Amazon Prime Day has entered its fourth and final day, and I know that some of you are probably tired of the sheer amount of deals floating around social media and your favorite websites.

I get it. There are countless deals to sift through, and the fatigue is real. However! I figured it was worth throwing together a collection of the deals that our readers here at Windows Central seemed to love the most.

• Shop all Amazon Prime Day deals

At the top of the list, and no surprise in the current console pricing climate, is Seagate's 2TB Storage Expansion Card for the Xbox Series X|S. Although the original Amazon deal expired, you can still save $55 at Newegg.

In second place is Geekom's A7 Max mini PC and its $204 discount available at Best Buy. Third place is unsurprisingly inhabited by a discounted Surface Pro 11; the original deal ran out, but you can still save $300 on a new model at Walmart.

Several other popular sales, including the Xbox Series X, Surface Laptop 7, and Seagate's other capacity expansion cards, are long gone, but the following deals are confirmed to be all in stock as of noon ET on June 26.

Most popular Prime Day deals according to Windows Central readers

More details about the most popular deals at Windows Central

In case you didn't notice (I'm joking, because you definitely did), PC gaming has become a painfully expensive hobby. Amazon Prime Day is supposed to help offset that with massive discounts, but does it really count when it brings components back to near-MSRP levels? We take what we can get, I suppose.

Either way, it's difficult to recommend building your own PC from scratch right now. If you've never tried it, the anxiety of handling now-overinflated RAM will surely feel worse than ever — and that's one of the easiest parts to install. On the bright side, iBUYPOWER has some merciful discounts on pre-builts.

A pre-built gaming PC is just easier

Yeah, I might get some pushback from die-hard gaming PC builders, but I don't have any qualms with a pre-built option. I've been there — installing a CPU for the first time, losing my mind about installing thermal paste correctly (just a pea-sized amount, guys), and stressed about RAM profiles alongside other BIOS options. You don't have to do any of it.

Installing and setting up Windows 11 is the same wherever you go, and iBUYPOWER's decision to ship graphics cards (GPUs) separately isn't as intimidating as it looks. They slot in just like an old-school game cartridge and hold in place with a few screws. That's really all there is to it, and each rig comes with clear instructions anyway. I'd know, I tested a Trace X PC earlier this year. Treat yourself, PC gaming is the best.

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If you’ve been waiting for a laptop deal that actually feels like a steal, this is it. The ASUS Vivobook 16 OLED, now just $1,159 (down from $1,599), is one of those rare machines that delivers more than you expect for the price. It’s a 16‑inch notebook with flagship specs, a stunning display, and Intel’s latest Core Ultra 7 processor built for serious performance.

It’s the kind of deal that makes you double‑check the listing to make sure nothing’s missing. Spoiler: nothing is. You get a full‑power H‑series chip, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and a 3K OLED display in a chassis that’s only 0.55 inches thick and weighs 3.31 pounds.

Why this is a good deal

Laptop prices are heading in the wrong direction. Apple just raised MacBook prices again. Microsoft bumped Xbox console prices literally today. Analysts expect PC hardware costs to keep climbing well into 2027 as AI‑centric chips and premium materials become the new standard.

That’s what makes this Vivobook deal stand out. You’re getting a machine that’s already built for the next generation of computing, complete with Intel’s new Core Ultra 7 processor and a dedicated Copilot key (hey, some people think it's a selling point), at a price that feels normal.

The Core Ultra 7 255H is part of Intel’s new H‑series lineup, designed for high‑performance laptops that can handle creative workloads, gaming, and multitasking without breaking a sweat. Paired with Intel Arc graphics, it’s capable of light gaming, video editing, and productivity tasks that would slow down most midrange systems.

Specs that matter

ASUS didn’t cut corners here. The Vivobook 16 OLED features a 2880×1800 Lumina OLED display that delivers deep blacks, vivid color, and true HDR contrast. It’s the kind of panel that makes everything look better, from spreadsheets to streaming.

Under the hood, you get 32GB of LPDDR5X memory and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, which means instant responsiveness and plenty of space for creative work. The ASUS IceCool Thermal Technology with dual fans and 97 iceblades keeps the system cool even under load, while the 75Wh battery promises up to 16 hours of runtime.

Despite the power, it’s impressively portable. At 0.55 inches thin and 3.31 pounds, it’s lighter than most 16‑inch laptops and built with a reinforced steel frame that feels solid without being bulky.

ASUS also added thoughtful touches: Dolby Atmos audio by Harman Kardon, Wi‑Fi 7 certification, and an RGB ErgoSense keyboard with Windows 11’s new Dynamic Lighting support. It’s a subtle upgrade that makes the laptop feel more premium than its price suggests.

Ready for what’s next

The dedicated Copilot key is a small but telling detail. It’s a sign of where Windows laptops are heading — toward integrated features that help with writing, summarizing, and creative tasks. The Vivobook 16 OLED is ready for that future right out of the box, with Intel’s AI Boost NPU handling on‑device workloads efficiently.

That means faster photo editing, smarter background blur in video calls, and better battery life when using modern Windows features. It’s hardware that will matter as Windows 11 evolves through 2026 and beyond.

The bigger picture

The timing of this deal could not be better. With component costs rising and manufacturers shifting focus to premium laptops, midrange buyers are getting squeezed. The Vivobook 16 OLED breaks that trend by offering flagship performance at a mainstream price.

It’s proof that not every high‑end laptop has to cost two grand. ASUS managed to deliver a machine that feels premium without the markup, and deals like this will only get rarer as the market adjusts to new pricing norms.

Bottom line

If you want a laptop that looks great, runs fast, and feels ready for the next few years, this Vivobook 16 OLED deal is hard to beat. It’s thin, light, powerful, and genuinely premium.

With 32GB of RAM, a 3K OLED display, and Intel’s latest Core Ultra 7 processor, this is the kind of deal that feels like it slipped through the cracks. Grab it before prices catch up.

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Forza Horizon 6 is not a serious sim. It's the best example of an arcade racer you can play right now, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth playing with a racing wheel. In fact, it becomes a whole new experience ditching the controller. Drifting is more fun; cruising is more fun. Everything is just more fun!

Racing wheels can be pricey, though, but if you're not seriously getting into sim racing and want a cheap but still good-quality wheel for Forza Horizon 6, look no further than this. Right now on Amazon Prime Day you can pick up a Thrustmaster TMX for just $89.99, and at that money, this really is a no-brainer.

Does it have all the bells and whistles on? No, not at all. But for a beginner, or a casual player, this is plenty of wheel at a price you just don't normally see outside of the used market.

It has the full 900-degree rotation and is plug-and-play with both Xbox consoles and PC. The included pedals are basic but serviceable, and you always have the option to upgrade to a better set of Thrustmaster pedals down the line.

The only thing really missing is a clutch, so you can't pair this wheel with an H-pattern shifter, but the paddles are all you really need to get going in Forza Horizon 6, anyway.

You don't need a proper wheel stand or rig, either; this entry-level wheel will be perfectly OK mounted to a regular desk.

As an additional bonus, this is also a pretty solid starter wheel for American Truck Simulator and Euro Truck Simulator 2, as highlighted by my colleague, Ben Wilson. Though you will need to upgrade the pedals if you want to indulge in manual shifting.

For $90 this is an incredible value package, and it won't be around for long. Prime Day ends at close of play on June 26, and this is one you don't want to miss out on.

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It's Prime Day, and that means there are some great Windows laptops on sale not only at Amazon, but also at all major competing retailers. What makes this year's laptop sales more important than others is the fact that all PCs have gone up in price recently due to component shortages.

It's almost unbelievable that I'm seeing up to 54% off laptops using DDR5 RAM, but the proof is in the roundup I've assembled below. These are some of the biggest discounts I've seen in all my 10 years of covering these types of sales.

What makes these deals even sweeter is the fact that Apple just raised the prices of all of its MacBooks this morning. If you want an incredible deal on a new Windows laptop, this is the place to check first.

🔥 Hottest Prime Day Windows laptop deals 🔥

Best Prime Day gaming laptop deals

Best Prime Day laptop accessory deals

Best Prime Day software deals

Did Apple just raise the prices of all of its MacBooks?

Apple just announced on June 25 that it's raising prices across its MacBook lineup.

The MacBook Neo, which took the laptop market by storm, has gone from $599 to $699. That's with 8GB of RAM, no keyboard backlight, and two rather wimpy ports.

MacBook Air models with 512GB of storage have gone up from $1,099 to $1,299, while the MacBook Pro with 1TB of storage has increased from $1,699 to $1,999.

Has there ever been a better time to invest in a discounted Windows laptop with loads of memory and storage?

Amazon Prime Day is here, and like always, we have some of the best deals out there highlighted for you. To add a little flair to it, I am someone who very rarely posts about deals. It’s not my jam, but when I do, you can bet it’s about something I think is a real deal!

Introducing the Turtle Beach Velocity One Racing Wheel and Pedal System. One of the best setups I’ve laid my hands on and reviewed in 2024 is now on sale for an absolutely crazy price. Not only that, but its sister system is also on sale, the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Race KD3.

Originally priced at $650, the VelocityOne Race Wheel & Pedal System is now just $399, an absolute steal when compared to plug-and-play systems like the Logitech G923. Then, the KD3 wheel, which starts at an even lower original price of $449, is at a crushingly low price of $237!

These deals are absolutely crazy

These are insane deals coming from my favorite new racing wheel creator, Turtle Beach. It still feels weird seeing them make something that isn’t a headset, but it's always amazing to see new entrants into the simulation space.

While I didn’t entirely recommend the VelocityOne system at the $650 price point, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that $399 would make this a ten out of ten deal. You'll get a 7.2nm base with a side control unit that delivers over a dozen different buttons and switches. Alongside a triple-pedal setup, perfect for manual/clutch racers.

Then, there's the $237 for the KD3 system, which is even more shocking. Completely undercutting the half-decade-old Logitech G923, which is also on sale, it’s $25 less than its main competitor!

With a slimmer look and a slightly reduced feedback system, the KD3 wheel and base are phenomenal for the price. With two pedals rather than three, those looking to skip the clutch and have a more realistic, but still casual racing experience will absolutely love this setup.

Whether you’re looking for a cheaper, higher-end setup or something cheaper than the old price of the Xbox Series S, look no further than the Turtle Beach Racing Wheel family. And while you’re at it, pick up Forza Horizon 6 too, you’ll thank me later!

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I found the one Prime Day deal I can recommend above all others. At $67.67, the Logitech MX Vertical is an excellent purchase.

I hate the fact that Prime Day still requires hunting for deals. You'd think an event centered around shopping would guarantee great prices, but that's not the case.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the Logitech MX Vertical discounted by 44% on Prime Day.

