Posts with «shopping» label

The best Amazon Prime Day 2022 deals so far

Amazon Prime Day is officially here and a number of our favorite gadgets are on sale. If you're a Prime member, you can save hundreds on devices from Sony, Razer, Samsung and others over the next 48-hours, plus Amazon has discounted most of its own devices, too. Prime Day can be somewhat tricky — yes, there are thousands of deals, especially across the consumer electronics category, but a good portion of them are not worth your time. We've collected the best tech deals for Prime Day 2022 here so you don't have to go searching for them.

Sony WH-1000XM4

Engadget

Sony's excellent WH-1000XM4 headphones are down to a new low of $228 right now. We gave these cans a score of 94 for their powerful ANC, immersive sound quality and multi-device connectivity.

Buy WH-1000XM4 at Amazon - $228

AirPods Pro

The AirPods Pro with the MagSafe case have been discounted to $170. These remain Apple's best sounding earbuds, and we liked them for their solid sound, powerful ANC and hands-free Siri capabilities.

Buy AirPods Pro at Amazon - $170

AirPods (2nd gen)

The original AirPods are down to $90. While they're a bit outdated at this point, these are still decent earbuds that we liked for their improved wireless performance and good battery life.

Buy AirPods (2nd gen) at Amazon - $90

Apple Watch Series 7

The latest Apple Watch Series 7 has dropped to $279, which is a new all-time low. That's the starting price on the GPS-only models, but you can pick up a GPS + Cellular model for as low as $379, too. It's the most comprehensive wearable Apple makes and it earned a score of 90 from us for its larger screen, faster charging and handy features in watchOS 8.

Buy Series 7 at Amazon - $279

Apple TV 4K

The latest Apple TV 4K has dropped to $110. While on the expensive side, it's a set-top box that Apple lovers will appreciate. We gave it a score of 90 for its speedy performance, Dolby Vision and Atmos support and much improved Siri remote.

Buy Apple TV 4K at Amazon - $110

Kindle

Amazon's standard Kindle has dropped to $45, which is half off its normal price. We gave this e-reader a score of 91 for its improved contrast display, extra front lights and sleeker design.

Buy Kindle at Amazon - $45

Kindle Paperwhite

The Kindle Paperwhite is on sale for $95, which is a new record low for the e-reader. The updated model has 17 front lights, a sleeker design, an adjustable warm light, weeks of battery life and Audible support.

Buy Kindle Paperwhite at Amazon - $95

Echo Dot

The Echo Dot is on sale for $20 while the Echo Dot with Clock is down to $33. We like these tiny smart speakers for their good audio quality, compact design and tap-to-snooze feature.

Buy Echo Dot at Amazon - $20Buy Echo Dot with Clock at Amazon - $33

Echo Show 5

The Echo Show 5 has dropped to $35, or $50 off its usual price. If you want a smart alarm clock, this is the smart display to get. We like its sharp 5-inch display, ambient light sensor, smart home controls and tap-to-snooze feature.

Buy Echo Show 5 at Amazon - $35

Echo Show 8

The Echo Show 8 smart display is on sale for a record-low price of $75. It earned a score of 87 from us for its attractive design, stellar audio quality and improved camera for video calls. The first-generation Show 8 is also on sale and you can get a bundle with it and a Blink Mini camera for only $65.

Buy Echo Show 8 at Amazon - $75

Fire HD 10

The Fire HD 10 has dropped to only $75 for Prime Day. It's the Fire tablet to get if you want the best performance possible. We like its 1080p display, 12-hour battery life and its Show Mode feature.

Buy Fire HD 10 at Amazon - $75

Fire TV Stick Lite

You can pick up Amazon's most affordable streamer, the Fire TV Stick Lite, for only $12 right now. It supports 1080p streaming and gives you access to some of the most popular services like Netlfix and Disney+.

Buy Fire TV Stick Lite at Amazon - $12

Fire TV Stick 4K Max

The higher-end Fire TV Stick 4K Max has dropped to $35, which is $20 less than usual. On top of all of the features in the standard Fire TV Stick 4K, the Max version also supports WiFi 6 and live picture-in-picture viewing.

Buy Fire TV Stick 4K Max at Amazon - $35

Elgato Stream Deck

Elgato's Stream Deck is down to $110 for Prime Day, or $40 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.

Buy Stream Deck at Amazon - $110

65-inch LG B1 OLED smart TV (2021)

LG

LG's 65-inch B1 OLED TV is 30 percent off for Prime Day and down to $1,500. This 2021 version runs on LG's a7 Gen 4 AI Processor 4K, works with G-Sync and FreeSync technologies and has Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa support built in.

Buy 65-inch LG B1 OLED TV at Amazon - $1,500

DJI Mini 2 Fly More combo

DJI

A combo pack that includes the DJI Mini 2 drone plus a bunch of accessories has dropped to $479 for Prime Day. While DJI is on the Mini 3 at this point, this pack is a good option if you want all of the extra things you could ever need for your drone.

Buy DJI Fly More combo at Amazon - $479

August WiFi smart lock

Engadget

August's 4th-gen WiFi smart lock is down to a new low of $150 right now, or nearly $100 off its usual price. We gave it a score of 80 when it first came out thanks to its minimalist design, easy installation and mandatory two-factor authentication setup.

Buy August WiFi smart lock at Amazon - $150

Crucial MX500 SSD

Crucial's MX500 in 1TB is on sale for $85, or 15 percent off its usual price. It’s a good option if you need a standard 2.5-inch drive that works with both laptops and desktops. It also has AES-256 bit hardware encryption and integrated power loss immunity to protect your data.

Buy Crucial MX500 (1TB) at Amazon - $85

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

All of Samsung's Galaxy S22 smartphones are cheaper than usual for Prime Day. The biggest deal among them is on the Galaxy S22 Ultra, which is down to a new low of $840. The Galaxy S22+ and the standard S22 are on sale for $700 and $600, respectively. We consider these to be some of the best Android phones you can get right now, so they're worth snatching up while they're deeply discounted.

Buy Galaxy S22 Ultra at Amazon - $840Buy Galaxy S22+ at Amazon - $700Buy Galaxy S22 at Amazon - $600

Ninja Foodi Dual-Zone air frier

Ninja

Ninja's dual-zone air fryer has dropped to $160, which is 30 percent off its usual price. It earned a spot in our best air fryers guide for its large capacity, quick heat-up time and Smart Finish feature, which lets you prepare two different things at once and have them finish cooking at the same time.

Buy Ninja Foodi Dual-Zone air fryer at Amazon - $160

Thermacell E-Series Repeller (2 pack)

Will Lipman Photography / Engadget

A two-pack of Thermacell E-Series repellers is $20 off and down to $60. It gives you a 20-foot zone of mosquito protection and each of them can last for 5.5 hours before they need recharging.

Buy Thermacell (2 pack) at Amazon - $60

iRobot Roomba i7+

Devindra Hardawar / Engadget

iRobot's Roomba i7+ is half off and down to $500 for Prime Day. This is slightly less advanced than the s9+, which is our current favorite premium robo-vac, but it remains one of the most powerful Roombas you can get. It also comes with a clean base, so the robot vacuum will empty its dustbin into the base automatically after each job.

Buy Roomba i7+ at Amazon - $500

Shark AV2501AE robot vacuum

Shark

Shark's AI robot vacuum is down to only $380 right now, which is 42 percent less than usual. Shark robo-vacs are generally good picks thanks to their solid cleaning power and easy to use mobile app. This one also comes with a clean base, so you don't have to empty the robot's debris bin after each job — it handles that on its own.

Buy Shark AI robot vacuum at Amazon - $380

Samsung T7 Shield

Samsung

Samsung's new T7 Shield portable SSDs have been discounted for Prime Day. You can pick up the 1TB model for $100 or the 2TB model for $200 — both new all-time-low prices. Samsung just came out with these drives back in April, and they're designed to be more durable versions of the standard T7 series with extra drop protection and an IP65-rated design.

