The weekend’s best bargains: New Apple iPad Air, tons of PC games, and more

Ars Technica

It’s the weekend, which indicates it is time for yet another Dealmaster. Our newest roundup of the best tech bargains from about the internet involves an early discount on Apple’s newest iPad Air, the 64GB version of which is down to $570 at Amazon. That’s just a $30 discount, but it is notable provided that the tablet only began shipping final week. The 1 caveat is that Amazon is displaying shipping delays as of this writing if you want to have the device inside the subsequent couple of weeks, you may possibly nonetheless be far better off paying full price at Apple. But if you have been arranging on selecting up the tablet anyway and are prepared to wait, it is a good small savings.

We gave the new iPad Air a positive review final week, calling it “the best tablet for most folks who can afford it.” While it is not a big overhaul compared to the earlier model, it upgrades to Apple’s M1 technique-on-a-chip, which is the similar SoC applied in the iPad Pro and MacBook Air, amongst other pricier Apple devices. It’s exceptionally speedy as a outcome, to the point exactly where efficiency should not be an problem for years to come. The incorporated USB-C port now delivers more rapidly transfer speeds, as well, and the front-facing camera is now a 12 MP unit (up from 7 MP) that supports Apple’s “Center Stage” function.

The iPad Air’s closest competitors nonetheless comes from Apple itself. The 11-inch iPad Pro includes twice as considerably storage by default (128GB), far better speakers, and a brighter show that supports a larger 120 Hz refresh price, but it charges about $180 more. The entry-level iPad, meanwhile, is far more affordable at $329 and nonetheless performs effectively for each day tablet tasks, but it is not as effective on the complete and makes use of a more dated style. For these prepared to spend a bit more, the new iPad Air is a robust middle ground: it nonetheless has a fantastic show for media consumption, and when paired with the proper accessories, it is as effective as the present iPad Pro for finding more involved function completed.

Beyond that, our roundup also involves a sweeping new “Spring Sale” at Epic Games’ PC gaming storefront. We’ve marked our preferred bargains of the bunch under, but the sale involves fantastic costs on former Ars game of the year winners Hades, Celeste, and Control, plus other Ars-authorized hits like Untitled Goose Game, Horizon Zero Dawn, Kena: Bridge of Spirits, Inscryption, and Disco Elysium, amongst numerous other individuals. A handful of these bargains are also offered at other storefronts such as GOG and Humble.

Elsewhere, we have bargains on the just-released Switch game Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Amazon Fire HD tablets, suggested noise-canceling headphones and wireless gaming mice, external challenging drives, Anker USB-C chargers, and considerably more. You can verify out our complete curated roundup under.

Ars Technica may possibly earn compensation for sales from hyperlinks on this post through affiliate programs.

Featured bargains of the day

/ The 2022 iPad Air. Samuel Axon

Electronics bargains

/ Apple’s AirPods Max are high-priced, but their noise cancellation and audio top quality are amongst the best we’ve tested from a wireless headphone. Jeff Dunn

/ Amazon’s Fire HD eight Kids Edition tablet with its incorporated bumper case. Jeff Dunn

Laptop and desktop PC bargains

• WD Elements (14TB) desktop challenging drive for $210 ($245) at Newegg (use code: 93XSR68)
• WD Elements (18TB) desktop challenging drive for $300 ($360) at Amazon, B&H
• Samsung 980 (1TB NVMe) PCIe three. internal SSD for $100 ($110) at Samsung, Amazon, Best Buy
• Samsung 970 Evo Plus (2TB NVMe) PCIe three. internal SSD for $200 ($220) at Amazon, Best Buy
• AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 6-core/12-thread desktop processor for $229 ($285) at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart
• AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 12-core/24-thread desktop processor for $449 ($520) at Amazon, Best Buy
• AMD Ryzen 9 5950X 16-core/32-thread desktop processor for $590 ($710) at Amazon
• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga 13.five-inch two-in-1 laptop (Core i7-1160G7, 2256 x 1504, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) for $1,189 ($1,500) at Lenovo (use code: TITANOFFER)
• Gigabyte G34WQC 34-inch gaming monitor (3440×1440, 144 Hz, VA, FreeSync) for $390 ($420) at Amazon, Best Buy

