The best budget laptop of 2022

The best budget laptop of 2022

Here are the best cheap Chromebooks and laptops you can buy. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales

The best cheap laptops from HP, Lenovo, and more.

The best cheap laptops are getting better and better. The question to ask is: what’s most important, and what are you willing to sacrifice? Even the best cheap laptops aren’t perfect in every area — they have some strengths but cut corners to achieve their price tags. You can almost certainly find a budget laptop with a touchscreen, a premium-looking chassis, an HDMI port, a backlit keyboard, or stylus support, but you may need to consider which of those features you want the most, and which you can go without.

Our pick for the best cheap laptop of 2022 is the HP Envy x360 13, running Windows 10. We feel that the Envy has build quality, performance, and battery life that surpass those of many premium laptops, as well as the best cheap laptops on the market. But we’ve tested dozens the best laptops under $500, and we’ve got a number of additional models on this list from Lenovo, Acer, Samsung, HP, and more.

Other best cheap laptops include the Lenovo Chromebook Duet and the Acer Chromebook Spin 713. Many of these laptops also appear on our best laptop, best Chromebook, and best student laptop lists.

Many of our picks for the best cheap laptops are currently Chromebooks. We believe that Chromebooks are, in many cases, the best-value option for shoppers seeking a laptop under $500 and tend to offer better specs, features, and build quality than most Windows laptops at that price point. We hope to add more Windows laptops under $500 to this page in the future and are keeping a close eye on those releases.

Best Cheap Laptops 2022

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Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales

The Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 is the best cheap laptop of 2022.

1. Asus Chromebook Flip CX5

The best cheap laptop of 2022

The Chromebook Flip CX5 really is that good. It’s sturdy enough to withstand all kinds of jolts and jostles in a backpack or briefcase, and has a unique velvety texture that’s very pleasant to hold. Add a wide port selection, a smooth and comfortable keyboard, and a vivid display, and you’ve got a chassis that can hold its own against plenty of midrange Windows laptops.

Performance is equally impressive. We never once heard its fan in our testing, even when pushing a workload that slowed most devices down. Battery life is quite satisfactory, easily lasting us a day. And the speakers delivered some of the best audio we’ve ever heard from a Chromebook. While the CX5 isn’t a perfect device, it’s one of the best ones we’ve ever tested under $700. Overall, budget shoppers who don’t mind Chrome OS won’t be disappointed in this machine.

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Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge

The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is the clamshell Chromebook to buy, and one of the best cheap laptops under $800.

2. Acer Chromebook Spin 713

The best cheap Chrome OS laptop

If you’d prefer a more traditional Chromebook with a clamshell form factor, the $395 Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is an affordable option that’s all-around excellent. It has a gorgeous 3:2 display that delivers a sharp picture and bright, vibrant colors with plenty of vertical space. The screen alone would make the Chromebook Spin 713 a standout, but it has a number of other strengths as well, including a great keyboard, all-day battery life, and a comprehensive port selection, including an HDMI, in addition to USB-C, USB-A, and a microSD slot.

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Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge

The Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3 is the best cheap laptop with a built-in stylus.

3. Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3

The best cheap laptop with a stylus

If you like the Duet’s size and detachable form factor but are willing to spend on something a bit more upscale, you may find the Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3 to be a better choice. Like the Duet, the CM3 is a 10.5-inch 16:10 Chrome OS tablet with a fabric cover, kickstand, and detachable screen. But the CM3’s kickstand folds multiple ways: you can crease it lengthwise to stand the tablet up like a laptop or fold it the short way and stand the tablet up horizontally. Plus, it comes with a built-in USI stylus and roomy keys with a surprising amount of travel. Battery life was also quite impressive: we averaged close to 13 hours of continuous work.

Where the CM3 lags a bit behind the Duet (and other cheap laptops you may try) is the power. Its MediaTek processor can be a bit sluggish compared to more pricier offerings. But the CM3 still offers a surprising number of perks for its sub-$400 price and makes a great student driver or secondary device.

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Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge

The HP Pavilion Aero 13 is a 13-inch powerhouse that weighs almost nothing.

4. HP Pavilion Aero 13

The best cheap Windows laptop

If you’re looking for a budget Windows laptop that’s thinner and lighter than the Envy x360 while delivering similar category-topping performance, the $669 HP Pavilion Aero 13 is a good choice for you. It has a powerful eight-core Ryzen processor, which is one of the fastest processors for thin and light laptops that you can get. Not only does it perform well, but it’s also unbelievably light at just 2.1 pounds, and it comes with a blindingly bright 16:10 screen. It’s a standout in battery life, too — I averaged almost 11 hours of continuous work.

HP did have to cut a few corners to achieve those benefits at this price point. The audio on our model wasn’t great, and the device shipped with some cheap bloatware installed. But the Pavilion Aero 13 is excellent in almost every other way, and it won’t disappoint if you’re looking for a functional, cheap Windows PC.

