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How to protect your mental health while using dating apps

Mashable - 2 hours 4 min ago

Navigating the modern dating landscape has become increasingly challenging, with many people experiencing heightened stress and dissatisfaction. Studies have shown that overall happiness and life satisfaction have declined, particularly among young people, since the rise of smartphones and social media. Dating apps are a small (but mighty) part of that correlation. The pressure to constantly be available, maintain an online presence, and keep up with dating apps can take a significant toll on our mental wellbeing.

The proliferation of dating apps has undeniably changed how we seek romantic connections. While they provide convenience and access to a vast pool of potential partners, they also introduce new stressors. In fact, some research suggests that users of swipe-based dating apps report higher levels of depression, anxiety, and emotional distress compared to non-users. 

The gamified nature of these apps can make dating feel more like a never-ending cycle of validation-seeking rather than a genuine attempt to connect. Many academics and journalists in the dating space have pointed out that this creates selfish dating behaviour, in what author and academic Bell Hooks describes in All About Love as “me culture,” wherein people see connection as being all about them and their needs solely. 

Often, daters are tempted to dip out. And who can blame them? But society continuously reinforces the idea that finding a romantic partner is a milestone everyone should strive for, urging individuals to "get out there" and persistently seek "the one." For some people, this is a genuine personal desire, too. In fact, half of singles still want to find their life partner. Since most relationships begin on dating apps now, how can we use them in a healthy way? A way that doesn’t feel like relentless pressure and overwhelm? 

Set boundaries and manage expectations

The pressure from online dating can contribute to feelings of inadequacy and burnout, especially when you’re not seeing the connections you expected. It’s vital to recognise that taking breaks from dating is not only acceptable but necessary for mental wellbeing. If dating starts to feel like an obligation or a chore, rather than something enjoyable, stepping back and focusing on self-care can be the healthiest decision.

When starting out, setting clear intentions about what you want from online dating can make a huge difference. Are you looking for something casual, serious, or just open to meeting new people? Establishing your goals helps manage expectations and reduces frustration.

SEE ALSO: How does orientation affect the dating app experience?

Anna Hint, a dating expert at the Pure app, encourages people to avoid feeling pressured to be constantly available. She explains, “You have to do things at your own pace. Especially if you feel overwhelmed, take your time, put yourself first. Just because we have our phones with us 24/7, this doesn’t make us available all the time, nor should we feel pressured about this.” Dating should never feel like a job, where you’re racing to respond to every message or keeping up with constant notifications.

Research from dating app Bumble, shared with Mashable over email, highlights the trend of “slow-dating,” where singles are more considerate about how much they date, prioritising quality over quantity. Almost one in three (31 percent) singles are now practicing slow-dating, particularly women, with 36 percent seeking partners who value time and self-care. This shift shows that many people are recognising the mental health implications of excessive swiping and are choosing a more mindful approach.

Limit time spent on apps

While dating apps offer excitement, it's easy to get caught in a cycle of endless swiping and chatting. Before you know it, hours have passed, and it starts to feel draining. Technology can be a double-edged sword — it offers convenience but also fuels compulsive behaviours that may negatively impact mental health.

SEE ALSO: How to set boundaries in the early stages of dating

Annabelle Knight, a sex and relationships expert at Lovehoney, advises setting limits. “If you find yourself constantly checking the app, feeling distracted by it when you’re trying to focus on work, hobbies, or socialising in real life, that’s a sign you might be spending too much time on it.”

Using smartphone tools to track and limit app usage can be a helpful way to maintain a healthy balance. Too much time spent swiping can lead to burnout or feelings of inadequacy, especially when comparing yourself to other users. Limiting your app time can protect your mental health by preventing dating apps from taking over your day-to-day life.

Know when to take a break

Recognising when dating apps are affecting your mental well-being is crucial. If you notice yourself feeling emotionally exhausted, experiencing increased anxiety, or relying on external validation from matches, it may be time to take a step back.

Hint says, “If you feel like you are way too dependent on external approval, likes, and constant compliments... maybe it’s time to take a break and actually focus on yourself.”

SEE ALSO: How to stop caring what people think about you

Taking a break isn’t about giving up — it’s about preserving your mental wellbeing. If swiping feels like an obligation rather than something enjoyable, deactivate your profile and focus on self-care. Spend time with friends, take up hobbies, or get outdoors. Remember, dating should be fun, not a source of anxiety.

For those with a pre-existing mental health condition, understanding when to take a break from the dating apps is even more crucial. One survey found that nearly half of individuals with existing mood disorders experienced worsening depression due to online dating. However, some research shows that those with mental health conditions can also alleviate symptoms through online dating, as they’re getting themselves out there, expanding their network, and interacting with people. With something as complex as mental health conditions, it’s hard to say what the impact of dating apps will be, as we all experience mental health so differently. 

This does mean that extra caution should be taken with dating apps for those with diagnosed mental health conditions, though. Consulting a medical professional about how their condition might uniquely impact dating and identifying red flags can be crucial for emotional safety.

If you do have a mental health condition, taking breaks can be even more essential. Certain symptoms, such as sensitivity to rejection or difficulty managing emotions, can be exacerbated by the unpredictability of dating apps. Seeking guidance from a therapist or mental health professional about how to navigate dating in a way that protects your mental health can be incredibly beneficial.

How to handle rejection

With any quest for love — on or offline — disappointment is going to be part of the journey. It shouldn’t knock your confidence, though. As Knight points out, “Rejection is part of the dating app experience, but it doesn’t define your worth. Not every match is meant to be. It’s not personal, just part of the process.”

SEE ALSO: How to separate romantic rejection from your self-worth

Rather than viewing rejection as a reflection of your value, consider it a step closer to finding someone who’s the right fit. If you’re feeling down, take a break and reconnect with activities that make you feel good about yourself. It’s essential to lean on your support network during tough times. Sharing your experiences with friends or loved ones can help keep your emotions in perspective, and they’ll remind you that your worth is not tied to app outcomes.

Create a positive experience

While dating apps can expose us to judgment, criticism, and negative interactions, there are ways to create a more positive experience. Curating your matches by reading profiles carefully and only engaging with people who genuinely interest you can lead to more meaningful connections. Hint says, “Don’t take things too seriously before you even meet in person... It’s crucial to understand that your value should not be measured by what someone online says about you.”

If something feels off or a conversation turns sour, don’t hesitate to cut it off. Most dating apps provide tools to block or report users who engage in inappropriate or harmful behaviour. Protecting your mental health means maintaining control over who you interact with.

It’s easy to present an idealised version of yourself online, but maintaining authenticity can help you form real connections and reduce anxiety. Knight explains that keeping realistic expectations can make the whole experience more enjoyable. “Go in with an open mind and focus on getting to know someone without putting too much pressure on the outcome. Remember that real connections take time,” she advises.

Trying to maintain a facade can be stressful, and being yourself is key to fostering genuine relationships. Keep in mind that dating apps are just one way to meet people. They’re not the only way. Engaging in other social activities can alleviate the pressure and make dating apps a fun part of a broader social life.

Your mental health is the most important thing to take care of during online dating. Bumble found that one in four (29 percent) UK singles are now actively avoiding people who treat dating like a checklist exercise, opting for more mindful, considerate connections. To protect your own wellbeing, make time for hobbies, exercise, and spending time with loved ones—things that give you joy outside of dating.

As Hint puts it, “To have a healthy relationship with dating, we need to have a healthy relationship with ourselves and who we are.”

Were still waiting on Echo device deals ahead of Amazons Big Spring Sale

Mashable - 2 hours 13 min ago

Another Amazon sale is coming. The retailer has officially announced the dates of its Big Spring Sale, coming March 25 through 31.

