If your favorite person has a love of video or photography, a camera may be the best gift they’ll ever get. Some may want to capture their adventures with an action camera, while others may desire a mirrorless camera for portraits, movies or artistic shots. The technology is better than ever as camera makers try to stay ahead of smartphones with faster shooting speeds, sharper video and incredible autofocus. We found the best models for budgets ranging from $400 to $2,500, along with top accessories to complement their existing gear.

GoPro Hero 10 Black

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For the adventurer on your gift list, there’s no better action camera than the GoPro Hero 10 Black. It bests the previous Hero 9 Black model in a number of key ways, thanks mainly to the faster GP2 processor. That helps it deliver improved image quality, with higher resolution at up to 5.3K/30fps instead of 5K as before. It also offers improved noise reduction, smoother stabilization, more faithful color reproduction and better handling.

Sony Alpha A6100

Will Lipman Photography for Engadget / Sony

Sony’s A6100 is a great gift idea for budding photographers, as it offers the best features of its APS-C mirrorless camera series at the best price. Chief among those is the incredibly reliable autofocus system with eye-detection and other AI tricks. Even with fast-moving action, the A6100 will nail focus for video or photos most of the time thanks to the extremely rapid tracking system. It also offers accurate colors, good low-light performance and a flip-up display that allows for selfies and vlogging, with sharp video capture at up to 4K. It’s also one of the best mirrorless camera deals around at $748, or $848 with a 16-50mm kit lens.

DJI Ronin SC gimbal

DJI

A gimbal is a great gift idea for video shooters, helping them boost production value with smooth tracking, panning and other shots. If your loved one has a mirrorless camera, the best option is DJI’s Ronin-SC model. It weighs just 2.4 pounds, 41 percent lighter than DJI’s original Ronin-S — making it easier to use for longer periods. It can stabilize just about any type of video as well, thanks to the ActiveTrack 3.0 mode and AI that can lock onto and track human or other subjects.

Panasonic GH5

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If your gift recipient is into making YouTube videos, the Panasonic GH5 has been the vlogging camera of choice since it first came out . The 20-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor delivers pin-sharp 4K video downsampled from the full sensor at up to 60fps, with a 10-bit high-color option that makes editing easier afterwards. It also includes other necessities for vlogging like a flip-out display, in-body stabilization and dual high-speed card slots. With the arrival of the $1,700 GH5 II, the original GH5 is cheaper than it’s ever been at $1,300, giving your loved one a lot of camera for the money.

Magnus VT-4000 Tripod

Engadget

If your giftee is starting to get serious about video, the Magnus VT 4000 is the best budget tripod option out there. It’s lightweight at 8 pounds, but the anodized aluminum construction is strong enough to handle a mirrorless camera and accessories weighing up to 8.8 pounds. The lack of heft makes it practical for travel, while the fluid head allows for smooth tilts and pans. Other features include a middle spreader to keep things steady and legs that extend up to 64 inches so you can match the eyeline of your subjects.

Canon EOS R6

Will Lipman Photography for Engadget / Canon

For a serious camera gift that’s around $2,500, Canon’s 20-megapixel EOS R6 is the best hybrid model out there. It delivers up to 20 fps burst shooting speeds while the Dual Pixel AF nails focus on nearly every shot, whether in bright sunlight or dim lighting. It’s also a solid pick for video, letting you shoot 4K supersampled video at 60 fps with 10-bit log and HDR options for maximum editing flexibility — again, with Canon’s Dual Pixel AF system that’s second to none. The caveat to that is overheating, which limits use for things like weddings and journalism.

Joby GorillaPod 3K

Joby

Some of the most useful gifts out there for vloggers are Joby’s famous mini-tripods, and the best one for the money is the GorillaPod 3K. Attaching your camera using the secure clip-in mounting plate is dead simple, and you can ensure that everything is even with the built-in level. The flexible legs let you set your camera anywhere to shoot or even wrap it around a tree or other object. The most common usage is as a vlogging handle, as vloggers can bend the legs forward to fit themselves into the video and steady out their shooting.

SanDisk Extreme Pro SD card

Will Lipman Photography for Engadget / SanDisk

Your favorite camera nerd can never have enough memory cards, but they can be a pretty pricey gift. SanDisk’s ExtremePro UHS-I SD cards are cheaper than UHS-II cards, but the 90 MB/s read/write speeds are fast enough for most types of photography and video. If your loved one needs that extra UHS-II speed, Lexar’s UHS-II SD 1667X (250MB/s) and 2000X (300MB/s) SD cards are solid picks.

Rode VideoMic Go and Wireless Go

Rode

If the vlogger in your life doesn’t already have one, Rode’s wireless and shotgun microphones are solid, affordable gifts. The VideoMic Go is ideal for interviews and run-and-gun shooting, thanks to the crisp directional audio and relative ease of use. It comes with a shock mount to eliminate bumps or vibrations that could interfere with sound and doesn’t require a battery, unlike past Rode models. Meanwhile, Rode’s Wireless Go is one of the most popular wireless lavalier mics out there, functioning as both a microphone and wireless transceiver. It offers a reliable connection and good audio quality, or you can maximize clarity by connecting an external 3.5mm microphone like Rode’s $40 SmartLav+, the Sennheiser Pro Audio ME2 or others.

Nanlite LitoLite 5C RGBWW Mini LED Panel

Will Lipman Photography for Engadget / Nanlite

A good light is an awesome tool in your favorite photographer or videographer’s arsenal, and a relatively affordable gift to boot. One of the best all-around models is the Nanlite LitoLite 5C RGBWW Mini LED Panel. It weighs just 4.8 ounces, but offers dimmable lighting across a range of colors, with adjustments either on the fixture or via a smartphone app. It mounts on any wall or light stand via a magnet or quarter-inch threads, has cordless operation and a battery that runs for 1.5 hours at full power (charged via USB). The most interesting feature is special effects that range from a cop car’s flashing lights, flames, candlelights, a lightning storm and more.

