Best Deals on Tech Products Right Now

This 14-inch Samsung laptop features an Intel Core 5 processor, 16GB of memory, and 512GB of solid-state storage—the sort of specs that allow you to stretch beyond the routine work of paying bills, returning emails, and fielding Zoom calls. It can handle tougher tasks, like photo and video editing, too, though not quite as fast as top-of-the-line options. All in all, it’s a solid laptop from a reliable brand—available at a solid price.

This 13-inch model has Apple’s latest M3 processor, which delivers strong performance while sipping battery. Combine that with the barely there 2.7-pound weight and it’s easy to see why the Air continues to be so popular. The model we tested is slightly more powerful with 16GB of memory and a 512GB solid state drive, but this base model (8GB of RAM and a 256GB drive) has plenty of muscle for the average user.

Thin, light, and powerful, the 2022 MacBook Air is a great machine, even though there’s a newer MacBook Air for shoppers to consider. The older model provides a compelling combination of performance and battery life. Instead of using an Intel chip, it’s powered by Apple’s own M2 processor, which performs with admirable speed and efficiency.

The newest version of Amazon’s Fire tablet packs a lot of value into a small, 8-inch package—and that’s before you take into account its low price, which matches what we saw on Black Friday last year. It’s not the highest-end tablet out there, but if you’re merely looking to do simple “tablet-y” things like streaming video, reading books, or browsing the web on something a bit bigger than your phone, it’s hard to beat. We haven’t finished testing this latest model, but based on how well Fire tablets have done in the past, we’re confident it will serve you well.

If you want earbuds, but don’t like the feel of plugging up your ears, the Bose Ultra Opens are a unique option. They hook on your ear, just above the lobe, kind of like a cuff-style earring. They sound surprisingly good, too, once you get the placement just right. And it’s totally easy to hear things around you with a clarity that the "transparency" mode of most earbuds can’t match.

The AirPods Pro are Apple’s best-selling earbuds, with good reason. They sound good and offer effective noise canceling, including a transparency mode that pipes in outside sound so you’re not fully cut off from the world while out walking. Better yet, says Apple, a free over-the-air upgrade later this year will allow the model to deliver a clinical-grade hearing test, which can be used to turn them into an over-the-counter hearing aid.

While there’s nothing revolutionary about the design of Sonos’s first headphone, it is well-executed. If you like the Sonos brand, this is a good opportunity to get this model at a discount, as it doesn’t go on sale often. The sleek and even minimalist Ace is actually flattering when sitting on your head. The wireless noise-canceling model also offers warm, comforting sound and solid bass.

They were recently available at other retailers for a similar price, but now only Walmart has them at a discount.

If you’re looking for a pair of earbuds that prioritizes fit above all else, check out the Beats Fit Pro. These noise-canceling buds have soft silicone ear tips in three sizes, plus wingtips that fit into the pinna (the exterior of your ear) for additional security. They have actual buttons, too, rather than the touch-sensitive controls on many other models, which may make it easier to operate them while on the go. The Fit Pros also sound really good and feature effective active noise cancellation, making them a solid alternative to the similarly priced AirPods Pro.

This wireless Bluetooth iPod/iPad/cellphone-centric model from JBL is a solid pick. The JBL Tune 660NC delivers very good sound quality and excellent active noise reduction. These headphones have a closed design, they will provide some muffling of external noises and also reduce the amount of sound that escapes from the headphones.

The XG300, which typically sells for about $50 more than this, delivers satisfying sound, plus the features you want in a modest-sized tailgating speaker: decent volume, an IP67 water-resistance rating (which means it can survive a dunking), and a rechargeable battery with 25 hours of battery life, according to Sony. All in all, our testers say, it’s a significantly better speaker than its more expensive XG500 sibling, and here it is at less than half price.

Looking for a really good, inexpensive small speaker? The Flip 6 is very similar to the venerable Flip 5, and that’s a good thing. It’s water and dust-resistant, has a 12-hour battery life, and is just the right size to slip into a bag or even the water bottle pocket on a backpack. Various colors are on sale at Walmart right now from $95 to $100 or so. Though it was $80 for Black Friday, this is still a good price for this speaker, especially since it’s selling for $129.95 at other retailers.

If you prefer Google Assistant to Alexa, the Google Nest Audio may be a good choice. Alexa smart speakers have a wider variety of skills and can be great for shopping on Amazon, but some users like Google’s powerful search function and find Google’s interface to be more natural and easier to use.

