There are many devices out there that no-one really needs, but have a specific purpose that can help to improve one’s quality of life a bit. Twelve South’s AirFly Duo is one such product. It’s a dongle that lets you connect Bluetooth earbuds and headphones to in-flight entertainment systems. The device is , which is a record low. The AirFly Duo usually costs $45.
This is one of our favorite pieces of . It plugs into any 3.5mm audio jack, actually, so you can use it with the likes of gym equipment, gaming systems or even TVs. Musicians can use it to listen to audio from amplifiers too. What’s more, you can connect two sets of earbuds or headphones at once, so two people can watch a movie on the same iPad while traveling.
Twelve South
The AirFly Duo is a dongle you can use to transmit audio from any 3.5mm jack to Bluetooth earbuds or headphones. It’s currently on sale for a record low price of $30.
Twelve South says the device uses aptX Low Latency Codecs to minimize audio lag. The AirFly Duo is said to have a battery life of over 22 hours, so it should last for even the lengthiest of long-haul flights. But, if you need to, you can charge the device while it’s in use.
Again, the AirFly isn’t a product that anyone truly needs — you can buy a set of wired earbuds that’ll work in a pinch for a few bucks. But you’ll be able to use any Bluetooth earbuds or headphones of your choice with this device. Best of all, you’ll avoid the awkwardness of a trailing wire draping over (and perhaps into) your in-flight meal.
Apple’s AirPods Pro high-end earbuds are on sale via Amazon for just $180. That’s a discount of nearly 30 percent and nearly matches a record-low price. This deal is for the most-recent second-generation device.
Apple
There’s a reason why these earbuds are the crown jewel of Apple’s lineup. They are just that good. The AirPods Pro easily made our list of the best wireless earbuds. We called them a “huge improvement over the previous models” and called out the stellar sound quality and active noise cancellation. The transparency mode is more natural-sounding than rival products and the new swipe gesture works better than one would think.
We also heaped praise in our official review on the included charging case. We loved the built-in speaker, which helps locate the earbuds and alerts users to a low battery. The battery life is on-point, with six hours for the earbuds and 30 hours with repeated trips to the charging case. There’s multipoint connectivity, IPX4 water-resistance and a simulated spatial audio. Did we mention they also sound fantastic, particularly for earbuds?
On the downside, Apple loves money. The case features a lanyard loop, for instance, but it’ll cost you $13 to get an official lanyard. The original price is also extremely high, at $250, though this deal alleviates some of that frustration.
These aren’t the only Apple earbuds currently on sale via Amazon. The regular third-gen AirPods are available for $130, instead of $170. Also, the second-gen OG AirPods are available for just $70, which is one heck of a deal.
New Bluetooth earbuds are arriving nearly every week nowadays, and while all of that variety can be good for your wallet, deciding which pair is best can also be tricky. After considering things like active noise cancellation (ANC), sound quality and design, the next deliberation is over unique features that big companies like Sony, Bose, Apple and Samsung put in their products. I test dozens of sets of earbuds a year for Engadget, constantly pitting new models against the previous best across all price ranges to keep this list of the best true wireless earbuds up to date. This guide explains why my current selections for the best wireless earbuds made the cut, and offers some shopping advice in terms of everything you need to know before choosing the best true wireless earbuds for your needs.
Battery life: 8 hours, up to 24 hours with charging case | Water resistance: IPX4 | Noise cancellation: Yes | Multipoint: Yes
With the WF-1000XM5 flagship earbuds, Sony improves its already formidable mix of great sound, effective ANC and handy features. These earbuds are undoubtedly the company’s best and most comfortable design of its 1000X models so far, which was one of the few remaining riddles Sony needed to solve. Sony still manages to pack in more features than anyone else too, including trademark ones like adaptive sound and Speak-to-Chat. Add in upgraded drivers, new chips, eight hours of battery life and significant improvements to sound quality and these are Sony’s best earbuds yet. But all of the advancements come at a cost: these are also Sony’s most expensive set of wireless earbuds in the 1000X lineup.
Battery life: 6 hours, up to 30 hours with charging case | Water resistance: IPX4 | Noise cancellation: Yes | Multipoint: Yes
Apple’s second-generation AirPods Pro are a huge improvement over the previous models. These buds have improved sound quality and active noise cancellation, while maintaining all of the conveniences that make AirPods the best earbud option for iPhone, iOS and Mac. When we reviewed them, we found the most impressive feature to be transparency mode, which is more natural sounding than any other earbuds by a mile. You can leave these in during a conversation and it’s like you’re not even wearing them. Of course, fast pairing, hands-free Siri, spatial audio, good battery life, and now, a USB-C charging case that can also power up wirelessly will also come in handy.
Battery life: 11 hours, up to 31 hours with charging case | Water resistance: IPX4 | Noise cancellation: Yes | Multipoint: Yes
Google has hit its stride when it comes to true wireless earbuds. Every new model the company introduces is an improvement after its first attempt failed to impress. With the Pixel Buds Pro, Google offers deep, punchy bass, solid ANC performance, reliable touch controls and wireless charging, all in an IPX4-rated package that will be great for Android users. Plus, there are added convenience features for Android and Pixel devices including Google Translate Conversation Mode.
Battery life: 6 hours, up to 26 hours with charging case | Water resistance: IP57 | Noise cancellation: Yes | Multipoint: Yes
The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro borrow heavily from Apple’s AirPods Pro in both looks and features. However, Samsung did well to make things like Adaptive ANC and voice commands work well. Some features like Voice Detect could still use some fine tuning, but there’s a lot to like here beyond the basic functionality.
The truly surprising thing about the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro is the sound quality. There is some thick, boomy bass when you need it with plenty of crisp detail to complement it. This model really shines when you pair it with a Samsung device to unlock 24-bit HiFi streaming. There’s also a natural-sounding transparency mode that keeps you from feeling shouty during calls.
Battery life: 10 hours, up to 50 hours with charging case | Water resistance: IPX4 | Noise cancellation: Yes | Multipoint: Yes
The Anker Soundcore Space A40 offer the kind of features you’d expect from wireless earbuds that cost twice as much: ANC, multi-device pairing, wireless charging, IPX4 water resistance, a transparency mode, eight to ten hours of battery life and LDAC support. When we tested them, we found their warm sound to be pleasing right out of the box, but Anker’s companion app makes it easy to customize the EQ curve if needed. And while their ANC isn’t quite as effective at reducing background noise as our top picks, it’s still effective for a noisy office or long flight. For $80 or so, this is a superb value. – Jeff Dunn, Senior Commerce Writer
Battery life: 6 hours, up to 24 hours with charging case | Water resistance: IPX4 | Noise cancellation: Yes | Multipoint: Yes
Since the company introduced the first model, Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds have consistently provided the best noise cancellation out of all the wireless buds we’ve tested. It’s not surprising that its most-recent version, the QC Ultra Earbuds, only improved in ANC performance. However, the bigger story here is that Bose finally has the audio chops to compete with the best earbuds thanks to its new Immersive Audio tech. The feature brings spatial audio to all by not requiring specially-made content to use it. Rather than employ music and movies where the sound is coming from all directions, QC Ultra Earbuds put you in the middle of the acoustic “sweet spot” by relying heavily on virtualization. A dedicated gesture for volume controls, better-than-advertised battery life and customization settings round out the spec sheet.
Pros
Stellar ANC
Spatial audio doesn’t require special content
Upgrades with no price increase
Cons
Earbuds are still big
Immersive Audio significantly impacts battery life
Battery life: 7 hours, up to 30 hours with charging case | Water resistance: IP54 | Noise cancellation: Yes | Multipoint: Yes
Once again, Sennheiser has retained the top spot on this list in terms of pure sound quality. Sure, you’ll find better ANC performance from Bose and a longer list of features from Sony. But the Momentum True Wireless 4 has great detail and clarity. It delivers warm, inviting sound that is enjoyable to listen to for hours on end and even though the bass is boomy when it needs to be, it never overpowers. Those pairing to Android devices can enjoy high-res audio thanks to compatibility with Snapdragon Sound, while the iPhone faithful will get the best experience with Apple Music – especially on Dolby Atmos tracks.
Battery life: 6 hours, up to 24 hours with charging case | Water resistance: IPX4 | Noise cancellation: Yes | Multipoint: Yes
Most of the best AirPods features in a set of workout earbuds? That’s the Beats Fit Pro. Thanks to Apple’s H1 chip, these buds offer one-touch quick pairing, hands-free Siri and Find My tools. They’ll also allow you to use Audio Sharing with an Apple device and another set of AirPods or Beats wireless headphones for tandem listening or viewing. Balanced and punchy bass will keep the energy up during workouts while good noise cancellation, an IPX4 rating and comfy silicone ear tips make these a solid option outside of the gym too. And there’s plenty of support for Android devices, so these aren’t just a good buy for iOS users either.
Pros
Comfortable design
Good ANC
H1 chip offers quick pairing and switching between Apple devices
Battery life: 6 hours, up to 20 hours with charging case | Water resistance: IPX4 | Noise cancellation: Yes | Multipoint: Yes
One of the biggest surprises this year wasn’t Sony’s unique open-wear LinkBuds, it was the more mainstream follow-up. With the LinkBuds S, the company debuted a more traditionally designed pair of earbuds akin to its premium WF-1000XM4, only this model is much smaller and lighter which leads to a much more comfy fit. These tiny wireless earbuds muster some punch when it comes to sound quality too and support for high-res listening (LDAC and DSEE Extreme) are both onboard. Capable ANC lends a hand with environmental noise and transparency mode can keep you tuned in when needed. What’s more, handy Speak-to-Chat is here and Adaptive Sound Control can automatically change settings based on activity or location. That’s a lot of premium features at a mid-range price.
When it comes to shopping for earbuds, the first thing to consider is design or wear style. Do you prefer a semi-open fit like AirPods or do you want something that completely closes off your ears? If you’re shopping for earbuds with active noise cancellation, you’ll want the latter, but a case can be made for the former if you want to wear them all day or frequent places where you need to be tuned in to the ambient sounds. The overall shape of earbuds can determine whether you get a comfortable fit, so can the size and weight, so you’ll want to consider all that before deciding. And remember: audio companies aren’t perfect, so despite lots of research, the earbud shape they decided on may not fit you well. Don’t be afraid to return ill-fitting earbuds for something that’s more comfortable.
As wireless earbuds have become the norm, they’re now more reliable for basic things like consistent Bluetooth connectivity. Companies are still in a race to pack as much as they can into increasingly smaller designs. This typically means a longer list of features on the more premium sets of earbuds with basic functionality on the cheapest models. Carefully consider what you can’t live without when selecting your next earbuds, and make sure key items like automatic pausing and multipoint connectivity are on the spec sheet. You’ll also want to investigate the volume controls as you’ll often have to sacrifice access to something else to make that adjustment via on-board taps or swipes.
When it comes to battery life, the average set of earbuds lasts about five hours on a single charge. You can find sets that last longer, but this is likely enough to get you through a work day if you’re docking the buds during lunch or the occasional meeting. You’ll want to check on how many extra charges are available via the case and if it supports wireless charging.
Companies will also make lofty claims about call quality on wireless earbuds. Despite lots of promises, the reality is most earbuds still leave you sounding like you’re on speakerphone. There are some sets that deliver, but don’t get your hopes up unless reviews confirm the claims.
Sound can be subjective, so we recommend trying before you buy if at all possible. We understand this isn’t easy at a time when we’re doing most of our shopping online. But trying on a set of earbuds and listening to them for a few minutes can save you from an expensive case of buyer’s remorse. If a store doesn’t allow a quick demo, most retailers have return policies that will let you take earbuds back you don’t like. Of course, you have to be willing to temporarily part with funds in order to do this.
We also recommend paying attention to things like Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, 360 Reality Audio and other immersive formats. Not all earbuds support them, so you’ll want to make sure a perspective pair does if that sort of thing excites you.
How we test wireless Bluetooth earbuds
The primary way we test earbuds is to wear them as much as possible. We prefer to do this over a one- to two-week period, but sometimes embargoes don’t allow it. During this time, we listen to a mix of music and podcasts, while also using the earbuds to take both voice and video calls. Since battery life for earbuds is typically less than a full day, we drain the battery with looping music and the volume set at a comfortable level (usually around 75 percent).
To judge audio quality, we listen to a range of genres, noting any differences in the sound profile across the styles. We also test at both low and high volumes to check for consistency in the tuning. To assess call quality, we’ll record audio samples with the earbuds’ microphones as well as have third parties call us.
When it comes to features, we do a thorough review of companion apps, testing each feature as we work through the software. Any holdovers from previous models are double checked for improvements or regression. If the earbuds we’re testing are an updated version of a previous model, we’ll spend time getting reacquainted with the older buds. Ditto for the closest competition for each new set of earbuds that we review.
Other wireless Bluetooth earbuds we tested
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3
The Galaxy Buds 3 combine ANC with an open-type design, which renders the noise-blocking abilities of the earbuds mostly useless. Still, there’s great low-end tone with ample bass when a track demands it. There are also lots of handy features, most of which require a Samsung phone. But at this price, there are better options from Google, Beats and Sony
Sennheiser Momentum Sport
I really like the overall shape of the Momentum Sport earbuds. They’re more comfortable than the Momentum True Wireless 4 and fit in my ears better. What’s more, the body temperature and heart rate sensors work well, sending those stats to a variety of apps. However, that sport-tracking feature works best with Polar’s app and devices, so there’s that consideration. Also, the audio quality and ANC performance isn’t as good as the MTW4, and these earbuds are pricey.
Beats Solo Buds
There’s a lot to like about the Solo Buds for $80. For me, the primary perk is they’re very comfortable to wear for long periods of time thanks to some thoughtful design considerations. You only get the basics here in terms of features and, as expected, the overall sound quality isn’t as good as the pricier models in the Beats lineup. You will get 18 hours of battery life though, since the company nixed the battery in the case and beefed up the listening time in the buds themselves.
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
Bose created something very unique for this set of earbuds that allows you to stay in-tune with the world while listening to audio content. The clip-on design is very comfortable, but sound quality suffers due to the open-type fit, especially when it comes to bass and spatial audio.
Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7
These stick buds have a compact design that’s comfortable to wear and the warm sound profile is great at times. However, overall audio performance is inconsistent and there’s no automatic pausing.
Master & Dynamic MW09
Retooled audio, better ambient sound mode and reliable multipoint Bluetooth are the best things the MW09 has to offer. They’re expensive though, and you can find better ANC performance elsewhere.
Beats Studio Buds +
Updates to sound, ANC and battery life top the spec sheet here, and the new clear color option has some throwback energy I love. But there are some basic features missing, and Beats doesn’t come close to Apple’s natural audio quality in transparency mode.
JBL Tour Pro 2
These earbuds are feature-packed, including a touchscreen “smart case.” They aren’t the most consistent in terms of overall performance though, and I’m not convinced that case provides a lot of utility just yet.
Wireless earbud FAQs
What is considered good battery life for true wireless earbuds?
Most wireless earbuds will last five hours on a single charge, at the least. You can find some pairs that have even better battery life, lasting between six and eight hours before they need more juice. All of the best wireless earbuds come with a charging case, which will provide additional hours of battery life — but you’ll have to return each bud to the case in order to charge them up.
Is sound quality better on headphones or earbuds?
Comparing sound quality on earbuds and headphones is a bit like comparing apples and oranges. There are a lot of variables to consider and the differences in components make a direct comparison difficult. Personally, I prefer the audio quality from over-ear headphones, but I can tell you the sound from earbuds like Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 3 is also outstanding.
Which wireless earbuds have the longest battery life?
With new models coming out all the time, tracking the hours of battery life for each this can be difficult to keep tabs on. The longest-lasting earbuds we’ve reviewed are Audio-Technica’s ATH-CKS5TW. The company states they last 15 hours, but the app was still showing 40 percent at that mark during our tests. The only downside is these earbuds debuted in 2019 and both technology and features have improved since. In terms of current models, Master & Dynamic’s MW08 offers 12 hours of use on a charge with ANC off (10 with ANC on) and JBL has multiple options with 10-hour batteries.
What wireless earbuds are waterproof?
There are plenty of options these days when it comes to increased water resistance. To determine the level of protection, you’ll want to look for an IP (ingress protection) rating. The first number indicates intrusion protection from things like dust. The second number is the level of moisture protection and you’ll want to make sure that figure is 7 or higher. At this water-resistance rating, earbuds can withstand full immersion for up to 30 minutes in depths up to one meter (3.28 feet). If either of the IP numbers is an X, that means it doesn’t have any special protection. For example, a pair of wireless earbuds that are IPX7 wouldn’t be built to avoid dust intrusion, but they would be ok if you dropped them in shallow water.
Which earbuds stay in ears the best?
A secure fit can vary wildly from person to person. All of our ears are different, so audio companies are designing their products to fit the most people they can with a single shape. This is why AirPods will easily fall out for some but stay put for others. Design touches like wing tips or fins typically come on fitness models and those elements can help keep things in place. You’ll likely just have to try earbuds on, and if they don’t fit well return them.
What wireless earbuds work with PS5?
PlayStation 5 doesn’t support Bluetooth audio without an adapter or dongle. Even Sony’s own gaming headsets come with a transmitter that connects to the console. There are universal options that allow you to use any headphones, headset or earbuds with a PS5. Once you have one, plug it into a USB port on the console and pair your earbuds with it.
Recent updates
July 2024: Updated our list to include the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.
The last year has continued to bring whiplash to the camera world, with numerous new models introduced across mirrorless, action and compact lineups. We continue to see improvements in all areas, with greater speed, more accurate autofocus and better video specs.
All those options can be overwhelming, but that’s where this guide comes in. Whether you’re an aspiring action or wildlife photographer, an extreme sports junkie or a content creator, we’ll help you find the perfect camera to match your budget and requirements.
What to consider before choosing a camera
Though smartphones get better for video and photos every year, full cameras are still better in many ways. The larger sensors in mirrorless cameras let more light in, and you have a wide choice of lenses with far superior optics. Where smartphones typically have one f/stop, cameras have many, which gives you better exposure control. You also get natural and not AI-generated bokeh, quicker shooting, a physical shutter, more professional video results and so on.
Sensor size
With that extra quality comes a lot of extra factors to consider, though. The first thing is sensor size. In general, the larger the sensor, the better (and usually more expensive) the camera.
Full frame is available on models like Sony’s new ZV-E1, the Canon EOS R6 II and Panasonic S5 II. At a size equivalent to 35mm film (36 x 24mm), it offers the best performance in terms of image quality, low-light capability and depth of field. But it’s also the most expensive and finicky. While bokeh looks incredible at f/1.4, the depth of field is so razor thin that your subject’s eyebrow might be in focus but not their eye. This can also make video shooting difficult.
The next size category is APS-C (around 23.5 x 15.6mm for most models and 22.2 x 14.8mm for Canon), offered on Fujifilm’s X Series lineup, Canon’s R10, Sony’s ZV-E10 II and the Nikon Z50. It’s cheaper than full frame, both for the camera body and lenses, but still brings most of the advantages like decent bokeh, high ISOs for low-light shooting and relatively high resolution. With a sensor size the same as movie cameras, it’s ideal for shooting video, and it’s easier to hold focus than with full-frame cameras.
Micro Four Thirds (17.3 x 13mm), a format shared by Panasonic and Olympus, is the next step down in sensor size. It offers less bokeh and light-gathering capability than APS-C and full frame, but allows for smaller and lighter cameras and lenses. For video, you can still get reasonably tight depth of field with good prime lenses, but focus is easier to control.
The other common sensor size is Type 1 (1 inch), which is actually smaller than one inch at 12.7 x 9.5mm. That’s used mostly by compact models like Sony’s ZV-1 vlogging camera. Finally, action cameras like the GoPro Hero 11 and DJI’s Osmo 3 have even smaller sensors (1/1.9 and 1/1.7 size, respectively).
Autofocus
For photographers, another key factor is autofocus (AF) speed and accuracy. Most modern mirrorless cameras have hybrid phase-detect AF systems that allow for rapid focus and fast burst speeds. The majority also feature AI smarts like eye-detect AF for people and animals. However, some models are faster and more reactive than others.