Buy T7 Shield (1TB) at Amazon - $100Buy T7 Shield (2TB) at Amazon - $200

Tile trackers

Tile

Tile trackers are up to 30 percent off for Prime Day and you have a few different designs to choose from. The standard Tile Mate is down to $18, the Tile Slim is on sale for $24 and the Tile Sticker is down to $21. These Bluetooth chips help you keep track of your things digitally and they can lead you to your lost items by emitting a chime.

Shop Tile devices at Amazon

Beats Fit Pro

The Beats Fit Pro are 20 percent off and down to $160. We gave them a score of 87 for their comfortable, water-resistant design, good sound quality and ANC and long battery life.

Buy Beats Fit Pro at Amazon - $160

Sony WH-CH710N

Sony's affordable WH-CH710N wireless headphones have dropped to a new low of $68 for Prime Day. These are a great option if you want deep, punchy bass, solid ANC and 35-hour battery life all in a budget-friendly package.

Buy WH-CH710N at Amazon - $68

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4

David Imel for Engadget

Samsung's Galaxy Watch 4 has dropped to $150 for Prime Day, or 40 percent off its usual price. We consider it to be the best smartwatch for Android users right now, and we gave it a score of 85 for its comprehensive health tracking, bright screen and improved third-party app support.

Buy Galaxy Watch 4 at Amazon - $150

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2

Samsung's Galaxy Buds 2 have dropped to $100, or 33 percent less than usual. These much-improved earbuds impressed us with their better audio quality, adjustable ambient sound mode and tiny, comfortable design.

Buy Galaxy Buds 2 at Amazon - $100

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro

Samsung's high-end Galaxy Buds Pro are on sale for $120, which is 40 percent off their normal price. They earned a score of 85 from us for their comfortable fit, wireless charging and good sound quality.

Buy Galaxy Buds Pro at Amazon - $120

Jabra Elite 85t

Jabra's Elite 85t earbuds are on sale for $120, or a whopping 48 percent off their normal price. We like these true wireless earbuds for their strong ANC, comfortable size and wireless charging case.

Buy Jabra Elite 85t at Amazon - $120

Jabra Elite 3

Jabra's excellent Elite 3 earbuds have dropped to $50, or $30 off their normal rate. These already affordable buds earned a score of 88 from us for their impressive sound quality, good battery life, reliable touch controls and comfortable fit.

Buy Elite 3 at Amazon - $50

Roku Streambar

Valentina Palladino / Engadget

The Roku Streambar is down to $90 right now. It's a compact soundbar that will upgrade any living room relying on an old TV with weak audio. We gave it a score of 86 for its solid audio quality, Dolby Audio support and built-in 4K streaming technology. The more advanced Streambar Pro is on sale for $150, too.

Buy Roku Streambar at Amazon - $90Buy Sterambar Pro at Amazon - $150

Get the latest Amazon Prime Day offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

The best Amazon Prime Day 2022 deals in the UK we could find

Amazon Prime Day is officially here and a number of our favorite gadgets are on sale. If you're a Prime member, you can save hundreds on devices from Sony, Razer, Apple and others over the next 48-hours, plus Amazon has discounted most of its own devices, too. Prime Day deals can hard to navigate, and a good portion of them are not worth your time. That's why we've collected the best tech deals for Prime Day 2022 here so you don't have to go wadding through the bad ones.

Sony WH-1000XM4

Engadget

Sony's excellent WH-1000XM4 headphones are down to £209 right now. We gave these cans a score of 94 for their powerful ANC, immersive sound quality and multi-device connectivity.

Buy WH-1000XM4 at Amazon - £209

Apple Watch Series 7

The latest Apple Watch Series 7 has dropped to £298, which matches its all-time low price. That's the starting price on the GPS-only models, but you can pick up a GPS + Cellular model for as low as £379, too. It's the most comprehensive wearable Apple makes and it earned a score of 90 from us for its larger screen, faster charging and handy features in watchOS 8.

Buy Series 7 at Amazon - £298

Kindle

Amazon's standard Kindle has fallen to just £35, which is half off its normal price. We gave this e-reader a score of 91 for its improved contrast display, extra front lights and sleeker design.

Buy Kindle at Amazon - £35

Kindle Paperwhite

The Kindle Paperwhite is on sale in the UK for £85, which is a new low for the Amazon e-reader. The updated model has 17 front lights, a sleeker design, an adjustable warm light, weeks of battery life and Audible support.

Buy Kindle Paperwhite at Amazon - £85

Echo Dot

The Echo Dot is on sale for £20 while the Echo Dot with Clock is down to £30. We like these tiny smart speakers for their good audio quality, compact design and tap-to-snooze feature.

Buy Echo Dot at Amazon - £20Buy Echo Dot with Clock at Amazon - £30

Echo Show 5

The Echo Show 5 has fallen to £35, or £40 off its usual price. If you want a smart alarm clock, this is the smart display to get. We like its sharp 5-inch display, ambient light sensor, smart home controls and tap-to-snooze feature.

Buy Echo Show 5 at Amazon - £35

Echo Show 8

The Echo Show 8 smart display is back on sale at a record-low price of £80. It earned a score of 87 from us for its attractive design, excellent audio quality and improved camera for video calls. 

Buy Echo Show 8 at Amazon - £80

Fire HD 10

The Fire HD 10 has dropped to £80 for Prime Day. It's the Fire tablet to get if you want the best performance possible. We like its 1080p display, 12-hour battery life and its Show Mode feature.

Buy Fire HD 10 at Amazon - £80

Fire TV Stick Lite

You can pick up Amazon's most affordable streamer, the Fire TV Stick Lite, for only £13 right now. It supports 1080p streaming and gives you access to some of the most popular services like Netlfix and Disney+.

Buy Fire TV Stick Lite at Amazon - £13

Fire TV Stick 4K Max

The higher-end Fire TV Stick 4K Max has dropped to £33, which is £22 less than usual. On top of all of the features in the standard Fire TV Stick 4K, the Max version also supports WiFi 6 and live picture-in-picture viewing.

Buy Fire TV Stick 4K Max at Amazon - £33

Razer Book 13

Razer Book 13 is Razer's take on a professional laptop, with a 16:10 display and Intel Evo certification, it's focused more on productivity than gaming, though Intel's XE graphics can keep up with some casual gaming. As you'd expect from an Evo laptop, its battery life is strong, and it should get you through a whole day of web browsing or light work. This one is pink with an 11th-gen Intel i7 processor, 1TB SSD and 16GB of RAM, and is £500 cheaper than it's ever been on Amazon.

Buy Razer Book 13 at Amazon - £1,100

Logitech Accessories

Logitech

Prime Day always provides an opportunity to grab some PC accessories for much less than you normally would. Logitech is one such company offering solid discounts across the board, including its best keyboard, the G915 Lightspeed, which at just £100 is a full £110 (or 52 percent) lower than its usual price. 

If you need a mouse to go with that, you can't go wrong with the Logitech G Pro Wireless mouse, which is 58 percent off at £55. Enjoying a similar discount is Logitech's powerful StreamCam, providing Full HD capture at 60 FPS, facial tracking and auto-focus.

Buy Logitech PC accessories at Amazon

DJI Mini 2 Fly More combo

DJI

A combo pack that includes the DJI Mini 2 drone plus a bunch of accessories has dropped to £449 for Prime Day. While DJI is on the Mini 3 at this point, this pack is a good option if you want all of the extra things you could ever need for your drone.