Peak Design Everyday Backpack 20L

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Backpacks are life for photographers and video shooters, so they make great gifts — if you get the right one. Peak Design’s Everyday Backpack 20L is a good choice, thanks to the stylish weatherproof design, internal dividers for laptops, cameras, lenses and more, a wrap-around zipper and a protected laptop sleeve. It offers excellent build quality and Peak Design backs that up with a lifetime warranty.

Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve 17.2

Blackmagic Design

As someone who used to use Adobe’s Premiere Pro CC exclusively, I never thought I’d switch to another app. I did, though, and can’t recommend Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve 17.2 enough (either the free or $295 studio version). You get a lifetime of updates, so it’s far cheaper than Adobe’s subscription program that runs $630 per year. Resolve is slightly trickier to learn, but far more powerful than Premiere for key tasks like color grading and effects. Most importantly, I’ve found Resolve to be far, far more reliable than Premiere on a wide range of computers, which is easily the most important “feature” on an editing app.

Having somehow made it through a second year of global pandemic and political unrest, give the loved ones on your holiday shopping list the greatest gift of all: an alternative to doom-scrolling. In Engadget’s 2021 Media Gift Guide you’ll find a diverse selection of books — fiction and nonfiction alike — as well a host of streaming content suggestions that will keep their recipients entertained through the holidays and beyond. If you’ve got a book, show or movie that you think would make the perfect present, tell us all about it in the comments below!

Fiction

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

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NYT bestselling author, Rebecca Roanhorse — the literary force behind Star Wars: Resistance Reborn — has done it again. Her latest fantasy series, Between Earth and Sky, takes readers on an epic journey of trauma, healing, vengeance, and eventual redemption. The first book in the series, 2020’s Black Sun, weaves a masterfully engrossing — and markedly inclusive — tale that eschews the common Arthurian Legend retellings in favor of a unique fantasy world inspired by pre-Columbian America cultures. If you’ve got a fan of fantasy on your holiday shopping list, pick up Black Sun for them before the sequel, Fevered Star, drops next April.

Age of Madness trilogy by Joe Abercrombie

The ending of Game of Thrones was nothing short of a slap in the face to fans. I mean, really, all that and Bran wins? GTFOH. If you’ve got a fan of George “Double R” Martin on your holiday shopping list, do them a favor and turn them on to Joe Abercrombie’s Age of Madness trilogy. Set in a world in which the seeds of industrialization have just taken hold even as the age magic and mysticism stubbornly refuses to be uprooted, AoM tells a tale of mighty nations at war while the powerful elites who rule them vie for control over both their countries’ external fates and their courts’ internal politics. Packed with captivating characters, political intrigue, incredible reversals of fortune and stunning betrayals, Age of Madness is a grimdark masterpiece where everybody, for once, gets exactly what they deserve.

1414º by Paul Bradley Carr

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Whether we like it or not, this is Jeff Bezos’ world and the rest of us just live in it. Our current slate of 21st century techno-robber barons have achieved unfathomable wealth and unassailable power; but as Paul Bradley Carr’s latest novel, 1414º, illustrates, you can’t spend that money or wield that influence when you’re dead. If you’ve got a fan of high-tension whodunnits and techno-thrillers on your holiday shopping list, 1414º will be a surefire hit.

Fugitive Telemetry (The Murderbot Diaries) by Martha Wells

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Martha Wells can’t stop, won’t stop, dropping Murderbot hits. The reigning queen of hard sci-fi released Fugitive Telemetry — the sixth book in her Hugo, Nebula, Locus and Alex Award winning series — earlier this year and let me tell you from experience, it is a banger. Our self-aware SecUnit anti-hero is back in another standalone adventure, this time on the trail of a vicious murderer aboard Preservation (space) Station. If the sci-finatic on your holiday shopping lists enjoys space intrigue and robotic mysteries, you can’t go wrong with Fugitive Telemetry.

Undying Mercenaries series by B.V. Larson

The year is 2052 and Earth finds itself unwillingly annexed into a galactic empire it didn’t even know existed and is presented with a simple choice: provide our new alien overlords with a viable commercial product or face extermination. Thus, Earth’s mercenary legions are born. Armed with alien-made weaponry and a mysterious technology that allows soldiers to be reconstructed after being killed in battle — like reloading from a previous save point but far more gooey — Earth’s legions set out across the stars to fight the wars that the galaxy’s elder races are too self-important to fight themselves. Already 16 books deep, author B.V. Larson continues to lead the genre of military sci-fi from the front, so if you’ve got a fan of Starship Troopers, Aliens-style space marines, or Tom Cruise’s Edge of Tomorrow on your holiday shopping list, congrats! You can cross them off now.

Nonfiction

JGalione via Getty Images

Bright Galaxies, Dark Matter, and Beyond by Ashley Jean Yeager

Far from a household name, astronomer Vera Rubin’s pioneering research helped convince the scientific community of the possibility that dark matter — the mysterious materials that make up a vast majority of the universe but cannot be observed — actually exists. In Bright Galaxies, Dark Matter, and Beyond (not to be confused with Bright Galaxies, Dark Matter, a collection of Rubin’s own essays), author Ashley Jean Yeager takes readers on an inspiring biographical journey through the astronomer’s early year before examining the challenges she faced working in an often hostile, male-dominated field, and her eventual vindication and professional triumphs — looking at you Vera C. Rubin Observatory. If you’ve got a younger someone on your holiday shopping list who’s interested in pursuing STEM, this could well be the book that puts them on a path towards scientific greatness.