Displays
The electronic viewfinder (EVF) and rear display are also key. The best models have the sharpest and brightest EVFs that help you judge a shot before taking it. For things like street photography, it’s best to have as bright and sharp a rear display as possible. You may also want a screen that flips out rather than just tilting.
Lenses
DSLRs and mirrorless cameras let you change lenses, but you’re stuck with what’s built into a compact camera. While that’s great for portability, a single lens means you’re going to sacrifice something. Fujifilm’s X100V, for instance, has a fast but fixed 35mm-equivalent f/2.0 lens and no zoom. Sony’s RX100 V has a 24-70mm zoom, but it’s slower at the telephoto end (f/2.8) and less sharp than a fixed focal (prime) lens.
Video recording
When it comes to video, there are other factors to consider. Does your camera do “pixel-binning” for video recording or read out the entire sensor? Better cameras tend to do the latter. Another key factor is sensor speed, as slower sensors tend to have more rolling shutter that can create a “jello” effect that skews video.
In addition, how’s the battery life? How do you like the handling and feel? How long can you shoot video before the camera heats up or stops? Does it support 10-bit HDR video? Is there a microphone and/or a headphone jack? (if you do a lot of interviews, it’s preferable to have both.) How’s the video autofocus? All of these things play a part in your decision – so now let’s take a look at the best models.
Best cameras
Mirrorless cameras
Mirrorless is the largest camera category in terms of models available, so it’s the best way to go if you’re looking for something with the most advanced features. Both Canon and Nikon recently announced they’re discontinuing development of new DSLRs, simply because most of the advantages of that category are gone, as I detailed in a video. The biggest selling feature of a mirrorless camera is the ability to change lenses depending on the type of shooting you want to do.
Key features to consider are sensor size, resolution, autofocus, shooting (burst) speeds and video specs. If you’re primarily a sports or wildlife photographer, you’ll likely want fast burst speeds and accurate autofocus. Portrait and landscape shooters will favor large sensors and high resolution (more megapixels) to maximize image quality. And content creators will want to look for things like flip-out displays, high-end video specifications and good in-body stabilization. Price is of course a major factor as well.
Mirrorless cameras under $1,000
Canon
My top pick under $1,000 is the brand new 24.2-megapixel Canon R10, which is a great model for both photographers and content creators. It can shoot bursts at up to 23 fps in electronic shutter mode, and offers 4K 10-bit at 30p with supersampling and no crop, or 4K 60p with a 1.5x crop. It has a fully articulating display for vlogging, along with a 2.36-million dot electronic viewfinder. It uses Canon’s Dual Pixel AF with subject recognition mode that works in both photo and video modes. The main drawback is a lack of in-body stabilization.
Another great choice in this price range is the 21-megapixel Nikon Z fc, as it’s not only a solid hybrid photo/video camera but happens to look beautiful as well. You can shoot bursts at up to 11 fps with autofocus and auto-exposure enabled, and it offers supersampled 4K at up to 30 fps. Perhaps the most desirable feature is the small, functional body that makes it ideal for travel.
The Sony ZV-E10 II just hit the market, but for content creators, it’s worth waiting a couple of weeks. It comes with a 26-megapixel APS-C sensor that’s much faster than before, so rolling shutter wobble is mostly a non-issue. You can shoot supersampled 4K video at up to 30p using the full sensor width, or 4K 60p with a small 1.1x crop. It also supports 10-bit S-Log3 video capture, LUt imports and more. The main drawbacks are the lack of an electronic viewfinder and mechanical shutter.
Though it was released over two years ago, the Sony A7 IV still has the best combination of image quality, performance and video powers. The 33-megapixel sensor has the highest resolution in its price range, and dynamic range is also near the top. At the same time, you can shoot at up to 10fps in mechanical shutter mode. For creators, 10-bit 4K video is available at up to 60fps, and it offers the best autofocus in its class, both for video and photos. The main drawback is rolling shutter distortion that occurs with the electronic shutter or video.
Think of the Nikon Z6 III as a mini Z8, thanks to the incredible performance of what the company calls a partially-stacked sensor. To that end, you can shoot RAW bursts at up to 20 fps in electronic shutter mode while nailing sharp shots thanks to the much-improved autofocus. On the video side, it supports 6K RAW at up to 60 fps, or 4K 120p. The only thing holding it back from dethroning Sony is image quality that’s compromised a bit by the relatively low resolution and reduced dynamic range.
Content creators should take a hard look at the full-frame Panasonic S5 IIX. It’s the company’s first camera with hybrid phase-detect AF designed to make focus “wobble” and other issues a thing of the past. You can shoot sharp 4K 30p video downsampled from the full sensor width, or 4K 60p from an APS-C cropped size, all in 10-bit color. It even offers 5.9K 30p capture, along with ProRes capture to an external SSD. You also get a flip-out screen for vlogging and updated five-axis in-body stabilization that’s the best in the industry. Photo quality is also good thanks to the dual-gain 24-megapixel sensor. The main drawback is the slowish burst speeds.
The Nikon Z8 is an interesting mirrorless camera because it carries the same specs as the company’s Z9 flagship but costs a lot less. It’s one of the highest resolution full-frame cameras with 45 megapixels, but is also one of the fastest with burst speeds up to 30 fps. At the same time, it offers incredible video capabilities with 8K RAW video at up to 60 fps. Autofocus isn’t on par with Sony’s A1, but it’s a better camera for the price.
If you’re OK with a smaller APS-C sensor, check out the Fujifilm X-H2S. It has an incredibly fast stacked, backside-illuminated 26.1-megapixel sensor that allows for rapid burst shooting speeds of 40 fps, along with 4K 120p video with minimal rolling shutter. It can capture ProRes 10-bit video internally, has seven stops of in-body stabilization and a class-leading EVF. Yes, it’s expensive for an APS-C camera, but on the other hand, it’s the cheapest stacked sensor camera out there. The other downside is AF that’s not quite up to Canon and Sony’s level.
For the ultimate high-resolution camera, check out Sony’s A7R V. With a 61-megapixel sensor, it shoots sharp and beautiful images at a very respectable speed for such a high-resolution model (10 fps). It has equally fast and reliable autofocus, the sharpest viewfinder on the market and in-body stabilization that’s much improved over the A7R IV. Video has even improved, with 8K and 10-bit options now on tap, albeit with significant rolling shutter. If you don’t need the video, however, Sony’s A7R IVa does mostly the same job, photo-wise, and costs a few hundred dollars less.
The most important features to look for in an action cam are image quality, stabilization and battery life. GoPro has easily been beating all rivals recently in all those areas, but DJI has taken a lot of its business to date with the Osmo Pocket 3 gimbal camera.
DJI
Late last year DJI unveiled the Osmo Pocket III and I called it “maybe the only vlogging camera you need.” It has a big 1-inch sensor, the same size found on Sony’s ZV-1 II compact camera. That boosts image quality considerably, particularly in low light. It also has a new, large swiveling touchscreen that makes it easier to switch between horizontal and vertical video.
What really makes it great for vlogging are the follow modes combined with face tracking. If you’re working solo, you can simply set it up and it’ll rotate and tilt to follow you around. That also applies for walk-and-talk vlogging, so you don’t have to worry about focus or even pointing the camera at yourself. The main drawbacks are the reduced resolution (which means it’s not ideal for photos) and a price that’s considerably higher than the previous model.
GoPro’s Hero 12 Black is a relatively mild update over the Hero 11, but it was launched at a lower price and is often available for only a tad bit more than the Hero 11 Black — so it’s easy to recommend. It can record videos at up to 5.3K at 60fps in 10-bit color with high data rates, and 8:7 capture that uses the entire sensor now works in all modes. The battery lasts around 10-15 percent longer than before, and it has a new quarter-inch tripod mount. Otherwise, the Hero 12 still has the best digital stabilization (aka Hypersmooth) of any action camera, a full-color front screen and the best image quality, overall, of any cam in its class.
This category has fewer cameras than it did even a few years ago and many models are older, as manufacturers focus instead on mirrorless models. However, I’m still a big believer in compact cameras. They’re a noticeable step up from smartphones quality-wise, and a lot of people will take a compact traveling or to events when they’d never bother with the hassle of a DSLR or mirrorless camera.
Compacts largely have type 1-inch sensors, but a few offer larger options, particularly Fujifilm’s XF-100V. Another popular model, Sony’s XV-1, is primarily aimed at content creators looking to step up. In any case, desirable qualities include image quality, a fast lens, relatively long zoom, flip-out display, good battery life, a high quality EVF, decent video and good pocketability.
Fujifilm
The Fujifilm X100 VI is a near-perfect update to the X100 V, keeping everything buyers liked while adding features like a 40-megapixel sensor and in-body stabilization. Image quality is excellent and the improved resolution is much appreciated for things like street and tourist photography. Meanwhile, the in-body stabilization makes it much more useful in low light or to create blur effects handheld. Video is solid for such a small camera, with up to 6K 30p capture. The only downsides are mediocre battery life and autofocus that can be a bit slow.
The 20-megapixel Sony ZV-1 II is follow-up to the ZV-1, a compact camera based on the RX-100 series that uses a type 1-inch sensor. It does that job well thanks to a lightweight body, built-in high-quality microphone, flip-out display, 4K 30p video, best-in-class autofocus and excellent image quality. The 18-50mm f/1.8-4.0 lens is sharp and wider than on the ZV-1, so it’s better for vlogging. One very nice feature is the built-in ND filter, but it does lack optical image stabilization and a headphone port.
Amazon Prime Day 2024 has brought a bunch of solid tech deals on some of our favorite gadgets. The annual shopping event is a great time for Prime members to put that subscription to work and actually get some good deals on gadgets including tablets, earbuds, robot vacuum cleaners and more.
This year has been, for lack of a better word, typical. Most of the best Prime Day deals have been exclusive to Prime members, with a few decent stragglers that anyone can buy. Not every Prime Day deal is worth your time or money, though, so we’ve scoured Amazon’s site to find the best of the best when it comes to tech deals. We’ve gathered the best Prime Day tech deals on tech that we could find here, and we’ll be updating this post regularly throughout the duration of the Amazon Prime Day sale, so check back to see the latest discounts.
If you’re looking for even more Prime Day deals, check out Engadget’s Prime Day hub where you’ll find all of the best tech deals you can get for the shopping event this year. In addition to Amazon devices, Prime Day is typically a great time to pick up big-ticket items like tablets, laptops and robot vacuums, and accessories like power banks, streaming devices, Bluetooth speakers and the like.
Apple AirPods Pro for $169: The Pros are the best pair of wireless earbuds that Apple sells and one of our top picks overall. They’ll be hard to beat if you live in the Apple ecosystem and appreciate the conveniences provided by the built-in H1 chip.
Apple AirTag for $24: We think these are the best Bluetooth trackers you can buy if you’re an iPhone user. They rely on Apple’s vast Find My network that calls on every nearby iPhone to anonymously pinpoint an AirTag’s location. We found their locating features to be eerily accurate.
Apple Watch Series 9 for $280: We consider the Series 9 to be the best smartwatch available today, period, and it’s a no-brainer accessory for iPhone owners. If you want to spend less and get most of the code features found here, you should consider the more affordable Apple Watch SE.
AirPods Max for $395: We gave this pair a review score of 84 when it arrived way back in December 2020. Despite its age, the Max remains one of the more premium sets of wireless headphones you can buy.
Apple 10th-gen iPad: This is the best iPad for those on a budget thanks to its modern design, USB-C charging, solid battery life and solid performance for the price. It’s even compatible with an optional folio keyboard if you want to turn it into a productivity machine.
Apple MacBook Air (M3, 13-inch) for $850: Apple’s 2024 MacBook Air has a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina Display that can support one billion different colors. We gave it a 90 in our review thanks to offers like a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, three mics and up to 18 hours of battery life.
Apple MacBook Air (M2, 13-inch) for $799: If you’re coming from an older, Intel-based MacBook, any M-series machine will feel like a big upgrade. This M2 laptop excels thanks to its stellar performance, excellent screen and thin-and-light design.
Amazon
Amazon Echo Dot for $25: Amazon’s smallest smart speaker has dropped to $25 for Prime Day. It’s one of the best smart speakers you can get right now thanks to its compact design, physical button controls that compliment voice commands and its solid sound quality for its size. The Kids version is also on sale for $28 for this sale.
Amazon Echo Show 8 for $85: The smart display has dropped to $85 for Prime Day. This is our current top pick for the best smart display with Amazon’s Alexa thanks in part to its 8-inch touchscreen, 13MP camera that supports auto-framing for better video chats and its built-in Zigbee smart home hub.
Amazon Kindle for $85: The base Kindle is on sale for $85 for Prime Day. It’s our top pick for the best budget ereader out there, and it’s an even better value when you can snag it on discount. In addition to giving you access to Amazon’s vast Kindle ebook library, the entry-level Kindle has a good number of page customization options (for text size, font, margins, etc) and Audible integration, which lets you listen to Audible audiobooks if you have a pair of Bluetooth headphones.
Engadget
Sony WH-1000XM5 for $289: These are our top pick for the best headphones on the market today — it doesn’t get much better than the XM5. If you’re on a tight budget and still want the core features in these cans, consider the previous version, the Sony WH-1000XM4.
Google Pixel Buds Pro for $120: The Pixel Buds Pro made our list of the best wireless earbuds for a number of reasons. First and foremost, we love the sound. These earbuds offer deep and punchy bass, which is a rarity with this class of device. They also have decent ANC, reliable touch controls and wireless charging.
Beats Fit Pro for $150: These are our top picks for the best headphones for running thanks to their comfortable, IPX4 design, great sound quality with adaptive EQ, good ANC and transparency mode and solid battery life.
Sony WF-1000XM5 for $228: The XM5 earbuds stand out thanks to their improved design, good sound quality, impressive ANC and special features like adaptive sound and Speak to Chat. These are the best true wireless earbuds to get at the moment.
LG C3 OLED TV for $1,097: This is a 2023 model, but at this price it’s a nice value if you want the deep contrast, wide viewing angles and fast motion response of a quality OLED panel.
Samsung The Frame TV with white bezel for $998: You’d mainly get a Frame TV for theaesthetic, as the whole thing is designed to mount flush against a wall and hang like a piece of art. You can even use it to display actual artwork and photos when you aren’t watching something. Its image quality is still decent as well, though it’s not on the level of the best LED TVs in this price range.
Sonos Ray for $199: In our testing, this soundbar provided good sound quality for both TV audio and music, impressive bass performance for a soundbar of its size and an attractive, compact design.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra for $975: This handset is probably overkill for most users, but nevertheless, it’s our top pick for the best premium handset in our best Android phones guide. It stands out for its luxe build quality, speedy performance, excellent cameras and handy new AI tools.
Google Pixel 8a for $449: This is our top pick for the best midrange smartphone you can get right now, as it builds off of the solid foundation found in Google’s Pixel 7a. The 8a boasts a colorful 120Hz OLED touchscreen, excellent cameras, solid performance and a good battery life.
Anker MagGo Power Bank 10K for $63: Anker’s MagGo Power Bank was one of the earliest Qi2-certified devices on the market, and this early 2024 model is impressive, to say the least. The 10,000mAh and 15W capacities provide you with fast wireless charging. The power bank can bring an iPhone 15 from near-dead to half-charged in just 45 minutes.
Sonos Era 100 for $199: In our testing, this speaker impressed with excellent sound quality (along with even better stereo-pair sound), easier TruePlay tuning, Bluetooth and in-line support and a simple yet attractive design. It’s on our list of the best smart speakers you can get thanks to its Alexa compatibility and it’s ability to work with Sonos’ own voice assistant
Dyson V15 Detect Plus for $550: The V15 Detect is our top pick for the best cordless vacuum you can get right now because it has fantastic suction power (making it great for pet owners as well as anyone else), a lightweight design and good battery life — plus it comes with a number of useful attachments.
Dyson Airwrap bundle for $550: In addition to the Airwrap and its storage case, the bundle includes six attachments: two long barrels, three brushes and the Coanda smoothing dryer, plus a filter cleaning brush, a detangling comb and another storage bag. That’s enough to achieve a bunch of different hairstyles with one tool, and you get a couple of ways to store the machine when you’re not using it or when you need to travel with it.
iRobot Roomba Combo Essentials for $190: This model ups the ante a bit by adding in mopping capabilities to the usual robot-vacuum formula. It’s the most affordable vac-and-mop machine that iRobot makes, and it’s an even better buy at this sale price.
Shark AI Ultra robot vacuum for $295: A version of one of our top picks for the best robot vacuums, it supports cleaning schedules and home mapping, plus it comes with a self-emptying base that can hold up to 60 days worth of debris. The base is also bagless, so you don’t have to buy and replace proprietary garbage bags in it over time.
Theragun Mini 2.0 for $149: The runners on the Engadget staff appreciate this percussion massage gun for its compact size, three speeds and swappable attachments.
Fitbit Charge 6 for $100: The Charge 6 sits at the top of our list of the best fitness trackers you can get precisely because it has such a comprehensive feature set. It also has a seven-day battery life, so you won’t have to worry about recharging it for days on end.
Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Prime Day tech deals. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Amazon Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
Amazon Prime Day is here, and it has brought deals on some of our favorite brands’ devices. Take the rose-colored Logitech Pebble 2 Combo, down to $47 from $60 — a 22 percent discount. This record-low price gets you the Pebble Mouse 2 M350s and Pebble Keys 2 K380s. You can also pick the set up in black or white, but it will cost you another three dollars.
Logitech
The Logitech Pebble 2 Combo is a great option if you want a solid, reliable keyboard and mouse. I personally own the keyboard and find it very comfortable to use — though it’s definitely on the smaller side, so you might prefer taking it out for travel. The wireless keyboard should hold about three years of battery life, while the mouse should last about two years. You can connect up to three wireless devices across operating systems and toggle between them with a switch button. Plus, you can customize the Fn keys for commands like search and screen capture.
Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Prime Day tech deals. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Amazon Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
Old-school, upright vacuums left a lot to be desired, and cordless models are here to right many of those wrongs. These types of vacuums tend to be thinner, lighter and easy to maneuver around a home, and you don’t really have to sacrifice suction power anymore to get those benefits. Dyson isn’t your only option anymore either — like the robot vacuum space, there are dozens of cordless vacuums to choose from today. Variety is great, but it can also lead to decision fatigue and confusion. We at Engadget can help make that decision a bit easier. After testing a bunch of the most popular cordless stick vacuums available today, we’ve come up with our top picks, plus loads of buying advice to help you figure out which is the best cordless stick vacuum for you.
Table of contents
Best cordless vacuums for 2024
Photo by Valentina Palladino / Engadget
Suction power: 240AW | Bin capacity: 0.2 gallon | Battery life: 60 min | Weight: 6.83 pounds
The Dyson V15 Detect is just as impressive now as it was when it first came out in 2021. It’s our top pick because it provides the best mix of features and its suction power is remarkable. Even a few years after it’s initial release, it remains one of the best vacuum cleans out there today.
One thing that was immediately apparent during my testing was that Dyson models just have superior suction, period. That’s not to say a cordless vacuum from another brand can’t get the job done, because they absolutely can. But even in auto mode, all of Dyson’s vacuums did a better job trapping even the smallest dust and debris.
The “Detect” in this model’s name refers in part to the laser “blade” on the Fluffy Optic cleaner head. It does a great job of illuminating floors to clearly show you where the mess really is, and that goes for large debris like food and granules of cat litter, as well as much smaller stuff like layers of dust on an untouched part of the floor. But it’s worth noting that this light is only present on the Fluffy Optic head, a brush roll designed to work best on hard floors. The V15 Detect comes with a few other head attachments, including a Digital Motorbar head that automatically detangles hair from the brush bar as you clean. That’ll be better for all floor types, including carpet, but you won’t get the same illumination effect.
