Congratulations on finishing up another tough year. We've only got a few days to go. If you're looking for any last minute 2021 deals, there are definitely some good ones left. Start your New Years Resolutions early and pick up a pair of Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells for $100 off. If you've been waiting for a deal on an OLED TV and haven't been satisfied with the price drops, the least expensive deal we've seen shows up unexpectedly; score an LG 48" OLED 4K TV for under $800. If you need a cheap price on a 5G capable phone, the OnePlus 8 5G T-Mobile phone for $199 is an absolute steal, considering it has an MSRP of $699! These deals and more below.
If there's any one piece of exercise equipment you should decide on, free weights would be a very good investment. These super popular dumbbells haven't been discounted for months. Investing in some exercise equipment at home means there's less of a reason to take the risk (and the extra cost) of going to your local gym. Because the Bowflex SelectTech dumbbells are adjustable, you don't need a rack of individual weights lying around. Each dumbbell can be adjusted from 2.5 pounds all the way to 52.5 pounds.
The price of the LG A1 48" OLED 4K TV dropped $100 compared to Black Friday! The A1 TV has virtually the identical image quality as the C1 TV. It also uses the latest WebOS smart TV software and includes the same Magic Remote. The biggest difference is that unlike the C1, the A1 OLED TV only has HDMI 2.0 ports, not HDMI 2.1. That means that it can output 4K @ 60fps but not 120fps. It also doesn't support VRR (variable refresh rate) and G-SYNC. These are gaming niceties you'll only really notice if you hook up a high-end gaming PC, a PS5, or an Xbox Series S|X console. Even if you have these gaming platforms, though, it will still look better than the vast majority of TVs out there. For those of you who don't game on these consoles, then this is a no-brainer purchase.
The newest Nintendo Switch OLED model has been incredibly difficult to find throughout the the year. It's back today, but only on Amazon, and only for a very limited time. This Switch features a larger, more vibrant OLED touchscreen display, an upgrade to the terrible OG kickstand, an ethernet port on the docking station, and of course new Joy-Con colors. If you're planning to buy one, don't hesitate!
A 12-month Microsoft 365 Family subscription gives you access to premium Office apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for up to 6 users. It's normally $99.99 per year, but Amazon is throwing in a bonus $50 gift card that effectively cuts the price in half. This is an auto-renewing download, so if you don't want to renew the subscription when it expires, make sure you go into your settings afterwards and deactivate that option.
The OnePlus 8 offers some incredible specs for a $199 phone, especially one with 5G connectivity. Granted, it's original MSRP was $700. It boasts a massive 6.5" 2400x1080 90Hz AMOLED display, Snapdragon 865 processor, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, a very large 4300mAh fast charging battery, triple lens rear camera, and Android 10 (upgradeable to 11). This deal won't last very long.
The Elite Strap is a worth upgrade to the Quest 2 headset even at the regular price of $49.99. The stock Quest 2 headset is a flexible headband; it's a bit fidgety to adjust and you'll have to do that every time you put it on. It's also too lightweight, making the Quest 2 front-heavy and uncomfortable on your neck during prolonged gaming sessions. The Elite Strap is made out of hard plastic so it's more durable, and adjusts easily with a simple turn of the knob in the rear. It's also a bit heavier so the headset's weight is distributed more evenly across your head. The padding is rubberized so the sweat is easy to wipe off.
Looking for a new family friendly game to tide you over for the holidays? Mario Party Superstars is the second Mario Party game in the Nintendo Switch library. Superstars tosses in over 100 of the best mini-games collected from previous Mario Party entries on five excellently designed and beautiful new boards. Even if you own the previous Mario Party game, this one is worth picking up.
Currently woot (owned by Amazon) is offering a hefty 44% discount on a pair of adjustable dumbbells from PowerBlock. They are as well built as the Bowflex and the specs are similar. Each dumbbell ranges from 10lbs to 50lbs in increments of 5lbs. These sell out very quickly at Woot so if you've been eyeing a pair, you better not hesitate. Woot is owned by Amazon, so you can sign in with your Amazon Prime account to get free shipping.