With another Amazon sale event on the horizon, we're looking forward to all the good deals on the retailer's flagship devices. We expect to see great deals on Kindles, Fire TVs, and tablets. But some of the best pricing we usually see during these sale events are on Echo devices — often up to 71% off.

As we gear up for Amazon's Big Spring Sale, we're on the hunt for the best deals on Echo devices. However, as of the sale's kick-off we're not seeing any deals on Echos. That doesn't mean there aren't savings still to come.

And now is a particularly exciting time to buy an Echo with the arrival of Alexa+. Amazon's classic voice assistant is now supercharged with AI. Now it not only responds to voice commands but can converse with you to accomplish tasks like planning a date night. Plus, the new Alexa+ is free for Prime members. However, with those changes also come some less exciting changes, now that Amazon is disabling the setting to not send voice recordings to Amazon servers.

While we wait for sale prices to drop on Echos, you can still shop Amazon's full line-up now.

Shop Echo Devices

The best security camera deals from Amazons Big Spring Sale 2025

Mashable - 2 hours 17 min ago
The best Amazon Big Spring Sale security camera deals Best Arlo Security Camera Deal Arlo Pro 5S 2K Spotlight Camera $119.99 (save $60) Get Deal Best TP-Link Security Camera Deal TP-Link Tapo 2K QHD Security Camera $29.99 (save $10) Get Deal

Looking for an easy and affordable way to keep a watchful eye over your home? Shop Amazon's Big Spring Sale right now, where you can find deals on the best security cameras sprouting up like the colorful flowers the season itself brings. We're talking brands like Arlo, TP-Link, and much more rounding out what's available right now, all at a great price that you can go ahead and shop.

But if you don't have time to sift through all of what's currently available, we totally get it. That's why we've gone ahead and curated some of our favorite picks for you.

We'll be updating this list as the sale goes on, so keep checking back to see additional discounts as they pop up throughout the event. There are a wide variety of brands and form factors that could go on sale at any moment.

Best Arlo security camera deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Arlo Pro 5S 2K Spotlight Camera $119.99 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $60.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Keep an eye on your home day or night with this feature-rich outdoor wireless camera. With 2K HDR video quality, it offers livestreaming and notification delivery with motion activation and alerts to keep you abreast of what's happening outside. Use the included Arlo app to activate a remote siren, use color night vision, and its integrated spotlight to see what's really happening outdoors when you can't physically peek out of the window. With a 160-degree field of view and small footprint, this small camera has a large feature set and everything you need to keep you and your loved ones safe without having to move from the sofa. Plus, get more features and storage space with a paid Arlo Secure plan with a monthly fee.

Best TP-Link security camera deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon TP-Link Tapo 2K QHD Security Camera $29.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $10.00 Get Deal Why we like it

This affordable camera is even cheaper right now, and it's an excellent indoor option for just about any household. With 2K resolution that offers crisp and crystal clear imagery, it's a super versatile camera that you can use both indoors and outdoors. It boasts an IP66 rating so it can stand up to the elements, including rain and dust, and it can be mounted to any metal surface thanks to its magnetic base, meaning it's simple to set up and get going. It features night vision with a built-in sensor and two spotlights, and up to 30 feet of viewing with its IR light. Plus, it uses AI to detect people, pets, and cars and will alert you via app to keep you in the loop on what's happening in and out of your home.

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Tons of air purifiers on deep discounts ahead of the Amazon Big Spring Sale — just in time for allergy season

Mashable - 2 hours 19 min ago

SAVE UP TO 37%: The Amazon Big Spring Sale has discounts on air purifiers from brands like Coway, Dyson, LG, Shark, and more.

Best air purifier deals during Amazon's spring sale Best overall deal Coway Airmega 200M (white) $155.87 (save $74.12) Get Deal Best Dyson deal Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Gen1 HP10 $399.95 (save $130.04) Get Deal Best air purifier for design LG PuriCare AeroTower $329.99 (save $70) Get Deal

We have plenty to celebrate in the spring like flowers, warmer weather, sunshine, and great discounts during the Amazon Big Spring Sale, which officially kicks off on March 25. Unfortunately, spring also comes with a tint of dread for those of us who suffer from seasonal allergies. Those blossoms look fantastic but they come with plenty of pollen that can be bothersome for anyone with pollen allergies. Equipping your home with an air purifier is one of the simplest ways to cut down on allergens and dust in the air.

Just in time for spring allergy season, the Amazon has discounts on some of the best air purifiers ahead of the Amazon Big Spring Sale. You'll be able to find the best model for your home or apartment based on the size of your space and the design you prefer.

Even if you don't deal with spring allergies, an air purifier is great for keeping indoor air clean if the area you live in is prone to wildfire smoke or you deal with pet allergies. They can also be perfect for getting rid of odors from cooking. Boiled down, every home could benefit from breathing in clean air. Here are some of our favorite air purifier discounts to shop ahead of the Amazon Big Spring Sale.

Best overall deal Opens in a new window Credit: Coway Coway Airmega 200M (white) $155.87 at Amazon
$229.99 Save $74.12 Get Deal Why we like it

The Coway Airmega 200M wastes no time when it comes to cleaning the air. In a 316 square-foot space, the Coway takes under 13 minutes to completely filter the air or under 30 minutes in a space up to 874 square feet. Coway designed this model with three layers of filtration with an initial pre-filter to capture hair and dust mites, which leaves the important HEPA filter cleaner for tasks that include filtering out pollen, germs, viruses, and fine dust.

The Coway Airmega 200M usually costs $229.99 but it's discounted to just $155.87 ahead of the Amazon Big Spring Sale. Be sure to snag the white colorway to score this sale price.

Best Dyson deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Gen1 HP10 $399.95 at Amazon
$529.99 Save $130.04 Get Deal Why we like it

Dyson is the master of manipulating airflow, making some of the best fans, purifiers, and hair dryers we've ever used. The Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Gen1 HP10 lives up to the brand's high standards, offering HEPA filtration, a fan for warm nights, and a heater for chilly winter days. This three-in-one model usually sells for $529.99, but it's discounted ahead of the Amazon Big Spring Sale to $399.95. The 25% discount means you'll be saving an impressive $130.

Aside from incredible performance, the Dyson comes with a remote control which is one of the most convenient features that not all air purifiers can claim. Of course, it comes with plenty of features related to the function that are excellent, too. For one, the oscillation goes up to 350 degrees and the fully sealed HEPA filter gives you reassurance the air is cleaner. Night mode is also great since it lowers the display lighting and sends the purifiers into its quietest operation mode.

Instead of buying a fan to keep your cool in the summer and a portable heater to warm up a chilly bedroom in the winter, the Dyson is here to do both, and it'll purifier the air while keeping you at a comfortable temperature.

Best air purifier for design Opens in a new window Credit: LG LG PuriCare AeroTower Air Purifier $329.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $70 Get Deal Why we like it

While plenty of air purifiers get bragging rights of coming with great HEPA filters, not many get high marks when it comes to the overall appearance. If you're interested in keeping indoor air clean thanks to a purifier that's also aesthetically pleasing, the LG PuriCare AeroTower is a great option. The tower design makes it look more aligned with an interesting piece of furniture instead of a piece purely for function. Its slim build means its also great if you don't have much floor space to dedicate to an air purifier.

The LG PuriCare also gets extra credit for being certified Asthma & Allergy Friendly, a program run by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. This certification means this model is especially great for those who deal with seasonal allergies or asthma. The NanoFiber True HEPA used in this model can trap 99.97% of particles that tend to cause trouble like dust, pollen, and smoke.