The V15 Detect also has a piezo acoustic sensor that recognizes the size and frequency of the particles it’s sucking up. It’ll show that information on the machine’s LCD display in a neat little bar graph. Is this information useful? Not particularly, but it’s satisfying to clock this while cleaning and see the bars increase and decrease as you move throughout your home. However, this is more of a neat perk than a killer feature; it’s not going to change the way you vacuum your home. But the piezo sensor is also involved in automatically adjusting the V15 Detect’s cyclone engine to better clean particularly dirty floors.
That automatic adjustment is separate from the machine’s three power settings: Auto, Eco and Boost. I spent most of my time in Auto mode, every so often switching to Boost in rooms where I knew I needed a more thorough cleaning. Eco mode is convenient to have if you need to conserve battery life.
But the V15 Detect, like all of the other Dyson machines I tested, really stands out for its suction power. I rarely, if ever, had to go over the same spot twice because the V15 Detect captured all of the dust and debris the first time. In my one-cat household, it’s easy to see tufts of fur on our hardwood floors and tile, but they’re basically invisible on our upstairs carpet. But it didn’t matter if I could see fur or not — the V15 Detect collected all of it. After every cleaning the bin was full and I was consistently shocked by how much cat hair was hiding in my carpet.
As with most cordless vacuums, you get a number of attachments with the V15 Detect. In addition to the Fluffy Optic and Digital Motorbar cleaner heads, hair screw, combination and crevice tools are included in the box. I particularly like the hair screw tool, which is great for vacuuming chairs and couches, and the crevice tool is handy for cleaning car interiors and other tight spaces. The docking station must be mounted to a wall, but it’s separate from the vacuum’s charger, which means you can power up and use the V15 Detect before picking a permanent place for it in your home.
My biggest gripe with the V15 Detect is that it doesn’t have a single-button start like the newer and more advanced Dyson Gen 5 Detect and Dyson V15 Detect Submarine do. You must press and hold down the trigger to vacuum, which requires constant effort. However, that’s a small price to pay considering the complete package you’re getting. At $750, the V15 Detect is a machine on the higher-end of the price spectrum that’s well worth the money if you want an easy to use cordless vacuum that will provide a truly thorough clean every time.
Pros
Fantastic suction power
Includes Fluffy Optic cleaner head with illuminating blade light
Relatively lightweight
Good battery life
Cons
No single-button start
Headlight laser only on the Fluffy Optic cleaner head
Suction power: 500W | Bin capacity: 0.12 gallon | Battery life: 40 min | Weight: 6.8 pounds
I reached for the Tineco Pure One S15 almost as much as I did for the Dyson V15 Detect. It’s slightly less powerful than our top pick, but it’s otherwise very similar and it even has Wi-Fi and app connectivity as well. It handled all kinds of dry messes well and didn’t choke at the first sign of pet hair. It includes Tineco’s iLoop smart sensor, which detects the amount of dirt and auto-adjusts suction power. I also appreciate that its LED display has a big ring that changes from red to blue as it sucks up all the debris in its way, and it has a battery indicator on it as well.
The Pure One S15 Pet has an unfussy design and comes with attachments that are easy to pop on and off. The main cleaning head has a headlight which does a great job of showing you exactly where the worst pockets of dirt are. And, despite its bin being a bit smaller than that on the Dyson, I never had to pause mid-cleaning to empty it.
Unlike the Dyson, though, the Pure One S15 Pet has Wi-Fi connectivity and a companion app, which is about as “smart” as any cordless vacuum gets. It’s a totally unnecessary feature, but Wi-Fi setup is pretty painless, and Tineco’s mobile app will show you things like battery level, filter status and a cleaning log. Filter status is arguably the most useful of them all, since it takes the guesswork out of figuring out when to replace it.
The $500 Tineco machine beat out the $450 Shark Detect Pro for our runner-up spot by only a hair. The Shark is a solid vacuum with a self-emptying base,in the same price range. But the Pure One S15 Pet has stronger suction and did a better job cleaning up big messes. It’s also worth noting that, while Tineco’s vacuum typically costs $500, you can often find it on sale for as low as $350 — a killer bargain.
Pros
Great suction power
Single-button start
iLoop smart sensor auto-adjusts suction power as you clean
Suction power: 450W | Bin capacity: 0.15 gallon | Battery life: 40 min | Weight: 5.7 pounds
Tineco makes a number of cordless vacuums at various price points, but the Pure One S11 is a budget-friendly model at $300 — and it’s often on sale for less. While it was the clunkiest of the Tineco vacuums I tested, it’s still relatively lightweight. It also includes Tineco’s iLoop smart sensor, although it doesn’t have the single-button start that the Pure One S15 Pet does.
The Pure One S11 did a decent job of collecting all kinds of messes, including pet hair, but I did have to go over some spots more than once for the most thorough clean. In addition to the main cleaner head that has built-in headlights, it comes with three extra attachments that make it easy to get into small spaces.
Tineco estimates a run time of 40 minutes for this machine, and I found that to be accurate. That was just about enough time for me to clean all three floors of my house, but if you have a particularly large home, you may need to recharge at some point. Its bin size is also on the smaller side like the Pure One S15 Pet, so there’s a chance you may have to pause to empty it if you’re cleaning up big messes or you have a lot of ground to cover.
But for $300, the Pure One S11 offers a lot of value. It’s arguably best for those who live in apartments or small- to medium-sized homes, or those who just want a no-frills, easy-to-use cordless vacuum without dropping an excessive amount of money. It holds its own against pet hair as well, but that’s coming from a person who only has one cat; you’d be better off getting a stronger vacuum with a larger bin if you have a small menagerie in your home.
Pros
Affordable
Good suction for the price
iLoop smart sensor auto-adjusts suction power as you clean
Suction power: 240AW | Bin capacity: 0.2 gallon | Battery life: 60 min | Weight: 8.3 pounds
Overkill for most, the Dyson V15 Detect Submarine will be exactly what some are looking for: a vacuum with all of Dyson’s signatures along with the ability to wash hard floors. It’s similar to the V15 Detect in power and design, but it comes with Dyson’s “submarine” wet cleaner head that has two water reservoirs (one for clean water and one for dirty) and a brush bar that does all the scrubbing. To wash tile and other hard floors, you fill the clean reservoir with water, reattach it to the head and turn on the machine as if you were just vacuuming. The built-in motor ever so slightly propels the machine in this mop mode, and as you move it around, it sucks up spills and other wet messes into the dirty reservoir while also washing the floor.
In my testing, the V15 Detect Submarine did a great job sucking up spills and a pretty good job cleaning my hardwood and tile, even in spots where there were more persistent stains (although it did take a few passes to fully suss them out). I typically use a corded steamer to wash the hard floors in my home, and while the V15 Detect Submarine doesn’t use heat and can’t quite match up to a device that does, it’s impressive nonetheless for its abilities and convenience.
After my first go-around with the machine, I was excited to use it again primarily because the process is so easy. Instead of getting my steamer out, plugging it in and fighting with its cord as I moved around, I popped the Submarine cleaning head on the Dyson, filled the tank and off I went. It’s worth mentioning, though, that I did have to fill the clean-water reservoir twice to wash the main floor of my home (roughly 800 square feet), which added a few minutes to the process. After each session, you’ll want to empty both reservoirs, clean the brush head and let the whole attachment dry. After that, I found it was ready to go again the next day.
The V15 Detect is a solid vacuum and an above-average mop, but more than anything, it’s convenient. It’s one relatively thin and lightweight device that can clean all of the floors in your home without a ton of extra effort needed on your part and with few, if any, frustrations. But as with anything, convenience comes at a cost: you’ll pay $950 for this model, and no, you can’t just buy the Submarine head separately and use it with a standard Dyson stick vac. If you only have a little bit of tile or hard flooring in your home, it’ll be difficult to justify the cost of the Submarine — but if convenience is of utmost importance and you want one cordless vac-and-mop to rule them all, Dyson’s machine is a great option.
Pros
Great suction power
Includes Submarine cleaning head for mopping and cleaning up wet messes
Suction power: 230W | Bin capacity: 0.8 gallon | Battery life: 60 min | Weight: 5.29 pounds
Tineco’s high-end Pure One Station FurFree deserves a nod here because it was one of the cordless vacuums I tested that I wanted to use the most, and it’s arguably the most convenient option on the list. Not only does it have strong suction power and the company’s iLoop smart sensor, but it docks and charges in a self-emptying base that cleans all parts of the machine — brush, tube and dustbin — after each use.
The freestanding base is a little intimidating when you unbox it, purely because it has more parts than that of any vacuum cleaner I tested (including the Shark Detect Pro). The whole thing, vacuum included, remains relatively svelte; it was easy for me to tuck it into a corner of a room near an outlet. The vacuum itself has a single-button start and, while not quite as strong as the Dyson V15 Detect, did a good job cleaning up all kinds of messes, pet hair included. Run time comes in at 60 minutes, more than enough to clean my whole home, and it supports Auto and Max modes along with the auto-adjusting feature provided by the iLoop sensor.
The Pure One Station FurFree also supports Wi-Fi connectivity, with its mobile app showing you battery life, dustbin capacity and self-cleaning settings. But since the small screen on the docking station gives you most of that data as well, the app is just a bonus.
The biggest selling point of this cordless vacuum is its self-emptying base, which has its own large dustbin that can hold up to 60 days worth of dirt. It’s a plastic canister that takes no garbage bags, so there’s nothing to add to the cost of ownership — simply remove the base’s dustbin to empty into your own garbage can every couple of weeks and then snap it back into place. You can customize self-cleaning settings to do a quick clean (30 seconds long) or a deep clean (60 seconds), or keep it to the auto mode (45 seconds). The machine will clean itself whenever you return the vacuum to its dock, unless you manually disable this feature. I appreciate that the base automatically empties the vacuum’s dustbin during self-cleaning, but it’s also great that it uses gusts of air to clean the vacuum’s brush and tube. Lots of little particles and hair can get stuck in those parts, and with other vacuums, you’re left to clear those out yourself.
The “FurFree” in the Pure One Station’s name refers to the extra attachments that come with the machine that basically turn it into a pet-grooming tool. This will likely be more useful for dog owners, or maybe folks with more amenable cats than mine (she hates all vacuums — cordless, robot, you name it). If you’re not a pet owner, there’s a standard Tineco Pure One Station that’s otherwise an identical machine with the same self-cleaning base, but only comes with regular vacuum attachments, and costs $200 less. FurFree or regular, though, the Pure One Station is a great cordless vacuum that’s made better by its clever and convenient self-emptying base.
Pros
Great suction power
Includes self-emptying base
Base empties bin and also cleans the vacuum’s brush and tube simultaneously
Factors to consider before buying a cordless vacuum
Design and bin capacity
Most of the cordless vacuums you’ll find today have stick designs, with a handle at the top attached to a debris bin, which has a space to connect different attachments at one end. These designs are more versatile than old school vacuums of yesteryear because, while you may use the long stick attachment most of the time to clean your floors, many cordless vacuums come with other attachments as well. Some allow you to clean hard to reach spaces like the interior of your car, while others make it easier to vacuum furniture and clean inside crevices.
Bin volume is worth keeping in mind when you’re choosing a cordless vacuum. The larger the bin, the more debris it can hold, but it might also mean a heavier machine. All of the cordless vacuums we tested had a bin size between 0.1 and 0.8 gallons and all were able to handle cleaning an entire one-pet home (roughly 2,000 square feet) in a single run without needing to be emptied. Anything smaller and you may have to deal with more frequent emptying during each cleaning session.
Some cordless vacuums also have removable, replaceable battery packs, which is super handy. That means you can buy a replacement battery and install it easily, without needing to seek out professional assistance. Also, these extra batteries cost around $150-$200 a pop — expensive, yes, but nowhere near as costly as buying a whole new cordless vacuum.
Suction and power modes
Cordless vacuum suction power is typically measured in air wattage (AW), but you’ll see some that list the power of the motor in wattage (W) instead. Typically the higher the air or motor wattage the stronger the suction power, and often strength is proportional to price — more expensive cordless vacuums tend to have stronger suction power. A general rule of thumb is that those with precocious pets or mess-making children would benefit from a cordless vacuum cleaner with stronger-than-average suction power.
Most cordless stick vacuums will have two different power modes: a “normal” or default power mode that balances suction power with battery life, as well as a “max” or stronger mode that kicks suction strength up a notch. Some vacuums, like those from Dyson, also have an “eco” mode, or one that prioritizes run time over strength.
Separate from power modes you can select yourself, some cordless vacuums will automatically adjust motor strength depending on the detected floor type or the amount of mess in its wake. Not only is this convenient, but it also ensures that the machine is working its hardest only when you need it.
Floor type
The best cordless vacuums will be able to clean any standard floor type — hardwood, tile, carpet and everything in between. As mentioned previously, some can even detect floor type and adjust suction power accordingly. That said, it’s still worth thinking about the types of flooring you have in your home. If you primarily have carpet, you may want to consider a cordless vacuum with the most powerful suction you can afford, since there are more nooks and crannies for debris to get suck in with carpet.
Battery life
Obviously, battery life is important since you’ll probably want to clean more than one room in a shot. All of the cordless vacuums we tested had a battery life of at least 40 minutes in standard cleaning mode. I tested each by cleaning all three floors of my home (upstairs, downstairs and basement) on a single charge with the machine running in its standard (“auto”) mode and none of them ran out of juice before I could finish the third floor. That said, extra battery life can come in handy if you’re switching between power modes since “max” or high-power programs use more energy.
Base style
Most cordless stick vacuums come with some sort of base or mount where the machine lives when you’re not using it. Wall mounts are the most common, but some have free-standing bases where you dock and charge the vacuum. Consider the space in your home where you want the cordless vacuum to live, since it will have to have an outlet or another power source nearby.
Some high-end cordless vacuums come with self-emptying bases that act much like those included with expensive robot vacuums. After cleaning and returning the vacuum to the base, it will automatically empty the dustbin into a larger dustbin that you can then detach from the base when you need to empty it. This kind of base adds an extra layer of convenience into the mix, since you typically will only have to empty the larger dustbin every month or two.
“Smart” features
Yes, some cordless vacuums have “smart” features like Wi-Fi and app connectivity. But before we get into those, let’s talk about the extra perks scattered among these devices. Some models, like the latest from Dyson, include particle sensors that show you how many different sized pieces of debris it’s sucking up in real time. Dyson’s, for example, is a piezo acoustic sensor that detects particle size and frequency and displays that information on the vac’s LCD screen. Tineco’s iLoop sensor is similar, controlling its vacuums’ automatic suction power adjustment and changing a circle on the display from red to blue as you fully clean an area.
Higher-end cordless vacuums may also have companion apps that show things like battery level, filter status and cleaning logs. It’s an added level of convenience, but by no means necessary. Unlike the best robot vacuums, or even the best budget robot vacuums, which rely on their apps to set cleaning schedules, manually control the machines and more, cordless vacuums that you operate yourself really don’t need Wi-Fi or an app connectivity.
Price
Cordless stick vacuums range in price from $150 all the way up to over $1,000. The best ones for most people lie in the middle, in the $400 to $700 range. You’ll notice most of our picks land in the higher end of that range, but for good reason: More expensive machines tend to have more sucking power, which means less time wasted going over the same spots over and over. But does that mean everyone needs the most premium cordless vacuum? Definitely not. We’ve come up with top picks at various price points that should work well for people with different budgets, lifestyles, home sizes and more.
How we test cordless vacuums
Engadget doesn’t have a dedicated lab in which we can test cordless vacuums, but I used each model in my home for weeks. I ran them over hardwood and tile flooring, as well as low-pile carpet. And my first runthrough consisted of cleaning all three floors of my home on a single battery charge. I performed the same cleaning job as many times as possible, but also intermittently cleaned a single floor as needed, or sucked up isolated messes like crumbs, cat litter spills and tufts of pet fur. Over the course of many cleanings with each model, I made note of how loud the machine was, how easy it was to maneuver around my home, how easily it sucked up pieces of large debris (or if it pushed it around my floor instead) and if they got warm or hot.
Other cordless stick vacuums we tested
Dyson Gen 5 Detect
The Dyson Gen 5 Detect has a single-button start and stronger suction power than our top pick, but it’s otherwise quite similar. However, since the Gen 5 Detect is more expensive at $950 (although it does receive discounts at Dyson online), the V15 Detect still provides greater value for your money. The Gen 5 Detect is arguably best for those who want the latest Dyson, or care about getting a more future-proof machine, since it came out just last year.
Shark Detect Pro
The Shark Detect Pro provides a lot of value for the money, but it was ultimately beat by the Tineco Pure One S15 Pet for our runner-up slot thanks to the Tineco’s stronger suction power. The kicker for the Detect Pro is that it includes a self-emptying base in its $450 price, which is super handy. It’ll automatically dump the contents of the vacuum into the larger bin in the base after every cleaning, and you only need to empty the base’s container every month or so. The Detect Pro did a good job cleaning up messes across different types of flooring, and it’ll auto-adjust suction power depending on the amount of debris and whether you’re cleaning hard or carpeted floors. However, it’s not as smooth to use as any of our top picks and its main cleaner head is a bit tall, making it difficult to use to clean under low furniture.
Cordless stick vacuums FAQs
How long does the battery last on a cordless vacuum?
Most cordless vacuums will run for at least 30-40 minutes on a single charge, but you can find cordless vacuums with battery lives of up to 60 or 70 minutes. Manufacturers will outline an estimated battery life for each model, and they’re usually based on using the vacuum’s standard power mode for the entire runtime; if you switch between modes or prefer to use a higher-powered program for improved suction, you’ll drain the battery faster.
Can cordless vacuums be as powerful as corded ones?
Cordless vacuums do sacrifice a bit in overall power when compared to corded models, but that doesn’t mean they can’t handle everyday messes just as well. If suction power is your biggest concern, we recommend springing for a high-powered, high-end cordless vacuum since, typically, the more expensive a cordless vacuum is, the stronger the suction. Also, cordless vacuums have the edge over corded models when it comes to weight and convenience: cordless vacuums are much lighter than their corded counterparts, and you’ll never have to worry about placement or picking a fight with a cord while cleaning your living room.
Are cordless vacuums effective on pet hair?
Yes, cordless vacuums can handle pet hair well, but we recommend getting a model with strong suction power to get the best results. It’s also wise to get one with a larger bin, since pet hair can quickly fill up smaller bins, which may force you to stop cleaning to empty the vacuum before finishing.
There’s no such thing as a watch party with a laptop screen. If you’re the sort of person who enjoys watching movies and TV shows with friends, then it’s worth nabbing an inexpensive TV for your dorm room. And if you’re living alongside other students with too much time on their hands, you’ll want a TV for impromptu Super Smash Bros. Ultimate sessions. (If you need another justification, or just a way to sell it to your parents, TV sets can easily be repurposed as secondary monitors for any computer). Below, we’ve gathered some of the best TV and home entertainment options for students — ones that provide a great experience without emptying your wallet.
TVs for smaller spaces
TCL
A television with Roku or Google TV built-in is one of the easiest ways to start streaming content, making them ideal for most students. This 4-series TCL model sports a 4K screen (with upscaling from lower-res sources) and HDR, for better dynamic range. But best of all, you can usually find it under $300. It’s not the most feature-packed TCL TV (the 5-series costs around $200 more and adds Dolby Vision), but it’s one of the best options at that price. And at 43 inches, it’s small enough to fit in most dorm rooms, while still offering enough screen space to immerse you in a film.
Vizio has spent decades cornering the cheap TV market, and while Chinese rivals like TCL and Hisense have quickly encroached on its territory, Vizio still manages to deliver excellent TV sets that don’t break the bank. This M-Series Quantum Q6 set is one example: It’s a 43-inch system with most of the mid-range features you’d want, including quantum dots for richer colors, Dolby Vision HDR support and AMD FreeSync to make games look silky smooth. Its Wi-Fi 6E connectivity also means you’ll be able to enjoy streaming movies (and games!) without much trouble.
If you’ve got room for something slightly larger, and you want the Google TV experience, TCL’s latest Q6 Q-Class sets are worth a look. Its QLED screen features quantum dots, Dolby Vision and AMD FreeSync with support for simulated 120Hz gaming. And since it’s running Google’s software, the Q6 also offers built-in Chromecast support alongside tons of apps. Best of all, you can often find the 65-inch model for under $500. If you’re looking for a slightly higher quality screen, TCL’s Q7 series typically cost a few hundred dollars more, but you’ll get a native 120Hz refresh rate, which could be useful for some PC games.
