Tag: black friday deals

I made a joke earlier this week in my family group chat that everybody was getting $2 and a macaroni picture frame for Christmas. But seriously, have you seen those grocery store prices? I’m shopping for 20 people, and my bank account is already wincing. Luckily, with these Cyber Monday deals under $50, holiday shopping doesn’t have to be pricey. We’ve rounded up deals on affordable tested-and-approved gear so you can get your shopping done without crying afterward. Make sure you check out our live Cyber Monday deals tracker here.

WIRED Featured Deals

Tech and Gaming Deals

Photograph: Simon Hill

For under $20, this Arlo camera streams crisp 1080p video straight to your smartphone and even includes motion detection alerts and two-way communication to check in on pets. Whether mounted on a wall or tucked on a shelf, it’s also a stealthy security spy. With an $8/month subscription, you’ll also get extra features like cloud storage. It’s peace of mind (and one of our favorite indoor security cameras) on a budget. —Boutayna Chokrane

The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is a small upgrade with a game-changing payoff. An intuitive interface, customizable home screen, and access to a variety of free channels—what more could you ask for? No wonder it is our favorite Roku device and overall streaming device. —Boutayna Chokrane

Photograph: Logitech

Logitech’s G203 Corded Gaming Mouse has six programmable buttons, a quick DPI switch, and RGB lighting. Contributor Brad Bourque says that the only downside is a relatively low max DPI, though, that shouldn’t be a deal-breaker for most users. and for under $40, it makes a nice upgrade from a non-gaming mouse or a backup option for LAN parties. —Boutayna Chokrane

The 8BitDo Ultimate controller is one of the best game controllers for gamers on PC and Nintendo Switch. With five buttons on the front, a pair of rear paddles, and Bluetooth support, it’s a versatile alternative to the Switch Pro. Reviewer Simon Hill also notes that its software allows users to customize the buttons, sensitivity, macros, and vibration intensity. It also comes with a charging dock and a 2.4-GHz dongle for lag-free play. —Boutayna Chokrane

Few USB webcams can match the Logitech C920 Pro’s quality, and at $50—half its usual price—it’s a bargain. With crisp 1080p and autofocus, it works great for video calls and streaming. Its white color balance is similar to the Razer webcam, and while the 78-degree field of view can be a bit tight, it just requires manual adjustments. It’s also missing a privacy shutter, but for a high-performing webcam, this is an unbeatable price. —Boutayna Chokrane

Photograph: Nena Farrell

The Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) is truly tiny yet powerful. It’s the Alexa smart speaker I always have set up somewhere in my house, even if I’m testing other voice assistants. This smart speaker might only be a few inches tall, but its audio quality can almost rival the larger Echos. The small footprint makes it easy to add almost anywhere in your home. —Nena Farrell

The Echo Pop (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is the cheapest Amazon Echo speaker on a normal day, and it’s the only one you’ll find for under $20 this Cyber Monday. It’s downright adorable, with a half-moon shape and a couple of fun colors you won’t find in other Amazon speakers. It’s not the most impressive speaker—no surprise with the smaller form factor it has—but it’s not bad for the price, you’ll get all the usual features of a smart speaker. If for some reason you want two of them, some Amazon customers can get an additional $5 off with the code POP2PACK. —Nena Farrell

If you watch mainly Amazon Prime content, the Fire TV Stick is the streaming device you need. You can stream from any service, of course, but it’s heavily geared toward the company’s own content. This 4K Max is faster, with 16 gigabytes of storage versus eight, but if you want to spend less and stay in the Amazon ecosystem, the 4K Stick is on sale for $22 ($27 off).

Photograph: Amazon

The Echo Show 5 is typically overpriced at $90, but the deal price of $40 matches the best we have tracked. Just keep in mind that it goes on sale quite frequently. We prefer the Echo Show 10 for its larger size, but the smaller footprint of the Echo Show 5 is good for a nightstand or tiny kitchen.

This owl- or dragon-patterned, Alexa-powered smart speaker is our favorite speaker for kids, and it opens up a world of music, audiobooks, and kid-friendly content. You get a year of Amazon Kids+ (usually $3 per month), it’s easy to configure via the parent dashboard, and it can serve as a regular Bluetooth speaker. Just bear in mind that it is internet-connected and has a microphone.

Photograph: Nomad

This little USB-C to USB-C cable goes on your keychain, and if you’re ever in a situation where you need power, well, now you always have a cable on you! Just hope there’s a USB-C power source somewhere nearby. The two zinc cable ends magnetically stick together and can carry up to 60 watts, which can even slowly juice up a MacBook Pro. The Lightning to USB-C version is also on sale if you have an older iPhone. Read our Nomad Cyber Monday Sale roundup for more Nomad goodies.

