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SAVE OVER $80: As of Oct. 2, the Bluetti Elite 10 Mini portable power station is down to $112.99 on Amazon. That's $86.01 off its full price of $199.
Opens in a new window Credit: Bluetti Bluetti Elite 10 Mini Portable Power Station $112.99 at AmazonPower stations have been among the many early deals we've spotted at Amazon ahead of Prime Big Deal Days. If you've been hoping to find a portable pick for battery backup, there's no need to wait for the sale to start. The tiny but mighty Bluetti Elite 10 Mini is already 43% off at the retailer.
As of Oct. 2, this discount has dropped the Elite 10 Mini's price from $199 to $112.99, saving you just over $80. It may not be at its lowest-ever price on Amazon (that was $107), but it's certainly very close. If you've been looking for a very compact power station to keep everyday items charged up, this deal is well worth jumping on.
SEE ALSO: 35+ early October Prime Day deals: We found live deals on Echo Dot, Bose, Lego, and Fire TVThe Elite 10 Mini is a very compact portable power station. It weighs just 4lbs and can easily fit in a backpack, making it perfect for traveling. And speaking of travel, it's also flight-approved. Since it has a 128Wh capacity, it falls within the 100–160Wh range and can be brought on most major airlines, so long as you have prior approval.
Alongside the 128Wh capacity, this power station also features a 200W AC outlet, 100W USB-C fast charging, two 15W USB-A ports, one 15W USB-C port, and a 12V DC output. It can power up a variety of everyday items — such as laptops, drones, or cameras — so you don't have to worry about them running out of juice while you're on the go.
The power station has three charging methods, so you can give it a boost through 150W AC charging, 100W solar charging, or 100W car charging via the cigarette lighter.
This offer on the Bluetti Elite 10 Mini may not be available for long, so be quick to save at Amazon.
The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping expertsApple iPhone 18 Pro — free at T-Mobile
Paramount+ — $0.99 for 2 months with code p2mcs26prem
Apple iPad Pro — $1,899 $2,099 (save $200)
TCL 85-Inch Class QM8L Series TV — $2,797.99 $3,999.99 (save $1,202)
SAVE $400: As of Oct. 2, the LG 55-Inch Gallery TV with Frame is on sale for $899.99 at Amazon. That's $400 off its full price of $1,299.99.
Opens in a new window Credit: LG LG 55-Inch Gallery TV with Frame QNED AI LX7B Series Mini LED Smart TV $899.99 at AmazonAmazon's second Prime Day event of the year, Prime Big Deal Days, is coming up fast on Oct. 6. That's just next Tuesday, if you're counting down the days.
If you're hoping to buy a new TV from the sale, you're in luck, as the retailer already has a promising selection on sale ahead of time. The LG 55-Inch Gallery TV with Frame is one of them: For a limited time, it has been discounted to $899.99.
Overall, this offer saves you $400 compared to paying its full price of $1,299.99, which is a pretty exciting deal if you've been eyeing up this art TV for your home. Plus, it comes with a snow-white attachable frame to surround it, so you can complete its artsy display for your home.
SEE ALSO: 35+ early October Prime Day deals: We found live deals on Echo Dot, Bose, Lego, and Fire TVWith that sleek frame around it, this LG TV is transformed from a standard screen into wall art. When you're not watching something on it, you can choose from over 5,000 pieces of art to show off. Its matte display helps prevent annoying glare caused by windows and lights, which is a benefit to the art as much as it is to the regular display when you're watching a movie or show.
4K resolution, QNED Color, and Mini LEDs come together to create a sharp, vibrant picture with deep contrast. It even comes with an auto-brightness control feature that senses the room's lighting and adjusts the screen brightness so you can see everything clearly. On top of that, it's a smart TV powered by Google Gemini, so it's quick and easy to access your favorite streaming services.
If an art TV has been on your radar, this is an excellent opportunity to save on the LG 55-Inch Gallery TV with Frame at Amazon.
The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping expertsApple iPhone 18 Pro — free at T-Mobile
Paramount+ — $0.99 for 2 months with code p2mcs26prem
Apple iPad Pro — $1,899 $2,099 (save $200)
TCL 85-Inch Class QM8L Series TV — $2,797.99 $3,999.99 (save $1,202)
Jimmy Kimmel has made many jokes about Trump appearing to fall asleep at events, but the most recent occasion gave him the perfect joke setup.