Buy DJI Fly More combo at Amazon - £449

 

Ninja Foodi MAX Dual Zone Air Fryer

Ninja

Ninja's dual-zone air fryer has dropped to £180, which is 28 percent off its usual price. It earned a spot in our best air fryers guide for its large capacity, quick heat-up time and Smart Finish feature, which lets you prepare two different things at once and have them finish cooking at the same time.

Ninja Foodi MAX Dual Zone Air Fryer at Amazon - £180

iRobot Roomba i7+

Devindra Hardawar / Engadget

iRobot's Roomba i7+ is 28 percent off and down to £579 for Prime Day. This is slightly less advanced than the s9+, which is our current favorite premium robo-vac, but it remains one of the most powerful Roombas you can get. It also comes with a clean base, so the robot vacuum will empty its dustbin into the base automatically after each job.

Buy Roomba i7+ at Amazon - £579

Tile trackers

Tile

Tile trackers are up to 30 percent off for Prime Day and you have a few different designs to choose from. The standard Tile Mate is down to £13, while the Tile Starter Pack is now just £31.50. These Bluetooth chips help you keep track of your things digitally and they can lead you to your lost items by emitting a chime.

Shop Tile devices at Amazon

Sony WH-XB910N

Sony's more affordable WH-XB910N wireless headphones have dropped to a new low of £114 for Prime Day. These are a great option if you want deep, punchy bass, solid ANC and 30-hour battery life all in a budget-friendly package.

Buy Sony WH-XB910N at Amazon - £114

 

Jabra Elite 85t

Jabra's Elite 85t earbuds are on sale for £119, or a whopping 46 percent off their normal price. We like these true wireless earbuds for their strong ANC, comfortable size and wireless charging case.

Buy Jabra Elite 85t at Amazon - £119

Jabra Elite 3

Jabra's excellent Elite 3 earbuds have dropped to £50, or £30 off their normal rate. These already affordable buds earned a score of 88 from us for their impressive sound quality, good battery life, reliable touch controls and comfortable fit.

Buy Elite 3 at Amazon - £50

Roku Express 4K

Roku

The Roku Express 4K is just £20 right now, down from £39. It's powerful Ultra HD streaming box that will upgrade any living room that offers access to nearly all of the major streaming services.

Buy Roku Express 4K at Amazon - £20

Get the latest Amazon Prime Day offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

Amazon Prime Day knocks up to $600 off some of Sony's best mirrorless cameras

Sony's popular full-frame mirrorless cameras rarely go on sale, so if you've been eyeing one, now might be the time to act — multiple models have discounts for Amazon Prime Day. The best deals are on the high-resolution "R" models, with the current A7R IV on sale at $2,998 ($502 off) and the A7R III available for just $2,198 ($602 in savings). You can also find great deals on desirable Sony lenses like the 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master zoom ($300 off) and Sony 24-105 f/4 G zoom ($300 off). 

Buy Sony A7R IV at Amazon - $2,998Buy Sony A7R III at Amazon - $2,198

The Sony A7R IV received one of Engadget's highest camera review scores ever thanks to the fast and accurate autofocus, superb high-resolution photo quality, a bright and sharp viewfinder and great handling. I was particularly impressed with the high burst speeds considering the huge RAW file sizes on the 61-megapixel images. It can even handle video reasonably well for a high-res camera. The downsides are a mediocre menu system and high price, but the Prime Day discount helps take the sting off the latter. 

The older A7R III offers a lower 42-megapixel resolution, but it's also a highly-rated camera with excellent autofocus performance, 5-axis stabilization and more. And along with the two high-res models, Sony is also offering a $200 discount on its stalwart A7 III ($1,798) and has dropped the price on the aging, but still very useful A7 II model to just $900 — making it one of the cheapest new full-frame cameras you can get. 

If you're more in the market for lenses, Sony has you covered there, too. Along with the $300 price drops on the 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master zoom and 24-105 f/4 G zoom, you can grab $100 discounts on highly desirable models like the Sony 50mm f/1.2 G Master ($1,898) and FE 35mm F1.4 GM G Master ($1,298). The sale ends on July 17th but the best deals are liable to get snapped up well before then, so it's best to act soon. 

Get the latest Amazon Prime Day offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

Everything you need to know about Amazon Prime Day 2022

With Amazon Prime Day less than a week away, it’s a good time to start thinking about the things you’ll want to look for once the deal wave hits. Everything from gadgets to clothes to household necessities will be on sale during the 48-hour event, and if you’re a Prime member, you’ll have access to all of the deals on Amazon’s site. 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?

Amazon Prime Day 2022 will begin at 12AM PT on Tuesday, July 12, and it will end 11:59PM PT on Wednesday, July 13. The two-day shopping event will surface exclusive deals for Prime members, which means you’ll have to be a Prime subscriber on Prime Day to take advantage of any of the savings. Amazon still offers a 30-day free trial to new Prime subscribers, so you can start your free trial now 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. Plus, other retailers like Walmart, Best Buy and Target will have their own competing Prime Day sales during that time frame, too.

Amazon Prime Day deals

Amazon Prime Day may officially be only two days, but for the past few years, the company has started pushing out deals well before the official event kicks off. That’s true this year, too. You can find a number of items on sale right now as part of early Prime Day sales. Unsurprisingly, some of the best early deals are on Amazon devices like Eero routers, Fire TVs and more.

Speaking of, Prime Day is the best time of year to pick up Amazon gadgets. 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, now’s the time to get it. 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.

Make no mistake, 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.

jetcityimage via Getty Images

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 48 hours, while others will be day one- or day two-only sales. 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 flash sales happen during Prime Day. Thankfully, these are typically 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 the next few hours, it’s in your best interest to grab it immediately.

How to prep for Prime Day

We’ve alluded to this already, but it’s best to go into Amazon Prime Day as prepared as possible. That essentially means knowing exactly what you want to look for so you stay focused and avoid distractions. The whole of Amazon.com will be overwhelming on Prime Day, so the less time you spend aimlessly browsing, the more your wallet will thank you later.

Two simple things you can do ahead of Prime Day are make a list and bookmark a price tracker. For the former, take note of the most important items you want to pick up on Prime Day. You can either do this the old-fashioned way on a sticky note, or you can use Amazon’s wish list feature. For the latter, add the items you want to buy on Prime Day to your wish list (or, even better, make a dedicated wishlist with only your Prime Day desirables) and return to that list during the shopping event. Not only will you have everything you want all in one place, but you’ll also be able to see which of those items are cheaper on Prime Day than they were when you originally added them to your list.

As for the price tracker, sites like CamelCamelCamel let you monitor the price of specific items on Amazon. You can check out price history charts on the site and you can make your own price drop alerts, receiving emails when something you want gets a discount. CamelCamelCamel also has some browser extensions you can download so you don’t have to navigate away from a product page to check its price history.

We know that not everyone – not even every Prime member – will be flocking to Amazon during Prime Day. Whether you find such blatant displays of consumerism off putting or you simply don’t want to give Amazon more of your money, there are plenty of reasons why you might be skipping Prime Day all together. But that doesn’t mean you have to skip all of the sales that will be happening on July 12th and 13th. Retailers like Walmart, Target, Best Buy and others will all have competing Prime Day sales and many of them will match sales you’ll find on Amazon. We recommend checking them out if you want to pick up a couple of things for less without spending money on Amazon.

Engadget will be covering both days of Prime Day, 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. The volume of deals will be daunting, but we sift through them all and pick out the best ones to make Prime Day a bit easier for you.

Amazon's Fire TV Cube drops to $60 in early Prime Day deal

A bunch of Amazon devices are starting to go on sale for Prime members ahead of the two-day shopping event next week, and that includes the company's most powerful streaming device. The Fire TV Cube has now been discounted to $60 for Prime members, which is $10 cheaper than its previous all-time low. Amazon appears to be staggering out its early Prime Day deals because the Fire TV Cube is one of two streaming gadgets on sale right now, the other being the Fire TV Stick 4K, which is $10 off and down to $40 for everyone — not just Prime members.