More air purifier deals to shop at Amazon:

15+ robot vacuums on sale ahead of Amazons Big Spring Sale

Mashable - 2 hours 27 min ago
O43 Budget pick Dreame D10 Plus Gen 2 with self-empty station 269.99 (save $130 with on-page coupon) Get Deal Best self-washing and drying mopping pad deal Roborock Qrevo Master 799.99 (save $600) Get Deal

So you didn't buy a robot vacuum on sale during Black Friday. If spring cleaning season — and the past few months of vacuuming by hand — has you regretting that, you're getting another chance with Amazon's upcoming Big Spring Sale.

Running March 25 to 31, the second annual Big Spring Sale should have a similar vibe to Prime Day when it comes to deals. The main difference is that most Big Spring Sale deals are open to anyone, regardless of whether you're a Prime member or not. (The ones that are exclusive to Prime members will be marked with a red "Prime Spring Deal" sticker.)

SEE ALSO: Need a robot vacuum that actually works on carpet? These 3 performed the best in my home.

March is inherently an auspicious month for the past year's biggest robot vacuums to hit new record-low prices. That's because many of them have been upstaged by new flagship robot vacuums that were announced at CES in January. This year, iRobot (known for skipping CES) also deviated from its typical release schedule and completely overhauled the Roomba lineup in mid-March. The new Roombas happen to become available to buy two days before the Big Spring Sale starts, so it wouldn't be surprising to see better Roomba deals on older Roombas than we did during Black Friday.

We all know that Amazon never waits until the official calendar dates of its sales to drop deals, so I'm already tracking the best robot vacuum deals ahead of the kickoff on March 25. Note: Deals with a 🔥 next to them have dropped to record-low prices.

Best robot vacuums deals ahead of Amazon's spring sale Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Qrevo Master 🔥 $799.99 at Amazon
$1,399.99 Save $600 Get Deal Why we like it

More than 40% off a $1,399.99 robot vacuum just sounds like a good deal without any other context. And that's totally accurate. But my brain framed it in a way that makes it look like even more of a steal: You'd be getting a premium robot vacuum and mop combo that washes and dries its own mopping pads and avoids small obstacles and has a pet camera for half the price of the 2025 Roborock flagship I'm currently testing, the $1,599.99 Roborock Saros 10R.

I'm so psyched to see this new record-low price on my favorite vacuum from 2024. The biggest difference between the Qrevo Master and the new Saros 10R are suction power, as the Saros 10R doubles the Qrevo Master's 10,000 Pa. But the Qrevo Master was still more than powerful enough to do a sufficient job on my hard floors and rugs when I was testing it. However, it earned my top spot because of its attentive mopping. Spinning mopping pads are much more exhaustive scrubbers than one big, flat mopping pad in my book. One pad on the Qrevo Master even swings out on a hinge to mop along edges and in corners.

More robot vacuums on sale

Robot vacuums that mop

Robot vacuums that don't mop

The best laptop deals ahead of the Amazon Big Spring Sale — its all about MacBooks so far

Mashable - 2 hours 29 min ago

While Amazon isn't normally the best place to score laptop deals on any given day, it tends to beef up its selection and ramp up its discounts for certain sitewide sales it puts on throughout the year. Prime Day and Black Friday are the main ones, of course, but don't sleep on the retail giant's Big Spring Sale, either.

Amazon has just confirmed that its seasonal savings event is returning for the second year in a row from March 25 to 31. Though the event is centered around warm-weather essentials (think outdoor gear and cleaning supplies), last year's inaugural Big Spring Sale snuck in a bunch of good deals on electronics, including a handful of laptops; Mashable's Shopping team expects Amazon to give its 2025 programming a similar treatment.

SEE ALSO: Amazon announces Big Spring Sale dates and deals: Everything you need to know

In the lead-up to the Big Spring Sale, we've sifted through Amazon's listings and already found several worthwhile laptop deals of up to 23% off. That includes all-time lows on the the Microsoft Surface Pro 11, two Asus gaming laptops, and the brand-new M4 Apple MacBook Airs, which only just debuted on March 12; on-page coupons take $50 off their already reasonable list prices. (There's a chance they could get even cheaper once the event actually starts: Last year, an M3 MacBook Air that launched two weeks prior was $95 off for the Big Spring Sale.)

Read on for our running list of Amazon's best Big Spring Sale laptop deals. We'll continue to update it with the latest pricing and availability ahead of (and during) the event, so check back often. Note: Deals with a 🔥 next to them have dropped to record-low prices.

Best MacBook dealsMacBook AirMacBook ProBest Windows laptop deals2-in-1 laptopsBest gaming laptop deals

Save on Kindle bundles ahead of Amazons Spring Sale

Mashable - 2 hours 32 min ago
Best early Kindle deals Best Kindle deal Amazon Kindle Scribe Essentials Bundle $449.97 (save $60) Get Deal Best Kindle Colorsoft deal Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition Essentials Bundle $327.97 (save $35) Get Deal Best Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition deal Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition Essentials Bundle $251.97 (save $25) Get Deal Best Kindle Paperwhite deal Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle $196.97 (save $20) Get Deal Best basic Kindle deal Amazon Kindle Essentials Bundle $146.97 (save $15) Get Deal

After weeks of anticipation, Amazon finally launched its Big Spring Sale dates, to run from March 25-31. The seasonal sale brings deals on springtime favorites to get you ready for a new season.

While we wait for the official sale to drop, we're looking out for the early deals, especially on Amazon's flagship devices. Our favorites, as always, are Amazon's Kindles. Having tried nearly every model in the line-up, we can safely say that Kindles are fantastic e-readers, well suited for anyone, whether you're an avid annotator or shopping on a budget.

Single Kindle devices have yet to go on sale ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale. However, you can save when purchasing a Kindle in an Essentials Bundle, that comes with everything you need to kick-off your reading journey. Here are the best early deals on Kindles to start shopping now.

Best Kindle Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Kindle Scribe Essentials Bundle $449.97
$509.97 Save $60 Get Deal Why we like it

In late 2024, the Kindle Scribe got an update, providing a redesigned screen with flush display to better emulate a notebook. If you're a reader and a notetaker — your book collection is likely full of dogeared pages and highlighted paragraphs — the Kindle Scribe gives you the option to highlight lines and leave notes in the margins. Plus if you feel inspired, turn to the device's notebook feature to start writing your own masterpiece.

Right now, the best deal ahead of the Amazon Big Spring Sale is on the redesigned Kindle Scribe. When it's bundled with the premium pen, plant-based leather portfolio, and a power adaptor, you can find the whole package for $449.97, saving you $60 for 12% off.

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LinkedIn’s new game, Zip, is here to challenge your brain

Mashable - 2 hours 32 min ago

LinkedIn is expanding its casual gaming lineup with Zip, a new puzzle designed to challenge problem-solving skills. The objective is simple: connect numbers in order by drawing a path through the grid while ensuring every cell is used.

Following the success of Queens and Tango, Zip offers a faster, more accessible experience. The rules are easy to grasp in seconds, but the puzzles still provide a satisfying mental workout. The difficulty gradually increases throughout the week, with Mondays being the easiest and Sundays delivering the toughest challenges. A built-in hint system helps navigate tricky puzzles without giving away the solution.

SEE ALSO: LinkedIn and dating apps are failing users in the same ways

Zip is available on LinkedIn’s iOS and Android apps, as well as in desktop and mobile browsers. Users with older app versions may need to update to access the game.

The launch of Zip is the culmination of a series of updates LinkedIn has been making to its Games division. The company also rolled out Streak Freezes, which lets players protect their streaks for when life gets busy. Earned every five wins, up to two freezes can be stored per game, activating automatically when a day is missed.

Plus, there's the recently introduced LinkedIn Games Widget for iOS and Android, which makes game progress visible at a glance, helping players maintain their daily streaks.

With Zip, LinkedIn continues to build a suite of engaging games to compete with the Wordles of the world. The game is live right now, so it's the perfect time to start a streak.

