Today’s best deals: HBO Max subscriptions, Apple iPads, and more

It’s time for another Dealmaster. Our latest roundup of the best tech deals from around the web includes a limited-time promotion on HBO Max subscriptions. As of this writing, new and returning customers to the video streaming service can take 30 percent off a one-year subscription when they pay for the 12 months in advance. This brings the ad-free version of the service down from $150 to $105 (or just under $9 a month) and the ad-supported tier down from $100 to $70 (or just under $6 a month). The promotion technically went live a few weeks ago, but HBO Max says the deal will be available through October 30.

To put the offer into context, new HBO Max owner Warner Bros. Discovery recently started culling content from the service as part of a major cost-cutting drive, even going so far as to cancel high-profile features like Batgirl before their scheduled release. Last month, the company also announced plans to merge HBO Max with the Discovery+ streaming service by the summer of 2023, though it hasn’t clarified what that service will cost or how the merger will affect existing subscribers. The promotion here, then, looks to be a way to stem subscriber losses and lock in more customers for the year ahead.

That said, this is still a fairly sizable discount. And even after shedding dozens of titles, HBO Max still has plenty of worthwhile binge fodder, including Ars-approved series like Hacks, His Dark Materials, and The White Lotus, newer well-reviewed titles like The Rehearsal and Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon, and well-known fare like The Sopranos, Sex and the City, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. If you aren’t fatigued by the glut of streaming services asking for your attention these days, or if you’ve been looking to give the service a try anyway, this is a decent deal. Just note that the offer can not be used to extend an existing membership.

Beyond that, our roundup also has similar promotions for competing services like Disney+ and Peacock. And if you’ve got enough to stream as it is, we also have lower-than-usual prices on Apple’s iPad and iPad Mini, Wacom drawing tablets, gaming monitors, and tons of video games, among other well-reviewed tech gear. As we write this, we’re also seeing stock available for a PlayStation 5 bundle, though that could change quickly. In any event, you can find our full curated list of deals below.

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Featured deals of the day

Enlarge / Apple’s AirPods Max aren’t cheap and have their share of design quirks, but they continue to offer superb audio and noise-canceling quality for a wireless headphone.

Electronics deals

Sony's PlayStation 5 (left) has been difficult to find in stock since the console launched in November 2020. — Enlarge / Sony’s PlayStation 5 (left) has been difficult to find in stock since the console launched in November 2020.

Sam Machkovech

Laptop and desktop PC deals

Asus Zenbook 14 14-inch laptop (Core i5-1240P, 2880×1800 OLED, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $550 (~~$700~~) at Best Buy
Lenovo Yoga 6 13.3-inch 2-in-1 laptop (Ryzen 7 5700U, 1920×1200, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for $700 (~~$850~~) at Best Buy
Apple MacBook Air (2022, Midnight) 13.6-inch laptop (Apple M2, 2560×1664, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $1,099 (~~$1,199~~) at Amazon, B&H
Apple MacBook Pro (2021) 14.2-inch laptop (Apple M1 Pro, 3024×1964, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for $1,599 (~~$1,850~~) at Best Buy
Apple MacBook Pro (2021) 16.2-inch laptop (Apple M1 Pro, 3456×2234, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for $2,099 (~~$2,265~~) at Amazon, Best Buy
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 12.4-inch laptop (Core i5-1135G7, 1536×1024, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) for $600 (~~$685~~) at Walmart

Apple's 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops. Updated models are expected to arrive next month, though today's deals are still decent prices for those who need a powerful Mac laptop right now. — Enlarge / Apple’s 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops. Updated models are expected to arrive next month, though today’s deals are still decent prices for those who need a powerful Mac laptop right now.

Samuel Axon

Microsoft Surface Pro 8 13-inch tablet PC (Core i5-1135G7, 2880×1920, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) + Surface Pro Keyboard for $900 (~~$1,025~~) at Microsoft
Lenovo Legion 5i Pro (Gen 7) 16-inch gaming laptop (Core i7-12700H, 2560×1600, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU) for $1,599 (~~$1,950~~) at Walmart
WD Black SN850 (1TB) PCIe 4.0 SSD w/ heatsink for $110 (~~$145~~) at WD, Newegg
ViewSonic Elite XG270Q 27-inch gaming monitor (2560×1440, IPS, 165 Hz, G-Sync) for $260 (~~$375~~) at Amazon, Target, Best Buy
Gigabyte M32QC 31.5-inch gaming monitor (2560×1440, VA, 165 Hz, VRR) for $230 (~~$305~~) at Amazon, Newegg
Gigabyte M32Q 32-inch gaming monitor (2560×1440, IPS, 170 Hz, VRR) for $300 (~~$390~~) at Amazon, Newegg

Enlarge / Microsoft’s Surface Pro 8 isn’t for everyone, but our review called it the “best Surface for people who love” Microsoft’s line of well-designed Windows PCs. Just note that a Surface Pro 9 may be announced in the coming weeks.

Andrew Cunningham

TV and home entertainment deals

Enlarge / LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a lighthearted and easygoing send-up of the nine mainline Star Wars films.

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Video game deals

Enlarge / Horizon Forbidden West is one of our favorite games of 2022 so far.

Apple's MagSafe Duo isn't cheap, but it's an especially compact and travel-friendly wireless charger for topping off the battery of your Apple Watch, AirPods, or recent iPhone. — Enlarge / Apple’s MagSafe Duo isn’t cheap, but it’s an especially compact and travel-friendly wireless charger for topping off the battery of your Apple Watch, AirPods, or recent iPhone.

Accessories and miscellaneous deals

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