Best Holiday Deals on Tech

These sleek true wireless earbuds offer admirable sound quality and noise cancellation, with an effective ambient mode that allows you to hear what’s going on around you, making them a solid choice for walkers and runners. Even at this sale price, they’re not exactly cheap, but they perform so well, you’ll smile every time you pop them in.

If you want earbuds, but don’t like the feel of a device plugging up your ears, earplug-style, the Bose Ultra Opens offer a unique option. They hook on the outside your ear, just above the lobe, kind of like a cuff-style earring. And , once you get the placement just right, they sound surprisingly good, too. It’s easy to hear things around you with a clarity that the "transparency" mode of most earbuds can’t match. But there’s no noise canceling so the Ultras are not great for trains or planes.

While there’s nothing revolutionary about the design of Sonos’s first headphone, it is well-executed. 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. This is the same price we saw for these headphones during the entirety of Amazon’s Cyber Week sale.

The JBL Tune 510BT is already a budget-friendly option, but at $10 off its list price, it dips into stocking stuffer territory. This Bluetooth model delivers sound quality in the ballpark of far more expensive headphones, and it has a 40-hour advertised battery life. It sits on the ears, which some people find more comfortable than being engulfed by bigger, over-the-ear style cans. As an extra perk, you can use the headphones with a cable if you forget to charge them. These aren’t noise-canceling headphones, but for the price, they’re hard to beat.

The Amazon Echo Pop is the perfect way to test out a smart speaker in your home at a low cost. It’s 50 percent off right now, matching the lowest price we’ve seen for a smart speaker from the Echo family. The sound quality leaves a lot to be desired, so it may not be ideal if you’re looking primarily for music playback. But if you are more excited about adding smart functionality to any room in your house, this may fit the bill.

The latest orblike Amazon Echo tops its predecessor, the classic cylindrical Echo, in a number of important ways. The sonics are significantly improved, with a strong but slightly boomy bass and enough volume to fill a midsized room. Our testers also found that two Echo speakers sound good when paired in stereo, delivering you-are-there appeal.

The Sonos Move is great for a Sonos fan looking to expand an existing multiroom system to a porch or patio. This rather large portable smart speaker is modestly weather-resistant and, like Sonos’s other smart speakers, can work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or Sonos’s own digital assistant. It can also add Bluetooth functionality to your existing Sonos system. And the price has dropped $15 since Black Friday.

The XG300 is back to its Black Friday price after a $50 increase. It 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 it’s now $200 off.

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. It’s a solid buy at $130, and that much better at $100, even though it was $80 for Black Friday.

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

The 65-inch Samsung QN65QN90C, a higher-end 4K smart TV in the company’s 2023 Neo QLED TV lineup, is now $200 less than it has been recently. It offers Mini LED backlights and delivers impressive overall picture quality, HDR performance (thanks to very high peak brightness), and sound.

Situated right below Samsung’s pricier flagship QD-OLED TV for 2024, the Samsung QN65S90D is a smart all-around buy, with commendable picture quality and HDR performance. Like the model above, it’s $100 more than its best price, so hold off until Black Friday for a potentially better price. It has a lot of features, including an ATSC 3.0 tuner for receiving NextGen TV off-air signals where available. The price jumped $300 everywhere after Cyber Monday except Walmart.

Shoppers looking for a truly jumbo-sized TV at a bargain might consider this 98-inch behemoth from TCL, which is now $100 less than it was for Black Friday. It’s from a 2024 entry-level 4K QLED Google TV series but has some premium features, such as a 120-hertz refresh rate, support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+ HDR, and nice gaming features. We didn’t test this set. Other models in the series do well for overall picture quality but aren’t so hot at HDR performance.

HP makes a lot of Chromebooks, so it can be challenging to find the right one. Let’s save you some time: This 15.6-inch model has just about everything you want in a Chromebook here in late 2024, including an Intel processor, 8GB of memory, and 64GB of flash storage. That may seem underpowered if you’re used to Windows specs, but it’s more than sufficient for “Chromebook-y” things like browsing the web, editing documents, and participating in video calls. The model is now back to its Black Friday price after increasing $20 for a week or so.

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.

Apple recently unveiled a Mac Mini with an M4 processor, but this M2 model delivers admirable power and performance, especially for this price. The model features 8GB of memory and 256GB of solid-state storage, and remains the least expensive way to buy a Mac, assuming you already have a mouse, keyboard, and external monitor.

It was recently $25 less at Amazon, but this is still an impressive discount.

This Dell Inspiron desktop computer offers mid-tier specs for less than what you’d pay for a comparable laptop. It delivers solid performance, ergonomics, and versatility, too. It’s not a high-end gaming PC, but if you’re looking for a reliable desktop at a good price, it’s hard to go wrong here.

Thin, light, and powerful, with battery life to spare, the MacBook Air has been a great choice for consumers since the first model was released way back in 2008. This one—outfitted with Apple’s homegrown M1 processor—debuted in 2020 and is still a compelling choice. (Heck, this copy was written on one!) And the model is now selling at a price so low it practically requires a double take. It’s $50 more than it has been, but still one of the more affordable options for an Apple laptop.

The Sonos Ray is a compact 2.0-channel soundbar and the least expensive Sonos model we’ve tested. Despite its small size, it manages to deliver impressive overall sound. It lacks an HDMI input—you connect it to a TV via the optical digital audio input—but it has built-in WiFi for playing music, podcasts, and radio from your favorite services. It’s now back to its Black Friday price after jumping up to $233 for over a week.

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 basic Yamaha 2.0-channel speaker can add a separate subwoofer to boost bass performance. It can decode Dolby Atmos immersive sound, but uses it to create a virtual experience, since it lacks the extra speakers to create a true Dolby Atmos experience. It has built-in Bluetooth for streaming audio from a portable device.

