Enlarge
Ars Technica
reader comments
9
with 9 posters participating
Share this story
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on Reddit
Today's Dealmaster is headlined by a big discount on Apple's iPad Air, as the 4th-generation tablet is
currently down to $500 at Amazon
and
Best Buy
. That's $100 off Apple's MSRP and roughly $50 off the average street price we've seen on Amazon over the past few months. Either way, the discount marks the lowest price we've tracked for the device from a mainstream retailer.
Note that this deal applies to the entry-level model with 64GB of storage; if you're wanting to step up to the higher-capacity 256GB model, that
version is on sale for $650
, another all-time low price.
Further Reading
iPad Air 2020 review: Semi-pro
We gave the iPad Air high marks
in our review last November
, calling it "the best pick from Apple's lineup for most people who can afford it." The recent introduction of
new 11- and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models
, both equipped with Apple's blazing M1 chip, has introduced a few more wrinkles, but generally speaking, the Air remains the closest thing to a "just right" option in Apple's current iPad lineup.
Further Reading
2021 iPad Pro review: More of the same—but way, way faster thanks to M1
Those who want a simpler tablet for kids or media consumption will remain better served by
the more affordable 8th-gen iPad
. While the 11-inch iPad Pro
starts at a higher price
and is still hampered by iPadOS when it comes to matching a traditional laptop's productivity, it may be worth the splurge for enthusiasts who want greater performance capacity; more base storage at 128GB; a brighter display with a noticeably smoother 120 Hz refresh rate; slightly better mics, cameras, and speakers; and Thunderbolt connectivity in its USB-C port, among other upgrades. And while this newest mode is a definite upgrade over the 3rd-gen Air, it's not so much better that it
demands
an upgrade.
Further Reading
iPad (2020) micro-review: Battle-tested and more than fast enough
All that said, the 4th-gen iPad Air is still a commendable tablet, especially with a $100 discount. It has a more modern iPad design than its predecessor, with squared-off edges, thinner bezels, no Home button, Touch ID built into the power button, and the usual high-quality aluminum and glass enclosure that is expected from an Apple tablet. The device is relatively thin (6.1 mm) and light (458 g) as well. The 10.9-inch display is excellent, with a sharp 2360x1640 resolution, a rated 500 nits of brightness, full lamination, and an anti-reflective coating that helps it resist fingerprints and glare.
Further Reading
Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro mini-review: A vast improvement
Its A14 Bionic chip is more than powerful enough to run all sorts of games, apps, and productivity software. It uses the more universally accepted USB-C for charging and connectivity, it's
compatible with Wi-Fi 6
, and it works with
Apple's latest-gen Pencil stylus
and the
great-if-obscenely-expensive Magic Keyboard
. Its 12-megapixel, 4K-capable rear camera is better than that of the 3rd-gen Air, while its 7-megapixel front-facing camera is far superior to the grainier 1.2-megapixel unit on the 8th-gen iPad. Battery life is rated at up to 10 hours, though that'll vary depending on how bright you have the display and how much video streaming or gaming you do.
The Air's storage situation is its biggest downside, as 64GB might not be enough for more involved work, and the 256GB model is the only upgrade available. If you need more space than the entry-level model but don't need as much as 256GB, opting for the 128GB 11-inch iPad Pro might be worth it. But if you can live with 64GB for stashing all your games and documents, the iPad Air is a major upgrade over the entry-level iPad and should be a more attractive proposition at this deal price.
If you aren't interested in a new iPad, we have plenty more deals, all of which you can find in our curated roundup below.
Table of Contents
Featured deals of the day
Laptop and desktop PC deals
Electronics deals
Smart home device deals
Video game deals
Gaming deals
Note: Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through
affiliate programs
.
Advertisement
Featured deals of the day
10.9-inch Apple iPad Air
(64GB) tablet for $499.99 at Amazon and
Best Buy
(normally $550)
Further Reading
Guidemaster: Ars tests and picks the best e-readers for every budget
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
(8GB, ads) ebook reader for $84.99 at Amazon (normally $130)
: The Kindle Paperwhite is getting a bit long in the tooth at this point, but it has
long been a favorite of ours
for those looking for a general-purpose ebook reader. This deal is $5 off the lowest price we've tracked, which we last saw during Amazon's Prime Day sale in June.