AT&T Fiber offers internet speeds that's faster than the highest tier cable internet at a lower price. It's similar to Verizon FIOS except that it's more widely available. Get up to gigabit speeds for $60/month for the first 12 months and $80 thereafter. I currently subscribe to this service in the San Francisco area and I'm averaging 900Mbps downstream, 800Mbps upstream at the modem. Previously I had been signed up for the highest tier Comcast Xfinity cable internet and I was getting around 300Mbps downstream, 30Mbps upstream. Whereas I had paid about $95/mo with taxes and fees from Comcast, I'm currently only paying $60/mo (taxes and fees are already rolled into that cost) with AT&T. Sign up online and you'll get a bonus $250 rewards card and a free 1-year HBO Max subscription so you can watch The Matrix Resurrections when it comes out this week.
Battlefield 2024 was released in mid November and already we're seeing a huge price drop. The game has received much criticism, and most of it is justified, but it's still a fun game. Since I myself am a diehard Battlefield fan, I've still put in over a hundred hours into the game. The biggest advantage of this game over prior games is that it is crossplay; so there's a bigger combined player base for every platform. Get the PC version from Green Man Gaming or the Xbox and PlayStation versions from Amazon.
If you've been stockpiling exercise equipment to work out at home, you might have realized that the cost of weights adds up. You could be paying upwards of $2-$4 per pound of weights if you've been buying stuff at regular retail price. Deals like these aren't flashy, but they're very welcome. This 25-pound dumbbell costs about $23, that's just under $1 per pound. The weights themselves are rubber encased to protect your floor, and the handle is ergonomically shapped and the chrome finshed ergo handles are textured for a better grip.
This particular LG Ultragear monitor is one of the best 32" gaming monitors you can get. The 2560x1440 resolution is nice and sharp on the 32" display, yet it's low enough to allow mid-range cards like the RTX 3060 Ti or RTX 3070 to handle it beautifully, even at the maximum 165Hz refresh rate for many games. The Nano IPS display is LG's version of QLED, and it allows for better color handling and higher contrast ratio. It's also G-SYNC compatible, like any high-end gaming should be.
Does this game really need any introduction? We gave it a 10/10 Masterpiece score here at IGN and even now it's still considered one of the very best games to grace the Switch console. It's normally $59.99 and although we've seen it for a bit less than this, you shouldn't expect the price to come down more anytime soon. The game is easily worth it at this price.
This Black Friday deal is back. The XPG Gammix S70 Blade is one of the more recently released SSDs that's specifically designed for your PS5 storage upgrade. It also happens to be the lowest priced PS5-compatible 1TB SSD with heatsink available. In fact, it's even less expensive than most compatible SSDs without heatsink. The S70 Blade boasts transfer rates up to 7,400 MB/s and a PCIe Gen4 interface. It includes a PS5-compatible low-profile aluminum heatsink. It's not beefy, but it works and it fits.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 is one of the largest, most immersive gaming monitors on the market. It was a huge hit last Black Friday, and this time around it's even less expensive than ever. Today Amazon is offering the monitor for $999.99, this first time it's ever hit the $1K price point. The Odyssey G9 boasts a massive 49" 5120x1440 curved display with a fast 1ms response time, 240Hz refresh rate, and G-SYNC compatibility. It also boasts a high contrast ratio, good color rendition, and wide viewing angles thanks to its QLED VA panel.
The Klipsch Promedia 2.1 speakers have been around for over 2 decades, but it's still considered one of the best computer speakers under $200. It's normally listed for $139.99, but today Walmart has it for only $84, a 40% savings. This THX-certified speaker set includes two satellite speakers with 3/4" soft dome tweeter with 3” midrange drivers and a 6.5" 200W powered subwoofer for some intense bass.
Alternatively go with an RTX 3060 equipped PC and save $250. Besides the video card, the difference between the two configs is the amount of RAM and storage: this config is equipped with 16GB compared the 32GB for the pricier config and includes no hard drive (only a 512GB SSD). If you're planning to play games at 1080p, the RTX 3060 is definitely the card to get. The RTX 3060 handles that resolution almost as well, even at frame rates of up to 144Hz. It's about as powerful as the previous generation's RTX 2060 SUPER and almost as powerful as the RTX 2070 SUPER. It can definitely handle 1440p gaming as well, although if you want to push 100+ fps, the RTX 3060 Ti is still the better option.