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Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 is the reddest Chromebook you can buy and one of the best cheap laptops under $800.

5. Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2

An affordable laptop with a bold look

If you’re looking for an affordable Chromebook that stands out from the crowd, the $549 Galaxy Chromebook 2 should be on your list. It comes in a bold “fiesta red” color (as well as a regular gray, if you prefer to blend in). It’s a touchscreen convertible with stylus support (though the stylus isn’t included).

On top of the design, the Galaxy Chromebook 2 includes an excellent QLED panel, which is one of the best displays we’ve ever seen on a Chromebook. You also get a solid keyboard, decent battery life (we averaged 7 hours and 21 minutes of continuous work), and a port selection that includes two USB-C ports, a microSD slot, and a headphone jack. It’s easily one of the best Chromebooks you can buy and one of the best cheap laptops as well.

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Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge

The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 is the best cheap laptop under $500.

6. Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3

The best cheap laptop under $500

If you’re looking for an absurdly cheap Chromebook that absolutely gets the job done, you should definitely be looking at the Duet 3. This is a great, tiny laptop for budget shoppers with a magnetic detachable keyboard and kickstand. The screen even supports USI styluses, though a stylus is not included in this price. The keyboard is included, however, as are the keyboard and kickstand, which makes for a pretty solid package for a sub-$400 price.

While we don’t recommend the Duet 3 for work use, we found it quite usable for social media use, leisure, and multimedia viewing. It has a sharp, bright, 11-inch screen, and the keyboard and touchpad are surprisingly comfortable. As a bonus, it’s just 2.09 pounds, which makes it great for carrying around in a backpack or a purse.

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Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge

The Lenovo ThinkBook 13S is the best cheap business laptop, and one of the best cheap laptops under $900.

7. Lenovo ThinkBook 13S

The best cheap laptop for business

The Lenovo ThinkBook 13S looks a lot like Lenovo’s high-end ThinkPad laptops. But it’s much more affordable than those ThinkPads, with models currently starting under $900. We were pleasantly surprised by its sharp 16:10 display and its generous port selection, which includes Thunderbolt 4. The audio is loud and clear. The device lacks some of the artistry of the ThinkPad line, but brings the same functionality and high-quality build. If you’re looking for a sub-$900 Windows laptop for business, the ThinkBook should be on your list.

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Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge

The Acer Swift 3X is one of the best creator laptops you can buy, and one of the best cheap laptops under $700.

8. Acer Swift 3X

The best cheap creator laptop

Many of the best cheap laptops might be good choices for schoolwork or leisure, but the Acer Swift 3X is intended for creative professionals shopping on a budget. Models are available with Intel’s Iris Xe Max, a discrete graphics card that isn’t meant for intense gaming, but can lend a hand for amateur creators and students who work with photos and video for class. Those who want the cheapest model can go for integrated graphics, which will deliver a great experience (and are currently available for under $700).

In our testing the 3X offered good performance for its price — including surprisingly long battery life for a device with a discrete GPU. There’s a nice matte screen that’s available in a touch model. And at just over three pounds, it’s also much easier to carry around than most creator-oriented laptops out there. It’s not bad looking either — we particularly liked the “steam blue” color that our model came in.

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Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

The Microsoft Surface Go 3 is one of the best cheap laptops under $500 for 2022.

9. Microsoft Surface Go 3

The best cheap laptop for Surface fans

The Surface Go 3, currently available for under $500, is a 10.5-inch tablet that’s best for young students or anyone else who needs a small device for on-the-go use. It offers the same excellent build quality and premium design as the rest of Microsoft’s acclaimed Surface line, but carries a much lower price tag.

Windows 11 runs quite well on this device, andwe found Snap Assist helpful for sizing apps and tabs for the smaller screen. We could run all the Windows apps we wanted, and even found the small keyboard surprisingly comfortable. The battery life was a bit short, however, so make sure you won’t need to have this device away from an outlet for too long if you’re considering buying it.

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The best Amazon Prime Day deals under $25

The best Amazon Prime Day deals under $25

Amazon’s premium Fire Stick 4K Max and mid-range Fire Stick 4K streaming dongles look identical, though the latter is currently discounted to just $24.99. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Day two of Amazon’s Prime Early Access sale is under way, and while all the attention may be on big-ticket items like TVs, laptops, or wearables, we know not everyone can throw money around on that kind of stuff on a whim. There are also deals going on that can appeal to any tech fiend on a tight budget, so we’re pooling together all the best deals under $25 that we can find.

But you’d be remiss to think of these deals as just “cheap stuff.” We carefully comb through the myriad sales to find budget-friendly items that are worth your time and dollars, even at these lower-stakes prices: like a 4K-capable Fire TV Stick or a small and lightweight wireless earbuds. Frankly, sometimes it’s these inexpensive buys that can be some of the handiest accessories and add-ons in our daily lives — so let’s dive in.

