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Further Reading
iPad Air 2020 review: Semi-pro
Today's Dealmaster is headlined by a handful of good price drops on various Apple devices. The entry-level iPad Air, for instance, is back down to
$500 at various retailers
. That equals a deal we first saw last month but nevertheless remains $100 off Apple's MSRP and tied for the best price we've tracked. If you need more storage, the
256GB model is also discounted
to a joint-low of $650.
Further Reading
2021 iPad Pro review: More of the same—but way, way faster thanks to M1
If you'd rather step up to the
higher-quality hardware and M1 processor
of a new iPad Pro, though, various models of those
recently released slates
are
$100 off
their
standard going rates
as well. Of particular note, this brings the
11-inch Pro down to $700
, a price we've only tracked a couple of times before. That's still undeniably pricey for a tablet that still isn't quite capable of being a true laptop replacement for most, but as
we noted in a recent Dealmaster
, the Pro does give you such upgrades a brighter and smoother 120 Hz display, a faster chip, a Thunderbolt 3 port, and slightly better mics, cameras, and speakers. The Air is still likely the better value for most, as its accurate display and A14 Bionic chip are
still luxurious for most tablet needs.
But if money is less of an object, the Pro
is
a superior piece of hardware all the same.
Further Reading
Redesigned AirPods are coming soon, report claims
Besides tablets, our deals roundup also has
Apple's Pencil stylus for $100
, which again ties the best price we've seen. It's still a convenient and accurate tool for sketching and note taking, but note that this is the second-gen model, which means
it's only compatible
with recent iPad Pro models and the newest iPad Air mentioned above. Meanwhile, the MagSafe wireless charger, which we've tested and recommend for iPhone 12 users, is still
down to $30 at Amazon-owned Woot
.
We've also got a couple deals on Apple-made headphones, as both
an AirPods bundle with a wireless charging case
and the recently launched
Studio Buds from Apple subsidiary Beats
are down to $130. Both deals mark the lowest prices we've tracked. Be advised, though: reports suggest Apple plans to
release a redesigned version
of its base AirPods later this year, so unless you need a pair with wireless charging functionality today, it might be worth holding off. The Studio Buds should be more future-proof, and they
earned a largely positive review
from us back in June. On the other hand,
another true wireless pair we like
, Jabra's Elite 75t, is
on sale for $90
today, for those who aren't hitched to the Apple wagon.
Further Reading
Beats Studio Buds review: Apple earbuds that don’t leave Android in the dark
Finally, Target is currently running a
deal that doles out
a $10 store gift card at no extra cost when you spend at least $100 on a digital Apple gift card. We've seen the retailer run similar promotions in the past, but if you were planning on getting some Apple money anyway, it's a nifty little bonus.
If you're not living in Apple World, today's roundup has plenty more on offer, including the
Ars-approved
Kindle Paperwhite for a near-low of $85, a new low on the
recommended Fitbit Sense smartwatch
, the usual smorgasbord of video game deals, good prices on USB chargers and wireless mice we like, and more. You can find those and the rest of our curated selection below.
Table of Contents
Featured deals of the day
Laptop and desktop PC deals
TV and home entertainment deals
Electronics deals
Video game deals
Gaming deals
Accessories and miscellaneous deals
Note: Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through
affiliate programs
.
Advertisement
Featured deals of the day
Apple iPad Air
(64GB, 2020) 10.9-inch tablet for
$499.99
at Amazon,
Target
, and
Best Buy
(
256GB model for
$650
—normally $545).
Get bonus $10 Target e-gift card when you spend
$100 or more
on Apple e-gift cards
at Target (promo seen at checkout).
Apple Pencil
(2nd gen) stylus for iPad for
$99.99
at Target and
Best Buy
(normally $125).
Jabra Elite 75t
(Gold Beige) true wireless noise-canceling earbuds for
$89.99
at Amazon and
Best Buy
(normally $135).
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
(8GB, ads) 6-inch ebook reader for
$84.99
at Target and
Best Buy
(normally $130).
Eufy Security Wi-Fi Video Doorbell 2K
(wired) + wireless plug-in chime for
$99.99
at Amazon (
clip $40 coupon
and use code:
EUFY8822
—normally $160).