Are Prime Day deals worth it?

Some Prime Day deals are worth it. The shopping event is genuinely a good way to save money on some items. But that doesn't mean anything you see on sale during Prime Day is a good deal.

It's normal to see an item marked up a few weeks before Prime Day to make the Prime Day "discount" look better.

In the worst cases, an item actually becomes more expensive than usual during Prime Day. Retailers manipulate price history to make a bad price look good.

These are the types of things our team of experts looks out for when finding Prime Day deals. It's also why hand-picked Prime Day deals are better than blindly trusting a sale tag.

The Logitech MX Vertical is currently $67.67 for Prime Day. According to CamelCamelCamel, that is almost the lowest price ever for the mouse (it once hit $63.79 on Amazon). Perhaps more importantly, the price is significantly lower than what we've seen the majority of this year.

Why buy the Logitech MX Vertical

The Logitech MX Vertical is an ergonomic mouse that allows your wrist and arm to rest at a natural angle. That results in less muscle strain and reduced wrist pressure.

Because of the shape of the mouse, you don't have to move your hand as much. Tiny movements add up, and being able to keep your hand in place does a lot to reduce strain.

The Logitech MX Vertical is by far the best mouse I've used.

Over the years, its rubber grip has held up well. The mouse still lasts for ages when running on battery. It's easy to top up through USB-C when it's time to charge.

It checks all the boxes I want in a mouse.

The only downside of the Logitech MX Vertical is its retail price, but the massive discount on the mouse makes that a non-factor.

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Amazon Prime Day is taking place as we speak, and other online retails stores are jumping into on the fun with their own sales. HP's online store is one such place, and I've just found an incredible deal on a laptop I just reviewed last week. The HP OmniBook Ultra 14 with Snapdragon is $650 off right now, down to just $1,249 while stocks last!

This is the best HP laptop I've tested in a long while. In fact, I think it's probably the prettiest Windows laptop you can buy right now, complete with a best-in-class display, premium build quality, and much more. For this price, you're getting a great device.

Why is the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 a good laptop?

I've not long published my review of the HP OmniBook Ultra, and I came away very impressed, giving it 5 stars and calling it one of the best Snapdragon laptops this year. Under the hood is Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon X2 Plus SoC, which features 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage. It's a powerful and efficient chip, easily capable of most day to day productivity tasks, data crunching, and even light video and photo editing.

It features a best-in-class 1080p OLED touchscreen, which features inky deep color contrast and makes images and text pop . It also has an incredible keyboard, and new haptic trackpad that feels great to use.

The device is also super premium. I think it might be the best looking and feeling Windows laptop on the market currently. It's just 2.83lbs in weight, and features a brushed metal finish around the edges that looks simply incredible. The device is also designed in such a way that makes it look incredibly thin when on a desk, which is awesome.

It features three USB-C ports, along with a 3.5mm audio jack. It also has a Windows Hello equipped webcam that shoots good 1080p photo and video. Lastly, the laptop is a power champ, lasting all day on a single charge with ease. For $1,249, you're not getting a better laptop in 2026 than this.

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The Steam Machine is getting a fair amount of heat due to its $1,049 price, but no matter how you look at it, Valve's new device is a particularly powerful mini PC.

Here's the rub. Not everyone needs that much power or wants to pay that much, which is where the Windows mini PC market comes into play.

• Shop all Amazon Prime Day deals

Amazon Prime Day has knocked prices down considerably on a bunch of our favorite mini PCs, and while they won't match the Steam Machine's discrete graphics, they're still fully capable of running a wide range of games AND Windows 11, no extra effort necessary. Just plug in an HDMI cord, hook it up to your TV, and start gaming.

Prime Day wraps up today, June 26, and most of these mini PC deals are expected to expire before the weekend. I'm in fact already seeing some retailers run out of stock. Translation? If you see something you can use, you should grab it before it's gone.

How do these discounted mini PCs compare to the Steam Machine's performance?

The Steam Machine is causing a ruckus in the tech world, namely due to its price-to-performance ratio now that reviews have gone out into the wild. It's true that you can build a full-size gaming PC or buy a pre-built gaming PC for less money and with superior power, but what about a mini PC that's a closer match to the form factor?

👉I found these pre‑built gaming PCs that beat Valve’s Steam Machine on price and performance, and it’s not even close

Well, that's where the real genius of Valve's device comes into play. It is indeed capable of delivering quite a bit of gaming performance in a super compact form factor, something that most of the mini PCs on the market for a similar or lower price simply aren't capable of doing.

The Steam Machine's discrete custom AMD Radeon GPU with 8GB of VRAM is fairly close to a desktop-class AMD Radeon RX 7600 card, which the integrated graphics in most mini PCs can't touch.

Regardless, at $1,049, the Steam Machine isn't for everyone. There are plenty of PC users who just want a compact, capable PC that runs Windows 11 without breaking a sweat, while at the same time having capabilities to handle lighter games. That's where these great mini PCs excel.

The mini PCs I've highlighted in this roundup all have an integrated AMD Radeon 780M GPU or a comparable Intel Arc integrated GPU. I can't stress enough that these GPUs will not match the Steam Machine's gaming power.

However, the Radeon 780M will still do a bang-up job of gaming, and for a lot less money in a significantly smaller package, often with more RAM and storage.

Just how powerful is the integrated GPU? It will effortlessly run esports games like League of Legends, Counter-Strike 2, Valorant, and DOTA 2 at 1080p, hitting somewhere between 60 and 90 FPS with medium to high settings. Games like Fortnite, Minecraft, and Roblox are in the same boat.

👉 Geekom's mini PCs enjoy massive savings during Prime Day — I handpicked the 7 top deals up to 15% off for a limited time

I'd venture to say that the Radeon 780M is an indie game superstar, and those who prefer roguelikes, platformers, deck builders, puzzle games, and simulators will have no issues.

Those hoping to play demanding AAA titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, Baldur's Gate 3, and others will find that the Radeon 780M can get the job done at 1080p, albeit with lower frame rates and with AMD's FSR enabled. If you're going to mainly focus on AAA games, I'd recommend checking out pre-built desktop PCs with discrete graphics.

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Buying PC components in 2026 is largely a lesson in frustration. Prices are out of control, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to build new or upgrade your PC. As a fellow PC gamer and build enthusiast, I know how the struggle feels.

While I can't predict when the RAM and SSD crisis will end, I can offer some deals on PC components I found at Amazon Prime Day and Newegg's competing FantasTech sale.

Many of these deals are expected to expire at the end of the day. It is, after all, the last official day of the four-day Prime Day event. My advice? If you're interested in a deal, don't wait much longer!

• All Amazon Prime Day deals
• Laptop deals at Amazon
• Save on PC components at Amazon
• Best Buy "Tech Fest" (Ends June 28)
• Newegg "FantasTech Sale" (Ends June 28)
• Walmart "Deals & More" (Ends June 28)

🔥 Hottest Prime Day PC deals 🔥

Best Prime Day PC bundle deals

Best Prime Day RAM deals

Best Prime Day SSD deals

Best Prime Day CPU deals

Best Prime Day GPU deals

Amazon Prime Day FAQ

Amazon Prime Day is typically the best time to buy new tech during the summer, and it's especially meaningful this year as PC component prices have skyrocketed.

Excited for Grand Theft Auto 6 pre-orders to go live? Us too! But hold on to your wallets, before you hit that pre-order button, there’s a savvy way to shave a few dollars off the final cost.

While the game itself isn't officially discounted from its $80 price tag ($100 for the Ultimate Edition) just yet, you can effectively create your own discount by topping up your Xbox or PlayStation account using discounted gift cards from Loaded. By purchasing these cards at a lower price than their face value, you lower your total cost of GTA 6.

Thanks to Loaded, we can stack and save. Don't just buy one gift card; mix and match denominations to get you as close to $80 (or $100 if you are going for the Ultimate Edition) as possible.

• For the Standard Edition ($80): You could grab a $50 gift card and three $10 gift cards. Because of the current discounts on Loaded, you’ll pay less than $80 in total, leaving you with a little extra cash in your pocket.
• For the Ultimate Edition ($100): (My favorite strategy) is to grab four $25 gift cards for $23.49 each. This nets you the full $100 balance for only $93.96, saving you over $6 on day one.

Are you seriously telling me to go through this just to save $6?

If you aren't the type of person who is willing to jump through a few hoops to save some cash, then you’ve definitely come to the wrong place. I am more than happy to inconvenience myself for the sake of a discount, especially with how expensive gaming has become.

While the $80 price tag for Grand Theft Auto 6 wasn't as painful as we all feared, the reality is that much of the content is gated behind the $100 Ultimate Edition, effectively making it the "essential" purchase if you’re as hyped for this game as I am. In that respect, the more I can justify the price, the better. An extra $6 is an extra $6. I could buy Vampire Survivors again for that price and have a dollar to spare!

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Sim games are getting more mainstream, and I'm happy to see it. Euro Truck Simulator 2 is one of the most (surprisingly) addictive games I've played in recent memory, and Amazon Prime Day sales are making it easier for me to recommend, alongside its American Truck Simulator sibling. It's a PC-only title for now, but Xbox and PlayStation releases have been teased for a while.

So, if you wanted to drive a virtual truck around a representation of your home state or your favorite European country, what exactly do you need to get started? Well, you can play either game with a mouse and keyboard, but any kind of controller makes it a better experience. Here's what I recommend for a basic steering wheel setup, with optional extras and higher-end alternatives.

The absolute basics: A wheel and pedals

Optional: A realistic truck-style setup

Critical: Steam keys for either game on PC

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With GTA 6 pre-orders going live at midnight tonight, the pressure is on to ensure your hardware is up to the task, especially since the title is exclusive to current-gen consoles. If you haven't upgraded yet, Amazon Prime week Day is the perfect time to secure an Xbox Series X.

I'm not going to pretend that the current deal sets the gaming world alight, but it does bring us closer to an actually reasonable price for Xbox's flagship console. This is currently the only active deal for the Series X. You can pick it up for $573 at Walmart (not AMAZON), saving you $76.99 just in time for the GTA 6 launch.

The Xbox Series X 1TB will be the best place to play GTA 6

The Xbox Series X remains the gold standard for Xbox gaming, and will be the best place to experience GTA 6 (if you don't want to fork out PS5 Pro prices, that is). With a custom 8-core Zen 2 CPU and 12 teraflops of RDNA 2 GPU power, it is built to handle the heavy lifting that Rockstar’s latest beast of a game will demand.

Plus, unlike Valve’s catastrophically expensive new Steam Machine, which doesn’t even include a controller, the Series X arrives ready to play right out of the box.

