Best Holiday Deals on Tech

The AirPods Pro 3—Apple’s latest top-of-the-line earbuds—are packed with features at a very low price. New functions include live translation and a workout mode that allows you to leave your Apple Watch at home. The model offers the clinical-grade hearing test and over-the-counter hearing aid option introduced in the prior model. It also sounds good and offers a better fit and noise-canceling tech than the Pro 2s.

These were a few bucks cheaper at Amazon and Best Buy during the main Black Friday sales, but you can still save a little at Abt.

While Apple claims the AirPods 4 are improved over the AirPods 3, our testers were less impressed. They’re still solid headphones if you don’t like having eartips stuck in your ear. The fit, despite Apple’s tweaks, is pretty much the same, as is the sound. The price is somewhat lower, and that’s an unalloyed good.

If you want earbuds but don’t like the feel of plugged-up ears, these Bose Ultra Open headphones are a unique option. They hook on your ear, just above the lobe, kind of like a cuff-style earring. They sound surprisingly good, too, once you get the placement just right. And it’s totally easy to hear things around you with a clarity that the "transparency" mode of most earbuds can’t match.

The Galaxy Buds FE pair nicely with Samsung Galaxy phones, with phone-specific features like live translation. The noise cancellation works effectively, and the sound quality is solidly above average. Our testers also find that, with wingtips that help the earbuds stay in place, the Galaxy Buds FE fit users with a variety of head and ear sizes. They’re currently $20 more than their best price.

These sleek true wireless earbuds may be a bit expensive, but their stellar sound quality makes them more than worth it if you love music. The price yo-yos a lot, but this is the usual discount. The XM5s are sleek successors to the company’s stellar WF1000XM4s, and they deliver so much musical detail that you simply hear your favorite songs in a different way. The noise-canceling performance of the XM5s is top-notch as well, and Sony headphones have a very effective ambient mode that pipes in outside noise for safety or convenience.

The AirPods Max sound really good and have superb and flexible noise-canceling tech. They have a high-performing transparency mode to pipe in outside sound, as well as spatial audio capability. But the biggest selling point might be the distinctive design and premium feel we’ve all come to expect from an Apple product.

We saw these headphones drop to $399 on Black Friday, but this is the lowest price around right now.

Dyson has been known for the eye-catching design of its vacuums. The company’s sleek and well-built On Trac over-the-ear headphones are both lovely to look at and a joy to touch. And they sound as good as they look, with detailed bass and a warm midrange that’s great for long listening sessions. The noise cancellation is top-notch, too. The model’s biggest drawback? It would probably be the steep list price. So, at under $250, this deal is worth a long look.

JBL Tune 510BT headphones feel like they’re built with quality in mind: They’re cheap, but they don’t seem cheap. This Bluetooth model delivers pretty good sound quality, it has a 40-hour advertised battery life, and we’ve seen it selling at remarkably low prices. The 510BT sits on the ears, which some people find more comfortable than being engulfed by the more common over-ear style. As an extra perk, you can also use them with a cable if you forget to charge them.

This wireless Bluetooth iPod/iPad/cellphone-centric headphone from JBL is a solid pick. The JBL Tune 660NC delivers very good sound quality and excellent active noise reduction. These headphones have a closed design, so they will provide some muffling of external noises and also reduce the amount of sound that escapes from the headphones.

If you’re looking for high-value noise-canceling headphones, the Sennheiser Accentum Plus is a very solid option. They’re amiable companions, with robust bass, neutral midrange, and that sense of lively openness that makes really good headphones fun to listen to. They’re pleasantly light in weight, and the fit and stability are good for most of our testers, though those with large heads and/or prominent ears may want to double-check the fit.

These were $30 less on Cyber Monday, but this is likely the best price you’ll see for the rest of the season.

For those motivated to get more movement in the new year, we think the new Apple Watch SE 3 is the most capable version yet of Apple’s budget smartwatch. It offers nearly all the health and fitness features of the pricier Series version. And you can count on impressive battery life and a bright, durable display, too.

The Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm) is now a generation old, but it still delivers stellar performance. It comes with a bright display, fast-charging capabilities, and all the Apple Watch basics, from automatic workout detection to sleep tracking. The larger 46mm case option is also on sale.