Further Reading
The best accessories and MagSafe gear for your new iPhone 12
Anker PowerLine II
(6ft) USB-C to Lightning cable for $11.55 at Amazon (normally $17)
: Here's a nice deal for those in need of a spare USB-C to Lightning cable for fast-charging their iPhone or iPad. Anker's PowerLine II is a sturdy and
MFi-certified
charging cord
we've recommended in the past
. This deal is about $2 off the lowest price we've tracked but is still below the six-foot model's usual going rate.
Further Reading
Review:
Skyward Sword HD
isn’t the 35th Zelda birthday gift we’d hoped for
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD
(Switch) for $49.94 at Amazon,
Walmart
, and
GameStop
(normally $60)
: To be candid, we
were not super impressed
by the visual upgrades made to this Switch remaster of Nintendo's
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
, but if you never had a chance to play the
original Wii game
and still want to give it a shot, this launch-week $10 discount might make it an easier sell.
Enlarge
/
Here's the iPad Air with Apple's Magic Keyboard and trackpad, which doesn't come included with the tablet.
Samuel Axon
Further Reading
Ars Technica’s ultimate board game gift guide, 2019 edition
Dice Forge
board game for $23.80 at Amazon (normally $29)
: We've
recommended
Dice Forge
in previous board game buying guides, calling the engine-building game "terrific family entertainment" and praising its overall presentation. This deal comes within a couple of dollars of the lowest price we've tracked on Amazon.
Further Reading
8Bitdo Pro 2 gamepad review: A $50 bargain for cool features, killer performance
8Bitdo SN30 Pro+
(SN Edition) Bluetooth gamepad for Switch, PC, iOS, and Android for $42.50 at Amazon (normally $48)
: We
heaped praise
onto the
$50 8Bitdo Pro 2
in our review this past April, but availability for the new wireless gamepad has been spotty over the past few months. If you don't mind sacrificing some functionality to pay a bit less, the previous-gen SN30 Pro+ lacks the Pro 2's customizable back buttons and a few subtler comfort upgrades but remains a
versatile gamepad
in its own right. Either way, you're getting a major upgrade over the Switch's default Joy-Cons. This deal is within $3 of the lowest price we've tracked.
Further Reading
Apple’s new AirPods Max over-ear headphones cost $549
Apple AirPods Max
Bluetooth noise-canceling headphones for $454.99 at Amazon and
Best Buy
(normally $549)
: As we
noted in a previous Dealmaster
, it will take a much bigger deal to make Apple's AirPods Max an out-and-out good value. For those with cash to burn, though, the Max's design, out-of-the-box sound quality, and active noise cancelation are arguably superior to that of
Sony's Ars favorite WH-1000XM4
. This one-day deal marks a new all-time low.
Enlarge
/
The MacBook Air runs on Apple's powerful and efficient M1 chip.
Lee Hutchinson
Laptop and desktop PC deals
Apple MacBook Air
(2020) laptop—Apple M1, 13.3-inch 2560x1600, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD for
$899
at Amazon and
Best Buy
(normally $960).
Apple MacBook Air
(2020) laptop—Apple M1, 13.3-inch 2560x1600, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD for
$1,099
at Amazon (normally $1,165).
Lenovo Chromebook Duet
2-in-1 Chrome OS tablet—MediaTek Helio 60T, 10.1-inch 1920x1200, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC for
$229.99
at Staples (normally $280).
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 $390).
27-inch Gigabyte M27Q
gaming monitor—2560x1440, IPS, 170 Hz, FreeSync for
$309.99
at Amazon and
Best Buy
(normally $330).
27-inch ViewSonic VX2758-2KP-MHD
gaming monitor—2560x1440, IPS, 144 Hz, FreeSync for
$249.99
at B&H (normally $300).
32-inch Dell S3221QS
curved monitor—3840x2160, VA, 60 Hz, FreeSync for
$349.99
at Dell and
Amazon
(normally $385).
SK Hynix Gold S31
(1TB) 2.5-inch SATA Gen 3 internal SSD for
$89.24
at Amazon (normally $105).
Enlarge
/
Apple's AirPods Pro are effective noise-canceling true wireless earbuds.
Jeff Dunn
Electronics deals
10.9-inch Apple iPad Air
(64GB) tablet for
$499.99
at Amazon and
Best Buy
(normally $550).
10.9-inch Apple iPad Air
(256GB) tablet for
$649.99
at Amazon and
Best Buy
(normally $699).
Apple AirPods Pro
true wireless noise-canceling earphones for
$189.99
at Amazon,
Walmart
, and
Best Buy
(normally $200).