The best MacBook deals on Amazon ahead of its Big Spring Sale: The new M4 Airs are already $50 off

Mashable - 2 hours 33 min ago

Amazon doesn't offer a ton of great discounts on a huge selection of laptops year-round, but shoppers can always count on it for MacBook deals. It's never difficult to find a current or recent-gen configuration on sale there at any given time, at prices that often give Best Buy a run for its money. (That's usually where you'll see the best laptop deals across all categories — Windows, Chromebooks, gaming laptops, etc.)

Amazon's MacBook deals get especially good during its major sitewide sales (think Prime Day), and with its second-ever Big Spring Sale officially confirmed for March 25 to 31, we're expecting it to produce some of the season's best prices.

SEE ALSO: Amazon announces Big Spring Sale dates and deals: Everything you need to know

The retail giant is already pulling out some stops well before the sale gets underway. At the time of writing, the base models of the brand-new 13- and 15-inch MacBook Airs were already $50 off. (They launched less than a week ago on March 12.) Those are great deals, though you may be inclined to wait a little longer in case their discounts get even bigger: The M3 model was $95 off during Amazon's first Big Spring Sale in 2024, and it came out just two weeks prior.

Mashable's Shopping team will continue to keep track of the best MacBook deals on Amazon ahead of (and during) its Big Spring Sale, and you can check out our top picks below. Note: Deals with a 🔥 next to them have dropped to record-low prices.

Best MacBook Air dealsBest MacBook Pro deals

The Amazon Big Spring Sale is BIG on smart home — check out these deals

Mashable - 2 hours 34 min ago

UPDATE: Mar. 18, 2025, 9:30 a.m. EDT This list has been updated to show current deal pricing.

The best Amazon Big Spring Sale smart home deals Smart switch deals Kasa Smart Dimmer Switch $21.99 (Save $8) Get Deal Smart security deals Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro WiFi Smart Lock with Door Sensor $149.99 (Save $30) Get Deal Smart smoke detector deals X-Sense Smart Smoke Detectors with SBS50 Base Station $97.49 (Save $42.50) Get Deal Smart light deals Kasa Smart Light Bulbs $15.99 (Save $9) Get Deal

What goes in your smart home? Today, home tech can be used to automate all sorts of tasks around the house. Smart switches help us control lighting and smart systems in our home, smart lights give us great control over our home's ambience and respond to our commands, while smart scales help us gain a better understanding of our personal health. Most of the time, individual smart tech can be connected to a smart assistant or hub, to give us vocal control and more.

Whatever your automation aims, now is a great time to invest. Amazon's Big Spring Sale is here with a huge offering of smart tech deals for you to scoop up, like $30 off the Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro WiFi Smart Lock. The Amazon Big Spring Sale lasts from March 25-31. Here are the best smart home deals of the Big Spring Sale:

Smart switch deals Opens in a new window Credit: Kasa Kasa Smart Dimmer Switch $21.99 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $8 Get Deal Why we like it

What if you could talk to your switches? The Kasa Smart Dimmer Switch turns your light switch into a multi-functional control node with access to integrated smart home tech. With a touch, use it to dim your smart lights, or speak to it to turn the lights on when your hands are full. When you're out, you can even interact with the smart switch to control your lights via the Kasa App.

For many, the most useful parts of the Kasa Matter Smart Dimmer Switch will be its simple integrations and its timers. Matter is the smart home protocol that integrates with multiple systems, including Alexa, Google Home, and more, meaning that you can connect this switch to tech from lots of different brands. When you do, its timers and scheduling empower you to ensure your lights and devices are off when you're out of the house, and on when you need them.

Right now, the Kasa Smart Dimmer Switch is on sale for $21.99, saving you $8, or 27%.

More smart switch dealsSmart security deals Opens in a new window Credit: Ultraloq Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro WiFi Smart Lock $149.99 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $30 Get Deal Why we like it

Smart locks are some of the most useful smart home technology around. Unlock your door remotely for a house painter, or create a lock code to give out to a BNB guest, smart locks give you many more ways to play with security. The Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro WiFi Smart Lock is an 8-in-1 entry pad.

Set up the Ultraloq with a biometric thumb print to come and go with a touch. The Ultraloq might have lots of ways to gain access digitally, but it also includes two mechanical keys that turn in a hidden keyhole behind the biometric scanner.

Right now the Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro WiFi Smart Lock is on sale for $149.99, saving you 17%, or $30.

More smart security dealsSmart alarm deals Opens in a new window Credit: X-Sense X-Sense Smart Smoke Detectors with SBS50 Base Station $97.49 at Amazon
$139.99 Save $42.50 Get Deal Why we like it

What's the benefit of a smart smoke detector? Immediate notice.

While traditional smoke detectors can be impossible to ignore when you're home, they don't do much if a fire breaks out while the house is empty. The X-Sense Smart Smoke Detectors with SBS50 Base Station is made to let you know anytime it senses smoke in your home, whether you're there or away. Set it up to get smart alerts on your phone whenever smoke is sensed.

Right now, shop the Amazon Big Spring Sale to get the X-Sense Smart Smoke Detectors with SBS50 Base Station for $97.49 to save 30%, or $42.50.

More smart alarm dealsSmart light deals Opens in a new window Credit: Kasa Kasa Smart Light Bulbs $15.99 at Amazon
$24.99 Save $9.00 Get Deal Why we like it

There are few simpler ways to tweak the ambience of your room than to invest in smart lights. Kasa Smart Light Bulbs have vast palettes of available color available and dim to match your needs.

Tweak these using the Kasa smart app or set them to automatically adjust with natural light. As LED bulbs, they use less energy than traditional light bulbs, but with energy monitoring and scheduling tools, you'll be able to tune them to save more by ensuring they're always off when you're out of the house.

As of now, the Kasa Smart Light Bulbs are on sale for $15.99, saving you $9, or 36%.

More smart light dealsMore smart home deals

The best deals on noise-cancelling headphones ahead of Amazons Big Spring Sale

Mashable - 2 hours 35 min ago
The best noise-cancelling headphones deals ahead of the Amazon Big Spring Sale: BEST NOISE-CANCELLING EARBUDS DEAL Beats Studio Buds+ $99.95 (save $70) Get Deal BEST NOISE-CANCELLING HEADPHONES DEAL Beats Studio Pro $179.95 (save $170.04) Get Deal BEST SPLURGE Bose QuietComfort Ultra $349 (save $80) Get Deal

Amazon has confirmed that its Big Spring Sale is making a comeback this season. The official sale runs from March 25 through 31, though we tend to see deals pop up well before and stick around well after the formal dates of any Amazon event — and this one is no different.

We've clocked early discounts on noise-cancelling headphones and earbuds from top brands like Bose, Apple, Beats, and Sony if you're looking to invest in a solid pair for your spring travels. Many of our favorites are already discounted, including the best earbuds for air travel and the best for bass lovers. While prices could certainly drop even further once the shopping extravaganza officially commences, we're already impressed by the early discounts.

Mashable's shopping team is keeping an eye on the best noise-cancelling headphone deals at Amazon ahead of (and during) its Big Spring Sale. We'll continue to update this running list with the latest pricing and availability, so check back often.

Note: Deals with a 🔥 next to them have dropped to record-low prices.

Best noise-cancelling headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Studio Buds+ 🔥 $99.95 at Amazon
$169.95 Save $70.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The Studio Buds+ introduced a new transparent color to the Beats lineup. Not to mention, they improved active noise cancellation and transparency mode, enhanced battery life to up to 36 hours, increased the mic sizes for better call quality, and support spatial audio. Each pair comes with four different ear tip sizes to choose from, so you can find the best fit and enjoy the ANC to its fullest. At $99.95, the Buds+ are at their best price ever.

