Apple’s second-generation is down to one of the best prices we’ve seen yet in a deal on Amazon. The gen 2 Apple Pencil is going for just $79, in what amounts to a 39 percent discount. It’s normally $129, so this would save you $50 on what is the best stylus for the iPad (as long as you have a compatible model).
Apple
Save 39 percent on the second-generation Apple Pencil.
The second-generation Apple Pencil is great for artists and note-takers who make heavy use of their iPads. It works with the iPad mini (sixth generation), iPad Air (fourth generation and later), the 12.9-inch iPad Pro from the third generation on, and all 11-inch iPad pro models. When it comes to , you really can’t do any better than the Apple Pencil, as it’s designed specifically to be used with Apple’s tablets. It boasts pressure sensitivity for a more realistic drawing experience and has a hover feature that will preview your pen marks to improve precision.
The second-generation Apple Pencil also has a customizable double-tap feature so you can have easier access to the tools you use the most. It charges wirelessly as well, when it’s magnetically attached to a compatible iPad. Apple’s second-generation Pencil was also designed with a more practical flat edge on either side, so it’s less likely to roll off the table when you set it down.
This model of the Apple Pencil came out a few years ago, but it’s still the best of the current lineup. There have been rumors for months that , possibly as soon as this spring, but that has yet to be confirmed by the company itself. In the meantime, the second generation Apple Pencil is as cheap as the less feature-rich .
Oh, Walmart, you have no idea what you’ve unleashed. A $699 MacBook Air with the M1 chip is the Big Mac to the Hamburglar, cookies to Cookie Monster, Bonnie to Clyde. It’s the antidote to MacBook Air lust without the deep-pocket investment and a game-over challenge to any affordable Wintel system Walmart has on its shelves
The Apple MacBook Air with M1 was an astonishing breakthrough. That’s how I described the first application of Apple Silicon on a Mac in 2020.
There was nothing exceptional about the design – it was the same as the last MacBook Air running an Intel CPU – but that ARM-based “brain transplant” produced a product with a new, winning, whip-smart, and ultra-efficient personality and I was smitten. No wonder I was sad when Apple discontinued the M1 MacBook Air in favor of the newest MacBook Air 13-inch running M3, AKA the best laptop you can buy. There’s still a cheaper $999 MacBook Air M2 but it features the flat slab design that supplanted the classic MacBook Air wedge.
(Image credit: Future)
I’ve grown to like that flat and arguably less stylish look, but I’ll always miss the original MacBook Air’s iconic and curvier design. There has never been a thinner laptop – at least when looked at from the front edge (0.16-inch) – or one that felt better in the hand. I even miss the visible speaker grilles on either side of the Magic Keyboard. Granted the ultraportable had just two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports (one per side!), no dedicated MagSafe charge port (that was an important upgrade from the M2 redesign), and the screen is a little smaller and not the excellent Liquid Retina Display upgrade we got with the MacBook Air M2. Still, show me a classic MacBook Air and I will break into a wistful smile.
I assumed that after Apple discontinued the model, supplies would quickly dry up at other retailers where the system sold for as little as $749. I guess I was wrong.
It’s not just that $699 is an excellent price, it’s where you can buy the MacBook Air M1. “This is the first time customers can purchase a Mac directly from Walmart,” noted the company in a release. That’s right, the same place where you can pick up a 55-inch 4k TV for under $300 and an entire non-stick cookware set for under $70, you can now buy one of the best laptops ever.
(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff)
I get that this MacBook Air is now three generations old and may look out of date, but the truth is its 3.5 GHz system, ability to run virtually all Intel-supported apps, handle almost any task you throw at it (including editing multiple 4K video streams at once), 15-hour battery life (20 hours if you only watch video), and 2.8 lb weight make this a formidable competitor for laptops costing at least twice as much. Even with just 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, it poses a real threat to any sub-$700 Intel-running Windows PC Walmart has to offer. If you never thought you could afford to make the switch from Windows to Mac, this might be your chance.
This deal changes the calculation of my laptop buying advice. If you’re shopping for the perfect portable work, school, or life laptop, this is the system to buy.
There is the question, naturally, of how long supplies will last. If you visit the Walmart website right now, this $699 MacBook Air M1 is the first thing you see. Apple’s not making any more so, it might be a short-lived opportunity.
