2024-10-08 14:35:02
Another Amazon Prime Day event will start tomorrow and run through midnight Wednesday, but you don’t have to wait another week to bag a bargain. After trawling the world’s favorite online store, aisle by digital aisle, we’ve found the best early Prime Day deals for those looking to get a jump on their shopping.
Since it’s not even Prime Day proper yet, we’re being extra choosey with this list. We aimed to include only deals at or very close to their best price ever. We have not seen these products ever sold on Amazon for cheaper unless stated. We do expect that most of these picks will likely remain at these prices through the Prime Big Deal Days event on October 8 and 9. Throughout our Prime Day deals coverage, we only recommend products that someone on our team has personally tested and would recommend buying. As always, you may need an Amazon Prime membership to get some of these discounts, but you can sign up for a free trial, and Prime offers plenty of perks.
Updated October 7: We’ve added deals on the ASUS RT-AXE7800, Govee Neon Rope Light 2, Slice Ergonomic Box Cutter, Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine, MacBook Air 15-Inch Laptop, MacBook Pro 14-inch Laptop, and iPad Mini. We also removed expired deals.
Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting that’s too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year. Includes unlimited digital access and exclusive subscriber-only content. Subscribe Today.
Deals on Amazon Tech
Photograph: Nena Farrell
The latest version of the Echo Spot (7/10, WIRED Review) is a lovely wee speaker with a handy display to show basics like the time, weather, music track, or audiobook you are listening to. Alexa is onboard and ready for your queries or to set an alarm for the morning. The sound quality is limited, but this works well as a bedside clock—the screen dims at night and shows you the time and when your alarm is set. This is the deepest discount Amazon has offered so far.
Not only are Amazon’s Eero mesh systems among the easiest to set up and use, they also double as smart home hubs with support for Matter, Thread, and Zigbee. The Eero Pro 6E (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is a triband mesh that adds the 6-GHz band to the familiar 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands. If you have a busy household with devices galore and a 1-Gbps or faster connection, this could be the ideal mesh system for you. It performed extremely well in my tests. Just bear in mind that the 6-GHz band is short-range. The pricey Eero Plus subscription is an extra $10 per month or $100 per year, but it adds a lot of value with parental controls, advanced security, ad blocking, and even a password manager and VPN service.
For folks with smaller homes and connections up to 500 Mbps, the Eero 6 (3-Pack) is also on sale at $150 ($50 off), but we recommend stretching for the more heavily discounted Eero 6+ (3-Pack) at $195 ($105 off) if you can. That’s a great deal for an excellent mesh system.
It may not be a great tablet, but the Fire HD 8 (6/10, WIRED Review) is the best-value option in Amazon’s line-up, and this is the deepest discount we have ever seen on it. Performance is reasonably snappy, the screen is OK, and you get hands-free Alexa, stereo sound, USB-C, and nearly 12 hours of battery life. If you want something for reading ebooks, watching movies, or commanding Alexa, this is a cheap way to tick all those boxes.
Photograph: Simon Hill
If you already have a Ring doorbell and need something inside the home, this camera lets you keep everything in one app. The Ring Indoor Cam (2nd gen) records crisp 1080p footage at 24 frames per second, boasts color night vision, and has a privacy shutter you can swivel around. You get motion alerts, preroll captures a few seconds before each event, two-way audio, and there’s even a built-in siren. Just remember that you need a Ring Protect Plan ($5 per month for one camera or $10 per month for all your cameras and doorbells) for all the best features and cloud storage.
More and more good-quality, affordable security cameras are hitting the market, and the Blink Mini 2 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of our favorites. It can record 1080p footage at up to 30 frames per second, offers decent low-light performance, and boasts on-device person detection. The catch is the subscription at $3 per month or $30 per year for a single camera, but it nets you a generous 60-day unlimited cloud video history. This camera is ideal for sitting unobtrusively on a shelf and keeping an eye on your home when you are away.
Photograph: Amazon
We recommend this device in our Best 4K Streamers guide for folks who watch loads of Amazon Prime shows and movies. It is very easy to set up and use, supports Wi-Fi 6E for fast and stable streaming, and packs 16 GB of storage. Alexa is built into the remote to help you find content or answer questions about what you’re watching. The picture-in-picture mode is handy for showing security cameras or controlling other smart home devices. There’s also “Ambient Experience,” which cycles through art or nature scenes on your TV when you’re not watching something.
While it’s not our favorite smart plug, the Amazon Smart Plug is a good pick for folks who use Alexa. It is easy to set up timers, schedules, and routines in the Alexa app, and you can power on or off any connected gadgets like lamps and fans with a simple voice command. There’s also Alexa Guard, which turns things off and on automatically to make it look like you’re home when you are away on vacation. It has been a year since we’ve seen the price this low.