N-4 Down by Mark Piesing

During the Zeppelin’s heyday, airships weren't just a means of the well-to-do to slowly get to distant destinations in comfort and luxury, they also offered a new means of (albeit pokey) exploration. N-4 Down by Mark Piesing takes readers on a thrilling, nail-biting adventure of the largest arctic rescue operation in history as famed Norwegian explorer, Roald Amundsen, rushed to save the surviving crew of the airship Italia, which crashed during its attempt to land men at the North Pole in 1928. The history and aeronautical buffs on your holiday shopping list are going to absolutely love it.

Under a White Sky by Elizabeth Kolbert

For the last 10,000 years, humanity has had an unprecedented and largely destructive impact on the environment around us. But as climate change increasingly wreaks its own havoc on us in return, humanity must now work to reverse or at least mitigate the harm that we have caused. In Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Elizabeth Kolbert examines just what we can do to make things right with Mother Earth and avoid a catastrophic climate crisis.

The Quiet Zone by Stephen Kurczy

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Green Bank, West Virginia is, technologically speaking, stuck in the 1950s. And for good reason! This bucolic Appalachian town is home to the ultra-sensitive radio telescope at the Green Bank observatory, which necessitates that basically every device that can emit a radio signal — everything from iPads to microwaves — be heavily restricted. In The Quiet Zone, journalist and author Stephen Kurczy, embeds himself in Green Bank to give readers a firsthand look at what life could be like without our precious digital tech. The Quiet Zone is the perfect gift for the aspiring luddite on your holiday shopping list.

Streaming

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Given the myriad COVID-induced supply chain challenges that retailers are girding for this upcoming holiday season, finding physical copies of these titles could prove to be a bit of a challenge. So, perhaps consider gifting the book worms on your holiday shopping list the Kindle Paperwhite and a subscription to Amazon Kindle Unlimited? Virtually every one of the books listed above are available on the digital service along with millions of others as well as magazines and periodicals.

But there’s only so much one can read during those long winter nights so why not curl up on the couch with a nice cup of hot cocoa and watch some sterling examples of our new Golden Age of Television? If you’ve got a Trekkie on your holiday shopping list, you really can’t go wrong with a subscription to Paramount+. The $5 - $10 a month service unlocks a plethora of Star Trek shows including the Emmy award-winning Picard and the hilarious Lower Decks.

For the cinephile on your list, assuming you can’t get your hands on the upcoming Criterion 4K collections, an HBO Max subscription works just as well. For $10 a month, you’ll give the gift of a massive movie selection as well as popular weekly news and interview series like Pause with Sam Jay and This Week Tonight with John Oliver, not to mention incredible documentaries like Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street.

Got someone with small children on your gift list? Throw them a bone with a Disney+ subscription. The service hosts nearly the entirety of Disney’s massive, decades-deep archives along with new family-friendly series and episodes arriving daily.

If you’re anything like us, the holiday shopping season never really gets easier. It always seems to sneak up when you’re unprepared and making your gift list is often an arduous process. Despite the warm feelings this time of year brings, it can be awash with stress as you try to find the right gifts for the right people, all while trying to stay within budget.

But hopefully our annual holiday gift guide can provide some ideas for the tech-loving individuals in your life. We’ve spent time pondering the best (and most fun) gadgets we’ve used this year and came up with more than 200 products worth recommending. You’ll find gifts for aspiring game streamers, amateur photographers, audiophiles, pet parents and more, as well as the best laptops, tablets and wearables. And for those with strict budgets, we have a roundup of all things under $100 in our guide along with additional ideas for stocking stuffers that come in under $50.

And for all you bargain hunters out there, Engadget will continue to cover the best tech deals throughout the holiday season. There have been a ton already as retailers have pushed up the start of the shopping season by an ungodly month (or two). But it’s safe to say that the weeks leading up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday will bring even more discounts. If you haven’t crossed everything off your shopping list yet, be sure to check out our Deals hub and @EngadgetDeals on Twitter to keep up with the latest sales.

Regardless of how and when you secure those final gifts, we hope our gift guide can make it easier for you to get there. And if you pick up something for yourself along the way, consider that a well- deserved reward for making it through yet another crazy year.

Engadget's 2021 holiday gift guide

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The best laptops and tablets to give as gifts

The best tech toys for kids

Seven tech charities to support this holiday season

The home theater gear worth gifting this year (even if the giftee is you)

The best smartwatches, fitness trackers and wearables to gift

The best board games to gift this holiday season

Small, affordable gadgets that make great stocking stuffers

The best gifts for the aspiring influencer in your life

The best gifts for the coffee nerd in your life

All the gear you need to game-stream like a pro

These are the audio gadgets to gift this season

The best digital gifts to send your friends and family

Black Friday may be almost three weeks away, but the TV sales have already started. Amazon has discounted some of its 4-series and Omni 4K TVs, marking the first time they’ve been on sale since the company introduced them at the start of September. At the moment, you can get the 50- and 55-inch Omni models for $360 and $410. Typically, those sets cost $510 and $560, so you’re saving almost 30 percent off the price of both TVs.

Both Omni sets feature support for HDR10, HLG and Dolby Digital Plus. They also come with the usual assortment of Fire TV features, and they’re deeply integrated with Amazon’s other products. For example, if you own a Ring doorbell, you’ll be able to speak to your visitors. You can also connect a web camera to the TVs to use them for both Alexa and Zoom video calling. If you’re in the market for a TV with Dolby Vision, you’ll need to look at the more expensive 65- and 75-inch Omni sets for that feature.

If you’d like to spend less on a TV and hands-free Alexa isn’t a selling point for you, Amazon has also discounted its 50- and 55-inch 4-series models. They’re currently priced at $330 and $380, down from $470 and $520. Again, you’re saving about 30 percent off the price of both sets.

