The best President’s Day sales on tech we could find
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President’s Day might not be the hugest event for tech deals — the holiday typically brings out deals on large home appliances and the like. But it’s still possible to save some money on devices you may have had your eye on. Right now we’re seeing a $50 discount on the Apple Watch Ultra. Other Apple products, including the iPad Air, Apple Pencil, and the Apple Watch SE are also seeing some nice sales. Samsung products, like the Galaxy Buds 2, the M8 hybrid TV/monitor and the T7 Sheild portable SSD are between 18 and 44 percent off. And it’s a good week to grab one of our favorite midrange smartphone, the Pixel 6a for just $300. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.
Apple Watch Ultra
Apple’s latest, biggest and consequently most expensive watch is now a little cheaper thanks to a $50 discount at Amazon. That brings the wearable down to $749 instead of its usual $799. It dipped $10 lower during Black Friday sales, but this is the cheapest it’s been outside of the holidays.
The Apple Watch Ultra earned a review score of 85 from us when we tested it out upon its debut. We liked the extra long battery life —with a charge lasting three days even while tracking daily workouts — and the bright display. The extensive tracking and GPS functions are impressive, but might be better suited to frequent hikers, runners and outdoor adventurers. The Ultra may be overkill for anyone just looking for a competent smartwatch. For that, you can go for the Series 8, which Target has for $70 off. It’s Apple’s second-newest smartwatch and may be the better bet. For an even cheaper Apple wearable, Target is also discounting the Apple Watch SE, which we gave a high score of 89 in our review.
Apple 2022 iPad Air
Right now at Amazon, the latest generation iPad Air is down to $500 for the 64GB model, which matches the lowest price we’ve seen for the tablet. Note that Amazon’s $100 discount only applies to the Space Gray color. You can snag that same $100 discount on all colorways right now at Target, and the sale applies to both the 64GB size and the larger 256GB model.
We think 2022’s iPad Air M1 is the best iPad for most people. We called it “almost future-proof” in our review, thanks to the super fast M1 chip, combined with a quality build and strong battery life. It’s got an excellent display and supports the latest peripherals, including the Magic Keyboard and second-generation Apple Pencil. That useful-but-pricey accessory is 31 percent off right now, bringing it down to just $89.
If you’re looking for something a little cheaper, the 2022 10th generation 10.9-inch iPad is seeing a $50 discount at Target, on both the 64GB and 265GB models, bringing those dow to $400 and $550, respectively. The discount is part of a larger 4-day sale at Target, which also includes deals on wearables like the Apple Watch SE and the Fitbit Charge 5.
Blink Outdoor security camera
Blink security devices went on sale this week, with discounts between 20 and 40 percent off. Amazon bought Blink back in 2017 and has continued to expand the lineup of security cameras, positioning them as a less expensive alternative to the online giant’s other security acquisition, Ring. But less expensive doesn’t mean less capable.
Blink Outdoor cameras are our top picks for wireless security cameras and right now, they’re 30 percent off, or $70, for a single unit, and 44 percent off a four-pack. The weather-resistant cams will run up to two years on a set of AA batteries and require no professional installation. They have built-in mics and speakers that allow you to see, hear and speak to whomever wanders in front of the camera, and you can set zones so you’re only alerted when motion is detected in more critical areas.
If you want to keep tabs on who’s at the front door, the Blink Video Doorbell is also getting a 30 percent discount, bringing it down to $60. The unit ships with Blink’s Sync Module 2, which lets you locally store video clips, no subscription required — though you’ll need to provide a flash drive to save the files indefinitely. The doorbell works either wired or on batteries and can send you real-time 1080p video during the day and infrared night vision after dark.
Keep in mind that Blink devices are only compatible with Alexa and Echo hubs. If you’ve set up your smart home to work with the Google Assistant or Apple Homekit, Blink devices won’t natively integrate with them. For that, you might look to a brand like Arlo. Their cameras and doorbells will pair up with Google, Apple and Amazon home ecosystems. This week, you can snag their Wireless Video Doorbell and other security products for up to 50 percent off.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2
Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2 are on sale at Amazon for just $89. That’s a 40 percent discount and matches the lowest we’ve seen on the buds yet. The discount applies for the all four colorways, including green, white, purple and black. We gave the buds a solid score of 84 when we reviewed them, saying they were premium-level buds at an affordable price — and now that’s even more true.
While they offer active noise cancellation, it doesn’t match the world-silencing ANC of top-tier (and more expensive) buds, but they do an okay job of muffling distractions. The sound quality is improved over the previous generation, offering ample base and balanced levels, especially with the EQ presets. The buds are also smaller and more comfortable than their predecessors. The Galaxy Buds 2 only sport a IPX2 rating, which is fine for going out in a drizzle, but might not stand up to sweaty workouts.
The buds work great with a Samsung phone and integrate nicely with Samsung’s Galaxy Watches. If you use an iPhone, they’ll pair up, but you’ll miss out on a lot of control. Those who’ve adopted Apple’s ecosystem are probably better off going with Apple’s AirPods. The second gen AirPod Pros are also on sale this week, for a tidy 20 percent off.
Samsung T7 Shield SSD
If you’re reaching capacity on your computer or need to transfer and store files, check out Samsung’s storage device sale. Many of their SSDs and microSD cards are dipping down near their all time lows, including the portable SSD T7 Shield. The 2TB size is down to $150 and the 1TB size is now $90, or 44 percent off it’s usual price at Amazon. The T7 is our pick for the best portable drive in our SSD storage guide thanks to its fast read/write speeds and tough exterior.