Need a cheap pair of earbuds to not think too much about? Look no further than the Go Air Pop, which are utterly usable earbuds that cost less than $20 this Cyber Monday. I like keeping a pair in my car or gym bag for when I forget to bring nicer buds with me and still want music. —Parker Hall

Soundcore’s Space A40 earbuds (8/10, WIRED Recommends) are getting older and probably not wiser, but they’re still a great pair of buds at bargain basement pricing. They offer decent noise canceling and transparency mode, lively sound with impressive stereo spacing, and a stylish design that makes them look more pricey than they cost. You’ll find a fit that’s comfy enough for long listening sessions and plenty of the spoils in flagship buds at a fraction of the cost. Their one glaring omission is auto-pause sensors, and their touch sensors aren’t the most responsive, either. Those points aside, these buds are easy to love and even easier on your wallet. —Ryan Waniata

Photograph: TriBit

The WIRED Gear team battles over who gets to review each generation of this adorable Bluetooth speaker because it’s just so handy. A tiny little rubber strap lets you attach it to everything from handlebars to backpacks. It sounds shockingly good for its size, too, and a rugged IP67 rating means you don’t need to worry if it takes a spill. —Parker Hall

This is a great deal on one of JBL’s best Bluetooth speakers. The perfect shower speaker does much more than belt out your morning tunes. Its titular clip makes it easy to bring camping, attach it to your bike, or even clip it on your belt buckle as you clean up your yard or take the dog for a spin. The sound is full and surprisingly warm, with good detail and more bass than most pint-size rivals. Other features include 12 hours of battery (or 15 hours with the battery saver mode) and JBL’s handy app for adjusting the sound or connecting with other JBL models. —Ryan Waniata

These classic wired headphones have been in style since the moment they came out decades ago. The cool metal headband meets molded plastic earcups with vintage-style foam ear coverings, making these the best headphones ever to play with your CD or cassette player. —Parker Hall

I was initially skeptical of Disney Dreamlight Valley, but now it’s one of my favorite cozy games. It’s fantastic on the Nintendo Switch as well as other consoles. You’ll run around doing the typical life-sim video game activities: mining gemstones, fishing, growing crops, and changing your outfit. The game features a whole host of characters from Disney and Pixar media, but the storyline is surprisingly grown-up and touching. It’s a great game for playing during these colder months. This version comes with bonus cosmetics.

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

Apple’s latest version of its wireless charger now has a much longer cable (more than 6 feet!) so you can keep wirelessly charging your iPhone a decent distance from the wall. It’s not going to charge as fast as plugging into the device, but then again, you also don’t have to plug anything into the device. —Julian Chokkattu

I swear there’s some sort of law of the universe that makes it impossible to find a wall adapter when I need one. I have about 38 cables for every wall adapter. This tiny Anker Nano takes up exactly one slot—it’s not oversized and it doesn’t get in the way when using a multi-outlet wall port or power strip. The 30-watt adapter also has a folding plug for even easier storage. And it comes in pretty colors! We also like this 45-watt charger, and it’s just $3 more.

This is our top portable charger recommendation, It has a 10,000-mAh capacity so it can juice up your phone almost twice, it’s compact, and the built-in lanyard is a nice touch. —Julian Chokkattu

If you’re looking for an affordable, good-quality security camera, the Blink Mini 2 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of our favorites, and it’s half off right now. There are so many good-quality, affordable security cameras on the market, and the Blink Mini 2 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of our favorites. There’s a $3 per month or $30 per year subscription that gets you a generous 60-day unlimited cloud video history. —Nena Farrell

Accessory Deals

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

Did you know you can use your iPhone as a webcam? But you need a handy place to put the iPhone. This is a great little accessory to have around. Attach the mount to your iPhone and you’ll have a kickstand or phone grip, and you can pop out a section that lets you mount the iPhone to your MacBook. Combine the feature with Continuity Camera (instructions for setup can be found here) and you’ll be able to drastically improve the quality of your video compared to your laptop’s built-in webcam.

This is one of our favorite iPad accessories, but it’s also nice for things like the Nintendo Switch or an e-reader as well as your phone. Clamp the gooseneck base onto a nightstand, table, or headboard, and you can mount your tablet or other device any way you please. I used to use a mount like this for filming overhead-style calligraphy videos, but it’d also be nice to have around for long binge-watch sessions of Arcane. Reviewer Brenda Stolyar likes to use hers to follow recipes on her iPad while she’s cooking.

The Loop Experience 2 earplugs are some of our favorite gifts for new parents since they can help cut back on overstimulation. I wish I had had them in class when people wouldn’t stop clicking their pens and the words on my test would blur together. The earplugs slightly reduce noise while letting you hear what’s around you. If you need a bit of a break from your environment but still want to hear what’s going on, these can help smooth the edges and round the corners of reality.

Photograph: Louryn Strampe

These earplugs are one of my festival essentials, and they’re always in my purse just in case my Apple Watch yells at me for being in a loud environment. Unlike typical earplugs, these filter out damaging frequencies without muffling the sound. You’ll still be able to hear the music or the IMAX movie, but it won’t damage your delicate little eardrums. The outer silicone shell is soft and comfortable, with pull tabs for easy removal and adjustment. I also like the metal keychain case, which helps me keep track of these tiny, magical accessories.