This deal is mostly for those who have been waiting for the right moment to retire an aging Xbox One X or Series S. This console generation has been a rocky one, with prices being hiked upward rather than dropping as the hardware ages, so we always knew steep discounts were off the table. However, if you are looking to upgrade without heading to the second-hand market, this is the most sensible way to do it.

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Whether it's summer classes or early prep for a fresh college start in the fall, Amazon Prime Day (and all the other competing sales) is a perfect time to set your student up for success on the cheap.

• Shop all Amazon Prime Day deals

I've combed through the best deals from Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg, and more to come up with this varied list of laptops, monitors, and accessories.

I found quite a list of thin and light PCs starting at just $479 that are perfect for students, and be sure to scroll through to the accessories that complement them!

Update June 25 @ 11:55AM ET: Added a mega $700 discount on a 4TB external SSD! — Cale Hunt

Quick links

• All Amazon Prime Day deals
• Laptop deals at Amazon
• Save on PC components at Amazon
• Best Buy "Tech Fest" (Ends June 28)
• Newegg "FantasTech Sale" (Ends June 28)
• Walmart "Deals & More" (Ends June 28)

Best thin and light laptop deals for students 💻

Best Prime Day accessory deals for students

Prime Day 2026: FAQ

Amazon's Prime Day is an annual event that sees a ton of sales on great tech, but it's certainly not the only event on the go. Competing retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, Newegg, and many more often have better deals on similar products, and I'm always checking the big names for the best prices.

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Amazon Prime Day week is happening right now, which is helping make good Windows 11 PCs more affordable in this current component pricing crisis climate across the entire retail space. With new laptops skyrocketing in price, deals on last-gen products like this Dell XPS 13 with a Snapdragon X Elite for $999 shouldn't be ignored, especially as it comes with 32GB RAM.

With RAM costing so much these days, devices with more than 16GB RAM usually come at a high premium. That makes this deal even more lucrative, as 32GB RAM laptops now often cost north of $1,000, and even more so on flagship devices with premium components and build qualities like the XPS 13.

Is the Dell XPS 13 a flagship laptop?

Powered by the Snapdragon X Elite, with 32GB RAM and 1TB storage, the Dell XPS 13 is an excellent flagship Windows 11 laptop. It has a 13.4-inch OLED display which looks absolutely amazing, and it's paired with Dell's best-in-class haptic trackpad and zero lattice keyboard design which makes the device look very futuristic.

It's a device made out of premium materials that feel great in the hand, including a CNC-machined aluminum chassis. It's one of Dell's thinnest and lightest laptops, coming in at just 2.2lbs and 0.60 inches. It features all day battery life too thanks to efficient Arm SoC that powers things under the hood.

The chip itself is Qualcomm's flagship SoC from 2024, meaning it's perfectly capable for most tasks you'll want to throw at it. It can do light gaming, video and photo editing, and breeze through productivity workflows, heavy multitasking, and more thanks to that added 32GB RAM headroom,

It has two USB4 Type‑C ports supporting DisplayPort and power delivery. Wireless performance is handled by Qualcomm FastConnect 7800, bringing Wi‑Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 for future‑proof networking.

Overall, it's an incredible laptop with lots of power and performance under the hood. And 32GB RAM on a flagship laptop in 2026 for under $1,000 is tough to come by, so I'd snap this deal up while it's still available.

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I recently got into playing Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, and I get it. I really do. There's a massive dedicated community around this Microsoft franchise, and even as a beginner I see why. The sky is the limit, and yes, pun intended.

You can quite happily get along and have a great time playing on PC, Xbox or PS5 with just a controller, but I guarantee the bug will catch and catch quickly. Before long you'll want to up the ante and make the experience more realistic. I'm not saying you'll build a full cockpit, not right away at least! But you'll probably be yearning for a flight stick, yoke, maybe even some rudder pedals.

If you're looking for a game to really sink some time into, this is one of the best decisions you could make, even if you've never thought it would be for you. While Amazon Prime Day is going on, it is also a perfect time to jump in with both feet and get yourself some good hardware to get started with or upgrade an existing setup.

Flight stick FAQ

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If you have an Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S, you probably need more storage. Having to uninstall a game to install a new game or an update to one of your favorite titles is a hassle.

The Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S is a plug-and-play solution that lets you expand the storage of your console.

Right now, all sizes of the Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S are on sale. The 1TB model costs $189.99 Best Buy (was $249.99), the 2TB version costs $259.99 (was $349.99) at Amazon. Best Buy's deal on the 4TB card drops the price to $549.99 (was $649.99).

Why buy the Seagate Expansion Card?

The Seagate Expansion Card is the simplest way to expand the storage of your console. There's no setup or configuration required to use the card.

Xbox Series X|S games can be massive. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 alone is 161GB, and that's without DLC. The Seagate Expansion Card delivers similar speeds to the native storage of the Xbox Series X|S, so you can store games on the card and play them without having to transfer files around.

The Seagate Expansion Card also supports Quick Resume, which is a feature that lets you pause your game and power down your console and then pick up exactly where you left off when you load the game again.

Considering how big games are and how many great games are available on the Xbox Series X|S and on the way to the consoles, an expansion card of some kind is a must have. The Seagate Expansion Card is the easiest to use, quick enough to play games off, and is a great deal during Prime Day.

Alternative discounts

Prime Day discounts and a deal at Best Buy provide the best prices on the Seagate Expansion Card, but if those deals expire, you can check out these alternatives:

1TB

• $189.99 at Walmart
• $189.99 at Amazon (was $249.99) (appears to be out of stock)

2TB

• $259.99 at Walmart (was $299.99)
• $259.99 at Best Buy (was $349.99)
• $259.99 at Newegg (was $279.99)

FAQ

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Out of all the gaming accessory manufacturers, Razer has got to be my absolute favorite. From providing comfortable gaming chairs to esports-ready controllers and headsets, Razer's products have enriched mine and many others' lives, and it's about to enrich a lot more of them.

Razer is hosting an Amazon Prime Day sale on several of its top-grade PC gaming peripherals, lifestyle furniture, controllers, and more for a limited time, and we've rounded up some of its best for you to check out.

FAQ

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With how high the gaming handheld market's prices are headed lately, I figure that any major deal on any device is worth calling out for my mobile PC gamers.

Standing in stark contrast to the $1,799 MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ that's launching this week is the Lenovo Legion Go S. Regularly priced at $711.13, it's now down to $549.99 (sold out, now $698 at Newegg, or $699 at Walmart) for a limited time during Amazon Prime Day.

This is the lowest price it's ever been, according to CamelCamelCamel, and it's a great opportunity to grab what is likely one of the last affordable gaming handhelds for a while.

• The best hand-picked Amazon Prime Day deals on Windows laptops, PC components, and Xbox gaming hardware chosen by our editors
• See all Prime Day deals at Amazon.com

Our take on the Lenovo Legion Go S

The Legion Go S is available with both Windows 11 and SteamOS operating systems, and we've reviewed both. More on that in a moment.

This model that's on sale for $549.99 (sold out, now $698 at Newegg, or $699 at Walmart) comes with Windows, allowing easy access to features like Xbox Game Pass and third-party launchers, something I sorely miss on my Steam Deck.

It has 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM, 512GB of M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD storage, an 8-inch IPS display with 120Hz variable refresh rate and 1920x1200 resolution, and an AMD Ryzen Z2 Go chip with 4 CPU cores and 12 GPU cores. It is, by all means, a lot of hardware for the asking price.

In both of our reviews, we called out the device's comfortable and polished design, including Hall Effect thumbsticks and overall snappy controls.

We also called out how great the display looks, thanks to its speedy 120Hz refresh rate, 1200p resolution, brightness, and full color.

When we reviewed the Windows 11 version of the Legion Go S in early 2025, we found it hard to justify its relatively high price. That's largely been taken care of with this sale, which drops it to the lowest price I've ever seen.

Battery life also wasn't that spectacular, though Windows has received a lot of attention since our review in terms of improving the handheld experience for performance and efficiency.

And don't think that the OS is permanent. If you're wishing the SteamOS version of the Legion Go S we reviewed were on sale, guess what? You can pick up the more affordable Windows version and replace the OS whenever you want.

Considering just how expensive gaming handhelds have become in recent months — even the most affordable Steam Deck is now sitting at $789 — this is an outstanding deal for anyone who wants to try out mobile PC gaming.

It's not the newest nor the most powerful device on the market, but it's also going to leave a whole lot of budget on the table for buying games.

I have no idea how long the $549.99 price will last (yeah, it sold out, now $698 at Newegg, or $699 at Walmart), so don't wait too long. It does require a Prime membership to cash in, but you can always sign up for a free 30-day trial and cancel before you're charged.

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If you were waiting for Amazon Prime Day to jump on some Xbox deals, well, I don't know what to tell you. It's been a bit of a damp squib so far, I think the age of actual console deals in today's climate is behind us. However, Newegg has stepped in with a genuine way to save: You can currently grab a $100 Xbox Gift Card for just $83 (expired) when you use the promo code FTTF6926 at checkout.

That’s an instant $17 saving on credit you were probably going to spend anyway on games, and it's basically free money in your (Xbox) bank.

How to redeem your Xbox gift card

The code is delivered digitally via email, so there’s no waiting around for a physical card.

To redeem it:

• Visit https://redeem.microsoft.com/
• Sign in to your Microsoft account (the same one you use on Xbox)
• Enter the code from Newegg

Your balance updates instantly and is ready to use across the Xbox and Microsoft Store.

When you check out, just select your Microsoft Account balance as the payment method to make sure you’re using that discounted credit.

What can you spend the credit on?

Don't let the name fool you; this isn't locked to digital games on your console. It adds balance to your whole Microsoft account, which you can use for games & DLC, Game Pass Ultimate, accessories and anything on the Microsoft store including Surface devices and Office 365 subscriptions.

If you don't have anything in mind right now, but know you are likely to spend money in the store soon, perhaps for a bigger purchase, you can stack multiple gift cards to lower the cost later. It’s a simple way to make any upcoming Microsoft purchase a little cheaper without locking you into a single product.

Newegg usually only runs these promotions for a very limited time, and it's likely that they're just trying to compete against Amazon Prime Day for traffic. With that in mind, this deal will be short-lived. If you have any big purchases with Xbox in mind (GTA 6 perhaps?), then jump on this deal now and secure yourself some free credit on top of your spend.

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Anyone who's looked at storage prices recently knows that they're completely out of hand. I've been waiting to add some storage to my gaming PC for about six months now, and it's getting to the point where I'll have to bite at a deal like this one on the Samsung 9100 PRO.

This high-performance M.2 PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD comes in 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, and 8TB configurations, with blazing fast transfer speeds and the regular durability you expect from Samsung.