Google brags about the Nest Audio’s sonic performance, but our testers found that the gains are more modest. The speaker generates enough volume for a midsized room, but the midrange is a little hazy and there’s some sizzle on the high frequencies. While it’s better than the old Google Home, the Nest Audio still can’t compete with the best-sounding smart speakers. It also doesn’t sound quite as good as the similarly priced fourth-generation Amazon Echo.

The Amazon QL65F601A is one of Amazon’s Omni-series QLED TVs, below the recently introduced Omni models that have Mini LED backlights. It delivers solid overall picture quality, but subpar HDR performance, not unusual at this price range. It uses the Amazon Fire TV smart system, with the Alexa voice assistant built in.

Anyone looking for a top-performing 48-inch 4K OLED TV should consider the LG OLED48B4PUA, which delivers in every respect except for HDR performance, where our test results show it’s only so-so.  It’s in an entry-level OLED TV series for 2024. This is an excellent sale, dropping $100 since last month and selling for $50 less than during Black Friday.

The Hisense 75U7N, a midrange 2024 ULED model, is now $50 less than we saw during Super Bowl sales. It does well for overall picture quality, but provides only decent HDR performance. It has a lot of features, including support for variable refresh rates up to 144Hz and Dolby Vision HDR. This model comes with an ATSC 3.0 tuner for receiving NextGen TV signals.

Anyone looking to save some space—or cut down on items to plug into their TV—should consider the Roku Streambar SE, a soundbar that includes a built-in Roku streaming player. Given its small footprint, it probably works best for smaller TVs, not that jumbo-sized set you’ve been eyeing.

This slim 3.1-2-channel Dolby Amos Yamaha soundbar delivers satisfying sound; the main enclosure includes upfiring drivers to create a sense of height when used with Dolby Atmos soundtracks or music. The system, which includes a separate wireless subwoofer, can be expanded to a full surround-sound system by adding optional battery-powered wireless rear speakers. It has both WiFi and Bluetooth, plus built in Alexa for controlling the soundbar with your voice.

The price bounces from this to its full price fairly often, so if you’re not ready to buy right now, it will be back again soon.

The Amazon Fire TV Cube is at the best price we’ve ever seen, at $15 less than the usual discount. It is a mash-up of an Amazon Echo and a 4K Fire TV streamer. Its universal remote control capabilities let you control a host of other compatible A/V gear, including TVs, soundbars, receivers, and even some cable and satellite boxes. New features include HDMI 2.1 connections—one input and one output—for controlling other devices using your voice. (One cool trick is that the Cube will also upscale any content from a source connected to its HDMI input.) Other features include support for WiFi 6E, support for both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ HDR, and an Off button that disconnects the microphones if you don’t want the device in an always-listening mode.

The Roku Express 4K+ is a small set-top box that offers 4K picture quality, plus support for both HDR10 and HDR10+ high dynamic range formats, though not Dolby Vision, which is found in some pricier models. The included WiFi voice remote control has TV controls that let you turn on the TV, adjust the set’s volume, and use Roku Voice to launch channels, search for content, and control streaming services.

This latest stick-style streaming player from Amazon—the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max—is among the company’s fastest, thanks to a more powerful processor, so apps launch quicker than on earlier models. It works on the newer WiFi 6 wireless standard. This model supports the HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision HDR formats, as well as Dolby Atmos audio. It comes with an Alexa voice remote, so you can find, launch, and control content or even change inputs using voice commands.

This is a substantial discount on Samsung’s premium foldable phone. Think of the dual-screen Z Fold6 as part-smartphone, part-tablet, which might be handy if you want to use your phone for texting and editing spreadsheets for work. It’s a bit heavier than most phones at 8.6 ounces, but hinges open to reveal an impressive 7.6-inch display.

The pint-sized, foldable Samsung Z Flip6 easily stows in your pocket, but flips open to reveal a high-quality 6.7-inch display. The cover screen, which remains visible even when the device is closed, shows notifications, dynamic widgets, and your personalized wallpaper. The camera quality and battery life are both respectable. All in all, this is a solid performer for fans of foldable phones. 

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch7 is a sleek-looking and high-performing pick, particularly if you own a Galaxy phone, and its stylish design means you can feel comfortable wearing it just about anywhere. The Watch7 offers some of Samsung’s latest health, fitness, and safety features—including sleep apnea detection, swimming stroke analysis, and daily AI-enabled Sleep and Energy scores, which make it easier to keep tabs on basic health metrics. It also has more standard features, like automatic workout-tracking, heart rate and blood oxygen level monitoring, and heart rate variability tracking.

