A new Xbox rumor started this weekend that's now blown out of proportion, as usual. Late into the evening on Saturday, Redditors flocked to the Xbox subreddit as someone claimed their local Target had begun removing the Xbox section from their store. Then, various blog sites who seem oddly invested in the concept of "Xbox dying" ran with headlines based on said anonymous reports. Likely buoyed by the fact that Costco recently has reduced its Xbox offering, compounding expectations of a wider retail rout.

From this post spawned a number of stories where other Redditors began sharing that they hadn't seen stock within their local Target or Walmart stores for months. Counter reports came in from various sources, like Destin Legarie, who shared the following.

"I just called my local Walmart to ask if they were discontinuing or pulling Xbox stock. They said, 'At least to my knowledge, I haven't heard anything about like clearing inventory or anything like that. Or about being discontinued." They also said still have them in stock."

We also spoke to a Target employee at our end, who also discredited claims of a wider Xbox removal.

Even the legendary Xbox alumni Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb chimed in, stating, "All I know is I went to a couple of Target and GameStop stores this week, and did find Xbox hardware and games for sale." I even did a little investigative work by going to my local Target during an unrelated errand, where I stopped by to check the shelves.

Sure enough, everything was there except for the consoles themselves. When I checked their website, I noticed that not a single Xbox Series X was available, but multiple Xbox Series S consoles were for purchase. But, Xbox stock does tend to fluctuate heavily, as Microsoft seems to manufacture them practically to order these days.

The Xbox Series X is regularly sold out, as Microsoft seems particularly fearful of creating "over supply" situations, for whatever reason. Some of that silicon is being used to power Xbox Cloud Gaming, however, which is another angle likely at play here.

At least at Walmart, we found both consoles in stock. So wait, are they or aren't they getting rid of them? Well, Microsoft has given us a statement, noting that Walmart and Target, at large, are still "committed partners" for Xbox hardware.

"Target and Walmart, among other retailers, remain committed partners for Xbox consoles, accessories, and games."

Misinformation is generally been worse than ever thanks to AI, bots, and the like, but Microsoft has earned itself plenty of negativity over the last year. Where is all this misinformation coming from? And what will it take to turn the tide?

The battle ahead for Microsoft began with itself

Twice this year, Microsoft has announced price increases across the board for all Xbox-branded consoles, largely due to tariffs. All variations of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S have seen a jump in price from their original prices of $499/$299 to $649/$399 respectively.

Then, to add insult to injury, the Game Pass Ultimate price took a 50% hike this past month, which will take effect at the start of November. Since then, Microsoft has been dealing with a tidal wave of claims that Microsoft is exiting the hardware business entirely, much like Sega did at the turn of the millennium. This is hot on the heels of Microsoft's summer reveal of a decade-long hardware partnership with AMD, for Xbox consoles.

Forcing another response, Microsoft chimed in, stating that it has no intentions to exit the Xbox console hardware business, and that seeking more information could refer to their latest partnership announcement with AMD.

Microsoft has always wrestled with its image, but it has reached new lows as of late. When you combine mass layoffs to fund investments into AI products only shareholders seem to want, aggressive price increases while posting record revenues and profits, and a sprint of unpopular business decisions — Xbox's public image has taken a battering.

Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass had a stellar year up to the price hikes, and its first party output has been better than ever, after years of struggling to find its footing. The Xbox Series X|S consoles were also among the best pieces of hardware the firm has ever put out, again, before price hikes. All you need is a cursory glance over replies to its social posts to get a sense of how up against it Xbox is with its image.

As one of the world's most privileged companies, it deserves similarly powerful scrutiny. But, the sheer volume of misinformation and negativity out there risks turning others away from the ecosystem in its entirety — potentially harming customers, employees, and third-party developers alike who rely on Xbox's continued existence. Microsoft needs to do more here.

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

Intel Gamer Days is live, and this year, it's a free copy of Battlefield 6 that's drawing a lot of attention. At Walmart, several gaming laptops are enjoying deep discounts, and you can get a free copy of the upcoming first-person shooter from DICE with your purchase.

There are two MSI Thin 15 models currently on sale that I'd like to highlight, as well as an HP OMEN 16.

The most affordable features an Intel Core i5-13420H CPU, NVIDIA RTX 3050, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. It's down to $499 at Walmart from the regular $799.99, which is about a $301 discount.

Walmart has also dropped the price on an MSI Thin 15 with the same Core i5-13420H CPU, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD, and 15.6-inch FHD IPS display with 144Hz refresh rate; however, this model makes the jump to an NVIDIA RTX 4050 Laptop GPU.

Rather than paying the full $899.99 price, Walmart has it discounted to $549. That's about a $351 savings. And although Walmart hasn't made it explicitly clear on the product page, this laptop is included in the Intel Gamer Days promo that lands you a free copy of Battlefield 6.

Last but not least is an HP OMEN 16 Slim with an Intel Core Ultra 5 225H CPU, NVIDIA RTX 5050 Laptop GPU, 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and a 16-inch 2K display at 165Hz.

This is, by far, the most modern choice, capable of delivering the best performance out of the three laptops I've highlighted here.

It regularly costs about $1,399, but it's now down to $849 at Walmart. That's a savings of $550, and it comes with a free copy of Battlefield 6.

Battlefield 6 is free, but will it run on these laptops?

Battlefield 6's minimum PC requirements aren't technically that demanding, although, as with any game, the better hardware you have, the better the game will look and perform.

Unfortunately, the RTX 3050 Laptop GPU in the most affordable MSI Thin 15 I highlighted doesn't make the cut, coming in behind the RTX 2060. You'll be able to play the game, but it won't likely perform that well.

Moving up to the discounted $549 model with an RTX 4050 Laptop card, this model surpasses the minimum CPU and GPU requirements, if only just.

As you likely already know, bumping the GPU up to an RTX 5050 Laptop will only improve your experience in Battlefield 6, especially with DLSS 4 ready to go. The HP OMEN 16 is easily the most powerful laptop of the bunch, and at $550 off the regular price, it's also the best deal.

How to redeem your free copy of Battlefield 6 via Intel Gamer Days

Once you've purchased an eligible gaming laptop from Walmart — these three are confirmed to be on the list — you should receive some form of purchase proof from the retailer.

With this in hand, just head to Intel's software offer promo page and sign in or create a new account. Once verified, you'll then be able to follow the redemption instructions that you received when you purchased the PC.

Be sure to redeem this offer before October 31, 2025! That's plenty of time to act; Battlefield 6 is set to launch on October 10.

In the US, Walmart is far from the only retailer in on Intel's promotion; Amazon, Antonline, Best Buy, B&H, Micro Center, and plenty of individual PC storefronts are also selling eligible products.

Memorial Day is just around the bend, and although it's confined to Monday, May 26, the deals have already kicked off.

Amazon's Memorial Day sale began ahead of most other retailers, but that doesn't mean it has the best deals. In fact, most of the best deals are found elsewhere.

👉 Related: Early Memorial Day deals are LIVE on Windows PCs, gaming accessories, and more

Major retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, Target, B&H, and Newegg all have Memorial Day sales on the go, cutting prices on top tech like laptops, monitors, gaming accessories, gaming handhelds, and more.

After spending hours scouring the web for the best early Memorial Day deals, I found these five super discounts from anywhere but Amazon.

Best Memorial Day deals you won't find at Amazon

Memorial Day Deals: Frequently Asked Questions

Memorial Day isn't supposed to be about retailer discounts, but it usually falls that way over the preceding weekend. Here's what we know about this year's sales event.

Microsoft accidentally revealed messages about its expanding partnership with Walmart and the retailer's plans to use more Microsoft AI tools in the future.

The messages were leaked during a presentation by Neta Haiby, Microsoft's head of AI security, at Build 2025. A protester interrupted Haiby's presentation, which led the stream to be muted.

Cameras were also turned away to avoid showing the protester.

Haiby accidentally shared her screen during the livestream and showed private messages within Microsoft Teams. The messages discussed Walmart's plans to use Microsoft Entra and AI Gateway services.

