The new Pixel Buds Pro are discounted alongside the Google Pixel 6A today. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
Welcome back to the arena of deals. Our inaugural discount this week is on the excellent Google Pixel Buds Pro, which released less than a month ago. Typically priced at $199.99, you can currently find these new earbuds on Amazon for $174.99 in their black or yellow colorways. The Pixel Buds Pro are a drastic improvement over their middling predecessor, boasting solid noise cancellation, improved battery life, and multipoint Bluetooth support. While the sound quality isn’t quite up to par with some of our top picks, this discount makes the Pixel Buds Pro worth considering if you’re on the hunt for a fresh pair of earbuds. Read our review.
There’s still an opportunity to score a discount on the recently released Google Pixel 6A. Normally priced at $449, you can get the white, black, or green colorways of Google’s latest midrange phone for $399. The standard 60Hz refresh rate on the screen is a bit of a downer, but just about everything else you’d want from a flagship Google phone is front and center on the 6A. This includes excellent battery life, top-notch processor performance, and solid camera results. The 6A differs from the standard and Pro models of the Pixel 6 by offering a slightly less powerful camera and a smaller screen, among a few other compromises. Importantly, it still includes the same Google Tensor processor as its more expensive siblings. Read our review.
Now back to earbuds. Both the Sony LinkBuds and LinkBuds S are currently discounted at Amazon. The open-ear LinkBuds are on sale for $158 at Amazon (a $22 discount), and the LinkBuds S have dropped to $148 at Amazon (a $52 discount). While the LinkBuds have been available for less, this is only $10 more than their best price ever. However, this is the best price yet for the LinkBuds S.
The LinkBuds S have the distinction of being some of the most comfortable earbuds we’ve ever tested. While the noise cancellation is a bit lackluster, the LinkBuds S include support for the LDAC lossless audio codec, which is likely to please some audiophiles out there. The LinkBuds S also feature remarkable audio clarity when using them for voice calls, making them an excellent choice for sub-$150 earbuds.
The standard LinkBuds are certainly one of the more peculiar designs from Sony. Their open-ear donut shape allows you to remain aware of your surroundings without having to take them out of your ears. You might think the unique shape wouldn’t be particularly comfortable, but the LinkBuds are just as comfy as the LinkBuds S and offer the same impressive clarity when using them for voice calls.
Read our reviews of the Sony LinkBuds and LinkBuds S.
Now, as a treat, a deal for the gamers. Initially priced at $169.99, the Razer Basilisk Ultimate wireless mouse with its charging dock is currently discounted to $79.99 at Amazon and Best Buy. This is the lowest price we’ve seen yet for one of Razer’s most powerful mice. The Basilisk Ultimate features a 20K DPI sensor and 11 programmable inputs. While it may lack the improved scroll wheel and RGB lighting of the more modern Razer Basilisk V3 or the improved polling rate we’ve seen in some of Razer’s other mice, the Basilisk Ultimate remains an excellent wireless option. Capable of lasting for up to 100 hours with RGB lighting disabled, charging is handled by resting the mouse on the included dock, which also serves as a home for the 2.4GHz wireless dongle.
The high roller deal for our roundup today is a discount on the powerful Mac Studio with an M1 Max chip, which is currently available at B&H Photo for $1,999 instead of its usual $2,199. A $200 discount may feel like a drop in the bucket for a device this expensive, but this remains the best price we’ve seen for the 24-core GPU configuration of this powerful desktop. This model retains the same form factor as other configurations in the Mac Studio lineup and includes 32GB of RAM and 512GB of storage in addition to its 10-core CPU.
Besides having a relatively small footprint, the Mac Studio boasts an impressive port selection, including a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports and an SDXC card reader placed in the front. It has four more USB-C ports on its backside, along with a pair of USB-A ports, an HDMI output, ethernet hookup, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
While the price of admission is definitely high, and it can’t be upgraded after the fact, the Mac Studio provides excellent performance in a compact form factor. Read our review.
A few more for the road…
The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is currently available for its best price outside of Prime Day. Normally priced at $54.99, this compact streaming platform is on sale for $39.99. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max offers a host of benefits over previous models, like Wi-Fi 6 compatibility as well as Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support.
If you need a case for your new Pixel phone, Best Buy and Amazon have discounted the official soft shell cases for the standard Pixel 6, the Pixel 6 Pro, and Pixel 6A. Normally these cases go for $29.99 but are on sale in a variety of colorways for just $9.99.