On the other hand, this is a watershed moment for Walmart and its customers. The company said it was the first time it would sell Macs directly, but it didn’t say it was the last. I’m thinking that if you see a MacBook Air you really want – maybe the M2 or even the new and powerful M3 – you might want to wait and see when it arrives on Walmart’s ever-eclectic shelves.
Amazon’s Big Spring sale is on the way, running from Mach 20 to 25, and it will include a variety of discounts on “seasonally relevant items.” However, don’t confuse it for another Prime Day; according to the retail giant, some offers will be Prime-exclusive, but most will not. We don’t expect the spring sale to be heavy on tech deals either, but rather focus on things like seasonal fashion, outdoor gear and home goods.
Nevertheless, if you’re hoping to grab a good gadget at a discount, we’ll be sorting through the noise and picking out the handful of tech deals that are actually worth your time. Amazon has put up a landing page for the Big Spring Sale already, so below we’ve rounded up the best early deals we could find. Currently, the standouts include price drops on Sonos speakers, Apple’s AirPods Pro and Sony and Bose headphones. To be clear, not everything is explicitly tied to Amazon’s Spring sale — we’re still seeing good PS5 and Nintendo Switch deals from a few days ago, for instance — and we’ve included a few noteworthy sales from stores besides Amazon. If you’re looking for a bargain, though, here are the best tech deals you can grab today. We’ll update this roundup over the coming days as more discounts pop up.
Photo by Billy Steele / Engadget
One of our favorite pairs of budget wireless earbuds, Amazon’s latest Echo Buds are on sale for only $35 ahead of the Spring Sale. These buds have an open design, which means they purposely let sound in so you can stay more aware of your surroundings. They support adjustable EQ and, unlike many other earbuds at this price, auto-pausing and multi-device pairing. And, as to be expected, they have Alexa built in so you can call upon the voice assistant when you need to while wearing them.
Sony’s WH-1000XM5 headphones are back on sale for $328. This isn’t an all-time low, and it’s a deal we’ve seen numerous times over the past few months, but it’s still $70 off the noise-canceling cans’ list price. The XM5s are the top pick in our guide to the best wireless headphones thanks to their comfy fit, solid active noise cancellation (ANC), clear mic and handy bonus features. They’re bass-heavy by default, but you can adjust their sound profile with EQ tools in Sony’s companion app.
This XM5’s predecessor, the Sony WH-1000XM4, is also worth a note at $248. Again, that’s not an all-time low, but it’s about $50 below the pair’s average street price in recent months. This older model has many of the same benefits as its successor, plus its earcups can fold up, which makes the design a little easier to pack away. Its call quality is worse, however, and it’s not quite as light on the head. We gave the XM5 a review score of 95 in mid-2022, while the XM4 earned a 94 way back in 2020.
The Google Nest Thermostat is on sale for $100 ahead of Amazon’s Spring sale, which is about $10 more than the best price we’ve seen over the past year but $30 below its typical going rate. We’ve highlighted this entry-level smart thermostat in past gift guides. Compared to the higher-end Nest Learning Thermostat, it has a cheaper plastic frame, doesn’t support remote temperature sensors and can’t learn your heating and cooling tendencies to make automatic adjustments throughout the day. That said, it’s a more affordable way to remotely control your home’s climate, and it still supports features like HVAC monitoring and voice assistant control. It’s also compatible with the Matter standard, unlike the pricier model, so it can work with third-party platforms like Apple Home.
Apple’s AirPods Pro are once again available for $189, which matches the best price we’ve seen for the latest iteration with a USB-C charging case. Apple normally sells the noise-canceling earphones for $249, though we often see them go closer to $200 at third-party retailers. Either way, they remain our favorite wireless earbuds for iOS users, as they provide an array of perks when paired with an iPhone, from faster pairing to hands-free Siri. Useful ANC, a superb ambient sound mode and a pleasingly warm sound profile help beyond that. Their battery life and mic quality are just OK these days, but this pair should serve you well if you’re all-in on Apple. We gave the second-gen AirPods Pro a review score of 88 back in 2022.