"The president right now is working very hard to right the ship that definitely isn't sinking," says Kimmel in the clip. "Trump held an event yesterday to triumphantly announce a $54 billion investment in natural gas."
Cue footage of Trump with his eyes closed in a room full of men taking turns to praise him, offering Kimmel the ideal joke setup: "Only Donald Trump would fall asleep during a press conference with the Secretary of Energy."
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Tesla's Model 3 electric sedan has received a mild upgrade, though not every market got exactly the same features.
In the U.S., the Model 3 now has a larger, 16-inch touchscreen (up form 15.4 inches), with a higher resolution. This goes for every variant, even the cheapest, Rear-Wheel Drive Model 3.
For some variants, the changes aren't just cosmetic. The Model 3 Performance trim got 316 miles of range (up from 309) and 528 horsepower (up from 510); this variant also got the black headliner. And the Model 3 Premium AWD now accelerates quicker, with a 3.8 second 0-60mph time (down from 4.2 seconds).
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.The new features arrive shortly after Tesla announced a similar set of changes in China. There's one pretty big difference, though; in China, the Model 3 now also has V2L (vehicle to load) capability, meaning you can power other electric gadgets from the car's battery. In the U.S., this change isn't mentioned anywhere.
SEE ALSO: Tesla Roadster launch was postponed by two weeks due to 'high winds'Another difference is the car's interior. In China, there's an option for a new, light gray interior; in the U.S. you can only choose between black, or black-and-white interior.
The prices for all variants of the Model 3 in the U.S. haven't changed. The Rear-Wheel Drive Model 3 starts at $36,990, the Model 3 Premium starts at $42,490 (all-wheel drive option takes it to $47,490), and the Model 3 Performance, which is only available with the all-wheel drive, now starts at $54,990.
With billions of users worldwide, Twitch is one of the world's most popular live streaming platforms, particularly beloved by gamers and creators. Launched in 2011, Twitch has evolved into a massive community where individuals share everything from gaming to general live broadcasts.
And the site's popularity is only highlighted through the follower counts, with the platform's most-followed channels boasting tens of millions, but who holds the top spot? Here are the 10 most-followed Twitch channels, according to Social Blade.
1. KaiCenat – 21.78 million followersKai Cenat is an American streamer known for comedic content and his month-long November 2024 "Mafiathon " subathon.
2. ibai – 20.33 million followersIbai Llanos is a prominent Spanish streamer and content creator. In June 2022, he set a Twitch record with a peak of over 3.3 million concurrent viewers during his "La Velada del Año II" boxing event.
3. Ninja – 19.23 million followersTyler "Ninja" Blevins is a well-known American gamer and streamer. He initially gained recognition through his exceptional skills in games like Halo 3 and later achieved immense popularity with Fortnite: Battle Royale.
4. auronplay – 17.07 million followersRaúl Álvarez Genes, also known online as auronplay, is another Spanish streamer and YouTuber. His content focuses mostly on gaming streams and interactive content, amassing almost 17 million followers on the platform.
5. Rubius – 16.58 million followersRubius is a Spanish-Norwegian creator who joined Twitch in 2019 after immense success from his YouTube channel, elrubiusOMG. He has since amassed over 15 million followers for his gaming and interactive content.
6. xQc – 12.57 million followersFélix Lengyel, better known as xQc, is a Canadian content creator and former professional esports player. His content includes a variety of games and "Just Chatting" sessions.
7. EasyLiker – 12.3 million followersEasyLiker is a Russian-speaking Twitch streamer who gained attention for his casual Just Chatting streams.
8. TheGrefg – 12.29 million followersAnother Spanish content creator, TheGrefg, is popular for content focused on games like Fortnite and Minecraft, as well as interactive "Just Chatting" sessions. In January 2021, he set a Twitch record by attracting over 2 million viewers during the reveal of his personalized Fortnite skin.
9. juansguarnizo – 11.67 million followersJuan Sebastián Guarnizo, known as juansguarnizo, is a prominent Colombian content creator and streamer. Juan's content includes a variety of formats, such as "Just Chatting" sessions and gameplay streams.