It’s worth pointing out the LED panels on all four sets are limited to 60Hz, so they’re not ideal for gaming. But if you’re primarily looking for an affordable TV that you plan to use exclusively for streaming video, you could do a lot worse than a TV from either the Omni or 4-series families.

Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter.

The first week of November brought a deluge of early Black Friday sales, many of which included some of our favorite gadgets at all-time-low prices. Amazon and Best Buy discounted everything from Sony headphones to smartwatches to OLED TVs. Google devices, including the Nest Audio and the Nest Hub smart display, have dropped to record-low prices as well, while Apple's AirPods Pro with the new MagSafe case are $60 off. Here are the best early Black Friday tech deals you can still get today.

AirPods Pro (with MagSafe)

Billy Steele / Engadget

The updated AirPods Pro with the MagSafe charging case are down to $190 right now, or $60 off their normal price. These remain Apple's best sounding wireless earbuds and we gave them a score of 87 for their better fit, IPX4 water resistance and hands-free Siri controls.

12.9-inch iPad Pro

Apple

The latest 12.9-inch iPad Pro with 512GB of storage is $150 off, bringing it down to $1,249. That's the best price we've seen on this particular model, which would make a good laptop alternative when paired with the right accessories. We gave the iPad Pro a score of 87 for its powerful performance, lovely display and handy Center Stage camera.

Mac Mini M1

Engadget

Apple's 512GB Mac Mini M1 is on sale for $750 thanks to an automatically applied coupon. This is the desktop to get if you want a relatively compact device, plus one with the power of Apple's M1 chipset.

Sony WH-1000XM4

Billy Steele / Engadget

Our favorite pair of Sony headphones, the WH-1000XM4, are down to a record low of $248 right now. We gave these cans a score of 94 for their powerful ANC, immersive sound quality and multi-device connectivity.

Sony WF-1000XM4

Billy Steele/Engadget

Sony's excellent WF-1000XM4 earbuds are down to $248 during this sale. We gave them a score of 86 for their great sound quality, powerful ANC and improved battery life.

iRobot Roomba j7+

iRobot

iRobot's latest robot vacuum, the Roomba j7+, is on sale for $699, or $150 off its normal price. The robo-vac without the clean base is also on sale for $499. In addition to the company's standard vacuuming technology, these models have AI-driven computer vision technology that lets them detect obstacles — including pet poop — and move around them as they clean.

iRobot Roomba 694

Valentina Palladino / Engadget

iRobot's Roomba 694 is on sale for $180, or $94 off its normal price. This model made it into our budget robot vacuum guide thanks to its good cleaning power, decent battery life and easy-to-use companion app.

August WiFi smart lock (4th-gen)

Engadget

The August WiFi smart lock is on sale for $180, which is a record-low price. This fits over many types of deadbolts and allows you to remotely lock and unlock your door using the companion app. We gave it a score of 80 for its easy installation process, elegant design and support for multiple voice assistants.

Sony WH-CH710N headphones

Billy Steele / Engadget

Sony's already affordable WH-CH710N wireless headphones are down to an all-time low of $78 right now. That's the same price they were during Amazon Prime Day in June, making it a great time to snatch these capable cans up. We like them for their comfortable fit, punchy bass, good ANC and up to 35 hours of battery life.

Samsung T7 Touch SSD (1TB)

Samsung

Samsung's T7 Touch portable SSD in 1TB is down to $150, which is $40 off and a record low. It's almost exactly the same as the standard T7 drive, but it has a built-in fingerprint reader for an extra layer of security.

Lenovo Flex 5 Chromebook

Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

Lenovo's Flex 5 Chromebook has dropped to $300, which is $130 off its normal price. We praised this machine as a capable Chrome OS laptop for its Core i3 processor, 1080p touchscreen, comfortable keyboard and good array of ports. It's a great buy even at its normal price, so it's a steal when on sale like this.

GoPro Hero 10 Black

James Trew / Engadget

Amazon knocked $50 off the GoPro Hero 10 Black action cam, bringing it down to $450. It earned a score of 92 from us for its improved image quality, speedy user interface and additional slo-mo and frame rate options.

Sony OLED TVs

Sony

A couple of Sony OLED sets were discounted this week. The 55-inch Sony Bravia XR A80J OLED 4K TV is down to $1,398, or $300 off its normal price, while the 48-inch Sony Bravia A9S OLED TV dropped to $1,198. The former includes the company's Cognitive Processor XR, HDMI 2.1 support, 4K upscaling, XR Motion Clarity and more, while the latter supports HDR and Dolby Vision, Acoustic Surface Audio, X-Motion Clarity technology and AirPlay 2.

Amazon Kindle

Engadget

The standard Kindle is down to the best price we've seen it, only $50. We gave this e-reader a score of 91 for its front-lit display, improved contrast screen and sleeker design.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

Amazon

Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K is half off right now, bringing it down to $25. This compact streaming device supports 4K content, Dolby Vision, HDR and Dolby Atmos sound. It's one of the easiest, and cheapest, ways to turn an old TV into a smarter one.

Amazon Fire tablets

Valentina Palladino / Engadget

Amazon slashed prices of its Fire HD 8 tablets this week, so you can grab one for as low as $45. The kids versions are on sale as well — $70 for the Fire HD 8 Kids and Fire HD 8 Kids Pro.

New early Black Friday tech deals

Shure SM7B microphone

Shure's high-end SM7B microphone is 28 percent off, bringing it down to $359. This is a record-low price that we haven't seen very often, and this mic is a good pick for those who want to take their podcasting or streaming audio quality to the next level.

OnePlus 9 smartphones

Both the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro smartphones are down to record-low prices, coming in at $599 and $799, respectively. We gave the 9 Pro a score of 88 for its fantastic display, impressive performance and much improved main camera.