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The best smart home deals under $25

• You can also buy the third-gen Echo Dot with a month of Amazon Music Unlimited for $9.98 ($39 off). While its sound quality isn’t as great as that of the fourth-gen Dot, the puck-like speaker still sounds decent and can be used to perform various Alexa-enabled tasks. Read our review.

The third-gen Echo Dot from 2018 with two GE Cync color smart LED bulbs is $17.99 (about $46 off) is $17.99 ($22 off). This Echo Dot is a bit old now, and soon to be two generations behind, but it’s still fine for issuing voice commands for an Alexa-connected house. The bundle with the GE bulbs is like a smart home starter pack.

• The no-frills Amazon Smart Plug adds Alexa automation to a dumb appliance, and it’s just $12.99 ($12 off) right now.
• The Roku Express 4K Plus streaming box is down to $24.99 ($15 off). The compact streaming box supports HDR10 Plus and dual-band Wi-Fi with the option to attach a Micro-USB-to-Ethernet adapter for a faster, wired connection.

• Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K streaming dongle is $24.99 ($25 off), matching its lowest price. This 4K streamer supports Dolby Vision and its voice remote can control your TV.

• Kasa’s Smart Wi-Fi Outdoor Plug-In Dimmer is an outdoor smart lighting plug that can dim compatible lights as well as set schedules and timers. It’s selling for $17.99 instead of $29.99 and works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
• The Wyze Bulb Color LED smart light is $10.99 (about $5 off). It’s a bright 1100-lumen bulb that works with either Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.
• The myQ Chamberlain Smart Garage Control with wireless garage hub and sensor is down to $16.98 ($13 off). This matches the all-time low for this garage opener that ensures you can close your garage door from anywhere.

The best wireless audio deals under $25

• The Skullcandy Dime earbuds are just $19.49 ($6 off) in several unique colors. They may not have the greatest battery life or sound quality, but they’re incredibly compact, colorful, and even at this low price support solo use with either earbud.

• The JBL Go2 waterproof portable Bluetooth speaker is on sale for $21.95 ($18 off). It’s IPX7-rated waterproof and rated for five hours of battery life.

The best charging accessory deals under $25

• The SooPii (don’t laugh) USB-C cable with a built-in power meter can carry up to 100W of output to a phone or laptop and show you a live wattage measurement on its small LED. It’s currently $9.79 for a four-foot cable or $12.79 for a 6.6-foot one, exclusively for Prime members.

• Belkin is running a variety of deals on its Amazon storefront, and it includes charging accessories like the Belkin BoostCharge 10W wireless charging stand for $24.99 ($10 off).

• The Belkin BoostCharge 10W dual wireless charging pad is $20.99 ($29 off). It comes with its own power adapter and can charge two Qi devices at up to 10 watts. It’s not going to win any charging races, but it’s fine for overnight use.
• Belkin’s USB-C 20W right-angle GaN charger is $12.99 ($12 off) and ideal for fast charging when you have an outlet without a whole lot of clearance in front of it.
• Amazon-owned Woot is selling a Samsung 25W USB-C fast charger for $12.99 ($7 off) or you can get two of them for $20.99 (about $19 off).
• Woot also has a three-pack of Samsung one-meter USB-C cables for $13.99 (about $31 off) in black or white. That’s great value for a quality cable if you’re in need of a few.

• Satechi’s magnetic wireless charging puck for the iPhone 12, 13, and 14 generations is $14.99 ($15 off). It won’t charge at full MagSafe speeds, but it can achieve 7.5W wireless charging and the built-in USB-C cable is a fairly lengthy five feet.
• That Satechi charger has a nice design, but if you want an even longer cable the no-frills Belkin Magnetic Wireless charger is 6-feet long, comes with a power adapter, and is also selling for $14.99 ($15 off). Like the Satechi, it tops out at 7.5W charging for iPhones.
• Anker’s PowerWave Sense 2-in-1 wireless charging station is $19.99 ($5 off). It charges a Qi-compatible Android phone at up to 10W or iPhone up to 7.5W, with a second spot for wirelessly charging a pair of earbuds. It includes a USB-C cable but not a power adapter.

The best portable storage deals under $25

• A Samsung USB-C 256GB flash drive is down to $23.99 ($16 off). Since it’s USB-C it can transfer files between computers, Android smartphones, and Thunderbolt-equipped iPads.
• If you prefer USB-A for more compatibility, this Samsung 256GB flash drive is small enough to fit on your keys and costs just $24.99 ($11 off).
• Samsung’s EVO Select 64GB microSD card is just $10.99 ($9 off).
• The Samsung Pro Plus 128GB microSD card is $17.09 (about $18 off). These are always handy for use in a Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, or other devices like a drone or GoPro.

The best gaming deals under $25

• The compact Razer DeathAdder v2 Mini wired gaming mouse is on sale for $17.89 (about $32 off MSRP). That’s the best price for this small boy, which is actually pretty average-sized since the regular DeathAdders are on the large size.