The Masterbuilt 800 has everything you'd want in an easy-to-use smoker. It takes regular charcoal briquette which, in my opinion, is superior in flavor to electric and pellet smokers. You drop the charcoal into a separate gravity-fed chute, and the ash drops down to a pan below for super easy cleanup. Heat convection is accomplished with a digitally controlled fan; this allows for easier and more precise temperature control than a traditional charcoal smoker.
Start working on your New Years resolution early. This workout station normally sells for $200, but today there's a pretty substantial 45% discount and you get free shipping on this (obviously very heavy) order. This workout station includes an adjustable Olympic workout bench with squat rack, leg extension, preacher curl, and weight storage.
Pandemic Legacy Season 1 is an outstanding board game. At BoardGameGeek, it topped the chart when it was released, and has sat at #2 ever since (Gloomhaven being the only board game that trumped it). Pandemic Legacy is essentially Pandemic with a huge non-linear cooperative campaign attached to it. Most people agree that it's a significant upgrade over the original Pandemic. The game is played across 12-24 sessions lasting about 1-2 hours each, and because of the branching nature, no two games will be the same. You'll notice that there are two variants of the game: Blue and Red editions. They are the exact same game with different box art. they are made so that some avid gamers can play the game simultaneously with two different groups; the colors make it easier to not confuse the two.
Continue reading...
Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells (Pair)
If there's any one piece of exercise equipment you should decide on, free weights would be a very good investment. These super popular dumbbells haven't been discounted for months. Investing in some exercise equipment at home means there's less of a reason to take the risk (and the extra cost) of going to your local gym. Because the Bowflex SelectTech dumbbells are adjustable, you don't need a rack of individual weights lying around. Each dumbbell can be adjusted from 2.5 pounds all the way to 52.5 pounds.
48" LG A1 Series 4K OLED TV for $797
The price of the LG A1 48" OLED 4K TV dropped $100 compared to Black Friday! The A1 TV has virtually the identical image quality as the C1 TV. It also uses the latest WebOS smart TV software and includes the same Magic Remote. The biggest difference is that unlike the C1, the A1 OLED TV only has HDMI 2.0 ports, not HDMI 2.1. That means that it can output 4K @ 60fps but not 120fps. It also doesn't support VRR (variable refresh rate) and G-SYNC. These are gaming niceties you'll only really notice if you hook up a high-end gaming PC, a PS5, or an Xbox Series S|X console. Even if you have these gaming platforms, though, it will still look better than the vast majority of TVs out there. For those of you who don't game on these consoles, then this is a no-brainer purchase.
Nintendo Switch OLED Back in Stock
The newest Nintendo Switch OLED model has been incredibly difficult to find throughout the the year. It's back today, but only on Amazon, and only for a very limited time. This Switch features a larger, more vibrant OLED touchscreen display, an upgrade to the terrible OG kickstand, an ethernet port on the docking station, and of course new Joy-Con colors. If you're planning to buy one, don't hesitate!
Microsoft 365 Family 12-Month Subscription + Bonus $50 Amazon Gift Card
A 12-month Microsoft 365 Family subscription gives you access to premium Office apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for up to 6 users. It's normally $99.99 per year, but Amazon is throwing in a bonus $50 gift card that effectively cuts the price in half. This is an auto-renewing download, so if you don't want to renew the subscription when it expires, make sure you go into your settings afterwards and deactivate that option.
OnePlus 8 5G T-Mobile Phone for Only $199
The OnePlus 8 offers some incredible specs for a $199 phone, especially one with 5G connectivity. Granted, it's original MSRP was $700. It boasts a massive 6.5" 2400x1080 90Hz AMOLED display, Snapdragon 865 processor, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, a very large 4300mAh fast charging battery, triple lens rear camera, and Android 10 (upgradeable to 11). This deal won't last very long.
