Jump into Portal on PC and Steam Deck for just $1

Portal will look the best it ever has with an RTX 40-series GPU, but you definitely don’t need one to play the game. | Image: Nvidia and Valve

A deal on a single PC game doesn’t usually rise to the top of our daily pickings of discounts, but it did today. Valve’s mind-bending and often hilarious puzzle game Portal costs a single dollar at Steam. This price cut is timed with Nvidia’s release of a big graphical overhaul of the game that adds optional ray tracing and DLSS 3 AI upscaling that’s best experienced with its pricey RTX 40-series GPUs. Thankfully, you don’t need one of those to play the game — far from it. It originally released in 2007 as part of Valve’s The Orange Box collection, and it’s compatible with Windows PCs, macOS, and the Steam Deck. Even the Portal Companion Collection containing Portal and Portal 2 for the Nintendo Switch is on sale, costing $13.39 ($6.70 off).

Even if you haven’t played the original Portal, paying even a little attention to gaming in the past 15 years is probably enough for you to have soaked in some popular references through osmosis. Quotes like “the cake is a lie” and “thank you for helping us help you help us all” are some personal favorites.

There were some incredible deals on TV and movie streaming services during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. There’s another one you should know about that’s happening on Paramount Plus. Through January 2nd, 2023, new and returning subscribers can get half off an annual subscription by entering the promo code WINTER50 at checkout. Visit this page, click “Redeem Now,” select the “Annual” tab on the “Pick Your Plan” page, and make your preferred selection. The Essential plan costs $24.99 instead of $49.99 and has ads, while the $49.99 Premium plan (normally $99.99) has no ads outside of live TV and a few shows, the ability to download content, and more.

We recently highlighted a $100 discount on Apple’s Magic Keyboard for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, but today, the smaller version of the Magic Keyboard for the 11-inch iPad Pro as well as the 2021 and 2022 iPad Air is getting its own discount. Normally $299.99, Walmart, Target, and Amazon (it’ll arrive after Christmas from Amazon) are selling it for $209.99.

This is a pricey accessory but one that some iPad owners may want to make in order to turn their tablets into a laptop-like device. The Magic Keyboard features a backlit keyboard, a trackpad that supports gestures, and a USB-C port that offers passthrough charging (but not data transfer). You can read our review of it here. Still, you have other options if you don’t want to spend over $200 to get similar functionality; Brydge’s excellent Air Max Plus keyboard with a snap-on case fits the same iPads (but loses the USB-C charging port) and costs $119.99 at Amazon.

A few more picks before we send you off

The physical version of Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, Ubisoft’s tactical action mash-up featuring classic Mario characters and, well, Rabbids, is just $31.98 at Amazon. This recent title normally costs $59.99, so this could be a great time to pick it up as a gift.
In case you didn’t know, you can just log in to your Sony account and preorder a PlayStation VR 2 headset, no invitation required. The set starts at $549.99, going up to $599.99 for the bundle that includes Horizon Call of the Mountain.

I’m sounding like a broken record with how many times I’ve recommended this deal: Meta’s Quest 2 virtual reality headset is discounted by $50 for a limited time, selling for $349.99 at Best Buy. It comes with two games, Beat Saber and Resident Evil 4 VR. Both are worth playing, though if you’re thinking of picking this up, the promo’s fine print indicates that buyers of this bundle have until December 31st, 2022, to redeem their copy of Resident Evil 4 in the Quest store.