Sonos has kicked off a new round of discounts on its soundbars and portable speakers. The deals include the Sonos Move 2 for $359, which is $70 off its usual going rate and the second-best price we’ve seen outside of a very brief drop to $349 last year. The Sonos Ray soundbar is $56 off and down to an all-time low of $223, while the higher-end Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is available for $399, a $100 discount. The Sonos Sub Mini subwoofer is also down to a low of $343, which is $86 less than usual, while the compact Sonos Roam SL is $32 off at $127. A few speaker bundles are also discounted. These offers are available at several retailers, including Amazon, B&H and Sonos.com. Sonos says they’ll run through March 25.
None of these devices come cheap, but they all deliver relatively clean sound, easy pairing with other Sonos hardware, AirPlay support and an app that (mostly) makes it simple to set up and stream music. The Move 2 is a hefty yet powerful battery-powered speaker for those who are more concerned with sound quality over portability. The Roam SL doesn’t sound as rich, but it’s much more travel-friendly and has a better water-resistance rating. (It lacks built-in mics, though.) The Ray is an entry-level 2.0-channel soundbar meant for smaller rooms and budget buyers. The Beam is a 5.0 model with a more expansive sound, an HDMI eARC port and voice assistant functionality. It also supports Dolby Atmos, though it can’t take advantage of that quite as much as larger models. The Sub Mini, meanwhile, is a handy way to beef up the bass response of an existing Sonos system. You can check out our reviews of the Move 2, Ray, second-gen Beam and Sub Mini for fuller breakdowns of each device.
If you’re not tethered to Apple, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are another set of high-end earphones we recommend. Right now they’re down to $249 at Amazon, Bose.com and other storefronts. That’s a $50 discount. We’ve seen this price a few times before, but it still matches the best deal we’ve tracked. Bose says the offer will run until March 31.
We specifically highlight the QuietComfort Ultras in our buying guide for their noise-canceling prowess, as they do a superlative job of muting outside noise and allow you to lower the intensity of the ANC if it ever becomes uncomfortable. They’re another pair with a somewhat bass-heavy sound out of the box, but they don’t sound sloppy, and unlike the AirPods Pro you can customize their EQ through a companion app. That said, they don’t support wireless charging or multi-device pairing, and their six-to-seven-hour battery life isn’t anything special. The earpieces themselves are also fairly large, though we wouldn’t call them uncomfortable. We gave the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds a score of 88 in our review last year.
The second-gen Apple Pencil is down to $79, which is one the best prices we’ve seen. It’s important to note that it’s rumored that we’ll see new Apple Pencils when new iPads come out sometime within the next month — but if you already have an iPad and have been looking to snag this accessory on discount, now’s your chance. This is the Pencil that works with most of the latest iPad models and it magnetically snaps to the sides of the tablets for safe keeping. It’s one of our favorite iPad accessories thanks to that, and its generally stellar, little-to-no latency performance.
The Elgato Stream Deck Mk.2 is back down to $130. This is another deal we’ve seen pop up periodically in recent months, but it’s $20 off the device’s usual street price all the same. The Stream Deck is a macro keypad we recommend in our guide to the best game streaming gear. It has 15 programmable hotkeys that you can set to perform different commands, from launching an app to activating smart lights to triggering on-screen GIFs and sound effects. It’s really meant for content creators and power users first and foremost, but if you think you could benefit from having a bunch of shortcuts within arm’s reach, this is a decent time to pick one up.
Bundles that pair the PlayStation 5 with a digital copy of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 are still $50 off, bringing the standard model down to $449 and the digital-only version down to $400. These deals aren’t tied to Amazon’s Spring sale, but larger discounts on the PS5 have been uncommon, so this is still a good opportunity if you’ve been looking to take the plunge. The offers are available at several retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy and Sony’s PlayStation Direct store. Sony says they’ll last through March 31. My colleague Nathan Ingraham gave Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 a glowing review last year, calling it a “perfectly balanced game with gorgeous graphics, delightful combat and traversal systems, a compelling storyline and characters, plenty of challenge and a huge map to explore.”
“Mario Day” has come and gone, but Nintendo is still running a handful of deals on Switch consoles and games. On the hardware side, the Switch OLED, Switch Lite and standard Switch are each available with a $25 digital credit at Amazon; just use the checkout code NSWOLED25, NSWLITE25, or NSWNEON25, respectively, to see the offer. At other stores like Target and Best Buy, you can get a console with a $25 gift card. And if you have any interest in the cutesy social sim Animal Crossing: New Horizons, note that Target is bundling the Switch Lite with that game alongside the gift card.