Oculus Quest 2 Elite Head Strap
The Elite Strap is a worth upgrade to the Quest 2 headset even at the regular price of $49.99. The stock Quest 2 headset is a flexible headband; it's a bit fidgety to adjust and you'll have to do that every time you put it on. It's also too lightweight, making the Quest 2 front-heavy and uncomfortable on your neck during prolonged gaming sessions. The Elite Strap is made out of hard plastic so it's more durable, and adjusts easily with a simple turn of the knob in the rear. It's also a bit heavier so the headset's weight is distributed more evenly across your head. The padding is rubberized so the sweat is easy to wipe off.
Mario Party Superstars for Switch
Looking for a new family friendly game to tide you over for the holidays? Mario Party Superstars is the second Mario Party game in the Nintendo Switch library. Superstars tosses in over 100 of the best mini-games collected from previous Mario Party entries on five excellently designed and beautiful new boards. Even if you own the previous Mario Party game, this one is worth picking up.
HP OMEN RTX 3080 Ti Gaming PC for $2399
Sign up for HBO Max for $9.99 and Watch The Matrix Resurrections Today
PowerBlock 50lb Adjustable Dumbbells (Pair)
Currently woot (owned by Amazon) is offering a hefty 44% discount on a pair of adjustable dumbbells from PowerBlock. They are as well built as the Bowflex and the specs are similar. Each dumbbell ranges from 10lbs to 50lbs in increments of 5lbs. These sell out very quickly at Woot so if you've been eyeing a pair, you better not hesitate. Woot is owned by Amazon, so you can sign in with your Amazon Prime account to get free shipping.
Sign up for AT&T Fiber Gigabit Internet for $60/Month and Get a Bonus $250 Gift Card, Free HBO Max
AT&T Fiber offers internet speeds that's faster than the highest tier cable internet at a lower price. It's similar to Verizon FIOS except that it's more widely available. Get up to gigabit speeds for $60/month for the first 12 months and $80 thereafter. I currently subscribe to this service in the San Francisco area and I'm averaging 900Mbps downstream, 800Mbps upstream at the modem. Previously I had been signed up for the highest tier Comcast Xfinity cable internet and I was getting around 300Mbps downstream, 30Mbps upstream. Whereas I had paid about $95/mo with taxes and fees from Comcast, I'm currently only paying $60/mo (taxes and fees are already rolled into that cost) with AT&T. Sign up online and you'll get a bonus $250 rewards card and a free 1-year HBO Max subscription so you can watch The Matrix Resurrections when it comes out this week.
Battlefield 2042 Starting at $34.57
Battlefield 2024 was released in mid November and already we're seeing a huge price drop. The game has received much criticism, and most of it is justified, but it's still a fun game. Since I myself am a diehard Battlefield fan, I've still put in over a hundred hours into the game. The biggest advantage of this game over prior games is that it is crossplay; so there's a bigger combined player base for every platform. Get the PC version from Green Man Gaming or the Xbox and PlayStation versions from Amazon.
25lb Rubber Encased Hex Dumbbell
If you've been stockpiling exercise equipment to work out at home, you might have realized that the cost of weights adds up. You could be paying upwards of $2-$4 per pound of weights if you've been buying stuff at regular retail price. Deals like these aren't flashy, but they're very welcome. This 25-pound dumbbell costs about $23, that's just under $1 per pound. The weights themselves are rubber encased to protect your floor, and the handle is ergonomically shapped and the chrome finshed ergo handles are textured for a better grip.
LG Ultragear 32GP850-B 2560x1440 1ms 165Hz G-SYNC Nano IPS Gaming Monitor
This particular LG Ultragear monitor is one of the best 32" gaming monitors you can get. The 2560x1440 resolution is nice and sharp on the 32" display, yet it's low enough to allow mid-range cards like the RTX 3060 Ti or RTX 3070 to handle it beautifully, even at the maximum 165Hz refresh rate for many games. The Nano IPS display is LG's version of QLED, and it allows for better color handling and higher contrast ratio. It's also G-SYNC compatible, like any high-end gaming should be.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for Switch
Does this game really need any introduction? We gave it a 10/10 Masterpiece score here at IGN and even now it's still considered one of the very best games to grace the Switch console. It's normally $59.99 and although we've seen it for a bit less than this, you shouldn't expect the price to come down more anytime soon. The game is easily worth it at this price.