10. Tfue – 11.53 million followersTurner Ellis Tenney, known online as Tfue, is an American streamer and former professional esports player. Tfue gained popularity in the gaming community through his skills in titles like Destiny, Call of Duty, and, notably, Fortnite
With billions of users worldwide, TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms on the planet. Viral trends, trending sounds, and popular dances, there's no limit to what can kick off on TikTok.
TikTok has been with us through a lot, from the lockdown dance days to last year's threats of a ban. But through all the ups and downs, some creators have managed to amass millions of loyal followers. Check out our list of the top TikTok content creators with the most followers, according to Social Blade.
1. Khaby Lame – 163 million followersTikTok's most followed account is none other than the king of the deadpan facial expression, Khaby Lame. His video content primarily involves duets and stitches to over-complicated life "hacks."
2. Charli D'Amelio – 160.2 million followersCharli D’Amelio rose to TikTok fame during lockdown for her viral dance videos. She very quickly became one of the platform’s most-followed creators and is still holding strong today.
3. MrBeast – 142.2 million followersAlso, one of the most-subscribed YouTube accounts, MrBeast, holds the number-three position on TikTok. His content is full of crazy challenges and huge giveaways. His over-the-top generosity has amassed him millions of followers. He also recently went viral for offering to buy TikTok.
4. TikTok – 95.9 million followersTaking the 5th spot among the most-followed accounts is TikTok's own account. It posts celeb interviews and tips-and-tricks videos.
5. Bella Poarch – 91.6 million followersBella Poarch skyrocketed to TikTok fame during the 2020 lockdown when her lip-sync video to M to the B became the platform’s most-liked video. Since then, she has remained popular on the app, even releasing her own single in 2021, Build A B****.
6. Addison Rae – 87.7 million followersAddison Rae is another TikToker who blew up during the 2020 lockdown. Her viral dance videos made her one of the platform's biggest stars, a position she still holds strong today. She's now better known for her hit songs, having released her debut single, "Obsessed," in 2021.
7. Willie Salim - 87.3 million followersWillie Salim is an Indonesian TikToker known for his large-scale giveaways and viral challenges. He often shares videos highlighting acts of generosity.
8. Zach King – 86.9 million followersZach King's content is a must-watch if you love magic tricks, optical illusions, and clever editing. One of his videos even became the most viewed. The video made it appear as if he was flying on a broomstick. It became the most-viewed TikTok video in 2019.
9. Kimberly Loaiza – 83.4 million followersKimberly Loaiza is a popular Mexican influencer with tens of millions of followers across TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. Loaiza has also branched out into music, releasing multiple singles and touring.
10. domelipa - 75.3 million followersNumber 10 on the list of most-followed content creators is domelipa. She mostly shares content of choreographed dances, lip-sync videos, and other snippets of her lifestyle.
SAVE $11: As of Oct. 2, the Crest Whitening Strips are on sale for $34.99 at Amazon. That's a 24% discount on the list price.
Opens in a new window Credit: Crest Crest Whitening Strips $34.99 at AmazonWhiter teeth doesn't always need an expensive professional treatment. If you suffer from a little staining from coffee, red wine, or even too many cups of tea, teeth whitening strips can do the job.
Crest's teeth whitening strips have long been famed for their impressive results, and with Prime Day just around the corner, you can now treat yourself to a box of these strips for less at Amazon.
As of Oct. 2, the Crest Whitening Strips have dropped in price from $45.99 to $34.99. You'll get 22 treatments in the box, so you won't need to purchase any from the drugstore for quite a while.
According to Crest, these whitening strips can make teeth up to 19 shades whiter in 22 days, using the same enamel-safe whitening ingredient dentists use. They're designed to safely remove stains while remaining comfortable to wear throughout the full application time.
They also have Advanced Seal Technology, which gives the strips a no-slip grip, helping them stay in place so you can get on with your day while wearing them. Crest also describes the strips as enamel-safe and effective.
Brighten your smile with this Crest deal available at Amazon.
SAVE $100: As of Oct. 2, the Anker Prime docking station is on sale for $169.99 at Amazon. That's a 37% discount on the list price.
Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Prime Docking Station $169.99 at AmazonIf your desk is drowning in cables and ports, the Anker Prime docking station might just be the tidy-up you're looking for.
It packs a whole lot of connectivity into one compact, tidy hub, making it easier to hook up your devices without constantly moving cables. And as of Oct. 2, it's on sale on Amazon with $100 off the list price. This brings it down to its best-ever price, so this really is a great early Prime Day bargain.
SEE ALSO: The best laptop deals ahead of October Prime Day — save up to $900 on MacBooks and PCsThis Anker device is a 14-in-1 hub that is designed to bring your devices together more easily. It has a total power output of 160W and enough ports to charge up to four devices at once. Three USB-C ports can deliver up to 100W each, and a USB-A port provides up to 12W for additional devices.
For data transfers, it has 11 ports supporting up to 10 Gbps, plus dual HDMI ports that let you connect two external displays. It works with USB-C, USB4, and Thunderbolt connections, as well as Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and compatible laptops with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. On macOS, both external displays will show the same content, and the dock isn't compatible with Linux.
Get this Anker deal at Amazon now.
TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Mini Tin is available for $49.99 at Walmart. That's down from the list price of $69.95.
Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Mini Tin $50.04 at WalmartWalmart has come a long way from the $68-plus Mini Tin prices we saw before release, with the retailer now selling the Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Mini Tins for around market price.
As of Oct. 2, the Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Mini Tin is $59 at Amazon. That’s cheaper than the $68.40 preorder price we spotted at the retailer back in September. Walmart is the best place to buy. Walmart has dropped Mini Tins to $49.99 by chopping $19.96 off its previous $69.95 price.
SEE ALSO: The best early Prime Day deals on Pokémon, including Perfect Order Booster Bundle for under $45Walmart's price is close to market value. According to TCGplayer, the Espeon version is valued at $47.95, while the Moltres edition and Zapdos editions carry market prices of $51.08 and $51.27, respectively.
As for what you’re getting inside, each 30th Celebration Mini Tin contains two booster packs of trading cards from the expansion — along with a ticker sheet, a Pokémon art card, and a Pokémon TCG Live code card.
If you’re also looking for any particular chase cards, you can buy nearly any single Pokemon card from the 30th Celebration on TCGplayer.
It's always a fun time when the late night hosts interview each other, and when there are more than two of them chaos inevitably ensues.
In the clip above John Oliver and Seth Meyers sit down to chat with Jimmy Kimmel, with the conversation ranging from who would win in a fight between the Strike Force Five hosts to why the president seems to hate Kimmel more than the others.
16 minutes of enjoyably gleeful energy.
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TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is available for $159.99 at Amazon by invitation request, just $5.26 above its current TCGplayer market price.
Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box $159.99 at AmazonAmazon’s amazing $89.99 offer on the Pokémon TCG’s 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box has disappeared for now, but the retailer still has one of the closest prices we’ve seen to the box’s market value — provided you’re willing to take another chance on its invite system.
As of Oct. 2, the Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is $159.99 at Amazon, shipped and sold directly by Amazon. It’s marked as a high-demand item, so you’ll need to hit “request invite” and wait to see if you’re selected before you can check out.
That puts Amazon just $5.26 above TCGplayer’s current $154.73 market price, or roughly 3% higher. If you’d rather skip the waiting game and go for the best that’s readily available, Amazon also has a separate $194.99 listing through third-party seller Mini Apple Ventures LLC, with only nine left in stock at the time of writing.
SEE ALSO: The best early Prime Day deals on Pokémon, including Perfect Order Booster Bundle for under $45Inside the ETB are nine titular 30th Celebration Pokémon booster packs, a full-art foil Nidorina promo, 16 foil Basic Energy trading cards, 65 sleeves, dice, a coin, dividers, a player’s guide, and a Pokémon TCG Live code card.
To top up your collection, you can also buy almost any single Pokémon card from the 30th Celebration at TCGplayer.
Around some young stars, primitive planets smash into each other so hard they vaporize rock, leaving behind clouds of glassy bits in space.
Softer glancing blows grind rock into something finer, like the green sand on some Hawaiian beaches. Astronomers found both types of crash debris while studying a sample of 21 young star systems.