Buy Fire TV Cube (Prime exclusive) at Amazon - $60Buy Fire TV Stick 4K at Amazon - $40

The Fire TV Cube is Amazon's most capable streamer, with support for 4K content, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and HDR10+. It also works as an Alexa speaker as well with its built-in mics. Not only can you ask Alexa to look up TV shows and movies you want to watch, but you can also ask the voice assistant to do things like control smart lights, add things to your shopping list and more. The Cube is the only Fire TV device that has hands-free Alexa support, making it a good option for those that want a new streaming device and basic virtual assistant features in one device.

If you're looking for something more portable, or just an even more budget-friendly device, the Fire TV Stick 4K is a good option. Like the Fire TV Cube, it also supports 4K HDR streaming with Dolby Vision and Atmos support. However, its dongle-like design makes it easy to toss in a bag before you go on vacation or ever so slightly easier to install on your aging TV. It also supports voice commands via the Alexa remote that comes with it.

Get the latest Amazon Prime Day offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

The best 4th of July tech sales we could find

Between the July 4th holiday and Amazon Prime Day coming up in a couple of weeks, there are a bunch of tech deals available right now. Solo Stove's Independence Day sale knocks up to 45 percent off fire pits, while our favorite ThermoWorks food thermometer is down to only $79. Early Prime Day sales bring Eero 6 router packs and Blink security camera kits down to record-low prices, and you can still pick up a Google Nest WiFi router for as low as $115. Here are the best 4th of July tech sales we could find.

Apple Watch Series 7

Engadget

Most colors of the Apple Watch Series 7 are down to $329 at Amazon, or $80 off their normal price. This is our current favorite smartwatch and we gave it a score of 90 for its larger display, faster charging and handy watchOS features.

Buy Series 7 at Amazon - $329

Amazon Eero 6

Jon Fingas/Engadget

Amazon has discounted most Eero 6 systems ahead of Prime Day. If you're a Prime member, you can snag the Eero 6 WiFi system for as low as $71, the Eero 6+ for as little as $90, the Eero Pro 6 starting at $148 and the Eero Pro 6E for only $179. These are some of the best prices we've seen on all of these WiFi 6 systems, especially for the Eero 6+ and Eero Pro 6E, both of which just came out earlier this year.

Buy Eero 6 (Prime exclusive) at Amazon - $71Buy Eero 6+ (Prime exclusive) at Amazon - $90Buy Eero Pro 6 (Prime exclusive) at Amazon - $148Buy Eero Pro 6E (Prime exclusive) at Amazon - $179

Echo Show 5 + Ring Doorbell bundle

Amazon

Today is the last day Prime members can get a bundle with the Echo Show 5 and the Ring Video Doorbell for only $85. That's 54 percent off what the pack would normally cost, so this is a solid deal if you're looking to add another level of security to your home. The smart doorbell will show you who's outside your home and the Echo Show 5 can show you the feed from the doorbell's camera.

Buy Echo Show 5 bundle (Prime exclusive) at Amazon - $85

Google Nest WiFi

Daniel Cooper

A number of Google Nest WiFi packs are on sale right now. You can pick up one router for $115 or a three-pack with one router and two access points for $199. We like this system for its minimalist design, easy setup and built-in Google Assistant smart speaker.

Buy Nest WiFi (1 router) at Amazon - $115Buy Nest WiFi (1 router, 2 points) at Amazon - $199

Solo Stove

Solo Stove's latest sale knocks up to 45 percent off fire pits, so you can grab one for as low as $200. The Ranger is the cheapest of the bunch, followed by the midsized Bonfire for $220. Both of those are fairly portable, but if you want the biggest possible fire pit for your backyard, you can pick up the 38-pound Yukon for $400.

Shop Solo Stove July 4th sale

Sonos refurbished sale

Kyle Maack/Engadget

Sonos has discounted a bunch of refurbished devices again, bringing many of them down to the best prices we've seen. A refurbished Arc soundbar is $360 off and down to $540 while the refurbished Sonos One SL is on sale for $119.

Shop Sonos refurbished sale

Samsung 980 Pro (1TB)

Samsung

Samsung's 980 Pro SSD is 33 percent off and down to $140, which is one of the best prices we've seen. It earned a spot in our PS5 SSD guide for its reliability, compact, M.2 form factor and read speeds up to 7,000 MB/s. You will need a heatsink to use it with the PS5, but you can grab a bundle that includes one with the drive for only $170.

Buy Samsung 980 Pro (1TB) at Amazon - $140Buy Samsung 980 Pro (1TB with heatsink) at Amazon - $170

Blink Indoor and Outdoor cameras

Amazon

Prime members can save big on Blink Indoor and Outdoor cameras ahead of Prime Day. The Indoor camera kits start at $55 while the Outdoor kits start at $60. Plus, the Blink Mini wired security camera is on sale for $30 while the Blink Video Doorbell is down to only $35.

Buy Blink Indoor (Prime exclusive) at Amazon - $55Buy Blink Outdoor (Prime exclusive) at Amazon - $60Buy Blink Mini (Prime exclusive) at Amazon - $30Buy Blink Video Doorbell (Prime exclusive) at Amazon - $35

Anova Precision Cooker Nano

Anova

Anova's Precision Cooker Nano sous vide machine is on sale for $99 right now, or 34 percent off its normal rate. This machine earned a spot on our list of favorite kitchen gadgets because it combines affordability and precision in a compact package. It can also connect via Bluetooth to your phone so you can control temperature and time settings from within its app.

Buy Precision Cooker Nano at Amazon - $99

ThermoWorks Thermapen One

ThermoWorks

The red, white and blue colors of the Thermapen One are down to $79 for the Independence Day holiday. This is one of our favorite instant-read thermometers for cooking thanks to its fast readings, improved accuracy and bright display.

Buy Thermapen One at ThermoWorks - $79

Wahoo Fitness sale

Rafael Astorga / Wahoo

In a rare sale, Wahoo Fitness has knocked up to 25 percent off its devices, from pedals to full bikes. You can pick up pedals for as low as $120, while the Elemnt Bolt bike computer is down to $240 and the Kickr smart trainer is on sale for $960.

Shop Wahoo sale

Satechi July 4th sale

Valentina Palladino / Engadget

Through July 4th, you can get 20 percent off sitewide at Satechi with the code JULY20 at checkout. That makes it a good time to grab a USB-C hub for your laptop, a new wireless keyboard or a charging stand for your phone.

Shop Satechi July 4th sale

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The best smartphones you can buy right now

Choosing your next smartphone can be challenging. With so many brands offering similar features at similar prices, it can be hard to understand what device actually has the things you want. If you’ve already determined you only want an iPhone, your decision-making process is slightly easier. (And even then, Apple’s lineup offers more options than ever.) Those also considering Android will have even more options to choose from, and likely more questions. Do you want a camera that can zoom into subjects that are extremely far away, or do you want intuitive AI that can screen your incoming calls for you? Here at Engadget, we test smartphones all year round and can help you make sense of what’s available and what to look out for. And, of course, we’ve included our favorite phones to help you whittle down your shortlist.

Android or iOS?

Each OS has its pros and cons. Apple’s tight-knit ecosystem makes it super easy to share data between iPhones, iPads and Macs or seamlessly hand-off phone calls or music from one device to another. At the same time, you’re effectively locked in, as services like Apple Messages aren’t available on other platforms.

As for Android, there’s a much wider range of handsets from companies like Google, Samsung, Sony and more. However, Android phones don’t enjoy that same length of software support and often have lower trade-in values. In short, there’s no wrong answer. However, you will want to consider how your phone will fit in with the rest of your devices. So unless you’re really fed up with one OS and willing to learn another, it probably doesn’t make a lot of sense to switch from iOS to Android (or vice versa) – especially if everyone else in your household is using the same platform.