Cheapest PS5-Compatible SSD with Heatsink: XPG GAMMIX S70 Blade 1TB M.2 PCIe Gen4 SSD
This Black Friday deal is back. The XPG Gammix S70 Blade is one of the more recently released SSDs that's specifically designed for your PS5 storage upgrade. It also happens to be the lowest priced PS5-compatible 1TB SSD with heatsink available. In fact, it's even less expensive than most compatible SSDs without heatsink. The S70 Blade boasts transfer rates up to 7,400 MB/s and a PCIe Gen4 interface. It includes a PS5-compatible low-profile aluminum heatsink. It's not beefy, but it works and it fits.
Samsung Odyssey G9 49" Gaming Monitor
The Samsung Odyssey G9 is one of the largest, most immersive gaming monitors on the market. It was a huge hit last Black Friday, and this time around it's even less expensive than ever. Today Amazon is offering the monitor for $999.99, this first time it's ever hit the $1K price point. The Odyssey G9 boasts a massive 49" 5120x1440 curved display with a fast 1ms response time, 240Hz refresh rate, and G-SYNC compatibility. It also boasts a high contrast ratio, good color rendition, and wide viewing angles thanks to its QLED VA panel.
Klipsch Promedia 2.1ch Computer Speakers
The Klipsch Promedia 2.1 speakers have been around for over 2 decades, but it's still considered one of the best computer speakers under $200. It's normally listed for $139.99, but today Walmart has it for only $84, a 40% savings. This THX-certified speaker set includes two satellite speakers with 3/4" soft dome tweeter with 3” midrange drivers and a 6.5" 200W powered subwoofer for some intense bass.
Dell XPS RTX 3060 Gaming PC for $1299
Alternatively go with an RTX 3060 equipped PC and save $250. Besides the video card, the difference between the two configs is the amount of RAM and storage: this config is equipped with 16GB compared the 32GB for the pricier config and includes no hard drive (only a 512GB SSD). If you're planning to play games at 1080p, the RTX 3060 is definitely the card to get. The RTX 3060 handles that resolution almost as well, even at frame rates of up to 144Hz. It's about as powerful as the previous generation's RTX 2060 SUPER and almost as powerful as the RTX 2070 SUPER. It can definitely handle 1440p gaming as well, although if you want to push 100+ fps, the RTX 3060 Ti is still the better option.
Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800 Charcoal Smoker
The Masterbuilt 800 has everything you'd want in an easy-to-use smoker. It takes regular charcoal briquette which, in my opinion, is superior in flavor to electric and pellet smokers. You drop the charcoal into a separate gravity-fed chute, and the ash drops down to a pan below for super easy cleanup. Heat convection is accomplished with a digitally controlled fan; this allows for easier and more precise temperature control than a traditional charcoal smoker.
Everyday Essentials Multifunctional Workout Station
Start working on your New Years resolution early. This workout station normally sells for $200, but today there's a pretty substantial 45% discount and you get free shipping on this (obviously very heavy) order. This workout station includes an adjustable Olympic workout bench with squat rack, leg extension, preacher curl, and weight storage.
Pandemic Legacy Season 1 Blue Edition
Pandemic Legacy Season 1 is an outstanding board game. At BoardGameGeek, it topped the chart when it was released, and has sat at #2 ever since (Gloomhaven being the only board game that trumped it). Pandemic Legacy is essentially Pandemic with a huge non-linear cooperative campaign attached to it. Most people agree that it's a significant upgrade over the original Pandemic. The game is played across 12-24 sessions lasting about 1-2 hours each, and because of the branching nature, no two games will be the same. You'll notice that there are two variants of the game: Blue and Red editions. They are the exact same game with different box art. they are made so that some avid gamers can play the game simultaneously with two different groups; the colors make it easier to not confuse the two.
Continue reading...