Moft early Black Friday sale

Moft's early Black Friday sale knocks up to $35 off depending on how much you spend. Use the code BF10 to get $10 off $50 or more, the code BF20 to get $20 off $100 or more and the code BF35 to get $35 off orders of $150 or more. The company makes a bunch of slick mobile accessories, including a magnetic stand and wallet for the latest iPhones.

NordVPN

NordVPN has a promotion going on right now that gets you two years of the service for $89. That's 68 percent off its normal price. We like NordVPN for its speed, its no-logs policy, the thousands of servers it has to choose from and that one account supports up to six connected devices.

Galaxy Buds+

Samsung's Galaxy Buds+ are down to only $59 at Walmart, which is nearly $100 off their normal price. We gave them a score of 83 for their improved audio, better call quality, longer battery life and improved wireless range.

Oculus Quest 2

Until November 12, Amazon Prime members can get up to $20 off Oculus Quest 2 headsets at Woot. We gave this VR kit a score of 89 for its high-res screens, powerful hardware and excellent abilities as a standalone VR device.

Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter.

More and more early Black Friday deals are popping up, and if you're looking to snag an entry-level set of active noise cancellation (ANC) headphones, you can't go too far wrong with Sony's WH-CH710N. The headphones are on sale for $78 on Amazon, which is $102 less than the standard price.

The discount matches the lowest price we've seen for the headphones, which occurred during Amazon Prime Day, though the headphones have dipped to $88 on several occasions. Given the solid sound quality and ANC, the WH-CH710N was already a decent option at the regular price, so it's even more worthy of consideration at $78.

There are tradeoffs, of course, for a pair of ANC headphones in this price range. The WH-CH710N set has "decent range and good clarity, but they lack deep, punchy bass that would help create a fuller sound," as Engadget senior news editor Billy Steele noted. Still, you'll get up to 35 hours of use before you need to recharge the headphones and sensors can monitor surrounding noise to select the optimal ANC settings. There's also an ambient-sound passthrough option for when you need to hear what's going on in your environment.

The WH-CH710N can't quite measure up to Sony’s WH-1000XM4, which we reckon are the best wireless headphones you can buy right now. That said, this set is hard to beat at the lower end of the scale — even more so when the cans are available for such a hefty discount.

Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter.

So you've got all the gifts you need for the kids, your family and the friends who really matter. But it's been a tough year, surely you deserve some joy as well. Maybe it's time to upgrade that HDTV to a 4K OLED, or to finally move on from using sad TV speakers. It's time to treat yourself, in true Parks and Rec fashion. Here are some of the best home theater gadgets we'd recommend when budget isn't an issue.

Apple TV 4K

Will Lipman Photography for Engadget

While the latest Apple TV model isn’t a massive leap over its predecessor, there are a few updates that make it worthy of a holiday splurge. The redesigned Siri remote is a big improvement over the previous version, both app and streaming performance is quicker than ever and there’s support for Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision. As always, there’s deep integration with iOS, and HomeKit compatibility is a nice bonus. And when you tire of music and movies, the Apple TV also works as a gaming console with access to Apple Arcade and support for Bluetooth gamepads. — Billy Steele, Senior News Editor

BenQ HT2050A projector

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A projector is a great gift for any of the cinephiles or gamers in your life, and for around $800, the BenQ HT2050A is the best budget 1080p projector available. Its DLP tech delivers where it counts with the best contrast (ANSI 1,574:1) and color accuracy in its class, and is reasonably bright as well, with 2,200 lumens in "vivid" mode. On top of that, it comes with a 1.3x zoom and vertical lens shift option for maximum installation flexibility. It’s also a nice option for gaming, thanks to the relatively low 16 millisecond input lag. The drawbacks include slightly excessive fan noise, rainbow effect and red-tinted 3D. — Steve Dent, Associate Editor

65-inch LG C1 OLED TV

LG

If you're looking for the best possible TV to buy, there’s no question: Pick an OLED model. Personally I'd stick with LG's C1, the latest generation of the company's astounding OLED screens. Unlike LCD TVs, which rely on backlights, pixels on OLED TVs can turn themselves on and off individually. That allows them to capture inky blacks and deliver better contrast than most LCD panels. The C1 isn't much different from last year's CX line, but it's LG's most evolved OLED yet. It has a 120Hz refresh rate for speedy gaming, as well as support for G-SYNC and Freesync to avoid annoying frame stuttering. Its wide viewing angles also mean everyone can get a perfect picture, no matter where they're sitting. — Devindra Hardawar, Senior Editor

Monoprice Monolith THX Atmos home theater speakers

Monoprice

Sometimes, a soundbar just doesn't cut it. No matter how many drivers you can cram in, or how good the virtual surround sound is, nothing beats the immersion of a full home theater speaker setup. Monoprice's Monolith series is one of the best options around: It sports a powerful center channel, your choice of towers or bookshelf speakers with upward-firing Dolby Atmos drivers, and subwoofers powerful enough to rattle your walls. There are tons of surround sound systems to choose from, but the beauty of the Monolith line is that it has all of the latest speaker tech and it’s reasonably priced, at least compared to other Hi-Fi systems. It used to be that you had to mix and match speakers to create an affordable surround setup. You can start small with a few towers and a subwoofer—and once you've got a complete system, you may never need to go to the cinema again. — D.H.

Optoma Cinemax P2

Optoma

With high brightness and ease of setup, ultra short throw projectors are all the rage right now — making one the ultimate gift for any movie lover. The CinemaX P2 is the best among those for the price thanks to a good combination of features. It delivers 3,000 lumens of brightness, while offering good contrast and accurate colors, with 80 percent DCI-P3 coverage. The 40-watt NuForce Dolby Digital 2.0 soundbar is one of the best on any ultra-short-throw projector and it’s relatively stylish in white. On the downside, while it does offer apps, they’re not as good as you’ll find on, say, Google’s Chromecast — though that’s an easy fix as it has three HDMI 2.0 ports. — S.D.

