumption that you’ll save all of your documents in the cloud. Not only is that less convenient when you need to work offline, but it also limits the size of programs and files that you can download. So, Chromebooks aren't the best for hoarding Netflix shows before a long trip or for use as a gaming laptop.
Windows also has thousands of apps that you can download from its app store. Chromebooks have some Chrome apps, numerous browser extensions and the ability to download Android apps, but quality control is… inconsistent. Android apps, in particular, often haven’t been optimized for Chrome OS, which makes for a wonky user experience. Windows may not have as many apps as Android, but at least the experience is fairly standard across the board.
Windows also gives you the ability to download and use programs from other sources, like direct from the developer. You can run things like Adobe Creative Suite, certain VPNs and programs like GIMP, Audacity and ClipMate on a Windows device, which just isn’t possible on Chrome OS. Chromebooks limit you to the apps and programs in The Play Store and the Chrome Extensions store, reducing any others to unusable, space-sucking icons in your Downloads folder
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/best-affordable-windows-laptops-123000512.html?src=rss
A few years ago, it may have been fashionable to spend $1,000 on the latest flagship smartphone, but for most people, that’s neither practical nor necessary. You don't even have to spend $500 today to get a decent handset, whether it’s a refurbished iPhone or an affordable Android phone, as there are plenty of decent options as low as $160.
However, navigating the budget phone market can be tricky; options that look good on paper may not be in practice, and some devices will end up costing you more when you consider many come with restrictive storage. While we spend most of our time reviewing mid- to high-end handsets at Engadget, we've tested a number of the latest budget-friendly phones on the market to see cut it as the best cheap phones you can get right now.
Best cheap phones
What to look for in a cheap phone
For this guide, our top picks cost between $100 and $300. Anything less and you might as well go buy a dumb phone instead. Since they’re meant to be more affordable than flagship phones and even midrange handsets, budget smartphones involve compromises; the cheaper a device, the lower your expectations around specs, performance and experience should be. For that reason, the best advice I can give is to spend as much as you can afford. In this price range, even $50 or $100 more can get you a dramatically better product.
Second, you should know what you want most from a phone. When buying a budget smartphone, you may need to sacrifice a decent main camera for long battery life, or trade a high-resolution display for a faster CPU. That’s just what comes with the territory, but knowing your priorities will make it easier to find the right phone.
It’s also worth noting some features can be hard to find on cheaper handsets. For instance, you won’t need to search far for a device with all-day battery life — but if you want a phone with excellent camera quality, you’re better off shelling out for one of the recommendations in our midrange smartphone guide, which all come in at $600 or less.
Wireless charging and waterproofing also aren’t easy to find in this price range and forget about the fastest chipset. On the bright side, most of our recommendations come with headphone jacks, so you won’t need to buy wireless headphones.
iOS is also off the table, since, following the discontinuation of the iPhone SE, the $599 iPhone 16e is now the most affordable offering from Apple. That leaves Android as the only option in the under-$300 price range. Thankfully today, there’s little to complain about Google’s operating system – and you may even prefer it to iOS.
Lastly, keep in mind most Android manufacturers typically offer far less robust software features and support for their budget devices. In some cases, your new phone may only receive one major software update and a year or two of security patches beyond that. That applies to the OnePlus and Motorola recommendations on our list.
If you’d like to keep your phone for as long as possible, Samsung has the best software policy of any Android manufacturer in the budget space, offering at least four years of security updates on all of its devices. Recently, it even began offering six years of support on the $200 A16 5G, which we recommend below. That said, if software support (or device longevity overall) is your main focus, consider spending a bit more on the $500 Google Pixel 9a, or even the previous-gen Pixel 8a, which has planned software updates through mid-2031.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/best-cheap-phones-130017793.html?src=rss
Amazon Prime Day 2024 is coming soon, and if history is any indication, it will bring a swath of discounts on everything from gadgets to clothes to household necessities. If you’re a Prime member, you’ll have access to all of the Amazon Prime Day deals, which is great in theory, but it will undoubtedly make Amazon's website overwhelming during the shopping event. Engadget will be surfacing all of the best tech deals we can find – both on Amazon and elsewhere – during Prime Day, but there are some important things to know ahead of time so you can get exactly what you want out of this year’s event. Here's everything we know so far about Amazon Prime Day 2024, and what to consider before it arrives.
When is Amazon Prime Day?
We do not have official dates for Prime Day 2024 yet, but we do know it’ll be back sometime in July. The shopping event focuses on exclusive deals for Prime members, which means you’ll have to be a Prime subscriber on Prime Day to take advantage of most of the savings. Amazon still offers a 30-day free trial to new Prime subscribers, so you can start your free trial closer to July and participate in the event.
If you don’t pay for Prime and have no intention of doing so, you should still check out Amazon on Prime Day for sales that are available to all shoppers — there are always a few of them. Plus, it’s very likely that other retailers like Target and Best Buy will have their own competing Prime Day sales during that time frame, too.
Speaking of competitors, Walmart just announced that its version of Prime Day, dubbed Walmart+ Week, will take place June 17 through June 23. Walmart+ Week offers exclusive deals for Walmart+ members, and the retail giant appears to be placing a lot of emphasis on gas and travel discounts this year. It's currently teasing 20 cents off every gallon of gas purchased at Exxon and Mobil stations, as well as 20 percent Walmart Cash back on travel accommodations purchased through Walmart+ Travel. However, that's not to say we won't see discounts on other items, including electronics, during Walmart's members-only shopping event.