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Refresh your home with these early home deals ahead of Amazons Big Spring Sale

Mashable - 2 hours 36 min ago
Best early Big Spring Sale home deals Best smart home deal Tapo TP-Link Smart WiFi Light Bulbs $10.79 at Amazon (Save $7.20) Get Deal Best air purifier and humidifier deal Shark NeverChange Air Purifier $119.99 at Amazon (Save $30) Get Deal Best floor care deal Roborock Qrevo S Robot Vacuum and Mop $549.99 at Amazon (Save $250) Get Deal

A new season brings lots of change, especially in the home. It's the time to open the windows to let fresh air in and clear out all that clutter from your closet. As you get into the flow of out with the old and in with the new, you might be realizing where your home could use some upgrades. Luckily, Amazon's Big Spring Sale is coming at just the right time.

Running from March 25 to the 31, the Big Spring Sales promises to bring great deals across many categories, but especially things for the home. And luckily, those deals are already starting to roll in. Whether you want to bring in some smart home upgrades or are in need of a new vacuum, these are the best early home deals ahead of the Amazon Big Spring Sale.

Best smart home deal Opens in a new window Credit: Tapo Tapo TP-Link Smart WiFi Light Bulbs $10.79 at Amazon
$17.99 Save $7.20 Get Deal Why we like it

Looking to create a little bit of ambiance at home? The Tapo light bulb offers millions of colors and adjustable warmth for a truly customizable experience. If you need to wake up in the morning, the bulb can bright up to cool white, but when you want to wind down, adjust the bulb to a nice warm white. This Matter-certified deviced works with any smart home system, whether it be Apple Home, Google home, or Alexa, within your local network.

Ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale, get the Tapo TP-Link WiFi Smart Bulb for 40% off. Normally $17.99, it's down to $10.79, saving you $7.20. It's an affordable solution that will totally transform your space.

More smart home dealsBest air purifier and humidifier deal Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark NeverChange Air Purifier $119.99 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $30.00 Get Deal Why we like it

After a long, dark winter, it's a relief to see those first signs of life popping through the earth. However, it's also the first sign that spring allergies are upon us. If you want to get ahead of it, an air purifier is your first line of defense inside the home.

Luckily, the Shark NeverChange air purifier is on sale for just $119.99. As implied by its name, this air purifier has an air filter that lasts five years, so you're not spending lots of money every six months for replacements. Its large LED display shows your air quality and clears the room of dust, pollen, dander, and smoke.

Right now, it's $30 off, making the device 20% off ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale.

More air purifier and humidifier dealsBest floor care deal Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Qrevo S Robot Vacuum and Mop $549.99 at Amazon
$799.99 Save $250 Get Deal Why we like it

Ready for spring cleaning? Start with the floors, clearing away all the salt and sand that's built-up over the winter. However, if you've got a long list of things to do, you can outsource that cleaning to a robot vacuum.

The Roborock Qrevo S robot vacuum and mop, has powerful suction to clear floors of dirt and debris. Not to mention, it mops floors too. The advanced docking station has a 5L water tank to refill the vacuum and provide up to 4,305 square feet of mopping area.

Right now, this vacuum is 38% off. Normally, $799.99, it's down to $499.99, saving you $300.

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The best outdoor deals to shop ahead of the Amazon Big Spring Sale

Mashable - 2 hours 39 min ago
The best Big Spring Sale outdoor deals at a glance: Best portable speaker deal Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 (Lilac) $199.99 (save $70) Get Deal Best camp lighting deal Mpowered Luci Solar String Lights $32.97 (save $21.98) Get Deal Best cooler deal RTIC Ultra-Tough Soft Cooler $108.49 (save $51.50) Get Deal Best hydration deal LifeStraw Go Series Water Bottle (22 ounces, clear) $37.82 (save $7.13) Get Deal Best camping kitchen deal Coleman Pack-Away Portable Camp Kitchen $95.07 (save $19.92) Get Deal Best portable power station deal Anker Solix C1000 Portable Power Station $499 (save $569) Get Deal

As spring flowers bloom and temperatures rise, Amazon is celebrating with the annual Big Spring Sale. The sale officially kicks off on March 25, but we're already seeing great discounts. These price drops are the perfect time to make sure your summer backyard setup has all the essentials for a great season. It's also time to grab the camping gear that's been packed away for months to check on what needs to be replaced for this coming season.

If you're shopping for outdoor deals this spring, Amazon has you covered. From coolers to tents to solar-powered fairy lights, you're in for some great discounts that are sure to make this a memorable and super functional outdoor season. Check out some of our favorites.

Best portable speaker deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ultimate Ears Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 (Blue) $129.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $70 Get Deal Why we like it

Every outdoor adventure could use a portable Bluetooth speaker. Whether you prefer to jam out to classic rock ballads around the campfire or chill out with jazz in the morning, the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 packs in mighty sound that comes with some major benefits when it comes to life outdoors. For starters, the speaker can get up to 20 hours of battery life before it needs a recharge, which can be great for long weekends at the cabin. The 147-foot range is also ideal for bringing sound to the party and it also had drop protection of up to about three feet.

It truly shines when it comes to being not only waterproof but floating. Ultimate Ears considers the Megaboom 4 to be "virtually indestructible," which feels worthy of bringing it along on summer's outdoor adventures. The speaker usually costs $199.99, but ahead of the Amazon Big Spring Sale the blue option is down to just $129.99.

Best camping deal Opens in a new window Credit: Mpowered Mpowered Luci Solar String Lights $32.97 at Amazon
$54.95 Save $21.98 Get Deal Why we like it

There's something so satisfying about charging with the power of the sun and reaping the benefits of free power. The Mpowered Luci Solar String Lights are the perfect campsite or backyard addition this summer with a solar-powered battery that can last for up to 20 hours. The 18-foot string usually sells for $54.95 but ahead of the Amazon Big Spring Sale, the strand it down to just $32.97 which works out to a 40% discount.

Since the Mpowered Luci lights can be used both indoors and out, they're designed with waterproof and weatherproof materials. The 18-foot strand features 20 lights that can display in four different light modes. The lights also serve as a power bank, so you can harness the solar-powered battery to recharge your devices via the USB port.

Best cooler deal Opens in a new window Credit: RTIC RTIC Ultra Tough Soft Cooler $108.49 at Amazon
$159.99 Save $51.50 Get Deal Why we like it

Hydration is key when it comes to warm spring and summer adventures spent outdoors which is why a solid cooler is always needed. Enter the RTIC Ultra-Tough Soft Cooler with storage capacity for up to 40 cans. The insulated bag is great for summer days spent at the lake or the pool or when packing along a picnic for the day. The leakproof design uses a waterproof zipper and RTIC mentions this cooler can keep foods chilled for up to two days with correct use. In part, that's thanks to the 1.5-inch thick insulation made with closed-cell foam.

More outdoor deals worth shopping ahead of the Amazon Big Spring Sale:

Happy Gilmore 2 trailer: Adam Sandler is back on the golf course

Mashable - 2 hours 46 min ago

It's been nearly 30 years since hockey player Happy Gilmore (Adam Sandler) first swung a golf club and became an unlikely champ. Now, he's back on the golf course for Happy Gilmore 2.

According to the sequel's first trailer, Happy hasn't been golfing for a while. "I haven't swung a club in years," he says.

SEE ALSO: Adam Sandler's 'Happy Gilmore' sequel Instagram post harnesses the good energy, blocks out the bad

Still, that's not going to stop him from facing off against new top golfers — in a Bruins jersey, of course. He's just going to have to make sure he updates his happy place to "something a little more age-appropriate" first.

Sandler isn't the only star returning from the original Happy Gilmore. Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald, and Ben Stiller are all slated to reprise their roles. Happy Gilmore 2 also welcomes new faces, like music superstar Bad Bunny as Happy's new caddy, as well as Travis Kelce, Eminem, and more. Several real-life golf pros are also set to star, including John Daly, Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and Bryson DeChambeau. Catch them (and Happy!) in action above.

