The weekend’s best deals: Apple MacBooks, Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, 4K TVs and more

It’s the weekend and that means it’s time for a new Dealmaster. Our latest roundup of the best tech deals from around the web includes Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5, the company’s fast T7 portable SSD, solid options for TVs in various sizes from TCL, LG, and Samsung, and $150 off the latest generation. MacBook Air in various configurations.

The MacBook Air deal brings the new M2-powered laptop to its lowest price just a few months after its release in June. Both the 256GB and 512GB are available for $150 off $1049 and $1349 respectively. While storage is the main difference to consider here, you can also grab a 2021 MacBook Pro with 512GB storage for $1,049 and a get a little better performance for sustained workloads and a nicer display.

We break down all the differences in our MacBook buying guide, but the 2021 13-inch MacBook Pro falls right between the 2022 MacBook Air (our pick for most users’ basic needs) and the 2022 14-inch MacBook Pro (our pick for developers, engineers and researchers) in terms of performance. While we feel the Air and 14-inch Pro are the best for their target demos, the value of this deal may tip the scales a little further for the 13-inch Pro, which we think strikes a balance between the two.

Samsung earned a few spots in our recommended deals list with a $50 discount on the Galaxy Watch 5 ($250) and a modest discount on the T7 Rugged Portable SSD ($100). The Galaxy Watch 5 currently represents the best smartwatch available to Android users, especially those with Samsung devices. With sensors for blood oxygen, heart rate and EKG monitoring, it makes a very capable fitness companion, although EKG monitoring does require a paired Samsung phone. After partnering with Google to create one unified wearable OS on the Galaxy Watch 4, third-party app compatibility was greatly improved (although nowhere near the compatibility and Apple Watch enjoys) and the OS is just as smooth as always.

Samsung’s well-rounded QN85B 85-inch 4K QLED TV (2022) is also on sale at the lowest price we’ve ever tracked ($400 off). The $2,598 TV represents strong value for its size. It performs well for gaming with HDMI 2.1 on all ports and refresh rates to match. Competent HDR performance and glare reduction also make it a great choice for watching movies. If you’re looking for something smaller with comparable performance, LG’s C2 48-inch OLED TV (2022) is a respectable contender in the mid-range. Right now, the C2 is on sale for $1,197 ($220 off) with an additional $100 gift card to sweeten the deal. TCL’s budget-conscious 5-series 65-inch TV also retails for $550 (usually $700).

Heading into video game deals, we have a $20 discount that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate with code brings to $40 SBSPMR10. There are also a handful of price cuts on some of our favorite games, such as Cuphead, and a mix of computer components, smart home devices, gift cards and offers on much more. You can check out our full curated list of deals below.

Ars Technica may earn compensation through affiliate programs for sales of links on this post.

Featured offers of the day

• Sony A80K (2022) 55″ 4K OLED TV for $1,300 ($1,500) at Amazon (Prime members only)
• LG C2 (2022) 48-inch 4K OLED TV + $100 Gift Card for $1,197 ($1,420) at Newegg (GC expires after six months)
• Samsung QN85B (2022) 85-inch 4K QLED TV for $2,598 ($3,000) at Amazon
• Apple MacBook Air (2022) 13.6-inch laptop (Apple M2, 2560×1664, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $1,049 ($1,199) at Amazon, (512 GB for $1349)
• Apple MacBook Pro (2021) 13.3-inch laptop (Apple M1, 2560×1600, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for $1,049 ($1,500) at Best Buy
• SK Hynix Platinum P41 (1TB) PCIe 4.0 SSD for $120 ($150) at Amazon (2TB for $208)
• WD Black SN850 (1TB) PCIe 4.0 SSD with Front Heatsink $104 ($140) at Best Buy
• WD Black P10 (5TB) portable SSD + 1 month Xbox Game Pass for $115 ($130) at Amazon
• Google Nest Hub 7-inch smart display for $55 ($85) at Target, Best Buy, Walmart
• $100 DoorDash Gift Card + $20 Best Buy Gift Card (Digital) for $100 ($120)
• Samsung Galaxy Watch5 for $250 ($280) at Woot
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (switch) $40 ($60) (use code SBSPMR10 at checkout) at SuperShop

enlarge / Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Electronics Deals

enlarge / Google’s second-generation Nest Hub is my favorite bedside device and sleep tracker.

Corey Gaskin

Laptop and Desktop PC Deals

• Apple MacBook Air (2020) 13.3-inch laptop (Apple M1, 2560×1600, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $900 ($940) at Amazon (discount in cart)
• Apple MacBook Air (2022) 13.6-inch laptop (Apple M2, 2560×1664, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $1,049 ($1,199) at Amazon, Best Buy (512GB for $1349)
• SK Hynix Platinum P41 (1TB) PCIe 4.0 SSD for $127.49 ($150) at Amazon ($22.50 clip coupon) (2TB for $208)
• SK Hynix Gold P31 (1TB) PCIe 3.0 SSD for $91.80 ($106) (clip $16.20 coupon) at Amazon (2TB for $169)
• Corsair Vengeance DDR5 32GB (2×16GB) 5600MHz RAM for $158 ($200) at Newegg (use code: UPGBW2Z232, $158 at Amazon)
• ViewSonic Elite XG270Q 27-inch gaming monitor (2560×1440, IPS, 165 Hz, G-Sync) for $260 ($375) at B&H, Amazon
• Gigabyte M28U 28-inch gaming monitor (3840×2160, IPS, 144 Hz, VRR) for $480 ($540) at Amazon, Best Buy
• Gigabyte M32UC 32-inch gaming monitor (3840×2160, VA, 160 Hz, VRR) for $530 ($600) at Amazon, B&H
• Gigabyte M32QC 32-inch gaming monitor (2560×1440, VA, 165 Hz, VRR) for $230 ($300) at Amazon, Newegg

Video Game Deals

Gaming Deals

Accessories and various offers