If you’re a heavy Google user, there’s no better streaming device than the Chromecast with Google TV. Unlike previous versions of Google’s puck, it has an interface of its own, along with a suite of streaming apps to choose from. And yes, you can still cast video from Android devices or the Chrome browser. The Chromecast is a great option if you’re buying a cheaper TV, but be sure to check if your set already has Chromecast streaming built in.
If you own an older TV, or you just want something a bit zippier than your set’s onboard apps, Roku’s Streaming Stick 4K is worth snapping up. It’s just $40 (and often less), supports 4K (with HDR and Dolby Vision), and it gives you access to Roku’s entire app library. Best of all, though, it’s so tiny you can easily bring it along when you’re traveling. The Streaming Stick 4K also supports Apple AirPlay, giving you a way to cast video from iOS devices and Macs. Roku’s bundled voice remote also makes it easy to search for things without pecking away at an onscreen keyboard.
The Streambar is an unusual device. It’s both a decent soundbar and a media streaming box. That’s just so Roku. Honestly, if you’re picking up a TV, you should really consider a soundbar of some kind. (We have a whole guide dedicated to that.) But we’re recommending the Streambar here because it’s a relatively simple and inexpensive solution that solves two common pain points: getting streaming apps and better sound. It’s also a nice thing to have around to play a bit of music when you’re not watching anything. For even bigger sound, you might also want to consider the slightly pricier Streambar Pro.
So hear me out: There’s room for the Apple TV 4K in your budget entertainment setup, especially if you’re going to save money by picking a cheap TV with slow apps. At $129, the Apple TV 4K is only slightly more expensive than the Roku Ultra, and it also plays nicely with iPhones, iPads and MacBooks. If your TV doesn’t support AirPlay, an Apple TV is also helpful for projecting content from your phone. There are also plenty of apps on the Apple TV platform you won’t find on TVs, including a large library of games.
A great pair of headphones is essential for late night studying and movie-watching. The Soundcore Space One proves you don’t need to spend a ton to get great sound quality and powerful active noise cancellation (ANC). The $100 headphones offer 40 millimeter dynamic drivers and 40 hours of noise-canceling playback (or 55 hours without ANC). If you have a supported Android phone, you can also take advantage of detailed Hi-Res Audio using the LDAC codec. While the Space One doesn’t have the cultural cachet of a pair of Sony or Bose premium noise canceling headsets, you can take the money you’re saving to get Anker’s Space A40 noise-canceling buds as a companion device.
We take webcams for granted nowadays. Most laptops (and some desktops) have them built in, manufacturers are starting to catch up to the remote-work trend by making sure that their latest machines have semi-decent cameras on them. But if you spend most of your work day on video calls, or you live stream on YouTube or Twitch in your free time, it may be worthwhile to upgrade your camera. External webcams offer video quality and customizations that most built-in lenses do not, making them a good choice for anyone who needs to put their best face forward at all times. We’ve tested dozens of webcams over the years to find the best webcams you can buy right now — and with Prime Day right around the corner, there could be opportunities to save on your next webcam soon.
Quick Overview
Logitech Brio 500
Best webcam overall
Anker PowerConf C200 2K Webcam for PC, Webcam for Laptop, Computer Camera, with AI-Noise Canceling Microphones, Stereo Mics, Adjustable Field of View, Low-Light Correction, Built-in Privacy Cover
Best budget webcam
Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra
Best webcam for streaming
Logitech for Creators StreamCam Premium Webcam for Streaming and Content Creation, Full HD 1080p 60 fps, Premium Glass Lens, Smart Auto-Focus, for PC/Mac – Graphite
While some newer computers have 1080p webcams, most built-in cameras have a resolution of 720p, so you’ll want to look for an external webcam that’s better than that. FHD webcams will give you better video quality; ideally, you’re looking for something that can handle 1080p at 60fps or 30fps. If you’re considering a cheap 720p webcam, make sure to get one that supports at least 30fps (most will) or, even better, 60fps. However, if your primary concern is better picture quality during video calls, 1080p is the way to go.
Some webcams can shoot in 4K, but that’s overkill for most people. Not to mention most video conferencing services like Zoom, Google Meet and Skype don’t even support 4K video. When it comes to streaming, Twitch maxes out at 1080p video, but YouTube added 4K live streaming back in 2016. Ultimately, with 4K webcam shots having such limited use, most people can get by with a solid 1080p camera.
Field of view (FOV) controls how much can fit in the frame when you’re recording. Most webcams I tested had a default field of view of around 78 degrees, which captured me and enough of my background to prove that I really need to organize my home office. On cheaper webcams you’ll usually see narrower fields of view (around 60 degrees), and those aren’t necessarily bad. They won’t show as much of your background, but that also means you won’t be able to squeeze as many friends or family members into frame when you’re having Zoom birthday parties. On the flip side, more expensive webcams may let you adjust the field of view to be even wider than average.
Valentina Palladino / Engadget
Autofocus and other “auto” features
Webcams with autofocus will keep the image quality sharp without much work on your part. You should be able to move around, step back and forth, and remain in focus the whole time. Some standalone webcam models let you manually adjust focus, too, if you have specific needs. Devices with fixed focus are less convenient, but they tend to be more affordable.
In the same vein is auto framing, a feature that some high-end webcams now offer. Similarly to Apple’s Center Stage feature, the camera automatically adjusts to keep you in the center of the frame even as you move around. This used to be a feature only available on the most premium webcams, but now you can find it on sub-$200 devices.
You’ll also see other “auto” features listed in webcam specs, most notably auto light correction. This will adjust the camera’s settings to make up for a dimly lit room. If you don’t have bright lights, or often take calls in places where you can’t control the lighting, this feature will be valuable.
Microphones
Most webcams have built-in microphones that, depending on your setup, might end up being closer to you than your computer’s own mics. Check to see if the model you’re considering has mono or stereo mics, as the latter is better. Some even use noise-reduction technology to keep your voice loud and clear. While audiophiles and streamers will want to invest in a standalone microphone, most others can get by using a webcam’s built-in mic.
Design
There aren’t a ton of fascinating breakthroughs when it comes to external webcam design. Most are round or rectangular devices that clip onto a monitor or your laptop screen. Some have the ability to swivel or screw onto a tripod stand and others can simply sit on your desk beside your computer. But unless you really like having people stare up your nose, the latter isn’t ideal. We recommend clipping your webcam to your monitor and ensuring that it’s at or slightly above eye level.
A few webcams go above and beyond by adding hardware extras like built-in lights and lens covers, too. The former can help you stand out in a dark room, while the latter makes it so hackers can’t view you through your webcam without your knowledge.
Price
Most external webcams that are just good enough to be a step up from your computer’s built-in camera cost between $60 and $150. If the webcam has the same resolution as the internal one on your laptop, you should look out for other specs like auto light correction, a wider field of view or an extra-long connecting cable that can provide a step-up in quality or ease of use.
Spending $150 or more means you might get advanced features like 4K resolution, vertical and horizontal recording options, stereo mics, customizable video settings and more. But unless you’re spending hours on video calls each day or streaming multiple times each week, you can settle on a budget webcam and safely skip most of those high-end options.
How we test webcams
We primarily test webcams by putting them through as much real-world use as possible. We examine their design, how flexible they are and how easy they are to reposition, and make note of how heavy they are and if that affects their ability to stay put while sitting on top of a screen. We use each webcam for at least a week straight as our primary camera for all video chats, and we make sure to use the device in different lighting environments to test low-light performance. We also use any built-in microphones as our primary audio inputs on video calls as well. Finally, we test out any proprietary software that’s intended to work with each webcam, tweaking things like field of view, video resolution and effects, and using any special features like Show Mode on Logitech webcams.
Best webcams for 2024
Logitech
Resolution: up to 1080p | Mic: Yes | Software support: Yes | Features: auto-light correction, Show Mode, RightSight, built-in lens cover
The Logitech Brio 500 is essentially an upgraded version of the beloved C920s HD Pro. It shoots the same quality of video — up to 1080p 30fps — but it has a wider field of view, an upgraded zoom, improved auto-light correction, a better mic array and a USB-C connecting cable. The biggest difference I noticed in testing the Brio 500 was the improved light correction. My home office can feel very cave-like when the blinds are shut or when it’s raining, but you wouldn’t know it when on a video call with me. Logitech’s RightLight 4 technology does a great job of brightening the whole shot when you’re in a dim or dark environment.
This Logitech webcam works with the LogiTune software, which lets you customize camera settings like field of view, autofocus, contrast, brightness and more, plus lets you enable Show Mode and RightSight features. The former lets you present things on your desk just by tilting the camera down while the latter will automatically keep you in frame during calls even if you move around. RightSight works much like Apple’s Center Stage feature does on iOS devices, and most people will likely get more use out of this feature than Show Mode. If you prefer to keep things more consistent (or control how much of your background is visible), you can choose from 90-, 78- or 65-degree field of views instead of enabling RightSight.
Logitech also updated the design of the Brio 500. It’s made of recycled plastic and it comes in three different colors that you can match to other Logitech peripherals. The camera attaches magnetically to its base and it easily swivels from side to side when you need to adjust its position, plus it has a built-in lens cover for extra privacy when you’re not using it. Overall, it has the best mix of essential features and handy extras of any webcam we tested.
But $130 might be a lot for some people to spend on a webcam. We think it’s worth it if you’re primarily a hybrid or remote worker, but there is a cheaper option for those with tight budgets. The Logitech Brio 300 has many of the same core features as the Brio 500: 1080p resolution, auto light correction, a built-in privacy shutter and USB-C connectivity. However, you won’t get HDR support, an adjustable field of view, Show Mode or omnidirectional mics (although it does have a noise-reducing microphone of its own). It’s a pared-down version of the Brio 500 and it’ll only cost you $70.
Anker’s cube-like PowerConf C200 webcam has has a lot of the same perks as our top pick, and it’s one of the best budget webcams out there thanks to its $60 price tag. Setup is equally as easy as it was for out top pick – just plug it into your computer or docking station and start using it. You can download the AnkerWork software to edit things like brightness, sharpness and contrast ratio, but I just kept all the defaults.
You’re also able to control the camera’s resolution and field of view with this software, too. The C200 webcam defaults to a 2K resolution, but you can bring it down to 1080p, 720p or even 360p if you wish. Same goes for field of view: The default is 95 degrees, but I bumped mine down to 78 degrees to spare my colleagues a wider view of my messy home office.
I was immediately impressed with the C200’s video quality: 2K is likely more than most people need (1080p should do just fine), but the extra sharpness and clarity is a nice touch. The webcam’s autofocus is quite fast, and its larger f/2.0 aperture captures more light so you stay illuminated even in darker settings.
In addition to a built-in lens cover that you can slide closed for privacy, the C200 has dual stereo mics that actually do a good job of capturing your voice loud and clear. You can also choose directional or omnidirectional vocal pickup in the AnkerWork settings, with the latter being better if you have multiple people speaking on your end.
My biggest complaints about the C200 webcam are that it’s a bit cumbersome to adjust its angle when it’s perched on your screen. Unlike most webcams, Anker’s doesn’t have a short neck of sorts that connects the camera to its adjustable base – it’s just one, chunky piece of plastic that I had to use both hands to adjust. Also, the C200 comes with a USB cable that’s much shorter than others. This won’t be a problem if you’re connecting the webcam directly to your laptop, but it’s not as flexible if you have a standing desk converter or a more complicated setup that requires long cables.
Pros
Up to 2K video recording
Dual stereo mics
Works with AnkerWork software for customizations
Fairly affordable
Cons
Short connecting cable
Can be finicky to reposition on top of your screen
Resolution: up to 4K | Mic: Yes | Software support: Yes | Features: background blurring, face-tracking autofocus, physical shutter
Razer built the Kiyo Pro Ultra as the ultimate video streaming webcam and that’s immediately apparent as soon as you take the webcam out of the box. It’s huge. Its circular frame measures three inches in diameter and about two inches thick. It follows the design language of other Kiyo webcams, but it’s definitely the biggest of the bunch and that’s probably because Razer stuffed a lot into this peripheral. It has the biggest sensor of any Kiyo webcam (1/1.2 inches to be exact), and the company claims it’s the largest in any webcam, period. The Pro Ultra has a F/1.7 aperture lens as well, which lets in a ton of light and results in a super crisp image. It certainly delivered the best quality image of all the webcams I tested, which isn’t a surprise since it can capture raw 4k/30fps (or 1080p/60fps) footage.
Streamers will not only appreciate the high quality image coming from this cam, but also its HDR support, tasteful background blurring and face-tracking autofocus that swiftly transitions from zeroing-in on their face to whatever object they may be showing off to their viewers. It works with Razer’s Synapse software, too, so you can customize your image to your liking, tweaking things like zoom, pan, tilt, ISO and shutter speed. Just know that Synapse only works on Windows devices, so you’ll be stuck with default settings if you’re on macOS or Linux.
The Kiyo Pro Ultra is compatible with Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) and XSplit, so most streamers will be able to unbox it and get right to producing content. We also appreciate that you can twist the camera’s frame to physically shutter the lens, giving you more privacy when you need it. Undoubtedly, the Kiyo Pro Ultra is one of the most powerful webcams we tried out and it may even be overkill for streamers just starting out (our final pick might be better for those folks), but serious and professional content creators will love the quality video and customization options they get. If you want a similar level of quality and the ability to tweak settings on a Mac, Elgato’s Facecam Pro is a good alternative webcam. It costs the same as the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra, can record video at 4K/60fps and its Camera Hub software works on macOS and Windows.
Of all the webcams I tested, I had the most fun using Logitech’s Streamcam. While it’s a bit weird to say I “had fun” with such an innocuous piece of tech, I found the Streamcam to be remarkable in many ways. First and foremost, the video quality is excellent, coming in at a sharp 1080p/60fps. Details in my clothing came through much better and, whether I liked it or not, so did some of the texture on my skin. The Streamcam was also one of the best video streaming webcams I tested when it came to color reproduction.
All of those perks remain the same even when you’re shooting in low-light conditions. The Streamcam’s auto-exposure feature made up for the darkness in my office on gloomy days with excellent low-light performance. And it has the best kind of autofocus — the kind that you never notice in action.
The dual omnidirectional mics inside the Logitech Streamcam delivered my voice loud and clear during video calls. If you stream often and find yourself without an external mic, it’s nice to know that you could get by with the Streamcam’s built-in ones in a pinch. The microphones also have noise reduction to keep your voice font and center.
As far as design goes, the Streamcam is a bit larger than your standard cam. It’s a chunky almost-square that can easily be positioned on a monitor or mounted on a tripod, and a unique feature of its design is its ability to shoot either vertically or horizontally. I kept mine in the standard 16:9 format, but some content creators and streamers who post to social media often will like the 9:16 format that’s best for Instagram and TikTok. Logitech also made sure the Streamcam was optimized for OBS, XSplit and Streamlabs, so you can use it directly out of the box for your next live session.
Pros
Up to 1080p/60fps video recording
Good low-light performance
Can shoot vertical and horizontal video
Works with OBS, XSplit and Streamlabs out of the box
Resolution: 4K | Mic: Yes | Software support: Yes | Features: Auto-exposure, auto white balance, noise reduction, and autofocus
Everything about the MX Brio Ultrafeels premium, from its sleek aluminum housing to its magnetic mounting clop to the twisting lens cover that gives you more privacy when you need it. This webcam uses a Sony Starvis sensor to record video at up to 4k/30fps, which is more than most people will need but provides a noticeable boost in video quality. The MX Brio also has better dynamic range and low-light sensitivity, making it a great option for someone like me, whose home office can get pretty cave-like on a rainy day.
The mounting clip sturdily attaches to a laptop screen or monitor, but it can be removed as well if you prefer a tripod mount. But the clip is also flexible enough for you to vertically angle the camera downward to activate Logitech’s Show Mode, which lets you more easily show off what’s on your desk while on a video call. That, plus the built-in lens cover, are two stand-out features on the MX Brio Ultra (aside from the stellar image quality), and Logitech even gives you the option to customize your video using companion software that has brightness, contrast, field of view and other adjusters. Admittedly, a lot of these perks are nice-to-haves rather than necessities; we’d recommend the MX Brio Ultra only to those who spend more time on video calls than not, or anyone who has a deep love for the MX lineup of productivity accessories.
Elgato made a few important upgrades in the new Facecam MK.2: it now supports HDR, a slightly wider field of view and a new pan-tilt-zoom feature that can either keep you in the center of the frame at all times or move the camera to follow you as you point to a whiteboard beside you. The latest model supports 1080p/60fps video recording and it has a built-in lens cover that you can slide out from the side when you’re not using the peripheral. Video quality is pretty good, with natural colors, good detail and decent lighting regardless of the available illumination in your space. In addition to its solid overall quality, streamers will appreciate the level of control Elgato’s Camera Hub software provides over things like white balance, exposure, contrast and more, and the fact that the Facecam MK.2 integrates seamlessly with the Steam Deck.
Our previous top pick, the Logitech C920s Pro HD webcam remains a solid option for those with less than $100 to spend and really only need a basic 1080p camera to upgrade their setup. It has a 78-degree field of view, decent microphones and handy privacy shutter built in. The Brio 500 took the top spot away from this model thanks to its advanced light correction, auto-framing and Show Mode.
Amazon Prime Day 2024 will arrive next week, bringing a deluge of discounts and deals on everything from household essentials to clothing to tech. Even though the shopping event is limited to 48 hours, Amazon typically has early Prime Day deals rolling out for weeks ahead of time. This year is no different: we’re already starting to see early Prime Day deals trickle in that members can take advantage of. Plus, there are also a number of solid tech deals available on Amazon that aren’t explicitly tied to July Prime Day, but are likely to get lumped in with the rest of the discounts anyway. We’ve collected the best early Prime Day deals here so you don’t have to go searching for them. We’ll be updating this post regularly, so check back to see the latest discounts.
Amazon Prime Day FAQs
When is Prime Day 2024? Amazon Prime Day 2024 lands on July 16 and 17 this year. The shopping event focuses on exclusive deals for Prime members, which means you’ll have to be a Prime subscriber on Prime Day to take advantage of most of the savings. Amazon still offers a 30-day free trial to new Prime subscribers, so you can start your free trial now to participate in the event.
Is Prime Day the same days every year? No, but Prime Day usually happens during the summertime in the United States. In recent years, Amazon has held a second sale event in the fall as well, dubbed October Prime Day, which is similar to the summertime sale.
Can anyone shop Amazon Prime Day? Amazon Prime Day focuses on exclusive deals available only to Prime members. However, if you don’t pay for Prime and have no intention of doing so, you should still check out Amazon on Prime Day for sales that are available to all shoppers — there are always a few of them.
Best Prime Day deals: Apple
Amazon
Prime Day hasn’t started, but the current AirPods Pro earbuds have just dipped down to their lowest price to date. Our choice for the best wireless earbuds for the iPhone work seamlessly with Apple’s full range of products and offer superlative noise-canceling quality, as well as a fantastic transparency mode when you don’t want to cut yourself off from the outside world.
Apple’s third-gen AirPods are on sale for a record low of $129. (The price was previously $140, but Amazon just lowered them to match a sale at Walmart.) These buds came out in 2021 and massively improved upon their predecessors with better sound quality, a more comfortable design and a six-hour battery life.
Also on sale are the second-gen AirPods for $80, and these are arguably only best for those who are on a tight budget and want to spend as little as possible to get a pair of AirPods.
The latest stylus for iPads, the Apple Pencil Pro is currently on sale for $119 on Amazon. That’s just $10 lower than its original price, but does happen to be the first discount on the new accessory since it’s launch last month. The new Pencil Pro recognizes squeezes, which can trigger actions like bringing up app-specific tool palettes and shortcuts, and gives you haptic feedback as you use it. It can also detect rolling the barrel for more precision as you draw.