Fitbit Sense
(White/Gold) fitness smartwatch for
$219.99
at Amazon (
clip $70 coupon
—normally $265).
Aukey Minima PA-Y20S
20W USB-C PD charger for
$4.99
at Aukey (use code:
MINIMA4U
—normally $12).
It Takes Two
(PS4,
Xbox
) for
$24.99
at Amazon and
Target
(normally $30).
PlayStation HD Camera
1080p camera for PlayStation 5 for
$39.99
at Amazon,
Target
,
Walmart
, and
B&H
(normally $58).
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/
Apple's 2020 iPad Air remains an excellent option for those who want more than the entry-level iPad can provide but don't want to pay an iPad-Pro-level price.
Samuel Axon
Laptop and desktop PC deals
Lenovo Yoga 9i
2-in-1 laptop—Intel Core i7-1185G7, 14-inch 4K, 16GB LPDDR4X RAM (soldered), 512GB SSD for
$1,349.99
at eBay and
Best Buy
(normally $1,750).
Lenovo ThinkPad T14
(2nd gen) laptop—AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 5850U, 14-inch 1080p, 16GB DDR4 RAM (soldered), 512GB SSD for
$1,189.50
at Lenovo (use code:
THINKBIGDEALS
—normally $2,000).
Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5
2-in-1 laptop—Intel Core i3-10110U, 13.3-inch 1080p, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC for
$329.99
at Amazon (normally $375).
Lenovo Yoga 6
2-in-1 laptop—AMD Ryzen 7 5700U, 13.3-inch 1080p, 16GB DDR4 RAM (soldered), 512GB SSD for
$699.99
at Best Buy (
1TB for
$730
at Newegg—normally $900).
Apple MacBook Air
(2020) laptop—Apple M1, 13.3-inch 2560x1600, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD for
$899
at Amazon and
Best Buy
(normally $960).
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/
For most students in search of a new laptop for the upcoming school year, the M1 MacBook Air should more than hold its own.
Lee Hutchinson
Samsung SSD 980
(1TB) PCIe 3.0 M.2 NVMe internal SSD for
$109.99
at Amazon and
Samsung
(normally $127).
WD Blue SN550
(500GB) PCIe 3.0 M.2 NVMe internal SSD for
$54.99
at Newegg (
1TB for
$200
at Amazon—normally $60).
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
6-core/12-thread desktop processor for
$279.99
at Amazon (normally $295).
27-inch Gigabyte G27QC
curved gaming monitor—2560x1440, VA, 165 Hz, FreeSync for
$269.99
at Amazon,
Best Buy
, and
Newegg
(normally $285).
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/
Our review found Samsung's 980 SSD (middle) to be a solid midrange drive for most consumers.
Jim Salter
TV and home entertainment deals
75-inch Hisense U6G
(2021 model) 4K HDR LED TV for
$1,049.99
at Best Buy (no HDMI 2.1, VRR—normally $1,250).
65-inch Sony X90J
(2021 model) 4K HDR LED TV for
$1,298
at Amazon and
Best Buy
(My Best Buy members only—normally $1,500).
Apple Siri Remote
(2nd gen) for Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD for
$49.97
at Verizon (normally $59).
PS5 console owners only:
Apple TV+
6-month membership for
free
at PlayStation (must redeem on PS5—normally $30).
New subscribers only:
Amazon Music Unlimited
3-month membership + Paramount Plus Premium 3-month membership for
$1
at Amazon (requires Amazon Prime account—normally $54).
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/
If you can't pay up for a more premium pair, the Beats Studio Buds are a solid set of noise-canceling true wireless earbuds.
Jeff Dunn
Electronics deals
Apple iPad Air
(64GB, 2020) 10.9-inch tablet for
$499.99
at Amazon,
Target
, and
Best Buy
(
256GB model for
$650
—normally $545).
Apple iPad Pro
(128GB, 2021) 11-inch tablet for
$699.99
at Amazon and
Best Buy
(
256GB model for
$800
—normally $770).
Apple iPad Pro
(256GB, 2021) 12.9-inch tablet for
$1,099
at Walmart (
128GB model for
$999
—normally $1,199).
Apple AirPods with Wireless Charging Case
true wireless earbuds for
$129.99
at Amazon,
Walmart
, and
Sam's Club
(normally $155).