“Walmart is ready to ROCK AND ROLL with Entra Web and AI Gateway,” said one of the messages.

The same message added that the best news is that "Microsoft is WAY ahead of Google with AI security."

Walmart already works extensively with Microsoft and uses Azure OpenAI, so the retailer expanding its use of Microsoft’s AI tools is not surprising.

What are people protesting?

Microsoft Build was interrupted by protesters three times this year. The protests spanned across multiple days and occurred during Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's keynote and during a presentation by Microsoft head of CoreAI Jay Parikh.

The third protest was the aforementioned interruption of Haiby, who is Microsoft's head of security for AI.

The Verge covered and shared videos of the recent protests.

The protests center around Microsoft having cloud contracts with the Israeli government.

“Sarah, you are whitewashing the crimes of Microsoft in Palestine, how dare you talk about responsible AI when Microsoft is fueling the genocide in Palestine,” said former Microsoft employee Hossam Nasr during one of the protests.

The Sarah referred to by Nasr is Sarah Bird, who was co-hosting the Build session alongside Haiby. Bird is Microsoft's head of responsible AI.

Vaniya Agrawal was also at Nasr's protest. Agrawal disrupted Nadella at Microsoft's 50th Anniversary event earlier this year.

Nasr is also an organizer of No Azure for Apartheid, a protest group that demands Microsoft end its Azure contracts with the Israeli military and government. The group also calls on Microsoft to "make all ties to the Israeli state, military, and tech industry publicly known."

The No Azure for Apartheid Instagram account shared the above video.

Microsoft has not commented on the recent protests during Build 2025 or the Teams messages that were shown accidentally.

Microsoft has commissioned third-party manufacturers to create all kinds of Xbox-themed merchandise over the years, whether it's Xbox-branded clothing, controllers themed after movies, or special accessories. One of the more memorable pieces of Microsoft memorabilia is the Xbox Series X Replica 8 Can Mini Fridge, an accessory designed and themed in the likeness of Microsoft's Xbox Series X console.

This mini-fridge typically costs $69.99 at retail, but Walmart is currently hosting a special Anti-Prime Day 35% discount sale that has reduced the price tag to $45.92.

• Shop all of Amazon's October Prime Day deals

🎃The best early Black Friday deals🦃

• 💾Seagate Xbox Expansion Card (1TB) | $129.99 at Best Buy (Save $70!)
• 📺Amazon Fire TV Stick | $24.99 at Amazon (Save $25!)
• 🎮ASUS ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) | $499.99 at Best Buy (Save $150!)
• 💻Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (Ryzen 5) | $329.99 at Best Buy (Save $250!)
• 📺LG C4 OLED 4K TV (42-inches) | $899.99 at Best Buy (Save $500!)
• 💻Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge (X Elite) | $799.99 at Best Buy (Save $550!)
• 💻Dell XPS 13 (X Elite) | $999.99 at Best Buy (Save $500!)
• 🎧Sony ANC Wireless Headphones | $228 at Walmart (Save $122!)
• 💻HP Envy 2-in-1 14 (Ryzen 7) | $649.99 at Best Buy (Save $400!)

Why should you buy this adorable mini-fridge? 

When seeing this mini-fridge for the first time, it'd be easy to write it off as a comedic novelty item that quickly wears out its welcome. However, the Xbox Series X mini fridge created by third-party company Ukronic, is a genuinely well-crafted fridge that functions with the same level of high quality you'd expect from real mini-fridges while adding its own flair.

For starters, the design of the mini-fridge is a perfect replication of the Xbox Series X without any compromises to its primary components for the sake of maintaining its visual gimmick. It features a USB charging port so you can recharge the best Xbox controllers and other compatible devices with it. Plus, it can be powered by 240-volt mains outlet or a 12-volt DC adapter that's normally used on cars.

As for its storage capabilities, the Xbox Series X mini-fridge can hold up to eight small cans or snacks like chocolate bars and potato chip packets thanks to its compact size of 7.3 x 7.3 x 14.3 inches, and 4.5L volume. On top of that, this fridge has a built-in thermoelectric cooling fan so it doesn't require refrigerant chemicals to keep it clean like traditional refrigerators do.

That being said, this accessory isn't perfect. It has a very limited amount of storage space compared to larger fridges and consumes a large amount of power when turned on. The thermoelectric cooling fan also has a risk of burning out if you leave the fridge running for more than two days so it should be turned on sparingly.

Despite that though, the Xbox Series X Replica 8 Can Mini Fridge is a well-crafted Xbox accessory that I highly recommend to any Xbox fan looking for a fridge to keep their drinks cool when they need beverages while playing the best Xbox games, especially now it's $45.92 cheaper thanks to Walmart's 35% Anti-Prime Day discount. 

More Prime Day deals and anti-Prime Day deals

We at Windows Central are scouring the internet for the best Prime Day deals and anti-Prime Day deals, but there are plenty more discounts going on now. Here's where to find more savings:

• Xbox controller deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Xbox SSD storage deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming headset deals: Walmart | Dell | Target | Best Buy | Amazon 
• MicroSD storage deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming handheld deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Laptop deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Copilot+ AI laptop deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Monitor deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Mini PC deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming keyboard deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Amazon | Dell | Newegg 
• Gaming mice deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Amazon | Dell | Newegg

In an age where PC desktops have become one of, if not the most popular, platforms for playing video games, gamers must hunt down the highest-quality PC monitors to display their games on. Unfortunately, most of the best PC gaming monitors tend to have very steep MSRPs that could break your bank if you're not careful with your financial decisions.

Fortunately, that's not the case with today's spotlight - the Acer Nitro (ED320QR). This PC gaming monitor can offer crisp, HD visuals with zero input latency at an affordable MSRP of $229.99. However, Walmart has made this accommodating price tag even cheaper thanks to this exclusive Anti-Prime Day 30% discount deal that has reduced the Acer Nitro gaming monitor to $159.00.

• Shop all of Amazon's October Prime Day deals

🎃The best early Black Friday deals🦃

• 💾Seagate Xbox Expansion Card (1TB) | $129.99 at Best Buy (Save $70!)
• 📺Amazon Fire TV Stick | $24.99 at Amazon (Save $25!)
• 🎮ASUS ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) | $499.99 at Best Buy (Save $150!)
• 💻Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (Ryzen 5) | $329.99 at Best Buy (Save $250!)
• 💽AMD Ryzen 7 5800X CPU (8-core) | $164 at Amazon (Save $285!)
• 📺LG C4 OLED 4K TV (42-inches) | $899.99 at Best Buy (Save $500!)
• 💻Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge (X Elite) | $799.99 at Best Buy (Save $550!)
• 💻Dell XPS 13 (X Elite) | $999.99 at Best Buy (Save $500!)
• 🎧Sony ANC Wireless Headphones | $228 at Walmart (Save $122!)
• 💻HP Envy 2-in-1 14 (Ryzen 7) | $649.99 at Best Buy (Save $400!)

Why should you buy the Acer Nitro monitor?

Acer has garnered much respect from the gaming community for creating top-of-the-line electronic products that can compete with some of the best gaming laptops and best monitors in the industry, and the Acer Nitro (ED320QR) is no exception.

Thanks to its high-tech features, this gaming monitor allows gamers to view their favorite PC games at ultra-high visual clarity. For starters, it has a 31.5" curved display with Full 1920x1080 HD resolution, which allows it to show games with sharp picture quality and a wide view.

The Acer Nitro has AMD FreeSync Premium Technology to reduce stuttering and screen-tearing to preserve immersion during intensive in-game moments. It also has a 165Hz Refresh rate, so it can render frames quickly and lower input lag, making the game feel nicer to control. Its image rendering capabilities are enhanced further by possessing 1ms of response time, so the monitor can reduce ghosting and screen smearing effects.

• Gaming monitor deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Ultrawide monitor deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg

To top it off, the Acer Nitro also has HDR technology, which allows it to produce deep levels of black-and-white color-contrasted images to provide extra immersion in-game.

