Technology

Today’s best deals: Apple Watches, iPads, “buy 2, get 1 free” game sales, and more – Ars Technica

Today’s best deals: Apple Watches, iPads, “buy 2, get 1 free” game sales, and more

Ars Technica

It’s time for another Dealmaster! Our latest roundup of the best tech deals from around the web includes a number of lower-than-usual prices on various Apple devices. The 40 mm Apple Watch SE, for instance, is available for $229 at Amazon and Walmart as of this writing. That’s the best price we’ve seen since Black Friday and only $10 more than the all-time lowest price we’ve tracked. It’s the same situation with the bigger 44 mm model, which is available for $259. The higher-end Apple Watch Series 7, meanwhile, is down to its lowest price to date: the 41 mm model is currently on sale for $329, while the 45 mm model is down to $359.

To be clear, we’ve seen multiple discounts for both of these watches in recent months, and the two have generally retailed for less than Apple’s MSRPs at Amazon, Walmart, and a few other online stores since they launched. It’s almost inevitable that Apple will refresh one or both devices by the end of the year, too. But if you own an iPhone and want a wearable to pair with it right now, the Series 7 is still the top pick in our guide to the best smartwatches, and the SE remains a great alternative for those on a tighter budget. As we’ve noted before, both devices deliver a strong build quality, robust software, and good-enough activity tracking for most. Between the two, the Series 7 has a bigger display that stays active when you put your wrist down, faster charging speeds, and more advanced health-tracking tools like ECG functionality and blood-oxygen monitoring. If you can overlook those features—the lack of an always-on display likely being the most notable—the SE can do most of the same things, albeit slightly slower, for a much lower price. Either way, note that not all colorways for each watch are on sale between the two retailers.
Besides the Apple Watch, we also have a few iPad discounts. The 256GB Space Gray model of the entry-level, 10.2-inch iPad is down to a new low of $429, while versions of the latest 10.9-inch iPad Air and 8.3-inch iPad Mini with the same storage capacity are available for lows of $679 and $600, respectively. These devices aren’t especially cheap, but we’ve reviewed all three positively. In short, the base iPad is likely the best value for most, as it still offers an altogether competent way into iPadOS for the lowest price possible. The recently released iPad Air is a fairly noticeable step up in terms of performance, however, and its design is far more modern, with a bigger and brighter display, a USB-C port, wider accessory support, and better cameras. The iPad Mini, meanwhile, is built like a shrunken-down iPad Air, though its processor is a bit slower. If you prefer a smaller design, though, it’s the only iPad that fits the bill. Both the 10.2-inch iPad and iPad Mini launched in September 2021, while the iPad Air arrived last month.

Stepping away from Apple, our roundup also includes a trio of “buy two, get one free” sales at Amazon, Target, and GameStop that cover a wide range of video games. (Amazon’s and Target’s sales include several other products as well, though the pickings there generally aren’t as appealing.) We tend to see sales like this pop up every few months, and if you aren’t aiming to pad your backlog, it’s possible to get some of the included games for less on an individual basis. But between the three stores, the selections include a number of games we like, including the meticulous RPG Elden Ring, the open-world racer Forza Horizon 5, and Switch essentials like Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. There are many more games included beyond those, including more recent releases like Ghostwire: Tokyo and the remastered Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, so you may be able to save some cash if you’ve been eyeing a few of the available games anyway. In each sale’s case, when you add three eligible games to your cart, the discount will equal the price of the most affordable title you picked.

Besides all that, our roundup also includes new lows on LG’s C1 OLED TV and the Ars-approved board game Wingspan, plus deals on AirPods, recommended Beats workout earbuds, Nintendo eShop gift cards, SSDs, gaming monitors, and much more. You can have a look at our full curated roundup below.

Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs.

Featured deals of the day

The Apple Watch Series 7.
Enlarge / The Apple Watch Series 7.

Corey Gaskin

Electronics deals

The Beats Fit Pro are a recommended pair of exercise-friendly, noise-canceling earbuds.
Enlarge / The Beats Fit Pro are a recommended pair of exercise-friendly, noise-canceling earbuds.

Jeff Dunn

The entry-level iPad with Apple's optional Smart Keyboard and Pencil.
Enlarge / The entry-level iPad with Apple’s optional Smart Keyboard and Pencil.

Andrew Cunningham

Laptop and desktop PC deals

The bird-themed <em>Wingspan</em> is a recommended board game for players of any experience level.
Enlarge / The bird-themed Wingspan is a recommended board game for players of any experience level.

Aaron Zimmerman

Gaming deals

The 8Bitdo Pro 2 is a comfortable and versatile gamepad for Switch and PC.
Enlarge / The 8Bitdo Pro 2 is a comfortable and versatile gamepad for Switch and PC.

Sam Machkovech

Video game deals

<i>Halo Infinite </i>sets the Master Chief in a more open environment than past <em>Halo </em>games.
Enlarge / Halo Infinite sets the Master Chief in a more open environment than past Halo games.

Xbox Game Studios / 343 Industries

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