/ Samsung’s 970 Evo Plus (prime) and 980 (middle) are fine midrange customer SSDs. Jim Salter

Television and house entertainment bargains

• LG C1 (2021) 55-inch 4K OLED Television for $1,197 ($1,355) at Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy
• LG C1 (2021) 65-inch 4K OLED Television for $1,650 ($1,825) at Woot
• Hisense U6G (2021) 65-inch 4K LED Television for $550 ($640) at Best Buy, Walmart
• Sony X90J (2021) 65-inch 4K LED Television for $1,098 ($1,240) at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart

/ The Razer Viper Ultimate is a lightweight and very correct wireless gaming mouse. Jeff Dunn

Gaming bargains

/ Microsoft’s Xbox Series X console.

Video game bargains

• Epic Games Spring Sale: several PC games discounted at Epic
• Inscryption (PC) for $14 ($19) at GOG, Humble, Epic
• Disco Elysium – The Final Cut (PC) for $16 ($30) at GOG, Epic
• Hades (PC) for $16 ($20) at Epic (also on Game Pass)
• Death’s Door (PC, PS5, PS4) for $14 ($19) at GOG, Humble, Epic, PSN (also on Game Pass)
• The Messenger (PC) for $8 ($15) at GOG, Humble, Epic
• Control: Ultimate Edition (PC) for $12 ($20) at GOG, Epic
• Ape Out (PC) for $5 ($10) at GOG, Humble, Epic
• Loop Hero (PC) for $7 ($12) at GOG, Humble, Epic

/ The subversive deck-developing game Inscryption created our list of the best games of 2021. Devolver Digital

/ Untitled Goose Game is a silly puzzle game about getting an annoying goose. Panic

• Bravely Default II (PC) for $36 ($55) at Humble, Steam
• Axiom Verge (PC) for $6 ($15) at Epic
• Bugsnax (PC) for $15 ($25) at Epic
• The Talos Principle (PC) for $4 ($15) at Humble
• Far: Lone Sails (Xbox, PC) for $3 ($10) at Xbox, GOG
• Celeste (Xbox, PC) for $5 ($15) at Xbox, Epic
• Night in the Woods (Xbox) for $10 ($20) at Xbox
• Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice – GOTY Edition (Xbox) for $30 ($40) at Xbox
• Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition (Xbox, PS4) for $20 ($30) at Xbox, PSN
• It Takes Two (Xbox, PS4, PC) for $16 ($25) at Amazon, Xbox, PSN, Steam (also on Game Pass)

/ The just-released Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a breezy and simple 3D adventure.

• Mass Effect Legendary Edition (Xbox, PS4, PC) for $25 ($35) at Target, Amazon, PSN (also on Game Pass)
• Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 (PS4, Xbox, PC) for $20 ($30) at Best Buy, Xbox, Epic
• Metal Gear Solid V: The Definitive Experience (PS4) for $4 ($15) at PSN ($7 at Xbox)
• Castlevania Anniversary Collection (PS4) for $4 ($15) at PSN ($5 at Xbox)
• Kirby and the Forgotten Land (Switch) for $55 ($60) at Amazon, Walmart (discount in cart)
• Slay the Spire (Switch) for $10 ($20) at Nintendo eShop (also on Game Pass)
• Inside (Switch) for $3 ($15) at Nintendo eShop ($5 at Xbox, GOG, Epic)
• Horizon Chase Turbo (Switch, PC) for $5 ($15) at Nintendo eShop, Epic
• Mark of the Ninja: Remastered (Switch) for $5 ($15) at Nintendo eShop

/ Anker’s ultracompact PowerPort III Nano can charge newer iPhones at their maximum speeds. Corey Gaskin

Accessories and miscellaneous bargains

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