There are some minor drawbacks to consider before purchasing. The monitor has limited ergonomics, as its stand doesn't have height, swivel, and pivot options. It has a low brightness limit of 250 nits, and it can't display images in 1440p or 4K resolutions.

Despite those flaws, the Acer Nitro is still a worthwhile purchase for any serious PC gamer looking for a high-quality monitor to display the best PC games with crisp HD visuals while keeping the MSRP at a generous level for those with a low budget. An MSRP that has become even more affordable thanks to Walmart's Anti-Prime Day discount, reducing it from $229.00 to $159.00.

More Prime Day deals and anti-Prime Day deals

We at Windows Central are scouring the internet for the best Prime Day deals and anti-Prime Day deals, but there are plenty more discounts going on now. Here's where to find more savings:

• Xbox controller deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Xbox SSD storage deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming headset deals: Walmart | Dell | Target | Best Buy | Amazon 
• MicroSD storage deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming handheld deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Laptop deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Copilot+ AI laptop deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Monitor deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Mini PC deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming keyboard deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Amazon | Dell | Newegg 
• Gaming mice deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Amazon | Dell | Newegg

Amazon Prime Day is in full swing, but other retailers are hosting special, exclusive deals to compete with Amazon at its own namesake event. One such retailer is Walmart, which is hosting a special deal for the Lenovo IdeaPad 1i laptop. This budget-friendly laptop is designed to help users complete their documents on time while traveling and allow users to browse the internet for entertainment during breaks.

This laptop normally has an MSRP of $269.99, but Walmart's Anti-Prime Day deal has reduced it by over 50% to a more generous $129.00.

• Shop all Walmart anti-Prime Day deals

🎃The best early Black Friday deals🦃

• 💾Seagate Xbox Expansion Card (1TB) | $129.99 at Best Buy (Save $70!)
• 📺Amazon Fire TV Stick | $24.99 at Amazon (Save $25!)
• 🎮ASUS ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) | $499.99 at Best Buy (Save $150!)
• 💻Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (Ryzen 5) | $329.99 at Best Buy (Save $250!)
• 💽AMD Ryzen 7 5800X CPU (8-core) | $164 at Amazon (Save $285!)
• 📺LG C4 OLED 4K TV (42-inches) | $899.99 at Best Buy (Save $500!)
• 💻Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge (X Elite) | $799.99 at Best Buy (Save $550!)
• 💻Dell XPS 13 (X Elite) | $999.99 at Best Buy (Save $500!)
• 🎧Sony ANC Wireless Headphones | $228 at Walmart (Save $122!)
• 💻HP Envy 2-in-1 14 (Ryzen 7) | $649.99 at Best Buy (Save $400!)

Why should you buy this laptop?

Lenovo is generally known for creating expensive, technologically advanced devices like high-end laptops, gaming laptops, gaming handhelds, and PC accessories to name a few. However, there are times when Lenovo produces cheaper, relatively simple laptops for casual users who want a straightforward desktop for general production work like office work documents and math calculations, or simply browsing the internet to watch their favorite shows and movies online. 

One of these products is the Lenovo IdeaPad 1i. This affordable laptop is built for people who want to get their work documents fast and have enough Laptop specs to stream and play entertainment media when the user needs a break. 

The Lenovo IdeaPad 1i is equipped with a sold Intel Celeron N4500 processor, a 15.6"  LCD screen with LED Backlit Anti-Glare so you can see images in crystal-clear quality, 4GB of RAM and an SSD with 128GB worth of storage space. 

In addition, this laptop features 10 hours of battery unplugged (which can be quick-charged in 15 minutes), Dolby Audio speakers, a 1MP camera with a privacy shutter for long-distance video calls, and Smart Noise Cancelling to drown out background noise during calls. Plus, this laptop has several USB ports so you can attach your favorite PC accessories to it.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 1i offers great value with a fast Intel processor in a slim, 0.70" design that makes multitasking easy. Enjoy up to 10 hours of battery life with quick charging. Maximize your screen space with narrow bezels on all sides, and get clear sound from Dolby Audio speakers. Start up instantly with Flip to Start. Improve your video calls with a 1MP camera that has a privacy shutter and Smart Noise Cancelling to block background noise.

With features like these and a generous standard MSRP of $269.99, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1i is a solid laptop purchase for people looking for an easy-to-use and efficient laptop for general work purposes. In fact, its price tag has become more affordable now thanks to this exclusive Anti-Prime Day deal from Walmart that has cut it down to $129.00, which is over half its original price. For power users, this is not, but for the office or for your kids, it's a great buy at this price. 

More Prime Day deals and anti-Prime Day deals

We at Windows Central are scouring the internet for the best Prime Day deals and anti-Prime Day deals, but there are plenty more discounts going on now. Here's where to find more savings:

• Xbox controller deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Xbox SSD storage deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming headset deals: Walmart | Dell | Target | Best Buy | Amazon 
• MicroSD storage deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming handheld deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Laptop deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Copilot+ AI laptop deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Monitor deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Mini PC deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming keyboard deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Amazon | Dell | Newegg 
• Gaming mice deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Amazon | Dell | Newegg

The Xbox Series S is already the most affordable current-gen gaming option on the market, but what if it was even cheaper? Well, thanks to this $389.99 $299.99 deal from Walmart (EXPIRED), it now is. At least if you wanted an extra controller, that is. 

The Xbox Series S isn't as powerful as the PS5 or Xbox Series X, but it's vastly faster than the PS4 or Xbox One, powering a variety of games at 60 frames per second targeting 1080p resolution. You're not going to get the most out of your 4K TV or monitor with the Xbox Series S, as it precludes higher-end GPU power for a more accessible price tag. This bundle includes a 512 GB Xbox Series S which is enough for a couple dozen digital games, as well as an extra free controller to enable couch co-op experiences in titles like Diablo 4, Streets of Rage 4, and many, many more. 

• Shop all of Amazon's October Prime Day deals

🎃The best early Black Friday deals🦃

• 💾Seagate Xbox Expansion Card (1TB) | $129.99 at Best Buy (Save $70!)
• 📺Amazon Fire TV Stick | $24.99 at Amazon (Save $25!)
• 🎮ASUS ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) | $499.99 at Best Buy (Save $150!)
• 💻Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (Ryzen 5) | $329.99 at Best Buy (Save $250!)
• 💽AMD Ryzen 7 5800X CPU (8-core) | $164 at Amazon (Save $285!)
• 📺LG C4 OLED 4K TV (42-inches) | $899.99 at Best Buy (Save $500!)
• 💻Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge (X Elite) | $799.99 at Best Buy (Save $550!)
• 💻Dell XPS 13 (X Elite) | $999.99 at Best Buy (Save $500!)
• 🎧Sony ANC Wireless Headphones | $228 at Walmart (Save $122!)
• 💻HP Envy 2-in-1 14 (Ryzen 7) | $649.99 at Best Buy (Save $400!)

Why the Xbox Series S is criminally underrated

This particular Xbox Series S bundle comes with an additional controller, making it an ideal option for those who have partners or want to play with youngsters. Games like Minecraft are ideal to play on the couch with kiddos, while darker games like Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred might be better with older comrades. The Xbox Series S has been the unfair subject of criticism from various sides, but it serves its central goal well: to be affordable. 

The Xbox Series S lacks the raw power of the Xbox Series X or PS5, and also drops the disc drive in order to shave crucial pennies off its price. What you're left with is a truly impressive device, that is whisper-quiet even during heavy loads, and still manages to deliver the latest biggest games with only mild compromises. When developers build their games with the Xbox Series S in mind, they can extract a ton of power out of the thing, but it's true that some developers have had a hard time getting the most out of it. However, the biggest games like FIFA, Call of Duty, Overwatch, Fortnite, Minecraft, Roblox, and many more run perfectly fine on the Xbox Series S, compromising 4K resolution in exchange for affordability. 