Apple released the new iPad Air models with the M2 chip back in May and right now, the larger 13-inch model with 128GB of storage is available for a record-low price of $749, down from $799. The M2 iPad Air is our choice for 2024’s best overall iPad. You can get the deal on the Blue, Purple and Starlight models, but the Space Gray option is a little more at $769. Apple’s new slate earned a 91 in our review because it’s powerful, capable and has a great-looking screen. It doesn’t have the top-of-the-line features and performance of the new iPad Pros — but the Air is nearly $500 cheaper.
If you’re an Amazon Prime member who has never subscribed to Amazon Music Unlimited, you can now get five months of the music streaming service for no cost as any early Prime Day deal. If you’re a new user who doesn’t have Prime, you can get a three-month free trial. The service normally gives a one-month free trial then costs $10 per month for those who subscribe to Prime and $11 per month for those who don’t.
Music Unlimited isn’t a formal recommendation in our guide to the best music streaming apps: Its interface isn’t as tidy or smartly curated as that of Apple Music, our top pick, and we’ve found it to be a bit aggressive about promoting podcasts you may not care about. That said, it’s hard to beat free, and the service has more or less the same giant music library as its peers. It also supports lossless streaming, unlike Spotify, which is a nice plus for audiophiles with high-quality wired headphones. If you just want to save a bit of cash on your music streaming for a few months, it should do the job. Just remember to cancel when the free trial ends, as your subscription will be set to auto-renew by default.
Similar to the Amazon Music Unlimited deal above, Prime members who’ve never subscribed to Audible Premium Plus can get three months of the audiobook service for free. A membership normally costs $14.95 per month after a one-month free trial, so this is a roughly $30 discount. As a refresher, Audible Premium Plus gives access to a big library of on-demand audiobooks, podcasts and other content, plus a monthly credit you can use to permanently buy a title in the Audible store.
The service will be most worthwhile if you tend to burn through audiobooks quickly; if you’re on the fence, this extended trial should make it easier to see if you’d get any use out of it. Remember that your service will auto-renew at the standard price after the trial period ends until you cancel.
Amazon Prime members can get three months of Kindle Unlimited for free in this Prime Day deal. With this subscription, you get access to a library of millions of books, comics and magazines to read for free. There are also some audiobooks included as well; just make sure to cancel before the free trial is up if you don’t want to get charged full price on the fourth month.
Prime subscribers can grab for $75, which is a new low for the latest-gen model. The 10.1-inch slate technically has a list price of $140, though it’s frequently sold for $95 since it was released last September. At this price, it’s a decent value if you just want a cheap second screen for light video streaming, web browsing and ebook reading. It’s relatively comfortable to hold, it can last more than 10 hours on a charge and its 1080p display is bright and sharp enough. This variant comes with a measly 32GB of storage by default, but you can expand that .
You should only grab a Fire tablet if price is your main concern, however, as the Fire HD 10 is still far in terms of performance and build quality. Amazon’s Fire OS loves to push the company’s own services above everything else, too, and its app selection is much more limited. You’ll also see lock-screen ads unless you pay an . But if you only need a tablet for the essentials, those issues might be easier to overlook at $75. A few other Fire tablets are also on sale, including the smaller but slower Fire HD 8 for $55.
This Blink Outdoor 4 bundle that includes one Blink Mini 2 camera is on sale for Prime members for only $50. That’s 64 percent off its usual price, and it gives you a good way to keep an eye on your home, inside and out. It also comes with a sync module, so you’ll have everything you need to set up both cameras and add more in the future if you desire.
Amazon’s Fire TV Soundbar is $20 off and down to $100, which is the best price we’ve seen all year. It’s best paired with a Fire TV device or a standalone Fire TV, and it supports surround sound with DTS Virtual:X, and Dolby Audio.
The 43-inch and 55-inch Amazon Fire Omni QLED smart TVs are up to 25 percent off right now. The 43-inch model is the most affordable, down 20 percent with a final price of $360 for Prime members. These TVs support 4K HDR10+ content with Dolby Vision IQ, hands-free Alexa, Ethernet and Wi-Fi connectivity and the Fire TV ambient experience.
The Anker Soundcore Space A40 earbuds have returned to a low of $59, that’s a savings of $21 over the full price. We named these our top pick for a budget-friendly set of buds because they provide features like EQ adjustment, splash-resistance, active noise cancellation and a decent transparency mode. Plus the sound itself is pleasant and warm.
One of our favorite pairs of headphones for running, the JLab Go Air Sport, are on sale for only $20 right now thanks to a $10 coupon. These buds have a sturdy yet comfortable hook design, impressive sound quality for the price and good battery life.
The beige color of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ is down to a near record-low price of $799, or $200 off. We consider the entire S9 series of tablets to be some of the best you can buy right now thanks to their solid performance, IP68-rated design, excellent optional accessories and handy Dex mode for multitasking.
This Shark AI Ultra robot vacuum is half off and down to only $300 right now. A version of one of our top picks for the best robot vacuums, it supports cleaning schedules and home mapping, plus it comes with a self-emptying base that can hold up to 60 days worth of debris. The base is also bagless, so you don’t have to buy and replace proprietary garbage bags in it over time.
These Bose true wireless earbuds are down to $179 right now. That’s $100 off their usual price and the lowest we’ve seen. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are a bit newer, but these are still solid buds with excellent noise cancellation for the price.
Our top pick for a Wi-Fi 6E mesh system is TP-Link’s Deco XE75, and right now, it’s on sale for just $290 with a $60 coupon for a pack of three. That’s the lowest price we’ve tracked, taking $160 off the set’s list price. We like how it balances power and user-friendliness, bringing fast connections to places in your home that may have been spotty before.
Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Prime Day tech deals. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Amazon Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
Choosing the best Windows laptop can be overwhelming with the wealth of options available. And with Microsoft’s recent announcements at Microsoft Build, we can expect lots of exciting things coming out in the next few months as more Copilot PCs become available. Whether you need a premium ultraportable, a powerful gaming rig, or a versatile mobile workstation, our current list of the best Windows laptops highlights our favorites that have been rigorously tested by our team. For those on a budget, check out our list of the best cheap Windows laptops to find great options that won’t break the bank.
Performance
The challenge when thinking about performance is figuring out your sweet spot. That’s because while a Microsoft Windows laptop with blazing speed is nice, you may be paying for more oomph than you need. But if you skimp and get a weak processor, even simple tasks can become a chore and you might end up in a situation where you need to upgrade again sooner than you’d like. Thankfully, many laptops come in multiple configurations at the point of purchase. You can opt for a model with more processing power, for example, if you want to do more than just web browsing. Good performance is more than just clockspeeds too, so we also consider things like fast wake times, storage speeds, multitasking and more advanced features like support for ray tracing.
Display and webcams
Regardless of whether a notebook has a touchscreen or a more traditional panel, we look for bright displays (300+ nits or more) that are easy use outdoors or in sunny rooms, accurate colors and wide viewing angles. Screens with high refresh rates are great for competitive gamers, while those with wider color gamuts are important for content creation and video editing. And even if you don’t plan on spending a ton of time on video calls, every laptop needs a decent webcam (1080p or higher).
Ports and connectivity
Even with advancements in cellular modems and WiFi, dedicated ports for transferring data or connecting peripherals can make or break a laptop. Ideally, all but the thinnest and lightest systems come with three USB ports, while things like built-in SD card readers can be extremely handy when trying to import media from a camera. And if a notebook is saddled with a slow or outdated WiFi modem (we’re looking for Wi-Fi 6 or later), that’s basically an immediate disqualification.
Battery life
It doesn’t matter how powerful a laptop is if it conks out when you need it the most. Typically we look for runtimes of at least eight hours on a charge, but when it comes to good battery life, longer is always better. That said, on gaming machines with thirsty GPUs, you may have to settle for a bit less. And on bigger machines, it’s also important to consider if the system can charge via USB-C or if it needs a larger, proprietary power brick.
Best Windows laptops for 2024
Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget
Screen size: 13-inch | Touchscreen: Can be configured | Processor: Intel Ultra 7 Processor 155H or Snapgradon X Elite | Installed memory: Up to 64GB | Storage: Up to 2TB | Weight: 2.6 pounds | Battery life: Up to 18 hours
It’s no surprise that we love the Dell XPS 13. It’s thin, lightweight and it has one of the best screens you can find on a 13-inch ultraportable. The latest XPS 13 model is the slimmest yet, though it loses the headphone jack in the process. But it also includes either Intel’s Ultra 7 Processor 155H or the new Snapgradon X Elite CPU, so you’re getting the most up-to-date processor options available. Aside from a somewhat tricky to use “invisible” trackpad, we have few gripes with the lates XPS 13. It has a stellar, svelte design, a gorgeous display, a fantastic keyboard and solid performance to match. Just be prepared to pay a premium for all of the new features and upgraded specs.
Screen size: 15-inch | Touchscreen: No | Processor: 11th-gen Intel Core i3 | Installed memory: 8GB | Storage: 128GB | Weight: 3.64 pounds | Battery life: Up to 10 hours
There’s a reason we selected the Acer Aspire 5 as our top choice in our best budget Windows laptop guide: It’s sturdy, fast enough and offers good battery life. It also comes with a Windows 11 Home (S Mode) operating system with advanced security features. We typically don’t expect much with laptops under $500, but the Aspire 5 has consistently been a solid performer. It’s an ideal laptop for students or kids, or for anyone who isn’t particularly demanding. We’re also surprised by the port selection it offers, including HDMI and Ethernet. While we normally don’t recommend laptops with just 8GB of RAM and tiny 128GB SSDs, those specs are more excusable in the Aspire 5 since it’s so darn cheap. Just think of it as a slightly more capable Chromebook, but one that can launch multiple apps and do a bit more than just web browsing.
Screen size: 14-inch | Touchscreen: No | Processor: AMD Ryzen 7/9 | Installed memory: Up to 16GB | Storage: Up to 1TB | Weight: 3.53 pounds | Battery life: Up to 10 hours
One of our favorite gaming PCs for years, the ROG Zephyrus G14 remains our choice as the best gaming laptop for most users. It weighs just 3.5 pounds, it sports AMD’s powerful new Ryzen chips and it also has the company’s fastest Radeon RX 6000-series mobile graphics. The ROG Zephyrus G14 has a sleek retro-future aesthetic, a comfortable keyboard and a smooth 144Hz, 14-inch screen. While you’d be more immersed in a 15-inch notebook, those typically cost more and are far heavier than the Zephyrus G14. If you’re looking for a balance between good performance, style and value, the G14 is an excellent option.
Screen size: 13-inch | Touchscreen: Yes | Processor: Snapdragon X Plus/X Elite | Installed memory: Up to 32GB | Storage: Up to 1TB | Weight: 1.97 pounds | Battery life: Up to 14 hours
The Surface Pro is everything we’ve wanted the Surface tablet line to be for years. It’s incredibly fast and efficient, thanks to Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X Elite and Plus chips. Its neural processing unit (NPU) also enables potentially powerful AI features, though the current crop won’t be useful to everyone. We’re also still waiting to see Microsoft’s controversial Recall feature in action, which has been delayed to address its many security concerns.
The new OLED screen option looks wonderful: It makes colors pop off the screen and also ensures inky dark black levels. Coupled together with surprisingly powerful speakers, the Surface Pro is a solid option for watching video on the go.
When it’s paired together with the new Surface Pro Flex keyboard ($350), you can type and mouse around the Surface completely wirelessly, which opens up entirely new ways of using it. As long as there’s a small table nearby, or somewhere to prop up the tablet, you can work with just a thin and light keyboard on your lap. It’s also nice to see Microsoft pack in 16GB of RAM with the base Surface Pro model.
While we’d still like to see the company bundle in a keyboard and refine its kickstand, the Surface Pro remains one of the most innovative PCs available today.
Pros
Snapdragon X Elite and Plus chips are wonderfully fast
Adaptability is the biggest strength of a 2-in-1, with devices like the Yoga 9i capable of transforming into a number of different modes at a moment’s notice. And even though it’s got a relatively portable 14-inch OLED display, Lenovo still found room on the Yoga 9i for three USB-C ports, a fingerprint scanner and a clever rotating soundbar to ensure audio sounds good in any position. Lenovo also includes a free stylus in the box though, sadly, unlike previous models there isn’t a dedicated storage slot for it on the machine anymore. And while its general design hasn’t changed much, Lenovo has improved the Yoga 9i’s performance with updated 13th-gen Intel processors. There are also various configurations to choose from, including the choice between a Windows 11 Home or Pro operating system.
Screen size: 14-inch | Touchscreen: No | Processor: 12th-gen Intel Core i5/i7 | Installed memory: Up to 16GB | Storage: Up to 1TB | Weight: 3.75 pounds | Battery life: Up to 5.5 hours
Regardless of if you’re editing videos or playing games, MSI’s Stealth 14 Studio packs a lot of processing power in a very portable package. The base model comes with a 1080p screen, but if you have the money, you’ll want to consider the optional 2,560 x 1,600 display, which boasts a faster 240Hz refresh rate and wider color gamut (100% of DCI-P3). At just 3.75 pounds, the Stealth 14 Studio weighs half a pound less than similarly sized rivals while still supporting up to an NVIDIA RTX 4070 GPU. And the redesigned model has a stunning magnesium and aluminum chassis that’s also available in a larger 16-inch model.
Screen size: 18-inch | Touchscreen: No | Processor: 13th-gen Intel Core i9 | Installed memory: Up to 64GB | Storage: Up to 1TB | Weight: 6.75 pounds | Battery life: Up to 3 hours
Razer’s revamped Blade 18 is a monster. It packs full-fat versions of the most powerful components you can put in a laptop including up to an Intel Core i9 13-980HX CPU and an NVIDIA RTX 4090 GPU that runs at up to 175 watts. You also get a massive 18-inch QHD+ display with a 240Hz refresh, tons of ports (including an SD card reader) and gorgeous per key RGB lighting. Holding everything together is Razer’s unibody aluminum chassis, which offers some of the best build quality on any Windows laptop. The one big downside is price: Starting at $2,900 (or closer to $5,000 for a fully loaded model), the Blade 18 is not for people with limited budgets.
Screen size: 13.8- or 15-inch | Touchscreen: No | Processor: Snapdragon X Plus or Elite | Installed memory: Up to 32GB | Storage: Up to 1TB | Weight: 2.96 pounds | Battery life: Up to 17.5 hours
After more than a decade of tests and trials for Arm-based Windows PCs, Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 7 feels like a breakthrough. It’s fast, it’s quiet and thanks to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chip, it delivers well above average performance and battery life. Meanwhile, on the inside, Microsoft’s Prism emulator has almost completely smashed the barrier between Arm and x86, so aside from gaming, almost all of your favorite apps just work. Tack on a bright 120Hz display and excellent build quality and you get something really close to an ideal ultraportable PC.
Pros
Slick design
Excellent battery life
Good performance
Bright display
Powerful Prism emulator
Responsive haptic touchpad
Cons
Some apps and games still don’t play nicely with Arm-based chips
is less than two weeks away, but we’re already seeing a handful of decent early deals go live in advance of the big sale. Per usual, many of the more noteworthy discounts apply to Amazon’s own gadgets and subscription services, but there are a few good offers on devices from the likes of Apple, Anker, Samsung and Bose as well. We’re rounding up the best Prime Day deals we can find below, and we’ll continue to update this post as we get closer to the actual sale. Just remember that you’ll need to to see some (but not all) of the better discounts going on now.
Table of contents
Best Prime Day deals: Apple
Apple
Apple
The latest stylus for iPads, the Apple Pencil Pro is currently on sale for $119 on Amazon. That’s just $10 lower than its original price, but does happen to be the first discount on the new accessory since it’s launch last month. The new Pencil Pro recognizes squeezes, which can trigger actions like bringing up app-specific tool palettes and shortcuts, and gives you haptic feedback as you use it. It can also detect rolling the barrel for more precision as you draw.
Apple released the new iPad Air models with the M2 chip back in May and right now, the larger 13-inch model with 128GB of storage is available for a record-low price of $749, down from $799. The M2 iPad Air is our choice for 2024’s best overall iPad. You can get the deal on the Blue, Purple and Starlight models, but the Space Gray option is a little more at $769. Apple’s new slate earned a 91 in our review because it’s powerful, capable and has a great-looking screen. It doesn’t have the top-of-the-line features and performance of the new iPad Pros — but the Air is nearly $500 cheaper.
If you’re an Amazon Prime member who has never subscribed to Amazon Music Unlimited, you can now get five months of the music streaming service for no cost as any early Prime Day deal. If you’re a new user who doesn’t have Prime, you can get a three-month free trial. The service normally gives a one-month free trial then costs $10 per month for those who subscribe to Prime and $11 per month for those who don’t.
Music Unlimited isn’t a formal recommendation in our guide to the best music streaming apps: Its interface isn’t as tidy or smartly curated as that of Apple Music, our top pick, and we’ve found it to be a bit aggressive about promoting podcasts you may not care about. That said, it’s hard to beat free, and the service has more or less the same giant music library as its peers. It also supports lossless streaming, unlike Spotify, which is a nice plus for audiophiles with high-quality wired headphones. If you just want to save a bit of cash on your music streaming for a few months, it should do the job. Just remember to cancel when the free trial ends, as your subscription will be set to auto-renew by default.
Similar to the Amazon Music Unlimited deal above, Prime members who’ve never subscribed to can get three months of the audiobook service for free. A membership normally costs $14.95 per month after a one-month free trial, so this is a roughly $30 discount. As a refresher, Audible Premium Plus gives access to a big library of on-demand audiobooks, podcasts and other content, plus a monthly credit you can use to permanently buy a title in the Audible store. The service will be most worthwhile if you tend to burn through audiobooks quickly; if you’re on the fence, this extended trial should make it easier to see if you’d get any use out of it. Remember that your service will auto-renew at the standard price after the trial period ends until you cancel.
Prime subscribers can grab for $75, which is a new low for the latest-gen model. The 10.1-inch slate technically has a list price of $140, though it’s frequently sold for $95 since it was released last September. At this price, it’s a decent value if you just want a cheap second screen for light video streaming, web browsing and ebook reading. It’s relatively comfortable to hold, it can last more than 10 hours on a charge and its 1080p display is bright and sharp enough. This variant comes with a measly 32GB of storage by default, but you can expand that .
You should only grab a Fire tablet if price is your main concern, however, as the Fire HD 10 is still far in terms of performance and build quality. Amazon’s Fire OS loves to push the company’s own services above everything else, too, and its app selection is much more limited. You’ll also see lock-screen ads unless you pay an . But if you only need a tablet for the essentials, those issues might be easier to overlook at $75. A few other Fire tablets are also on sale, including the smaller but slower Fire HD 8 for $55.
This Blink Outdoor 4 bundle that includes one Blink Mini 2 camera is on sale for Prime members for only $50. That’s 64 percent off its usual price, and it gives you a good way to keep an eye on your home, inside and out. It also comes with a sync module, so you’ll have everything you need to set up both cameras and add more in the future if you desire.
Amazon’s Fire TV Soundbar is $20 off and down to $100, which is the best price we’ve seen all year. It’s best paired with a Fire TV device or a standalone Fire TV, and it supports surround sound with DTS Virtual:X, and Dolby Audio.
The 43-inch and 55-inch Amazon Fire Omni QLED smart TVs are up to 25 percent off right now. The 43-inch model is the most affordable, down 20 percent with a final price of $360 for Prime members. These TVs support 4K HDR10+ content with Dolby Vision IQ, hands-free Alexa, Ethernet and Wi-Fi connectivity and the Fire TV ambient experience.
The Anker Soundcore Space A40 earbuds have returned to a low of $59, that’s a savings of $21 over the full price. We named these our top pick for a budget-friendly set of buds because they provide features like EQ adjustment, splash-resistance, active noise cancellation and a decent transparency mode. Plus the sound itself is pleasant and warm.
One of our favorite pairs of headphones for running, the JLab Go Air Sport, are on sale for only $20 right now thanks to a $10 coupon. These buds have a sturdy yet comfortable hook design, impressive sound quality for the price and good battery life.