"Regular" (inflated) prices have been cut by up to 49%, and you can now land a 1TB drive for as low as $206.99. Best part? You don't have to be a Prime subscriber to nab the deal.

• The best hand-picked Amazon Prime Day deals on Windows laptops, PC components, and Xbox gaming hardware chosen by our editors
• See all Prime Day deals at Amazon.com

What makes the Samsung 9100 PRO SSD so good?

The 9100 PRO was Samsung's first shot at a full-fledged PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD, and to say the company nailed the execution is an understatement.

It's theoretically capable of hitting unreal 14,800MB/s read speeds and 13,400MB/s write speeds, and although those numbers may drop a bit in real-world practice, it's still an incredibly fast drive.

Our friends at TechRadar reviewed the 9100 PRO when it launched last year, and it was awarded 4.5 stars and a Recommended Award.

The TL;DR? It's an exceptional drive for professionals who frequently deal with oversized files and who don't want any hiccups in their workflow.

You do, of course, want to pair this drive with a PC that's capable of running a PCIe 5.0 drive to get the most out of it, but it will function at lower speeds in a PCIe 4.0 system. That's not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you're putting together a new PC piece by piece as sales come and go.

If I do buy one of these drives, I'll most likely go with the 2TB version at $349.99. It's the best value at 49% off, costing less per GB than the 1TB and 4TB versions.

I should also mention that these drives come with a 5-year Samsung warranty to protect your purchase.

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Valve's Steam Machine has finally made its way into the hands of testers, and the resulting reviews have been less than inspiring. Whether it's the high $1,049 starting price caused by a global RAM and storage crisis or the underwhelming performance, I know that a lot of PC gamers are now looking for a quality alternative.

These are the 5 best pre-built gaming PCs I could find during Prime Day that will leave you with some cash left over for new games. Only one is priced high enough to match the Steam Machine's introductory price, but in this case, you get 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.

• Shop all Amazon Prime Day deals

The rest? Well, they cost significantly less than Valve's device. See for yourself, and happy gaming!

What's in the Steam Machine, and how does performance compare to these discounted gaming PCs?

Valve's Steam Machine runs on a custom AMD Zen 4 CPU with 6 cores, 12 threads, and a 30W TDP. Attached are integrated custom AMD RDNA 3 graphics, with 8GB of VRAM and 28 compute units.

All Steam Machine models come with 16GB of DDR5 system memory, and the introductory models start with a 512GB SSD (upgradeable to 2TB for those with deeper pockets).

Circling back to the custom graphics, testing by our friends at Tom's Hardware revealed that it fails to pull ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 7600 discrete GPU while coming out just ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6600.

How does that performance compare to the GPUs in the pre-built gaming PCs I've rounded up here? Well, the RTX 5060 easily beats the AMD GPU in raw performance and ray tracing abilities.

If you're interested in a pre-built gaming PC with an Intel Arc GPU, the B570 is a closer match to the RX 7600 and the Steam Machine's custom graphics. However, it should better handle ray tracing, and it should also deliver a better experience if you're gaming at 1440p.

If it's the Arc B580 in the $999 ABS Cyclone Aqua you're looking at, know that it beats AMD's GPU in practically all metrics.

As for the CPU, it seems like the Intel Core i5-14400F is the chip of choice for the pre-builts I've selected here. Good news! Despite its relative age, it should absolutely crush the Steam Machine's custom AMD chip.

My advice? Skip the Steam Machine and go for a real gaming PC instead.

Valve's Steam Machine was knocked off course by no fault of its own, and you can point the finger at the global RAM and SSD shortage caused by AI.

At its starting $1,049.99 price, it's simply outclassed by affordable pre-built gaming PCs with true discrete graphics. It's a shame, because the Steam Machine is a great-looking device.

Unless you're absolutely beholden to the compact form factor and close ties to Steam's storefront, one of these gaming PCs I selected should be a much better value.

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Prime Day has arrived with possibly the quietest fanfare I've ever known since writing for Windows Central, and that's due in no small part to the current state of the tech market. Prices are being hiked left, right, and center, and gaming handhelds have been hit particularly badly by the RAM price hikes. With this in mind, I'm surprised that ASUS is still steaming ahead with this cracking deal on the Xbox ROG Ally, which is down to £379.99 on Amazon. When you compare that to the price of the Steam Deck nowadays, it's a steal for something comparable in performance and with a lot more flexibility.

For playing lower-powered indie games or clearing out your backlog, the two handhelds stand on pretty even footing. The Xbox Ally, however, lets you switch between Steam and Xbox PC natively without requiring hours of tinkering or workarounds. Crucially, it's CHEAPER by a mile.

Why buy the Xbox Ally?

We’re living through unprecedented times for gaming costs, where component shortages and rising demand for AI hardware have driven gaming tech prices to unreachable levels for the average budget gamer. Many of ASUS's competitors have handhelds priced at the same level as a high-end gaming PC (just look at the Lenovo Legion Go 2 prices). Yet with all the price hikes, the standard ASUS ROG Ally has become the single most sensible choice for anyone who just want to play some less demanding games.

To be completely open, I own the ROG Ally X, which is the "beefed-up" premium model, and as someone who mostly plays indie titles and keeps a massive backlog of AA games, I regret spending the extra cash. The standard Ally would have handled everything I threw at it perfectly. Don't make my mistake; save your money for the actual games.

RELATED: Xbox Ally vs Steam Deck which is better?

Sure, this has an entry-level price tag, but for sub-£380, you are getting an AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor,and a really nice 7-inch 1080p screen with 120Hz VRR. Not only that, but while on equal terms with the Steam Deck, the Xbox Ally isn't locked down to the Steam OS, and you can jump between your game libraries. You get a dedicated Xbox button that launches a full-screen, controller-friendly gaming environment, and you can download games natively from Xbox Game Pass, the Epic Games Store, GOG, and EA Play without jumping through hoops.

That being said, there is nothing stopping you from doing a clean install of Steam OS and turning this into a much more ergonomic (and cheaper) Steam Deck. It’s arguably the most comfortable handheld I've ever used.

The Xbox Ally is an outlier right now in the gaming handheld market, and I don't expect the price to stay this low for much longer. With price increases being announced from Lenovo, Valve, and other manufacturers, it does feel like the writing is on the wall with Xbox devices, too. If you want to play your backlog on the settee or on the go without taking out a small loan, the Xbox Ally at £379.99 is the deal to beat this Prime Day.

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The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro 8K PC has been my go-to controller since I first opened its box. Prior to this, I'd been using the regular Wolverine V3 Pro, which also has Xbox compatibility, but the 8K version is something else. The best performance you can get.

But its price was always a sticking point. After all, $200 is a lot of money for a controller. But in swoops Prime Day to knock that down by $50, so you can now (and should) buy one from Amazon for just $149.99.

I've played about 600 hours of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 with this controller (feel free to tell me how much of my life I've wasted in the comments), and I wouldn't use anything else.

For one, it's laid out like an Xbox controller, which I still find the most comfortable. I've tried using the Razer Raiju V3 Pro with the PS5 layout, which is also an excellent controller, but I come back to the Wolverine V3 Pro 8K every time.

It ticks all the boxes. It has TMR thumbsticks; it has delightfully clicky mouse switch buttons and rear paddles, and crucially, it doesn't lose performance when you use it wirelessly versus wired.

8,000Hz is the fastest you can buy on any controller right now out of the box without having to use third-party tools to overclock. For competitive games such as Call of Duty, Apex Legends, and Battlefield 6, the faster the better. It's hard to quantify, but I can feel a difference if I go back to the regular Wolverine V3 Pro at only 1,000Hz.

To get the maximum speed, you do need a beefy CPU, and you need fast enough USB ports. It's not a big drag on the CPU, but the higher the polling rate, the more work it needs to do, so you do need to ensure you have the headroom not to affect your games.

But this is still my favorite controller, and sure, it's PC only. But now it's down to $150 I can't see any good reason not to recommend you pick one up. It's that good. Prime Day only lasts the rest of this week, so take advantage of this new lowest ever price while you can.

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Geekom's mini PCs have received some of the highest ratings here at Windows Central and at our sister sites, so I'm always happy to take the opportunity to highlight any available discounts.

Amazon Prime Day has dropped several major deals into my lap this week, with savings ranging from 15% to 33% and prices starting as low as $371. Yes, these are full PCs that only need a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, for only a few hundred dollars.

Whether you're in search of a new PC for home use, a new PC to handle school work, or a new PC to connect to your living room TV for streaming, there's a suitable (and discounted) Geekom mini PC right here.

• See more Geekom Prime Day deals at Amazon US
• See more Geekom Prime Day deals at Amazon UK
• See more Geekom Prime Day deals at Best Buy
• See the best Amazon Prime Day deals as chosen by Windows Central's editors

Which discounted Geekom mini PC should I choose on Prime Day?

The answer to which discounted Geekom mini is right for you depends, of course, on your specific needs.

Those who simply need a capable mini PC to handle general tasks like email, web browsing, streaming, Word, Excel, and the like will be able to get away with spending the least money.

In this case, the Geekom A5 — discounted from $437 to $371 — makes a lot of sense thanks to its AMD Ryzen 5 7430U CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB M.2 SSD. The Geekom A5 Pro or Geekom A6, discounted from $649 to $524, also makes sense if you want a metal chassis, a faster CPU, improved cooling, and USB4 ports.

On the other end of the spectrum is the Geekom A9 Max, featuring a cutting-edge AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 CPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and 2TB of M.2 SSD storage. It's comparatively pricey even with a 15% discount, but it's the right choice for gaming and AI workloads.

My personal pick for those shopping during Prime Day is the Geekom A8, sitting near the middle of the pack to balance performance, features, and cost. It's also the mini PC I'd buy a student for use in the dorm room.

Right now, a model with an AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS CPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD costs $585 rather than the usual $689. Its memory and storage are both upgradeable after purchase, and the Ryzen chip is rather capable thanks to its 8 cores and 4.9GHz boost clock.

Windows Central's Harish Jonnalagadda reviewed both the Geekom A7 and A8 at the same time, handing them a Best Award and 4.5 stars. He noted,

"Having used the A7 and A8 extensively, the only limitation I can think of is that they have a solitary M.2 slot. There isn't much else that is missing on either model, and they both deliver standout performance in day-to-day productivity tasks as well as demanding image and video editing workflows."

These Geekom deals are expected to run from June 23 until June 26, so don't wait too long if one catches your eye. It's also worth mentioning that deal prices seem to fluctuate depending on stock availability, so early birds might get a better price.