Amazon Prime Day deals
Amazon Prime Day typically lasts two days, but for the past few years, the company has started pushing out deals well before the event actually kicks off. We anticipate the same happening this year, with early Prime Day deals kicking off possibly as soon as Amazon officially announces the dates of Prime Day 2024.
Be they early Prime Day deals or day-of sales, Amazon gadgets are almost guaranteed to be on sale for the event. You can safely bet on things like Echo speakers, Kindle e-readers and Fire TV devices to be at record-low prices for Prime Day, so if you’ve had your eye on one of those items, it’s worth waiting for those deals to drop. Prime Day is only matched by Black Friday in its discounts, so while that means you will likely have another chance to get that smart speaker for dirt cheap, it probably won’t be until the holiday shopping season.
Amazon gadgets will not be the only items discounted on Prime Day. You’ll find clothes, shoes, household items, appliances, accessories and more on sale, but here at Engadget, we’ll naturally be focusing on electronics. We expect this year’s Prime Day to be like last year’s, in that it will bring big discounts on headphones, earbuds, gaming accessories, SSDs and microSD cards, robot vacuums and more.
It’s also worth mentioning the types of deals you can expect to see on Prime Day. Some deals will be live for the entire event (which is usually two full days), while others will only last for 24 hours. Those are the hardest to predict, since Amazon usually does not give any indication how long a given sale will last. Our recommendation is to buy the things you’re most keen on as soon as you see them drop in price – that will ensure you get it while the discount is available, and while the item is still in stock.
You can also expect to see some “Lightning deals” happen during Prime Day. Thankfully, these are usually clearly labeled with the amount of time remaining to grab the deal noted on the product page. In our experience, only a handful of these flash sales are actually worth your money, but if you see something that’s been on your wishlist drop in price for only a few hours, it’s in your best interest to grab it immediately.
Engadget will be covering Amazon Prime Day in its entirety, so if you have a lot of tech on your to-buy list, be sure to check back here on Prime Day for the best tech sales we could find. We’ll be sure to include gadgets from across the board – from headphones to robot vacuums to gaming gear – plus the best “anti-Prime Day” deals you can find from other retailers. You can also follow the @EngadgetDeals Twitter account and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter to stay up to date on the latest discounts.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-prime-day-2024-everything-we-know-about-amazons-sale-in-july-110027335.html?src=rss
Amazon Prime Day 2024 is coming soon, now's the time to start thinking about the things you’ll want to look for once the deals arrive. Everything from gadgets to clothes to household necessities will be on sale during the shopping event, and if you’re a Prime member, you’ll have access to all of the Amazon Prime Day deals. Engadget will be surfacing all of the best tech deals we can find – both on Amazon and elsewhere – but there are some important things to know ahead of time so you can get exactly what you want out of this year’s Prime Day.
When is Amazon Prime Day?
We do not have official dates for Prime Day 2024 yet, but we do know it’ll be back sometime in July. The shopping event focuses on exclusive deals for Prime members, which means you’ll have to be a Prime subscriber on Prime Day to take advantage of most of the savings. Amazon still offers a 30-day free trial to new Prime subscribers, so you can start your free trial closer to July and participate in the event.
If you don’t pay for Prime and have no intention of doing so, you should still check out Amazon on Prime Day for sales that are available to all shoppers — there are always a few of them. Plus, it’s very likely that other retailers like Target and Best Buy will have their own competing Prime Day sales during that time frame, too.
Speaking of competitors, Walmart just announced that its version of Prime Day, dubbed Walmart+ Week, will take place June 17 through June 23. Walmart+ Week offers exclusive deals for Walmart+ members, and the retail giant appears to be placing a lot of emphasis on gas and travel discounts this year. It's currently teasing 20 cents off every gallon of gas purchased at Exxon and Mobil stations, as well as 20 percent Walmart Cash back on travel accommodations purchased through Walmart+ Travel. However, that's not to say we won't see discounts on other items, including electronics, during Walmart's members-only shopping event.
Amazon Prime Day deals
Amazon Prime Day typically lasts two days, but for the past few years, the company has started pushing out deals well before the event actually kicks off. We anticipate the same happening this year, with early Prime Day deals kicking off possibly as soon as Amazon officially announces the dates of Prime Day 2024.
Be they early Prime Day deals or day-of sales, Amazon gadgets are almost guaranteed to be on sale for the event. You can safely bet on things like Echo speakers, Kindle e-readers and Fire TV devices to be at record-low prices for Prime Day, so if you’ve had your eye on one of those items, it’s worth waiting for those deals to drop. Prime Day is only matched by Black Friday in its discounts, so while that means you will likely have another chance to get that smart speaker for dirt cheap, it probably won’t be until the holiday shopping season.
Amazon gadgets will not be the only items discounted on Prime Day. You’ll find clothes, shoes, household items, appliances, accessories and more on sale, but here at Engadget, we’ll naturally be focusing on electronics. We expect this year’s Prime Day to be like last year’s, in that it will bring big discounts on headphones, earbuds, gaming accessories, SSDs and microSD cards, robot vacuums and more.
Engadget will be covering Amazon Prime Day in its entirety, so if you have a lot of tech on your to-buy list, be sure to check back here on Prime Day for the best tech sales we could find. We’ll be sure to include gadgets from across the board – from headphones to robot vacuums to gaming gear – plus the best “anti-Prime Day” deals you can find from other retailers. You can also follow the @EngadgetDeals Twitter account and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter to stay up to date on the latest discounts.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-prime-day-2024-everything-to-know-about-the-big-sale-in-july-110027328.html?src=rss
