Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge
Many Alexa-powered Amazon Echo speakers and displays are still enjoying Black Friday discounts. One of the most appealing deals is on the Amazon Echo Show 5 display, which is normally $84.99 but can be found at Amazon and Best Buy for $44.99. This smart display could be the perfect companion for your nightstand or kitchen counter, since it can handle alarm, recipe, and entertainment duties. While it shares a lot of functionality with Echo speakers, the Echo Show display is capable of more, like streaming video from Prime Video and Netflix, showing you the forecast, or displaying your agenda for the day. Additionally, the built-in camera lets you video chat with family and friends. Read our review.
You can also find the latest version (you can tell by its spherical design) of the Amazon Echo with upgraded speakers for just $59.99 at Amazon and Best Buy. That’s a $40 discount off the regular price. While this model only offers iterative upgrades over its predecessor, Dan Seifert, who reviewed this latest model Echo, praised the sound quality and attentive mics.
The WF-1000XM3 wireless earbuds from Sony are currently discounted to $129.99, their lowest price yet at Amazon and Best Buy. At launch, these earbuds retailed for $228.99. While XM3 may not share the same features as the newer XM4, our review by Chris Welch proves that there are several reasons to invest in a pair, including excellent sound quality and noise cancellation, as well as lengthy battery life. Consider whether its large case aligns with your taste, though.
Samsung’s 8.7-inch Galaxy Tab A7 Lite Android tablet is currently available at its lowest price at Best Buy. The base model with 32GB of storage has been reduced to $120, taking $40 off the regular price. The model that doubles the storage to 64GB is $70 off, available for just $10 more at $130. This discount applies to both the dark gray and silver colorways, in case you were wondering. It’s also worth noting that Best Buy is offering 20 percent off on a qualifying accessory when purchased with the tablet, netting you additional savings on things like screen protectors and cases.
Both tablets feature a 1340 x 800 resolution display and boast the Android 11 OS. And while the camera quality and performance aren’t going to win any awards, the Galaxy Tab A7 Lite seems like a step up in overall build quality and features offered versus other budget-friendly tablets.
Corsair has discounted a pair of its flagship keyboards, the K100 and K95 RGB Platinum XT, at Amazon and Best Buy. Corsair’s K100 is currently discounted to $189.99 at Amazon and the official Corsair website, taking $40 off the regular MSRP. This full-sized keyboard bears a striking similarity to the Corsair K95 but also includes a multi-function scroll wheel that can be used to quickly switch applications or zoom in and out of windows. Just note that this discount is only available for the version equipped with the Cherry MX Speed key switches.
The previous flagship keyboard for Corsair, the K95 RGB Platinum XT, upgraded the original K95 with PBT keycaps and integration with the Elgato Stream Deck hardware. Normally $200, the model with Cherry MX Speed switches has been discounted to $149.99 at Amazon and Best Buy. There are other models available with Cherry Blue and Brown switches available, but those currently don’t share the same discount. The K95 has many of the bells and whistles you’d want in a full-size keyboard, including dedicated media playback and macro keys, in addition to per-key RGB lighting.
Logitech is branching out with its gaming accessories by offering its peripherals in a wide variety of outrageous color combinations. Currently, the Logitech G435 headset is available in three colorways at Walmart, Best Buy, and Amazon for $59.99, taking $20 off the regular price. To sweeten the deal, if you purchase this headset from Amazon, you’ll also get a free in-game weapon skin for Battlefield 2042.
While you can always go with black, this universally compatible headset also comes in white with light blue accents, as well as a vivid pink and blue combo. The G435 can last up to 18 hours between charging and can pair with devices either through Bluetooth or with the included 2.4GHz wireless dongle. This model is currently our top pick if you’re looking for a wireless gaming headset.
Lastly, we have a friendly public service announcement to take advantage of the Steam Winter Sale through January 5th. While there are plenty of titles that are, in fact, cheaper on the Epic Games Store thanks to the additional $10 coupon granted to all current users, there are a handful of Steam-exclusive games that are worth checking out. For example, the entire library of expansions for the Sims 4 and Planet Zoo are on sale. Some other exclusives to Steam include Forza Horizon 5 for $53.99, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition for $29.99, and Titanfall 2 for just $4.79. If you’re deliberating on what games are worth your time this year, make sure to check out our guide to the best games for your new gaming PC.