• See more Geekom Prime Day deals at Amazon US
• See more Geekom Prime Day deals at Amazon UK
• See more Geekom Prime Day deals at Best Buy
• See the best Amazon Prime Day deals as chosen by Windows Central's editors

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Amazon Prime Day hit the ground running with a great deal on the Surface Pro 11. A 13% discount on the 2-in-1 slashes $134.55 off the PC.

For $869.99, you get a Surface Pro 11 with a Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and an OLED display.

Why buy the Surface Pro 11?

The Surface Pro 11 is an incredible 2-in-1 PC that defines the category. It features the traditional design with a kickstand and detachable keyboard that Microsoft pioneered and perfected.

This model runs on a Snapdragon X Elite, which provides all-day battery life and great performance when plugged in or running on battery power.

Usually, you'd have to pay for premium specs across the board to get an OLED display, but this Amazon Exclusive version of the Surface Pro 11 gets you a better screen at a discount.

"Overall, it’s an incredible 13-inch display," said our Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino. He added, "OLED delivers those super dark blacks with excellent contrast, and HDR600 makes movies and video games much better."

This Surface Pro 11 runs on a Snapdragon X Elite processor. While Qualcomm has released newer Snapdragon X2 chips, the Snapdragon X Elite is still great in 2026.

Is this a good time to buy the Surface Pro 11?

It's been a tough year for PC shoppers. The base prices of Surface PCs went up significantly back in April, and prices back then were already higher than at launch.

It's not all Microsoft's fault. The ongoing RAM crisis and component shortage has caused price hikes by several PC makers. But the widespread nature of high pricing doesn't make it any easier to afford a PC.

The Prime Day discount stands out for two reasons. First, this is an Amazon Exclusive model due to its combination of 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Second, Amazon slashed the price of the Surface Pro 11 by over $140.

This particular configuration hits the key specs you need without making you overpay. While you can get by with 8GB of RAM on a Windows 11 PC, 16GB will provide a better experience. 256GB of storage is a bit small, but with OneDrive and other cloud storage options, it's okay.

I'd rather have 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage than 8GB of RAM and more storage.

The price of this Surface Pro 11 stands out even more when you look at other "offers." Browsing around online retailers and even checking other configurations at Amazon shows how high PC prices have crept over the years.

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SteelSeries is widely regarded by many to be one of the top manufacturers of gaming accessories. Whether it's wireless gaming headsets or responsive keyboards and mice built for esports competitions, there's little that SteelSeries can't provide for PC and console gamers.

However, most of their highest-quality products can be pretty expensive to buy at their listing prices. Fortunately, Amazon Prime Day's June 2026 sale has nerfed the prices of many SteelSeries gaming accessories to more affordable levels for a limited time, and we've rounded up some of the best deals it's offering for your perusal.

SteelSeries Headset deals

SteelSeries Keyboard and Mouse deals

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It's Amazon Prime Day week, which means computers that have recently become overpriced because of the on-going component pricing crisis are back down to reasonable levels of cost, but only for a limited time. This deal on Beelink's excellent SER9 Pro for $626 caught my attention, after reviewing it last year and calling it an all-round excellent device.

If you're in the market for a new mini PC, now is the perfect time to get one. Mini PCs are great these days, with great performance and good thermals. And you can't go wrong with Beelink!

Should you buy the Beelink SER9 Pro?

The Beelink SER9 Pro is powered by the AMD Ryzen 7 H 255, and this deal specifically is configured with 24GB RAM and 500GB storage.

Beelink also sells a seperate dock accessory called the Mate Mini that adds an additional set of ports and two more M.2 SSD slots for $99, and it's designed in a way that lets you sit the dock underneath the device, making it seem more integrated.

The PC itself is compact, premium, and very well built. It has a metal chassis which feels great to touch, and it's roughly the size of a Mac mini M4, though a touch larger at 135 x 135 x 44.7mm.

The device has plenty of ports, including a USB-C port and USB-A port on the front, along with a 3.5mm audio jack. Around the back, there are three additional USB-A ports, another USB-C port, a second 3.5mm audio jack, a 2.5Gb ethernet port, HDMI 2.1, and DisplayPort 1.4. Needless to say, there is plenty of I/O on this mini PC.

It's a great performant mini PC that's good for productivity workflows and some creative professional workflows such as video and photo editing. It can even do some light gaming, but it's not a dedicated gaming machine.

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Amazon Prime Day has arrived to treat PC gamers with discounts on various high-quality gaming accessories that will make you never settle for regular keyboards again.

One such keyboard is the SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Wireless Keyboard. It features near-flawless responsiveness, wireless connectivity that suffers no lag, customizable magnetic and keycap bindings, and more that can now be yours for less with this 40% discount that has reduced its listing price from $239.99 to $132.94 at Amazon.

Why buy the Apex Pro Mini Wireless Keyboard?

SteelSeries has produced some fine PC gaming accessories over the years, and one of its more recent standout products, the Apex Pro Mini Wireless Keyboard, is one shining example of the company's standard for high-quality peripherals.

It has a vast array of customization, as it will allow you to adjust its per-key actuation (0.1 – 4.0mm), create shortcut keybinds for triggering complex in-game actions more easily, and program two different actions to one key so you can activate more fluidly based on how hard you press it (like walking with a light touch or running with a hard push).

With these features combined with OmniPoint 2.0 Adjustable HyperMagnetic switches and Rapid Trigger features that activate keys based on a player's finger travel distance, what you get is an incredibly fast keyboard whose controls can be heavily customized to play whatever genre of PC gaming you throw at it, whether it's first-person shooters like Call of Duty or MMORPGs like World of Warcraft.

Other notable selling points of this keyboard include a 60% compact form that saves up space on your work desk, ultra-fast 2.4GHz wireless or Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity that does not suffer from lag, and some vibrant RGB lighting to brighten your room late at night while gaming.

So, if you're looking for a high-level keyboard whose responsiveness can help you keep up with the fastest-paced games out there, we highly recommend the SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Wireless Keyboard.

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When you want to listen to your favorite games while traveling, sometimes using traditional headsets can be a drag. Due to their bulky designs, they can be troublesome to store; they tend to make you stand out when you don't want to, and they're uncomfortable to wear while doing intense exercises.

In this case, earbuds are a better option due to their smaller size, which makes them more discreet and portable. One such headset is the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds, which is now on sale for $159.99 at Amazon, courtesy of Amazon's Prime Day sale.

Why buy the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds?

The SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds rank among the best Xbox headsets we've covered on this website. I know my colleague, Jez Corden, certainly believes so, as he said, "the SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds are the first Xbox and PC "gaming" earbuds that I feel truly check all the right boxes, across performance, features, and price."

They're equipped with custom Neodymium Magnetic Drivers that deliver some of the best sound quality you'd never expect from an earbud, complete with a punchy bass and 360° Spatial Audio for extra immersion for the listener.

They also feature a long battery of 10 hours, a Qi charging case, 2.4GHz wireless connectivity for Xbox and other home consoles, Bluetooth 5.3 for mobile devices, 4-mic hybrid Active Noise Cancellation, over 100 game audio presets to adjust a game's sound to your tastes, and a smooth, ergonomic design that makes it comfortable to wear in your ear.

So, if you're looking for a viable gaming earbud to take with you while on holiday or riding a plane, then nothing tops the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds.

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SteelSeries is, without a doubt, one of the best go-to providers of high-quality gaming headsets, as their offerings are built to last for years with their immaculate sound quality, sturdy builds, and useful features such as active noise cancellation.

One of SteelSeries' best works, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro, is one such headset, and it's now on sale on Amazon Prime Day at a 34% discount, priced at $249.99.

Why buy the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro?

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro earned a spot among our favorite Xbox headsets for very good reasons, and that starts with its sound quality.

With its Premium Hi-Fi Drivers, 360° Spatial Audio, and adjustable EQ, this headset can deliver extremely immersive, balanced, and broad soundscapes while isolating specific sound details that make a game's sound design heavenly to listen to.

The soundscape also provides a competitive edge with multiplayer games like Call of Duty, as it can help isolate specific sounds like enemy player movements so they don't get the drop on you.

Other welcome features of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro include active noise cancellation to shut out distracting background noise, 44 hours of battery life (22 hours with Bluetooth), connectivity with every console and device, comfortable ear cushions, and a decent-quality microphone with active noise cancellation.

It's even got a bundled digital-to-analog (DAC) converter base that can recharge the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro's hot-swappable batteries, connect it to multiple devices, and adjust its audio settings.

While the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Omni may be the new hotness, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro proves it's still got it in 2026, and we highly recommend it now for audiophiles looking to upgrade the auditory experience of their games.

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Amazon Prime Day week is here, which means now is the perfect time to buy a new Windows computer for a reasonable price given the ongoing component pricing crisis which has forced PCs to skyrocket in price over the last few months. Right now, you can grab Microsoft's incredible Surface Laptop 7 for just $834 at Amazon, a saving of $514 over its current not-on-sale price.

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 is technically a last-gen product now, originally launching in 2024, but that doesn't make it any less good. I called it the laptop form factor perfected when I reviewed mine in 2024, and I stand by that claim even to this day.

Why buy the Surface Laptop 7 in 2026?

Powered by the Snapdragon X Plus, with 16GB RAM and 256GB upgradable storage, the Surface Laptop 7 is perfectly equipped to handle your day to day tasks with ease. It's the perfect productivity laptop, complete with a bright and crisp touchscreen display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a best-in-class keyboard and haptic trackpad, and enough ports to satisfy.

What's most impressive about the Surface Laptop 7 however is its battery life. The Snapdragon X Plus is a very energy efficient chip, which means the laptop sips on power in most workflows. You can get through a workday on a single charge with no problems, and can probably make it into the second day before needing to juice up.

It also features reliable sleep and wake, something not all Windows laptops are good at. Plus, it's a Copilot+ PC, which means it features advanced AI features like Click To Do, on-device live translations, semantic search which makes finding apps, files, and documents easier, and much more.

Although the Surface Laptop 8 is now out with the latest silicon from Qualcomm, it is significantly more expensive, starting at $1,599. I think for that price, the Laptop 8 simply isn't worth it, especially when the Laptop 7 is $834. For significantly less, you're getting pretty much the same device, without burning a hole in your wallet!

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The final part of Amazon Prime Day is here, as the annual shopping event continues. The entire thing ran from June 23 to today, June 26, 2026. We all knew that most brands wouldn't strictly follow those dates anyway, and competing retailers were eager to start discounts a little earlier, and likely stretching them even later, depending on stock availability (and price wars will continue throughout).

I've seen deals on Windows laptops, Microsoft Surface PCs, desktop pre-builds, and everything related to gaming across Xbox (including the Series X console) and cross-compatible devices for years now. My colleagues and I have always separated the real bargains from the price-inflated chaff, and we'll always highlight the genuine best savings on Windows Central.