Each of these stars carries an unusually heavy load of warm dust in the same zone where Earth and the other rocky planets — Mercury, Venus, and Mars — orbit the sun. Astronomers call these "extreme debris disks," the detritus left over from smashups between rocky worlds about the size of our moon or Mars.
These systems give scientists a window into the rough final stretch of building terrestrial planets, when scuffles between big bodies are common. By matching each system's dust to its age and behavior, researchers can learn when giant impacts happen, how violent they get, and which systems are still shuffling the positions of their planets. Our own solar system may have gone through this stage. Scientists think one of those collisions, involving a Mars-size world dubbed Theia, created the moon after slamming into early Earth.
"How rocky planets formed and giant planets evolved are part of the broader story of the solar system’s formation," said Kate Su, first author of the study, in a statement. "Our work on extreme debris disks helps us bring together the big picture."
SEE ALSO: European spacecraft snaps stunning views of home and the moonScientists used two NASA observatories to find systems in this violent phase. The Spitzer Space Telescope, now retired, first noticed these odd disks near the end of its main mission. By then, astronomers had little time to collect examples.
But the James Webb Space Telescope, which NASA runs with the European and Canadian space agencies, recently picked up where Spitzer left off. With Webb, researchers were able to more than double the number of systems with detailed measurements. The larger sample size allowed scientists to study them as a group for the first time.
By seeing their mid-infrared emissions and light patterns, the researchers were able to identify what was in the disks, said coauthor Agnes Kospal of Konkoly Observatory in Budapest. Their findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal.
It turns out the dust mix splits the systems into two camps. About one-third brimmed with silica, the main ingredient in volcanic glass, like obsidian. The researchers tie that type of dust to the most violent crashes, between Mars-size objects, where the impact actually vaporizes rock. The other two-thirds have very little silica content and more of a green mineral, called forsterite, a form of olivine better known in its gem form as peridot. Those likely came from smaller crashes that only grazed the worlds involved.
The glassy debris appears only around stars younger than about 300 million years. That matches computer simulations suggesting that rocky planets like Earth take shape within the first few hundred million years of a system.
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To find the samples was incredibly challenging. Only about 1 percent of young stars show this dusty phase, far fewer than theories predicted, according to the paper.
A green sand beach at Ka Lae, or South Point, on Hawaii's Big Island gets its color from olivine, a mineral better known in its gem form as peridot. Credit: Ted Soqui / Corbis / Getty ImagesThe dust clouds also flicker — dimming and brightening over weeks, months, or years as the dust thickens and thins. The systems packed with the sandy dust flicker the most, and some of them circle stars that should have finished building planets long ago.
Researchers suspect hidden planets in those systems keep shifting orbits and hurling smaller bodies into each other. If their hypothesis is correct, this kind of dust could help astronomers spot planetary systems in the middle of a critical juncture in their formation. Our solar system likely went through a similar upheaval in the ancient past, when its giant planets migrated and set off a wave of collisions like cosmic billiards.
But big questions remain. Though astronomers have more data to work with now, they still only have three examples with stars older than 300 million years, said Attila Moor, a coauthor from the Konkoly Observatory. More observations could show whether the high-energy crashes with glassy dust really die out after that age.
"There's many things we still don't know about these disks," Moor said.
Within hours of the iPhone 17 Pro launching last fall, users noticed that the new aluminum unibody was prone to scratching, a controversy later dubbed "Scratchgate" by tech reporters.
And now that the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max have been around for a couple of weeks, users are starting to notice all the little things they don't like about their new phone.
Here's a weird one: Some iPhone 18 Pro users are reporting mild discoloration on their devices, specifically around the rear camera lenses (as reported by the New York Post).
Reddit This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Furthermore, the fading has only been reported on the burgundy and black models of the phones; we haven't seen any complaints regarding the silver or glacier blue colors.
Mild discoloration around the camera lenses may be nitpicky, but customers will have high expectations for a device that costs $1,199 and up, especially when it's still less than two weeks old.
SEE ALSO: Review: Witht he Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max, it’s what’s on the inside that countsSome users claimed they were able to fix the issue by cleaning the area with a Q-Tip; however, others insisted that it's an actual discoloration problem.