Happy Gilmore 2 hits Netflix July 25.

Score huge discounts on iPads ahead of Amazons Big Spring Sale 2025

Mashable - 3 hours 15 min ago
The best iPad deals ahead of the Amazon Big Spring Sale: Best iPad deal Apple iPad, 10.9-inch (A14 Bionic, WiFi, 64GB) $269 (save $80) Get Deal Best iPad Pro deal Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 256GB) $919 (save $80) Get Deal Best iPad Mini deal Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro, WiFi, 512GB) $699 (save $100) Get Deal Best iPad Air deal Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M2, WiFi, 128GB) $698 (save $101) Get Deal

Spring has sprung over at Amazon, with the retailer throwing a Big Spring Sale on March 25-31. This selection is set to include quite a few Apple deals, so if you've been hoping to scoop up some new tech from Apple at a low price, this will be a great time to do it.

SEE ALSO: Every foldable iPhone and iPad rumor we've heard so far

But you might not need to wait, because quite a few iPad models have been discounted ahead of the Big Spring Sale. This includes the 10th Gen iPad, the iPad Air, iPad Mini, and iPad Pro. We've included some of the best early iPad discounts that have caught our eye below, and will continue updating this list with the best discounts as they go live.

Best iPad deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad, 10.9-inch (A14 Bionic, WiFi, 64GB) $269 at Amazon
$349 Save $80 Get Deal Why we like it

This is one the best iPad deals available at the moment. The 10th-gen iPad — with the A14 Bionic chip, 64GB of storage, and WiFi — is currently down to $269. This is $80 off its list price of $349. We consider this tablet to be the best iPad on a budget, saying in our roundup of the best iPads that "The iPad (10th generation) doesn't possess the flair of the Pro or Air, but it's a testament that Apple can still produce good entry-level tech."

If you're not looking for anything fancy and want a tablet to cover the basics, the 10th-gen iPad will get you where you need to go. And at this price? It's definitely worth picking up.

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Score great discounts on Apple AirTags ahead of Amazons Big Spring Sale

Mashable - 3 hours 19 min ago
The best Apple AirTag deals ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale: Best Bundle Deal Apple AirTags (4-Pack) $69.99 (save $29.01) Get Deal Best Solo Deal Apple AirTag $24 (save $5) Get Deal Best Accessories Deal Apple AirTag Loop $24.99 (save $4.01) Get Deal Best Alternative Deal Tile by Life360 Mate 4-Pack $55.99 (save $24) Get Deal

Ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale, the retailer is offering some fantastic deals on a variety of items. Apple devices, in particular, have seen some very nice discounts, including Apple AirTags. These little devices are a lifesaver when it comes to keeping track of your items, allowing you to quickly find anything you've misplaced that's been tagged. If you've been hoping to grab one, or more, you can save on them right now ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale.

We've included a few of our favorite AirTag deals below, from the multi-pack to a solo tag. We've also listed some alternative deals in the event that the AirTags sell out. Have a look, stock up, and feel comfortable knowing you can keep a better eye on your devices.

The best AirTag deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTag (4-Pack) $69.99 at Amazon
$99 Save $29.01 Get Deal Why we like it

Why have one AirTag when you can have four? This multi-pack is a great investment so you can have multiple AirTags right away to attach to various items. This is a great price, only $5.50 away from their lowest-ever price according to price tracker camelcamelcamel. We consider Apple's AirTags to be among the best Bluetooth trackers, so why not stock up with this four-pack while it's on sale?

More Apple AirTag deals:The best AirTag accessories deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTag Loop $24.99 at Amazon
$29 Save $4.01 Get Deal Why we like it

If you're looking for an easier way to attach your AirTag to your bag or a keychain, this AirTag Loop is worth picking up. It has a lightweight design that keeps a secure hold on the AirTag inside so you can attach it to an item without any fear of it popping out or getting lost somewhere else. There are two color options to choose from as well: a lovely capri blue and a vibrant pink citrus. We've listed a few more worthy AirTag accessory deals below.

More deals on AirTag accessories:The best AirTag alternatives deal Opens in a new window Credit: Tile Tile by Life360 Mate (2024), 4-Pack (Black) $55.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $24.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The Tile Mate trackers also rank among our picks for the best Bluetooth trackers because, "in our testing, we found it to be a reliable GPS tracker that works equally well for iOS and Android." If you're looking for some alternative trackers to pick up ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale, these are well worth a look, especially the Tile Mate four-pack we've listed above so you can pick up multiple trackers for a little less.

More deals on AirTag alternatives:

Roku is testing a new type of ad and users are very, very unhappy about it

Mashable - 3 hours 22 min ago

Roku has apparently found an entirely new way to anger its users by showing them ads before the home screen loads.

The new ads have been highlighted in a Reddit thread full of users talking about throwing their device "in the trash" or looking for ways to "publicly shame" the company.

"Hello! I just turned on my Roku and got an unskippable ad for a movie, before I got to the regular Roku homescreen. Has anyone else experienced this," asked the thread's creator. Judging by the comments below, other users have indeed experienced this, and it's hard to find one that's happy about it. (Update: the ad apparently can be skipped, though it's not clear how obvious this is to users.)

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Roku confirmed the move to Ars Technica, calling it a "test."

"Our recent test is just the latest example, as we explore new ways to showcase brands and programming while still providing a delightful and simple user experience," a spokesperson told the outlet. There's no word on whether the test could turn into a permanent feature, though.

On Roku's official forum, users are also voicing their opinion about the new ad type.

"I trashed all of my Amazon boxes years ago because of this garbage. If it keeps up, my Rokus will be next," wrote one user. "... today when I went to use the device it tried to force me to watch an ad before I could select my ap. This is unacceptable and if it continues, I'm trashing this device," wrote another.

SEE ALSO: Subscriptions are for streaming services, not your spreadsheets

We've asked Roku for more details about the test, and will update this article when we hear back. In the meantime, this seems to be a good blueprint for streaming companies of what not to do if they want to keep their users.

UPDATE: Mar. 18, 2025, 2:55 p.m. CET Roku got back to us with the following statement: "Roku delivers the best value and experience for our 90M and growing TV streaming households. This has and will always require continuous testing and innovation across design, navigation, content, and our first-rate advertising products. Our recent test is just the latest example, as we explore new ways to showcase brands and programming while still providing a delightful and simple user experience."

Apple AirPods are on sale ahead of Amazons 2025 Big Spring Sale

Mashable - 3 hours 29 min ago
Best early Amazon Big Spring Sale deals on AirPods: Best AirPods Pro deal Apple AirPods Pro 2 $199.00 (save $50) Get Deal Best AirPods Max deal Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) $479.99 (save $69.01) Get Deal Best Apple AirPods 4 deal Apple AirPods 4 $117.00 (save $12) Get Deal Best Apple AirPods 4 with ANC deal Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation $148.99 (save $30.01) Get Deal Best Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) deal Apple AirPods (3rd Generation) $137.99 (save $31.01) Get Deal

Amazon's kicking off the season in style with its Big Spring Sale, offering excellent discounts for shoppers to check out from March 25-31. If you've been waiting for Apple products to drop to low prices after the holiday season, this is your chance to scoop them up for less. AirPods, in particular, have seen some great discounts ahead of the Big Spring Sale and we've included all of the best deals here. You can find deals on everything from the AirPods Max headphones to the latest AirPods 4.

SEE ALSO: The 9 best noise-cancelling headphones we use and love

We're tracking all the best AirPods deals ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale below. Bookmark this page and keep checking back — we'll be adding new deals as they drop.