The Plum Paper A5 Planner is a gorgeous, customizable planner that lets you add themed pages to complement your life. Whether you want pages for meal planning, fitness tracking, or journaling your baby’s growth, Plum Paper has it all. Those baby-related add-ons are why it’s my paper planner pick for parents. (It will cost around $5 to $10 extra.) Plum Paper also has a ton of gorgeous sticker packs to order, from seasonal to fitness or baby themes. You can get custom stickers, too, which is fun. It’s a great planner if you want something specific to your life—my copy has a section just for my son!—and you can get your own for 30 percent off right now. —Nena Farrell

Dbrand’s Grip case has topped a few of our case guides, and you can customize it further with a skin (there are dozens to choose from). There’s even a sick new glow-in-the-dark skin (the company just sent it to me but I haven’t had a chance to install it). The company’s Cyber Monday sale encompasses skins for all kinds of products, so check it out. You’ll find lots of things for under $50. —Julian Chokkattu

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

It makes no sense to spend hundreds of dollars on a new iPhone, just to let it out in the world totally exposed. We suggest putting a Smartish screen protector on it. Reviews editor Julian Chokkattu also likes the tidy cable wrangler.—Adrienne So

It’s hard to pick just one thing from Moft’s sitewide sale because we like pretty much all of the company’s origami-inspired accessories. However, reviews editor Julian Chokkattu loves the Notepad Case, and I use the little folding wallet stand every day to read or FaceTime people on my phone while I’m eating breakfast. Use code BF10 to take $10 off $50 purchases.—Adrienne So

Photograph: Brenda Stolyar

Sure, you can use Apple Wallet to pay for everything, but it’s a good idea to still have a card on you (not to mention your ID). This is one of our favorite MagSafe wallets, which will magnetically stick to the back of any iPhone 12 and newer (except the iPhone SE). The cards are easy to push out and it can hold around three cards comfortably. —Julian Chokkattu

Home and Outdoor Deals

Photograph: OXO

The Oxo Compact Cold Brew Maker is reviewer Matthew Korfhage’s favorite cold brew maker. The mesh filter ensures a grit-free pour every time, and it brews rich coffee. Korfhage says the Oxo is the closest he gets to the best packaged or café cold brew. —Boutayna Chokrane

Here’s a gift for the premium coffee lover in your life: A vacuum container big enough for a coffee bag that’ll preserve flavor on fancy beans a lot longer. Just drop in the bag of coffee, then twist the handle on the pump to remove all air. The beans will await, perfectly in stasis. —Matthew Korfhage

WIRED staffers love the Secura French Press Coffee Maker for two main reasons. For one, it’s stainless steel and insulated, meaning it’s built to last and will keep drinks at optimal temperatures for hours. And two, no power cords required, so it’s outdoor-friendly. —Boutayna Chokrane

Bestinnkits’ Smart Coffee Warmer keeps your beverage toasty at about 130 degrees without any fancy apps. Simply set a flat-bottomed mug on it, and it’ll warm automatically; lift it off and it shuts down. This is perfect for slow sippers who hate lukewarm coffee, and for $20, it’s a brilliant holiday gift for your caffeinated loved ones. —Boutayna Chokrane

Photograph: Amazon

This egg cooker fluctuates in price, but this is an especially good deal. It was featured in our “Buy It for Life” guide, where WIRED reviewer Julian Chokkattu says his wife loves this little countertop appliance. Their unit has been going strong for four years. It can make eggs in basically every way except fried. Poaching? Soft-boiling? Hard-boiling? It can handle those and even make omelets. Plus it looks cute on the counter, which helps justify any space it might take up. —Louryn Strampe

We think ThermoWorks’ Thermapen One is the best instant-read thermometer but the ThermoPop is a great budget option. It’s not as fast as the Thermapen One, but it’s still quick and the large, back-lit, auto-rotating screen is easy to read. It’s waterproof, and accurate to plus or minus one degree. —Scott Gilbertson

We like this budget-friendly food dehydrator and think it offers the best bang for your buck out of all the models we tested. The stackable BPA-free plastic rings are a little bulky and awkward to fit in the dishwasher, but everything we dehydrated dried evenly. If you don’t want to spend a ton of money on a food dehydrator but want one that works efficiently, this is a model worth checking out.

Photograph: Jordan Michelman

This is a solid discount on our favorite wine opener. WIRED contributor Jordan Michelman says the opener feels good in your hand, it has a sharp knife, and it’s easy to pack away and store. The opener is usually pretty affordable, but why not save some money if you can? —Louryn Strampe

Whenever I have unexpected company, I break out the Chom Chom. It’s a necessity in my household due to the sheer fluffiness of my cat. Seriously, I don’t know how one tiny creature can have so much fur, nor how they can so consistently transfer it to all of my upholstered surfaces. But it’s fine because all I have to do is roll this gadget back and forth across my couch a few times to thoroughly de-fluff it. It’s fast, it’s efficient, and it’s easy to clean out once it’s full. —Louryn Strampe

This LifeStraw was a staple in our outdoorsy gift guide for years. While we replaced it this year, the product is still a great way to filter out bacteria, microplastics, and other contaminants. You can even screw it onto a water bottle instead of using it to slurp out of a stream. Any preppers would likely love to get this gift for the holidays, but for $19, it’s a solid addition to your go-bag if you (like me) are scared of the zombie apocalypse but doing nothing to prepare for one. —Louryn Strampe