This full-featured 5.1.2-channel model, which has decent overall sound, includes both a dedicated center channel and upfiring drivers in the main enclosure for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive sound. You can add rear speakers via an optional Polk rear satellite speaker kit. The model comes with a wireless subwoofer, three HDMI inputs so you can switch devices, and support for both Bluetooth and WiFi.

The Samsung HW-Q60C is a midlevel 3.1-channel Dolby Atmos soundbar from 2023 with sound quality good enough for both music and movie soundtracks. It includes a center-channel speaker for reproducing dialogue, as well as a separate wireless subwoofer. It doesn’t have rear satellite speakers, but you can add them to create a full surround-sound setup. It has Samsung’s Q-Symphony feature, which lets you use both the TV and soundbar speakers together.

We didn’t test the Q-series 3.1-channel soundbar from Samsung, a 2023 model that supports Dolby Atmos audio, though not DTS:X. In general, Samsung soundbars in this price range have done well in our tests. Samsung Q-series soundbars include the Q-Symphony feature that lets you use both the TV speakers and soundbar together for a more immersive soundfield.

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.

This 2-meter cord, designed for the iPhone 5 through the iPhone 14, survived 11,500 bends without failing in the rig we created to test charging cord durability. That’s the equivalent of more than six years’ worth of use, according to our estimates.

Situated right below the Roku Streaming Stick 4K+ model, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K has most of the same features—including improved WiFi, support for HDR10+ and Dolby Vision HDR, and the ability to work with Amazon Alexa, Apple AirPlay, and Google Assistant voice assistant—but not the new rechargeable Voice Remote Pro remote control. Instead, you get a standard Roku voice remote, which lacks the hands-free operation, a headphone jack for private listening, and a lost-remote finder feature found on the Voice Remote Pro.

The Amazon Fire TV Cube is a mash-up of an Amazon Echo and a 4K Fire TV streamer. It has Amazon Alexa voice assistant built in, and its universal remote control capabilities let you control a host of other compatible A/V gear, including TVs and sound bars. The updated model has a faster processor, which upscales lower-resolution content to 4K, and HDMI 2.1 connections 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 WiFi 6E, support for both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ HDR.

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.

The brand-new Apple Watch Series 10—reviewed here for CR members—comes with a bigger, brighter display and faster charging capabilities, which might make tracking your sleep easier. The model is also equipped for the first time with sleep apnea detection cleared by the Food and Drug Administration. The model was selling for $20 less on Black Friday.

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 Walmart price has increased $25 since Black Friday.

The generation-old Garmin Fenix 7 is a top-of-the-line sports watch intended for those who are tackling more intense training programs or want more advanced navigation tools, like the ability to create turn-by-turn hiking courses. It also has an impressive 18-day claimed battery life.

The Arlo Pro 5S is one of the company’s higher-end security cameras. It’s weatherproof and battery-powered, allowing you to place it just about anywhere on your property within WiFi range. It offers decent video quality and features color night vision, a built-in siren, and two-way audio. Additional features like AI object detection and activity zones require an Arlo Secure subscription.

This dropped in price by $50 since Black Friday.

The TP-Link Tapo C420S2 performs well across the board in our tests for video quality, response time, data security, and smart features. This two-camera kit’s features include color night vision, person detection, pet detection, vehicle detection, a built-in siren, and free local video storage on up to a 256GB microSD card. Cloud video storage is also available with a subscription.

To make your holiday light display really pop this year, consider the Twinkly Strings. We tried out these lights a few years ago and found them to be a fun way to put on an elaborate light show. The lights connect to WiFi, so you can customize them from your smartphone. They also work with Amazon Alexa, Apple Home/Siri, and Google Home/Assistant. The price has increased $20 since Black Friday.

Interested in a smart lock but don’t like hubs and dongles? The August WiFi Smart Lock connects directly to WiFi, no hub needed. It’s also a retrofit model, meaning it replaces only the interior side of your deadbolt so you can keep your existing keys. It performs quite well in our tests, including those for ease of remote access and convenience. Features include auto-locking and unlocking, access logs, electronic keys, and a door sensor.

The budget-friendly Google Pixel 8a has a large 6.1-inch screen. And it gets good marks in our testing on all the basics—like its camera system performance, durability, and overall ease of use. The Pixel 8a slightly outperforms the base Google Pixel 8, which is a slightly larger device that’s currently on sale for $500 (down from $700).

This pint-sized, foldable phone 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, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 is a solid performer for fans of foldable phones. 

This is a substantial discount on Samsung’s premium foldable phone. Think of the dual-screen device 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.

This entry-level iPad from 2021 is a bargain at the usual price. At this price, it’s a steal. It features a 10.2-inch screen (measured diagonally) and boasts more than 14 hours of video play per charge, plus more than enough performance for everyday tasks like browsing the web and watching videos.

The Hon Ignition 2.0 is a good all-around pick, especially given this price. Our panel found the chair to be comfortable and well-designed with plenty of adjustment options for the armrests, seat pan depth, and lumbar support. Those features make this chair a worthwhile purchase, but you’ll need a measure of patience to assemble it and master the controls. The diagrams in the instructions can be overly complex and they don’t always match the chair. They don’t explain how to use the controls, either. For that, you have to go online.

The main thing that the Canon PIXMA TS7720, an all-in-one inkjet, has going for it is its price. The real street price is closer to $100 than the original $150, but you’re still getting a nice savings here. Our annual estimate of ink cost is $68 a year, pretty typical for a cartridge printer. The lab results it turns in are decent, not extraordinary.