Apple AirPods Max
Bluetooth noise-canceling headphones for
$454.99
at Amazon and
Best Buy
(normally $549).
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
(8GB, ads) ebook reader for
$84.99
at Amazon (normally $130).
Jabra Elite 75t
(Gold Beige) true wireless noise-canceling earbuds for
$112.99
at Amazon and
Best Buy
(normally $135).
Jabra Elite 85t
true wireless noise-canceling earbuds for
$179.99
at Amazon (normally $215).
Beats Flex
Bluetooth in-ear headphones for
$39
at Amazon and
Walmart
(normally $45).
Logitech MX Master 3
wireless office mouse for
$79.99
at Staples (use code:
97085
—normally $100).
Logitech MX Keys for Mac
wireless keyboard for
$79.99
at Staples (use code:
97085
—normally $100).
Enlarge
/
Amazon's waterproof Kindle Paperwhite.
Valentina Palladino
Anker PowerLine II
(6ft) USB-C to Lightning cable for
$11.55
at Amazon (normally $17).
Roku Express 4K+
4K HDR media streamer for
$29
at Amazon and
Target
(normally $37).
Apple TV 4K
(32GB) 4K HDR media streamer for
$169
at Amazon,
Walmart
, and
Sam's Club
(normally $179).
Apple Siri Remote
(2nd gen) for Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD for
$49.97
at Verizon (normally $59).
Fitbit Charge 4
activity tracker for
$99.95
at Amazon and
Target
(normally $115).
Fitbit Versa 3
fitness smartwatch for
$198.95
at Amazon,
Walmart
, and
Target
(normally $220).
Sony Alpha 7 II
(body only) full-frame mirrorless camera for
$898
at Amazon (normally $1,355).
DJI Osmo Mobile 3
handheld smartphone gimbal for
$79
at Amazon and
Walmart
(normally $99).
Amazon Kindle Unlimited
6-month membership for
$47.86
at Amazon (24-month for
$143.80
, 12-month for
$80.30
—normally $60).
Enlarge
/
Roku's latest budget-level 4K media streamer, the Roku Express 4K+.
Roku
Smart home device deals
Amazon eero 6
(3-pack) dual-band mesh Wi-Fi 6 router for
$226
at Best Buy (add three routers in cart—normally $349).
Eufy Smart Scale P1
wireless digital scale for
$29.99
at Amazon (normally $40).
TP-Link Kasa HS210
3-way smart Wi-Fi light switch for
$16.61
at Amazon (normally $21).
TP-Link Kasa KP303
smart Wi-Fi 3-outlet power strip for
$22.79
at Amazon (normally $26).
TP-Link Kasa HS300
smart Wi-Fi 6-outlet power strip for
$49.99
at Amazon (normally $54).
Enlarge
/
The recently released
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD
remake for the Nintendo Switch.
Video game deals
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD
(Switch) for
$49.94
at Amazon,
Walmart
, and
GameStop
(normally $60).
Persona 5 Strikers
(Switch,
PS4
) for
$34.99
at Amazon (normally $45).
Monster Hunter Rise
(Switch) for
$49.49
at Amazon and
Target
(normally $58).
Super Mario Odyssey
(Switch) for
$39.99
at GameStop and
Best Buy
(normally $46).
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
(Switch) for
$40.99
at Amazon and
Best Buy
(normally $48).
Catherine: Full Body
(Switch) for
$14.99
at GameStop (normally $35).
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
(Switch) for
$14.99
at Nintendo eShop (normally $30).
Immortals Fenyx Rising
(Switch,
PS5
,
PS4
,
Xbox
) for
$24.99
at Amazon and
GameStop
(normally $33).
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster
(Switch) for
$15
at GameStop (normally $33).
Enlarge
/
The remastered action-RPG collection
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
.
BioWare / EA
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
(PS4,
Xbox
) for
$44.99
at Amazon,
Microsoft
, and
Best Buy
(normally $60).
Persona 5 Royal
(PS4) for
$24.99
at Amazon and
Best Buy
(normally $50).
Nier Replicant Ver.1.22474487139...
(PS4,
Xbox
) for
$39.99
at Amazon and
Best Buy
(normally $60).
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition
(PS5) for
$49.99
at PlayStation Direct (normally $70).
Demon's Souls
(PS5) for
$49.94
at Walmart (normally $70).