Cameras

Since people’s phones often pull double duty as their primary camera, figuring out what kind of photo tools you want is key. Nowadays, practically every phone can take a great picture in bright light. But if you want a long optical zoom, you’ll probably have to upgrade to a more expensive device like the S22 Ultra (which has 10x optical zoom), a Pixel 6 Pro (3x optical zoom) or an iPhone 13 Pro (3x optical zoom). (Note: The standard iPhone 13 doesn’t have a dedicated zoom lens.)

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Mid-range phones often only have two rear cameras (a primary wide-angle lens and a secondary ultra-wide camera) and can sometimes struggle in low-light situations. Each phone maker also has various features that might be a better fit for your style, with Apple offering four different color presets on the iPhone 13 (warm, vibrant, cool and rich contrast), while Google’s Pixel 6 comes with neat tools like dedicated long exposure and action pan modes.

Will you get 5G or Wi-Fi 6?

The good news is that in 2022, most phones have at least 802.11ac Wi-Fi and support for one or more types of 5G connectivity. However, if you want the fastest wireless speeds you can get, it’s going to cost you a bit more. For example, on certain networks, mmWave 5G offers up to gigabit download speeds, less latency and better bandwidth. But mmWave 5G also requires more sophisticated (and pricier) modems, which means support for it is often missing from budget and mid-range handsets like the iPhone SE and Pixel 5a.

On the bright side, mmWave 5G isn’t as widely available as other versions of 5G, so depending on where you live and what network you’re on, you may not be missing out on much if you buy a phone that doesn’t support it. It’s a similar situation for Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6e, which are available on a number of high-end devices, but harder to find on less expensive handsets. Wi-Fi 6 also requires you have to have a compatible router, so unless you know you need it or have a specific use case in mind, the lack of support for mmWave 5G or Wi-Fi 6E shouldn’t be a dealbreaker when looking for a new phone.

Other features to consider

Because not everyone agrees on what makes an ideal phone, you should think about any other specs that might be extra important for you. Mobile gamers will almost certainly appreciate the 120Hz refresh rates you get on phones like the Galaxy S22 or the iPhone 13 Pro. Alternatively, if long battery life is important, you’ll probably want to go with a larger iPhone or an Android phone with a battery that’s between 4,000 and 5,000 mAh in size. Meanwhile, if you find yourself juggling a lot of devices, it can be really nice to have a phone that supports reverse wireless charging, which on Samsung phones even lets you recharge the company’s Galaxy Watches.

Our picks

Best iOS smartphone: iPhone 13 Pro

David Imel for Engadget

Picking the best iPhone is fairly easy. Of the current lineup, the iPhone 13 Pro offers the best balance of features, size and price. It has a fast-refreshing 120Hz ProMotion screen that makes scrolling a breeze, as well as a versatile camera system and great battery life. I prefer it to the Pro Max since the latter is an absolute anvil of a phone that will probably fracture your skull if it falls on your face. And though the Pro is heavier and pricier than the regular iPhone 13, the additional camera and faster screen is worth the extra money.

All the iPhone 13s are equipped with Apple’s capable A15 Bionic chip, which provides powerful performance. If you don’t need something as high-end as the Pro, consider the iPhone SE 2022, which also uses the same chip but costs a lot less. Though I’m a fan of the iPhone 13 mini’s compact size, I can’t recommend it to anyone looking for a daily driver that will last all day; its limited battery life means you’ll need to at least charge it again in the afternoon for it to stick around till you need to order that Uber at midnight. – Cherlynn Low, Deputy Editor

Buy iPhone 13 Pro at Apple starting at $999

Best Android smartphone: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

As Samsung’s latest flagship phone and the spiritual successor to the Galaxy Note line, the Galaxy S22 Ultra has every feature power users and more mainstream shoppers could ever need. Its 10x optical zoom camera offers the longest reach you can get on a phone today, while its huge 6.8-inch 120Hz OLED screen makes everything look smooth and colorful. It also has IP68 dust and water resistance, not to mention durable Gorilla Glass Victus+ panels in front and back. And of course, there’s the built-in S-Pen, whose latency has dropped to just 2.8 milliseconds for 2022. This makes drawing, sketching and anything else you do with its stylus feel incredibly responsive. And, thanks to expanded support, Samsung’s Galaxy S will get at least four years of Android updates, which is longer than what Google has pledged for the Pixel 6. – Sam Rutherford, Senior Reporter

Buy Galaxy S22 Ultra at Samsung starting at $1,199

Best midrange Android smartphone: Google Pixel 5a

Terrence O'Brien / Engadget

If all you want is a simple, affordable and easy-to-use phone without any unnecessary bells and whistles, the Pixel 5a is the perfect choice. Starting at $459, the 5a features a colorful 6.34-inch OLED display, while Google’s excellent photo processing produces pics that match what you get from phones that cost twice as much. You also get super handy IP67 dust and water resistance, along with good performance thanks to Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor, 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. And, unlike a lot of other mid-range phones, the Pixel 5a enjoys strong software support, with Google promising regular Android and security updates until August 2024.

The main things you won't get compared to more premium handsets are a dedicated telephoto lens, wireless charging and support for mmWave 5G (though you do get sub-6GHz). It’s worth noting that the Pixel 6a is around the corner, and it’ll use Google’s own Tensor chip that uses AI to improve photography, voice recognition and Material You. We’d need to test it to see how it performs in the real world before recommending it, but if you’re not in a hurry to get a new phone, it might be wise to wait for the Pixel 6a. – S.R.

Buy Pixel 5a at Amazon - $459

Best midrange iPhone: iPhone SE (2022)

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

With an A15 Bionic chip and iOS 15, the latest iPhone SE is possibly the most powerful phone you can find for under $450. Sure, it has a dated design, but some folks might actually appreciate the retro look. The best thing about the iPhone SE is its home button: It’s the only new iPhone to have Touch ID. And though it only has a single rear camera, the SE still takes solid pictures. If you can get over the small, low-res screen, the iPhone SE will serve you well. It’s also really the only sub-$500 option for iOS diehards.

If you’re open to considering Android and want to spend less than $400, consider something from Samsung’s Galaxy A-series or the OnePlus Nord N20. Those looking to spend even less can check out the Moto G Power – just be prepared to compromise on features like display and cameras at lower prices. – C.L.

Buy iPhone SE at Apple starting at $429

Best camera on a smartphone: Pixel 6 Pro

David Imel for Engadget

It’s hard for me to leave the house without the Pixel 6 Pro. As long as there’s a chance I might want to take photos, I make sure I’ve brought Google’s latest flagship. The Pixel 6 Pro’s triple rear camera system is versatile enough to capture anything from the largest group shots or wide landscapes to faraway animals (like that time I thought I spotted a whale when staring at a distant blob from Acadia National Park). Google’s Night Sight still outperforms the competition when taking pictures in low light, too, and its computational photography delivers clear, vivid photos.

Of course, Samsung and Apple’s flagships are closing the gap, and these days there is little difference between the photos they deliver. Some people might even prefer the warmer tint on Galaxy devices. But special features like Google’s Magic Eraser and Motion effects make the Pixel 6 Pro the most fun to shoot with. Plus, I love the additional tools you get on Pixels, like Call Screening, Material You theming and Live Captions, among others. The Pixel 6 Pro has some small flaws, including a quirky in-display fingerprint sensor and some early software bugs. But if you’re willing to put up with those issues, in exchange you’ll get the best camera experience around. – C.L.

