Apple’s AirPods Pro are down to a new low price on Amazon today

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Apple’s AirPods Pro are down to a new low price on Amazon today
Ars Technica

Today’s Dealmaster is headlined by a new deal on the AirPods Pro, which are currently down to $220 on Amazon. That’s $29 off Apple’s MSRP and about $15 off the device’s usual going rate on Amazon. The discount is the largest we’ve seen for Apple’s noise-cancelling true wireless earphones at the retailer, beating the previous low by about $10 and matching the best price we’ve seen at various online stores. Outside of a very brief drop to $215 at Adorama earlier this year, it’s the device’s lowest price to date from any reputable retailer.

The AirPods Pro were a recommendation in our travel tech gift guide last holiday season, and they remain a top choice for anyone who wants active noise cancellation in a totally wireless design. They’re pricier than the standard AirPods, but they’re a noticeable upgrade in almost every major way: their in-ear design creates a tighter and more stable seal in the ear, they produce a cleaner and more detailed sound quality that doesn’t overemphasize bass or treble, and they have a more reliable set of touch controls based on force feedback. The active noise-cancellation here can’t match that of the best over-ear pairs from Sony and Bose, but it’s strong enough to be effective in most settings. An accompanying “Transparency” mode does a remarkable job of piping in outside noise without drowning out your music. If you own an iPhone, all of this is combined with steady Bluetooth connectivity and a dead-simple pairing and setup process. The earphones also have an IPX4 sweat-resistance rating to withstand light workouts.

The AirPods Pro’s battery life is still relatively meager, coming in at about five hours a charge. As with most true wireless earphones, their sound quality doesn’t quite match their price tag. Their microphone isn’t much of a standout when it comes to call quality. And if you use an Android phone, there’s just about nothing in the way of software customization. Devices like the Beats Powerbeats Pro and the Jabra Elite Active 75t—both of which are also on sale today—are better premium options for those who don’t solely use Apple devices or want something explicitly for working out. But as a do-everything pair of true wireless earphones for iPhone owners, the AirPods Pro are easy to recommend, especially at this deal price.

If you have no interest in a new set of headphones, though, we also have deals on a bunch of digital Nintendo Switch games, a ton of Amazon devices, the latest iPad Mini, Roku media streamers, refurbished Sonos speakers, and more. Have a look at the full rundown below.

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Top 10 deals of the day

This is the new MacBook Air's "Magic Keyboard," sans Touch Bar but with Touch ID.
Enlarge / This is the new MacBook Air’s “Magic Keyboard,” sans Touch Bar but with Touch ID.
Samuel Axon

Laptop and desktop PC deals

  • Apple Back to School sale: Apple AirPods true wireless earbuds for free with select Mac or iPad purchases (must be Higher Education student, parent of Higher Education student, or K-12 school employee to be eligible).
  • Apple MacBook Pro (2019) laptop – 2.6GHz Intel Core i7-9750H, 16-inch 3072×1920, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Magic Keyboard for $2,099 at Amazon (normally $2,200).
  • Apple MacBook Air (2020) laptop – 1.1GHz Intel Core i5-1030NG7, 13.3-inch 2560×1600, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Magic Keyboard for $1,199.99 at Amazon (normally $1,270).
  • Apple MacBook Air (2020) laptop – 1.1GHz Intel Core i3-1000NG4, 13.3-inch 2560×1600, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Magic Keyboard for $899.99 at Amazon (normally $970).
  • AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-core/16-thread desktop processor + Wraith Prism LED cooler for $274.49 at Amazon (normally $295).
  • WD My Passport (5TB) portable external hard drive for $99.99 at Amazon (normally $115).
  • 27-inch ViewSonic Elite XG270QG gaming monitor – 1440p, IPS, 165Hz, G-Sync for $569.99 at Amazon (discount seen at checkout – normally $650).
<em>Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze </em>is a challenging and gorgeous platformer.
Enlarge / Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a challenging and gorgeous platformer.

Nintendo Switch game deals

<em>God of War</em> is a PS4 classic.
Enlarge / God of War is a PS4 classic.

PS4 and Xbox game deals

Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gets you access to a lot of games for a monthly fee.
Enlarge / Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gets you access to a lot of games for a monthly fee.

Gaming deals

The Roku Premiere supports 4K and HDR10 videos but has a simpler remote without voice controls.
Enlarge / The Roku Premiere supports 4K and HDR10 videos but has a simpler remote without voice controls.

TV and home entertainment deals

Amazon's waterproof Kindle Paperwhite.
Enlarge / Amazon’s waterproof Kindle Paperwhite.
Valentina Palladino

Amazon device deals

These are Apple's AirPods Pro, the first Apple-branded headphones to offer noise cancellation.
Enlarge / These are Apple’s AirPods Pro, the first Apple-branded headphones to offer noise cancellation.

Headphones and audio deals

The 2019 iPad mini. It looks like the last iPad mini, but it's much faster.
Enlarge / The 2019 iPad mini. It looks like the last iPad mini, but it’s much faster.
Samuel Axon

Electronics deals

A few of the ports on Vava's USB-C hub.
Enlarge / A few of the ports on Vava’s USB-C hub.

Accessories and miscellaneous deals

  • Apple Magic Keyboard for 12.9-inch iPad Pro for $329.98 at Amazon (normally $349).
  • Apple Smart Keyboard for iPad (7th gen) and iPad Air (3rd gen) for $99 at Amazon (normally $130).
  • Apple 61W USB-C Power Adapter for $46.16 at Amazon (normally $60).
  • Tile Slim (2020) Bluetooth tracker for $23.99 at Amazon (normally $30).
  • Anker PowerWave 7.5 Stand Qi wireless charging stand – 10W Galaxy/7.5W iPhone + AC adapter for $32.99 at Amazon (clip 34% coupon – normally $49).
  • Vava VA-UC006 9-in-1 USB-C hub – 2x USB 3.0, USB 2.0, 100W pass-through charging, HDMI (4K@30Hz), SD, microSD, Ethernet, 3.5mm for $29.99 at Amazon (clip $10 coupon and use code: IRHNR6CS – normally $55).

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