Nintendo says these offers will run through March 16, so again, there’s no real tie to Amazon’s Spring sale here. It’s also worth noting that Nintendo is widely expected to launch a new console in the coming months. Even if the latest reports suggest that won’t arrive until 2025, it’s hard to call this a great time to invest in the console. But if you don’t care about hopping on the bandwagon late and just want to catch up with the Switch’s library, getting any sort of deal on a Switch is better than normal. Just remember that the Switch Lite can’t be docked to a TV.
We’ll move beyond Amazon for our last few deals this week. First, a configuration of Apple’s 14.2-inch MacBook Pro with an M3 Pro chip, 18GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD is down to $1,749 at B&H. That ties its all-time low and comes in $250 below Apple’s MSRP. We gave the latest MacBook Pro a review score of 90 last year. It’s more Mac than most people need, especially after the recent refresh of the MacBook Air. But for video editors, 3D designers and other professional types who need more power, a wider port selection and a brighter display, it should still fit the bill.
The 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard is back on sale for $80 at Amazon subsidiary Woot, a $20 discount that matches the lowest price we’ve seen. This is a tenkeyless mechanical keyboard we recommended in our retro gaming gift guide late last year. You’d mainly buy it for the aesthetic, as it looks like a companion piece for an old NES. Beyond that, it’s sturdily built, it works wirelessly and it comes with a pair of giant “Super Buttons” that you can customize to perform different macros. It’s comfortable for typing as well, though its clicky Kailh Box White V2 switches are fairly noisy. It also lacks any kind of backlighting. The stock switches are hot-swappable, however, so you can easily replace them if needed.
The latest Steam Spring Sale is underway, bringing an enormous range of PC game discounts along with it. There are simply too many deals for us to list everything, but some highlights include the acclaimed CRPG Baldur’s Gate 3for $54 (a small but rare discount), the frantic platformer Pizza Towerfor $13.39, the recently released Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth for $56, the FPS compilation Halo: The Master Chief Collectionfor $10 and the VR adventure Half-Life: Alyx for $20.39. These big Steam sales are always a good time to grab some older classics for dirt cheap, too: The two Portalpuzzlers are available for $1.48, for instance, while the co-op shooter Left 4 Dead 2is just a buck. Valve says the sale will run until March 21.
Outside of Steam, the Epic Games Store has commenced its Spring Sale as well. The selection there isn’t as large, as usual, but it does include some well-reviewed exclusives like Alan Wake 2for $40 and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crownfor $30. Before you go padding your backlog on either store, though, we’d recommend using a price tracking site like IsThereAnyDeal to ensure you’re getting a genuine discount.
Walmart is having a massive spring sale with deals on everything from TVs, headphones, and smartwatches to vacuums, air fryers, mattresses, and more. To help you find the best of the best, I’ve gone through Walmart’s spring sale and listed the 13 best deals below.
Spring is a fantastic time to score a discount on some of last year’s best-selling tech and home items, with record-low prices from brands like Apple, Samsung, Ninja, Bissell, Shark, and Dyson. Below, you’ll find links to Walmart’s most popular sale categories, followed by today’s 13 best deals. Some highlights include Samsung’s 65-inch 4K smart TV on sale for a fantastic price of $397.99, this Gourmia 8-quart air fryer marked down to just $59, and Apple’s MacBook Air M1 on sale for $699 – the lowest price we’ve ever seen.
See more of today’s best deals from Walmart’s sale below, and keep in mind that these are limited-time offers, so you should take advantage now before it’s too late.
Nanoleaf makes some of the best smart lights around, especially if you like something more creative – and now it’s unveiled Ultra Black Mini Triangles as the newest additions to its Ultra Black Shapes range, as well announcing some exciting Easter offers on its other product ranges.
Keeping up Nanoleaf’s modular and customization features, the new Mini Triangles continues to push the slick appearance of the Ultra Black Shapes range. Smaller in comparison to the existing Black Shapes products, Mini Triangles are designed to encourage users to explore making their colorful/deep-black RGB patterns more intricate – so they’re ideal for enhancing larger wall pieces using Nanoleaf’s broader Shapes and Lines products, or creating smaller displays. Consisting of 10 panels, the expansion pack will be available to pre-order on Nanoleaf’s website for £99 / €99 (approx. $126 / AU$192), though there’s no confirmed release date yet.