Roku Ultra

Will Lipman Photography for Engadget

If you're not a fan of the Apple TV, the Roku Ultra is the only other set-top box worth considering. It's fast enough to stream 4K video with Dolby Vision, and it supports just about every streaming app you'd want. It also has a solid remote with voice-search capabilities, and you can still access all of Apple's streaming video via the Apple TV app. And while Roku's interface isn't pretty, it's fast and gets the job done. — D.H.

Sonos Arc

Will Lipman Photography for Engadget

Sonos finally introduced an upgrade to its aging Playbar last summer when it debuted the Arc. In addition to an updated design, the soundbar also supports Dolby Atmos which makes it an excellent choice for the living room. True to Sonos’ lineage, the Arc is also well-suited for music and you have the ability to add a subwoofer or satellite speakers as you see fit. It will also function as part of a new or existing Sonos multi-room setup and any time you add on to the main living room configuration, the Arc automatically adjusts to compensate for the extra gear. — B.S.

Sony HT-A7000 soundbar

Sony

Sony’s Atmos-enabled soundbars are among the best and its most recent top-end model is no different. The A7000 replaced the HT-ST5000 as the flagship in the company’s lineup, only this time, the soundbar doesn’t come with a wireless subwoofer in the box. Instead, Sony is offering you the ability to add to your home theater setup as needed. The company offers two subwoofer options, as well a pair of rear speakers. The A7000 on its own though, is a 7.1.2-channel unit equipped with HDMI 2.1 with eARC, plus both 8K and 4K/120 Hz passthrough. This means Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision are both in play as well as ample support for gaming. Plus, wireless connectivity includes Chromecast, AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect when you just need some tunes. — B.S.

65-inch TCL 6 Series smart TV

Will Lipman Photography for Engadget / TCL

If OLED is too rich for your blood, consider TCL's MiniLED-powered 6-series line. It features far more backlight zones than typical LCDs, which can lead to black and contrast levels that are approaching what you'd see from OLED. The lower cost is the big selling point here though, giving you enough leftover cash to invest in your sound system. It's a solid entry both for movie watching and gaming. The 6-series also includes some of the cheapest 8K TVs on the market, though we'd recommend holding out on 8K until more content is actually available. (Something that may take a long while.) — D.H.

Valencia Theater Seating Verona seats

Valencia Theater Seating

Where your butt sits is just as important to your home theater as your screen and sound setup. You'll want seats that you can lounge in for hours without hurting your back, and they need to be sturdy enough to survive real-world usage with pets and kids. Valencia's Verona seats are a solid option if you want to replicate the experience of high-end theaters with reclining seats. They're made out of genuine leather, and they offer separate reclining options for your back and head. And sure, they're pricey, but a decent couch will set you back just as much as three Veronas. And, let's face it, they'll be far more comfortable for movie watching and gaming than your typical West Elm option. — D.H.

Vizio M-Series 5.1 soundbar

Vizio

If you've got a smaller space, or you can't justify stringing wires around your living room for a complete home theater system, Vizio's M-series 5.1 soundbar kit offers plenty of value. It supports Dolby Atmos, for enveloping surround sound, and it comes with wireless rear channels and a subwoofer. Best of all, it's far cheaper than competing systems (though if you want, you can also step up to other Vizio Atmos options, like the rotating Elevate). Consider the M-series a solid entry into the world of surround sound (and one you won't feel too bad about replacing when you want bigger speakers). — D.H.

November has begun with a bang when it comes to tech deals. A whole slew of early Black Friday deals are available right now, making it a good time to cross some items off your gift list. Unsurprisingly, Amazon and Best Buy are the places to go for the best tech deals right now. Some of our favorite headphones and earbuds have hit record-low prices, and there are bunch of discounts on everything from smartwatches to OLED TVs to Instant Pots. Here are the best early Black Friday tech deals you can get right now.

Sony WH-1000XM4

Billy Steele / Engadget

Our favorite pair of Sony headphones, the WH-1000XM4, are down to a record low of $248 right now. We gave these cans a score of 94 for their powerful ANC, immersive sound quality and multi-device connectivity.

Sony WF-1000XM4

Billy Steele/Engadget

Sony's excellent WF-1000XM4 earbuds are down to $248 during this sale. We gave them a score of 86 for their great sound quality, powerful ANC and improved battery life.

Sony WF-1000XM3

Billy Steele/Engadget

The Sony WF-1000XM3 earbuds are down to $128, or more than $70 off their usual price. We gave these buds a score of 89 for their excellent sound quality, great battery life and comprehensive companion app.

Bose QuietComfort earbuds

Billy Steele / Engadget

Bose's QuietComfort earbuds are down to $199, which is a record low. These are some of the company's best true wireless earbuds and they earned a score of 87 from us for their clear sound, powerful ANC and comfortable size.

Instant Pot Duo Plus (6-quart)

Instant Pot

The Instant Pot Duo Plus dropped down to its all-time-low price of $60. This multicooker has functions for pressure cooking, slow cooking, yogurt making, sous vide and more, and its six-quart capacity should make enough food for four to six people people.

Jabra Elite 85t

Engadget

Jabra's Elite 85t earbuds are on sale for a new record-low price of $150, which is $80 off its normal price. These earbuds impressed us with their strong ANC, comfortable size and wireless charging case.