The Travelrest Nest Ultimate Travel Pillow (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is about as good as it gets. The high, firm sides will keep your neck supported, and the flat back helps keep your spine aligned. We also like the soft, machine-washable microfiber cover. —Louryn Strampe

Photograph: Home Depot

This inexpensive kit is full of our favorite drill bits. The black oxide coating both reduces friction and resists rust, and the drill bits can handle wood, metal, plastics, wallboard, and fiberglass. These go on sale frequently, but this is still a good Cyber Monday deal, especially if you’re picking up the discounted DeWalt drill that we also recommend. —Louryn Strampe

Smart plugs are pretty darn cool. Anything becomes a smart device with their help—just plug in and bam—you can remotely control it. The Kasa Smart Plug Mini is one of our favorite smart plugs since it’s nice and small, making it easy to use without blocking a neighboring outlet. Use the app to make routines and scenes like you would smart lights, so that your house comes to life for you, or to act like you’re home when you aren’t. Buy one on sale, or score an entire four-pack on sale and deck out the house. —Nena Farrell

This is a great little lamp that can transform the vibe of a room. All you have to do is plug it in and aim it toward the wall. It produces a halo-like effect with rainbow colors that make the space feel nice and cozy. (For a sunrise, check out our Best Sunrise Alarm Clocks guide.) It comes with a short cord though, so you’ll have to plug it into a power strip if you want it in a specific spot. I’d also make sure not to place it anywhere that someone can accidentally knock it over. —Brenda Stolyar

Photograph: Pete Cottell

Coffee can be hot or cold, but it should never be tepid. Brother, eugh. This little hockey puck will heat up any flat-bottomed mug that’s placed on top of it. Set down your coffee and the gadget will heat up to 131 degrees Fahrenheit. That means you can use it to warm up your beverage or for less caffeinated tasks such as warming candles. It’ll automatically shut off once the object is removed. It makes a great gift for coffee enthusiasts.

Stasher makes fantastic reusable products, and this is a nice way to dip your toes in before buying a full set (though starter kits are on sale as well). The bags are dishwasher- and microwave-safe, and most importantly, they’re not made of single-use plastic. They’re still resealable and convenient, but they don’t create more garbage every time you use them.

The CrunchCup is a tumbler, but not for coffee—instead, it holds both cereal and milk separately so you can enjoy your cereal on the go without worrying about it getting soggy. There’s a bit of a learning curve, and WIRED reviewer Kat Merck recommends small, spherical cereal like Cheerios for the best experience. It comes in a handful of fun colors to shop while it’s on sale. —Nena Farrell

Photograph: Boutayna Chokrane

If you’re in the market for a new water bottle, the Owala has been our favorite to shop for a while, and the FreeSip (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is now at the top of our Best Reusable Water Bottles guide. It’ll keep your drink nice and fold, and can drink from either the built-in straw or the chug spout. There are a ton of cute colors, most of which are on sale, and a newer twist-cap version. —Nena Farrell

This chic organizer is our favorite toiletry bag for women for a reason. From the handy compartments to the water-resistant section to pack your liquids, it’s a great bag to keep everything organized and safely travel with it. It’s got a wire top that stays open and retains its shape, and the material quality is great. It’s on the large size compared with other Dopp kits, but that means you can definitely store everything you want to in this kit. If you need even more space, Beis’ Cosmetic Case, another Gear team favorite, is 30 percent off. —Nena Farrell

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

This is our current favorite doggie water bottle. It’s adorable, and from the same company that brought you the viral doggie backpack. This bottle can lay flat on the ground, or you can hold it as your pup drinks from the trench. Press the button for the liquid to go back into the bottle. I haven’t seen it leak one bit yet. —Julian Chokkattu

Health and Beauty Deals

Photograph: Wyze

This is one of the few smart scales we recommend. It supports up to eight individual profiles, and there are modes for babies, luggage, and pets to track weight without messing up your stats. The scale can also track metrics like muscle mass, visceral fat, and basic metabolic rate measurements if you install the companion app on your smartphone. —Louryn Strampe

Note that the $12 price is if you choose “Subscribe & Save,” which you can modify or cancel after the first product ships; otherwise, you’ll pay $1 more. If a washcloth and a makeup remover wipe had a softer, faster-drying baby, that would be the MakeUp Eraser. The microfiber cloth is one of our favorite reusable products. Wet it with water, run it over your face, and be amazed at how your mascara, smoky eyeshadow, and eyebrows disappear in one fell swoop. (Sorry to call you out like that.) Afterward, you’ll want to cleanse again, but the Makeup Eraser is one of the fastest and easiest ways to start your skincare routine. Even on nights that I forget to take care of my skin, at least I’m not sleeping in my makeup anymore. Most of the time. —Louryn Strampe

The Comin’ In Hot dryer is one of our favorite blow dryers, mainly because it doesn’t sacrifice its performance for affordability. It also comes with a concentrator nozzle, and additional attachments are sold separately. —Boutayna Chokrane

I know it’s a dollar over $50, but this deal is worth bending the rules. It’s the most versatile Theragun alternative we’ve tried, and it’s usually really difficult to get a powerful percussive massager for this darn cheap. It comes with a whopping eight attachments to focus on your problem areas, plus a carrying case to keep them all corralled.

