Technology

We're already on the final day of Amazon's October Prime Day — aka Prime Big Deal Days — and the good news is that there are still plenty of deals to be found.

The shopping event, exclusive to Prime members, is packed with discounts across plenty of categories. And here we're focusing on Lego sets, and the discounts are across many, many themes, including Botanicals, Technic, Disney, Star Wars, and Harry Potter. You'll even find some Creator 3-in-1 sets that make great gifts if you're already holiday shopping.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

Probably the most surprising Lego discounts this October Prime Day would be on Star Wars Smart Play sets. The Lego Smart Brick was only introduced in January 2026, and it's been hard to find at a discount, so if you've been waiting, now's a great time to score one.

As TechRadar's resident Lego expert, I've been scanning the sale for the best of the best, and ahead, I'm sharing over 30 deals across many themes that are worth adding to your cart.

Today's best Lego deals under $10

At just $4.89 with a fresh discount, this 65-piece Lego City Police Motorcycle Chase set is 51% off. This compact set includes two Minifigures plus a buildable motorbike.View Deal

City Go-Karts and Race Drivers: was $9.99 now $6.62
Two Lego sets are better than one, and two Lego sets certainly get the job done. For just $8.99, you'll build two go-karts and two Minifigures thanks to this fantastic, small build. View Deal

Whether you want a smaller Lego flower build or want to expand your Botanicals collection, you can't go wrong with this set of Lego Botanicals Daisies for just under $10 on Amazon.View Deal

These Roses will look great with any Lego Flowers set, even though these aren't part of the Botanical theme! Right now, this duo is down to $11.99.View Deal

Today's best Lego Star Wars deals

Star Wars Smart Play: Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter: was $69.99 now $55.95
Now, this is the cheapest an all-in-one Lego Smart Play set has ever been. Lego's Smart Play: Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter is 20% off at just $55.95 and includes everything you need to build and play — most notably a Smart Brick is in the box.View Deal

Star Wars Smart Play: Luke’s Red Five X-Wing: was $89.99 now $71.99
For Prime Big Deal Days, Amazon is discounting the Lego Star Wars Luke's Red Five X-Wing Smart Play set by 20% to just $71.99. And yes, this set includes a Smart Brick as it's an 'all-in-one', as well as several Minifigures.View Deal

Star Wars Siege of Mandalore Battle Pack: was $22.99 now $18.39
This set is perfect for display or play. At just $18.39, the Siege of Mandalore Battle Pack has four Minifigures and two compact builds. View Deal

Star Wars The Mandalorian's N-1 Starfighter: was $59.99 now $41.99
At 30% off, this Mandalorian-themed Star Wars Lego set might just make the perfect gift for a fan of Mando or Grogu. It's down to $41.99, which is a new low price.View Deal

Star Wars Brick-Built Star Wars Logo: was $59.99 now $49.99
The opening crawl of any Star Wars film might be one of the most iconic openings in any film franchise. And now, you can finally build the iconic Star Wars logo out of Lego bricks (with some fun details hidden by the design team). This fantastic set is down to $49.99 at Amazon for Prime Big Deal Days.View Deal

Star Wars Millennium Falcon A New Hope 25th Anniversary Edition set: was $84.99 now $67.99
Lego has produced many Millennium Falcon sets, but this smaller one, which debuted for the 25th anniversary of Star Wars: A New Hope, is an excellent model and even better with a 20% discount. It's currently available at the lowest price ever at $67.99, and makes a superb display piece.View Deal

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Mos Espa Podrace set: was $79.99 now $68.18
Love a podrace? You can build a diorama of the iconic scene from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace out of Lego bricks. This set is currently 15% off at $67.87 on Amazon.View Deal

Star Wars Ahsoka Chopper (C1-10P) Astromech: was $99.99 now $71.99
In the world of astromechs, I really do love Chopper, and with this 1,039-piece Lego set, you can build the iconic C1-10P droid. Best of all, it's 28% off at just $71.99, and you get free shipping.View Deal

Star Wars Grogu with Hover Pram: was $99.99 now $79.99
A Lego deal roundup wouldn't be complete without a set that lets you build Grogu, right? Well, right now you can build Grogu and the iconic Hover Pram for just $79.99 – a 20% discount.View Deal