Best AirPods Pro deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 2 $199 at Amazon
$249 Save $50 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the Apple AirPods Pro 2.

Apple's AirPods Pro 2 have plenty to offer, including Active Noise Cancelation, hearing protection options, personalized spatial audio, and so much more. If you've had them on your shopping list, they've dropped down to $199 at Amazon, saving you 20% off their original list price of $249.

Best AirPods Max deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) $479.99 at Amazon
$549 Save $69.01 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the Apple AirPods Max.

If headphones are more your style, the AirPods Max with USB-C are also on sale right now ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale. They've dropped down $69.01 from their list price of $549 to $479.99. If you've had your eye on them, this is a great time to pick them up. We think they're a worthy investment as well, stating in our review that "the AirPods Max check off almost all the boxes for what makes an excellent pair of headphones: great sound quality, ideal battery life, easy controls, and a stylish design (sans Smart Case)."

Best AirPods 4 deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 $117 at Amazon
$129 Save $12 Get Deal Why we like it

Apple's latest AirPods, the AirPods 4, have dropped to $117, which is a nice little deal to take advantage of if you've had them on your radar for some time. Keep in mind, though, that these are the earbuds without Active Noise Cancelation. If you'd prefer to have the models with noise-cancelation, the good news is you can score those at a discount right now as well! We've listed those earbud options below.

More Amazon Big Spring Sale AirPods deals

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition review: A forgotten classic is back with a vengeance

Mashable - 3 hours 31 min ago

I didn’t need to be sold on Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, but after a couple dozen hours with one of the largest and coolest games Nintendo has ever made, one moment cemented this remaster as one of the very best games on Nintendo Switch for me.

It came after I decided to get a little adventurous. Following excursions into three of the game’s five gorgeous, ecologically diverse continents, I decided to take things further and go north to Sylvalum, a region defined by alabaster white sand and spherical trees that glow at night. Getting there was a journey in and of itself, requiring me to duck and weave between enemies that could kill me in just one or two hits if they noticed me. 

But then I got there, and Sylvalum’s incredible theme music kicked in. By this point, I’m already locked the hell in. I ventured further into the continent, eventually finding an enormous lake shallow enough for me to walk across. Suddenly, the weather became oppressively misty, reducing visibility to near zero. As I carefully trotted across the lake, I found myself running underneath the legs of a gargantuan alien stag the size of a large building. It didn’t want anything to do with me, but seeing that thing emerge from the mist was a jump-scare that drove home how genuinely dangerous and alien Xenoblade X’s setting can be at its best. 

I'm so glad this dude was non-hostile. Credit: Nintendo

Xenoblade X, originally released on Wii U for what felt like an audience of about 27 people in 2015, is all about moments like this, little reminders of how physically small and cosmically insignificant humans are. I’ve never played another open-world game that so routinely makes the player feel like an ant in the coolest way possible. The alien planet of Mira, on which the game is set, was not meant for our feet, and Xenoblade X reminds you of this at every opportunity.

All of that was true of the Wii U original, and remains true with this new Switch release. To leave it there would do a disservice to developer Monolith Soft, though. Rather than making a simple remaster with cleaned up visuals and some UI tweaks, Monolith Soft went about seven extra miles. Thanks to substantial and tasteful reconsiderations of various menus and systems, as well as thrilling new story material, Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is truly the way to play this almost-forgotten classic. You can finally put your Wii U in the closet for good.

Man in the Mira

Xenoblade X, which is narratively unrelated to the numbered trilogy I’ve gushed about on this website before, has kind of a bummer of an opening. Before you can even take control of your player-created silent protagonist, Earth has been destroyed in the crossfire of a war between two hostile alien civilizations. We weren’t even part of the fight; we just got in the way of it. 

To make matters worse, seemingly only one colony ship managed to slip away in all the chaos: the White Whale. After some more alien war nonsense, the White Whale makes an emergency crash landing on the uncharted planet Mira. The survivors manage to retrofit the ship’s habitat area into a half-built city called New Los Angeles. They get to work not only on figuring out how to survive on Mira, but also on retrieving the Lifehold, a lost part of the White Whale that is the key to the future of the human race. 

Transplanting suburban American culture to another planet is a really goofy idea. Credit: Nintendo

While that is a solid jumping-off point for a JRPG story, not even a terrific remaster can save Xenoblade X from its biggest foibles. Namely, the main story takes a really long time to find its footing. Sure, it sprinkles in some interesting reveals early on, enough to keep the player invested, but this is not the kind of strong, character-driven, emotional storytelling you’d find in a numbered Xenoblade game. Monolith Soft has gotten a lot better at visual presentation in the decade since this game came out on Wii U, and it shows. A great deal of the story in Xenoblade X is delivered through wooden conversation scenes where anywhere between three and six people stand still in a circle for a while. It’s no match for the excellent cutscene direction of something like Xenoblade 3.

Luckily, there’s plenty of charming and funny writing to be found in Xenoblade X’s treasure trove of side quests, which you absolutely should take the time to do. The main story does eventually find some interesting thematic ground to cover (who gets to leave Earth before its destruction, and who gets to choose?), it just takes too long to get there. 

Nintendo would probably prefer it if I didn’t spoil the new story stuff, which largely takes place after the original game’s unsatisfying cliffhanger ending. Without going too much into what happens in it, the new chapter is a more conclusive coda to the adventure than what was there before. It’s also thematically more in line with the other Xenoblade games, full of achingly sincere emotional beats about the existence of gods, angels, and even Heaven itself. 

And yes, fans of the other three Xenoblades will find plenty to pick through and theorize about in YouTube essays and Reddit threads in the years to come.

Be prepared to do a lot of quests The whole game is full of sights like this. Credit: Nintendo

Just like the original Wii U version, Xenoblade X Definitive Edition opens with a fairly limiting creation suite for the player character, who is a voiceless, amnesiac husk with no apparent stakes in anything that’s happening. Monolith Soft has upgraded the character creator with some new visual options, but it’s still got very rigid male/female gender options that feel out of step with where RPGs have gone in the decade since this game first came out. I understand that it’s probably very difficult to offer extensive pronoun options in a game with voice acting that was recorded more than a decade ago, but the lack of things like that does stand out now.

Regardless, once you make your little dude and go through a fairly stiff and awkward tutorial chapter, Xenoblade X sets you off on an open-ended quest to explore Mira and help humanity build a new home for itself. There is a linear series of main story chapters to complete, but accessing them (especially in the later stages of the story) often requires the player to complete seemingly optional missions or otherwise engage with its many systems.

These usually include affinity missions, each of which revolves around a different playable party member, of which there are more than 20. Affinity missions have full voice acting and even unique boss fights in some cases. These are generally the best Xenoblade X has to offer in terms of authored side material. 

My one major complaint about the quest structure here is that activating a main story mission or affinity mission locks you out of doing other story/affinity missions until you complete it. It’s unnecessarily rigid and can become quite annoying if the next objective in the quest you’re locked into is something you don’t feel comfortable doing. 

My favorite area in the whole game. Credit: Nintendo

There are also non-voiced side missions that often at least include funny premises and objectives, such as one where you have to stop a dangerous political candidate who wants to convert the entire economy into a pizza-based bartering system from winning office in New LA. Many of the side missions involve cultural exchange between humans and several different friendly alien species who shack up in NLA over the course of the story. 

I can’t lie: In times like these, I found it nice and refreshing just how much of the missions in this game involve humans embracing diversity and befriending unfamiliar immigrants who have nowhere else to go. It’s not always perfectly sensitive to every issue, but Xenoblade X carries an optimism about people and their ability to accept others that’s nice to see right now.

Beyond that, there are more basic busywork missions that mostly involve killing a certain number of monsters or collecting a certain number of items. Blessedly, these are things you can do if you want, but rarely do you have to do any of them. 