"Hey everyone, I noticed that the area around my camera lenses looks slightly lighter/pinkish compared with the surrounding camera housing," wrote one Reddit user. "There is no oil, residue, or dirt on the phone, and I’ve cleaned the area carefully. I’m also not seeing any scratches, dents, or physical damage."
Yesterday, Mashable reported on Reddit complaints that some iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max devices were suffering from popping and crackling speaker issues. As the owner of my own black iPhone 18 Pro Max, I noted that I haven't experienced any audio problems myself, nor have my colleagues with the same phone.
However, after seeing users complain about the discoloration issue, I took a closer look at my own smartphone, and I did notice some slight discoloring around the rear camera lenses. It looked like someone had touched the area with oily fingers. My attempts to clean the area with a Q-Tip did help… somewhat. The problem was less noticeable, but some faint discoloration along the edges of the lenses was still visible. So, perhaps this area is just more difficult to clean?
Based on user photos posted to Reddit, the problem seems more pronounced on the burgundy models. Last year's cosmic orange iPhone 17 Pro had problems with scratching, but it was nothing a good iPhone case couldn't fix, and the same should be true here.
Mashable reached out to Apple to ask about this potential issue, and we will update this piece if we receive a response.
No pressure, Amazon, but I have high hopes for Prime Big Deal Days. The retailer's upcoming "October Prime Day" sale (set for Oct. 6 and 7) will be an opportunity to get the ball rolling on holiday tech deals that erase the steep price hikes we've seen so far this year amid the ongoing memory crisis. Laptops have been hit especially hard: Many of the models I've tested in the past nine months have gotten anywhere from $100 to $950 more expensive due to increased component costs.
With less than a week left before the sale, I'm not seeing a ton of noteworthy laptop deals on Amazon just yet (aside from some so-so MacBook discounts). Most of them involve no-name brands and third-party sellers that you should avoid. Fortunately, other retailers like Best Buy and Walmart are picking up the slack with savings of up to $900 on top Windows laptops and gaming PCs.
Below, I'm keeping a running list of the best early October Prime Day laptop deals I can find across the web. They'll probably get even better once the sale actually starts, but if you need to upgrade sooner rather than later, you've got a bunch of options already.
Best MacBook deal (for now) Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,449 at AmazonThe M5 MacBook Air is a fabulous all-rounder with incredibly fast performance, a premium haptic touchpad, a vibrant display, and a polished design. I like the 13-inch size for college students, in particular, because it's slightly cheaper and more portable than its 15-inch sibling. This upgraded model with 1TB of storage is $150 off on Amazon ahead of Prime Day. I think it could see a $200 discount once Prime Big Deal Days starts, based on its predecessor's pricing history, but this is still a solid deal in the age of RAMageddon. (If you need more memory, a 24GB RAM/1TB model is also $150 off right now.)
Read Mashable's full review of the Apple MacBook Air (M5).
More MacBook dealsApple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $689 $699 (save $10)
Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,727 $1,799 (save $72)
Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,839 $1,999 (save $160)
Apple MacBook Pro, 16-inch (M5 Pro, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,814 $2,999 (save $185)
Truth be told, this 16-inch MSI laptop is a great deal even at full price. It has a super sharp (2.8K) OLED touchscreen, a healthy 32GB of RAM, and a beefy Intel Core Ultra X7 358H processor with Intel Arc B390 graphics. The latter is an iGPU that performs on par with an entry-level dedicated GPU, meaning you can play AAA games on this thing. It's of average weight for a 16-inch PC, but it's exceptionally sleek for its size (more than a 10th of an inch thinner than a 16-inch MacBook Pro). Costco's $400 discount on it brings it to the lowest price I've ever seen, and better yet, it's not restricted to Costco members.
More Windows laptop dealsHP OmniBook 3 16 (Snapdragon X, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $699.99 $1,149.99 (save $450)
LG gram Max 17 (Intel Core Ultra 7 355, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,099.99 $1,749.99 (save $650)
Microsoft Surface Laptop, 13.8-inch (Snapdragon X2 Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,399.99 $1,599.99 (save $200)
Asus Zenbook A16 (Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme, 48GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,499.99 $1,899.99 (save $400)
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7, with a high-end 2024 AMD CPU and an RTX 5080 GPU, is $1,025 off at Best Buy right now. The 16-inch 3K OLED display has a refresh rate of 240Hz with max brightness of 500 nits. Measuring about an inch in height, the Lenovo weighs about 5.6 pounds, making it an option that can come with you on trips or to a friend's house.