The Fitbit Charge line routinely features great general-purpose trackers, and the Charge 6 is no exception. It offers a 1.1-inch full-color display and a range of tools that help you stay on top of your health, everything from stress monitoring to an ECG (electrocardiogram) function that can alert you to irregular heart rhythms.

The Versa 4 is a great fit for fans of Fitbit who want a sleeker-looking smartwatch. You get a good-sized display and all the basics from GPS-enabled workout tracking to heart rate monitoring, plus a generous six days of claimed battery life.

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch7 is a sleek-looking and high-performing pick, particularly if you own a Galaxy phone, and its stylish design means you can feel comfortable wearing it just about anywhere. The Watch7 offers some of Samsung’s latest health, fitness, and safety features—including sleep apnea detection, swimming stroke analysis, and daily AI-enabled Sleep and Energy scores, which make it easier to keep tabs on basic health metrics. It also has more standard features, like automatic workout-tracking, heart rate and blood oxygen level monitoring, and heart rate variability tracking.

The 77-inch OLED77C5PUA is LG’s midtier OLED TV for 2025, and it’s among the best sets you can buy, with great picture quality, high dynamic range, and sound. It features numerous gaming capabilities, including a 144Hz refresh rate. But note that most retailers have been selling it for about $2,700 in recent weeks, not $3,700.

The Samsung QN65S84FA is a 2025 OLED TV that appears to be exclusive to Best Buy. It’s well-priced for its performance, with excellent overall picture quality and very good HDR performance. It also has very good sound. It comes with most of Samsung’s TV features, including support for object-tracking sound and Dolby Atmos immersive audio.

This 55-inch Hisense smart TV, a new model for 2025, is an entry-level QLED set that nonetheless delivers a satisfying picture, although it lacks the brightness to provide a compelling HDR experience. (The TV supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+ HDR, plus Dolby Atmos audio.) It also lacks some features, such as local dimming, found in step-up models. Sound quality isn’t great, so you may want to consider adding a soundbar. It utilizes the Amazon Fire TV smart system with Alexa built in. The price is now $30 lower than during Cyber Monday.

Like its predecessor, this updated Roku Ultra is the company’s most powerful 4K streaming player. It has a new, faster quad-core processor, quicker app launches, support for both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ high dynamic range formats, and WiFi 6 wireless. Other features include an HDMI 2.1 connection to your TV, an Ethernet port for a wired connection, a lost-remote finder feature, and a wireless headphone mode that lets you pair with Bluetooth headphones. It also has the ability to integrate with Roku Smart Home devices, allowing you to view Roku doorbell or camera feeds on your TV. The new Ultra comes with Roku’s best remote control, the Voice Remote Pro (2nd Edition). The new remote is recharged via a USB-C connection and is now backlit.

The Soundlink Max is a modestly sized portable that delivers. The sound quality is satisfying with deep impactful bass, though our testers find that the Max can become harsh at high volumes. The $100 discount looks better when you realize that Bose speakers go on sale less frequently than other brands’ products.

The JBL Xtreme 3 is one hefty hunk of speaker. In fact, you might be surprised by how large it is when you see it in person. The 5-pound, foot-long beast sports a strap instead of a handle, which can make it a handful to haul around. But it’s water-resistant, delivers strong bass, and can play loud enough to fill a large-ish room. At barely more than $200, it’s—quite literally—a lot of speaker for the money.

The JBL Flip 7 is a classic do-it-all speaker. It’s small enough to stuff into a bag, but delivers enough sound to provide background music at a barbecue. It’s IP68 water-resistant and dust-proof, and the company claims you can drop it onto a concrete floor from a height of one meter and it’ll keep working. Also, according to JBL, it delivers 16 hours of music on a single charge. This is the sale price for the black model. You’ll find other options available for roughly $110. All represent a decent value, especially if you think there’s a good chance you’ll be abusing your new speaker more than a little.

Looking for a really good, inexpensive small speaker? The Flip 6 is at a fantastic discount at Walmart right now. This speaker is very similar to the venerable Flip 5, and that’s a good thing. It’s water and dust-resistant, has a 12-hour battery life, and is just the right size to slip into a bag or even the water bottle pocket on a backpack. This is the price for the black model. Others are priced at $95 to $100.

As the company’s largest and most expensive model, the Sonos Five is a classic. It achieves truly superb stereo sound from a single sizable box that can serve as the heart of a flexible multiroom system that routes music throughout your home. Sonos speakers are rarely discounted, so this is an especially good deal for the music lover who wants multiroom convenience.