• The SteelSeries pudding-style Prism Keycaps are just $18.99 ($11 off) for a full set in black or white. They may not be hoity-toity artisan or premium keycaps you find around the mechanical keyboard community, but they’re simple and allow bright RGB to really shine.
• Supergiant Games’ popular roguelike dungeon-crawler Hades (physical) is on sale for $19.99 ($10 off) for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox versions.

• Alan Wake Remastered (physical) is on sale for $19.99 ($10 off) for PS4 and Xbox. The remaster of the 2010 action-adventure mystery thriller from developer Remedy is being sold by a third party but shipped by Amazon.
• Olli Olli World is on sale for $19.99 ($10 off) through Amazon as a Steam download code. This pastel-tinted skateboarding game mixes in some rhythm game vibes for a unique experience that feels incredibly charming and fun to play. Read our review.
• A wide variety of tabletop puzzle and card games are on sale. This includes popular party-pleasers like Exploding Kittens Party for $16.49 (about $7 off), Throw Throw Burrito for $15.65 (about $9 off), and Sushi Go for $3.99 (about $8 off).
• PowerA’s Enhanced Wired Controller, our favorite budget gamepad for Xbox consoles and PC, is on sale for $25.99 (regularly $37.99). The off-white “mist” color version had an on-page coupon for an additional $2.60 off, but it’s no longer available at this time.

Miscellaneous deals under $25

• Amazon is selling Apple’s AirTag loop, which you can use to attach your AirTags to luggage and other accessories, in blue and yellow for $9 instead of $29. Amazon is also selling Apple’s Leather Key Ring in orange for $19 instead of $35.
• TP-Link’s AC1200 Wi-Fi Extender is down to just $24.99 ($25 off) at Amazon, easily besting its previous all-time low of around $34. It’s not guaranteed to fix all of your network woes, but it’s a cheap option to consider if you’re struggling with reliable Wi-Fi in a small space.

The best TV deals from Amazon’s fall Prime Day event

The best TV deals from Amazon’s fall Prime Day event

LG’s C2 OLED is one of the many TVs available at a discount during Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale is providing yet another opportunity to get a fantastic discount on a 4K TV. If you’ve been scouting for deals in the lead-up to Black Friday, this is a week when you’ll want to be paying attention. Right now, we’re seeing some big price cuts on all sorts of smart TV models, ranging in size, streaming platform, and display (QLED, OLED, etc.). This roundup includes deals that are exclusive to Prime members as well as some that are available from Best Buy, Walmart, Target, and wherever else we find good discounts.

The best Prime Day TV deals

• LG’s 48-inch A1 OLED is a stellar value if you want an OLED, but don’t need the high-end features that can cause the price to soar. While it costs $946.99 for non-Prime subscribers, it’s just $646.99 for Prime users.

• Sony’s 55-inch A80J OLED 4K TV with Google TV software is just $999.99 at Best Buy (originally $1,899.99). This deal isn’t being offered at Amazon.
• Amazon’s 75-inch Fire TV Omni 4K TV is available for just $839.99 for Prime members, down from its original $1,049.99 price. Note that this model is from Amazon’s first-gen run of Omni TVs, not the QLED model that it just announced in early October. Read our review.

• Insignia (Best Buy’s in-house brand) has a 70-inch F30 4K TV with Amazon’s Fire TV software built in for $449.99 ($200 off). Don’t expect stunning quality compared to pricier TVs, but this could be a great fit for someone’s needs, particularly if you want an all-in-one TV that streams shows and movies via Amazon’s Fire TV OS. Plus, Best Buy includes a second-gen Amazon Echo Show 5 smart display at no additional cost.
• Sony’s 65-inch X90K 4K TV with full array local dimming (for better control over brightness and darkness) is on sale for $1,198 at Amazon or $1,199.99 at Best Buy. This model includes the Google TV interface built in, which allows you to easily find TV shows and movies.

• The 55-inch LG B2 OLED TV is a great deal at $976.99 at Amazon. It offers an amazing picture, HDMI 2.1, and a 120Hz refresh rate, but it can’t get quite as bright as the C2 lineup. Still, it’s a great value if you’re looking for one of LG’s latest models.
• Samsung’s 55-inch S95B (QD-OLED) 4K TV is $600 off at Best Buy. Originally $2,199.99, you can snag one today for $1,599.99. This kind of OLED technology delivers more brightness than LG’s current OLED displays. At Amazon, it’s just a smidge cheaper at $1,597.99. Read about this model right here.
• LG’s 42-inch C2 Evo OLED TV is down to $996.99 ($400 off) at Amazon, which is its lowest price ever. This is LG’s latest lineup of OLEDs that feature the brightest displays and the best image processing. It’s an exciting TV that should be small enough to put on a desk.

Here are some accessories to go with your new TV

• Govee’s DreamView G1 Pro Gaming Light, an LED kit that’s made for monitors between 24 and 32 inches, is $90 (50 percent off) right now at Amazon when you click the on-page coupon for $89.99 off. These lights can add some gorgeous accents to your walls that match the vibe and action of the game that you’re playing. Read our review.

