The Xbox Series S is a deceptively small console. It’s about the size of two controllers side-by-side. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
It seems like every time we mention the Xbox Series S, it gets a little cheaper. The entry-level Xbox has slowly gone from dropping $10 to $30 off its regular $299.99 price, and now to a full $50 off. Woot has the Xbox Series S for $249.99 today only, or until inventory runs out. And unlike some previous Woot deals, this one’s not limited to Amazon Prime subscribers. To put it in perspective, that is half the cost of its bigger sibling, the still-elusive Xbox Series X — but to say this is half the console would not do the little white Xbox enough justice.
Microsoft’s cheaper Xbox Series S does not feature a disc drive, but it plays the same games as the Xbox Series X at a more modest QHD (2560 x 1440) resolution and up to 120fps in supported games. It may be a little small on storage, with a 512GB SSD that only has 364GB of usable space, but it’s also an endearingly tiny box that easily fits into any entertainment center, or even at your desk beside a gaming monitor. Read our review.
Another great deal at Woot worthy of your attention is the last-gen Apple TV 4K streaming box for just $99.99 for Amazon Prime subscribers. This 32GB model is available to all for $109.99 (about $69 off), but Amazon Prime users get an additional $10 discount on top of that, bringing it to about $79 off its original list price of $179. Woot has this sale for today only or until it sells out.
While the newer Apple TV 4K brought some welcome changes, like the much-improved Siri remote (which, by the way, is compatible with the older model looped into today’s deal), it does not get nearly the same price drops as the older model. The first-gen model supports 4K with Dolby Vision and HDR10, as well as the convenience of AirPlay 2. Some things you’re missing out on spec-wise by saving money and choosing the older model: faster performance with a newer processor, Wi-Fi 6, and HDMI 2.1. Read our review.
If you want an excellent pair of earbuds but you’re on a tight budget, Best Buy has some pretty aggressive discounts on a few different certified preowned true wireless earbuds through its Geek Squad program. I know, I know — the ickiness factor of used earbuds may just be too much for you. But we’re talking about the excellent-sounding Beats Fit Pro for $129.99 ($70 off) in black or white (gray or purple cost an additional $10). Also, the long-lasting Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus are $74.99 ($75 off), and the high-end Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro are just $64.99 ($135 off).
If you follow our deals closely, you know we don’t often mention used or refurbished earbuds, but these discounts seemed too good to not show you. Each of these refurb models has a 15-day return policy and a 90-day Geek Squad warranty, so if you have second thoughts on the cleanliness factor, you can hedge your bet a little. Read our reviews of the Beats Fit Pro, Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus, and Galaxy Buds Pro.
Did you get in on the Elden Ring hype train last week? Well, ye tarnished, if you just can’t get enough of FromSoftware’s latest epic and you happen to be a vinyl record enthusiast, we have a unique deal to check out. Bandai Namco is taking preorders for the Elden Ring Vinyl Collection, a limited edition eight-disc LP set, and if it’s your first order from the publisher’s online store, you can save 15 percent with promo code WELCOME15. This brings the price down to $135.99 from its full price of $159.99 — saving you $24.
If you’re new to limited edition soundtracks, especially in the video game world, they can be a little pricey but have a tendency to go up in value later. This one has a limited release of 6,999 copies worldwide, and it’s expected to release on August 31st. Read our review of Elden Ring.
Rise, ye bonus deals:
SanDisk’s Ultra 512GB microSD card is $62.10 (about $38 off) at Amazon, and a great value if you’re one of the lucky few who already got their Steam Deck shipping confirmation email.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 noise canceling headphones are back down to their lowest price of $279 ($50 off) at Amazon. They’re one of our top picks for the best headphones you can buy today thanks to their excellent comfort and fit. Read our review.
The 20th anniversary edition of the Xbox Stereo Headset is down to $59.99 ($10 off) at Amazon. This matches the regular price of the black model, which is great since this one offers a more unusual colorway with see-through ear cups and green accents. Read our review.
Alienware’s Aurora R12 gaming desktop with an Intel Core i7-11700F CPU, RTX 3060 video card, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD is $1,399.99 ($600 off) at Dell. Those are mostly mid-range specs, but it’s a fair value if you want a turnkey solution that doesn’t require you to track the volatile GPU market to make a custom build.