The beige color of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ is down to a record-low price of $749, or $250 off. We consider the entire S9 series of tablets to be some of the best you can buy right now thanks to their solid performance, IP68-rated design, excellent optional accessories and handy Dex mode for multitasking.
One of our favorite cordless stick vacuums from Tineco is on sale for $350 right now when you apply the $150 clickable coupon. This model has great suction power, auto-power adjustment, easy maneuvering and even Wi-Fi connectivity.
This Shark AI Ultra robot vacuum is half off and down to only $300 right now. A version of one of our top picks for the best robot vacuums, it supports cleaning schedules and home mapping, plus it comes with a self-emptying base that can hold up to 60 days worth of debris. The base is also bagless, so you don’t have to buy and replace proprietary garbage bags in it over time.
These Bose true wireless earbuds are down to $179 right now. That’s $100 off their usual price and the lowest we’ve seen. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are a bit newer, but these are still solid buds with excellent noise cancellation for the price.
Our top pick for a Wi-Fi 6E mesh system is TP-Link’s Deco XE75, and right now, it’s on sale for just $290 with a $60 coupon for a pack of three. That’s the lowest price we’ve tracked, taking $160 off the set’s list price. We like how it balances power and user-friendliness, bringing fast connections to places in your home that may have been spotty before.
Amazon Prime Day 2024 lands on July 16 and 17 this year. The shopping event focuses on exclusive deals for Prime members, which means you’ll have to be a Prime subscriber on Prime Day to take advantage of most of the savings. Amazon still offers a 30-day free trial to new Prime subscribers, so you can start your free trial now to participate in the event.
Is Prime Day the same days every year?
No, but Prime Day usually happens during the summertime in the United States. In recent years, Amazon has held a second sale event in the fall as well, dubbed October Prime Day, which is similar to the summertime sale.
Can anyone shop Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon Prime Day focuses on exclusive deals available only to Prime members. However, if you don’t pay for Prime and have no intention of doing so, you should still check out Amazon on Prime Day for sales that are available to all shoppers — there are always a few of them.
Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Prime Day tech deals. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Amazon Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
Your iPhone is likely your most used gadget on the regular, so it’s worth protecting your investment with a case. It’s understandable to want to show off the handset’s sleek design, but the last thing anyone wants is for that shiny new iPhone to get a dent in its back or a crack in its screen. There are dozens of iPhone cases out there, and it may be tempting to just get whichever Amazon serves you first when you search for one. But not all iPhone cases are created equal: not only do you have to make sure the case you want will work with your iPhone 13, iPhone 14 or the latest iPhone 15, but some provide more protection than others as well. Also, it goes without saying that there are a ton of dirt-cheap iPhone cases out there too and most of them are not worth your money. I’ve tested out a number of the most popular iPhone cases out there to come up with our top picks for the best iPhone cases you can get today.
Spigen
If you want a basic, protective case that comes at an affordable price, Spigen has you covered. The company’s Ultra Hybrid MagFit clear cases show off the color of your iPhone and we like their raised bezels that protect the rear camera. The cases also have tactical buttons on the side that make it easy to feel around and adjust your phone’s volume without even looking at it. The overall slim profile of the polycarbonate case allows it to snap to your iPhone without adding too much bulk, and it’s MagSafe compatible as well so wireless charging is easy. Also, the Ultra Hybrid case was one of the most secure we tried – to the point where it was almost difficult to extricate the iPhone when we needed to test out a new phone cover. And while they normally go for around $45, you can often find them on sale for $25 to $30.
We’ve recommended Smartish cases in the past for their artistic designs, but we particularly like the Gripmunk series for the latest iPhones. These thin cases are a bit rougher around the edges than Spigen’s cases, literally – Gripmunk covers have textured edges that make them easier to grip and less likely to slip out of your hands, while the backs of the cases show off cute patterns and designs like floral arrays, cosmic scenes and more. There are a few solid-color options too, if you want to go the True Basic route (no shame), and these are all MagSafe cases as well. If you’re a minimalist and don’t like to carry a lot on your person, you could ditch your billfold and spring for Smartish’s Wallet Slayer, a cardholder case that has similarly textured edges along with a sleeve on the back. This wallet case can hold up to three credit cards and a few notes of cash.
If you’re looking for a bold, eye-catching case that has tons of personality, Case-Mate has a ton of great options to consider. Its iPhone 15 series has glittery cases, prismatic covers and everything in between, but the one that stuck out most to me is the Blox line. These cases have squared-off corners that give your iPhone a modern, blocky look. Combine that with their bright neon colors and you’ll likely never have to ask your friends where your phone is again – you won’t miss it. I also appreciate that the Blox cases are fingerprint-resistant, provide protection against 10-foot drops and have built-in magnetics for MagSafe accessory compatibility.
It doesn’t get much better than Casetify for those that care about getting their phone to match their personality as closely as possible. The brand has an impressive number of prints, patterns, graphics and designs available on its iPhone cases, including multiple influencer collaborations, so you’re likely to find something that fits even the most niche requirements. The Impact series in particular is a good option for everyday protection since these cases won’t add too much bulk to your iPhone, but will still protect it from drops up to 8.2 feet. You’ll find Impact cases for iPhone models going back to the iPhone 13, and many of them are MagSafe compatible, too.
Without a doubt, our favorite eco-friendly phone cases are those made by Pela. We absolutely love their colors and designs, plus the fact that the entire line is 100 percent plant-based and compostable. The case material is called “Flaxstic,” which the company says is made from flax straw and compostable bioplastic elastomer. Importantly, it’s also free of BPA, phthalates, cadmium and lead. If you ever decide to get rid of it, you can indeed just chuck in a compost bin and it’ll be completely biodegradable.
What’s more, Pela cases are available for a wide array of handsets. They can accommodate iPhones (from iPhone 5 onwards), Samsung Galaxies (Galaxy S10 and newer), Google Pixels (from the Pixel 4a on) and even some OnePlus and Huawei models.
For iPhone users, we should note that Pela cases are not MagSafe-compatible by default, but you can purchase a $12 MagSafe module separately. Applying it to my phone was pretty straightforward, so that’s not a big concern, but it’s something to keep in mind. — Nicole Lee, Former Commerce Writer
Cyrill makes a number of sleek and elegant cases and the Kajuk Mag is no exception. It’s one of the thinnest and lightest cases we tried, but it does have four layers of protection: a soft microfiber lining, a sturdy PC back, TPU bumpers and a vegan leather exterior. Since the company doesn’t boast a certain level of drop protection, this slim case is a good option for those that care more about aesthetics and case design, but also want a simple, protective layer standing between their iPhone and hard concrete. As the name suggests, you can use the Kajuk Mag with MagSafe accessories, and it even has an accessory hole built in, for those that want to attach charms, straps and other things.
Peak Design’s Everyday Case not only looks attractive, but it turns your phone into a bunch of different things when you pair it with any of the accessories in the company’s mobile ecosystem. We like its protective rubberized bumper and nylon shell, and its SlimLink connector sits in the middle of the case’s back, waiting for whichever gadgets you need that day. The company’s mobile tripod is one of our favorites for taking better photos with your phone, but also propping it up any which way you need. Commuters can opt for the dashboard mount to keep their phone within reach while driving, or the bike mount when you need to read directions on its screen. If you use your phone for everything and want a case that can support all of that functionality, this one is a good option.
Maybe you work outdoors, go camping frequently or are simply a bit clumsier than most. Some of the best protection you can get for your iPhone comes from Pelican’s Shield Kevlar series cases. Though they’re a little pricey and admittedly bulky, that’s how they safeguard your phone from up to 21-foot drops. The 5mm raised bumper provides shock-absorbing safety for the rear camera lens array as well as the handset as a whole, plus the secure edges and dustproof cover keep all unwanted debris out. Plus, these rugged cases are MagSafe compatible, so you don’t have to sacrifice convenience when opting for as much protection as possible.
There is no one “most protective” brand of phone cases, but rather there are many that tout extra security for your handset. Some of the most protective phone cases we’ve tried come from Otterbox; most of the brand’s cases have a bit more protection than your standard phone case, even the ones that are designed to be on the slim side. Otterbox also makes a wide variety of phone cases, so there’s a good chance you’ll find one that suits your style and provides the level of protection you’re looking for. Otterbox’s Defender series is one of the best you can get if you care first and foremost about making sure your phone survives all kinds of accidents (save for a dunk in a pool).
Silicone vs hard case: Which one is better?
Neither silicone nor hard cases are better than the other. Silicone cases tend to be thinner and feel soft to the touch, and they’re often easier to put on and take off of phones. Hard cases can be on the thicker side, but they provide a bit more drop protection than silicone cases. Which type of case is best for you depends on the type of experience you want from your phone. It’s also worth nothing that both silicone cases and hard cases come in a variety of colors, designs and styles, so you have plenty of choose from to match your personality on both sides.
is nearly upon us, as the festivities officially kick off on July 16. However, there are already plenty of early Prime Day deals making the rounds. Even better? Some of these discounts are among the best Prime Day deals we’ve seen so far. Case in point? There’s a sweeping sale on various Amazon Fire tablets with some record-low prices.
Amazon
The Fire HD 8 , which is 58 percent off and a record-low price. Don’t let the low cost fool you. This is a surprisingly decent tablet that’s perfect for content consumption. I have one and it’s great for streaming episode after episode of 90s Star Trek while sick in bed.
The battery lasts around 13 hours per charge and the HD display gets the job done, though it won’t be winning any visual fidelity awards. This sale is for the 64GB model, which is twice the storage of the entry-level tablet. Additionally, there’s a microSD slot that adds up to 1TB of expandable storage.
This isn’t an iPad Pro, however, so there are trade-offs. It’s underpowered and only offers 2GB of RAM. Like I said before, this tablet is for laying around and watching stuff or playing simple mobile games. It’s not for power-intensive creativity-focused apps. You get what you pay for, though the price has certainly been sweetened.
For those looking for a slightly higher-end experience, the for $75 instead of $140. The kid-friendly version of this model actually made . The RAM is slightly increased compared to the Fire 8, at 3GB, though the base storage is 32GB. This one also has a microSD slot that accommodates up to 1TB.
Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Prime Day tech deals. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Amazon Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
Amazon Prime Day is still a couple weeks away, but the company is already running discounts on some of its biggest items. The latest deal comes on the Kindle Scribe Essentials Bundle, which includes a 64GB Kindle Scribe, Premium Pen and a leather folio cover. The trio is available for $324, down from $520 — a 37 percent discount.
Amazon
The Kindle Scribe is one of our picks for best E Ink tablets for 2024, garnering a solid 85 in our launch review. Unlike other Kindles, the Scribe is meant for taking notes or marking up documents. It offers a 10.2” 300 ppi Paperwhite display that’s glare-free and front-lit, allowing you to use it just about anywhere. Plus, it works with titles in the Kindle Store, PDFs, Microsoft Word and more.
The Premium Pen functions without any setup and it attaches directly to the Kindle Scribe’s side. A shortcut button makes it easy to execute commands like highlight and erase. Then there’s the leather folio cover, which protects the Kindle Scribe, closes magnetically and folds into a stand. It’s worth noting that this deal doesn’t include Pen replacement tips.
Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Prime Day tech deals. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Amazon Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
Amazon Prime Day 2024 is coming soon, so you still have time to sign up for a free trial of Prime before the shopping event begins. However, in typical Amazon fashion, we’re already starting to see early Prime Day deals pop up. The online retailer has gotten into the habit of teasing early Prime Day deals leading up to the big event, with most of them being available exclusively to Prime members. However, there are always some good tech deals on Amazon available to everyone at the same time. We’ve collected the best early Prime Day deals here so you don’t have to go searching for them. We’ll be updating this post regularly, so check back to see the latest discounts.
Table of contents
Best early Prime Day Apple deals
Apple
A four-pack of Apple’s AirTags are on sale for $80 right now, bringing the price for each down to just $20. We named the AirTag the best Bluetooth tracker for iPhone users in our guide to those fobs, thanks to Apple’s massive finding network that calls on every nearby iPhone to anonymously search for your lost stuff.
The latest stylus for iPads, the Apple Pencil Pro is currently on sale for $119 on Amazon. That’s just $10 lower than its original price, but does happen to be the first discount on the new accessory since it’s launch last month. The new Pencil Pro recognizes squeezes, which can trigger actions like bringing up app-specific tool palettes and shortcuts, and gives you haptic feedback as you use it. It can also detect rolling the barrel for more precision as you draw.
Apple’s latest MacBook Pros are on sale: the 14.2-inch version is down to $1,749 for a config with an M3 Pro chip, 18GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD at Amazon and B&H. That’s $250 off Apple’s list price and $50 below the street price we’ve seen on Amazon over the last couple of months, though it’s $50 more than the lowest price we’ve tracked. The 16.2-inch model is also on sale for $2,199, which is an all-time low. That model has the same base specs, though it has a slightly stronger 12-core CPU (instead of the 11-core chip on the 14-inch model) and 18-core GPU (instead of a 14-core unit) alongside its roomier display. Just keep in mind that we may or may not see new M4-based models by the end of the year.
If you’re an Amazon Prime member who has never subscribed to , you can now get five months of the music streaming service for no cost. If you’re a new user who doesn’t have Prime, you can get a three-month free trial. The service normally costs $10 per month for those who subscribe to Prime and $11 per month for those who don’t.
Music Unlimited isn’t a formal recommendation in our guide to the : Its interface isn’t as tidy or smartly curated as that of Apple Music, our top pick, and we’ve found it to be a bit aggressive about promoting podcasts you may not care about. That said, it’s hard to beat free, and the service has more or less the same giant music library as its peers. It also supports lossless streaming, unlike Spotify, which is a nice plus for audiophiles with high-quality wired headphones. If you just want to save a bit of cash on your music streaming for a few months, it should do the job. Just remember to cancel when the free trial ends, as your subscription will be set to auto-renew by default.
The Ring Video Doorbell is on sale for only $50 right now for Prime members. That’s half off its usual price and a new record low. It supports motion alerts, two-way talk, quick replies and package alerts, plus it record 1080p video and can run on an included rechargeable battery.
This Blink Outdoor 4 bundle that includes one Blink Mini 2 camera is on sale for Prime members for only $50. That’s 64 percent off its usual price, and it gives you a good way to keep an eye on your home, inside and out. It also comes with a sync module, so you’ll have everything you need to set up both cameras and add more in the future if you desire.
This bundle with three Blink Outdoor 4 cameras and a Blink Video Doorbell is a whopping 63 percent off for Prime members, bringing the final price down to $120. These are the latest security cameras from Blink that record 1080p video, support motion alerts and two-way talk and run on replaceable batteries that last up to two years before they need changing.
Prime subscribers can now get Amazon’s Echo Dot Kids for $28, which matches the lowest price we’ve seen. The smart speaker technically has a list price of $60, though we’ve seen it fall in the $35 to $45 range several times over the past year.
As the name implies, this is a child-friendly variant of Amazon’s diminutive home speaker: It uses the same spherical hardware as the standard model but comes with a cutesy owl- or dragon-themed design, a longer two-year warranty (instead of a 90-day one) and a year’s subscription to the company’s Kids+ service, which includes a range of kid-oriented audiobooks, games, music stations and the like. Like the standard model, there’s a fairly robust suite of parental controls as well. The quality of that Kids+ content can be scattershot, and whether you’re comfortable putting an Amazon speaker in your kid’s bedroom is something only you can answer (though there is a mic mute button). The standard Echo Dot is the “best under $50” pick in our guide to the best smart speakers and will almost certainly go on sale during Prime Day. But if you’ve been looking for an affordable music player and audiobook reader that your little one can control with their voice, here you go.
Amazon’s Fire TV Soundbar is $20 off and down to $100, which is the best price we’ve seen all year. It’s best paired with a Fire TV device or a standalone Fire TV, and it supports surround sound with DTS Virtual:X, and Dolby Audio.
The 43-inch and 55-inch Amazon Fire Omni QLED smart TVs are up to 25 percent off right now. The 43-inch model is the most affordable, down 20 percent with a final price of $360 for Prime members. These TVs support 4K HDR10+ content with Dolby Vision IQ, hands-free Alexa, Ethernet and Wi-Fi connectivity and the Fire TV ambient experience.
The Anker Soundcore Space A40 earbuds have returned to a low of $59, that’s a savings of $21 over the full price. We named these our top pick for a budget-friendly set of buds because they provide features like EQ adjustment, splash-resistance, active noise cancellation and a decent transparency mode. Plus the sound itself is pleasant and warm.
This Anker MagGo magnetic charging station is down to $75 from $100, which is close to its record-low price. Just clip the on-page coupon to get 25 percent off the list price. This Qi2-certified device has a wireless pad up top for charging a MagSafe-compatible iPhone (models 12 and later), plus there are two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports and three AC outlets.
One of our favorite cordless stick vacuums from Tineco is on sale for $325 right now, thanks to a discount and an additional $25 coupon. This model has great suction power, auto-power adjustment, easy maneuvering and even Wi-Fi connectivity.
This Shark AI Ultra robot vacuum is half off and down to only $300 right now. A version of one of our top picks for the best robot vacuums, it supports cleaning schedules and home mapping, plus it comes with a self-emptying base that can hold up to 60 days worth of debris. The base is also bagless, so you don’t have to buy and replace proprietary garbage bags in it over time.
These Bose true wireless earbuds are down to $179 right now. That’s $100 off their usual price and the lowest we’ve seen. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are a bit newer, but these are still solid buds with excellent noise cancellation for the price.
The XL version of Elgato’s Stream Deck is 20 percent off right now and down to $200. That’s only $10 more than its record-low price, and this model gives you a whopping 32 buttons that you can program to do specific actions during a stream or just for general productivity.
Our top pick for a Wi-Fi 6E mesh system is TP-Link’s Deco XE75, and right now, it’s on sale for just $290 for a set of three. That’s after a 31 percent discount and a $20 clickable coupon. Taken together, that’s the lowest price we’ve seen on the set so far. We like how it balances power and user-friendliness, bringing fast connections to places in your home that may have been spotty before.
Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Prime Day tech deals. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Amazon Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
The best gaming keyboards can bring a greater sense of comfort and control to your PC play time, whether you’re luxuriating with a lengthy RPG or sweating through an online shooter. While they don’t always feel as premium for typing as a good custom mechanical keyboard, they’re usually a nice upgrade over a typical membrane model. To help those looking to upgrade, I’ve spent more time researching gaming keyboards than any person reasonably should, testing dozens of well-reviewed options along the way. Whether you want something mini, analog, wireless or just plain cheap, these are the best I’ve found.
What to look for in a gaming keyboard
To be clear, any keyboard can be a “gaming keyboard.” If you play lots of video games today and have never sighed to yourself, “man, this keyboard is holding me back,” congratulations, you probably don’t need to pay extra for a new one. Self-proclaimed gaming keyboards often come at a premium, and while the best offer high-quality designs, snazzy RGB lighting and a few genuinely worthwhile features, none of them will give you god-like skill, nor will they suddenly turn bad games into good ones.
Mechanical vs non-mechanical
Now that we’ve touched grass, I did prioritize some features while researching this guide. First, I mostly stuck to mechanical keyboards, not laptop-style membrane models. They can be loud, but they’re more durable, customizable and broadly satisfying to press — all positive traits for a product you may use for hours-long gaming sessions.
Size
Next, I preferred tenkeyless (TKL) or smaller layouts. It’s totally fine to use a full-size board if you really want a number pad, but a compact model gives you more space to flick your mouse around. It also lets you keep your mouse closer to your body, which can reduce the tension placed on your arms and shoulders.
From top to bottom: A 96 percent keyboard, an 80 percent (or tenkeyless) keyboard and a 60 percent keyboard. (Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget)
Switches, keycaps and build quality
Linear switches, which are often branded as “red,” are generally favored by gamers. These give keystrokes a smooth feel from top to bottom, with no tactile “bump” that could make fast, repeated presses less consistent. They usually require little force to actuate, and they tend to be quiet. However, if you prefer the feel and/or sound of a more tactile or clicky switch, get one of those instead. You might lose some speed in esports-style games, but nothing is more important than your comfort.