Toy Deals

Photograph: Amazon

Magna-Tiles may be expensive (a little less expensive now), but the return on investment is just staggering. We bought our daughter’s first set when she was 2 or 3 and enjoyed making little 2D ice cream cones or hats. Now she’s 9 and can make full villages for stuffed animals in the course of an afternoon. There are also a ton of different themed sets (also on sale) if you need more specialized pieces for race courses or jungles. —Adrienne So

A firm WIRED favorite and one of the best family board games, Ticket to Ride features steam engine styling and rules that are easy to grasp. All you must do is claim railway routes across the US and Canada using your colorful plastic rail cars. Spend cards to claim routes, rack up bonus points for connecting specific destinations, and the person with the highest score at the end wins. All aboard, choo, choo! —Simon Hill

Inspired by the Royal Palace of Evora in Portugal, with its Moorish blue-and-white ceramic tiles, this board game challenges you to make mosaics by matching tiles with different patterns and colors to amass the maximum possible score. One of the best family board games for all tastes, Azul is easy to grasp but supports many tactical approaches and has surprising depth. The beautiful tiles and other components are high quality, and filling your board is deeply satisfying. Play moves quickly, and you can complete a game in less than an hour, but you will probably want to play again immediately. —Simon Hill

Photograph: Amazon

Start with a randomly generated map of hexagonal tiles in this addictive family board game, and gather and trade resources to develop your civilization and win. Amassing enough victory points requires a smart strategy and some dice-rolling luck. Catan is easy to get the hang of and only takes around an hour to finish. Players can trade freely, but the robber mechanic can cause arguments, so set some ground rules. The modular randomization makes for excellent replay value, and there are expansions and spin-offs to further complicate the gameplay. This game is for three or four players aged 10 years and up. —Simon Hill

This cat-themed card game is easy to pick up and perfect for a quick game. The aim is to avoid exploding kitten cards by wielding a comical cast of cats with special powers. Timing and strategy are essential to get the best of your opponents. This fun card game appears in our Best Family Board Games guide. The countless expansion packs are worth trying if it’s a hit with your family. —Simon Hill

This adorable Lego set makes for a great White Elephant gift thanks to its affordable price point and beautiful design that could fit into any home, even if they aren’t a major Lego fan. It’s also well designed to do as a duo, since each half of the centerpiece is built separately and then combined. My husband and I built this together for Valentine’s Day together one year, and it’s one of my favorite date nights we’ve ever had. —Nena Farrell

Photograph: Simon Hill

One of the best family board games for larger groups, Herd Mentality is all about writing down the same answer as everyone else. If you agree with the majority of players on the best pizza topping, Disney movie, or the smallest animal that could carry your weight, you win a cow token. Eight tokens win the game, but if you are the odd one out, you get the pink cow of doom. It’s funny and easy to play with any group. —Simon Hill

Tacto is an app with physical pieces that convert your iPad, Android, or Fire tablet into a game board. With Tacto Chess, your kids can learn the basics, from how the pieces move to strategies for victory. The animated app features friendly voice acting and stories, chess puzzles to solve, a move predictor, and your child can play against AI or another person. My kids had some fun with this when they were learning, and it helped them understand chess a little better. This appears in our Best STEM Toys for Kids guide. —Simon Hill

Cyber Monday is upon us once again, and that means great deals on all the gear you’ve been eyeing that seemed just a bit too pricey. Below we’ve rounded up our favorite Cyber Monday Best Buy deals, bringing the best of the store into your living room.

Now is the time to strike, so whether you’re after a sweet new screen, a smarter security camera, or any number of cool gadgets with a temptingly slashed price tag, you’ll find the perfect holiday shopping fare below.

Featured Deals

Laptop and MacBook Deals

Photograph: Lenovo

Do you think of a laptop as metal framing around a web browser? Consider a Chromebook. Google rolled out a big upgrade called Chromebook Plus in 2023. The “Plus” stands for better performance—faster processors, more memory, more storage, and better video cameras. Our favorite of the models we’ve tried is Lenovo’s Flex 5i Chromebook Plus (8/10, WIRED Recommends). It’s among the fastest Chromebooks we’ve tested for the money. It features a 3.75-GHz Intel Core i3-1315U CPU, 8 GB of RAM, and 128 GB of flash storage. —Scott Gilbertson

The first Intel-based Copilot+ PC is a winner on all fronts (7/10, WIRED Review), boasting outstanding AI and graphics performance and some of the best battery life we’ve ever seen on Intel hardware. With its slightly oddball 15.3-inch screen, it hits its high points and is hard to argue with at this price, though the fan is loud and the system may weigh you down more than you’d like. —Scott Gilbertson

The Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is the best-looking Chromebook you can buy. The beautiful white design stands out in a sea of gray slabs. The Core i5 CPU offers plenty of performance and can easily handle multiple tabs and app juggling. The webcam is nice too, much crisper than you’d expect for a sub-$500 laptop. The downside is there’s no backlit keyboard. —Scott Gilbertson

