Amazon Prime Day 2021: All the deals that are actually worth your time
Amazon Prime Day has arrived, and another avalanche of deals has come along with it. As ever, the vast majority of the gadget and gear discounts Amazon is advertising aren’t that special: many of the products are mediocre, and many of the prices aren’t much lower than usual.
But there are still a few hidden gems—and the Dealmaster team is here to help you find them. We’ve spent the better part of the last week cutting through thousands of offers, looking through price-history charts, and researching products we haven’t used ourselves, all to bring you the very best Prime Day deals we can find.
Below are the fruits of our labor, with a few special mentions for particularly notable deals. We’ll update our mega-roundup over the course of Amazon’s two-day event, adding good gadget deals as we see them with a “NEW” tag and striking out expired ones.
As a reminder, Prime Day runs from June 21-22, and you’ll need an Amazon Prime membership to access most deals. And yes, on one level, this whole thing is still a made-up holiday designed to gin up sales for an increasingly massive tech giant that has faced fierce criticism of its working conditions, handling of customer data, and allegedly anticompetitive practices, among other matters.
Note: Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs.
Table of Contents
Top 10 deals of Amazon Prime Day 2021 (for now)
Sony WH-1000XM4 Bluetooth noise-canceling headphones for $248 (normally $315): Sony’s WH-1000XM4 is the best wireless noise-canceling headphone for most people, blending good comfort, highly effective ANC, customizable sound, great battery life, and several nifty bonus features. This deal matches the lowest price we’ve seen at a major retailer.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (8GB, ads) ebook reader for $79.99 (normally $125): Prime Day typically brings loads of deals on Amazon-made devices, and this year is no exception. This deal matches the lowest price we’ve tracked on the Kindle Paperwhite, which we have long considered the best e-reader for most people. A version without in-built ads is on sale for $100.
Instant Pot Duo Plus (6qt) 9-in-1 electric pressure cooker for $54.95 (normally $110): Another all-time low, this looks like Prime Day’s best deal for those deciding to jump into the Instant Pot craze. This model is generally a minor upgrade over the Instant Pot Duo, with a sous vide setting and a nicer display, but again, it’s an easier recommendation at this discounted price. If you’re mainly cooking for one, the 3-quart Instant Pot Duo Nova is on sale for $50.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K HDR media streamer for $24.99 (normally $45): Though we consider Google’s Chromecast the better streaming stick overall, the speedy Fire TV Stick 4K becomes a much better value proposition at this deal price, which ties the best we’ve tracked.
Samsung Evo Select (256GB) microSDXC card for $25.99 (normally $33): We’ve recommended this Class 10, U3-rated microSD card in the past: it’s not the fastest option on the market, but it’s still quick and reliable enough to comfortably hold Switch games or other media. This deal is a dollar off the all-time low. If you need more space, a 512GB model is on sale for a new low of $62.
Jabra Elite 75t true wireless earphones for $99.99 (normally $140): Jabra’s Elite 75t are almost a couple of years old now, but they remain a nicely well-rounded pair of true wireless earbuds. They’re light, comfortable, and easily portable, with a useful control scheme, good sound quality, and active noise cancelation. This is another new low price. If you’re an iPhone user looking for a step up, Apple’s AirPods Pro are more modestly discounted to $190.
Nintendo Switch Lite + 128GB SanDisk microSD Card for Nintendo Switch for $199.99 (normally $225): The Nintendo Switch remains highly in demand, so Prime Day’s main Switch deal is predictably modest, merely bundling the Lite version of the console with the 128GB version of SanDisk’s officially licensed microSD card. The latter usually goes for about $25 on its own. Still, the Switch Lite is a good buy in its own right, and we recommended this particular microSD card in our guide to the best Nintendo Switch accessories. Just be aware that for the past several weeks, Nintendo has been rumored to launch a “Pro” version of the console and that the Lite version can still only be used in handheld mode, not docked to a TV.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 3-month membership for $29.99 (normally $45): For Xbox and PC players, Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is still one of the better values in gaming, bundling hundreds of genuinely worthwhile games (with several more to come) for one all-you-can-eat monthly fee. This deal takes $15 off the price of a 3-month subscription, which is $5 off the best price we’ve tracked for existing members. If you’ve never subscribed to the service, though, note that Microsoft is running a promotion that gives this same membership plan for just $1.
OnePlus 8 (128GB, Green) 6.55-inch unlocked smartphone for $349 (normally $610): The OnePlus 8 is a year old at this point, but at $349 its 90Hz display, Snapdragon 865 chip, and clean software (with security updates through mid-2023) are a good value. This deal is a new low, but it only appears to apply to the green model linked above.
Razer Viper Ultimate wireless gaming mouse for $74.99 (normally $100): Razer’s Viper Ultimate is our favorite wireless gaming mouse thanks to its highly responsive sensor and comfortable, ultra-lightweight, and ambidextrous design. This deal marks the lowest price we’ve tracked. A bundle that comes with Razer’s RGB charging dock is on sale for $90. If you’d rather not pay this much, Logitech’s G305 Lightspeed, another recommendation of ours, is down to a new low of $30.
Best Prime Day Amazon device deals
Best Prime Day Apple device deals
- Apple AirPods true wireless earbuds for $99.99 (discount seen at checkout—normally $129).