• For 55- to 65-inch TVs, you can equip some immersive backlighting with the Govee TV Backlight T2, which is down to $111.99 at Amazon (20 percent off after you click the coupon). These lights match the on-screen by using a camera mounted on your TV.
• The latest Apple TV 4K (32GB) is down to $104.49 (originally $179), the best price we’ve seen to date on the excellent streaming device. If you want more storage, the 64GB configuration is on sale for $123.49 ($70 off). Read our review.

• Vizio’s high-end Elevate soundbar — which comes with two satellite speakers, a wireless subwoofer, and two rotating, upward-firing speakers for Dolby Atmos — is on sale right now for $664.05 at Amazon and $699.99 at Best Buy. It originally sold for $999.99. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen the $300 price cut, but it’s well worth mentioning here. Read our guide to the best soundbars.

The guy in charge of Dish wants to buy Boost from Dish

The guy in charge of Dish wants to buy Boost from Dish

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Dish Network is considering selling its Boost Mobile arm to a company called CONX Corporation, according to a filing with the SEC, spotted by Light Reading. The rub is that CONX is a “company” founded by Charlie Ergen — co-founder and current chairman of Dish Network itself.

The filing from CONX (no, I won’t get tired of typing that) says that its far from a done deal, informing investors that “no assurances can be made that the parties [it and Dish] will successfully negotiate and enter into a definitive agreement.” And while that’s true for most merger discussions, the fact that Ergen is a higher-up at both companies could help those negotiations go a bit more smoothly.

Why start a new carrier when your other company has already bought one

I don’t blame you if you’re asking “hey, what the heck is a CONX?” According to Light Reading, it’s a special-purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, that Ergen founded in 2020 with the goal of acquiring a company in the “technology, media and telecommunications industry.” SPACs are basically shell companies that are taken public to raise funds from investors, and then merged with another company as sort of a way to skip an IPO (though in this case, Boost Mobile is part of Dish, which is already a publicly traded company). You can read an excellent explainer of SPACs as a concept here.

Dish purchased Boost from T-Mobile in 2020, after the latter carrier was required to sell it off as part of the agreement with the FCC that allowed T-Mobile to purchase Sprint. Up until now, it’s seemed as if Dish had big plans for Boost; Dish is supposed to become the fourth cell carrier (again, because of the T-Mobile Sprint purchase), and the cell network it’s been building to reach that goal currently covers around 25 percent of the US population. Dish has been letting people use that network with a service called Project Genesis, but that’s pitched as an option for early adopters. The plan has been to try and entice the general public to use the network via a service called Boost Infinite, set to launch later this year.

If it sells Boost, I’m not exactly sure where that leaves it as a carrier. Genesis isn’t ready to be a flagship cell service, and it’d be an odd move to turn its other brands, like Ting Mobile and Republic Wireless, into competitors to AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile — they’ve been known as budget-friendly MVNOs for years, it’d sort of be like if Verizon started pitching Tracfone as its hotbed for innovation in 5G. Yes, that’s also sort of true for Boost, but, again, Dish has been turning on the marketing machine to change that perception.

According to Light Reading, which spoke to analysis firm New Street Research, it could just be a money play; Boost would get to use CONX’s money instead of Dish’s (while still using its network), and no longer having to operate Boost could free up some money and fundraising capacity to help build out the network that’s legally required to reach 70 percent of the US population by June 14th, 2023. That might make sense to someone super versed in the world of big finance — but to those of us just trying to figure out what cell plan we should get, this could turn what was already a messy and hard-to-understand launch into something you’d need a few flowcharts and knowledge of the Deep Lore to even begin understanding.

The Apple Watch Series 8 is still available for $50 off for Prime Day

The Apple Watch Series 8 is still available for $50 off for Prime Day

The Apple Watch Series 8 inherits design elements from last year’s Series 7, including the larger display. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

It’s almost time to ring the bell for the cows to come home on Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale, but before that happens we want to note you can still get the Apple Watch Series 8 for $50 off. The best part? This one’s not just exclusive to Amazon or Prime members, as a couple of other major retailers are currently matching Amazon’s price and making it widely available.

As for the configurations and colors available, you can get the 41mm Apple Watch Series 8 with GPS for $349 at Amazon (in midnight or red), at Best Buy (in all four colors), or at Walmart (also in all four colors). If you prefer a larger display, you can get the 45mm version of the Series 8 for $379 at Amazon (in red or midnight), at Walmart (in red, silver, or starlight), or at Best Buy (in midnight). Speaking of midnight, these deals are set to expire around midnight eastern time tonight, or 1AM ET in the case of Best Buy.