JLab Go Air Pop

JLab

JLab's already affordable Go Air Pop earbuds are down to only $13 right now. These colorful true wireless buds sport an eight-hour battery life, a small and comfortable design and touch controls.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4

David Imel for Engadget

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is on sale for $200 right now, which is a new record low. The Watch 4 Classic is also on sale for $320. These remain the best smartwatches for Android users and we gave the Watch 4 a score of 85 for its bright screen, comprehensive health tracking and improved third-party app support.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Samsung's Tab S7 and S7+ are down to $500 and $700, respectively, during this sale. We gave these Android tablets a score of 80 for their lovely build, striking 120Hz displays and long battery life.

Google Nest Audio

Engadget

Google's Nest Audio is down to an all-time low of $60. This is one of the best smart speakers you can get, especially if you already use the Google Assistant. We gave it a score of 87 for its solid audio quality, attractive design and good performance.

Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

The latest Nest Hub is half off, bringing it down to only $50. It earned a score of 89 from us for its speedy performance, clearer and louder audio and accurate sleep tracking sensor.

Google Nest Hub Max

Engadget

The Nest Hub Max is on sale for $180 right now. This is the biggest version of Google's smart display and we gave it a score of 86 for its excellent sound quality, great display and handy gesture controls.

Google Nest WiFi

Daniel Cooper

Google's Nest WiFi system with one router and one access point is on sale for $180. We gave this mesh system a score of 84 for its lovely hardware, simple installation process and built-in smart speaker capabilities.

55-inch LG G1 OLED smart TV

LG

A 55-inch LG G1 OLED TV will set you back $1,700 if you grab it during this sale. It's part of the "gallery" series and it uses OLED evo panel technology, which provides better brightness and clearer whites than standard OLED displays. It also runs on LG's a9 Gen4 AI Processor 4K and supports features like G-SYNC, FreeSync, OLED Motion Pro and voice commands via Alexa and the Google Assistant.

48-inch LG A1 OLED smart TV

LG

The latest LG OLED lineup just became available a few months ago and now you can grab the 48-inch A1 model for $900. The A1 series is the most affordable of the bunch, making these sets good options for anyone looking to upgrade to OLED while on a tight budget.

55-inch Vizio OLED smart TV

Vizio

Vizio's 55-inch OLED 4K TV is down to $1,000 right now, or $300 off its normal price. This set supports HDR and Dolby Vision, DTS Virtual X surround sound audio and AirPlay and Chromecast technology built in.

Lenovo Smart Clock Essential

Nicole Lee / Engadget

Lenovo's Smart Clock Essential is $20 off, bringing it down to $30. We gave this compact smart alarm clock a score of 83 for its minimalistic design, built-in nightlight, tap-to-snooze feature and good smart home controls.

Lenovo Smart Clock Gen 2 with Dock

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

The new Smart Clock Gen 2 is on sale for $70, or $20 off its normal price. This model has a better processor plus a wireless charging pad that you can use to juice up your smartphone, earbuds or other devices.

Amazon Echo

Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

Amazon's latest Echo smart speaker has been discounted to $60, which is a new record low. We gave the orb-shaped device a score of 89 for its good audio quality, solid Alexa performance and stereo pairing option.

Amazon Echo Show 8

The previous-gen Echo Show 8 has fallen to $60 in this sale. While it doesn't have the improved video camera that the new version does, it's still a good option if you're looking for a mid-sized smart display to put in your kitchen, office or elsewhere in your home.

Amazon Kindle

Engadget

The base Kindle is $40 off, bringing it down to a new low of $50. That's a great deal if you don't need the bells and whistles that come with the new Paperwhite edition. We gave the Kindle a score of 91 for its front-lit display, improved contrast panel and sleeker design.

Eero Pro 6

Amazon / Eero

The Eero Pro 6 mesh WiFi three-pack is just about $150 off, bringing it down to an all-time low of $449. This pack can cover 6,000 square feet, supports WiFi 6, has a speedy setup process and works with Alexa.

Facebook Portal

Facebook's Portal smart display is on sale for $80, or $100 off its normal price. We gave it a score of 79 for its HD display, smart camera tracking, bevy of video chat features and good sound quality.

Facebook Portal TV

Engadget

The Portal TV has been discounted by $70, bringing it down to $80. This device basically turns your TV into a giant video chat screen and we gave it a score of 78 for its smart camera tracking and immersive video chat experience.

Fitbit Sense

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

The Fitbit Sense is back down to its record low of $200. This is the company's most capable smartwatch and it earned a score of 82 from us for its big, sharp display and comprehensive health tracking features.

Fitbit Inspire 2

Fitbit

The Fitbit Inspire 2 tracker is down to a record low of $60 right now. This is one of the Fitbit bands to get if you want a device that lasts up to 10 days on a single charge while tracking daily activity, steps and sleep.

Logitech C922 Pro webcam

Logitech

Logitech's C922 Pro webcam has been discounted to $80, or $20 off its normal price. Recording in up to 1080p/60fps, this webcam is a good one if you want just one gadget for both Zoom calls and game streaming.

Razer BlackWidow V2 Tournament Edition

Razer

This Razer mechanical keyboard is on sale for $80, which is $60 off its normal price. It boasts programmable backlit keys, anti-ghosting with 10-key rollover and an included wrist rest.

Nanoleaf Hexagon starter kit

Nanoleaf

Nanoleaf's Hexagon pack is down to $170, or $30 off its normal price. You can hang these up in your own, unique pattern and they can shine in over 16 million colors. The companion app allows you to create scenes, set schedules and program the lights to change with music you may be playing.

Segway ES2-N electric scooter

Segway

Best Buy slashed $250 off the Ninebot ES2-N electric scooter, bringing it down to $400. This foldable scooter uses 700W of power to reach a max speed of 15.5mph, and its non-pneumatic tires keep you stable even on rough terrain. It also has a built-in headlight for safer riding in the evening and an LED display that shows speed and battery level.

Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter.

