The Week's Best Electronics Deals
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Now that social distancing has become the new normal, we're spending far more time at home, working beside children and spouses, which definitely presents challenges. If you're considering a new pair of noise-canceling headphones, fresh entertainment options, or helpful home office upgrades, you're in luck.
We're seeing impressive discounts on a variety of tech devices, from headphones and speakers to printers and wireless routers. Below, we've identified the week's best electronics deals on products tested by CR's experts.
Keep in mind that many online retailers are experiencing higher than usual demand right now. So if you buy something, shipping may take longer than you'd expect.
Headphones and Speakers
Apple AirPods With Wireless Case
The deal: $150 at Amazon
CR’s test results: Apple AirPods with Wireless Case
Though the second-generation AirPods don’t get high marks for sound in Consumer Reports’ testing, there’s no denying the appeal of these true wireless earphones for many Apple fans—especially at a $50 discount. If you have a wireless charging pad (sold separately), you can power the case cable-free just by setting it down.
Sonos One SL Wireless and Bluetooth Speaker
The deal: $129 at Adorama and Amazon
CR's test results: Sonos One SL wireless Bluetooth speaker
Usually priced at $180, this wireless and Bluetooth speaker delivers admirable sound. Easy to set up via a phone app, it lets you pair with a second Sonos One SL for even better sound.
Sonos Play:1 Wireless and Bluetooth Speaker Set
The deal: $200 for two at Costco
CR's test results: Sonos Play:1 wireless Bluetooth speaker
The Sonos Play:1 delivers impressive sound at a relatively affordable price for the brand's fans. The speaker is usually priced at $150, but Costco members can get an even better deal here—saving $100 on a stereo pair. Better yet, when you link the two speakers, you get even better sound, CR's testers say.
Printers
Brother All-in-One Laser Printer
The deal: $160 at Amazon
CR's take: Brother HL-L2395DW printer
This black-and-white laser printer from Brother typically runs around $170, which is already on the more affordable end for a model that can scan, make copies, and print on both sides of a page. It even offers WiFi connectivity for wireless printing, and it's among the better-scoring all-in-one laser printers that CR has tested. Right now, it's $10 less than usual at Amazon.
Brother All-in-One Laser Printer
The deal: $200 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Staples
CR's test results: Brother MFC-L2750DW printer
This black-and-white laser printer is a bit more expensive than the model above, but it's now priced $50 less than usual—and it provides more features. That includes an auto-feeder, the ability to send faxes, and double-sided scanning.
Lexmark Color Laser Printer
The deal: $129 at Adorama and Amazon
CR's test results: Lexmark C2325dw printer
That's a great price for a color laser printer. It doesn't have tons of bells and whistles, but it definitely delivers on text and graphics. And according to our estimates, the toner cartridges last a good long time, which helps keep costs low once you put the machine to work.
Wireless Routers
Eero Wireless Mesh Router
The deal: $198 to $200 at Amazon, Best Buy, Lowe's, and Office Depot
CR's test results: eero Home WiFi (2nd Gen.) (3-pack) wireless router
This three-unit mesh router system delivers the same basic performance as the more expensive Pro model for around half the price—and here you get an additional $50 off. Like the Pro version, this one supports automatic firmware updates (good for security) and provides easy setup via a smartphone app.
Home Theater
Polk Sound Bar
The deal: $200 at Amazon and Best Buy
CR's test results: Polk Audio Command Bar
A sound bar is a quick and easy way to enhance your TV-watching experience, and this model is good for both music and movie soundtrack playback. It has built-in Bluetooth, supports Amazon's Alexa, and is now available at $100 off its original price.
TCL 55-Inch 4K Smart TV
The deal: $500 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart
CR's test results: TCL 55R625 TV
You can save $50 on this big-screen TV at the retailers above, but be sure to check out Walmart's special, because it includes two Google Home Mini smart speakers valued at $68. Thanks to the set's built-in Roku streaming platform, you get easy access to your favorite shows, plus a voice-enabled remote control.
Yamaha Sound Bar
The deal: $300 at Adorama and Dell
CR's test results: Yamaha YAS-209 sound bar
This 2.1-channel sound bar—great for playing music and movie soundtracks—usually costs $50 more. The model comes with a wireless subwoofer, built-in Bluetooth for streaming tunes from mobile devices, and support for the Amazon Alexa digital assistant, which lets you use voice commands to search for shows and movies.
Cameras
FujiFilm Instax Square S6 Instant Camera
The deal: $75 at Amazon
That's about $15 less than usual for this fun little camera. Though we don't formally test instant cameras, we did take this one out for an informal spin. Our reviewer noted that the square photos do indeed remind one of those classic Polaroid pictures, but the camera's autofocus isn't always accurate.
GoPro Hero7 Black Action Camera
The deal: $229 to $230 at Amazon, Best Buy, GoPro, Target, and Walmart
CR's test results: GoPro HERO7 camcorder
The price on this rugged little action cam has now dipped $100. The device boasts a great image stabilizer, a 2-inch touch-screen display, and a design sturdy enough to survive our rigorous drop tests.
Sony Alpha A6500 Digital Camera
The deal: $898 for a bundle featuring the camera body and a 16-50mm lens at B&H Photo
CR’s test results: Sony Alpha A6500 w/ 50mm 1:1.8 OSS camera
The body alone typically sells for $1,200 to $1,500. We tested this 24MP camera with a fixed 50mm lens, but the 16-50mm lens in this bundle offers a bit more versatility, including the ability to capture both wide-angle and portrait shots. And if you hate waiting to recharge, you may love the longer than average battery life.
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Best used cars for $25,000 and less
7 best mattresses for couples
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