Photograph: Best Buy

This Chromebook (8/10, WIRED Recommends) got an honorable mention in our Best Laptops guide. It comes with a 15.6-inch (non-touch) display and a 12th-generation 3.85-GHz Intel Core i3-1215U processor that delivers an impressive boost in performance over its predecessor. In terms of storage, the entry-level model also comes with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of flash storage. You’ll also get two USB-C ports (with support for DisplayPort), one USB-A port, and an HDMI 1.4 output jack. It’s a good choice if you’re looking for a solid, affordable laptop that just packs the basics. —Scott Gilbertson

The stylish new MacBook Air (7/10, WIRED Recommends) isn’t a massive upgrade over last year, moving from the ultra-fast M2 chipset to the ultra-faster M3. That said, it’s an ample bump from older models, including the M1, offering an 8-core CPU that hums along with up to 60 tabs open in our testing. The computer is still short on ports, but can support up to two external displays at 6K and 5K resolutions simultaneously at a 60Hz refresh rate. Its battery life is hefty at around 15 hours per charge (or even a bit more) depending on your demands. This isn’t the top option for graphics-intensive work, but it’s a slick and speedy laptop for anyone with a basic workload (i.e. most of us).

TV and Audio Deals

Hisense U7N

Photograph: Ryan Waniata

Hisense’s U7N QLED TV (8/10, WIRED Recommends) sits atop our best TV list as the best option for most people thanks to the serious value it provides. You’ll get excellent brightness, striking quantum dot colors, and impressive black levels with minimal light bleed, or “blooming.” Videophiles may see some screen aberrations (aka the dirty screen effect) but it’s something most folks won’t notice in most scenarios. The U7N’s impressive performance is backed by great gaming features, including VRR (variable refresh rate) for gaming at up to 144Hz, and a breezy Google TV interface.

Bose’s new Smart Soundbar (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is a killer compact bar, updating the Smart Soundbar 600 with all new tricks. The biggest improvement is the bar’s new AI dialog mode, which brilliantly clarifies dialog and center channel information. Another new trick is the ability to add Bose’s Ultra Open Earbuds for personalized surround, which creates an almost AR effect. Apart from the new tricks, the bar offers impressive Dolby Atmos immersion with upfiring drivers and a balanced, musical sound profile. It’s not the bassiest bar in its price class, but features like Wi-Fi streaming and the ability to connect other Bose speakers later provide loads of value that let the system grow with your needs.

This baby Hisense isa Best Buy exclusive and e had not reviewed it until I bought it a few days ago as a Christmas gift to my mother who needed a TV that would fit in a specific space. I have been wowed by how good a TV this cheap can look—budget sets often tend to be too dark but Hisense is known for its blinding brightness at every tier—and the smart functions work just as well as they do on the Hisense I have that costs 15 times as much. —Martin Cizmar

Photograph: Apple

Apple’s AirPods Pro are the best earbuds for anyone with an iPhone. They offer excellent sound, great noise canceling, and advanced features like transparency mode that can suppress loud sounds so your ears don’t get blown out. The controls are brilliantly simple to use, and Apple continues to update the firmware to unlock innovations, including a new over-the-counter hearing aid option. With all that and more in a supremely light and comfy design, it’s no wonder these are the most popular buds (according to Apple) on the planet.

Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Max is one of the best streaming sticks available, especially for those who watch a lot of Amazon Prime Video TV shows and movies. The second-gen device provides plenty of apps, 16GB of storage, and Wi-Fi 6E support for ultra-fast streaming. Alexa fans will be particularly pleased thanks to features like built-in voice control and a picture-in-picture mode for supported security cameras.

Sonos’ Era 100 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is one the best-sounding smart speakers you can buy. It offers particularly impressive detail and balance, and more bass than you’d expect, not only serving but even elevating your catalog. Its smarts include voice control via Amazon Alexa and Sonos’ built-in voice assistant, and its network skills let you connect it with other Sonos speakers in a surround system or as part of a multi-room audio system. The Sonos app has had its troubles of late, but it seems to be back on track, providing simplified control and tons of usability. If you’re after a small and elegant speaker that sounds bigger than its size, the Era 100 is a top pick.

Photograph: Joseph Shin

Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra headphones (9/10, WIRED Recommends) are the best noise-canceling headphones you can buy. That’s a serious distinction given the competition, but nobody can strangle the sonic world around you quite like Bose’s current flagships. They match that feat with a posh and luxurious design, tactfully balanced sound, and loads of features. The only downside to these cans is their launch price of well over $400. With this sale, they may just be the best value in the genre right now.

Sonos may be the first name in smart speakers, but don’t sleep on JBL’s retro-styled Authentics 200 (9/10, WIRED Recommends). The speaker blends vintage looks with innovative smarts, including the ability to use Google Assistant and Alexa interchangeably for all sorts of tasks. Most importantly, the speaker serves up fabulous sound, with a rich and detailed midrange, crisp treble, and way more bass than you’d expect. This beauty was already awesome at full price, and with this latest deal, it’s a serious steal.