It’s pretty uncommon to get a deal this good on an Apple product that came out just under one month ago — though the deal running in tandem on the second-gen AirPods Pro may say otherwise. And while we’re sure to see bigger, steeper discounts on the latest crop of Apple Watches at some point in the future, it may not be until Black Friday and Cyber Monday times that we even match this one. The Series 8 may not be the most worthwhile upgrade for those using last year’s Series 7 or the two-year-old Series 6, but if you’ve got a Series 5 or an older model that’s starting to wane in battery life, this is a good time to make the jump and save some coin.

If you do upgrade, or come to the Series 8 as a first-time Apple Watch owner, you can look forward to a speedy interface with watch OS 9, a handy new temperature sensor that helps with menstrual cycle tracking, and even car crash detection. Just maybe be wary if you go on any roller coasters.

Amazon faces a wave of walkouts and strikes as it heads into the season of sales

Amazon faces a wave of walkouts and strikes as it heads into the season of sales

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Amazon is in the midst of its second Prime Day sale of the year, pitched as a way to get Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals early. But as it courts consumers, the workers who handle the mass amount of packages that flow through Amazon’s facilities, warehouses, and air hubs are demanding better pay and working conditions. The threat of strikes, walkouts, and potentially another unionized warehouse are all looming as Amazon’s about to enter one of its busiest seasons.

On Wednesday, workers at Amazon’s ALB1 facility in Albany, New York, started voting on whether to organize with the Amazon Labor Union, the group that unionized Amazon’s JFK8 facility and which is currently negotiating with Amazon for a contract. Another fulfillment center in Moreno Valley, California, has also filed to hold a vote on whether to join with the ALU, though the National Labor Relations Board still has to confirm whether 30 percent of the unit’s 800 workers signed cards saying they’re interested in the election.

There’s also a real threat of a work stoppage just as Prime Day packages are being fulfilled. Workers at Amazon’s Inland Empire air cargo facility in San Bernardino, California, have vowed to go on strike starting on Friday. The company is also facing a strike in Buford, Georgia, according to More Perfect Union, and there have been walkouts at facilities in Joliet, Illinois, and Stone Mountain, Georgia.

One worker told us he is leading the strike at his warehouse because, "In the summer, we organized for a $3/hour raise, and instead what we got was 50 cents raise and a second Prime Day."

— More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) October 11, 2022

The reasons for the employee actions are varied; in Illinois, workers are demanding protections against violence, injury, and sexual harassment. In California, workers have been demanding “basic safety measures” after Amazon failed to respond to a walkout this summer, where workers accused the company of not giving them breaks or aid during excessive heat. High temperatures have actually been a concern in many areas — earlier this year, lawmakers cited how Amazon handled 2017 and 2018 heatwaves in their demand for information on its severe weather policies, and the company has reportedly installed new air conditioning equipment at a facility where a worker died during the last Prime Day event (the company blamed “a personal medical condition” for the incident).

According to Jane Chung from The Worker Agency, Amazon “failed to meet workers’ demands and has responded to workers who are organizing to improve their jobs by bringing in high-paid outside consultants who harass and follow workers around in an attempt to dissuade them from organizing for better conditions.” She also mentioned that its Prime Day events exacerbate its “invasive surveillance, dangerous pace of work, and deadly conditions” because it means employees have to “sprint to fulfill the massive growth in packages ordered, transported, and delivered.”

Universally, the new groups of employees are asking for better pay. Amazon set a $15-per-hour minimum wage in 2018 and has promised to raise the hourly wages for its warehouse and transportation workers more recently, saying that customer fulfillment and transportation employees would start at $16 an hour. But Inland Empire Amazon Workers United says that isn’t enough to keep up with rising costs of living. And with e-commerce heading into its busiest season, critical fulfillment workers have a unique chance to pressure the company for better pay.

How does @Amazon respond to associates organizing for better pay, inflation and high turnover?

With $1 y'all.

We're not feeling it. #AmazonHurts pic.twitter.com/eSSD1pBSJc

— #IEAmazonWorkers (@ieamazonworkers) September 28, 2022

Even as Amazon worries about running through the entire labor pool in some areas, it continues to upset some of the workers it relies on to keep its operations afloat. In Illinois, the company allegedly fired a worker who tried to get it to act after racist death threats were scrawled on the bathroom walls at one of its facilities. At JFK8, the ALU says Amazon suspended dozens of workers after they refused to go back to work in a warehouse filled with smoke after a fire. And workers at the Inland Empire air facility say the company retaliated against those who spoke out or organized (something that the NLRB has formally accused the company of doing in at least one instance).

It’s unclear how much impact walkouts and strikes have on Amazon’s operations and its bottom line. Amazon didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s questions asking about the effects workers were having, although it doesn’t seem like Amazon customers are noticing mass shipping delays so far. Worker actions are also heavily regulated in the US; there can be different rules about how you can strike if you’re not part of a union that’s voted to do so.

Regardless, it doesn’t seem as if workers are going to stop trying to get better treatment from Amazon, and it feels like we may be reaching a breaking point. Prime Day may be ending soon, but the work will continue for Amazon’s warehouse and transportation workers. And while organizers at the company have used the event to stress how important they are to the Amazon experience, it seems unlikely that they’ll stop their demonstrations anytime soon.

