Happy Saturday, folks! After a few weeks of middling deals, we’re starting see things pick up. Some of our favorite deals of the holiday season have returned in some fashion, making now a great time to pick up deal stalwarts like the AirPods 4 with ANC or Google’s TV Streamer (4K). We also stumbled upon a deal that knocks $5 off a pair of Lego Roses, as well as another that lets both new and returning subscribers snag a month of Apple TV Plus, completely free of charge.
So let’s get into it, shall we?
If you can afford it, I highly recommend the AirPods Pro 3, which are on sale at Amazon and Walmart right now for $199 ($50 off). However, if you’re an Apple user looking to save some cash, the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation make for a surprisingly good alternative, especially since they’re on sale at Amazon and Walmart for $119 — about $20 shy of the all-time low we saw during Black Friday.
Despite their open-style design, the AirPods 4 with ANC offer the best sound of any AirPods to date (save the Pro models). The noise cancellation is remarkably effective at lowering the volume of the outside world, and because they’re an Apple product, they’re loaded with all the usual ecosystem tricks. That means you’ll get support for head-tracking spatial audio, automatic device switching, and live translation courtesy of iOS 26. The ANC also packs a few Pro-level features, including wireless charging and a built-in speaker on the charging case that lets you track it via Apple’s Find My app.
Ready or not, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Per usual, we’ll be publishing several gift guides in the run-up to the main event on Sunday, February 14th; however, if you want to get a head start on shopping for your supposed sweetheart, Lego’s Roses are on sale at Amazon, Walmart, and Target for around $9.91 (about $5 off), nearly matching their best price to date. Lego does sell more robust floral sets — hell, you can currently buy a dozen stems for around $55 — but this 120-piece kit feels like a more subtle surprise. Just pair it with an actual vase, and voila: instant brownie points.
These days, most TVs are equipped with a way to access Netflix, HBO Max, and a laundry list of other streaming apps. That said, a dedicated device like Google’s TV Streamer (4K) — which is now available from Amazon, Best Buy, and Google for $79.99 ($20 off), nearly matching its all-time low— can provide better customization, faster performance, and more advanced search functionality than many 4K TVs.
Google’s speedy Chromecast follow-up supports both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, along with a handy Find My feature that lets you locate the remote when it inevitably falls between your couch cushions. It can also cobble together recommendations from across streaming services, and thanks to its built-in support for both Matter and Thread, you can leverage it as a smart home hub, making it easy to control your lights or view livestreams from connected cameras. We just wish it weren’t limited to Wi-Fi 5, even if the built-in ethernet port does help.
In case you weren’t aware, Apple TV Plus has basically become the streaming service if you’re a sci-fi fan, with recent standouts like Vince Gilligan’s Pluribus further cementing its status in recent months. Thankfully, if you hadn’t had an opportunity to dig into the streamer’s movie and TV catalog, both new and qualified returning subscribers can currently sign up for a free 30-day trial for a limited time.
If you’re not into interstellar travel or hive mind antics, rest assured that you have other options. The second season of the high-stakes wine drama Drops of God and the third season of Shrinking — an excellent comedy starring Jason Segel — are now underway, and the next season of Ted Lasso is (finally) set to premiere this summer after a three-year absence. Just be sure to cancel your membership before the trial period ends; otherwise, it will renew at the current rate of $12.99 a month.
More ways to save this weekend
- Anker’s MagGo charging puck has returned to $14.99 ($15 off) at Amazon, matching its lowest price to date. The Qi2-certified charger only outputs up to 15W of power, and while the newest iPhone models technically support up to 25W wireless charging, you’re likely going to have to pay a premium for the privilege. Anker’s Qi2 offering is cheap, effective, and comes with a five-foot cable you can plug into either your laptop or a power adapter.
- My go-to smart speaker rec for family and friends, the Sonos Era 100, is on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Sonos’ online storefront for $179 ($40 off), its second-best price to date. The feature-packed speaker sounds noticeably better than the last-gen Sonos One, with improved bass response and support for stereo playback. It’s also equipped with Bluetooth, and like the larger Era 300, it lets you listen to wired audio sources via line-in — assuming you pick up a 3.5mm to USB-C adapter, that is. Read our review.
- I regret to inform you that most of the standout titles from Woot’s so-called “Video Game Mega Sale” have been snapped up at this point, though you can still grab a copy of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom for $44.99 ($15 off). I’m a big fan of the game’s chibi miniature-style art design and its clever open-world formula, which, while a little formulaic, is still fitting for Princess Zelda’s first solo outing on the Nintendo Switch. Read our review.
Source: www.theverge.com