• Shop all Amazon Prime Day deals

To keep it simple for those in a rush (and frankly, who isn't), I'll hand-pick the absolute best of the best here, in an easy-to-browse list that keeps you up to date. If you've had your eyes on components to build your own computer, or you're ready to replace a long-serving Surface, keep this page bookmarked and check in before committing to any purchase.

Plus, if you don't have an Amazon Prime membership, you might even be eligible for a free 6-month "Prime for Young Adults" trial (exclusive to 18-24 year-olds and students).

Quick links

• All Amazon Prime Day deals
• Laptop deals at Amazon
• Save on PC components at Amazon
• Best Buy "Tech Fest" (Ends June 28)
• Newegg "FantasTech Sale" (Ends June 28)
• Walmart "Deals & More" (Ends June 28)

🔥 Hottest deals 🔥

💻 Windows PC deals 💻

🎮 Xbox deals 🎮

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Prime Day 2026: Frequently Asked Questions

Amazon Prime Day is a sales event that isn't tied to any federal holiday, and it isn't even restricted to any particular dates. Amazon decides the dates, and brands generally follow suit with discounts that coincide with the multi-day occasion. Naturally, there's no implication of exclusivity, so Amazon isn't always the cheapest place to buy. Its fiercest rivals are practically guaranteed to run suspiciously similar events at the same time, and 2026 is no exception, with Best Buy, Newegg, Walmart, and more joining in.

We will need extra space to store our important files, digital art projects, and video games more than ever, as many PCs and gaming consoles' default SSDs can't keep up with their high demand for install space.

This would be easier said than done, as many storage expansion units have become so expensive these days, as many of them can cost hundreds of dollars.

Fortunately, one of the more affordable 1TB SSDs with commendable performance rates, the Samsung T7 Portable SSD, is now on sale for $189.98 at Amazon (was $274.99) as part of its early Amazon Prime Day sales.

Why buy the Samsung T7 Portable SSD?

The Samsung T7 Portable SSD comes in 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 2.1TB, and 4TB sizes. However, the one that's on sale right now for $189.98 at Amazon is the 1TB version, which is still a very good amount of install space for hundreds of productivity documents, personal files, photos, videos, and video games.

It also features 1,050MB/s transfer speeds, so you can move files between the SSD and whatever PC or console it's hooked up to quickly. Granted, it's not the best SSD in the world for running modern AAA games directly, but it's still plenty capable of running older games and light indie titles with little to no issue.

Other notable features of the Samsung T7 Portable SSD include a fingerprint scanner for extra security, an extremely lightweight design at 58g, with a thin, sleek chassis that is so portable-friendly, you could fit it into your coat or a bag pocket.

So, if you're looking for a convenient and affordable way to add space to your desktop/console or take your precious work documents/video games with you on trips, we highly recommend adding the Samsung T7 Portable SSD to your tech collection.

FAQ

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Mini PCs are great, cost-effective alternatives to bulky desktops if you're looking to work efficiently at home, at work, or abroad without taking up too much space (or much of your budget).

Geekom's A6 mini PC is one of our favorite examples of this, thanks to its reliable performance and compact design. It also has a usually affordable listing price of $649.99 for a mid-range mini-PC, though that has been reduced to $599.99 at Amazon — however, if you use promo code "WCGKA620", you can reduce that price further to $479.

Why buy the Geekom A6 mini-PC?

The Geekom A6 mini PC is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 6800H processor and Radeon 680M graphics. With these specs, the Geekom A6 can process and run productivity apps like Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop, and browse the internet with reliable performance so you can get your daily workflows done faster and clock out of work on time.

Its specs are also capable of running lighter games like Minecraft locally with ease, and even running high-end AAA games like Cyberpunk 2077 via cloud servers on NVIDIA GeForce NOW, as confirmed through our testing when our Former Editor, Rebecca Spear, gave the Geekom A6 a 4.5-star review.

Other specs we enjoyed about the Geekom A6 are its compact 4.42 x 4.42 x 1.45 design that preserves desk space, a healthy selection of USB and HDMI ports, VESA mounting compatibility so you can stick it under your desk, and solid thermal systems to keep it from overheating while not making too much noise.

So, if you need a dependable mini PC for work and some light gaming to unwind during your break hours, then we highly recommend the Geekom A6, especially now that it's 20% off at Amazon thanks to Geekom's "WCGKA620" promo code.

FAQs

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If you're looking for a budget-friendly gaming headset that doesn't sacrifice audio quality for a cheaper price, then allow me to introduce you to the HyperX CloudX gaming headset for Xbox and PC.

This gaming accessory is packed with advanced tech, a durable yet comfortable design, and a modest MSRP of $49.99. This price was slashed to $39.99 on Amazon for October's Amazon Prime Day event, but this deal still active, so you still have time to make good on this discount.

Why buy the HyperX CloudX headset even though its over two years old?

The HyperX CloudX is regarded as one of the best Xbox accessories in the business, even after its release in 2023, with other modern HyperX products succeeding it, like the HyperX Cloud Alpha 2 headset.

It's built with a detachable mic and 53mm neodymium headphones that can deliver crisp, high-quality audio whether you're chatting to your friends online or listening to a game's audio to immerse yourself in its sound design further.

The mic is also equipped with noise-cancelling, so your friends won't be able to hear distracting background noise when you talk to them online.

The headphones are also very comfy to wear for the user as they are outfitted with smooth, leatherette earcups that can block out background noise, so you won't get distracted while listening to your friends online or your games.

The HyperX CloudX headset also has a very lightweight frame, so it doesn't wear down the user's head or ears after several hours of use.

However, don't mistake its lightness for fragility, as the HyperX CloudX gaming head has a sturdy and durable build quality that will last you for a very long time.

The only real downsides of the HyperX CloudX gaming headset are that it's a wired-only headset and it's missing several features premium headsets take for granted, like onboard surround sound.

Overall, this is a brilliant entry-level gaming headset that is a must-have for Xbox and PC players looking to improve their gaming experiences with accessories before committing to premium-grade products.

If what you read has intrigued you, then now's the perfect time to buy the HyperX CloudX, as its inexpensive MSRP of $49.99 has been reduced to $39.99 on Amazon thanks to Amazon Prime Day.

This discount is still live, however, and there's no telling when it will dry up, so be sure to take advantage of it while you still can.

FAQ

To say there's a rush on Windows 11 laptops right now is an understatement. With Windows 10's End-of-Life date in less than a week — it lands on October 14 — the time to pick up a new PC has never been better.

And in terms of laptop discounts currently live during Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days, I haven't seen a better one than this. It's one of Dell's in-house discounts, which gets you a no-nonsense 50% off the new Dell 14 Plus.

That drops the regular $999.99 price down to $499.99. As you can imagine, this unbelievable deal won't last long.

I've covered these types of sales events for 10 years now, and I must say that it's rare to see any laptop — never mind one that's regularly $1,000 — get a flat 50% discount with no strings attached.

Dell's 14 Plus, a lineup of laptops formerly known as Inspiron before the major Dell rebrand of 2025, might not have the most exciting design or features, but it delivers strong performance, excellent battery life, a generous selection of ports, and a comfy keyboard.

This is one of Dell's Copilot+ PCs, complete with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) with enough power to run all of Windows 11's built-in AI tools. Whether you use the AI features or not, the modern Intel Core Ultra 5 226V and its integrated Intel Arc 130V graphics won't have any issues cutting through your daily workload.

Dell isn't skimping on the memory or storage, either, offering 16GB of LPDDR5x-8533 RAM and a 512GB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD.

Best part? During the in-depth testing process for Windows Central laptop expert Zachary Boddy's Dell 14 Plus review, they found that they could get about 7 hours of battery life from the system. That's not bad for a $1,000 laptop, never mind one that's down to just $499.

If you're in search of a new Windows 11 laptop that will stay relevant for years to come, you could do a lot worse at the discounted price point. Dell mentions that this deal is limited in quantity, so if you're interested, I recommend not waiting too long.

FAQ

While looking around at deals this Amazon Prime Day, I noticed that the foldable Bluetooth keyboard that I use with my various handheld gaming PCs is on sale.

It usually sells for $40.99, but right now it's discount to just $34.43 at Amazon during Amazon Prime Big Deal Days.

Type and navigate more easily on your handheld gaming PC

A few years ago, I was playing a game on my ROG Ally X and it regularly asked me to type in information. The problem is, typing on the ROG Ally X (and many other handheld gaming PCs) isn't the most comfortable thing.

To fix this, I ended up buying the Artciety Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard, and I've loved having it. I've even used it when conducting my Legion Go 2 review. It's worked beautifully with every handheld I've connected it to so far.

My guess is it will work with the upcoming Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X since it works so well with the ROG Ally and ROG Ally X.

I chose this specific keyboard for a few reasons. First off, it has a touchpad, so I can use it to navigate my handhelds instead of also connecting a separate mouse.

Secondly, I like that it can remember up to three Bluetooth connections, making it easier to use between my Legion Go 2, ROG Ally X, and other handhelds. I just have to press the function button plus one of the three Bluetooth buttons to swap between remembered connections.

Third, I wanted a keyboard that I could easily travel with, and since this one is smaller, can fold up, and comes with a carrying case, it's more doable than some other options. I also like that it's protected by a hard shell when folded to keep it safe in transit.

The hinge areas are designed to move around the keys in such a way that they don't get damaged when folded. I've never run out of battery life while using this keyboard, but I tend to keep it charged up between sessions.

It's worth noting that the included cable is a USB-C to USB-A cord. So, if the keyboard is out of battery, you can still use it if you plug the keyboard into your handheld. However, you will need a USB-A to USB-C adapter, like this Syntech USB-C to USB-A 3.0 Adapter that sells for $12.99 at Amazon, to make this work.

Sometimes I like to dock my handhelds and play on a TV. Having the Artciety Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard has also made this more convenient.

I've always found that the connection works well, even when I'm laying in bed or sitting on the couch several feet away while my handheld is connected to the TV. You just need to make sure nothing obstructs the path between the television and the handheld in order for it to work well.

Artciety Foldable Keyboard FAQ

I've been using this keyboard with my various handhelds for a few years, so here is some additional information about it.

I've owned every major handheld gaming PC that has been released in the last few years, and after playing each device for dozens, if not hundreds, of hours, I've gained an appreciation for peripherals that improve my gaming sessions.

Many of my most-used handheld accessories are already inexpensive, but Amazon Prime Day, has made some downright cheap and very affordable. Grab these for your Steam Deck, ROG Ally, Legion Go, or other handheld gaming PC.

There are even more discounts available during Amazon Big Deal Days.