The best Prime Day deals on Amazon devices

The best Prime Day deals on Amazon devices

Amazon’s latest, ad-supported Kindle Paperwhite starts at $99.99 right now instead of $139.99. | Photo by Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge

If you missed out on the steep discounts we saw on Amazon devices during Prime Day, it appears you have another chance. That’s because many of the same deals we saw in July are currently resurfacing in the run-up to Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale (aka, Prime Day 2.0).

What’s more, Amazon’s current discounts are some of the steepest we’ve seen this year, which isn’t all that surprising given Amazon recently announced a slate of new devices during its fall hardware event. That makes now a good time to snag an older Echo Show model, the last-gen Echo Dot, or even Amazon’s latest Kindle Paperwhite.

Like with our Prime Day coverage, we’ve curated a list of the best discounts available on Amazon devices ahead of Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale. We’ll also be updating this piece as more deals become available and others fall out of stock, so keep checking back.

Amazon Prime Early Access Sale deals

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The best Prime Day Kindle deals

• Amazon’s latest ad-supported Kindle Paperwhite with 8GB of storage is on sale for $99.99 instead of $139.99 at Amazon and Target, which is just $5 shy of the discount we saw during Prime Day. You can also buy the ad-free model for $119.99 ($40 off). Read our review.
• If you prefer to buy the newer Kindle Paperwhite model with 16GB of storage, you can buy it with ads for $104.99 ($45 off) or in an ad-free configuration for $124.99 ($45 off). The ad-free Signature Edition with 32GB of storage is also on sale for $134.99 ($55 off).
• Amazon is discounting last year’s kid-friendly Paperwhite, too. The Kindle Paperwhite Kids, as it is known, is on sale right now with 8GB of storage for $109.99 or with 16GB of storage for $114.99, which are some of the best prices we’ve seen on the popular e-reader.
• The Kindle Oasis comes with page-turning buttons and is currently on sale with ads and 8GB of storage for $179.99 ($70 off), while the ad-free model is discounted to $199.99 ($70 off). You can also buy it with ads and 32GB of storage for $199.99 ($80 off) or without ads for $219.99 ($80 off). Additionally, Amazon is selling the LTE-enabled Kindle Oasis with 32GB of storage for $269.99 ($80 off). Read our review.

The best Prime Day smart display deals

• Amazon’s second-gen Echo Show 8 — our favorite smart display — is currently on sale at Amazon and Target for just $69.99 ($60 off). Amazon is also offering Prime subscribers a discounted bundle that includes two Cync A19 smart bulbs, saving you $83.99. The latest Echo Show 8 offers all the standard features you’d expect from an Alexa-enabled display along with the ability to make Zoom calls, stream shows, and more. Read our review.
• Amazon’s wall-mountable Echo Show 15 is $169.99 during this sale ($80 off). It was already handy for watching along with recipes, but it’ll soon be even handier as it will be able to operate as a Fire TV device.
• Amazon is currently discounting the first-gen Echo Show 8 from 2019 to $54.99 ($55 off), though it’s not as fast as the latest model and doesn’t center you in the frame during video calls. Read our review.
• For a smaller smart display, look to Amazon’s second-gen Echo Show 5, which is on sale with an Amazon Smart Plug for $34.99 ($50 off). You can also pick it up with two A19 smart bulbs for the same price if you’re a Prime member, saving you $73.99. The Show 5 makes for a good bedside companion given its small stature and simple functionality, though it lacks support for Zoom calls. Read our review.
• You can also buy the kid-friendly version of the second-gen Echo Show 5 with parental controls for just $39.99 ($55 off) or with a color-changing Echo Glow smart light for $50.99 ($73.99 off).
• You can buy Amazon’s Echo Show 15 with a second-gen Echo Show 5 for $204.98 ($130 off). Unlike most Echo smart displays, the 15.6-inch Echo Show 15 is a wall-mounted display you can use as a bulletin board or a decent TV for your kitchen. Read our review.

The best Prime Day Echo and Echo Dot deals

• The fourth-gen Echo comes with a built-in smart hub and offers great sound quality. You can also use it to set alarms, control other smart home products, and carry out a host of other actions. Right now, the spherical smart speaker is on sale for just $59.99 ($40 off), matching its best price to date. Read our review.
• The third-gen Echo Dot, offers decent sound and the same Alexa functionality. Prime members can buy it right now with a month of Amazon Music Unlimited for $9.98 ($39 off) or with a free Amazon Smart Plug for $17.99 (about $47 off). Read our review.
• Amazon is offering a discounted bundle on its fifth-gen Echo Dot, which includes a temperature sensor and doubles as an Eero mesh Wi-Fi extender. For a limited time, you can buy the new Dot with an Eero Mesh Wifi router for $99.99 ($19 off), though you won’t get it until after the smart speaker launches on October 20th.