- Apple AirPods Pro true wireless noise-canceling earphones for $189.99 (normally $200).
- Apple TV 4K (32GB) 4K HDR media streamer for $169 (normally $179).
- Apple TV 4K (32GB, previous model) 4K HDR media streamer for $99 (normally $149).
- Apple MacBook Air (2020) laptop—Apple M1, 13.3-inch 2560×1600, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD for $899.99 (clip $49.01 coupon—normally $960).
- Beats Powerbeats Pro true wireless sports earphones for $144.99 (discount seen at checkout—normally $185).
- Beats Flex Bluetooth in-ear headphones for $39 (normally $45).
Best Prime Day video game deals
Best Prime Day gaming deals
Best Prime Day TV deals
Best Prime Day laptop deals
- Acer Swift 3 (SF314-42-R3U5) laptop—AMD Ryzen 7 4700U, 14-inch 1080p, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD for $699.99 (normally $825).
- Acer Swift 3 (SF314-59-75QC) laptop—Intel Core i7-1165G7, 14-inch 1080p, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD for $669.99 (normally $775).
- Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 laptop—Intel Core i3-10110U, 13.3-inch 1080p, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC for $309.99 (normally $395).
- Razer Blade 15 Base (2020) gaming laptop—Intel Core i7-10750, 15.6-inch 1080p 120Hz, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti for $999.99 (normally $1,300).
- Acer Predator Triton 500 (PT515-52-73L3) gaming laptop—Intel Core i7-10750H, 15.6-inch 1080p 300Hz, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super for $1,209.99 (normally $1,600).
- Alienware m15 R4 gaming laptop—Intel Core i7-10870H, 15.6-inch 1080p 300Hz, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 8GB for $1,999.99 (normally $2,280).
- ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 (G532LWS-DS76) gaming laptop—Intel Core i7-10875H, 15.6-inch 1080p 240Hz, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super for $1,739.99 (normally $2,000).
Best Prime Day monitor deals
- 27-inch BenQ EW2780U monitor—3840×2160, IPS, 60 Hz for $409.99 (normally $480).
- 35-inch BenQ EX3501R curved gaming monitor—3440×1440, VA, 100 Hz, FreeSync for $549.99 (normally $660).
- 32-inch BenQ EW3280U monitor—3840×2160, IPS, 60 Hz, FreeSync for $599.99 (normally $715).
- 27-inch ViewSonic XG270Q gaming monitor—2560×1440, IPS, 165Hz, FreeSync for $335.99 (normally $485).
- 27-inch ViewSonic VP2785-2K monitor—3840×2160, IPS, 60 Hz for $467.49 (normally $555).
- 27-inch Acer Predator XB273K Gpbmiipprzx gaming monitor—3840×2160, IPS, 144 Hz, FreeSync for $549 (normally $650).
- 32-inch Samsung Odyssey G7 curved gaming monitor—2560×1440, VA, 240 Hz, FreeSync for $559.99 (normally $780).
Best Prime Day smartphone deals
Best Prime Day smartwatch and fitness tracker deals
Best Prime Day smart home deals
Best Prime Day headphones deals
Best Prime Day electronics deals
Best Prime Day networking deals
Best Prime Day accessories and miscellaneous deals
- Instant Pot Duo Plus (6qt) 9-in-1 electric pressure cooker for $54.95 (normally $110).
- Instant Pot Duo Nova (3qt) 7-in-1 electric pressure cooker for $49.95 (normally $75).
- Yubico Security Key NFC multi-factor authentication USB key for $12.25 (normally $25).
- Samsung Evo Select (256GB) microSDXC card—UHS-I, U3, Class 10 for $25.99 (512GB model for $62—normally $33).
- SanDisk microSDXC Card for Nintendo Switch (512GB)—UHS-I, U3, V30 for $89.99 (normally $120).
- SanDisk Ultra (400GB) microSDXC card—UHS-I, U1, Class 10 for $39.99 (normally $50).
- SanDisk Extreme Pro (256GB) SDXC card—UHS-I, U3, V30 for $47.99 (normally $62).
- 2x Tile Mate (2020) + 2x Tile Slim (2020) Bluetooth item trackers for $52.49 (normally $67).
- Tile Performance Pack: 1x Tile Pro (2020) + 1x Tile Slim (2020) Bluetooth item trackers for $41.99 (normally $60).
- Tile Slim (2-pack, 2020) Bluetooth item tracker for $33.59 (1x tracker for $25—normally $47).
- Tile Pro (2020) Bluetooth item tracker for $24.49 (normally $34).
- Tile Pro Essentials Pack: 2x Tile Pro (2020) + 1x Tile Slim (2020) + 1x Tile Sticker Bluetooth item trackers for $59.99 (normally $100).
- Brydge 10.2 wireless keyboard for 10.2-inch Apple iPad (7th-8th gen) for $99.99 (normally $120).
- Brydge 11.0 Pro+ wireless keyboard for 11-inch Apple iPad Pro (1st-3rd gen) for $119.99 (normally $150).
- Brydge Vertical Dock for 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro (2020-2016) for $129.99 (normally $170).
- Satechi Aluminum USB Headphone Stand—3x USB-A, 1x 3.5mm for $34.99 (normally $50).
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