Buy Pixel 6 Pro at Amazon - $899

Best foldable smartphone: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

David Imel for Engadget

While you won’t find as many options for foldables in the west as you would in Asia, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is widely available in Europe and North America and remains an excellent pick regardless of market. That’s because while its starting price of $1,800 definitely ain’t cheap, the Z Fold 3 has the ability to adjust to your needs. Its exterior cover screen makes it easy to quickly check notifications or a map when you’re on the go, while its huge 7.6-inch main screen delivers a more immersive video experience than practically any other phone out right now. You can even prop the phone on a table and use it as a mini tripod/camera combo.

On top of that, its OLED panel allows the phone to serve as an excellent gadget for reading comics or books, while stylus support lets you sketch or take handwritten notes with ease. (Just remember, the Z Fold 3’s S Pens are optional extras.) And thanks to its innovative hinge, the phone can switch between modes in a snap while still offering five feet of water resistance. In a lot of ways, the Z Fold 3 is a phone, a tablet and an e-reader – all rolled into a single device. Alternatively, if you’re intrigued by flexible screens but prefer something more compact, the $1,000 Z Flip 3 offers similar tech in a smaller device at a more approachable price. – S.R

Buy Galaxy Z Fold 3 at Samsung starting at $1,799

How to buy a vlogging camera

With the explosion of TikTok and the growth of video on YouTube, Twitch, Instagram and other platforms, interest in vlogging has increased exponentially since we last updated our guide. If you’re one of those creators and a smartphone is no longer good enough, it may be time to upgrade to a purpose-built vlogging camera.

Some models are specifically designed for vlogging, like Sony’s ZV-E10 mirrorless camera that launched last year, or Panasonic’s compact G100. Others, like the new Panasonic GH6, Sony A7S III and Canon EOS R6 are hybrid cameras that offer vlogging as part of a larger toolset.

All of them have certain things in common, like flip-around screens, face- and/or eye-detect autofocus and stabilization. Prices, features and quality can vary widely among models, though. To that end, we’ve updated our guide with all the latest models designed for every vlogger from novice to professional, in all price ranges. Engadget has tested all of these to give you the best possible recommendations, and we’ll even discuss a few rumored upcoming models.

One caveat to this year’s guide is that a parts shortage has limited production of many cameras, causing shortages and higher prices. Sony, for one, halted production of the aforementioned ZV-E10 for a time, and models from Fujifilm and others are also hard to find. The good news is that the shortage appears to be easing, so hopefully we’ll see normal supply levels in the near future. 

What do you need in a vlogging camera?

Vlogging cameras are designed for filmmakers who often work alone and either use a tripod, gimbal, vehicle mount or just their hands to hold a camera. It has to be good not just for filming yourself, but other “B-roll” footage that helps tell your story.

The number one requirement is a flip-around screen so you can see yourself while filming. Those can rotate up, down or to the side, but flipping out to the side is preferable so a tripod or microphone won’t block it.

Steve Dent/Engadget

Continuous autofocus (AF) for video with face and eye detection is also a must. It becomes your camera “assistant,” keeping things in focus while you concentrate on your content. Most cameras can do that nowadays, but some still do it better than others.

If you move around or walk a lot, you should look for a camera with built-in optical stabilization. Electronic stabilization is another option as long as you’re aware of the limitations. You’ll also need a camera with a fast sensor that limits rolling shutter, which can create a distracting jello “wobble” with quick camera movements.

4K recording is another key feature. All cameras nowadays can shoot 4K up to at least 24 fps, but if possible, it’s better to have 4K at 60 or even 120 fps. If you shoot sports or other things involving fast movement, look for a model with at least 1080p at 120 fps for slow-motion recording.

Video quality is another important consideration, especially for skin tones. Good light sensitivity helps for night shooting, concerts, etcetera, and a log profile helps improve dynamic range in very bright or dark shooting conditions. If you want the best possible image quality and can afford it, get a camera that can record 4K with 10-bits (billions) of colors. That will give you more options when you go to edit.

Don’t neglect audio either — if the quality is bad, your audience will disengage. Look for a camera with a microphone port so you can plug in a shotgun or lapel mic for interviews, or at least one with a good-quality built-in microphone. It’s also nice to have a headphone port to monitor sound so you can avoid nasty surprises after you’ve finished shooting.

You’ll also want good battery life and, if possible, dual memory card slots for a backup. Finally, don’t forget about your camera’s size and weight. If you’re constantly carrying one while shooting, especially at the end of a gimbal or gorillapod, it might actually be the most important factor. That’s why tiny GoPro cameras are so popular for sports, despite offering lower image quality and fewer pro features.

The best action and portable cameras

If you’re just starting out in vlogging or need a small, rugged camera, an action cam might be your best bet. In general, they’re easy to use as you don’t have to worry about things like exposure or focus. Recent models also offer good electronic stabilization and sharp, colorful video at up to 4K and 60 fps. The downsides are a lack of control; image quality that’s not on par with larger cameras; and no zooming or option to change lenses.

DJI Pocket II

DJI

Last time around we recommended the original Osmo Pocket, but the Pocket II (no more “Osmo”) has some big improvements. As before, it’s mounted on a three-axis gimbal and has impressive face tracking that keeps your subject locked in focus. However, the new model has a larger, much higher resolution 64-megapixel sensor, a faster lens with a wider field of view and improved microphones. As before, you can get accessories like an extension rod, a waterproof case and more.

What really makes the Pocket II great for vlogging are the follow modes combined with face tracking. If you’re working solo, you can simply set it up and it’ll rotate and tilt to follow you around. That also applies for walk-and-talk vlogging, so you don’t have to worry about focus or even pointing the camera at yourself. For $346, it’s not only good for beginners, but is a handy tool for any vlogger.

Buy DJI Pocket II at Amazon - $349

GoPro Hero 10 Black

Engadget

The Hero 10 Black is what we called a “big, invisible upgrade” over the Hero 9, itself a much improved camera over the Hero 8 Black we recommended last time. That’s largely due to the new processor that unlocks features like higher-resolution 5.3K 60p and 4K 120fps video, much improved Hypersmooth 4.0 stabilization, an improved front-screen and more. All of that makes it ideal to mount on a drone, vehicle, helmet, bicycle and more, at a very manageable $350 price with a 1-year GoPro subscription.

Buy Hero 10 Black bundle at GoPro - $350

DJI Action 2

DJI

DJI took a much different approach compared to GoPro with its latest Action 2 camera – no with more Osmo branding. Rather than being a standalone camera, it’s a modular system with a magnetic mount that lets you add a touchscreen module with a secondary OLED display and three additional microphones, or a battery module for longer life and an extra microSD slot. As with the Pocket 2, it offers tons of accessories like a 3-in-1 extension rod and more. It’s a versatile option if you do more than just action shooting, and is priced well starting at $399.

Buy DJI Action 2 at Amazon - $399

The best compact vlogging cameras

Compact cameras are a step-up option from smartphones or action cameras, with larger sensors and much better image quality. At the same time, they’re not quite as versatile as mirrorless or DSLR cameras (and not necessarily cheaper) and they lack advanced options like 10-bit video. For folks who want the best possible quality without needing to think too much about their camera, however, it’s the best option. 

Sony ZV-1

Steve Dent/Engadget

Sony’s ZV-1 came out in 2020 and it’s still the best compact vlogging camera available. Based on the RX 100 V, it has a decently large 1-inch 20.1-megapixel sensor and fixed 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8mm equivalent lens. Based on the RX100 V, it has a 1-inch 20.1-megapixel sensor and fixed 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8mm (equivalent) lens. It also offers a lightweight body, built-in high-quality microphone (plus a microphone port), flip-out display, best-in-class autofocus and excellent image quality. It also has vlogging specific features like “product showcase” and background blur.