MicroSD cards can give you more space on your phone or tablet. Samsung’s 128GB Evo Select is 33 percent off, bringing it down to just $14, which is close to an all time low. The larger 256GB size is perfect for adding storage to your Switch or GoPro and it’s seeing the steepest discount with 43 percent off. If you’d rather pick up your new storage devices from Best Buy or direct from Samsung, the discounts apply at those outlets too.
Samsung’s Smart Monitor M8
The line between TVs and monitors can sometimes get pretty thin, with the latter getting bigger and the former getting thinner. Samsung’s Smart Monitor M8 erases the line completely. Ably performing the functions of a TV, monitor and smart home hub, it usually sells for a round $600, but Amazon has it for $350, which is a new all-time low. Note that the $350 price tag only applies to the white version, and only on the configuration that includes the VESA adaptor along with the stand.
It has a bright display that delivers deep blacks, but only offers a 60Hz refresh rate, which isn’t ideal for gaming. It has two USB-C ports and one micro-HDMI port — not a ton of inputs but it does help the screen keep its sleek design. It also includes a detachable webcam that can mount up top.
Unlike a standard monitor, the M8 comes with Samsung’s Tizen OS built in, as on a Samsung smart TV. That means you can easily run streaming apps without being connected to a computer. Also like a TV, it comes with a remote. As a home hub, Samsung’s SmartThings capabilities are built in, so you can keep tabs on and control your compatible smart speakers, cameras and other smart home devices.
Google Pixel 6a
True, it’s an older phone, but Google’s Pixel 6a still ranks as our favorite mid-range Android smartphone and right now it’s cheaper than it’s ever been. Amazon is selling the unlocked phone for $299, or $150 off the list price. Best buy has the mobile for $50 cheaper, but only if you activate with a carrier upon checkout. If you’re not ready to activate yet, the price is also $299 directly from Google.
If you want Google’s latest phone, that’s on sale too. We called the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro the best bargain in flagship phones. Right now the Pixel 7 is $100 off at Amazon and on Google’s own store, while the Pixel 7 Pro is $150 off. Best Buy is offering a steeper, $300 discount on the Pixel 7 Pro, but again, only if you activate today.
Galaxy Book 3 Ultra
Samsung’s new S23 series of flagship phones that were announced at its Unpacked event earlier in February have already been released, but the Galaxy Book 3 Ultra is still available for pre-order. If you order through Samsung, you’ll get an upgrade to 1TB of storage for the price of the 512GB model. That’s a $200 savings if you were planing on going for the bigger capacity unit. Plus Samsung is throwing in a $50 store credit.
We spent a little time with the Galaxy Book 3 Ultra after the event, and thought it was a beast of a machine. This configuration runs on Intel’s Core i7 processors, using NVIDIA’s RTX 4050 graphics cards. It’s got 16GB of RAM, plus the aforementioned terabyte of storage. Overall, it’s thin and light, weighing just shy of four pounds and measuring 0.64 inches thick.
Ports include HDMI, a microSD slot, two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, one USB-A and a 3.5mm audio jack. The keyboard is roomy and the trackpad is huge. It also packs a 1080p webcam and an updated quad speaker system. While we haven’t had the chance to fully test and review the Book 3 Ultra, if you can’t wait for the full verdict and want it soon after it releases on February 22nd, you can snag a free storage upgrade with a pre-order.
OnePlus 11
When we reviewed OnePlus’s latest phone, we liked the fact that you got a good amount of phone for a competitive price. And now the company is offering a free storage upgrade on the OnePlus 11 for the next few days. That gives you 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $699, which is the price of the smaller, 8GB/128GB model.
The standout feature of the OnePlus 11 is the incredibly fast charging. When juicing up using the included cable and adapter, 100W charging gets the phone from empty to full in about 25 minutes. That said, there’s no wireless charging. But with a battery that lasted 20 hours in our rundown test and only needs 10 minutes on the cable to get to 50 percent, it’s easy to overlook the absence.
The Android phone runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor and comes with a great, 6.7-inch 2,048 × 1,080 OLED screen that can reach up to 120Hz refresh rates. The camera array includes a primary 50-megapixel sensor, a 115-degree ultrawide 48MP camera and a 32MP telephoto camera.
Sony A90J BRAVIA XR OLED 4K TV (55-inch)
Image quality has always sets Sony TVs apart in the past and, while other companies are closing the gap, higher end Sony’s will never disappoint. This week, we’re seeing a big 44 percent discount on Sony’s Bravia A90JvOLED 4K TV, bringing the $2,500 set down to $1,398. The set takes advantage of the company’s new Cognitive Processor XR chip, an advancement that uses AI to create a more realistic and dynamic picture. You also get Google TV built in and Alexa integration for voice control. That said, LG’s C2 TV is a comparable set and is $100 cheaper, even when it’s not on sale.
If you’re willing to spend a little more, our dive into the reviews suggest that Samsung’s S95B OLED 4K TV is a better bet and it’s seeing a 23 percent discount right now, bringing it down to $1,698. That’s not an all-time low, but puts it just $300 over the Sony, which may make it worth the investment.
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Published at Fri, 17 Feb 2023 19:45:49 +0000