When you aren’t questing, you’ll most likely spend your time running around Mira, planting mining probes to expand the map. These also double as a source of regular passive income, making it well worth the player’s while to meticulously plan out their probe network in the in-game FrontierNav menu. 

As a lifelong fan of MMORPGs, Xenoblade X’s questing rhythm is familiar and comfortable to me. “Just one more quest and then it’s time for bed” regularly turned into late-night sessions that ultimately led to a staggering 96 hours of playtime before I hit the end credits. There’s no denying that Xenoblade X is a beast of a video game, but I had a good time for almost all of those 96 hours.

Stick with it, I promise Skells rule. Credit: Nintendo

I realize I’ve gotten nearly 1,500 words into this review without mentioning that you eventually get access to fully customizable mechs (called Skells) in this game. That’s appropriate because it takes literally about 30 hours of gametime before Xenoblade X grants access to this game-changing system. It’s another 15 hours of gametime before your Skell gets the ability to fly, which alters things even further.

A lot of people will read that paragraph, say “screw that,” and go play something else instead. To each their own, but I strongly feel that instant gratification for mech lovers would make Xenoblade X a substantially less interesting experience. 

Put simply, Skells alter the player’s perspective in a way that I’m not sure I’ve ever seen another open-world game pull off. Before you have a Skell, you are but an insect to the megafauna of Mira. Many parts of the world are fully inaccessible because you can’t jump high enough, and it’s not even worth trying to kill big monsters most of the time. Once you have a Skell, you suddenly see Mira at an entirely different scale. You can kill more things and go to more places.

Flying around Mira is a blast. Credit: Nintendo

It’s a massive change to thrust upon the player after 30 hours of gameplay, but then it happens again once your Skell has a flight module. The ability to freely fly around Mira is a profound change, and one that unlocks places you never even dreamed of being able to visit before. This is where the real magic of Xenoblade X reveals itself: Anything you can see, you can also touch. Things that would be background elements in other games are fully modeled objects that you can walk on, even if there’s no reason to do so. 

I’ve just never played another open-world game that so intentionally and effectively plays with the player’s relationship to the game world itself. You experience three different versions of Mira over the course of the adventure. It’s rad as hell. It also doesn’t hurt that the environmental art direction is outstanding across the board. All five continents are beautiful in their own way, and they all manage to put at least one fun twist on familiar concepts like “green plains” or “jungle.” 

Also, one of the new things they added in the remaster is a Skell that transforms into a jet. It’s easily the most fun way to get around Mira once you unlock it.

They fixed the combat, too

Fighting monsters is, obviously, a very big part of Xenoblade X, and it’s also the part that’s most likely to make newcomers bounce off of it. Like every other game in the series, combat here is roughly akin to that of classic MMORPGs like World of Warcraft. When you target an enemy, your character automatically begins attacking while you scroll through a horizontal bar full of Arts, which are cooldown-based combat abilities, on the bottom of the screen. 

While fights play out in real-time, this isn’t an action game. Your job is to properly position your character and manage cooldowns, not skillfully execute combos. The most unique thing about the combat in Xenoblade X relative to its peers is the general lack of healing abilities. While there are a handful of Arts that recover health, the main way to heal your party members is to use certain Arts at the right time whenever one of your teammates calls out for it, which recovers a little bit of health for everyone. 

I know this looks like a lot, but trust me, it's way cleaner than the Wii U version. Credit: Nintendo

This system, known as Soul Voices, is something you can spend hours tinkering with, or ignore entirely, as I did. In general, this is by far the most build-crafty Xenoblade game, with lots of adjusting to be done in the game’s many menus in order to put together the perfect party for any situation. It is immensely satisfying, especially in the game’s later chapters, to carefully put together a plan and see it work just as you imagined.

Combat was hectic and fun on Wii U, but it always felt like it was missing something. Monolith Soft found it in the Switch version with the quick cooldown system. By simply hovering over an Art that’s currently on cooldown and pressing a button, you can skip the cooldown and instantly use the art again, as many times as you want. This is governed by a new meter that doesn’t really refill until a fight is over, so you do need to be careful about it, which is nice because otherwise it would be totally broken.

Quick cooldowns make fights substantially faster and more fun. Monolith Soft has hit a satisfying balance of giving players more ways to succeed without trivializing combat. It can still be very challenging, but the player now has a slightly bigger margin for error. I should note that Skell combat is very similar to on-foot fights, but you don’t get access to quick cooldowns. This is a cool disparity that didn’t exist before; combat on-foot is more agile and reactive, while Skell fights are slower and more methodical, as they should be.

They fixed everything else, too Auroras are cool. Credit: Nintendo

The Wii U version of Xenoblade X was a hard game to love at times. There were certain elements of its design that made tedious grinding more necessary than I prefer, and in general, the user interface was a mess. Monolith Soft’s efforts to alleviate those problems are, by a wide margin, my favorite thing about the Definitive Edition port.

The two most important changes involve the game’s large roster of party members. In the original game, you had to manually walk up to someone in NLA and talk to them to add them to your party. The Wii U version also did not give any experience points to inactive party members, meaning you had to grind to keep people at an acceptable level. Since affinity missions have strict level requirements, this was an extremely tiresome chore.

I’m pleased to report that the Switch version allows you to switch out party members from the main menu at any time, and everyone levels up regardless of how much you use them. Affinity, a separate stat that goes up as you spend more time with characters and is usually a requirement to start affinity missions, also accumulates much faster than it did before. This makes it a breeze to complete every single affinity mission in the game, something that I would never have done before.

That’s not all, though, Not even close. Here’s just a sampling of some of the other improvements the developers made over the Wii U version:

  • You can change the time of day from the main menu

  • Character faces generally look a lot better

  • Objective markers for quests are significantly more helpful than they used to be

  • There are now multiple save slots

  • You can highlight specific segments of the minimap, which makes searching for things easier

Last but certainly not least, a majority of the fonts have been updated to the admittedly kinda sterile sans serif font Nintendo uses for everything now. In this case specifically, this was a great choice. The Wii U version's text could be hard to read at times. On top of that, just about every menu has been updated to efficiently communicate as much information as possible, when possible. The Combat UI has also seen massive improvements, making it much easier to read the situation and react accordingly than before.

Is Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition worth getting?

Does the sun rise? Is water wet?

Put simply, Monolith Soft has done a remarkable job updating this game without compromising on what made it so compelling in the first place. Most of its irksome little annoyances have been removed, while maintaining a fair and enjoyable amount of friction. Mira is still an incredibly dangerous planet to explore, especially before you have Skells.

I promise I wouldn’t recommend a game that took me nearly 100 hours to finish unless I really thought it was worth the time. This is the best Xenoblade Chronicles X has ever been, and I’m extremely thrilled that people who are curious can finally check it out without digging out a Wii U.

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition launches exclusively on Nintendo Switch on March 20.

Materialists trailer: Pedro Pascal, Chris Evans, and Dakota Johnson fall into a love triangle

Mashable - 3 hours 32 min ago

Celine Song has come to tangle us up in an enticing love triangle all over again. The celebrated writer/director of the critically acclaimed Past Lives returns with Materialists, a tantalizing three-way romance starring Pedro Pascal, Chris Evans, and Dakota Johnson.

The logline from A24 teases: "A young, ambitious New York City matchmaker finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex."

Johnson stars as this matchmaker, described by friends as the "eternal bachelorette." However, her prospects change at a client's wedding when she meets a dashing and wealthy unicorn (Pascal), as in "an impossible fantasy." She also reconnects with her ex (Evans), a charming but broke bachelor who has a catering job, roommates, and dreams of growing old with her.

How is a gal supposed to choose between two of the internet's most beloved boyfriends?

We'll find out when Materialists opens in theaters everywhere June 13.

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