The watch typically sells for around $300 at Amazon, so the savings are really closer to $40 than $90.

The Garmin Vivomove Trend might look like a watch, but it’s actually a fitness tracker—one with a lot of great features. It lacks all the features of a smartwatch, but it can still track steps and heart rate, it alerts you to texts, calls, and other notifications, and it has a touchscreen and a claimed 5-day battery life. In our tests, it gets above average scores in everything except readability in bright light.

The Fitbit Charge line has always featured great general-purpose trackers, and the Charge 6 is no exception. It’s sleek, with a 1.1-inch full-color display, making it suitable for the gym and the office. And some of its health-tracking features—like stress monitoring and an ECG (electrocardiogram) function that can alert you to irregular heart rhythms—are more on a par with a smartwatch. The Charge 6 earns excellent test scores in key categories and has more precise heart rate monitoring than its predecessor, the Charge 5. Claimed battery life for the Fitbit Charge 6 is seven days.

Walmart’s discount is the only one available right now for this model.

This rugged-looking (and high-performing) Samsung smartwatch is aimed at outdoors enthusiasts—and anyone who wants the latest premium health- and fitness-tracking features. Just note that Galaxy Watches work only with Android devices. 

The Fitbit Inspire 3 has a bright OLED color display instead of the monochrome screen found on the earlier model. The model is lightweight and slim, and it pairs easily with iPhones and Android phones. To access certain features—like a deeper dive on your sleep data—you need Fitbit Premium ($10 per month or $90 a year), but a six-month subscription is included with your purchase.

Our testers report that the Fitbit Inspire 3 is easy to use and quite accurate at counting steps and monitoring heart rate. The claimed battery life is more than respectable at 10 days. CR has confirmed Fitbit’s claim that the Inspire 3 is water-resistant to 50 meters (164 feet).

Google’s newest smart thermostat, the Nest Learning Thermostat 4th gen comes with a remote temperature sensor that you can place in another room to balance heating and cooling. It’s also one of just a few Matter-compatible smart thermostats on the market, meaning it works with any major smart home system, including Apple Home.

The Schlage Encode Plus supports Apple Home Key, which lets you unlock your door with a tap from an Apple Watch or iPhone (similar to Apple Pay). The Encode Plus performs well in our brute-force tests for kick-ins and drilling, but it’s somewhat susceptible to lock-picking. Features include an access log, auto-locking, electronic keys, a tamper alarm, and compatibility with voice assistants and smart home apps, including Amazon Alexa, Apple Home/Siri, and Google Home/Assistant. This is $10 more than its best price.

The Arlo Video Doorbell 2K is one of the best video doorbells you can buy. It provides the flexibility to install it wherever you need it. You can run it using the rechargeable battery or hardwire it to a home’s doorbell wiring for continuous power. Features include geofencing and voice/app control via Amazon Alexa and Google Home/Assistant. Cloud video storage and additional features (such as alerts for people, packages, animals, and vehicles) require an Arlo Secure subscription. This is the best price we’ve ever seen for this model.

Want a floodlight camera that’s easy to install? The Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight Camera runs off batteries and offers great video quality. And it’s now back down to the low price we saw during the holidays. Features include activity zones, voice/app control via Amazon Alexa, and up to 5 minutes of continuous live streaming at one time. You can also store footage locally, without a subscription, by using the included Blink Sync Module 2 (worth $50) and plugging in a USB flash drive (sold separately).

Much like trackers made by Samsung and Tile, AirTags work best if you’re looking for one within Bluetooth range (roughly 30 feet) of your own phone. But that said, there are millions of iPhones and other Apple devices roaming around out there that can pick up a signal and discreetly convey it to you when you find yourself searching for, say, a park or a school campus for the keys you dropped. Is the tracking pinpoint accurate? No. But it’s close enough to give you a little peace of mind.

The BigBlue 28W Solar Charger, now $10 less than last week, is a solid pick for outdoorsy types who plan to carry their portable solar device in a backpack. It’s made of fabric and is particularly compact and light, weighing just 1.4 pounds and folding up neatly to around the dimensions of a magazine. It even comes with carabiners for attaching to the outside of a backpack, allowing it to get some sunlight while you’re on the move. 

This battery charger claims a max power output of 28 watts, which is enough to give some charge to smaller devices like a cell phone or an external battery pack within a few hours, depending on the amount of sunlight available. It has three USB-A ports, so you can charge multiple devices at once. And with an IPX4 rating, it can withstand some rain or a light splash, though it’s not rated for protection against dust or dirt.