Anyone looking to save space—or reduce the number of items to plug into their TV—may want to consider the Roku Streambar SE. It doesn’t go on sale all that often. This soundbar includes a built-in Roku streaming player. Given its small footprint, it probably works best for smaller TVs, rather than the jumbo-sized set you’ve been eyeing.

This full-featured Dolby Atmos soundbar speaker from Sonos, an all-in-one model that doesn’t require a separate subwoofer, is among the top models in our ratings, with very good overall sound quality. It should provide satisfying sound for music and movie/TV soundtracks for even more critical listeners. The model features a total of 11 drivers, including one on each end, as well as two upfiring drivers positioned at the top for Dolby Atmos audio. The soundbar can be configured as part of a full surround-sound system when paired with a Sonos subwoofer and rear Sonos speakers, and/or as part of a multiroom system.

Despite its relatively small size, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a 5.0-channel model with numerous features, and it’s priced several hundred dollars below the company’s Arc soundbar, which is also highly recommended. The newer Sonos Beam has more processing power than its predecessor, along with support for HDMI eARC. It also supports Dolby Atmos immersive audio, though it lacks upfiring drivers. This model has been selling for approximately $100 more at several retailers; however, we expect many of them to match this price.

The Bose Smart Soundbar is a Dolby Atmos model that delivers decent overall sound, making it suitable for both music and movie soundtrack playback for more casual listeners. It’s a full-featured, 3.0.2 nonsurround model that can be expanded into a full 5.1.2-channel surround system. It can also be used as part of a multi-room WiFi audio system. It features Amazon Alexa built-in and works with Google Assistant (via the Google Home app on a mobile device and/or an optional Google smart speaker). It also has Bluetooth wireless connectivity for streaming audio from a portable device.

The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 is a 3.1.2-channel soundbar that delivers satisfying sound, so it’s a good choice for both movies and music. The model supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive sound, and the main enclosure has upfiring drivers for height sounds. The soundbar features Bluetooth wireless connectivity, allowing you to stream audio from portable devices.

The latest MacBook Air with M4 chip continues Apple’s streak of making truly compelling laptops. While we technically tested the 15-inch model, we expect this 13-inch version to deliver the same top-tier performance and all-day battery life. It’s an ideal choice for travelers or students who need power in a significantly smaller package. You might miss having the extra screen real estate of its big brother, but the speed of the M4 chip and the sharp Retina display make this a standout deal all the same.

If you’re curious about switching to a Mac or simply tired of Windows, the 2024 Mac Mini is the most affordable entry point into the Apple ecosystem, provided you already have a monitor, mouse, and keyboard on hand. It is also a fantastic, low-stakes machine for anyone looking to get their feet wet with iOS programming; it runs Xcode (Apple’s app development software) beautifully, making it a great gift for a budding developer or a student.

It’s still available for its Cyber Monday price.

If you want your tablet to pack more power than the base iPad model, you can also snag a discount on the 11-inch iPad Air. This model’s M3 chip means it’s more capable of handling demanding tasks, like video editing or gaming, than the basic iPad model. However, if you tend to use your tablet for just the basics, the Air may be overkill.

The newest version of Amazon’s Fire tablet packs a lot of value into a small, 8-inch package—and that’s before you take into account its low Black Friday price. It’s not the highest-end tablet out there, but if you’re merely looking to do simple “tablet-y” things like streaming video, reading books, or browsing the web on something a bit bigger than your phone, it’s hard to beat. We haven’t finished testing this latest model, but based on how well Fire tablets have done in the past, we’re confident it will serve you well.

This two-meter cord, designed for the iPhone 5 through the iPhone 14, survived 11,500 bends without failing in the rig we created to test charging cord durability. That’s the equivalent of more than six years’ worth of use, according to our estimates.

For avid iPad users, a stylus can help you easily navigate menus, jot down notes, or create advanced digital art. The premium Apple Pencil Pro comes with all the bells and whistles, like haptic feedback, Find My capability, and pressure sensitivity. Note that this stylus is only compatible with certain iPad Pro and Air models. 

The Apple Pencil USB-C doesn’t offer quite as many features as the Apple Pencil Pro, but it’s still a great add-on for your iPad if you plan to sketch or take notes. The USB-C model doesn’t support pressure sensitivity, meaning the thickness of your lines won’t vary based on how hard you press down, but it writes smoothly and accurately and can attach to the side of your iPad for easy storage. This model is compatible with the latest generation iPad A16 and the newest iPad Pro and Air models.