Judgment
(PS5,
Xbox Series
) for
$24.99
at Amazon,
Best Buy
, and
GameStop
(normally $35).
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
(PS4,
Xbox
) for
$24.99
at Best Buy,
Amazon
, and
GameStop
(also on Game Pass—normally $40).
Dark Souls III: The Fire Fades Edition
(PS4) for
$14.88
at Amazon (normally $20).
Enlarge
/
Persona 5 Royal
is an enhanced version of the acclaimed and super-stylish JRPG with new characters and additional content.
Atlus
The Yakuza Remastered Collection
(PS4) for
$24.99
at Amazon and
Best Buy
(includes three games—normally $50).
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
(PS4) for
$24.99
at Best Buy (in-store pickup only—normally $45).
Dishonored & Prey: The Arkane Collection
(PS4,
Xbox
) for
$21.99
at Amazon and
Best Buy
(includes four games—normally $44).
Scarlet Nexus
(PS5,
PS4
,
Xbox
) for
$49.94
at Amazon and
GameStop
(normally $60).
Metro Exodus: Complete Edition
(PS5) for
$29.99
at Amazon (normally $40).
Subnautica: Below Zero
(PS5,
PS4
) for
$24.99
at Amazon and
GameStop
(normally $30).
Shadow of the Colossus
(PS4) for
$9.99
at PlayStation Store (normally $20).
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt—Complete Edition
(PS4) for
$9.99
at PlayStation Store (normally $35).
Hitman 3
(PS4, used) for
$21.99
at GameFly (normally $50).
Enlarge
/
Our review of dodgeball game
Knockout City
called it one of the best team-deathmatch games in years.
EA / Velan
Knockout City
(Xbox) for
$12.99
at Microsoft (also on Game Pass—normally $20).
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
(Xbox) for
$15.99
at Microsoft (also on Game Pass—normally $30).
Titanfall 2
(Xbox) for
$3.99
at Microsoft (also on Game Pass—normally $10).
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
(Xbox) for
$14.99
at Amazon,
Best Buy
, and
GameStop
(
Switch version for
$20
—normally $23).
Batman: Return to Arkham
(Xbox) for
$4.99
at Microsoft (normally $20).
Control: Ultimate Edition
(PC) for
$15.99
at Steam (normally $40).
Blasphemous
(PC) for
$8.49
at Fanatical,
Green Man Gaming
, and
GOG
(normally $25).
Max Payne 3
(PC) for
$6.99
at Steam (normally $20).
Chrono Trigger
(PC) for
$7.49
at Green Man Gaming (normally $15).
Final Fantasy VIII Remastered
(PC) for
$10
at Green Man Gaming (normally $20).
Enlarge
/
8Bitdo's SN30 Pro+ wireless game controller.
Jeff Dunn
Gaming deals
8Bitdo SN30 Pro+
(SN Edition) Bluetooth gamepad for Switch, PC, iOS, and Android for
$42.50
at Amazon (normally $48).
8Bitdo SN30 Pro
(SN Edition) Bluetooth retro gamepad for Switch, PC, iOS, and Android for
$38.20
at Amazon (normally $45).
Microsoft Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2
wireless gamepad for Xbox, PC, iOS, and Android for
$159
at GameStop (discount seen at checkout—normally $180).
Microsoft Xbox Wireless Controller
(Carbon Black) for Xbox, PC, iOS, and Android for
$49.99
at Microsoft,
Amazon
, and
GameStop
(normally $55).
Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
for
$59
at Amazon and
GameStop
(discount seen in cart—normally $65).
Hori Split Pad Pro
handheld game controller for Nintendo Switch for
$39.99
at Amazon and
Walmart
(normally $50).
Enlarge
/
Dice Forge
is an engine-building board game we've recommended in the past.
Ars Technica
HyperX Cloud Alpha
gaming headset for
$69.99
at Amazon and
GameStop
(normally $87).
Razer BlackWidow TE Chroma v2
tenkeyless mechanical gaming keyboard—Razer Orange, Razer Green, or Razer Yellow switches for
$69.99
at Amazon (normally $90).
AtGames Legends Ultimate
arcade cabinet—24-inch display, includes
300 preinstalled games
for
$499.98
at Sam's Club (normally $600).
Dice Forge
board game for
$23.80
at Amazon (normally $29).
Pandemic
board game for
$16
at Amazon (normally $30).
Codenames
board game for
$10.89
at Amazon (normally $14).