The Xbox Series S is also incredibly small, making it a great option for travel if you frequently move between locations, or even for taking off to college or something like that. One of the main downsides is its storage capacity, which at 512 GB isn't particularly exciting. Many modern AAA games can be anywhere up to 100 GB large, taking up huge chunks of the overall storage footprint. However, if you're planning to play lots of smaller games or have a fast enough internet connection to delete and re-download games at will, then you'll be fine with what's on offer here. It's also cloud-gaming supported, meaning you can stream games to the device without installing them at all using an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. You can also grab an Xbox Storage Expansion Card to expand the native storage up to 2 TB, but they can be pretty pricy. Although there are some great deals on Xbox Storage Expansion Cards right now for Prime Day too. 

More Prime Day deals and anti-Prime Day deals

We at Windows Central are scouring the internet for the best Prime Day deals and anti-Prime Day deals, but there are plenty more discounts going on now. Here's where to find more savings:

• Xbox controller deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Xbox SSD storage deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming headset deals: Walmart | Dell | Target | Best Buy | Amazon 
• MicroSD storage deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming handheld deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Laptop deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Copilot+ AI laptop deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Monitor deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Mini PC deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming keyboard deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Amazon | Dell | Newegg 
• Gaming mice deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Amazon | Dell | Newegg

Amazon Prime Day may be here, but retailers across the world are pumping out discounts for expensive products at cheaper prices than those found at Amazon. One such retailer is Walmart, which is currently hosting a gargantuan deal for Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma, one of my all-time favorite Xbox and PC controllers.

This premium wired controller (specifically the white colored variant) normally has a steep MSRP of $149.99, but Walmart has slashed its price down by 60% for a more affordable price tag of $59.00.

• Shop all of Amazon's October Prime Day deals

🎃The best early Black Friday deals🦃

• 💾Seagate Xbox Expansion Card (1TB) | $129.99 at Best Buy (Save $70!)
• 📺Amazon Fire TV Stick | $24.99 at Amazon (Save $25!)
• 🎮ASUS ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) | $499.99 at Best Buy (Save $150!)
• 💻Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (Ryzen 5) | $329.99 at Best Buy (Save $250!)
• 💽AMD Ryzen 7 5800X CPU (8-core) | $164 at Amazon (Save $285!)
• 📺LG C4 OLED 4K TV (42-inches) | $899.99 at Best Buy (Save $500!)
• 💻Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge (X Elite) | $799.99 at Best Buy (Save $550!)
• 💻Dell XPS 13 (X Elite) | $999.99 at Best Buy (Save $500!)
• 🎧Sony ANC Wireless Headphones | $228 at Walmart (Save $122!)
• 💻HP Envy 2-in-1 14 (Ryzen 7) | $649.99 at Best Buy (Save $400!)

The Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma is my go-to controller for hardcore Xbox and PC gaming

Razer has often been my go-to company when I need high-quality gaming accessories to play the best Xbox titles and best PC titles with precise controls. Whether it's Razer Naga X for PC MMOs or the Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma for console gaming, Razer has never let me down.

I've been using this controller for a few years now, and I totally agree with my colleague, Jez Corden's review of the Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma that it is one of the best Xbox controllers on the market, provided you don't mind wired-only controllers. 

I love this controller for several reasons. For starters, the controls on this device from the face buttons, joysticks, triggers, and additional back peddles feel super nice to handle and are extremely responsive with no input delay even while playing challenging, action-heavy titles like Capcom's Monster Hunter series or FromSoftware's Elden Ring. The control functions can also be remapped from game to game to your personal preference thanks to the Razer Controller App that's free to use on Xbox and Windows 10/11.

The superb controls don't stop there, as the Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma also includes sensitivity clutches built into the joysticks. This feature allows you to reduce the speed at which the stick performs actions in-game so you move more precisely and aim more accurate shots, which can be extremely helpful when playing first-person shooters like Halo or DOOM.

The Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma also has other features to complement the controls. These include rubberized-texture grips with ergonomic handling so it is comfy to hold for several hours, removable magnetic joysticks you can switch out for other compatible ones to suit your needs, and RGB lightning to make it shine in the dark for extra immersion.

It may not have the wireless functions or enhanced technology of its successor, the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro, but the Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma is still a fantastic controller that I won't be replacing any time soon and one I highly recommend to anyone looking for a high-quality Xbox-style controller.

Walmart is currently selling the white-color variant of the Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma wired controller for $59.00, which is an astronomical 60% discount from its normally steep MSRP of $149.99. In all my years playing and spotlighting this controller, I have never seen its price tag drop this low. With such a huge discount on offer, I'd say this is the best time to snag yourself one of Razer's finest controllers because you won't find a cheaper deal anywhere else.

More Prime Day deals and anti-Prime Day deals

We at Windows Central are scouring the internet for the best Prime Day deals and anti-Prime Day deals, but there are plenty more discounts going on now. Here's where to find more savings:

• Xbox controller deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Xbox SSD storage deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming headset deals: Walmart | Dell | Target | Best Buy | Amazon 
• MicroSD storage deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming handheld deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Laptop deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Copilot+ AI laptop deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Monitor deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Mini PC deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming keyboard deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Amazon | Dell | Newegg 
• Gaming mice deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Amazon | Dell | Newegg

October Prime Day — known officially as Prime Big Deal Days — has concluded at Amazon after a two-day run, but Walmart's anti-Prime Day sales event is still going strong until Sunday, October 13, giving you more time to shop. Many of the best Walmart deals are still available, so don't worry too much if you missed out on the first couple of days.

Like Amazon, Walmart sells just about everything you can imagine, including many of our favorite Windows laptops, gaming PCs, TVs, monitors, accessories, and more. I handpicked these deals with products we've tested as well as those we know are popular with our readers.

• Shop all of Amazon's October Prime Day deals

October 10, 9:52 AM EST: The second day of Prime Day is more than half finished, but Walmart's deals are only just getting started. I've updated to ensure all deals are still live.

🔥Top Walmart October Deals🔥

• Walmart+ membership: Sign up for a free 30-day trial
• Walmart+ membership: What you need to know
• Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 | was $899 now $399.99 at Walmart
• Lenovo LOQ 15 (Gen 9) | was $1,179.99 now $699.99 at Walmart
• HyperX Cloud II | was $99.99 now $39 at Walmart
• Acer Nitro ED320QR | was $229 now $159 at Walmart
• ASUS VivoBook F1504 | was $599.99 now $379.99 at Walmart
• LG UltraGear 27GS40W-B | was $159 now $129 at Walmart
• CRUA 27" 1080p 180Hz gaming monitor | was $229.99 now $134.69 at Walmart
• Samsung 65" Neo QLED 4K Smart TV | was $2,799 now $1,377.99 at Walmart
• Roku 55" Plus 4K Smart TV | was $649.99 now $428 at Walmart

Best Walmart laptop deals

Missing a list of deals following this disclaimer? Consider disabling your adblocker for this page before refreshing.

Best Walmart gaming deals

Best Walmart TV deals

🎃The best early Black Friday deals🦃

• 🎮Xbox Series S (512 GB) | $284.99 at Amazon (Save $15!)
• 📺xScreen for Xbox Series S (11.6-inches) | $159.99 at Amazon (Save $90!)
• 🔊2.1ch Soundbar for TVs & Monitors | $36.99 at Walmart (Save $63!)
• 💾Seagate Expansion Card (1TB) | $129.99 at Best Buy (Save $70!)
• 🎧HyperX Cloud III Wired Headset | $69.95 at Amazon (Save $30!)
• 🎮Xbox Wireless Controller | $43.93 at Walmart (Save $16!)
• 📺LG C4 OLED 4K TV (42-inches) | $899.99 at Best Buy (Save $500!)

More Prime Day deals and anti-Prime Day deals

• Xbox controller deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Xbox SSD storage deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming headset deals: Walmart | Dell | Target | Best Buy | Amazon 
• MicroSD storage deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming handheld deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Laptop deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Copilot+ AI laptop deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Monitor deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Mini PC deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming keyboard deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Amazon | Dell | Newegg 
• Gaming mice deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Amazon | Dell | Newegg

Walmart October Deals: Frequently Asked Questions

This is the first time that Walmart is hosting an October Deals event, and it's laying out some of the rules surrounding the promotion. Here's what you need to know.