Apple Deals
Photograph: Apple
Although M4-powered MacBooks are imminent, the MacBook Pro with M3 launched just a year ago—so it’s still an excellent choice. It packs a brighter display with mini LED and a 120-Hz refresh rate, along with a 1080p webcam. It packs plenty of ports too, including two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4, an HDMI, a MagSafe charging port, a high-impedance headphone jack, and an SD card slot. We recommend it if you’re looking for a MacBook Pro without spending $2,000 or more. —Brenda Stolyar
The 15-inch MacBook Air (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is a great choice if all you want is a bigger screen, but don’t want to splurge on a MacBook Pro. It packs all the same features 13-inch MacBook Air, including a modern build and a 1080 webcam, along with an M3 chip. The base model comes equipped with an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU which handles tasks with ease. I do, however, recommend upgrading to at least 16 GB of unified memory, to ensure that it can smoothly handle dozens of apps and tabs running at the same time. —Brenda Stolyar
The iPad Mini (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is my favorite tablet to travel with. The 8.3-inch display is great for watching movies, sketching, notetaking, and reading ebooks. It also has Touch ID built into the power button, a front-facing camera with Center Stage, and an A15 Bionic processor (as seen on the iPhone 13) that can handle taxing apps or games. It’s worth noting this model came out in 2021 though, and Apple is expected to announce the next-generation version later this year. So, I recommend waiting if you can. —Brenda Stolyar
Tech Deals
Photograph: Parker Hall
Home cinephiles willing to drop some cash for one of the best TVs this year will struggle to find a better option than the LG C4 (9/10, WIRED Recommends). It boasts perfect contrast, fantastic highlights, and vibrant color, and it gets bright enough for well-lit rooms. It supports a 144-Hz refresh rate and Nvidia G-Sync for gamers, and there’s Dolby Vision for movie fans. We also love the LG Magic Remote, which makes it easy to navigate LG’s relatively good tvOS interface. This TV has been steadily dropping from its original $1,600 RRP, but this is the lowest price yet. You can also find discounts on some of the other sizes of this top-notch TV.
With an unrivaled 30 hours of max battery life, Tribit’s Stormbox Flow (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is a Bluetooth speaker with serious stamina. It also boasts an elegant, weatherproof design, tons of EQ options, a feature-packed app, and delivers clear and punchy audio with thumpy bass to match. The biggest battery pick in our Best Bluetooth Speakers guide, this is a good deal at its usual price, so this discount makes it irresistible. You might even consider snagging a couple and pairing them for stereo sound.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch6 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is a comfy smartwatch that offers two-day battery life, a ton of health and fitness features, and plenty of handy apps that run on Wear OS 4. There is also 5-ATM and IP68 water resistance and built-in GPS support. We like the workout autodetect and autopause; this is a good choice for Samsung phone owners. It has been steadily dropping in price, but this is the lowest we have seen it.
The high-capacity pick in our Best MagSafe Power Banks guide, this Baseus charger has an ample 10,000-mAh capacity and a gently curved body that’s soft to the touch. It sticks easily to your iPhone and will provide a full charge with change. Wireless charging is 7.5 watts, but there is also a built-in USB-C cable for up to 30-watt wired charging, which is handy for folks with an iPhone 15 or iPhone 16 (or even an Android phone).
Photograph: Simon Hill
The top pick in our Best Indoor Security Cameras guide, the Tapo C120 from TP-Link records video at up to 2K resolution, supports two-way audio (with a slight lag), and supports up to 512-GB microSD cards for local recording. The starlight sensor offers impressive color night vision, there is on-device smart detection (people, pets, and vehicles) without a subscription, and it even has an IP66 rating, which means you can also use it outdoors (provided you can run the power cable). We like this camera at its usual price (it hovers around $35), so this is a deal worth bagging.
This battery-powered wire-free camera was the runner-up in our Best Outdoor Security Cameras guide. It can record video at up to 2K and 30 fps, has a 150-degree field of view, and connects directly to your Wi-Fi. The magnetic mount makes it easy to angle, it offers two-way audio, and the notifications are swift and reliable. You can record locally on a microSD card or opt for a Tapo Care subscription ($3.50/month or $35/year for one camera) for cloud storage (30-day video history), rich notifications with snapshots in them, and video filtering.
Govee’s Neon Rope Light Strip 2 is one of our favorite Govee smart lights. This diffused light strip can be shaped and works as both art and light on just about any wall. Since it is diffused, there’s no need to tuck it behind a TV or furniture of some kind. You get adhesive-backed metal brackets, screws, and bendable clips, and it’s flexible enough to shape into just about whatever you want. The Neon Rope Light 2 works with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, and you can connect it with Apple HomeKit and Samsung SmartThings via Matter.