More gaming laptop dealsAlienware Aurora 16 (Intel Core 7 240H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,099 $1,639.99 (save $540.99)
HyperX Omen 15 (AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,199 $1,899 (save $700)
Asus ROG Strix G16 (AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,749.99 $1,999.99 (save $349.99)
Asus ROG Strix G18 (AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,849 $2,699.99 (save $850.99)
Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 16 (Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,999.99 $2,649.99 (save $550)
Acer Predator Neo 16 (Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,599.99 $3,199.99 (save $600)
Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (Intel Core Ultra 9 Series 3, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080, 32GB RAM, 1TB) — $3,649.99 $4,399.99 (save $750)
TL;DR: Until Oct. 4, you can get Windows 11 Pro for only $10.
Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Windows 11 Pro $9.97Windows 10 is more than a decade old, and it’s really starting to show. Whether it’s the outdated interface or the lackluster security, there’s more than one reason to leave Windows 10 behind, but here’s another. Instead of upgrading to Windows 11 Home, you can skip straight to Windows 11 Pro while it’s on sale for just $9.97 (reg. $199).
Pro adds a whole suite of upgrades Microsoft left out of Windows 11 Home. BitLocker encrypts your entire drive, so files on a lost or stolen laptop stay locked away from whoever picks it up. For anyone who likes to experiment, Hyper-V runs virtual machines, letting you try another operating system on the same PC. Windows Sandbox operates on a smaller scale, opening an isolated environment where you can test an unfamiliar app without it affecting your main system. Work PCs also receive Azure AD support to connect to business networks and Microsoft’s identity management platform.
Upgrading brings the rest of the Windows 11 core experience. Snap layouts arrange open windows side by side for multitasking, and DirectX 12 Ultimate lets new games use your graphics hardware at full capacity. Signing in with your face or fingerprint relies on TPM 2.0 for hardware-level security. Copilot appears in the taskbar, where it can answer questions, summarize web pages, generate images, and write code.
Before buying, run Microsoft’s PC Health Check app to confirm your hardware qualifies. Windows 11 requires a 1 GHz processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, UEFI firmware, and TPM 2.0.
Give your computer a well-earned upgrade. Through Oct. 4, you can get Windows 11 Pro for just $9.97.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: Through Oct. 4 at 11:59 p.m. PT, a lifetime subscription to the AdGuard Family Plan is $11 (reg. $169.99), and it covers up to nine devices.
Opens in a new window Credit: AdGuard AdGuard Family Plan: Lifetime Subscription $11Setting up an ad blocker on one browser is easy. Doing it on your laptop, your phone, your tablet, and everyone else’s devices in the house is a different story. The AdGuard Family Plan puts it all under one umbrella of protection with a $11 lifetime subscription until Oct. 4.
One plan covers up to nine devices across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. You can put it on your work laptop, your phone, and the family iPad without buying separate licenses. Everyone in the household gets the same level of protection from a single account.
Once it’s running, AdGuard helps block banner, pop-up, and video ads while you browse. It also helps hide your activity from trackers and can block known malware and phishing sites. Parental controls let you restrict adult content on your kids’ devices.
The Family Plan is cheaper than AdGuard’s Personal Plan on the same page, which is $19.97 and covers fewer devices. Updates are included with your subscription.
A few things to know before you buy. This plan is for new AdGuard users only. You’ll need to redeem your code within 30 days of purchase. Your devices will also need Windows 7 or later, macOS 10.15 or later, iOS 12 or later, or Android 7 or later.
If you’ve been meaning to set up ad blocking everywhere, this is an easy way to do it for less than the cost of lunch. Get a lifetime subscription to the AdGuard Family Plan for $11 (reg. $169.99) through Oct. 4 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: Through Oct. 4 at 11:59 p.m. PT, get a lifetime subscription to ChatPlayground AI’s Unlimited Plan for $54.97 (reg. $619). You can compare responses from 20+ AI models in one place.
