Today’s best deals: Apple iPad Air, 400GB MicroSD cards, and more


    Today’s best deals: Apple iPad Air, 400GB MicroSD cards, and more

    Ars Technica


    Welcome back to another Dealmaster. Our latest roundup of the best tech deals from around the web includes a notable discount on Apple’s iPad Air, which is currently down to $500 at Best Buy. We’ve also seen this price at Amazon, but stock there appears to be going in and out as of this writing. Either way, this is only $10 more than the lowest price we’ve tracked for Apple’s 10.9-inch tablet, about $65 off the average street price we’ve seen online in recent months and $100 off Apple’s MSRP. The deal applies to the 64GB model; if you need more storage, note that the 256GB variant is on sale for $650, which is also $10 off the best price we’ve seen.

    We gave the iPad Air high marks back when the tablet launched in late 2020. We praised the device for its high-quality design, crisp and accurate display, and speedy performance, all of which have become typical of the iPad lineup. iPadOS isn’t robust enough to make an iPad a full laptop replacement for most people, but its app support remains extensive, and it’s still excellent for casual media consumption and lighter work tasks like word processing. This model also supports the latest Pencil stylus and the great-if-wildly-expensive Magic Keyboard, plus it has a USB-C port for further accessory support and faster charging.

    The Air still sits in the middle of Apple’s tablet offerings, providing more premium hardware and performance than the lower-cost iPad but fewer high-end features than the pricier iPad Pro. As we’ve noted before, the latter gets you Apple’s more powerful M1 chip (though that doesn’t make the Air slow for most tasks), a brighter display with a noticeably smoother 120 Hz refresh rate, more base storage at 128GB, Thunderbolt connectivity with its USB-C port, and slightly better mics, cameras, and speakers. But all of those upgrades come at a premium: the 11-inch iPad Pro is typically available for between $750 and $799 online. For those who want something better than the base iPad but can’t pay that much, the Air is likely a better value.
    There is an important caveat to all of this, though: Apple will probably launch new products in the next couple of months, and we really wouldn’t be surprised if a new iPad Air were announced along the way. Exactly how dramatic the improvements might be for a 2022 iPad Air isn’t certain. Some reports have suggested that a new device may include 5G support in its cellular models, a newer A15 Bionic chip (compared to the A14 Bionic in the current model), and an improved front camera. Either way, we are likely reaching the end of the current Air’s life span. At the same time, we don’t expect any new model to drop to this deal price soon after launch.

    If you don’t want a new tablet, our roundup has plenty more deals worth noting. If you need a new microSD card for your Nintendo Switch, the 400GB version of SanDisk’s Ultra card is down to $40, which is $1 more than the best price we’ve tracked. (Just note that this is a slower U1-rated card, so we specifically recommend it for the Switch or other devices that do not significantly benefit from higher-performing options.) Bose’s QuietComfort 45, a recommended set of wireless noise-canceling headphones, is back down to its all-time low of $279, while many of the sweeping video game sales we highlighted over the weekend are still kicking. We also have deals on PlayStation Plus subscriptions, Fitbit’s Charge 5 activity tracker, and Wacom drawing tablets. You can see our full curated list of deals below.

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

    Featured deals of the day

    Apple's 2020 iPad Air.
    Enlarge / Apple’s 2020 iPad Air.

    Samuel Axon

    Electronics deals

    Bose's QuietComfort 45 noise-canceling headphones are a fine option if you prioritize comfort above all else.
    Enlarge / Bose’s QuietComfort 45 noise-canceling headphones are a fine option if you prioritize comfort above all else.

    Jeff Dunn

    The first-generation Sonos Beam is a compact smart soundbar. The newer, second-gen model adds Dolby Atmos and a new grille material, though it costs $449.
    Enlarge / The first-generation Sonos Beam is a compact smart soundbar. The newer, second-gen model adds Dolby Atmos and a new grille material, though it costs $449.

    Jeff Dunn

    Laptop and desktop PC deals

    Battling one of <i>Pokémon Legends: Arceus</i>' Alpha Pokémon, which are larger, faster, and stronger than typical monsters.
    Enlarge / Battling one of Pokémon Legends: Arceus‘ Alpha Pokémon, which are larger, faster, and stronger than typical monsters.

    Nintendo

    Video game deals

    <em>Ori: The Collection </em>includes two of the better Metroidvanias released in recent years.
    Enlarge / Ori: The Collection includes two of the better Metroidvanias released in recent years.

    Microsoft

    The recently released <em>Halo Infinite</em>. It has a grappling hook!
    Enlarge / The recently released Halo Infinite. It has a grappling hook!

    Microsoft

    It's more than a decade old, but <em>Portal 2</em> remains a premiere co-op puzzle game.
    Enlarge / It’s more than a decade old, but Portal 2 remains a premiere co-op puzzle game.

    Valve

    <em>Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales </em>is a fun and breezy open-world action game.
    Enlarge / Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a fun and breezy open-world action game.

    Accessories and miscellaneous deals



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