When is the Walmart October Deals event happening?

Walmart's October Deals event starts for shoppers on October 8, 2024, at 12 PM EST. However, if you're a Walmart+ subscriber, you get early access to the deals beginning on October 8 at midnight EST.

Unlike some competing events—including Amazon's October Prime Day—which only runs for a few days, Walmart's promotion is expected to run until Sunday, October 13, at 11:59 PM EST. That gives you plenty of time to shop.

Which countries have access to Walmart October Deals?

It appears that Walmart's October Prime Day rival event is available for US shoppers at Walmart.com or in the Walmart app.

You can always check in at your regional Walmart website, but if you're outside of the US, your best bet might be to shop at Amazon. Its sales event is going live in 18 countries.

Do I need a Walmart+ membership?

A Walmart+ membership will undoubtedly improve your shopping experience at Walmart, but getting access to deals is not an absolute requirement.

Walmart+ members receive early access to deals starting at midnight EST on Tuesday, October 8, while regular shoppers must wait until noon EST on the same day to start shopping at a discount.

So, what else is so special about a Walmart+ membership? Like Amazon Prime, My Best Buy, and Target Circle, Walmart+ upgrades your shopping experience. Here's what you can expect.

• Early access to deals
• Exclusive member pricing and releases on select products
• Free grocery delivery
• Free shipping, no order minimum
• $0.10 off gas per gallon at participating gas stations
• Paramount+ subscription
• Free flat tire repair and road hazard warranty at Walmart Auto Care
• Walmart Cash from Expedia Travel
• Item return pickups at home

Walmart+ doesn't come free, and you can expect to pay b. There's also a 30-day free trial, which is ideal if you just want to take advantage of early access sales without continuing the membership.

What's the difference between Walmart October Deals and Amazon Prime Big Deal Days?

Aside from the website and the dates that the events are running, there's really not that much difference between Amazon and Walmart's October deal events.

Both retailers have a similarly broad selection of products, both have membership plans, and both can offer the lowest prices possible. If you don't see what you want at Amazon during events like Prime Day, it's always worth checking out other retailers as they usually have their own ongoing promotions to compete.

It might have started off as a bit of a joke, but the Xbox Mini Fridge has become a popular item for Xbox fans to have in their bedrooms or gaming dens. It's made to look like an Xbox Series X gaming console, but has the room to cool up to eight soda cans and a few small snacks. 

Thanks to some deals going on this Prime Day, the Xbox Series X 8 Can Mini Fridge is discounted to just $39.94 at Walmart, rather than it's usual $88.00 price point. 

Why we recommend this mini fridge

You might remember that when the Xbox Series X was first revealed, the internet responded by comparing it to a refrigerator. There were even memes where people photoshopped the console believably into a kitchen. After seeing these responses, Xbox good-naturedly ran with the joke and produced the Xbox Mini Fridge. Aside from its Xbox console aesthetic, we love that it's a great size for housing your snacks and drinks so you can access them during gaming sessions. 

Our own Richard Devine was one of the first people here at Windows Central to purchase the Xbox Mini Fridge for himself. He was initially surprised by how big it was. If you put the Xbox Series X and the mini fridge next to each other, it's easy to see that the mini fridge is about 1.5 times larger than the gaming console. This makes sense, considering it has the room to fit eight soda cans in it. 

Richard even went so far as to remove the small shelves that attach to the door and found that the Xbox Series X can actually fit inside of this fridge. As a fun effect, the top of the fridge glows green and the Xbox logo on the front glows too. 

Outside of looks and dimensions, the Xbox Mini Fridge does a good job of keeping its contents cool, so you can depend on it to hold cold drinks and snacks for you to access during your gaming sessions.

• Prime Day 2024 deals on laptops, mini PCs, gaming accessories, and more
• Best Steam Deck and ROG Ally deals during Prime Day
• Best accessory deals to upgrade your ROG Ally or Steam Deck this Prime Day
• Best Xbox controller deals from all retailers this Amazon Prime Day

Ukonic is best known for creating quirky and fun gaming merchandise catering to Halo, Minecraft, and Xbox fans. One of their most memorable products is the Xbox Series S Toaster, modeled after the console itself. The Xbox toaster has been temporarily reduced from $84.89 to $40.00 at Walmart while stocks last, and we've seen these fly off the shelves quickly in the past.

🔥More great deals🔥

• Xbox Series X Replica Mini Fridge | was $88.88 now $49.94 at Walmart
• Xbox Series X console | was $499 now $449 at Walmart
• ASUS ROG Ally Ryzen Z1 512GB | was $599.99 now $399.99 at Best Buy
• AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D | was $449 now $369 at Newegg

A cute, in-joke toaster for Xbox fans

If you're wondering why on Earth anyone would make a toaster to look like an Xbox Series S, the answer is simple. When the Xbox Series S was first revealed in 2020, people started making memes and jokes about how its design is similar to that of a toaster. 

Ukonic decided to run with that in-joke and make it real by creating the Xbox Series S Toaster. Putting this product's comedic origins aside, the Xbox Series S Toaster is a high-quality toaster packed with all kinds of features that make it on par with regular toasters.

Its slick design perfectly mimics the Xbox Series S without sacrificing its functions. Also, this toaster has spacious dimensions of approximately 192mm in Height x 382mm in Width x 116mm in Depth to accommodate room space and fit a wide variety of bread. This includes cooking bagels, artisan loaves, Texas toast, frozen waffles, or English muffins.

In addition, the Xbox Series S Toaster features a defrost function to warm food straight out of the fridge and a digital countdown display with a 'Browning Control Knob' that allows you to customize how crispy you want your bread to come out by adjusting the browning levels from level 1 to level 6. Other neat features of this product include a Bagel function, Anti-Jam Function, Anti-Slip feet, and a removable crumb tray.

The downsides to this product are that the slots won't fit larger types of bread, and it only features one large bread slot. While you can still fit two slices into the large slot, it may take some getting used to if you're only familiar with dual-slot toasters.

Overall, the Xbox Series S Toaster is a cute accessory that Xbox fans and casual onlookers will enjoy making breakfast with. With its price reduced thanks to Walmart's discount deal, now it is the perfect place to purchase one. The Xbox Series S Toaster will make a great companion to the Xbox Series X mini-fridge, which is also currently on sale at Walmart for a 50% discount.  

The Amazon Spring Sale is in full swing, bringing huge deals for various products, but it's not the only retailer dishing out discounts. Walmart has just hosted a discount for this cute Xbox Replica 8 Can Mini Fridge, created by Ukonic, and is currently enjoying a 50% discount at Walmart, down from $88.88 to $49.94 at Walmart, making this the perfect time to grab it.

🔥More great deals🔥

• ASUS ROG Ally Ryzen Z1 512GB | was $599.99 now $399.99 at Best Buy
• Baseus Blade 2 Ultra Slim Power Bank | was $99.99 now $69.99 at Walmart
• Dream Vapor Xbox controller | was $69.99 now $57.99 at Best Buy
• Xbox Series X | was $499 now $449 at Walmart

Keep your drinks cold for half the price

For those unaware, Ukonic is a third-party manufacturer that designs various gaming merchandise, including lights, clothing, and storage units inspired by Minecraft, Halo, and Xbox. One such memorabilia is the Xbox Series X Replica 8-Can Mini Fridge (Thermoelectric Cooler), an item designed to take the in-joke of the Xbox Series X looking like a giant fridge when it was first unveiled in 2019 and make it into a reality.

While this product was initially designed to get a laugh out of Xbox fans, it is a well-made mini fridge in its own right. 

Its design perfectly replicates the design of an Xbox Series X without compromising its functions. It has a USB charging port to charge Xbox controllers and other devices, and it can be powered by a 240-volt mains outlet or a 12-volt DC adaptor used for cars.

Its compact size, 7.3 x 7.3 x 14.3 inches, and 4.5L volume can hold up to 8 small cans or snacks without taking up too much space in your room. In addition, the mini fridge features thermoelectric cooling via a fan to avoid the need for refrigerant chemicals that traditional refrigerators require.