Some gaming keyboards are based on different mechanisms entirely. Optical switches, for instance, use a beam of light to register keystrokes, while Hall effect switches use magnets. These often feel linear, but they can allow for a more versatile set of gaming-friendly features, such as the ability to set custom actuation points. (You can read more about how this works below.) In general, they’re faster and more durable too. But keyboards with those extra features typically aren’t cheap.
Regardless, you want a frame that doesn’t flex under pressure, keys that don’t wobble and stabilizers that don’t rattle when you hit larger keys like the spacebar. I prefer double-shot PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) keycaps over those that use cheaper ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic, as they won’t develop a greasy shine over time and their icons won’t fade. A hot-swappable PCB (printed circuit board) that makes it easy to change switches if the mood arises is ideal, as are dedicated media keys.
For the sake of simplicity, I only considered prebuilt gaming keyboards for this guide, though many of the picks below allow for customization down the line. If you (and your bank account) really want to go wild, check out our guide to building a custom keyboard.
Software, connectivity and RGB
If a keyboard has companion software, it should let you program macros and custom key bindings for games without frustration. For convenience, a wired keyboard should connect through a detachable USB-C cable. A good wireless keyboard won’t add serious lag, but only if it uses a USB receiver, not Bluetooth. (It’ll probably cost more as well.) Some gaming keyboards advertise super-high polling rates — i.e., the speed at which a keyboard reports to a computer — to reduce latency, but unless your monitor has an especially fast refresh rate, the usual standard of 1,000Hz should be fine. And while nobody needs RGB lighting, it’s fun. Consumer tech could use more of that, so the cleaner and more customizable the RGB is, the better.
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
How we tested
The best way to evaluate a keyboard is to just… use it, so that’s what I did. To cover a variety of use cases and design styles, I’ve researched dozens of keyboards over the past several months that’ve broadly received high marks from professional reviewers and users alike. I’ve then used each model I’ve brought in as my daily driver for numerous days. Since I write for a living, this gave me enough time to get a strong sense of each keyboard’s typing experience.
For gaming, I give special focus to each keyboard’s responsiveness in fast, reaction-based online shooters such as Halo Infinite, Counter-Strike 2, Apex Legends, Valorant, Overwatch 2 and (more recently) XDefiant, as many would-be gaming keyboard buyers get one in the hopes that it’ll help with that genre in particular. I made sure each keyboard felt comfortable with other types of games, though, such as Baldur’s Gate 3 (a turn-based RPG), Hi-Fi Rush (an action game with an emphasis on timing and rhythm) and Forza Horizon 5 (an arcade racing game). I used the latter to better evaluate the pressure-sensitive features of the analog keyboards I tested.
If a keyboard could be configured with multiple switch types, I got the linear model. Upon receiving each keyboard, I removed several keycaps to ensure none were chipped or broken. I noted whether any keys felt wobbly, whether the case flexes under pressure, whether the texture and finish of the keycaps changes after use and whether larger keys like the spacebar felt particularly rattly or hollow. I typed on each keyboard in quick succession in a quiet room to get a sense of where they ranked in terms of noise. For wireless models, I checked whether the battery drain at 50 percent RGB brightness aligned with a manufacturer’s estimate. I looked to results from sites like Rtings to ensure nothing was out of order with latency. I did my own testing on a 144Hz monitor with my personal rig, which includes a 10th-gen Core i9 CPU and an RTX 3080 GPU.
This helped me ensure each keyboard met a baseline of overall quality, but to reiterate, so much of this process is subjective. I can tell you if a keyboard is loud based on how I slam my keys, for instance, but you may have a lighter touch. What my tastes find “comfortable,” “pleasing,” or even “useful,” you may dislike. As I’ve written before, keyboards are like food or art in that way. So, keep an open mind.
With most gaming keyboards, claims of “improving your play” are just marketing fluff. With the Wooting 60HE+, it’s actually true — or at least, it can be. The key is its analog Lekker switches, which can respond to varying levels of pressure, much like the triggers on a PlayStation or Xbox controller. These use magnetic Hall effect sensors, so they have fewer physical contact points that can suffer from wear and tear over time.
This setup enables a few genuinely beneficial features. For one, you can adjust the actuation point of each key anywhere between an ultra-low 0.1mm and 4mm, in 0.1mm steps. With a fast-paced FPS, setting the actuation point low makes the keys more sensitive and thus exceptionally responsive to quick movements. For a turn-based RPG or simply typing, raising that pre-travel distance makes each press more deliberate and less prone to errors. You can also mix and match, making your WASD keys faster to actuate but leaving the rest at a less touchy level.
Another feature, “rapid trigger,” registers the actuation and reset points of a key press dynamically. This lets you re-actuate a key mid-press, before it has to go all the way back up, so you can repeat inputs faster. It’s a boon for shooting and rhythm games in particular: In a 1v1 shootout in Halo Infinite, you can strafe, stop and start with a little more speed and granularity. We’re still talking milliseconds of difference, but sometimes that’s all that separates defeating a foe and leaving them with a sliver of health.
Beyond that, you can tie up to four actions to one key based on how far it’s pressed. In Halo, for instance, I’ve made it so I can mark enemies and switch grenades by long-pressing Q and E, respectively — i.e., the keys right next to WASD. Short-pressing those keys, meanwhile, still lets me use their default bindings. In another game, you could lightly press a key to pull out a grenade, fully press to throw it, then release to reequip your main weapon. All of this requires some brain retraining, but it ultimately lessens the need to contort your fingers to perform a full set of commands. Which, in turn, can save you more precious seconds during a battle.
Because the keys are pressure-sensitive, you can also set them to mimic an Xbox controller. With a racing game Forza Horizon 5, the W and S keys could stand in for the LT and RT buttons, while A and D replicate the left joystick. Does this feel as natural as using real joysticks or a good wheel? Of course not. But for games that don’t expect you to use a mouse alongside the keyboard, it’s really not as clunky as you’d expect.
That caveat is important: Plenty of games aren’t designed with analog keyboards in mind, so don’t expect the 60HE+ to replace your gamepad. Owning this won’t magically make you a top-tier player either. When you’re up against other people around your skill level, though, the extra bit of precision these features provide is tangible.
There’s been a wave of Hall effect keyboards released in the last year, but the 60HE+ stands out for getting most of the fundamentals right. While there are certainly nicer-feeling mechanical keyboards, its double-shot PBT keycaps feel crisp, its keys are well-spaced and the pre-lubed, linear-style switches are smooth and satisfying to press. (They’re technically hot-swappable too, though the 60HE+ is only designed to accept Hall effect switches.) It sounds a smidge chattery, but it’s still pleasing to the ear and not especially loud. The compact case doesn’t flex or wobble. Crucially, the charmingly-named Wootility software makes it easy to remap keys, assign macros, create profiles and or adjust the RGB lighting. Refreshingly, it’s also entirely accessible through the web. That per-key backlighting is tidy, and changing profiles right from the keyboard is simple.
That said, there are a few downsides. The case, while sturdy, is largely plastic and only has one incline setting. It doesn’t come with a wrist rest (though you can buy one separately for $30), and the 60 percent layout won’t be for everyone. If you want to add dedicated arrow keys and a numpad, get the full-size Wooting Two HE instead. A new 80 percent model called the 80HE is also on the way, though it’s only up for pre-order as of this writing. Just know that you can only buy each device from Wooting, which sells its gear in batches.
Also worth noting: We previously recommended an older version of this device, the 60HE, in our top spot. The “Plus” model is a very minor revision that adds support for screw-in stabilizers but is otherwise identical.
Pros
Analog switches are fast and deeply versatile for gaming
Easy-to-use software
Sturdily built
Comfortable for typing
Clean RGB lighting
Cons
Wired-only
60 percent design isn’t for everyone
Only available to buy in batches
Doesn’t sound quite as nice as best traditional mechanical keyboards
Connectivity: USB-C | Size(s): 80 percent | Switches: Razer Linear Optical Red (tested), Purple | Hot-Swappable: No | Material: Plastic with aluminum top plate | Keycap material: Double-shot PBT | Backlight: RGB (north-facing) | Software: Razer Synapse 3
If you don’t need all the extra features of an analog keyboard like the Wooting 60HE+ and just want something a little less pricey, consider the Razer Huntsman V2 TKL. There’s no rapid trigger, analog input or custom actuation here — just a solid, well-built keyboard from a major brand that works reliably for gaming.
The best thing about the Huntsman V2 is that it’s unusually quiet, as an internal layer of sound-dampening foam gives it a nice muffled tone with no audible pinging. The linear optical switches are light and responsive, but bottoming out doesn’t feel stiff. The double-shot PBT keycaps have an agreeable texture, while the aluminum-coated case doesn’t creak or flex. The per-key RGB lighting shines through the keycaps neatly. Just about every key is macro-programmable, the whole thing connects over a detachable USB-C cable, and it comes with a plushy leatherette wrist rest in the box. The latter isn’t magnetic though. And while you can sneeze and find a million complaints about Razer’s Synapse software around the web, I’ve always found it easier to read than many competing apps. That says more about the state of gaming software than Synapse, but still.
I specifically recommend the model with Razer’s red linear switches; another version has purple clicky switches, but those sound harsher and have a slightly higher actuation point (1.5mm instead of 1.2mm). There are other shortcomings, too: There’s no hot-swap, and larger keys like on the space bar, backspace and enter are a tad more wobbly than everything else. The keyboard can technically support up to an 8,000Hz polling rate, but that’s mostly a gimmick. Dedicated media keys would be nice, too.
The Huntsman V2 TKL is a few years old, and Razer has since released a new Huntsman V3 Pro line (which we note below). Razer sells full-size and analog versions of the Huntsman V2, but those are usually priced too close to the more versatile Wooting 60HE and Two HE to recommend. (Shortly before this guide was published, the company did announce a new Huntsman V3 Pro line with a more Wooting-esque feature set; we plan to test that soon, though Razer is keeping the V2 models around at a lower price.) At its initial MSRP of $160, we’d skip it, but these days it’s often available for $50 to $60 less. At that price, it’s a fine value if you must have a gaming-branded keyboard. Do note, however, that we highlight a more traditional mechanical keyboard in this price range below.
If you want to pay as little as possible for an acceptable, honest-to-goodness gaming keyboard, get the G.Skill KM250 RGB. For $45, it offers PBT keycaps, hot-swappable switches, per-key RGB backlighting, adjustable feet, a detachable USB-C cable and even a dedicated volume control knob. Its translucent “pudding” keycaps look funky but help show off those RGB effects. The linear Kailh Red switches are quick and smooth enough, without the pinging noise that often plagues budget keyboards. Its 65 percent layout doesn’t chew up space, but it still fits in a set of arrow keys. Though there’s no dedicated software for programming the KM250, you can quickly swap through lighting effects right from the device. Avoiding potential bloatware may be better at this price anyway.
Now, this isn’t a miracle. The plastic frame is lightweight and surprisingly sturdy, but you don’t get the level of sound-dampening foam, reinforced stems or pre-lubed springs you’d find in a more premium keyboard. Key presses sound hollower and feel a bit stiffer when you bottom out as a result. Plus, while having PBT keycaps at all in this range is great, they aren’t as pleasingly textured as more expensive options.
But come on, it’s $45. For that price, everything here is beyond functional. And if you ever want to upgrade some of its lesser elements, you can.
If you want a gaming keyboard you can take on the road, or you just despise cable clutter, check out the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless. Similar to the Wooting keyboards above, its linear-style switches use magnetic Hall effect sensors, which open up a range of legitimately useful gaming features. You can raise or lower the actuation points of individual keys anywhere between 0.1mm and 4mm, enable a rapid trigger mode to repeat presses faster and bind multiple commands to one key based on how far it’s pushed. (To give another example, you could lightly press W to walk, then hold it to run.) There’s no full-on analog mode, and you can “only” assign two actuation-based commands to a key at once, but the Apex Pro TKL still allows for finer control than most wireless keyboards.
The “keyboard” part of the Apex Pro TKL is satisfactory as well. The double-shot PBT keycaps avoid grime and aren’t overly sculpted, so they’re easy to reach. The aluminum-plated chassis is robust, and the per-key RGB looks fine. You can connect over a 2.4GHz dongle, Bluetooth or a detachable USB-C cable. There’s a set of feet with two incline angles around the back and a magnetic wrist rest in the box. On the front is a volume roller and a mini OLED display, the latter of which lets you check the battery, quickly swap profiles, adjust the actuation, set macros, change backlight brightness and even see info from certain apps.
You’d buy this for gaming first and foremost though. The Hall effect switches are comfy, but there’s an audible, mildly sharp click to each press. It’s not harsh, but it’s not soothing. The space bar, however, is noticeably louder and more hollow-sounding than everything else. (The switches aren’t hot-swappable either, though that’s not a shock given their unique design.) SteelSeries’ GG software is a bit wonkier to navigate than Wooting’s Wootility app, too; I often had to leave it open to ensure my custom actuation profiles weren’t overridden. The battery life, estimated around 40 hours with the wireless dongle, isn’t all that long either.
And with a list price of $250, none of this comes cheap. If typing and key feel is your primary concern, we have a couple better values in our honorable mentions below. But for gaming specifically, the Apex Pro TKL’s feature set and fast keys give it the edge. SteelSeries makes several other Apex Pro keyboards in different form factors, but we’d recommend one of Wooting’s options over those unless you must go wireless.
If you aren’t intense about esports-style online play and just want a good mechanical keyboard you can also use for games, try the Keychron V3 Max. For less than $100, it offers a wireless frame with hot-swappable switches, double-shot PBT keycaps and a volume knob. By default, it comes with Gateron’s Jupiter Red (linear), Brown (tactile) or Banana (more tactile) switches; the Jupiter Reds are sufficiently light for everyday gaming and, with the help of an internal gasket mount and multiple layers of sound-dampening foam, mostly quiet. Each switch comes pre-lubed, which helps keep the out-of-the-box typing experience from feeling or sounding cheap. Presses make a lovely little pop. The keycaps are comfortably spaced and gently rounded, making it easier to avoid accidental inputs, though they have a somewhat a somewhat high profile, so they can feel a little more in the way than the keys on the Apex Pro or Huntsman V2 TKL for quick movements. All of it connects over a removable USB-C cable, Bluetooth or a wireless adapter, and there are USB-C and USB-A dongles in the box.
The V3 isn’t as focused on ultra-low latency as a dedicated gaming keyboard, and it doesn’t have any of the special features available with the Wooting 60HE+ or Apex Pro TKL Wireless, but it should be responsive enough for all but the most competitive players. A built-in switch lets you swap between Windows and macOS modes, and there are OS-specific keycaps in the box. You can program the board through the free VIA software, which may take a second to figure out and isn’t loaded with gaming-specific tricks, but still lets you remap keys, create macros or adjust the backlight across OSes. It’s also accessible over the web.
The V3 Max’s keys are individually backlit, and you can adjust its RGB effects right from the board. This looks odd with the default, non-translucent keycaps though. There’s a pair of foldable feet on the back, but this is a high-profile keyboard with no included wrist rest, so it’s not the most ergonomic setup. The chassis is also made of plastic, so it’s hard to call “premium.” And the stabilizers could be better: There’s a faint but audible rattle when pressing the backspace or enter keys, while the space bar is louder and more hollow-sounding than everything else. Still, this is a comfortable and customizable entry point for those looking to get into mechanical keyboards as a hobby, one that’s nicer for typing than the Huntsman V2 TKL. It’s a strong value for non-twitchy games.
The V3 Max is a tenkeyless model, but Keychron sells several other size and layout options in the V Max series as well. We previously recommended the Keychron V3, an older wired model, and that one is still solid if you want to save a bit more. But the Max’s wireless connectivity and improved acoustics make it a better buy.
Connectivity: 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, USB-C | Size(s): 60 percent, 75 percent (tested), 96 percent | Switches: NuPhy Aloe, Cowberry, Wisteria, Moss; Gateron Low-Profile Red 2.0, Brown 2.0, Blue 2.0 | Hot-Swappable: Yes | Material: Aluminum and plastic | Keycap material: Double-shot PBT | Backlight: RGB (south-facing) | Software: VIA
A low-profile keyboard combines the flatter shape of a laptop keyboard with the more gratifying feel of mechanical switches. Compared to typical mechanical keyboards, low-profile models aren’t as tall, and their switches have a shorter travel distance. This can make it harder to type accurately, but since low-profile switches usually require little force to actuate, they’re almost inherently well-suited for gaming.
If you like this sort of design, get the NuPhy Air75 V2. Like the Keychron V3 Max, it’s not outright marketed for gaming, so it’s not as feature-rich as our other picks, but it’s good enough at the essentials to be worthwhile. Latency is low enough for online shooters, and the linear “Daisy” switches in my test unit are light and responsive across games. They bottom out quickly, so they can strain your fingers over time, but they’re fast. The keys also sound nice, with a mild clack to each press. If you want something more tactile, clicky or even lighter, NuPhy sells the Air75 V2 with several other switch options as well. (NuPhy technically doesn’t pre-configure the device with the Daisy switches, but the “Cowberry” model should feel similar, if a bit faster.) The switches are also hot-swappable, though the market for low-profile keycaps and switches isn’t super extensive.
The board itself is impressively slim, so you don’t have to contort your wrists to type comfortably. It’s a 75 percent model, so it saves space yet squeezes in arrow keys and a full Fn row. (The layout can feel a little overstuffed, but I’d rather have more dedicated keys than fewer.) While the chassis will flex a tiny bit if you push down hard, the keys are stable, the stabilizers don’t rattle and the fold-out feet are firm. The wide, double-shot PBT keycaps give ample room for each press. Plus, it all looks kind of cute. There’s per-key RGB as well, but the default keycaps aren’t shine-through, so the effect looks clumsy — plus it’ll drain the battery faster.
On a related note, this is another wireless model that can connect over a USB dongle, Bluetooth or a removable USB-C cable. I did notice a few connection hiccups with the dongle at launch when I had a wireless mouse paired at the same time, but firmware updates seem to have fixed those issues. The device works with Windows, macOS and Linux, with system-specific keys in the box and a switch on the top for swapping between the first two platforms. Regardless of OS, it uses the VIA software for remapping keys, assigning macros and the like, just like the Keychron V3 Max. (As of this writing, you may need to do a little extra setup to get VIA to recognize the keyboard, but not much.) With the backlight off, NuPhy says it can last up to 220 hours; with it on, that drops between 35 and 57 hours. Just note that it comes from a smaller company, so it may take a little longer than usual to ship.
Pros
Slim, sturdy and attractive design
Pleasant typing experience
Spacious, high-quality keycaps
Configurable with several switch options
Cons
Low-profile design can lead to typos and fatigue, especially for first-timers
The Keychron Q1 HE is essentially the gaming variant of Keychron’s Q Max series, which is the top pick in our guide to the best mechanical keyboards. It’s a wireless model with Hall effect switches and a 75 percent layout that sits between the 60HE+ and Apex Pro TKL Wireless in terms of size. On raw build and typing quality alone, it blows our top picks out of the water. Its full aluminum frame has zero flex, while its double-gasket mount design and pre-lubed magnetic switches make keystrokes feel springy. Layers of noise-dampening material keep everything sounding pleasant, minor rattling on the space bar aside. Like other Hall effect keyboards, it offers customizable actuation, a rapid trigger mode, the ability to assign multiple commands to one key and a gamepad-style analog mode.
Alas, Keychron’s new Launcher software — which the company debuted alongside the Q1 HE — doesn’t quite match up to its hardware. As we write this, for one, Launcher won’t recognize the keyboard unless you connect it with a cable. Actually setting your profiles isn’t as intuitive as it is in SteelSeries’ GG app or (especially) Wooting’s Wootility either, and you can only save three profiles to the onboard memory.