There’s no escaping the fact this is a pricey purchase, even with the discount, but the Alienware AW3423DW (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is quite simply stunning. This highly responsive Quantum Dot OLED displays gorgeous colors, boasts excellent HDR, and has superb contrast. I had to tweak the settings to get it looking right, the fan is often audible, and it’s not an ideal choice for bright rooms (avoid direct light on the screen), but with the right setup, this is easily one of if not the Best Computer Monitors for gaming.
This deck tops our Best Keyboards guide with vibrant RGB LED backlit keys, a choice of clicky, tactile, or linear switches, and Logitech’s Lightspeed wireless adapter for competitive gaming-level response time. The build quality is excellent, and it is relatively compact (TKL stands for tenkeyless, so there’s no number pad). The adapter also lets you pair multiple Logitech gadgets, which is very handy.
Listed in our best routers guide as the best option for folks looking to try Wi-Fi 6E, this hexagonal Asus router performed well in my tests. It is a tri-band router, adding the 6-GHz band to the familiar 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz. The new band allows for much faster speeds, but it is relatively low range and doesn’t penetrate through walls very well. This router has a 2.5-Gbps WAN/LAN port, a second 1-Gbps WAN/LAN, and a further three gigabit LANs. Asus also provides free security and parental controls and tons of options in the mobile app and browser interface, including band-splitting, prioritization for different activities, guest network, VPN support, and the list goes on.
Home Deals
Photograph: Radius Outfitters
This is the tool roll pick in our Best Overlanding Gear guide, and WIRED reviewer Scott Gilbertson raves about it. Forget digging around in boxes and bins for the wrench you need, because all your tools are wrapped up in this durable roll made of 1680D Cordura, with heavy stitching (bar-tack stitching to reinforce seams). It offers three levels of tool sleeves on the inside of the roll that fit up to 14-inch tools and also has regular and zipper pouches.
I could write an entire novel about how much I love this box cutter. It’s featured in our list of the best gear under $30 and also at the forefront of my heart. Approximately one quarter of my time spent as a product reviewer has been spent opening up and breaking down cardboard boxes. This cutter is supremely easy to hold, and the ceramic blade is finger-safe. Try as I might, I’ve never managed to cut myself with the thing. It’s a simple, brilliantly designed gadget that delights me every time I use it, which is roughly every 2-3 days. —Louryn Strampe
Class Tracker makes the best paper planners for students, and its specialized college version is on sale. There are monthly calendars, but the weekly pages shine. Each day sports a section for things to remember, tests, papers, or projects due, and larger spots for assignments and a daily plan. A Self-Care Corner gives you space for nonschool things to focus on and a countdown box for something you’re looking forward to. If you or the student in your life is struggling to get organized, this planner could help.
Photograph: Breville
Our top pick in our Best Espresso Machines guide, this is the machine to buy if you’re looking for a step up from a Keurig. I have been using mine since 2018 and it has served me well for more than six years. It’s quick to turn on, has a built-in grinder, a tamper that stores magnetically, and there’s a steam wand that can froth milk for a latte, though it takes a while. —Julian Chokkattu
With a 1.5 liter capacity and the ability to set a precise temperature for your water, this kettle is the pro choice in our Best Electric Kettle guide. This kettle is built like a tank (with a five-year warranty), is very easy to clean, sports a double-walled stainless steel body, and feels great to pick up and pour. Temperature controls go from 95 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit. You can set it to keep water warm for up to an hour after boiling. Even the discounted price is steep for a kettle, but if you need your brew at the right temperature, it’s gonna cost you.
As our top pick of the best window air conditioners, Midea’s U-shaped AC (8/10, WIRED Recommends) comes with a bracket that balances the unit’s weight by leaning against the exterior wall so you can open the window without worrying the AC will fall out. The notch design also helps you reduce gaps to prevent air and noise from leaking. This AC is relatively quiet, can cool a room quickly, and works with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa for automation or voice controls.
Photograph: Cosori
The Best Air Fryers help you cook quickly and potentially with less fat or oil. These compact convection ovens heat up fast to make stuff like crispy chicken, fries, and donuts. This Cosori model is our favorite smart air fryer because it can be controlled remotely using a smartphone or tablet (it has a digital control panel too). The slick black, classy design is great, the cooking drawer has a smooth action, and the handle stays cool. The sides can get a little hot, though, so it needs plenty of space. Temperature options range from 175 degrees Fahrenheit to a powerful 400, and there are 12 handy preset cooking modes.
It’s great timing to score a discount on a Lego advent calendar ahead of the holidays, and this adorable Christmas-themed Lego City calendar includes Santa and Mrs. Claus minifigures. The Best Advent Calendars are a lovely way to count down the days, and this one has universal appeal. But my top pick would be the Lego Star Wars 2024 Advent Calendar at $36 ($9 off).
More Amazon Prime Day Stories