However, the 'Xbox Series X Replica 8-Can Mini Fridge' has limited storage space compared to larger, fully dedicated fridges and consumes more power than regular fridges. To avoid burning out the thermoelectric cooling fan, you shouldn't leave this fridge running for more than two days at a time. Despite these flaws, the Xbox fridge is still a high-quality mini-fridge worthy of purchase if you're a hardcore Xbox fan. Since this product is currently on sale at Walmart at a 50% discount, now is the perfect time to grab one.

The Starfield Constellation Edition is one of the best limited-edition bundles I've ever seen for a game launch, with a bunch of Starfield goodies cased in a classy metallic case that looks like it was meant to last in space. But it was pricey, and when preorders went live I wasn't sold on committing to a collectors edition of a new IP I may not even enjoy when it launched.

Others weren't so apprehensive. The initial stock vanished like distant stars in the night sky, propelled by the allure of a watch so cool it's become a coveted treasure on eBay, fetching upwards of $300. FOMO set in, and I found myself among those who missed out on the cosmic watch craze.

But fear not, fellow space enthusiasts! Walmart has just granted us a second chance to orbit the cosmos in style. The Starfield Constellation Edition is back in stock, and the best part? It's now available for a stellar $250. Rejoice, patient collectors - our intergalactic patience has been duly rewarded with a $50 discount.

Our very own Michael Hoglund purchased the Starfield Constellation Edition and has a full unboxing post here if you want to see it in all its space-age glory. Inside the metallic confines of the Starfield Constellation Edition, you'll discover a treasure trove of cosmic delights, including:

• Starfield base game on Xbox Series X|S or Windows PC
• Limited Edition Chronomark Watch & Case
• Steelbook Case
• Constellation Patch
• Credit Stick
  • Laser-etched with game code
• Access to the Shattered Space Story Expansion when it launches
• Constellation Skin Pack for the following in-game items:
  • Equinox Laser Rifle
  • Spacesuit
  • Helmet
  • Boost Pack
• Starfield Digital Artbook
• Starfield Official Soundtrack
• Old Mars Skin Pack preorder bonus for the following in-game items:
  • Laser Cutter
  • Deep Mining Helmet
  • Deep Mining Pack

If you've come to love the universe of Starfield and regret not grabbing the Constellation Edition at launch, now is your chance to get one of the best quality sets of gaming merchandise we've ever laid eyes and hands-on. 

But the sales adventures don't end with the Starfield Constellation Edition. Don't miss out on other astronomical deals available this early Black Friday on Windows Central as we hunt down the best of the best discounts on Black Friday Xbox accessories, upgrade your gaming rig with unbeatable deals on pre-built gaming PCs, and discounts on cutting-edge gaming laptops.

The online universe is brimming with early sales, and our Black Friday deals are your launchpad to gaming excellence. Check out our full Early Black Friday handpicked deals round-up and discover a galaxy of savings that will fuel your gaming journey to new frontiers. Happy exploring (and saving).

Black Friday deals are better when you shop like an insider. Walmart Plus (Walmart+) members get early access to massive discounts, free delivery perks, and more. Right now, you can join Walmart+ for 50% off. Whether you buy products from one of Walmart's physical locations or its digital storefront, a Walmart+ subscription is definitely worth considering.

Black Friday is basically here. If I'm being technical, Black Friday doesn't happen until November 29, 2024 but retailers decided to kick things off early. With discounts aplenty, it's the perfect time to subscribe to Walmart+ and get your holiday shopping out of the way.

Walmart Plus benefits and cost

While subscriptions like My Best Buy memberships include multiple tiers for customers to choose from, Walmart+ only has one. Luckily, Walmart+ is 50% off right now, saving you $49/year.

Below, you'll find a full list of each and every benefit you'll get if you decide to sign up for Walmart+.

• Early access deals: 12-hour early access to deals
• Exclusive prices: Member-exclusive prices and product releases
• Free delivery: Free grocery deliveries
• Free shipping: Free shipping with no order minimum (Marketplace and freight excluded)
• Save on gas: Save 10¢/gallon at 14,000+ participating gas stations in the United States
• Stream for free: Paramount+ subscription for over 40,000 episodes, movies, and live sports
• Fix a flat: Free flat tire repair and road hazard warranty at Walmart Auto Care Centers
• Get cash: Get Walmart Cash from Expedia travel
• Returns from home: Walmart will pick up returned items from your home
• Pay easier: Pay in-store via a mobile phone scan

A Walmart+ membership costs $12.95/month or $98/year (more on annual memberships in a moment). If you'd like to sign up, head on over to Walmart's membership page. Note that there's a free 30-day trial you can take advantage of if you'd like to try the service out, though notably, you can't take advantage of member-exclusive deals and Black Friday early access if you're using a free trial.

If you currently have a free trial active and you'd like to skip it, all you have to do is pay for a full membership. Once you do, you'll get access to member-exclusive prices and deals.

Right now, you can get a year of Walmart+ for 50% off. That discount gets you all the perks and benefits of a membership but for only $49/year.

Another thing that's important to mention is that if you're currently receiving aid from government programs like SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, and others, you can subscribe to Walmart+ for 50% off through the Walmart+ Assist program. Those who qualify for this discount can get Walmart+ for just $6.47/month or $49/year.

Walmart Plus early access to deals

While all of the perks you get from Walmart+ are excellent, the ones that stand out the most are member-exclusive prices and 12 hours of early access to products and deals. For example, the HP Victus 15.6 gaming laptop with an NVIDIA RTX 4050 was available to Walmart+ members exclusively for $499. That deal sold out almost instantly since Walmart+ members had early access. The laptop is back on sale, but the discount isn't as large as what Walmart+ members saw earlier this month.

Those member-exclusive prices and early access deals include Black Friday deals, so if you plan to do lots of shopping during the holidays, a membership will likely be worth it in the long run. Even though a subscription will cost you, you'll save way more than what you'll pay for it with the discounts you'll have access to.

Walmart has a ton of excellent deals for Walmart+ members that you can check out on its exclusive deals page, with new markdowns always cycling in to replace expired ones. More and more hit the page with every passing day, so make sure you check back often to see what's on offer — especially during events like Black Friday.

If you want to save time and money through Walmart+, head over to Walmart's membership page. The 50% discount on a Walmart+ annual plan ends on December 2, 2024, so you have to act quickly.

✅ Great for...

• Busy families and individuals who shop at Walmart frequently and want to find the best Black Friday deals: Walmart+ can save you time and money with early access deals, free shipping, and free grocery deliveries, freeing you up to spend more time with friends and family over the holidays.

❌ Not ideal for...

• Anyone who does not live near a Walmart or shop online: Walmart+ is a valuable subscription for finding deals, grocery shopping, and more. But it's only worth it if will use it, which requires shopping online or going to a physical Walmart store.

What you need to know

• Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can now activate a 75-day free trial of Walmart Plus.
• Usually $12.95 monthly, Walmart Plus offers various benefits, including early access to sales events like Memorial Day and Black Friday.
• Game Pass Ultimate can activate a promo code via the Xbox app and enter it on Walmart's official website.

It won't be long before Memorial Day sales start, and Walmart is one of the biggest retailers offering huge discounts over the weekend. Naturally, part of the appeal of these events is the chance to bag a bargain right from your couch via online shopping, and Walmart has teamed up with Xbox to make it even easier to have its best products delivered right to your doorstep with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Walmart Plus.

If you're already subscribed to the Ultimate tier, head over to Game Pass perks on your Xbox console, the desktop Xbox app on PC, or the mobile Xbox app for Android and iOS. You'll see a 75-day free trial for Walmart Plus offer that provides you with a code, which you'll need to enter on Walmart's dedicated Xbox promotion page. If you don't want to keep the service after the trial period ends, you can cancel the subscription, just as you would with similar services.

What is Walmart Plus?