In addition to its design, the Ultra Black Mini Triangles expansion pack comes with the smart features that have made the Shapes range a staple product in smart lighting, including the option of Touch Controls and Screen Mirroring, making them perfect for gamers, as well as the Rhythm Music Visualizer.
(Image credit: Nanoleaf)
But Nanoleaf isn’t just giving us new smart lighting – it’s also offering early Easter special offers running between March 15 and March 18, 2024. So it’s the ideal opportunity to pick up some great smart lighting products from one of the leading brands. These offers are available in the UK and Europe, but not to shoppers in the US or Australia.
In its early Easter sale, you can get up to 30% off some of Nanoleaf’s most popular products from its smart lighting ranges. The standard Black Triangles starter kit has 20% off, as does the Black Hexagon starter kit – which can both be paired with the new Black Mini Triangles.
Nanoleaf has offers on its Canvas, Elements, Essentials, and 4D ranges, but the company says the offers will end when this weekend does. You can browse the full range at Nanoleaf’s website, if you’re interested.
There’s another jumbo-sized Amazon sale on the way. The Big Spring Sale, as it’s called, will run from March 20 to March 25 and include a variety of discounts on “seasonally relevant items.” This doesn’t look to be another Prime Day situation, however; Amazon says most of the offers will be available to everyone, with only some exclusives for Prime members. We don’t expect this Spring sale to be as heavy on tech-specific deals, either: Amazon’s press release says it’ll include Echo and Kindle discounts and “up to 40 percent off select electronics” but mostly highlights things like outdoor furniture, beauty products, clothing and sports equipment.
If past Amazon sales are any indication, most of these discounts will be bad. But if you’re hoping to grab a good gadget at a discount, we’ll be sorting through the noise and picking out the handful of tech deals that are actually worth your time. Amazon has put up a landing page for the Big Spring Sale already, so below we’ve rounded up the best early deals we could find. As of this writing, the standouts include price drops on Sonos speakers, Apple’s AirPods Pro, Sony and Bose headphones and Roomba robot vacuums. To be clear, not everything is explicitly tied to Amazon’s Spring sale — we’re still seeing good PS5 and Nintendo Switch deals from a few days ago, for instance — and we’ve included a few noteworthy sales from stores besides Amazon. If you’re looking for a bargain, though, here are the best tech deals you can grab today. We’ll update this roundup over the coming days as more discounts pop up.
Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget
Sonos has kicked off a new round of discounts on its soundbars and portable speakers. The deals include the Sonos Move 2 for $359, which is $70 off its usual going rate and the second-best price we’ve seen outside of a very brief drop to $349 last year. The Sonos Ray soundbar is $56 off and down to an all-time low of $223, while the higher-end Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is available for $399, a $100 discount. The Sonos Sub Mini subwoofer is also down to a low of $343, which is $86 less than usual, while the compact Sonos Roam SL is $32 off at $127. A few speaker bundles are also discounted. These offers are available at several retailers, including Amazon, B&H and Sonos.com. Sonos says they’ll run through March 25.
None of these devices come cheap, but they all deliver relatively clean sound, easy pairing with other Sonos hardware, AirPlay support and an app that (mostly) makes it simple to set up and stream music. The Move 2 is a hefty yet powerful battery-powered speaker for those who are more concerned with sound quality over portability. The Roam SL doesn’t sound as rich, but it’s much more travel-friendly and has a better water-resistance rating. (It lacks built-in mics, though.) The Ray is an entry-level 2.0-channel soundbar meant for smaller rooms and budget buyers. The Beam is a 5.0 model with a more expansive sound, an HDMI eARC port and voice assistant functionality. It also supports Dolby Atmos, though it can’t take advantage of that quite as much as larger models. The Sub Mini, meanwhile, is a handy way to beef up the bass response of an existing Sonos system. You can check out our reviews of the Move 2, Ray, second-gen Beam and Sub Mini for fuller breakdowns of each device.
Sony’s WH-1000XM5 headphones are back on sale for $328. This isn’t an all-time low, and it’s a deal we’ve seen numerous times over the past few months, but it’s still $70 off the noise-canceling cans’ list price. The XM5s are the top pick in our guide to the best wireless headphones thanks to their comfy fit, solid active noise cancellation (ANC), clear mic and handy bonus features. They’re bass-heavy by default, but you can adjust their sound profile with EQ tools in Sony’s companion app.