While the $799 ZV-1 can’t shoot 10-bit video, it comes with Sony’s S-Log picture profiles that give you increased dynamic range for shooting in challenging lighting conditions. The flaws include a lens that’s not quite wide enough when you’re using electronic stabilization, mediocre battery life and the lack of a true touch display and headphone port. That aside, if you’re looking to step up from a smartphone, it does the job nearly perfectly.

Buy Sony ZV-1 at Amazon - $799

Canon G7 X Mark III

Engadget

Canon’s G7 X Mark III should also be front of mind for vloggers looking for a compact option. It also packs a 20-megapixel 1-inch sensor, but has a 24-100 mm f/1.8-2.8 35mm equivalent zoom — quite a bit longer than the ZV-1 at the telephoto range. It can shoot 4K at up to 30 fps, while offering optical image stabilization, a microphone input (though no headphone jack) and even the ability to livestream directly to YouTube. The downsides are contrast-detect only autofocus and a screen that tilts up but not to the side. For $749, it’s still a great option, though.

Buy Canon G7 X Mark III at Amazon - $749

The best mirrorless/DSLR vlogging cameras

This is the class that has changed the most over the past couple of years, particularly in the more affordable price categories. Interchangeable lens cameras give you the most options for vlogging, offering larger sensors than compact cameras with better low-light sensitivity and shallower depth of field to isolate you or your subject. They also offer better control of your image with manual controls, log recording, 10-bit video and more. The drawbacks are extra weight compared to action or compact cameras, extra complexity and higher prices.

Fujifilm X-S10

Jonas Dyhr Rask/Fujifilm

Fujifilm’s X-S10 has displaced the X-T4 as the best vlogging camera out there, thanks particularly to the more affordable price. It ticks all the boxes for vloggers, offering in-body stabilization, 10-bit 4K external video with F-Log recording (at up to 30fps) along with 1080p at a stellar 240 fps, a screen that flips out to the side and easy-to-use controls. It also comes with a headphone jack and USB-C port that doubles as a headphone jack. The main downside is the limited touchscreen controls, but you get a lot of camera for just $1,000.

Buy Fujifilm X-S10 at Adorama - $999

Sony ZV-E10

Sony

The best Sony APS-C camera for vlogging is now the ZV-E10. While using many of the same aging parts as the A6100, including the 24.2-megapixel sensor, it has a number of useful features for self-shooters. High on the list is Sony’s excellent autofocus, which includes the same background defocus and Product Showcase features found on the ZV-1 compact. It also offers electronic SteadyShot, a fully articulating display and more. The biggest drawback is rolling shutter that can get bad if you whip the camera around too much. If you can find one, it’s priced at $700 for the body or $800 in a bundle with Sony’s 16-50mm F/3.5-5.6 power zoom lens.

Buy Sony ZV-E10 at B&H - $698

Panasonic GH6 and GH5

Steve Dent/Engadget

Panasonic’s GH5 was an incredibly popular vlogging camera for a very long time and was actually replaced by two cameras, the $2,200 GH6 and more budget-oriented $1,700 GH5-II. The GH6 is a large upgrade in nearly every way, offering 5.7K at 60 fps and 4K at up to 120 fps, along with ProRes formats that are easy to edit. It also comes with the best in-body stabilization on any camera and great handling. The downside is sub-par contrast-detect autofocus and battery life that’s not amazing.

It’s also worth a look at the GH5 Mark II, which is not only $500 cheaper but particularly well suited for live-streamers. It’s not a huge upgrade over the GH5, but does more than most rival cameras for the price, offering 4K 10-bit 60p video, a fully articulating display and excellent in-body stabilization. As with the GH6, the main drawback is the contrast-detect autofocus system.

Buy Panasonic GH6 at Amazon - $2,200Buy Panasonic GH5 at Amazon - $1,700

Panasonic G100

Panasonic

Panasonic’s G100 is purpose built for vlogging like the ZV-1, but also allows you to change lenses. It has a fully-articulating flip-out screen, 5-axis hybrid (optical/electronic) stabilization, 4K V-Log-L video at up to 30 fps (though sadly cropped at 1.47X for 4K video), 1080p at up to 60 fps, and contrast detect AF with face/eye detection. The coolest feature is the Nokia OZO system that can isolate audio to a specific person via face-detection tracking — something that can theoretically improve audio quality. Best of all, you can grab it right now with a 12-32mm lens for $750.

Buy Panasonic GH100 at Amazon - $750

Canon EOS M50 Mark II

Canon

Another good buy if you’re on a budget is Canon’s EOS M50 Mark II, particularly if you’re okay with 1080p video only. While not a huge upgrade over the original M50, Canon has made it more compelling for vloggers with a fully-articulating display, continuous eye-tracking in video and live streaming to YouTube. It does support 4K, but with a heavy 1.5 times crop and contrast-detect autofocus only. Still, it’s a good option for folks on a budget, selling for $699 with a 15-45mm lens.

Buy Canon EOS M50 Mark II at B&H - $699

Canon EOS R6

Steve Dent / Engadget

If you’ve got the budget for it, Canon’s EOS R6 offers nearly every feature you need in a vlogging camera. You can shoot 10-bit 4K video at up to 60 fps, and the Dual Pixel autofocus with eye and face tracking is incredibly reliable. It also offers 5-axis optical stabilization, a flip-out display and a relatively compact size. As you may have heard, overheating can be an issue, but firmware updates have improved that issue and it only applies to the more demanding video settings.

Buy Canon EOS R6 at Amazon - $2,500

Fujifilm X-T4

Steve Dent/Engadget

The Fuijfilm X-T4 is a great all-around mirrorless camera for vlogging. It has everything you need, including a fully-articulating display, continuous eye- and face autofocus, 10-bit 4K log recording at up to 60 fps, 5-axis in-body stabilization, microphone and headphone jacks (the latter via USB-C) and lower noise in low light.

Image quality, especially in the skin tones, is lifelike and the sensor has minimal rolling shutter. It also offers good battery life and comes with dual UHS-II card slots. Finally, it’s fairly light considering all the features, and Fujifilm has a good selection of small lenses ideal for vlogging. What I don’t like is an autofocus system not quite as fast or accurate as Sony’s and the fairly steep $1,700 asking price for the body only.

Buy Fujifilm X-T4 at Amazon - $1,700

Nikon Z fc

Nikon

If you want to look great while vlogging, check out Nikon’s stylish Z fc. It’s largely identical to the Z50, with features like a 20.9-megapixel APS-C sensor, 4K at 30 fps and a reliable phase-detect autofocus system with face detection. However, the Z fc brings a vari-angle touchscreen to the party and has a beautiful vintage body covered with convenient manual controls. It doesn’t have built-in optical stabilization, but you can get that via a lens. The best feature, though, is the price – you can get one for $1,100 with a 16-50mm lens.

Buy Nikon Z fc at B&H - $1,100

Upcoming cameras

If you’re not quite ready to buy, there are some interesting options on the horizon. Canon just announced the EOS R7, a mirrorless EOS R version of its popular EOS 7D DSLR. It has an APS-C sensor and all-new RF-S lenses, meaning that it might replace Canon’s current M-series cameras. Specs include a 32.5-megapixel APS-C sensor, 4K 60 fps video, an articulating display and more. All of that will make it a top vlogging option, if our upcoming review confirms the hype.

On top of that, Canon also announced a cheaper EOS R10 model with a 24.2-megapixel sensor that could also be an ideal vlogging camera. Both cameras are coming out towards the end of 2022.

In addition, Fujifilm just launched the X-H2S, its new $2,500 flagship mirrorless camera. With a 26.2-megapixel stacked and backside-illuminated sensor, it offers a raft of impressive features. Some of the highlights include 40 fps blackout-free burst shooting, faster autofocus, 6.2K 30fps video, a flip-out display and 7-stop in-body stabilization. If you’ve got the budget, this could be a solid vlogging choice when it arrives on July 7th.