The latest Samsung early Black Friday sale brings The Frame smart TVs down to some of the lowest prices we've seen in a while. Both Amazon and Samsung's own website have the deals right now, which include the 55-inch The Frame 4K smart TV for just under $1,000 — that's $500 off its normal price and the lowest we've seen it. The most affordable of the bunch is the 32-inch set, which is down to $450, and you'll find the 75-inch TV for $2,200 on the high end of the spectrum.

If you aren't familiar, Samsung's The Frame TVs stand out because they aren't basic black voids when you're not watching something. Instead, they use Art Mode to display various pictures and pieces of art, allowing it to blend better into your living room. You can even send your own photos to the screen, turning it into a super-large version of those small, digital photo frames that are quite popular now. Built-in sensors optimize the picture to your environment, and they can tell when you're away, turning the screen off automatically. On top of all that, you're getting a 4K QLED set with 100 percent color volume, 4K AI upscaling and Alexa support.

While a bunch of other Samsung TVs are also on sale right now, the Premiere Projector with a 4.2.2 sound system is noteworthy because it's been discounted to just under $5,000. That's $500 cheaper than it was back in September when it was last on sale, and a total discount of $1,500. Yes, it's still an expensive piece of home theater equipment, but it's a much better buy at this price. It includes separate red, green and blue lasers so it can cover the full Rec.2020 color range, and it supports HDR10+ and up to 2,800 lumens of brightness. If you're willing to compromise a bit on sound, the model with a 2.2 channel system is down to a new low of $2,498 as well.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This week brought our first official early Black Friday sale, courtesy of Best Buy. While we expect to see even more of these events before we hit Black Friday proper, there are a bunch of gadgets at record-low prices right now that are worth considering. Both Amazon and Best Buy knocked $150 off the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip foldable smartphone, and both retailers have some of our favorite Sony headphones and earbuds for less. Plus, the new Galaxy Watch 4 wearables are down to all-time-low prices thanks to a Samsung deals event on Amazon. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.

Sony WH-1000XM4

Engadget

Sony's excellent WH-1000XM4 headphones remain on sale for $248, which is a record low. These are our current favorite pair of ANC headphones and they earned a score of 94 from us for their solid sound quality, powerful ANC and multi-device connectivity.

12.9-inch iPad Pro

Chris Velazco/Engadget

The 256GB 12.9-inch iPad Pro is $200 off, bringing it down to $999. That's the same price as the 128GB version right now, so you're essentially getting double the storage at no extra cost. We gave the tablet a score of 87 for its gorgeous display, impressive performance and handy Center Stage camera.

Sony WF-1000XM3

Billy Steele/Engadget

The previous-gen Sony WF-1000XM3 earbuds are down to $128, more than $70 off their normal price. We gave these buds a score of 89 for their excellent sound, great battery life and comprehensive companion app.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

David Imel for Engadget

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 foldable smartphone is still on sale for $850, or $150 off. This is the most practical version of a Samsung foldable yet, and we gave it a score of 82 for its more durable design, attractive build and new water resistance.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4

David Imel for Engadget

Both the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic are down to record-low prices, $220 and $300, respectively. These remain the best smartwatches for Android users and we gave the Watch 4 a score of 85 for its comprehensive health tracking abilities, lovely screen and better support for third-party apps.

Roku Streambar

Valentina Palladino / Engadget

The Roku Streambar is on sale for $99 right now, or $30 off its normal price. We gave the compact soundbar a score of 86 for its good sound quality, Dolby Audio support, built-in 4K HDR streaming tech and its ability to work as a Bluetooth speaker. Also, the more advanced (and larger) Streambar Pro is down to a record low of $150.

Roku Ultra

Roku

Roku's most powerful streaming device, the Ultra, is on sale for only $69 at the moment. That's $30 off its normal price and a great deal if you want 4K HDR10+ and Dolby Vision content, along with speedy WiFi and the option to hardware the set-top box into your setup via its Ethernet port.

Jabra Elite 75t

Billy Steele / Engadget

Jabra's Elite 75t earbuds are cheaper than ever at $80, which is nearly half off their normal price. These are some of our favorite true wireless earbuds thanks to their compact, comfortable design, long battery life and new ANC capabilities.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2

Billy Steele/Engadget

The new Galaxy Buds 2 are down to $130 right now, or $20 off their normal price. It may be $5 more than their record low, but this is still a good deal to consider if you've been eyeing a pair of the company's true wireless earbuds. We gave the Buds 2 a score of 84 for their comfortable design, improved sound quality and adjustable ambient sound mode.

New tech deals

Apple TV 4K

The latest Apple TV 4K is on sale for $130 at Verizon right now. This is the best price we've seen it, and you'll get the model with the latest processor, support for Dolby Vision and Atmos and the much improved new Siri remote.

Crucial MX500 SSD (2TB)

The 2TB Crucial MX500 internal SSD is down to an all-time low of $170. This is a good option if you need extra storage in your desktop or laptop, and we like that it has AES 256-bit hardware based encryption and integrated power loss immunity.

Rubik's Connected

This Bluetooth-connected Rubik's cube is $10 off thanks to a coupon you can apply on the product page, bringing the toy down to roughly $50. Rather than going nuts trying to solve the puzzle on your own, this one has a companion app that actually teaches you how to do so. You can then complete challenges, better your skills and try to get atop the global leaderboard.

NordVPN

NordVPN, one of our favorite VPNs, is running a sale on a two-year subscription. You can sign up and pay $99 for two years, plus you'll get an extra three months free. We like NordVPN for its speed, its no-logs policy, the thousands of servers it has to choose from and that one account supports up to six connected devices.

Tunnelbear

Another one of our top VPN services, Tunnelbear, is offering a two-year subscription for $100. You'll save 58 percent if you sign up with this deal, and we think Tunnelbear is one of the easiest VPNs to use, especially for those that don't want to go crazy configuring their connections.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.