The adjustable actuation range (0.5mm to 3.8mm) is technically shorter than either the 60HE+ or Apex Pro, and I ran into a bug where the keyboard would stay in sleep mode if left idle for several minutes unless I switched it off and on again. And while the design is fantastic for everyday use, the sculpted keycaps can take just that little bit longer to reach when you’re frantically moving around. The keycaps aren’t shine-through, either, so any RGB effects are muted. (If you tie certain RGB effects to specific profiles, this can also make it harder to tell which profile you’re actually using.) None of these quirks are deal breakers, but the Apex Pro TKL is a slightly smoother experience if you want a premium wireless keyboard for games first and foremost.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless (phew) is another strong alternative to the Apex Pro series if you want to go wireless. It’s a joy to type on, with superb sound dampening, pre-lubed ROG NX switches, an impressively sturdy case and stable, PBT-coated keys. It’s hot-swappable, its battery life rating is much higher than the Apex Pro TKL Wireless (90 hours with RGB on) and it has a multi-function key that puts volume, media and RGB controls in one place. At $180, it’s also $70 cheaper than our SteelSeries pick. That said, it doesn’t have the rapid trigger or custom actuation tricks of Hall effect keyboards like the Apex Pro TKL Wireless, and ASUS’s Armoury Crate software is a bit of a mess. But if you care about typing experience more than extra gaming-friendly features, it’s excellent.
Pros
Excellent typing quality
Hot-swappable
Good battery life
Cons
Not as flexible or feature-rich as Wooting 60HE+ or SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless
The ASUS ROG Azoth. (Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget)
ASUS ROG Azoth
The ASUS ROG Azoth is like a smaller version of the ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless with a few more enthusiast touches, such as a gasket-mounted design — which gives keystrokes a softer feel — a programmable OLED display and a toolkit for lubing switches in the box. It’s exceptionally well-made by any standard, not just “for a gaming keyboard.” But its feature set still isn’t as flexible as the Wooting 60HE or SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless, which makes its $250 price tag a tough ask.
Keychron C3 Pro
The tenkeyless Keychron C3 Pro is the top budget pick in our mechanical keyboard guide, and it remains a great stand-in for the G.Skill KM250 RGB if you want to stay under $50. With its gasket mount design, internal foam and pre-lubed switches, it feels and sounds fuller to press. The base version we tested lacks hot-swappable switches and only has a red backlight, but Keychron recently released revised models that address that and add full RGB. That said, their ABS keycaps feel cheaper and can develop a shine over time, plus there’s no volume knob. Some may find KM250’s smaller size more convenient for gaming, too.
The Keychron C3 Pro. (Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget)
NZXT Function 2 and Function 2 MiniTKL
The full-size NZXT Function 2 and tenkeyless Function 2 MiniTKL are totally solid midrange options with fast optical switches and the ability to swap between two universal actuation points, but they’re let down by mediocre stabilizers on the larger keys.
Razer Huntsman V3 Pro
The Razer Huntsman V3 Pro is a line of wired analog keyboards that comes in 60 percent, TKL and full-size options. They have just about all the features we like on the Wooting 60HE+, but their optical switches are noisier and more hollow-feeling.
Razer Huntsman Mini
The Razer Huntsman Mini is a fine choice if you want a 60 percent keyboard and don’t need Wooting-style software tricks, with textured PBT keycaps, a sturdy aluminum top plate and the same fast optical switches we praised with the Huntsman V2 TKL. The 60HE+ is much more versatile, though, while the KM250 RGB is a more appealing value.
Corsair K70 Max
The Corsair K70 Max is another one with magnetic switches, but trying to program its more advanced features through Corsair’s iCue software was a pain.
Corsair K70 RGB TKL
The Corsair K70 RGB TKL is a decent if basic midrange model, but it’s also on the noisy side compared to the Huntsman V2 TKL, and it’s saddled with middling software.
The Logitech G Pro X 60. (Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget)
Logitech G Pro X TKL and G Pro X 60
The wireless Logitech G Pro X TKL and G Pro X 60 are built well but too expensive to lack hot-swappable switches and the analog features of devices like the Wooting 60HE+. There isn’t much sound-dampening foam in either board, too, so they don’t sound great.
Logitech G915 TKL
The Logitech G915 TKL is a wireless low-profile keyboard with a metal frame, but its thin ABS keycaps feel too cheap for something that’s usually priced around $180. Logitech released a new wireless low-profile model called the G515 Lightspeed TKL in late June; we secured a review unit just before our latest update was published, so we’ll include our thoughts in the next refresh to this guide.
Recent updates
June 2024: We updated this guide with a new “traditional mechanical keyboard” pick, the Keychron V3 Max, plus a couple new honorable mentions and more notes on other gaming keyboards we’ve tried. Note that we’ve tested — and will continue to test — several other keyboards that aren’t explicitly marketed toward gaming, but we’ll direct you to our general mechanical keyboard buying guide for more info on those.
If you’re in the market for a new webcam, you can save 20 percent on one of Engadget’s top picks for video calls. The Anker PowerConf C200, our top budget pick even at its standard price, is on sale for only $48.
Anker PowerConf C200 Webcam captures video in up to 2K resolution. Although 1080p will suit most people just fine (and you can lower it to that, 720p or 360p if you want), we appreciated the extra sharpness and clarity the 2K feed brought to our calls. The plug-and-play webcam has a fast autofocus and an ƒ/2.0 aperture to let in more light and help brighten up darker scenes.
Anker
Take 20 percent off Engadget’s top budget webcam pick.
It has dual stereo microphones built in, and you can use its companion software (AnkerWork) to change its pickup sensitivity from the default directional to omnidirectional (the latter for when more than one person is in your room). The webcam has a 95-degree field of view, but you can adjust it to 78 degrees if you prefer a tighter shot.
As far as tradeoffs, it’s a surprisingly short list for this price point. The Anker C200 lacks the fancy AI framing in some of the latest flagship models, and its cube-like shape makes it a bit more challenging than some competitors to adjust while on top of your screen. Its bundled USB-C to USB-A cable is also annoyingly short — not a big deal for laptops, but folks with standing desks or more sprawling desktop setups may need to swap it out for a longer one.
If getting “away from the things of man” is something that appeals to the dad in your life, then you’ve got a good starting point for Father’s Day gifts. The right gear can keep him safer and more comfortable out in the wilderness — and he’ll think of you each time he reaches for supplies. We’ve got recommendations for the gram-counting backpacker, the comfort-seeking car camper and all the dads in between. Get something on this list now, and dad will be better prepared next time he heads out there.
Jetboil
The Jetboil Flash is basically inescapable on the trail. Its lightweight, easily packable design and fast boil times make it attractive to backpackers. But the MiniMo is worth the extra money and weight. It’s only one ounce heavier, but the MiniMo’s wider, shorter cook cup is easier to handle. Plus it can actually simmer things, unlike the Flash. And let me tell you, dehydrated eggs are bad enough as is, even without burning them in what amounts to a coffee tumbler mounted on a jet engine. Trust me, this is one of the best upgrades you can make to your dad’s setup.
The Leatherman Free series has been a staple of Engadget buying guides ever since it debuted in 2019. There are plenty of options out there when it comes to multitools, and many of them are great. But, the Free series was a serious game-changer with its one-handed access to every tool. Plus everything, including the knife, locks into place so you’re less likely to pinch or cut yourself. It even requires less regular maintenance and cleaning than older Leatherman like the Juice series which, while great, tended to collect lint and dust in every nook and cranny at an alarming rate. Your dad might not need every tool while hiking the Appalachian, but he’ll appreciate having options other than a knife or a rock.
After food, water and shelter, the next most essential thing on the trail is light. This year we’re recommending the Biolite Headlamp 425. It’s similar to the Headlamp 330 we’ve recommended in the past. It’s ever so slightly bigger and heavier, at 10 millimeters thick and 79 grams, but it also lasts significantly longer. You get up to 60 hours of illumination on low and four hours on high. That’s up from just 40 hours on low and 3.5 hours on high with the Headlamp 330. The 425 is also quite a bit brighter – hitting 425 lumens as the name suggests.
The rear battery pack now has a red light on it, with both solid and strobe modes, so that your father’s hiking companions can easily spot him if it starts to get dark. And Biolite has finally ditched MicroUSB for USB-C. All the same basic features and modes are still here that you’d expect on any decent headlamp too, including spot, flood and strobe modes, plus eye-sight-saving red light.
More than even food or shelter, water is essential on the trail. But, dad can’t just go drinking from streams and ponds, nor can he carry enough with him for a multi-day trip. That’s where the Sawyer Squeeze filter comes in handy. There are tons of different ways to purify water, from old-school iodine tablets to boiling to pump filters. But a squeeze filter system is often the fastest and easiest to use. Sawyer’s are probably the best known for good reason — you can fill up the pouch and drink straight from the filter or use the to fill up a reservoir or water bottle. They’re not ideal for places where dad might be reduced to getting water out of shallow muddy springs or where viral pathogens are a concern. But they’re perfect for more developed and regularly trafficked trails.
Your dad will need a towel on the trail. Trust me. Maybe he’ll be lucky enough to find a shower. Or perhaps he’ll go for a dip in a lake. Or, maybe like me, he just sweats enough to drown a small animal. Regardless, an Ultralite PackTowl is an absolute must-have. They’re incredibly small and lightweight, yet seem to have unlimited absorption power. I’m pretty sure they’re actually a portal to another dimension where the water is stored. I have two that I take with me on every trip: one body-sized and the other a face towel that stays clipped to my shoulder strap for when I need to mop my brow.
I love my old-school enameled steel camp mug. It’s indestructible and has an undeniable classic look. But, it also conducts heat like nobody’s business. I’ve burned my hands and lips on enough white hot cups of instant coffee to know they’re just not that practical. Sea to Summit’s Frontier mug with cool grip promises to protect your little fingies from your boiling hot beverage. Plus, it collapses into a neat little puck for easy storage.
I skipped a sleeping pad on my first backpacking trip. I regretted it immediately. Therm-a-Rest pads are the industry standard. And the NeoAir XLite is pretty much smack in the middle of their backpacking lineup. It’s not the lightest or the warmest, but it’s probably the most versatile. The R-value (a measurement of insulating power) of 4.2 is good enough for three-season camping. And it packs down to about the size of a water bottle. This particular model has been around for a long time, and it will probably continue to be a staple of Therm-a-Rest’s lineup for years to come.
Full disclosure: I haven’t tested the Enduro 2. Nor has anyone else at Engadget. But, we’re big enough fans of Garmin’s sports watches to feel comfortable recommending it. But why pick this particular one? Simple: battery life. Garmin says it lasts up to 80 hours in GPS mode, which is frankly absurd. If your dad likes to quantify everything in his life, including multi-day hikes, this is a pretty great way to do it. It not only has a giant battery, but also a built-in solar charger. Plus VO2 max estimates for trail runners, heat and altitude acclimation tools for the parent that’s into mountain climbing or desert hiking, and even navigation features to keep him from getting lost. And, once he’s found his way back to civilization he can snag a coffee at Starbucks using Garmin Pay.
This should go without saying, but your dad needs a utensil to eat. Yes, even on the trail. And there’s nothing better than a good old fashioned spork to save space and weight. I’m a big fan of this titanium model from Snow Peak. The company makes a ton of great gear, but this simple and indestructible essential is probably my favorite. Plus, it comes in a handful of fun shades like blue, green and purple in case your dad is known for his colorful personality.
If your dad would prefer to burn his lips on real coffee, consider getting him an AeroPress for his adventures. This is, admittedly, a luxury when you’re backpacking. But, I’ve tried instant coffee, coffee “tea” bags, mesh coffee steeping contraptions, camping french presses and honestly, nothing makes better coffee with less cleanup than an AeroPress. You could go for the full-size model, but the Go version shaves off a few precious ounces, which could be crucial when trying to cut weight for a long trip. But, I actually bring the full-size version when I hit the trail and have had no problems.
Not every dad wants to strap three days worth of gear to his back and walk off into the woods. Some are perfectly content driving up to a campsite, pitching a tent and building a fire. For them the Lighthouse 600 is a great gift. It is, first and foremost, an LED lantern perfect for food prep, reading or even playing cards around camp. But, he can also use its 5200mAh battery to charge his phone or headlamp. And, if he does happen to sap all its juice it has a hand crank for recharging through manual labor, and an optional solar panel.
Obviously, part of the reason dad disappears into the wilderness is to escape from technology and enjoy nature. But I’m sure he wants to capture at least some of it for posterity. Dragging a DSLR or even a mirrorless camera into the woods is overkill, especially when he’s probably got a pretty good camera with him already: his cellphone. Joby’s unique GorillaPod tripods are perfect for the outdoors. And the affordable Action Kit is pretty flexible. It comes with a Bluetooth remote, it can hold most phones or even a GoPro camera, and it has a cold shoe adapter for a light or microphone.
Look, if he’s driving up to the campsite anyway, there’s no need to fight with alarmingly thin steel pans or tiny fuel canister stoves. The 14-inch cast iron Cook-it-All from Lodge is the perfect campfire companion. It can be a dutch oven, a griddle or a skillet. You can even bake a pizza inside it. ( I’ll admit, though, that I’ve never considered baking a pizza while camping.) Cast iron is heavy and bulky, but it’s also damn near indestructible and holds on to heat for a long time, which is good when you’re dealing with a finicky campfire. Plus, if seasoned properly and treated with care, cast iron is reasonably nonstick. So, dad might even be able to make some sunny-side-up eggs for breakfast.
Had you asked me ten years ago, I’d have said there’s no way I would drag a chair backpacking with me. But, as age (and fatherhood) have started to catch up with me, I’m ready to at least consider giving my poor broken body some respite while I’m on the trail. There are a few lightweight and packable options out there, but the Helinox Chair Zero is the most highly recommended, and it’s easy to see why. It’s durable, reasonably comfortable, not to mention ridiculously small and light.
At just one pound for the Zero and one pound, seven ounces for the Zero L, it’s one of the few chairs – and I mean actual chairs, not one of those foam mats you put on the ground – that someone would want to take on a multiday hike. They also pack down small enough that your dad might not mind sacrificing valuable pack space to them. The Chair Zero fits in a stuff sack just 13.8 x 3.9 x 3.9 inches, while the L is a little larger at 14 x 4.5 x 4 inches. The difference between the two is that the L is wider and taller and can support up to 320 pounds for big and tall types.
Paracord is one of the most useful things dad can bring on any camping trip, whether it’s from the comfort of a car or thru hiking the Appalachian. The medium-duty stuff is good enough for tying down tents, hanging food bags or replacing boot laces. It can even be split open and the inner threads used as a fishing line, but hopefully your father never finds themselves in a situation that desperate. This isn’t a flashy gift, but it might get more use than anything else on this list.
One of our favorite portable Bluetooth speakers makes an excellent camping companion. The StormBox Micro 2’s twelve-hour battery should be more than enough for casually unwinding around a fire after a day of hiking. And its IP67 rating means it should be able to take a solid beating without giving up the ghost. Add to that a strap that makes it easy to clip to a backpack or just hang from a nail in a lean-to and the ability to act as a battery bank in case you need to top up your phone in an emergency, and this is a versatile little speaker for dad to keep in their hiking bag. The sound isn’t going to blow anyone away, but it’s good enough, especially at just $60.
Last year we recommended Osprey’s Atmos AG 65 for anyone looking to be as comfortable as possible while backpacking. This year, we’re doing the same, just with some updated Osprey designs. The Atmos has been given a minor face lift, but the bigger deal is that it’s now made with 100-percent recycled materials. You still get an integrated rain cover, Anti-Gravity suspension and fit-on-the-fly adjustment system. It’s just now more eco friendly.
As part of the redesign, the capacity has been increased to better reflect the pack’s name. Before, if you bought the Atmos 65 in a small, you actually only got 62 liters of storage. Now the small is a full 65 liters. The one downside is that the new materials and carrying capacity have led to a slight increase in weight too, with the S/M Atmos AG 65 coming in at four pounds, 10 ounces.
The women’s equivalent of the Atmos is the Aura AG 65, which is slightly smaller and lighter, but has the same suspension system and similar lugging capacity. And if you’re on a tight budget this year, you can still find the older model available in some places at a steep discount.
Tents
Coleman
Obviously, one of the most important pieces of camping equipment is a tent. Not everyone’s dad wants to spend their nights in a lean-to. But their needs will dictate what kind of tent to buy. If your giftee is an avid backpacker who needs something ultra light to take on the trail, I heartily recommend Big Agnes’ Tiger Wall UL 2. It’s not their lightest offering, but it strikes a great balance between weight and convenience. It can sleep two, and has two vestibules for stowing gear, but as a single person tent it’s borderline luxurious. Even with the optional footprint, the pack weight weighs under three pounds, and the mtnGLO light system means no fussing with a lantern or headlamp to read and sort gear after dark.
If unabashed luxury is more your dad’s thing, consider REI’s Wonderland 6. At $550, this is no casual investment, but it should last quite some time. The walls are nearly vertical and it reaches a height of six and a half feet in the middle, meaning all but the tallest of humans should be able to stand upright inside. The 83-square feet of floor space is plenty of room for a family of six to sleep in, and it has large ventilation windows to keep the inside cool during the hottest months. The one caveat is that, if you happen to do most of your camping in rainy environments, you might want to shop around for something with fewer windows and better rainfly coverage.
Neither the Wonderland, nor the Tiger Wall are cheap. So if budget is an important factor, or if dad is just looking to dabble in the world of car camping, consider the Coleman Skydome 6. Coleman gear is nothing fancy. You can find it in practically any Walmart or Dick’s Sporting Goods across the country. But it’s so ubiquitous because of its rock solid reliability and reasonable prices. The Skydome 6 is nearly the same size as the Wonderland, but comes in at just $130 (or $199 if you opt for the Darkroom model). The ceiling is shorter, and the walls more angled, but if you’re only using the tent to sleep in, that shouldn’t be a major concern.
The Google Pixel 8 Pro remains the large-screen Android smartphone we’d recommend to most people, and right now it’s back on sale for $749 at Amazon, Best Buy and Google’s online store. We’ve seen this deal before, but it matches the largest discount we’ve tracked for an unlocked model outside of trade-in or carrier-exclusive offers. The phone technically has a list price of $999, though it’s often sold for $799 since it was launched last October. Either way, you’re saving at least a bit more than usual. This price applies to the base model with 128GB of storage, but higher-capacity models are also $250 off their MSRP if you need more space.
Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget
This matches the biggest outright cash discount we’ve seen for Google’s flagship smartphone.
If you don’t mind trading in an old device, however, Google has also raised the trade-in values for certain phones when they’re put toward a Pixel 8 Pro. If you’re upgrading from a Pixel 6 Pro, for instance, you can tack on a $400 refund, while a Pixel 7 Pro in good condition can give up to $500 back. Those are higher than what the company is offering for the smaller Pixel 8 or foldable Pixel Fold. Google says this promo will run through June 22. (Just be sure to follow Google’s instructions if you go this route, as the company uses a third party for its trade-in program.) Best Buy will also take an extra $100 off if you activate the phone with a carrier.
We gave the Pixel 8 Pro a score of 93 in our review last year, and it still offers top-notch camera performance, a vibrant 6.7-inch OLED display and a relatively clean take on Android, with OS updates guaranteed through October 2030. The screen supports a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz, which makes scrolling feel smooth, and the soft glass finish looks and feels nice. The software, meanwhile, is aided by a few AI-based features that are actually handy (and don’t involve eating glue): A Magic Editor tool lets you cut out unwanted objects in the background of photos, for one, while an Audio Magic Eraser feature helps eliminate ambient noise from videos. (You can use Magic Editor features with other phones, but you’re limited to 10 uses per month unless you own a Pixel or pay a subscription fee.)
You’d get the Pixel 8 Pro for the camera and software first, though. Its Tensor G3 chip can handle just about anything you throw at it, but alternatives like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra are technically faster and may not get as warm when stressed. Likewise, while the phone’s battery can get you through a full day, it’s not quite class-leading, and its 30W charging speed could stand to be faster. Still, there’s plenty to like here. Our biggest issue with the Pixel 8 Pro was that it costs $100 more than its predecessor out of the gate, but this deal helps soften that blow.
If you want a smaller or more affordable handset, the 6.1-inch Pixel 8 offers most of the same features and is also on sale for $549. That’s not the lowest price we’ve seen, though it’s a better value than Google’s newer midrange Pixel 8a phone when it’s discounted to that extent.