Beats Studio Buds
true wireless noise-canceling earphones for
$129.95
at Amazon,
Target
, and
Walmart
(normally $150).
Fitbit Sense
(White/Gold) fitness smartwatch for
$219.99
at Amazon (
clip $70 coupon
—normally $265).
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/
For those who aren't hitched to the Apple Watch, the Fitbit Sense is a recommended alternative that excels with activity tracking.
Corey Gaskin / Ars Technica
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
(8GB, ads) 6-inch ebook reader for
$84.99
at Target and
Best Buy
(normally $130).
Amazon Kindle
(8GB, ads) 6-inch ebook reader for
$59.99
at Target and
Best Buy
(normally $90).
Amazon Echo Show 5
(2nd gen) 5-inch smart display for
$54.99
at Amazon,
Target
, and
Best Buy
(normally $85).
SanDisk Extreme
(1TB) portable external SSD for
$119.99
at Costco (normally $155).
Jabra Elite 75t
(Gold Beige) true wireless noise-canceling earbuds for
$89.99
at Amazon and
Best Buy
(normally $135).
Jabra Elite 45h
wireless on-ear headphones for
$69.99
at Amazon (normally $90).
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/
Though it's due for an upgrade, Amazon's waterproof Kindle Paperwhite remains a nice piece of hardware bolstered by an extensive library of ebooks.
Valentina Palladino
Sony WH-1000XM4
Bluetooth noise-canceling headphones for
$278
at Amazon,
Walmart
, and
Target
(normally $325).
Logitech MX Master 3
wireless office mouse for
$79.99
at Staples (
Mac version
also on sale, use code:
75722
—normally $100).
Logitech MX Keys for Mac
wireless keyboard for
$79.99
at Staples (use code:
75722
—normally $100).
Logitech MX Master 2S
wireless mouse for
$49.99
at Lenovo (use code:
MXMASTER50
—normally $60).
Klipsch The One II Phono
home Bluetooth speaker for
$148
at Walmart (normally $170).
Blue Yeti
USB microphone for
$99.99
at Amazon and
Target
(normally $120).
Eufy Security Wi-Fi Video Doorbell 2K
(wired) + wireless plug-in chime for
$99.99
at Amazon (
clip $40 coupon
and use code:
EUFY8822
—normally $160).
Enlarge
/
Logitech's MX Master 3 is an high-performing and surprisingly versatile wireless mouse for office work.
Jeff Dunn
Video game deals
Returnal
(PS5) for
$49.99
at Amazon,
Target
,
Best Buy
, and
GameStop
(normally $65).
Ghost of Tsushima
(PS4) for
$29.99
at Amazon,
Target
,
Best Buy
, and
GameStop
(normally $40).
The Last of Us Part II
(PS4) for
$19.99
at Amazon,
eBay
,
Best Buy
, and
GameStop
(normally $30).
Hitman 3
(PS5,
Xbox
) for
$34.82
at Amazon and
Target
(normally $45).
Batman: Return to Arkham
(PS4) for
$4.99
at PlayStation Store (includes
Arkham Asylum
and
Arkham City
—normally $20).
Persona 5 Royal
(PS4) for
$26.99
at PlayStation Store (normally $45).
PlayStation Summer Sale
: Various
PS5 and PS4 games discounted
at PlayStation Store.
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/
The open-world samurai game
Ghost of Tsushima
was one of our favorite titles of 2020.
Sucker Punch / SIE
It Takes Two
(PS4,
Xbox
) for
$24.99
at Amazon and
Target
(normally $30).
Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition
(PS4,
Xbox
) for
$19.99
at Amazon,
GameStop
, and
Best Buy
(also on Game Pass—normally $30).
Forza Motorsport 7
(Xbox) for
$9.99
at Microsoft (also on Game Pass—normally $30).
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/
Its script has some questionable moments, but
It Takes Two
is one of the more inventive couch co-op games in recent memory and a standout title of 2021 so far.
Hazelight
Stardew Valley
(Switch) for
$9.99
at Amazon,
Target
, and
Nintendo eShop
(
PC version for
$7
at GameStop
—normally $15).
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD
(Switch) for
$49.94
at Amazon,
Walmart
, and
GameStop
(discount seen in cart—normally $60).