If you want a reasonably low-cost home printer that can produce clear and crisp text documents at a clip, this black-and-white Canon imageCLASS LBP122dw laser printer earns our stamp of approval. Canon laser printers are also particularly reliable, according to survey data of CR members, which means they’re less likely to give you grief later on. This model doesn’t scan or copy, though.

If you’re looking for a versatile printer for your home office, the HP Smart Tank 7602 ticks a lot of boxes: It’s an all-in-one model, which means it can handle copying and scanning, too. It delivers high-quality text and graphics, though at a slightly slower rate than some other options. And, because you refill the “tanks” with bottled ink instead of pricey cartridges, ongoing ink costs remain super low. The price for this printer has gone up $30 since Cyber Monday.

The Arlo Essential 2K (VMC3050-100NAS) is one of Arlo’s most budget-friendly security cameras. It performs well in our tests and features a built-in spotlight, a siren, and voice/app control via Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Additional features, such as activity zones, person detection, and cloud video storage, require an Arlo Secure subscription.

The TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Slim EP25 is one of the most versatile smart plugs on the market, offering energy monitoring and compatibility with all four major smart home systems: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings. It’s also very easy to use and set up based on our expert evaluations, and it offers decent data security. This four-pack is down to the lowest price we’ve seen for it.

One of the best (and least expensive!) doorbell cameras you can buy, the TP-Link Tapo D130 offers a bunch of features—even without a subscription. These include 24/7 recording with local video storage on a microSD card (up to 512 gigabytes, sold separately), AI object recognition (for people, vehicles, packages, and pets), activity zones, and color night vision. This model needs low-voltage doorbell wiring for power. Cloud video storage is available via subscription.

The TP-Link Tapo D210 is one of the most affordable doorbell cameras in our ratings, and it outperforms many of the more expensive models. The doorbell is battery-powered, meaning you don’t have to mess with doorbell wires, and it comes with a plug-in doorbell chime in the box. Features include activity zones, color night vision, local video storage on up to a 512GB microSD card (not included), person detection, pre-recorded responses to ask visitors to leave a message, and voice/app control via Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Best of all, none of these features requires a subscription.

In the market for a phone upgrade? You’ll lose little by opting for last year’s iPhone 16, which performs nearly as well in our tests as Apple’s newest model. Expect a crisp, 6.1-inch display, impressive dual-rear camera system, and 37 hours of battery life, according to our tests.

The Apple iPhone 16e is Apple’s budget smartphone option. It’s a compact 6.1 inches, with reliable battery life and standout durability. You won’t get a particularly impressive camera when compared to other available iPhone models—the 16e doesn’t offer the 0.5x ultrawide option, for example—but it’s plenty powerful for most of us. This deal is for the unlocked model.

If you want all the typical iPhone pros—a high-res display, proven durability, and capable camera system—but with a bigger screen, last year’s 6.7-inch iPhone 16 Plus model is a solid pick. Best Buy’s Doorbuster deal is available on the unlocked model only.

If you’re a Samsung Galaxy lover and due for a phone upgrade, you can save more than $100 on the latest S25 smartphone. (The S25+ and S25 Ultra are also on sale, if you want a larger or more deluxe model.) Either way, expect a vibrant display and an excellent camera system.

You don’t need to spend a fortune on the latest tech for a huge WiFi upgrade, and the TP-Link Archer AX72 Pro is proof. A solid performer in our testing, this WiFi 6 router delivers speeds that are more than fast enough for most families, easily handling multiple video streams, online gaming, and a house full of connected devices. For anyone still using the basic router provided by an internet service provider, this is a sensible, low-cost upgrade.

We haven’t reviewed this exact model, but TP-Link routers generally perform very well in our ratings. And it’s rare to find a tri-band router, specifically one that supports WiFi 6E or newer, for less than $150. Unlike older routers that fight for space on crowded channels, this one opens up the 6GHz band. Think of this as a brand-new, empty express lane on the highway that only cutting-edge devices (like the latest phones and laptops) can use. If you live in an apartment building or a dense neighborhood where your neighbors’ WiFi slows yours down, this is the most cost-effective way to bypass the congestion.