Ladies and gentlemen, once again, it’s the weekend — now featuring an extra hour of sunshine, whether you like it or not. On the deals front, Amazon is currently offering the 11-inch iPad Pro in its 128GB, Wi-Fi-ready configuration for $749. That’s $50 off the 2021 tablet’s regular asking price of $799, which matches the price of the 2022 10.9-inch iPad Air with 256GB of storage.
The iPad Air may be the new darling of Apple’s tablet lineup, but the iPad Pro still has some extra features worth considering, since they’re the same price today. First off, it has a 120Hz refresh rate screen for smoother scrolling and gaming, Face ID for easier unlocking (the Air uses Touch ID), and a four-speaker audio setup for bigger sound when it comes to time to binge. However, both the Pro and the new Air models have Apple’s M1 processor, so they should be equally speedy.
Which is the best one to go with? Well, it’s a topic that was heavily debated on the most recent episode of The Vergecast, and while you probably can’t go wrong with either tablet, it’s nice to save money in the process (the iPad Pro is the better all-around choice). Read our 2021 iPad Pro review.
Elden Ring is still — without question — the hottest game around right now, having sold over 12 million copies and sparking talk of an entire franchise in and out of gaming. While the challenging, dark-fantasy RPG saw some slight discounts initially on Steam before it released, console players who have an Xbox One or Series X / S have been out of luck, until today.
Eneba is currently offering the digital version of Elden Ring for $46.49 when you use promo code XboxRings at checkout. This discount of nearly 25 percent off is the best price we’ve seen on FromSoftware’s open-world hit, but it’s only good until 6AM ET on Monday, March 21st. So, if you’re feeling the urge to see what all the hype is about, now’s a great chance tomount up on your ghostly steed and jump in. Read our review.
If you’re looking for additional gaming deals, Eneba is currently offering a 40-percent discount on Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Now through 6AM ET on Monday, the 21st, you can pick up a three-month subscription for $26.50 when you use promo code XGPU3March. Game Pass regularly costs $14.99 a month, so this three-month deal saves you a total of $18.49.
Many of us at The Verge would argue that Game Pass is one of the best deals you can currently get in gaming. The premium service provides access to more 100 titles across the Xbox Series X, Series S, and PC, including the new releases like Halo Infinite and the critically-acclaimed Tunic. A membership to Xbox Game Pass also grants you access to online multiplayer and free monthly games through Microsoft’s Games with Gold promo.
Switching gears from gaming to the smart home, Google’s Nest Audio offers an excellent value. The smart speaker is relatively compact, and its five color options help it easily fit into most home decor settings. Most importantly, the Nest Audio provides excellent sound quality for a speaker of its size and price, which is usually $99.99 a pop.
That price is almost as good as it gets right now, namely because Google is selling a two-pack of speakers for $129. That knocks the price down to $64.50 each. This puts the Nest Audio very close to its all-time low price of $59.99, allowing you to affordably outfit two rooms in your home with a smart speaker, or set up a pair to work side-by-side in stereo arrangement.
The Nest Audio natively supports the Google Assistant, so you can control other connected smart devices with your voice, or get the news and weather read to you on-demand. These small speakers may not have all the bass and booming volume in the world — and Google recently downgraded some of their multi-speaker functionality due to a lawsuit — but this two-pack is still a great multi-room bang for your buck. Read our review.
Speaking of smart speakers, B&H Photo has an expansive Sonos bundle on offer that rarely sees a discount. The Sonos Immersive Set consists of a second-gen Sonos Beam soundbar, two Sonos One SL smart speakers, and one Sonos Sub for a combined package price of $1,499 (a discount of $97). If you know Sonos speakers, you know that they infrequently go on any kind of sale, so it’s worth saving a few dollars when you can.
This package is an all-in-one solution for a surround sound setup. The latest Sonos Beam supports Dolby Atmos, allowing for better audio immersion, and comes equipped with HDMI eARC, which brings improved performance via HDMI and cuts down on latency issues. The two Sonos One SL speakers, meanwhile, are equivalent to the Sonos One smart speaker (sans the microphone), and are designed to pull rear-channel duty in this arrangement. Lastly, the Sonos Sub handles the low-end bass while watching TV shows and movies.
This streamlined setup is an efficient way to add surround sound to your home without running wires all over the place. It’s also a full-blown Sonos setup, meaning it works seamlessly and wirelessly with other products in the Sonos ecosystem.
Some more Saturday steals
https://www.theverge.com/good-deals/2022/3/19/22984561/apple-ipad-pro-11-elden-ring-xbox-game-pass-ultimate-stereo-headset-google-nest-sonos-deal-sale