The best Prime Day Fire TV and Fire TV Stick deals

• You can buy Amazon’s excellent Fire TV Stick 4K Max at Amazon and Target for just $34.99 ($20 off) right now. The streaming stick offers Wi-Fi 6 support, a large app selection, and better performance than its last-gen predecessor. Read our review.
• If you prefer something more affordable, you can also buy the Fire TV Stick 4K for $24.99 at Amazon and Target, which is a 50 percent discount. It doesn’t feature Wi-Fi 6 support, but it does support Dolby Vision, HDR, and HDR10 Plus. Read our review.
• Amazon’s Fire TV Cube functions as both a streaming device and an Alexa-enabled smart speaker. Normally $119.99, it’s on sale on Amazon for $59.99. Just note this is the last-gen model, which differs from the forthcoming one in that it lacks an HDMI input and support for Wi-Fi 6E. Read our guide to the best streaming devices.
• Amazon is currently discounting various configurations of its last-gen Fire TV Omni lineup. Right now, for example, you can buy the 55-inch model for $509.99 instead of $559.99, which is a far cry from the TV’s all-time low of $308.34. The 4K TV isn’t as capable as the forthcoming Fire TV Omni QLED, but it offers good integration with Amazon Alexa and support for two-way video calling. Just keep in mind that only the 65-inch and 75-inch models support Dolby Vision. Read our review.

The best Prime Day Fire tablet deals

• Of all the budget-friendly tablets in Amazon’s current Fire lineup, the Fire HD 10 is the one we typically recommend thanks to its sharp 1080p display and relatively good performance. You can currently buy it with ads and 32GB of storage for $74.99 at Amazon and Target, a 50 percent discount, or without ads at Amazon for $89.99 ($75 off). Read our review.
• You can also buy the ad-supported, 32GB Fire HD 10 Plus — which features support for wireless charging and more RAM than the base model — for $104.99 ($75 off) at Amazon. The ad-free model is also on sale at Amazon for $119.99 ($75 off).
• If you prefer a cheaper tablet, the 32GB Fire HD 8 is on sale at Amazon and Target with ads for $44.99 ($45 off), or without ads at Amazon for $59.99 ($45 off). You can also buy the ad-supported Fire HD 8 Plus for $54.99 ($55 off) at Amazon. The latter charges faster than the base model, supports wireless charging, and features 3GB of RAM. The ad-free model is also on sale at Amazon for $69.99 ($55 off). Read our Fire HD 8 Plus review.

The best Prime Day home security deals

• Ring’s hardwired Ring Video Doorbell is on sale at Amazon and Target for $39.99 ($25 off), while the battery-powered model from 2020 is on sale at Amazon for $69.99 ($30 off). Each comes equipped with a 1080p HD video doorbell, night vision support, and custom motion detection zones, though you’ll need to pay extra to access some Ring features.
• You can also buy Ring’s Floodlight Cam Wired Plus, which also comes with a 1080p camera and custom motion detection zones, for $139.99 ($60 off) at Amazon and Target. Again, Ring features like video recording, however, are only available if you pay an additional fee.
• Amazon is currently discounting a host of budget-friendly Blink cameras. For example, you can pick up a Blink Outdoor camera with an add-on solar charger mount for $74.98 ($55 off). The camera comes with support for motion detection and 1080p video.
• If you’re looking for an indoor camera, Amazon is selling a two-pack of wired Blink Minis for $29.99 ($35 off). Read our Blink Mini review.

The best Prime Day Eero deals

• Eero’s newest router, the Eero Pro 6E, is back on sale for $179. That’s a $120 discount on the router, which is also Eero’s first to support Wi-Fi 6E and offer support faster than gigabit speeds. Read our review.
• If you can get by with slower speeds, the Eero Pro 6 from 2020 is on sale by itself for $148 ($81 off), as a two-pack for $259 ($140 off), or as a three-pack for $389 ($210 off). It’s an older model but it still supports Wi-Fi 6, which is useful given most devices don’t support Wi-Fi 6E yet. Like the Pro 6E, it also comes with two ethernet ports and can cover up to 2,000 square feet. Read our review.
• The Eero 6 dual-band Wi-Fi 6 mesh router can cover up to 1,500 square feet and is suitable for those with under 500Mbps speeds. For a limited time, it’s discounted on Amazon to just $75 ($14 off), one of its best prices to date.

Miscellaneous deals

• You can pick up a pair of Amazon’s second-gen Echo Buds with a wired charging case for $69.99 ($50 off). These are a solid pair of true wireless earbuds that sound good, offer noise cancellation, and feature Amazon Alexa support. You can also buy them with a wireless charging case for $20 more. Read our review.
• Amazon’s Smart Plug is on sale right now for just $12.99, which is a 50 percent discount. Just be aware this plug is only compatible with Alexa, and you can only use it indoors.
• Amazon’s Luna Controller is on sale for $39.99 ($30 off). The controller works with Amazon’s Luna cloud gaming service and comes with a separate Wi-Fi connection.