Apple's second-gen AirPods drop to $100, plus the best early Prime Day deals you can get now

We may be a few weeks out from Amazon Prime Day, but early deals are already starting to roll in. If you're in need of a new smart TV, Amazon has discounted a bunch of Fire TVs and Prime members can pick up a 55-inch Omni Series set for only $300. Elsewhere, Apple's second-generation AirPods are back on sale for $100, Sony's new Linkbuds S received their first discount and Samsung's latest Discover sales event has slashed prices of appliances, wearables and storage gadgets. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.

AirPods (2nd gen)

Chris Velazco / Engadget

The second-generation AirPods are down to $100 right now, or 37 percent off their original price. While they don't have all the bells and whistles of the new, third-gen models, these are still decent earbuds that we liked for their improved wireless performance and good battery life.

Buy AirPods (2nd gen) at Amazon - $100

Mac Mini M1

Engadget

Apple's Mac Mini M1 has returned to a record-low price of $570. It's the most affordable M1 machine you can get and we like its sleek design and good array of ports.

Buy Mac Mini M1 (256GB) at Amazon - $570

Apple Watch SE

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

The 44mm blue Apple Watch SE has dropped to a new low of $209 at Walmart. This is a great deal on the already affordable smartwatch and we gave it a score of 88 for its solid performance, comfortable design and handy watchOS features.

Buy Apple Watch SE (44mm, blue) at Walmart - $209

MacBook Air M1

Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

The MacBook Air M1 is $100 off and down to $899. We gave the laptop a score of 94 for its blazing fast performance, excellent battery life and lack of fan noise.

Buy MacBook Air M1 at Amazon - $899

Amazon Fire TV sales

Amazon

Dozens of Amazon Fire TVs are on sale ahead of Prime Day, including the new Omni Series sets. The Omni 4K smart TVs came out last September and they support HDR10, HLG and Dolby Digital Plus, and the larger TVs in the range also support Dolby Vision. Prime members can pick up the 55-inch model for only $300, while anyone can get up to 40 percent off the other sizes.

Shop Amazon Fire TV sales

Samsung Discover sales

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Samsung's latest Discover sales event is ongoing through June 26th. Everything from appliances to smartphones to TVs have been discounted, and some of the best promotions include free storage upgrades on the Galaxy S22 Ultra and a free Galaxy S22 smartphone when you buy certain Samsung Neo QLED 8K smart TVs.

Shop Samsung Discover deals

Razer Kishi controller

Razer

Razer's Kishi controller for iOS devices is $45 off right now and down to a new low of $55. It's a good accessory to have if you like to play games on the go. It has a wired connection, which means lower latency than Bluetooth controllers, plus an ergonomic design and a USB-C port for passthrough charging.

Buy Razer Kishi (iOS) at Amazon - $55

Sony Linkbuds S

Sony

Sony's new Linkbuds S are 11 percent off and down to $178. This is their first real discount since launching earlier this year, and they have a small, IPX4 rated design, decent ANC and Auto Play support.

Buy Sony Linkbuds S at Amazon - $178

Crucial MX500 SSD (4TB)

We've long been fans of Crucial's MX500 internal drive and now you can pick up the big one with 4TB of space for $320. That's 11 percent off and the best price we've seen. We like this drive for its standard design, solid read and write speeds and integrated power loss immunity feature.

Buy Crucial MX500 (4TB) at Amazon - $320

Samsung T7 SSD (1TB)

Samsung

Samsung's T7 SSD in 1TB is on sale for $115 right now, or only $5 more than its all-time-low price. We like this portable drive for its compact, shock-resistant body, fast read and write speeds and its multi-device compatibility.

Buy Samsung T7 (1TB) at Amazon - $115Buy T7 SSD (1TB) at Samsung - $115

Amazon Luna game controller

Amazon

Prime members can get the Luna game controller for only $40, which is $10 cheaper than its previous all-time low. It's designed to be used with Prime Gaming and Amazon's cloud gaming service, which costs $10 per month, but you can use Bluetooth or USB to connect it to Windows, Mac and Android devices to play other titles, too.

Buy Luna controller (Prime exclusive) at Amazon - $40

Nintendo eShop Super Sale

Erik McLean on Unsplash

Through July 6th, you can get up to 60 percent off Nintendo Switch games if you buy them through the eShop. Some of the titles on sale include Super Mario Odyssey for $42, Skyrim for $30, Pikmin 3 Deluxe for $42 and Just Dance 2022 for $20.

Shop Nintendo eShop Super Sale

Steam Summer Sale

Engadget

Steam's summer sale runs through July 7th and knocks up to 90 percent off titles. Some of the standout games you'll find in this sale include Hollow Knight, Forza Horizon 5, No Man's Sky and God of War.

Shop Steam Summer Sale

New tech deals

Arlo Pro 4 security cameras

Wellbots has knocked up to $90 off Arlo Pro 4 security camera bundles. You can get a three-camera kit for $550 with the code ARLO90, a two-camera bundle for $380 with the code ARLO70 or a one-camera set for $200 with the code ARLO25.

Shop Arlo Pro 4 sets at Wellbots

Sony SRS-XB13 portable speaker

Sony's tiny SRS-XB13 is 20 percent off and down to only $48. Not only does it come in a bunch of fun colors, but this compact Bluetooth speaker also has a waterproof IP67 rated design, punchy bass and a 16-hour battery life.

Buy Sony SRS-XB13 at Amazon - $48

Kindle Paperwhite (2018)

The previous edition of the Kindle Paperwhite is on sale for $70 right now, or nearly half off its normal price. We gave this model a score of 95 for its improved, waterproof design, higher-contrast display and Audible support.

Buy Kindle Paperwhite (2018) at Amazon - $70

Satechi summer sale

Satechi's summer sale knocks up to 75 percent off accessories, so you can grab discounted docks, hubs, chargers and more for less through June 30th. Some standout deals include the iMac USB-C monitor stand and hub for $50 and the USB-C mobile pro hub for $30.

Shop Satechi summer sale

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Amazon's Omni Fire TVs are up to 46 percent off right now

Amazon has kicked off the lead up to this year's Prime Day by discounting a bunch of Fire TVs. A number of Toshiba, Insignia and Hisense smart TVs are on sale right now, so you could pick up a TV for as low as $90. But we recommend springing for one of the higher-end Omni Series televisions, which came out last September. All sizes are cheaper than usual, but you'll find the steepest discount on the 55-inch Omni Series 4K TV, which is 46 percent off and down to $300. While many of these TV deals are Prime exclusives, some — including the 55-inch Omni deal — are available to all Amazon shoppers.

Shop Fire TV sales at AmazonBuy 55-inch Omni Series Fire TV at Amazon - $300

All of the Omni Series sets streaming in 4K and support HDR10, HLG and Dolby Digital Plus — if you want Dolby Vision, you'll have to spring for the 65- or 75-inch TVs. You'll get access to streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max and others, but you'll find the real perks come in if you're already a heavy Alexa user. Omni Series sets have built-in microphones to allow hands-free Alexa access, so you can basically treat the TV as you would an Echo smart speaker. You can ask it to set timers and reminders, check sports scores and more, even when the TV is off. But if that's not really your thing, you can use the built-in switch to electronically disable the microphones.

As far as connectivity goes, the 55-inch model has three HDMI ports plus one HDMI 2.1 jack with eARC, one USB port and an Ethernet connector. While you could deck the TV out with the soundbar of your choosing, you can also wirelessly pair the TV with Echo speakers to create a more immersive home theater setup. These TVs are clearly best for those who already have a lot of Amazon devices throughout their home, and those who rely on Alexa a lot already. But they're also good options for anyone that wants a truly budget smart TV. $300 for a 55-inch set is a solid deal, and if you're looking to spend even less than that, you've got options at the $200 and $100 marks as well.

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