This XM5’s predecessor, the Sony WH-1000XM4, is also worth a note at $248. Again, that’s not an all-time low, but it’s about $50 below the pair’s average street price in recent months. This older model has many of the same benefits as its successor, plus its earcups can fold up, which makes the design a little easier to pack away. Its call quality is worse, however, and it’s not quite as light on the head. We gave the XM5 a review score of 95 in mid-2022, while the XM4 earned a 94 way back in 2020.
Apple’s AirPods Pro are once again available for $189, which matches the best price we’ve seen for the latest iteration with a USB-C charging case. Apple normally sells the noise-canceling earphones for $249, though we often see them go closer to $200 at third-party retailers. Either way, they remain our favorite wireless earbuds for iOS users, as they provide an array of perks when paired with an iPhone, from faster pairing to hands-free Siri. Useful ANC, a superb ambient sound mode and a pleasingly warm sound profile help beyond that. Their battery life and mic quality are just OK these days, but this pair should serve you well if you’re all-in on Apple. We gave the second-gen AirPods Pro a review score of 88 back in 2022.
If you’re not tethered to Apple, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are another set of high-end earphones we recommend. Right now they’re down to $249 at Amazon, Bose.com and other storefronts. That’s a $50 discount. We’ve seen this price a few times before, but it still matches the best deal we’ve tracked. Bose says the offer will run until March 31.
We specifically highlight the QuietComfort Ultras in our buying guide for their noise-canceling prowess, as they do a superlative job of muting outside noise and allow you to lower the intensity of the ANC if it ever becomes uncomfortable. They’re another pair with a somewhat bass-heavy sound out of the box, but they don’t sound sloppy, and unlike the AirPods Pro you can customize their EQ through a companion app. That said, they don’t support wireless charging or multi-device pairing, and their six-to-seven-hour battery life isn’t anything special. The earpieces themselves are also fairly large, though we wouldn’t call them uncomfortable. We gave the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds a score of 88 in our review last year.
The iRobot Roomba 694 is our favorite robot vacuum for those on a budget, and right now it’s back on sale for $179 at Amazon, iRobot.com and other retailers. That’s about $20 more than the largest discount we’ve tracked but still $20 or so less than the device’s average street price in recent months. This is an entry-level model that navigates rooms semi-randomly instead of mapping and following set paths, so it’ll bonk into furniture around your house. That said, it’s sturdily put together, its companion app makes it fairly easy to operate and it cleans effectively enough if you just want something simple and relatively cheap. iRobot says its battery can last 90 minutes per charge, though you may get less depending on what kind of surfaces you need to clean.
The Google Nest Thermostat is on sale for $100 ahead of Amazon’s Spring sale, which is about $10 more than the best price we’ve seen over the past year but $30 below its typical going rate. We’ve highlighted this entry-level smart thermostat in past gift guides. Compared to the higher-end Nest Learning Thermostat, it has a cheaper plastic frame, doesn’t support remote temperature sensors and can’t learn your heating and cooling tendencies to make automatic adjustments throughout the day. That said, it’s a more affordable way to remotely control your home’s climate, and it still supports features like HVAC monitoring and voice assistant control. It’s also compatible with the Matter standard, unlike the pricier model, so it can work with third-party platforms like Apple Home.
The Elgato Stream Deck Mk.2 is back down to $130. This is another deal we’ve seen pop up periodically in recent months, but it’s $20 off the device’s usual street price all the same. The Stream Deck is a macro keypad we recommend in our guide to the best game streaming gear. It has 15 programmable hotkeys that you can set to perform different commands, from launching an app to activating smart lights to triggering on-screen GIFs and sound effects. It’s really meant for content creators and power users first and foremost, but if you think you could benefit from having a bunch of shortcuts within arm’s reach, this is a decent time to pick one up.
Bundles that pair the PlayStation 5 with a digital copy of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 are still $50 off, bringing the standard model down to $449 and the digital-only version down to $400. These deals aren’t tied to Amazon’s Spring sale, but larger discounts on the PS5 have been uncommon, so this is still a good opportunity if you’ve been looking to take the plunge. The offers are available at several retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy and Sony’s PlayStation Direct store. Sony says they’ll last through March 31. My colleague Nathan Ingraham gave Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 a glowing review last year, calling it a “perfectly balanced game with gorgeous graphics, delightful combat and traversal systems, a compelling storyline and characters, plenty of challenge and a huge map to explore.”
