The weekend’s best deals: Xbox Series X/S in stock, Samsung microSD cards, and more - Ars Technica

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Ars Technica

It's the weekend, which means the time has come for another Dealmaster. Our latest roundup of the best tech deals from around the web is headlined by more of a PSA than an outright discount: if you've been interested in buying one of Microsoft's latest game consoles, the Xbox Series X or Series S, it looks like you may finally be able to do so without having to rush to beat scalpers or keep a constant eye on stock trackers.

The more powerful Series X, for one, has been in stock at Walmart for most of the past couple of weeks. There's no discount from Microsoft's $499 MSRP and you'll need to log into a free Walmart account to checkout, but the process of actually obtaining the Series X now appears to be far more stable than it has been for the past year and a half, during which time the console has typically either sold out within minutes or not been available at all.

If Walmart's supply runs out, Microsoft itself has the Series X in stock as well, albeit in bundle form. This package includes the console, a second controller (one comes in the box), and one of a handful of games. The cheapest game option is the Ars-recommended Assassin's Creed Valhalla for $24, though the selection also includes the newly acclaimed RPG Elden Ring at full price. If you planned on picking up an extra gamepad and one of the available games anyway, this isn't the most egregious bundle we've seen in recent months.

The Series S has been slightly easier to find as of late, but now we're starting to see genuine deals for the device at certain retailers. As of this writing, for instance, Newegg will let you take $30 off the normally $300 console when you use the code "APRBRA338" at checkout.

We've broken down the differences between the Series X and Series S before, but in short, the Series X is the more futureproof of the two, offering a more powerful GPU, more memory, and more storage space (1TB, versus the 512GB in the Series S). If you have or plan on buying a 4K TV and care about achieving the highest graphical settings in your games, it should be worth the extra $200. The Series X also has a disc drive, so you'll be able to pick up used games, whereas the Series S can only play digital downloads.

That said, the Series S can play all the same games as the Series X, and while it isn't built for higher-end 4K gaming like the Series X (instead aiming for a 1440p resolution), it still brings a marked step up in performance compared to the older Xbox One. It's a decidedly more compact piece of hardware, too, and its lack of a disc drive doesn't stop it from pairing well with an Xbox Game Pass subscription, if you already pay for that. If you're looking for a secondary console or just a way to play Halo, Forza, and other Xbox games on a smaller screen, it's a good value.

There's still a distinct possibility that these consoles sell out by the time you read this, and unfortunately, supply for Sony's PlayStation 5 still appears to be hamstrung by the component shortages and intense, pandemic-fueled demand many gaming devices have faced over the past two years. But if you're sold on Xbox's game library and prefer to use a console over a gaming PC, accessing the latest generation of hardware seems to be getting easier.

If you don't need a new console, though, our roundup also includes a new low price on the 512GB version of Samsung's Evo Select microSD card, plus discounts on recommended USB-C chargers from Anker, board games, 8BitDo gamepads, LG OLED TVs, gaming monitors, and more. You can have a look at our full curated list below.

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

Featured deals of the day

• In stock: Microsoft Xbox Series X for $499 at Walmart (requires Walmart account)
• In stock: Microsoft Xbox Series X + extra Xbox Wireless Controller + Assassin's Creed Valhalla (Xbox) for $574 ($580) at Microsoft
• Microsoft Xbox Series S for $270 ($300) at Newegg (use code: APRBRA338)
• Samsung Evo Select (512GB, U3, A2, V30) microSD card for $55 ($72) at Amazon
• Anker PowerCore Fusion 30W wall charger + portable battery (1x USB-C PD, 1x USB-A, 5,000 mAh) for $23 ($50) at Amazon (use code: ANKERA1622)
• Anker PowerPort III Nano 20W USB-C charger for $14 ($17) at Amazon (clip 15% coupon)
• 8BitDo Pro 2 wireless game controller for Switch/PC for $43 ($50) at Amazon, Best Buy
• 7 Wonders board game for $29 ($41) at Amazon, Target
• Photosynthesis board game for $21 ($32) at Amazon
• Anker Soundcore Motion+ portable Bluetooth speaker for $84 ($106) at Newegg (use code: MKTCV8T24)
• LG C1 (2021) 55-inch 4K OLED TV for $1,197 ($1,355) at Amazon, Target, Best Buy

Enlarge / The 2022 iPad Air.

Samuel Axon

Electronics deals

• Apple iPad Air (2022) 10.9-inch tablet for $570 ($599) at Amazon
• Anker Soundcore Motion+ portable Bluetooth speaker for $84 ($106) at Newegg (use code: MKTCV8T24)
• Samsung T7 (2TB) portable SSD for $220 ($250) at Amazon, Best Buy
• LG C1 (2021) 55-inch 4K OLED TV for $1,197 ($1,355) at Amazon, Target, Best Buy
• Hisense U7G (2021) 55-inch 4K LED TV for $553 ($645) at eBay (use code: SHOPTECH15)
• Samsung QN90A (2021) 85-inch 4K LED TV for $3,000 ($3,350) at Samsung, Amazon, Best Buy

Enlarge / Xbox Series S (left), next to Xbox Series X (right). Two consoles... but only the latter has a disc drive.