Walmart Plus is a $12.95 monthly subscription service that offers perks like free deliveries for groceries and other products from its online store, plus discounts on various other services the vendor provides. Subscribers also get early access to sales events like Memorial Day weekend, Black Friday, and Walmart Plus weekend, which rivals Amazon Prime Day.

What is Xbox Game Pass Ultimate?

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is a subscription service that combines access to both console and PC titles alongside other perks, such as discount codes for third-party retailers like Walmart. New games are added regularly, expanding the already-expansive Xbox Game Pass games list.

Besides downloadable titles, Game Pass Ultimate provides access to Xbox Cloud Gaming to stream titles directly from various devices, including phones and tablets. It's the best way to experience the Xbox ecosystem, with plenty of brand-new titles available at launch for subscribers, such as the highly anticipated Starfield from Bethesda. With expected discounts on gaming accessories during Memorial Day later this month at Walmart and the official Xbox store, there's never been a better time to subscribe.

Microsoft and Walmart are joining forces in a partnership that will see Walmart adopting Azure cloud services to "further accelerate" its retail digital transformation. Though Walmart already uses some Microsoft services, this expanded partnership will see the company expanding to tap into Microsoft's machine learning, AI, and data management solutions across its business.

Throughout the five-year agreement, Walmart plans to migrate "a significant portion" of its online presences at walmart.com and samsclub.com to Azure. Walmart will also leverage Microsoft's IoT solutions for everything from reducing energy usage with its refrigeration and HVAC units to optimizing routes for its supply trucks.

Microsoft 365 will also be rolled out to Walmart associates, giving them access to productivity tools like Workplace Analytics, OneDrive, and Microsoft Stream.

And in case there was any question, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella confirmed to The Wall Street Journal (via Engadget) that the two companies' rivalry with Amazon is "absolutely core" to the partnership. Though today's announcement doesn't make mention of it, Microsoft was recently rumored to be working on a way to use its AI to automate checkout at retail stores, with Walmart rumored as one of the tech giant's potential partners. If true, Microsoft and Walmart could be setting the stage to challenge Amazon Go, the online giant's physical store that uses AI to eliminate the need for cashiers and checkout lines.

This is the second major partnership announcement to come during the week of Microsoft's partner event, Inspire. Yesterday, the company announced it is teaming up with GE for a set of Azure integrations focused on Industrial IoT applications.

If you are looking for some budget Windows 8.1 tablets that also include a detachable hardware keyboard, you likely won't find them with a lower price than the Nextbook Flexx 10 and Flexx 11. The 2-in-1 tablets from PC maker E Fun are now on sale at Walmart's retail locations and website, with the Flexx 10 priced at $178 and the Flexx 11 at $227.

The 10.6-inch Flex 10 has a 1280×800 IPS display and 32GB of onboard storage, while the 11.6-inch Flexx 11 has a 1366×768 IPS display and 64GB of internal storage, plus its keyboard has an LED backlight. Both the Nextbook Flexx 10 and 11 have an Intel Atom Z3735F processor inside running at 1.83GHz, 2GB of RAM, 2MP cameras in the front and back and a 9,000mAh Lithium battery that lasts for up to eight hours. Both detachable keyboards have two USB 2.0 ports and the tablets have a microUSB port for charging and a microSD slot for additional storage.

Before you ask, the Nextbook Flexx 10 and 11 can both be upgraded for free to Windows 10 when the official launch of the OS goes live on July 29.

Check out the Nextbook Flexx 11 at Walmart ($227)

Check out the Nextbook Flexx 10 at Walmart ($178)

Source: Microsoft

Virgin Mobile USA has partnered with Walmart to offer new prepaid multi-line data-sharing plans. The new Data Done Right plans will be exclusively available from Walmart, and will be available beginning tomorrow, January 17. The multiple line plan will include a free Mobile Hotspot feature.

All Data Done Right plans offer unlimited Talk and text. The amount of data available to you depends on the number of lines you activate. Two lines will get you 4GB of 3G and 4G LTE data for $65 per month. Three lines will run you $90 per month for 8GB of data, while customers with four lines have access 12GB of data for $115 per month.

Virgin Mobile is also partnering with Walmart for two new single-line prepaid plans. Both plans feature unlimited data usage, with 2.5GB of high-speed data, along with unlimited text. The $35 per month plan gives you 300 talk minutes, while with the $45 per month plan you'll get unlimited minutes.

Virgin Mobile USA to Offer Industry's First No-Contract Data Sharing Plans Only at Walmart

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Jan. 16, 2015 – Virgin Mobile USA announced today the launch of the industry's first no-contract data sharing plans, available exclusively at Walmart. Beginning Saturday, Jan. 17, the new plans are available on four specific 4G LTE smartphones pre-loaded with the Virgin Mobile data-sharing application, which provides data buy-ups and international add-ons with one touch, directly from the device. Every multi-line plan will also come with a free Mobile Hotspot feature, making it even easier to share data across Wi-Fi enabled devices.

"At Virgin Mobile we are committed to offering prepaid customers innovative new wireless options," said Angela Rittgers, vice president-Sprint Prepaid. "We were the first prepaid carrier to offer texting keyboards and texting-only plans, first to help customers pay less for talk they weren't using, the first to feature a totally customized plan, and now the first data sharing plans. The new data sharing plans bring some of the most aggressive shared-line plans ever launched to Walmart."

Virgin Mobile's Data Done Right data share plans feature:

• Preloaded Virgin Mobile app that enables customers to manage data sharing directly from their device
• No additional monthly line fees
• One-touch data buy-up options starting at just $10/month for 1GB
• Popular social media and music streaming apps without data charges, such as
• Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pandora – unlimited usage without counting against the customer's data allotment for just $5 per month
• Flexible international plan options
• Parental control features with device curfew and app restrictions

"At Walmart, we know our no-contract wireless customers are looking for some of the same experiences as contract wireless users – including high performing smart phones available on great plans at great prices," said Mehrdad Akbar, vice president of Wireless, Connected Home, Wearables and Tablets, Walmart. "We are always seeking ways to innovate for our customers, which is why we've worked closely with Virgin Mobile to offer exclusive new plans such as data sharing."

Virgin Mobile Data Done Right Plans starting as low as $30 per line

• $65/month - Unlimited calls, SMS and 4GB of 3G/4G data
• $90/month - Unlimited calls, SMS and 8GB of 3G/4G data
• $115/month - Unlimited calls, SMS and 12GB of 3G/4G data

In addition to the new data plans, Virgin Mobile is also delivering a new set of single-line, unlimited plans to Walmart customers:

• $35/month - 300 minutes, unlimited SMS and data (2.5GB high-speed, then reduced)
• $45/month - Unlimited calls, SMS and data (2.5GB high-speed, then reduced)

Virgin Mobile Unlimited and Data Share will be immediately available on updated editions of the HTC Desire® 510 ($99.88), LG Tribute™ ($79.88) and LG Volt™ ($149.88). Data Share service will also make its debut on the Samsung Galaxy Core Prime™ ($129.88) , also available starting Jan. 17. The Galaxy Core Prime features a 4.5-inch display, 1.2GHz quad core processor, Android 4.4 KitKat® and a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera.

More devices are expected to be introduced by the end of February.

A $20 starter kit is required to activate each new line of service and includes two months of unlimited music streaming without counting against the customer's data allotment.

Microsoft has just announced that a PC maker called E FUN will be selling a Windows 8.1 10.1-inch tablet with a detachable keyboard for just $179. The tablet will go on sale at Walmart stores starting in mid-November and pre-orders will be taken starting on October 23 at Walmart.com. It will also go on sale in December at Sam's Club.

The E FUN Nextbook tablet will have a 1280x800 display and will contain an Intel Atom quad-core processor with a clock speed of 1.83 GHz. Inside there's 1 GB of RAM, 32 GB of onboard storage with a MicroSD card slot, an HDMI port and a microUSB port. It also has a 2 MP rear camera and a 0.3 front facing camera. In addition to Windows 8.1, the tablet will offer users a 1 year free subscription to Office 365 Personal which includes 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage.