Opens in a new window Credit: ChatPlayground AI ChatPlayground AI: Lifetime Subscription (Unlimited Plan) $54.97Different AI models are good at different things. So you end up pasting the same prompt into three tabs to see which answer works best. Paying for several AI subscriptions makes it even harder to justify.
ChatPlayground AI brings those models into one dashboard. For a limited time, lifetime access is $54.97.
You can run a single prompt through ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, DeepSeek, Llama, Perplexity, and more, then compare the responses side by side. That makes it easier to see which model handles writing, coding, or research the way you want. You won’t need to bounce between apps to find out.
Beyond comparing models, the prompt engineering tools help you refine your outputs.
Image and PDF chat let you upload files for context-aware answers. Your chat history saves automatically, so you can pick up ongoing projects where you left off. You also get AI image generation and a Chrome extension that brings ChatPlayground into your browser.
The Unlimited Plan includes unlimited messages per month, which is helpful if you run many experiments. Your membership allows for priority support and early access to new features and models as they arrive.
If you already pay for multiple AI tools, this could simplify your setup. Get a lifetime subscription to ChatPlayground AI’s Unlimited Plan for $54.97 (reg. $619) through Oct. 4 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Amazon hasn't released its latest early Prime Day iPhone deals page yet. (Right now, it's just filled with iPhone 16s that aren't on sale.) We don't usually see iPhone deals worth buying on Amazon unless they're "renewed," so if you're hoping to find a discount on a brand-new, unlocked iPhone from Bezos, you probably won't.
But that doesn't mean you can't find a good deal during the sale — it just won't be on Amazon. Right now, T-Mobile is offering new and existing customers a chance to get the iPhone 18 Pro for free (if you don't mind signing a contract). If you'd rather not be tied to a carrier, Best Buy and Amazon offer discounts on unlocked "refurbished" and "renewed" models.
SEE ALSO: The best iPhones to buy in 2026: Our top pick might surprise youNow that you've heard my spiel, here are the best early Prime Day iPhone deals you can shop right now, and you can check out our Apple guide for discounts on AirPods and MacBooks.
Score Apple's brand-new $1,200 flagship for $0Getting a $1,200 phone for nothing is a hard deal to pass up. Right now, T-Mobile is covering the full cost of the iPhone 18 Pro through 36 monthly bill credits. To get this deal, you'll need to either switch to an Experience Beyond 2.0 plan or trade in a relatively recent device, like an iPhone 16 or 15 Pro, on an eligible plan.
While T-Mobile says it accepts trade-ins in any condition, older phones like the iPhone 14 or 13 will bump you down to the $930 or $500 credit tiers. You'll also still have to pay the local sales tax on the full pre-credit retail price upfront, along with a $35 device connection fee. But if you're already planning to stick with T-Mobile for the next three years, it's an easy way to upgrade without paying full price.
Read our review of the iPhone 18 Pro Max.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple iPhone 18 Pro (256 GB) $0 at T-MobileIf you're not worried about having the latest and greatest, T-Mobile is giving away the iPhone 17 Pro using that exact same 36-month bill credit promo. You just need to switch to an Experience Beyond 2.0 plan or trade in an older phone.
The best part? Since last year's Pro model costs less upfront, trading in an older device like an iPhone 14 or 15 nearly covers the entire cost.
Read our review of the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple iPhone 17 Pro (256 GB) $0 at T-MobileBest Buy has the unlocked iPhone 16e marked down to $539.99 — a $60 discount. It comes with 128GB of storage and Apple Intelligence built right in. It's not a flagship Pro model, but it is one of the only brand-new, unlocked iPhones seeing an outright cash discount ahead of October's sale events.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple iPhone 16e (128GB) $539.99 at Best BuyIf you want a reliable, no-nonsense iPhone without spending top-dollar, going refurbished is the smartest route. Best Buy has the unlocked 128GB iPhone 14 in "Refurbished Excellent" condition marked down to $399.99. It gives you a clean OLED display, solid camera setup, and long battery life for under $400 — no carrier sign-ups or monthly commitments attached.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Refurbished iPhone 14 (128 GB) $399 at Best Buy
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