Protect your handheld and make it more convenient to use without spending a ton

I chose the accessories on this list because they are useful to every single handheld currently out there, whether you've got the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, Legion Go, Legion Go S, MSI Claw 8 AI+, or have preordered one of the upcoming Xbox Ally or Legion Go 2 handhelds.

It's hard to decide which of these accessories is most important for your handheld gaming PC, but then, that really depends on how you use the device and what setup you currently have.

If you tend to play a lot of games, then it's a good idea to pick up a microSD card if you haven't already. I personally hate having to uninstall and rearrange game files too frequently, so having a larger storage space to work with adds a lot of convenience.

Outside of that, my most-used accessory is either the USB-C 90 Degree Male to Female adapter or the extra 65W charger. I highly recommend the adapter since it puts less strain on your handheld port and the charging cable, potentially allowing them to last longer without getting damaged.

My next most-used accessory has to be the USB-A to USB-C adapter. I've plugged so many of my USB-A accessories into this inexpensive peripheral, including headsets, my colorimeter, keyboard and mouse dongles, and more. It's much cheaper than a docking station or a hub, and its small size makes it super easy to travel with, too.

If you're playing a game that requires you to type things in or requires some cursor controls, then you might want to get the Artciety Foldable Keyboard. I've used this several times to interact with certain games. I've even used it to type articles on my handhelds. It works very well.

Lastly, I love having a docking station so I can play my handheld on a large TV or computer monitor when the mood strikes me. The iVanky one I highlighted is great for most handhelds; however, if you have a larger device like the Legion Go, Legion Go 2, or ROG Ally X, grab the JSAUX one. It's designed specifically so that the USB-C cable can reach these larger handhelds' ports without straining.

Handheld Gaming PC FAQ

I know that some people aren't all that familiar with mini PCs, so I've taken a moment to answer some commonly asked questions about these small desktops.

October 2025's Amazon Prime Day event has come and gone. However, there are still plenty of discount deals active even though the festivities are over until the next Prime Day event.

One such discount is for one of my favorite Geekom mini PCs, the GEEKOM Mini PC IT12, which is on sale for $499.99 on Amazon (a 9% discount from its normal MSRP of $549.00) exclusively for Amazon Prime members.

BONUS: Use code WINDOWS12GK during checkout (choose payment method) for an extra 5% off (-$25), bringing the price down to $475 before taxes!

Make an affordable mini PC even less expensive

In addition to having reviewed several Geekom mini PCs over the years, I've also previously written about how they're affordable while also being reliable and trustworthy, unlike some other shady mini PC brands out there.

The Geekom IT12 in particular has a blue metal casing that puts me in mind of Doctor Who's Tardis, since, despite it being a compact device, its Intel i7-1280P processor still offers solid performance while being paired with capacity 32GB RAM and 1TB NVMe SSD.

What's more, this thing is loaded with ports. There are two USB-A ports on the front along with a headphone jack for easy reach. Then on the back, there are two HDMI ports, two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, and an ethernet port.

It even offers Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, so all of your various accessory connection needs are met.

Like many other mini PCs, Geekoms are small and easy to tuck out of sight. Geekom makes this even easier, though, by supplying mounting plates in the box. That way, you can connect it to the back of a compatible monitor for a sleek and tidy desk.

Geekom Mini PC FAQ

Geekom and mini PCs in general aren't something that many people are familiar with, so I've taken a moment to answer several commonly asked questions about them.

With Xbox consoles seeing price increases in recent times, we're in a position that we haven't been in with previous generations. Instead of getting cheaper the older they get, the opposite is happening.

That makes deal hunting all the more important. There's an alarming lack of Xbox console deals on Amazon Prime Day, but I have found one. Skipping over to Antonline, you can snag an Xbox Series S bundle with a choice of two games for $379.99. That's $20 off the console, and you get a game with a sweet steelbook thrown in.

The fact the Xbox Series S is now $100 more than it was when it launched is something we, unfortunately, can't do anything about. But we don't have to like it. Nevertheless, it's where we are, and this deal is modest, but it's a saving. And we'll always take that.

The Xbox Series S is a fantastic little console, too. I got one for my son, and for the most part, it's been every bit as good as my own Series X. Sure, you don't get the highest frame rate options all the time, same for graphics, but it's small, it's fast as hell, and gets all the same games its significantly more expensive sibling gets.

As much as I love the Series X, I couldn't in good faith recommend anyone who doesn't own a current gen Xbox console buy one anymore. It's too damn expensive.

The Xbox Series S is the console to get. You have full access to the same games, Game Pass, and accessories. Optimized titles run like a dream, and there hasn't been a case where it's had to miss out. It's like buying a more budget gaming PC versus something with an RTX 5090 inside. Compromises, but an overall great experience.

This deal at Antonline comes with either Avowed steelbook edition, or the DOOM Anthology with its own Steelbook and a miniature BFG. Who doesn't like free stuff?

The only drawback is the storage. If you install all of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 plus Warzone, for example, you've nearly filled it. Fortunately, it uses the same storage expansion cards as the Series X. Right now you can grab a 1TB WD Black expansion card for under $120 to go with it. Prices might be going up, but that doesn't mean we can't find a deal!

If you ask me what the single most impactful upgrade I've made to my gaming setup in the last year is, you might be surprised when I don't mention a new CPU or a new GPU. It's the MSI MAG MT201D dual-monitor mount that has so conveniently changed my life at a desk.

Although I fully recommend this awesome accessory at the full $130 price, the fact that you can now get it for just $89.60 at Amazon during Prime Big Deal Days makes it a deal anyone with two screens cannot miss.

The best office gaming upgrade I've made all year is down to just $89

There's really no downside to the MSI MAG MT201D dual-monitor mount, especially now that it's enjoying a 31% discount at Amazon.

It's easily the best display mount I've ever used. Setup — which doesn't require you to drill any holes in your desk unless you really want to — didn't take long, and I was back to gaming within 45 minutes.

Thanks to 75mm and 100mm VESA compatibility, the stand will work with the vast majority of modern displays, and with support for up to dual 45-inch screens, you should find it hard to test the mount's limits.

I've been using the MSI MAG MT201D for gaming and professional work for about nine months at this point, and it hasn't yet lost any arm tension or base stability. I haven't had to make any adjustments, and my monitors remain where I place them with no sign of drooping.

Perhaps the best part is the built-in cable channel that runs down each arm. Never has my desktop looked so clean despite having multiple monitors connected to multiple PCs.

I've recommended this mount to a few friends who have followed through, and everyone has been satisfied with the purchase, even at full price. With this discount, it only gets better, but the $89.60 deal price isn't going to last long!

FAQ

The big Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sale is still happening, but not for much longer, which means you need to hurry if you want to take advantage of this deal on a Surface Laptop 7, which brings its price down to the same level as the Surface Laptop 13-inch currently. It's a $200 discount, bringing it down from $999 to $799 at Amazon, right alongside its currently on sale midrange sibling at Best Buy.

It's been a little while since we last saw a good deal on the Surface Laptop 7. This one that brings it down to the same price as Microsoft's midrange alternative makes it a no-brainer, with a 20% saving on what we described in our review to be "the best laptop. Period."

And if you're part of the crowd with a PC running Windows 10, which is coming to an end (EOL), this is also a worthy contender that will last you many years to come.

On the inside, the Surface Laptop 7 is powered by a Snapdragon X Plus (10 core) with 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage. Luckily, that SSD storage is easily upgradable, with a removable M.2 slot on the inside of the device that can be user-removable and upgraded if needed.

The Surface Laptop 7 is Microsoft's flagship laptop, besting the midrange Surface Laptop 13-inch in a number of ways. It has a larger 13.8-inch screen, which also has a higher resolution and a higher refresh rate of 120Hz, which makes using Windows and scrolling webpages feel buttery smooth, unlike the currently same-priced midrange version.

It doesn't end there, either. The flagship Surface Laptop 7 also has Windows Hello face unlock, which is a faster and more secure method of biometric authentication that makes logging into your PC so much faster than the fingerprint reader on the 13-inch Surface Laptop. The Surface Laptop 7 also has a haptic touchpad, which just feels better to use.

Because of that, Snapdragon X Plus is also a laptop that will last you all day. It has one of the best battery lives we've tested here at Windows Central, which means it'll serve you well for years to come.

Amazon Prime Day for October 2025 has come to an end. Yet, there are still amazing discounts to be had on your most-wishlisted Xbox game controllers.

Such is the case with the GameSir G7 SE Wired Controller, a marvelous wired Xbox controller featuring Hall-Effect Sensors, now on sale for $35.99 after a limited-time 28% discount has been applied to its $49.99 MSRP at Walmart.

Why is the GameSir G7 SE Wired Controller worth purchasing?

GameSir's G7 SE Wired Controller has a ton of awesome features going for it that make it one of the best Xbox accessories for both Xbox and PC players, providing they don't mind losing wireless connectivity.

This controller features a sturdy build designed to withstand many hours of use with ergonomic grips to ensure comfort for the user.

It has excellent controls that provide positive feedback for the user and extremely accurate input reading thanks to the controller's built-in Hall Effect Triggers and Joysticks.

The GameSir's G7 SE Wired Controller can also let you remap its buttons to your personal liking using a built-in software app without the need to download third-party apps by pressing its unique "M" button.

You can also download the easy-to-use GameSir Nexus app for Xbox and PC to grant you even deeper button remapping for the controller.

The best part about the GameSir G7 SE Wired Controller is its default MSRP of $49.99, which is $15 cheaper than the standard Xbox X|S Controller by Microsoft.

Not only is the GameSir G7 SE Wired Controller more affordable than the regular Xbox controller, but its aforementioned features make it an overall superior product, as the regular Xbox controller doesn't have Hall Effect sensors or a built-in remapping app.

It was on sale during October 2025's Amazon Prime Day event for a 28% discount at Amazon. However, Walmart has come to provide a back-up 28% discount now that the event is over, selling the controller for $35.99.

What's more is that Walmart's discount is open for the general public, so you don't have to subscribe to a Walmart+ membership to use it.

FAQ

It's a great time to be a PC gamer who needs a new graphics card in their system. Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days, Best Buy's Techtober, and Newegg's FantasTech II sales events have triple-digit discounts on many NVIDIA and AMD GPUs, helping you buy at MSRP or at least very close.

I scoured the internet for the biggest price drops on GeForce RTX 5000 and Radeon RX 9000 cards, but I've also included older generations that are also enjoying huge discounts.