“Mario Day” has come and gone, but Nintendo is still running a handful of deals on Switch consoles and games. On the hardware side, the Switch OLED, Switch Lite and standard Switch are each available with a $25 digital credit at Amazon; just use the checkout code NSWOLED25, NSWLITE25, or NSWNEON25, respectively, to see the offer. At other stores like Target and Best Buy, you can get a console with a $25 gift card. And if you have any interest in the cutesy social sim Animal Crossing: New Horizons, note that Target is bundling the Switch Lite with that game alongside the gift card.
Nintendo says these offers will run through March 16, so again, there’s no real tie to Amazon’s Spring sale here. It’s also worth noting that Nintendo is widely expected to launch a new console in the coming months. Even if the latest reports suggest that won’t arrive until 2025, it’s hard to call this a great time to invest in the console. But if you don’t care about hopping on the bandwagon late and just want to catch up with the Switch’s library, getting any sort of deal on a Switch is better than normal. Just remember that the Switch Lite can’t be docked to a TV.
We’ll move beyond Amazon for our last few deals this week. First, a configuration of Apple’s 14.2-inch MacBook Pro with an M3 Pro chip, 18GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD is down to $1,749 at B&H. That ties its all-time low and comes in $250 below Apple’s MSRP. We gave the latest MacBook Pro a review score of 90 last year. It’s more Mac than most people need, especially after the recent refresh of the MacBook Air. But for video editors, 3D designers and other professional types who need more power, a wider port selection and a brighter display, it should still fit the bill.
The 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard is back on sale for $80 at Amazon subsidiary Woot, a $20 discount that matches the lowest price we’ve seen. This is a tenkeyless mechanical keyboard we recommended in our retro gaming gift guide late last year. You’d mainly buy it for the aesthetic, as it looks like a companion piece for an old NES. Beyond that, it’s sturdily built, it works wirelessly and it comes with a pair of giant “Super Buttons” that you can customize to perform different macros. It’s comfortable for typing as well, though its clicky Kailh Box White V2 switches are fairly noisy. It also lacks any kind of backlighting. The stock switches are hot-swappable, however, so you can easily replace them if needed.
The latest Steam Spring Sale is underway, bringing an enormous range of PC game discounts along with it. There are simply too many deals for us to list everything, but some highlights include the acclaimed CRPG Baldur’s Gate 3for $54 (a small but rare discount), the frantic platformer Pizza Towerfor $13.39, the recently released Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth for $56, the FPS compilation Halo: The Master Chief Collectionfor $10 and the VR adventure Half-Life: Alyx for $20.39. These big Steam sales are always a good time to grab some older classics for dirt cheap, too: The two Portalpuzzlers are available for $1.48, for instance, while the co-op shooter Left 4 Dead 2is just a buck. Valve says the sale will run until March 21.
Outside of Steam, the Epic Games Store has commenced its Spring Sale as well. The selection there isn’t as large, as usual, but it does include some well-reviewed exclusives like Alan Wake 2for $40 and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crownfor $30. Before you go padding your backlog on either store, though, we’d recommend using a price tracking site like IsThereAnyDeal to ensure you’re getting a genuine discount.
Folks who like controlling aspects of their home using their voice or an app may be pleased to learn there’s a sale on Google Nest gear at Amazon ahead of the retailer’s Big Spring Sale. There are some solid discounts here, including one on the Google Nest Thermostat, which is down to $100. That’s $30 off the usual price. While that’s not the lowest price we’ve seen for the thermostat (it has dropped to $80 in the past), it’s still a solid deal.
Google
The Google Nest Thermostat is currently 23 percent off.
The Nest Thermostat has been around for a few years now. It’s a more affordable version of the Nest Learning Thermostat, which usually costs $249 but is also on sale for $190. Both are designed to help save energy and cut down on heating and air conditioner costs. The Energy Star-certified Nest Thermostat can automatically adjust the temperature when you leave your home to avoid wasting energy on heating or cooling.