Roku’s streaming interface is so intuitive and convenient, the company finally went out on its own to create a line of TVs powered by its popular software. If you don’t have one of those, just grab this high-powered purveyor of all things Roku. This box makes everything easier, from grabbing virtually any app in existence to streaming over AirPlay 2 or Chromecast or watching your favorite show in any major flavor of HDR. If you’ve been looking for the easiest way to upgrade your TV experience, your search is over.

Photograph: Amazon

LG’s C4 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) holds a yearly reservation on our list of the best TVs you can buy. This is about as close to a perfect TV as you’ll find, and it’s not even the top model LG makes (see the G4 OLED). It’s not the brightest OLED you can buy, but it’s got plenty of Dolby Vision HDR spunk, matched by dazzling contrast, perfect black levels, accurate colors, and fabulous 4K detail. LG’s webOS smart interface is a little odd, but it’s ultra-fast, and the Magic remote lets you point and click your way through the menu (or simply use your voice). You’ll also get four HDMI 2.1 inputs loaded with advanced gaming features like VRR (variable refresh rate) and ALLM (auto low latency mode) for seamless next-gen gaming. A TV this good makes you never want to leave the house again, which is really what a Cyber Monday sale is all about, after all.

If you’re in need of a Blu-Ray player for all the physical media you’re stocking up on again, this Panasonic 4K player is a great to snag and get the most out of every disc you own since it supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10+. WIRED reviewer Parker Hall says that while the software within the player is a is a little dated, the device itself is easy to use. It makes for a good gift for your favorite disc hoarder, too.

Sony’s Bravia 9 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is our favorite QLED TV thanks to its mini-LED backlighting system that makes it one of the brightest TVs we’ve ever tested. It combines that mini-LED system with a proprietary dimming technology to achieve fantastic contrast and black levels, plus you get truly vivid details thanks to Sony’s picture processing. And don’t worry—it’s beautifully bright without blinding you. There’s only two HDMI 2.1 ports, so those with several gaming consoles might not be happy with this TV. But otherwise, it’s a great sale on a great TV.

Photograph: Amazon

Our favorite TV for most people—aka, you!—is on sale right now. The Hisense’s 65-inch U7N QLED TV (8/10, WIRED Recommends) packs an impressive set of features for the money before it’s on sale, and you can get it for a nice little discount right now during Cyber Monday. The TV uses mini LED backlights for great brightness and deep black levels, has great gaming features like VRR (variable refresh rate) for gaming at up to 144 kHz from its high-refresh panel, plus Google TV built into the device to make it all work. It’s not perfect—some folks will notice a dirty screen effect (normal for a value TV) and the off-axis viewing could be better. Still, it’s a fantastic TV for a great price, especially right now.

If you’re looking for a good TV without spending much, Roku’s Plus Series is a good option, and it’s on sale right now. Roku’s built-in operating system makes it easy to grab any streaming service, call up connected devices, and even find your remote. (That particular feature should be required on all modern TVs.) There’s just a 60-Hz refresh rate, so it’s not the best option for serious gamers. But besides that, it’s a solid performer with good brightness and colors, and local dimming will keep any blotchy patches away. There’s support for all kinds of smart home users, too, from Apple Homekit to Alexa and Google Assistant.

Tech Deals

Apple Watch Series 10

Photograph: Apple

The Apple Watch is a perennial smartwatch leader, and the latest Series 10 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is another winner. The bigger and brighter display is easier to see than ever, the latest WatchOS has some great new features, and the sleep-apnea tracking is a game changer for the snorers among us (guilty). I love my Apple Watch’s ability to track things like my water intake, exercise routines, and environmental noise to keep from blowing my ears out–not to mention the insanely convenient phone finder. Whatever you’re into, if you haven’t yet jumped on the Apple Watch, it could be the new Robin to your iPhone’s Batman.

The newest Pixel Watch 3 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) comes in two sizes, and WIRED reviewer Julian Chokkattu recommends going for the larger 45-mm size. It gets a much better battery life—just over a full 24 hours—than the smaller variant, and he says it doesn’t look that big on small wrists. There’s fantastic health and fitness tracking abilities, and unique Loss of Pulse feature coming to the US that could be great for anyone worried about cardiac arrest.

Photograph: Brenda Stolyar

Apple’s miniature iPad is the best option for those who want a tiny tablet to bring along wherever you roam. The 7th-generation model (8/10, WIRED Recommends) offers improved performance with the new A17 Pro chipset, savvy smarts via Apple Intelligence, and compatibility with the Apple Pencil Pro. This is a sweet little machine at a more manageable price than Apple’s top models, especially on sale.

Apple’s latest iPad Pro tablet (6/10, WIRED Review) has a bunch of new features, upgrading it with a bigger, brighter display and an OLED screen. There’s also a front-facing camera with landscape mode. It’s all powered by the latest M4 chip, which gives it a nice, snappy performance. It’s compatible with a ton of new accessories, like the Apple Pencil Pro ($99, $30 off), so your shopping doesn’t have to end at the tablet itself. We still prefer the 2022 M2-powered iPad Pro, though.