Sam Machkovech

Gaming deals

• Microsoft Xbox Series S for $270 ($300) at Newegg (use code: APRBRA338)
• In stock: Microsoft Xbox Series X for $499 at Walmart (requires Walmart account)
• In stock: Microsoft Xbox Series X + extra Xbox Wireless Controller + Assassin's Creed Valhalla (Xbox) for $574 ($580) at Microsoft
• Xbox Wireless Controller (Shock Blue) for Xbox/PC for $49 ($55) at Amazon, Target, Walmart
• Nintendo Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda for $43 ($50) at Amazon, GameStop
• 8BitDo Pro 2 wireless game controller for Switch/PC for $43 ($50) at Amazon, Best Buy
• Razer Huntsman Mini compact gaming keyboard for $70 ($105) at Woot
• Logitech G915 TKL wireless gaming keyboard for $175 ($195) at Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop
• 7 Wonders board game for $29 ($41) at Amazon, Target
• Photosynthesis board game for $21 ($32) at Amazon

Enlarge / Nintendo's Legend of Zelda Game and Watch includes three classic games (The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and Link's Awakening) and doubles as a cutesy collectible clock when you aren't playing.

Jeff Dunn

Laptop and desktop PC deals

• HP Pavilion Aero 13 13.3-inch laptop (1920 x 1200, Ryzen 7 5800U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for $750 ($850) at HP
• Gigabyte M32U 31.5-inch gaming monitor (3840 x 2160, 144 Hz, IPS, FreeSync) for $600 ($740) at Amazon, Best Buy, B&H
• Gigabyte G34WQC 34-inch curved gaming monitor (3440×1440, 144 Hz, VA, FreeSync) for $300 ($415) at Amazon, Best Buy
• LG 34GN850-B 34-inch curved gaming monitor (3440×1440, IPS, 160 Hz, FreeSync, G-Sync Compatible) for $750 ($990) at Adorama (discount in cart)

Enlarge / The 8BitDo Pro 2 (middle) is a comfortable, feature-rich gamepad for Switch, PC, and mobile devices.

Video game deals

• Kirby and the Forgotten Land (Switch) for $55 ($60) at Amazon, Walmart (discount in cart)
• Sonic Mania (Switch) for $10 ($15) at Nintendo eShop
• Baba Is You (Switch) for $11 ($15) at Nintendo eShop
• Sega Genesis Classics (Switch) for $12 ($20) at Nintendo eShop
• Inside (Switch) for $3 ($15) at Nintendo eShop ($5 at GOG, Epic)
• Axiom Verge (Switch, PC) for $6 ($15) at Nintendo eShop, Epic
• Psychonauts 2 (Xbox, PC) for $36 ($50) at Xbox, Humble (also on Game Pass)
• Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (Xbox, PC) for $10 ($20) at Xbox, Epic (also on Game Pass)
• Mass Effect Legendary Edition (PS4, Xbox, PC) for $25 ($35) at Target, Xbox, Best Buy (also on Game Pass)

Enlarge / The nostalgic Sonic Mania is deeply faithful to the Sonic platformers of the Sega Genesis era.

• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - GOTY Edition (PC) for free ($10) at Amazon (Prime users only)
• Spiritfarer (PC) for $10 ($20) at Steam (also on Game Pass)
• Death's Door (PC) for $12 ($19) at Steam (also on Game Pass)
• Alan Wake Remastered (PS5, PS4, PC) for $22 ($30) at PSN, Epic
• Disco Elysium - The Final Cut (PC) for $14 ($25) at GOG, Steam
• Inscryption (PC) for $14 ($19) at GOG, Epic
• The Messenger (PC) for $8 ($15) at GOG, Epic
• Olija (PC) for $7 ($12) at GOG, Epic (also on Game Pass)
• Loop Hero (PC) for $7 ($12) at GOG, Epic
• Untitled Goose Game (PC) for $10 ($15) at Epic

Enlarge / Anker's compact PowerPort III Nano (top) can charge newer iPhones as quickly as possible.

Corey Gaskin

Accessories and miscellaneous deals

• Samsung Evo Select (512GB, U3, A2, V30) microSD card for $55 ($72) at Amazon
• Anker PowerCore Fusion 30W wall charger + portable battery (1x USB-C PD, 1x USB-A, 5,000 mAh) for $23 ($50) at Amazon (use code: ANKERA1622)
• Anker PowerPort III Nano 20W USB-C charger for $14 ($17) at Amazon (clip 15% coupon)
• Roborock S6 Pure robot vacuum for $360 ($470) at Amazon, Walmart
• DJI OM 4 SE handheld smartphone gimbal for $99 ($119) at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart

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