You can use the Nest app to adjust the settings remotely, so if you’re getting back earlier than usual or unexpectedly staying out late, the temperature will be just right. You can also control the thermostat using Google Assistant or another Matter-certified voice assistant (such as Alexa or Siri) as long as you have a compatible smart device. Meanwhile, the Savings Finder feature will offer you tips on how to adjust your temperature schedule to reduce costs even further.
Several Nest cameras are on sale too. The Indoor Nest Cam is down to $80, which is $20 off. If you’d prefer a camera for the exterior of your residence, the Outdoor Nest Cam has dropped from $180 to $140. Those looking for a smart doorbell, meanwhile, may want to consider the Nest Doorbell Wired. That’s $20 off at $150.
Samsung has announced the Holi Sale in India on the occasion of Holi. The sale will be live from 15 March 2024 to 26 March 2024. During this sale, the company is offering heavy discounts, exchange benefits, bank offers, and free goodies on many product categories, including smartphones, tablets, wearables, laptops, TVs, and home appliances. You can check out category-wise discounts and offers in the image below.
It is worth pointing out that the percentages of discounts that Samsung has mentioned in the image above for each product category apply to the MRP of products rather than the price the company usually sells them at, and the tech giant usually sells its products at much lower prices than their MRP. That means, in reality, you will not get as much discount on a product as Samsung is boasting in the chart above.
That being said, there are some genuine offers in this sale, including a 50-inch Serif TV for free with Neo QLED TVs, free-of-cost installation and gas charging for air conditioners, and up to 22.5% cashback on credit/debit banks from select banks. According to Samsung, all offers will be available on the official website, Samsung Shop App, and Samsung Exclusive Stores. If you have been eyeing a Samsung product, now is a great time to buy it.
8BitDo’s nostalgic Retro Mechanical Keyboard is on sale for an all-time low price today. The Nintendo-esque accessory ships in NES or Famicom-inspired colorways, and it includes two giant red buttons that would look right at home playing Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! or Excitebike. Usually, it’s $100, but you can grab the keyboard for $85 right now from Amazon.
8Bitdo
Get 8BitDo’s Nintendo-inspired keyboard for an all-time low price.
The 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard supports custom key mapping and works wired or wireless. The “N Edition” takes cues from the NES with an off-white / dark gray / black color scheme. The “Fami Edition” draws inspiration from the Japanese Famicom with a white and crimson color palette.
Both variants have dials and a power indicator with old-school appeal, fitting their retro motif. The Fami Edition pays homage to the Famicom’s 1980s regional availability (and Nintendo’s home country) with Japanese characters below their English ones.
The keyboard’s Super Buttons are bundled accessories you can customize for any action you like. You could assign them as shortcuts to save documents, close windows, attack in games or anything else you feel like. The buttons connect to the keyboard via a 3.5mm jack.
The keyboard lasts an estimated 200 hours on a single (four-hour) charge. It has 87 keys and supports Bluetooth, 2.4GHz wireless and USB modes. While only officially compatible with Windows and Android, the accessory also works with macOS.
Happy Pi Day! Solo Stove is celebrating with up to $160 off sitewide when you use coupon code PIZZA during checkout. The company’s pizza ovens are on sale, but so are some great smokeless firepits and other accessories. We’ve rounded up our favorite deals below. The sale is scheduled to end on March 18, so you have some time to take advantage of the discounts.
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Pi Day Deals
Solo Stove Pi
Photograph: Solo Stove
The Solo Stove Pi (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is our favorite pizza oven. This bundle includes three accessories—a pizza peel, a cutter, and a thermometer—yet the price ends up the same as the oven alone thanks to the coupon code. The design is compact, with a large cooking surface and a nice flat top for extra cooking space (and storage). We think it works best with a good cast-iron pan, especially since the handle will stick out to minimize burn risk. This oven is pricey, so this sale is a good opportunity to snag one. You can also opt for the wood-burning model with no gas attachments for less.
The Solo Stove Yukon (7/10, WIRED Review) is awesome but not portable at 27 inches. It’s gorgeous and made from stainless steel, plus it burns hot and lights easily. Sure, you can build a firepit for far less money, but if you want to invest in your backyard, this is a gorgeous way to do it.
This is one of the best deals we’ve tracked for the Bonfire. It’s similar to the Yukon but with a much smaller diameter, which makes it easier to tote to the beach or (safely) into the woods. It’s durable, and the fire burns hot without all that gross smoke blowing around your camp chairs.