The 10th-Gen Apple iPad (7/10, WIRED Review) is our favorite iPad for most people. The A14 Bionic chip has never felt sluggish in our testing, and it packs a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina (IPS LCD) display, with a USB-C port for charging. It has a nice modernized design, too, with slim bezels around that screen. Touch ID is built into the power button, and there’s a 12-megapixel selfie camera in the center of the iPad for better video chatting. It comes with support for the first-gen stylus or the USB-C Apple Pencil ($69, $10 off) as well as the Magic Keyboard Folio ($199, $50 off) and the original Smart Folio case ($79).

The Combo Touch is a great way to get work done on an iPad; it’s the best keyboard case for your iPad. The back has a nice kickstand that can prop up your iPad at just about any angle and does a good job of protecting the back from scratches. The keyboard, while not as nice as a “real” keyboard is pretty dang good. I can type as fast on this as I can on my laptop. Combo Touch cases connect using Apple’s Smart Connector so you don’t have to worry about draining the battery by having Bluetooth on. There are models available for the base iPad (7th, 8th, and 9th Gen) along with the iPad Air (5th Gen and M2) and 11-inch iPad Pro (1st Gen and newer), 12.9-inch iPad Pro (5th and 6th Gen), as well as the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pros. —Scott Gilbertson

Photograph: Brenda Stolyar

If you haven’t yet joined the Kindle world, it’s a game-changer. The latest Paperwhite model (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is a fantastic way to get acquainted, offering a larger display with improved contrast, faster page-turning, and a slightly longer battery life than previous versions. The paper-like Paperwhite provides backlighting for when the lights are off (and your S.O. is asleep) and makes grabbing the latest titles from the Kindle shop or your local online library convenient. We could all use some literary elevation in our lives, and the Paperwhite is one of the best ways to bone up.

Our favorite digital notebook is a fantastic device. The ReMarkable 2 is easy to use, letting you take notes by hand and organize them into various folders. You can connect via the ReMarkable app (on mobile and desktop) to access your notes when you don’t have your notebook with you, and to send documents you’d like to edit on the ReMarkable 2 (I send myself D&D sheets, but it’s great for any PDF you need to read or want to scribble on). Only the bundles are on sale, and this one includes the Marker Plus, which has an eraser, and the Book Folio to keep your new device nice and safe in your bag.

WIRED Senior Reviews Editor Julian Chokkattu said the latest Pixel phones gave an impression that the hardware is finally “all grown up.” The Pixel line now leads the charge as one of the best Android phones you can buy. The Pro version is a great package, offering excellent camera performance, a stellar OLED display, and loads of software features. If you’re looking for a top-tier phone not made by Apple, this is an awesome device at an awesome price.

Google’s Nest Cam is one of the best indoor security cameras you can buy thanks to its subtle styling, clear and focused 1080p HDR resolution, and accurate detection of people, animals, and the ever-present delivery man your dog is trying to chase away for good. It would be nice if you could get more than three hours of history without a Nest Aware subscription, but this is one of the most accurate such cameras we’ve tested and worth grabbing on sale.

Photograph: Simon Hill

The Hatch Restore 2 is a fantastic sound machine, and a fine sunrise alarm clock. I prefer it as a sound machine—it comes with 13 wake-up sounds and 24 sleep sounds, and Hatch also offers the Hatch+ membership ($5 a month) to get access to Sleep Stories and partner content that ranges from Gilmore Girls to KFC (yes, that KFC). You don’t need the membership to set routines for bedtime and wakeup, and I loved it as a wind-down device with its soft light and sounds. It’s not as bright as other sunrise lamps, but if you’re mostly in it for the sounds, this device is great.

If you’ve wished for Christmas lights you could control with a tap on your phone or a quick voice command, now’s the perfect time to score these Twinkly Smart String Lights. The 250 LED smart Christmas light string has a nice discount for Cyber Monday. Plus, not only does it let you easily control it, but it’s super customizable to show just about any design you could imagine.

This ergonomic mouse for Apple devices lifts—as the name suggests—your palm away from your desk, purportedly preventing wrist pain by alleviating pressure on nerves. Our tester appreciated its superior battery life (over a year!) and the ability to program the buttons for Mac-specific features and apps like Final Cut Pro, Keynote, and Photos.

Photograph: Scott Gilbertson

These Crucial drives are my favorite general-purpose external storage drives. They’re reasonably priced (for a portable SSD) and speedy enough for most uses. The X6 is lightweight and tiny, making it a good choice for working at the coffee shop. The downside is that this isn’t a blinding-fast hard disk. In fact, under the hood, the X6 uses an older drive interface (Serial AT Attachment, or SATA), which was more common with spinning hard drives. So while it’s small and light, its speed is limited by that older interface technology. In my testing on Windows and macOS, that works out to about 550 Mbps read speed and 208 Mbps write speed. —Scott Gilbertson

Samsung’s rugged, padding T7 drive has an IP65 rating, which means it’s fine in the rain and is protected from dust and sand. The T7 line is notable for its built-in security features like hardware-based encryption, but unlike the Touch model, the Shield does not have a fingerprint reader. Still, this is a good SSD if your portable drives lead a rough life in an everyday bag. —Scott Gilbertson

We didn’t give this gaming handheld a great review (in fact, it was a 3/10—ouch!), but the user reviews are slightly more positive and it can use any Windows-compatible library. If you want a Steam deck alternative, this is a sizable discount.