Super Mario Odyssey
(Switch) for
$38.99
at Amazon (discount seen in cart—normally $45).
River City Girls
(Switch) for
$20.99
at Amazon,
Target
, and
Nintendo eShop
(normally $30).
Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition
(Switch) for
$34.99
at Amazon,
Target
, and
Nintendo eShop
(normally $50).
Enter the Gungeon
(Switch) for
$7.49
at Nintendo eShop (normally $15).
Catherine: Full Body
(Switch) for
$24.99
at Amazon,
Target
, and
Nintendo eShop
(normally $40).
SteamWorld Dig 2
(Switch) for
$7.99
at Nintendo eShop (normally $20).
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/
The endless looping RPG
Loop Hero
is one of our favorite games of 2021 thus far, earning an Ars approved badge in our review.
A Plague Tale: innocence
(PC) for
free
at Epic Games Store (normally $40).
Battlefield V
(PC) for
free
at Amazon (requires
Amazon Prime account
—normally $40).
Loop Hero
(PC) for
$10.04
at Fanatical and
Steam
(normally $15).
Persona 4 Golden
(PC) for
$11.59
at Fanatical (normally $20).
Hollow Knight
(PC) for
$7.49
at Steam (normally $15).
Knockout City
(PC) for
$9.99
at Steam (also on Game Pass/EA Play—normally $20).
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/
The HyperX Cloud Alpha is a comfortable and fairly balanced sounding gaming headset for less than $100, with a good detachable mic to boot.
Jeff Dunn
Gaming deals
PlayStation HD Camera
1080p camera for PlayStation 5 for
$39.99
at Amazon,
Target
,
Walmart
, and
B&H
(normally $58).
$100 Xbox Gift Card
(digital) for
$90
at Newegg (use code:
93XRQ83
—normally $100).
Microsoft Xbox Wireless Controller
(Carbon Black) for Xbox, PC, iOS, and Android for
$49.99
at Microsoft (normally $55).
Xbox Game Pass for PC
3-month membership for
$24.29
at Amazon (normally $30).
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/
Splendor is an accessible "engine-building" board game with rounds that only take about 30 minutes.
Ars Technica
HyperX Cloud Alpha
gaming headset for
$69.99
at Amazon and
GameStop
(normally $85).
Razer BlackWidow TE Chroma v2
tenkeyless mechanical gaming keyboard—Razer Orange, Razer Green, or Razer Yellow switches for
$67.50
at Amazon (normally $90).
Splendor
board game for
$22.49
at Amazon (normally $30).
Dice Forge
board game for
$23.80
at Amazon (normally $29).
Pandemic
board game for
$16
at Amazon (normally $30).
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/
Apple's MagSafe Charger aligns easily with the help of magnets and delivers a 15W charge to the iPhone 12.
Corey Gaskin
Accessories and miscellaneous deals
Get bonus $10 Target e-gift card when you spend
$100 or more
on Apple e-gift cards
at Target (promo seen at checkout).
Apple MagSafe Charger
15W wireless charger for iPhone and AirPods for
$29.99
at Woot (normally $34).
Apple MagSafe Charger
15W wireless charger + Apple Silicone Case with MagSafe for iPhone 12 Mini for
$39.99
at Costco (normally $70).
Apple Pencil
(2nd gen) stylus for iPad for
$99.99
at Target and
Best Buy
(normally $125).
Aukey Minima PA-Y20S
20W USB-C PD charger for
$4.99
at Aukey (use code:
MINIMA4U
—normally $12).
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/
If you're in the market for a white noise machine, the LectroFan is a compact and recommended choice.
Jeff Dunn
Anker PowerPort III Nano
20W USB-C GaN charger for
$13.59
at Amazon (
clip 20% coupon
—normally $17).
Anova Precision Cooker Nano
sous vide cooker for
$99
at Amazon,
Target
, and
Best Buy
(normally $120).
Instant Pot Duo Nova
(3qt) 7-in-1 electric pressure cooker for
$49.98
at Amazon (normally $75).
LectroFan
white noise machine for
$31.17
at Amazon (normally $40).
DJI Osmo Mobile 3
handheld smartphone gimbal for
$79
at Amazon and
Walmart
(normally $99).