This news follows word that HP will launch a $99 seven inch Windows 8.1 tablet in November. Micro Center is also offering their own seven inch Windows 8.1 WinBook tablet for $99.99 in its stores. Will you buy this new $179 tablet with an included keyboard?

Source: Microsoft

A recently released app called PhotoMart for Windows Phone is getting some attention as the first smartphone app that will allow users to pick their images and have them printed in one hour at any Walmart Photo Center location.

The app is making its debut on Windows Phone, ahead of iOS and Android. Here's a quick description:

There's even some photo cropping and filter features built into the app, just in case you are in a hurry. What do you think of this app making its debut on the Windows Phone ecosystem?

• Download PhotoMart from the Windows Phone Store

Although both Sony’s PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One are expected to sell well over the holiday period, there will always be those who pick sides, wanting to see who does better. Will Microsoft’s “one” system sway shoppers over Sony? Or will both consoles break even? In reality, it doesn’t matter as both systems will be around for years to come, but in terms of stock, Microsoft may have the edge over the PlayStation.

Someone who works in the electronics section of Walmart has informed us that their store has many more of the Xbox One consoles than the PlayStation 4. It’s not uncommon for retail chains to hold back on merchandise until Black Friday (and increasingly, Thanksgiving night). In this case, many Walmarts have a heap of next-gen consoles standing by for the big day. But Microsoft and Sony may not be even in terms of number of units available.

According to our source (who supplied the above photos), their Walmart has only received six PS4s to sell on Thanksgiving-night versus the twenty-four Xbox One units from Microsoft. Assuming this information is accurate, Microsoft appears to have the edge in terms of a supply chain -- 4X as much at this outlet.

Of course, this is but one store and things could vary differently from location to location. But such a wide discrepancy, even in this one Walmart, could leave many hopeful Sony fans empty-handed this weekend, whereas Microsoft may be able to meet demand.

The T-Mobile Lumia 521 is essentially the Nokia Lumia 520 with the usual North America mobile operator branding for exclusivity. The Windows Phone has been rather difficult to locate, particularly at Walmart stores. The device has appeared on SlickDeals and we've looked around the Walmart online store at various locations to confirm that there's stock available, depending on your location. 

The Lumia 521 is exclusively available on T-Mobile and can be picked up for just $130 pre-paid. That's not a bad deal at all.

We've previously looked at Nokia's cheapest Lumia Windows Phone (along with the Lumia 520), so do have a read through our thorough Lumia 521 review. Be sure to head on over to your local Walmart, or check online to see where you can pick up a Lumia 521.

Source: Walmart, via: SlickDeals; Thanks to everyone for the tips!

We knew the Huawei Ascend W1 Windows Phone was destined to Wal-Mart and now are seeing signs that the Windows Phone 8 device has arrived.

Listed for $229.88, the Huawei was spotted at the local Wal-Mart in Foley, Alabama (down near the coast). The no-contract purchase is restricted to the $45/30-day Unlimited Nationwide data, text and talk Smart Talk plan.

Checking online the Huawei Ascend W1 hasn't made it to Walmart.com but we have to scratch our heads at the price. It doesn't appear to be very competitive with the Nokia Lumia 520 going for $129.88 and other smartphones under $100.  Could Huawei priced themselves out of competition?

Thanks, Max, for the tip and photo!

The Lumia 521 from Nokia is on sale on the Walmart website for just $129.99, but has sold out almost immediately. The deal was covered on SlickDeals with subsequent updates that the online store reported the Windows Phone to be out of stock. The Lumia 521 is proving to be a popular device indeed.

It shouldn't come as such a surprise with the low price and brand name pretty much selling the product to consumers. A Windows Phone 8 device for under $150? One word: bargain. While stock levels dwindle over at Walmart, the Home Shopping Network has once again got some units in stock and ready to ship. The network is selling the Windows Phone for $150.

Be sure to keep an eye on the Walmart website for when the device is available once again.

Source: Walmart, via: SlickDeals; thanks to Jarno and alpinestars1z for the tip!

T-Mobile Lumia 810

An interesting leak from Walmart’s inventory system has revealed some upcoming pricing for new Windows Phone 8 devices; what’s more they look fair.

In the single screenshot posted by TmoNews, we can see the HTC 8X is priced at $148.00 on a 2-year contract while the Nokia Lumia 810 is going for a $99.88 price point. We suppose those prices don’t shock us too much, although it’s nice to see the HTC 8X going for $150 as opposed to the more common $199 these days.

Walmart has their own pricing system and they could be cheaper than what T-Mobile eventually offers, but these prices should be ballpark for those who want to go through T-Mobile directly.

T-Mobile is expected to start selling their Windows Phone 8 devices in the second week of November, according to a previously leaked roadmap.

Source: TmoNews

Walmart is offering the Lumia 710 at a low price of just $269 on a prepaid agreement. Like all prepaid (or PAYG - Pay As You Go) plans, the no-commitment usage of a feature rich smartphone appeals to many and with Windows Phone 8 hardware on the horizon, it may prove to be a good move to take up such an agreement while waiting for what's next from manufacturers and Microsoft.

The Lumia 710 on offer is the white version with a black clip-on case. Walmart has beaten both T-Mobile and Best Buy's pricing by $30, which is certainly something to consider. With the low-end hardware from Nokia and other OEMs, Windows Phones can take advantage of prepaid plans at lower pricing levels.

Interestingly, the Lumia 710 (white and black) are the #3 and #4 top-selling 4G phones on T-Mobile which backs up previous statements from Nokia and T-Mo that the phones are still selling.

Head on over to Walmart's website to check if your local store has stock.

Source: Walmart; thanks, Robert, for the heads up!

We've got some feel good news for the Monday morning with a Walmart employee revealing that the Lumia 800 on TELUS is selling well. The employee explained that the store only stocked Android handsets with the iPhone on the side for the past number of months. It would certainly be refreshing to see the award winning polycarbonate design and unique Windows Phone operating system arrive in stock.

As one can see from the photo, the Lumia 800 is available with TELUS for just $23.83 on a three-year contract, which is cheaper than going to the carrier directly. It's a good sign to see an employee of a retail chain to openly state that indicators point to Windows Phones selling well, and even the salesstaff who are selling the handsets are impressed.

Thanks Aaron for the tip and photo!

It was only a matter of time before we began to see the new HTC Titan II show up at third party retailers for a discounted price. Walmart.com is offering the new Windows Phone for $149.99 after contractual discounts.

The 4G LTE Titan II will still run you $549.99 off contract but if you're interested in saving $50, it might be worth checking out Walmart's listing.

Oh and on a side note, AmazonWireless is listing the HTC Titan II but is showing the Windows Phone as "out of stock" and due in soon. I wonder if AmazonWireless will have the Titan II for a penny?

Thanks, Janis, for the tip!

AT&T has switched on Lumia 900 pre-orders on their website store, and is offering the 4G Windows Phone for $99 on contract. Should you wish to be aware of another enticing deal, Walmart has the same Lumia 900 listed for just $49.99 (with a 2-year plan), saving $50 on top of the AT&T price. Available to pre-order in both black and cyan, Windows Phone Daily reports that this offer is also eligible for those who seek upgrades.

Interestingly, buying the Lumia 900 outright will set the purchaser back by $499.99--$50 more than AT&T. Should you desire the white version, do note that we expect this version to be available on April 22nd and only in-store at AT&T outlets.

Source: Walmart (black, cyan), via: Windows Phone Daily

Want the new T-Mobile HD2?  Live near a Wal-Mart and don't mind dropping $500? You may want to swing by your local Walmart and see if you can grab yourself one today and see if you can beat the official sell date of March 24.

Seems as a few people are having luck doing this trick and while they are paying the full-retail price, they get the joy of having what is no doubt one of the best Windows Mobile 6.5 devices to grace this planet.

Your best bet is to call ahead and just see if they have it available, then go down and see if you can find a store employee who is hopefully unaware of the launch date.

And if you want to vicariously experience unboxing the darn thing, you can check out these related videos of someone who did the above.

[Thanks, Jeremy, for the tip!]