Best GPU deals: Quick Links

• See all GPU deals at Amazon Prime Big Deal Days — Up to 21% off RTX 50-series
• See all GPU deals at Best Buy Techtober — Up to $251 off RTX 50-series
• See all GPU deals at Newegg FantasTech II — Up to 25% off AMD Radeon and NVIDIA RTX

Best NVIDIA GPU deals I found so far

Best AMD GPU deals I found so far

FAQ

In a staggering move, Microsoft has upped the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription fee by 50%, prompting widespread outrage among gamers. As players grapple with these new costs, retailers are seizing the moment with limited-time discounts on subscriptions amid this chaos.

In the wake of this controversy, online retailers have decided to take advantage of this chaos during Amazon Prime Day and sell off various discounted subscription times for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which we have rounded up for your perusal.

Is Xbox Game Pass Ultimate still worth it even with the price hike?

The horrors of Halloween have come early for Xbox fans in the worst way possible.

Microsoft has raised the monthly subscription fee for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate by 50% so it now costs $29.99 as part of a massive restructuring of the online service, unless you live in certain countries where the price hike has been delayed.

Needless to say, but this announcement has caused a major backlash with legions of players unsubscribing from Xbox Game Pass in droves, and they were already incensed having to put up with Xbox consoles having their prices raised twice this year, thanks to US tariffs.

Like many people, I'm also upset to see the subscription fee for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate hiked to such absurd degrees.

It was such an excellent service that allowed thousands of players to try out hundreds of amazing games before committing to buying them fully, like Lies of P, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and many others.

With this price hike, players with tighter budgets will be forced to switch to the cheaper Xbox Game Pass subscription plans and miss out on tons of games to play that aren't part of their smaller libraries.

However, there is a chance that Microsoft may backpedal on this decision and restore the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to its original state if the backlash becomes too much for Microsoft to bear.

Until then, and if that happens, I plan to follow my colleague Jez Corden's game plan and switch from Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to PC Game Pass, as it's the next best option.

Why, you may ask? Because PC Game Pass will grant you the most valuable benefits of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, like day one access to first-party Xbox games, Xbox Game Pass' full library (including EA Play and Ubisoft+ titles), and the chance to earn $50 Xbox credit a year.

The only major drawback of PC Game Pass is that it lacks multi-platform availability, meaning this service is only locked to Windows PCs and gaming handhelds.

However, it's a small price compared to paying $29.99 a month for virtually the same benefit (depending on whether you have a powerful rig to run PC games at least).

FAQ

Last year, on October 11, 2024, Atlus, released its newest JRPG IP to the world, Metaphor: ReFantazio. This title quickly became one of the best games of 2024 for its dark and complex story, engrossing characters, and compelling gameplay.

This game's MSRP of $69.99 got slashed down to $15.96 on Amazon during the now-finished Amazon Prime Day event for October 2025. However, Walmart is still hosting a massive 57% discount for this game, meaning you can get a hold of this amazing game for the discounted price of $39.00.

What's Metaphor: ReFantazio worth buying over other Xbox JRPGs?

Metaphor: ReFantazio tells the tale of a young man looking to break a curse slowly draining the life of his best friend, the displaced crown prince of Euchronia.

To save the prince and restore him to the throne, our hero must take a grand contest where citizens of Euchronia, from the wealthiest noble to the poorest peasant, must fight for the right to claim the kingdom's next king.

The story is a fascinating and epic adventure that will have you hooked with its action-packed moments, shocking twists, and in-depth themes, overcoming anxiety and using fantasy as an inspiration to overcome the cold harshness of reality.

Metaphor: ReFantazio also features a large cast of playable heroes that will have you root for them with their charming personalities and in-depth motivations, and villains you will love to hate for how confident and unapologetically evil they are.

Of course, a game's story doesn't hold weight without solid gameplay to back it up, and Metaphor: ReFantazio has it in spades.

This game feels like the perfect blend of Atlus' most famous JRPGs rolled into one package that celebrates the company's history.

It has the complex and challenging combat system of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne, where one mistake could cost your life, and the Social Link systems of the Persona series, where you can learn more about the characters of the world and unlock powerful abilities.

To top it off, Metaphor: ReFantazio takes the Persona series' titular 'Persona' mechanic and remolds it into a Final Fantasy V-esque Job system where you can equip every party member with a mighty spirit called an Achetype.

Each Archetype offers varied playstyles with endless hours of customization potential, where you can create all kinds of unique party set-ups to devastate your enemies with.

You can even use your Archetype's abilities outside of battle to make dungeon crawling easier by eliminating weaker foes instantly or restoring your party's health and magic resources upon defeating enemies.

In short, Metaphor: ReFantazio is a fantastic game and one of my favorite Atlus JRPGs to date, alongside Persona 5: Royal and Persona 3: Reload.

If you don't mind Visual Novel-esque storytelling where you will spend potentially hours reading dialogue between action scenes, then I highly recommend this Xbox JRPG to heaven and back as it's one of the best games in the Xbox's catalog.

If you haven't played this game yet, then now's the perfect time to do so if you're playing on Xbox, as the Xbox version is still on sale for $39.00 at Walmart for an unspecified limited time.

FAQ

As has become tradition in recent years, Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days has been out-dealed by a competing retailer. This time it's HP with what I believe is the best gaming laptop deal of the week.

The HP OMEN MAX 16, released in 2025 and sporting NVIDIA's newest RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU, is now down to $1,500 after a massive $600 discount.

I'll give it to you straight — the OMEN MAX 16 for 2025 isn't perfect, but it's a lot closer than many other gaming laptops.

Windows Central laptop expert Zachary Boddy performed in-depth testing on the OMEN MAX 16 for their review, making it easy to see where the laptop excels and where it falters.

Let me get the cons out of the way first. Like most gaming laptops, you'll want to keep it plugged in to avoid throttling the beastly RTX 5070 Ti and the 8-core AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 CPU. Not a huge deal.

👉 Related: We’ve tested plenty of laptops — these Techtober standouts deliver the best mix of performance and value

Boddy also found that the fans can get loud when the system is under load, but they tested a model with NVIDIA's most powerful RTX 5090 card that produces a lot more heat. With the RTX 5070 Ti inside, fan noise should be much less of a problem.

The final nitpick in Boddy's review has to do with the keyboard. The lattice-free design with translucent keycap edges and RGB backlighting might be an acquired taste, but "the layout is solid," and the touchpad is "equally decent" with smooth and precise inputs.

Now, let's get into what the laptop does particularly well. HP designed the OMEN MAX 16 to be as sleek as possible, resulting in a truly premium appearance without a ton of bulk or baggage.

The OMEN Max 16 runs Windows 11, which could solve your Windows 10 End-of-Life issues, and it's loaded with a bunch of HP's custom apps that allow for easy custom or automatic tuning. If you want to overclock your system, you don't have to be an expert.

At stock tuning, the RTX 5070 Ti GPU with 12GB of VRAM and Ryzen AI 7 350 CPU are going to make demanding modern titles look incredible, especially if you enable DLSS 4 features in your favorite games.

The FHD+ display might irk some gamers who'd rather have QHD+, but at 16 inches, everything is going to look plenty crisp, and you'll have a ton of headroom for high frame rates thanks to the 165Hz variable refresh rate.

This model that's discounted by $600 comes with 16GB of DDR5 RAM and a 512GB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD. If you find that's not enough, you can always upgrade yourself after purchase with relative ease.

FAQ

The big Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sale is on for the next 24 hours, and for a long while I've been in the market for a 5K monitor. I love high-resolution displays, as I think Windows and text looks best when rendered at 5K. Unfortunately, most 5K monitors are very expensive, at least, that was the case until now.

For the next 24 hours, as part of Prime Day, you can grab yourself a brand-new 27-inch 5K monitor for just $569. That's for the KTC 27-inch 5K monitor, which offers the same size and resolution display as the Apple Studio Display, but at an almost $1000 discount. I just bought two for less than $1,200!

5K monitors have become something of a unique but popular market in the last few years. While most people opt for a 4K monitor, 5K monitors have been reserved for creative professionals or people who just want text and images to look as crisp as possible on their display.

4K monitors are great, but they often result in Windows and macOS having to display icons and text at a not ideal rendering scale. With a 27-inch 5K monitor at 217ppi (pixels per inch,) Windows will scale at 200% natively, and macOS will also scale at its native resolution too. That means text and images look even crisper than usual, and the OS's run better as a result.

Just as comparison, Windows will usually render at 150% scaling on a 4K monitor. This is mostly fine, but Windows and visuals just look better at 200%.

The KTC 5K monitor itself is also packed full of features. It has a 5K (5120x2880) 60Hz mode, but also a 2K (2560x1440) 120Hz mode. So if you wanted to use the monitor for gaming or wanted a higher refresh rate for whatever reason, you could swich the monitor into 2K mode and experience Windows and gaming at a much smoother frame rate.

It has built-in 65W Power Delivery, which means you can plug in a laptop with USB-C and send charge to it to keep it alive when using it with the external monitor. It also has HDR 400, though it is only an IPS display so don't expect the screen to be as bright as an OLED monitor is.

Unfortunately, there aren't any 5K OLEDs on the market right now, so IPS is the best we're going to get, and for $569 I think this is one hell of a monitor. You get a lot for your money, including a 217ppi display that most people haven't experienced before.

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Have you ever thought about giving Xbox games a go, but were intimidated by the worrying price hike of home consoles? Then this bundle is the best affordable option for you.

As of right now, you can get your hands on an Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, an Xbox controller, and a month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate game time in a huge bundle for $98.93 on Amazon, which is a massive 27% price cut from its normal $134.97 MSRP for a limited time.

• Shop all Amazon Big Deal Days discounts

Xbox Cloud has left beta and is better than ever

After years of being (officially) a beta, Xbox Cloud Gaming is now available widely, with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate giving you access to hundreds of games, including some titles streaming at higher-quality 1440p resolution.

That's why this bundle is such a good deal. Individually, an Xbox controller will usually run you around $60 or more, which a Fire TV Stick 4K will also set you back another $60. Finally, after the recent price hike, one month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $30.

Instead of paying all that, you can grab this bundle and start playing games for under $100. That includes numerous Xbox first-party games, with more coming this month, including Keeper and The Outer Worlds 2 from Double Fine and Obsidian Entertainment, respectively.

Just plug your Fire TV Stick 4K into a compatible TV, download the Xbox app, and pair your Xbox controller. From there, you can start streaming hundreds of games.

Xbox Cloud also includes "Stream Your Own Game," a feature allowing you to stream certain games you buy, even if they aren't included in the Xbox Game Pass catalogue. That means that with this bundle, you can choose to buy a game like Helldivers 2 and then stream it.

With Xbox console hardware prices rising twice this year in the U.S. thanks to tariffs affecting hardware imports, this is now by far the best way to dip your toes in the Xbox ecosystem and try out some games without having to spend hundreds of dollars.

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