Star Wars R2-D2 Building Set: was $99.99 now $79.99
R2-D2 is the most iconic droid around, and right now you can build your own out of 1,050 Lego bricks for just $79.99. That's a 20% discount from the $99.99 MSRP, and Prime members get free fast shipping. This set comes with a mini R2-D2, a display plate, and a Darth Malak minifigure.View Deal

Star Wars The Phantom Menace Battle Droid with STAP: was $139.99 now $83.99
Roger, Roger! Fans of The Phantom Menace or Battle Droids will want to take note of this deal and likely add it to their cart. At 40% off — a sharp $56 discount — this Lego set lets you build an iconic droid out of 1,0888 pieces.View Deal

Today's best Lego Botanicals deals

Botanicals Happy Plants: was $22.99 now $18.39
With over 7,000 sold on Amazon in the past month, it's clear Lego has a hit on its hands with the most joyful set in the Botanicals theme. Happy Plants are exactly what the name says — two plants with smiley faces in cute pots, one blue, one yellow. This set is already 20% off at $18.39 on Amazon right now.View Deal

The Lego Botanicals Chrysanthemum is back to just $23.99 from $29.99 for Prime Big Deal Days. This is an especially vibrant Lego Botanical set and should be a fun, easy build with 278 pieces.View Deal

This one is a personal favorite of mine, and it's the perfect display piece. The Botanicals Mini Orchid is a delightful set made up of 274 pieces. Right now, it's just $23.99 on Amazon.View Deal

Botanicals Lucky Bamboo: was $29.99 now $23.99
Amazon has reduced the price of Lego Botanical Lucky Bamboo back to the lowest we've ever tracked. This delightful set is just $23.95 right now with free shipping for Prime members.View Deal

This is a really adorable one, and it's back to the lowest price we've tracked. For Prime Big Deal Days, the Lego Botanicals Flowering Cactus is 27% off at $25.55View Deal

If you're after colors, the Lego Botanicals Succulents set is an excellent pickup on Amazon for Prime Day. Right now it's $34.99 — a 30% discount from $49.99 — and you'll build several plants out of 771 pieces. View Deal

Right now, Lego Botanicals Magnolia Branches is 22% off at $39 on Amazon for Prime Big Deal Days.View Deal

Today's best Lego Harry Potter deals

Returning to an all-time-low price, Amazon's October Prime Day is letting you score the Lego Harry Potter Thestral Family set for just $41.99.View Deal

Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle and Grounds: was $169.99 now $136.99
With 2,660 pieces, you'll build both the iconic Hogwarts Castle and some of the grounds in a more miniature form that's perfect for display. This Lego set has been purchased over 3,000 times in the last month, and it's 19% off at $136.99 on Amazon.View Deal

Today's best Lego Technic deals

Technic Bush Plane Toy: was $27.99 now $22.49
With this Lego Technic set, you'll get 333 pieces to build a Bush Plane complete with a propeller up front and three wheels. It even features adjustable ailerons. View Deal

Technic Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica Orange: was $49.99 now $34.99
Fans of sports cars will want to pay attention, as this is a pretty stellar deal. At 30% off, Lego's Technic Lamborghini Huracán in a vibrant shade of orange is down to just $34.99. View Deal

Technic Ford Bronco: was $64.99 now $51.99
For $51.99 on Amazon, you can build a Ford Bronco out of Lego Technic bricks. This is a fun set that lets you build detailed parts of the vehicle, including the rear axle, engine, and suspension.View Deal

Technic Planet Earth and Moon in Orbit: was $74.99 now $67.99
While you won't build a car with this Lego Technic set, you'll still get a pretty out-of-this-world result. For $61.99 on Amazon — after a 17% discount — you'll build a working model of Earth and Moon, which you can rotate to see the orbit pattern.View Deal

Today's best Lego Disney deals

Disney Moana Hei Hei: was $39.99 now $25
Hei Hei is probably one of the most iconic Disney characters, and I'd bet Moana fans agree. Right now, ahead of Prime Big Deal Days you can build Hei Hei out of 566 Lego pieces for just $25 — a 37% discount.View Deal

Disney Cruella De Vil’s Car: was $49.99 now $34.99
Fans of 101 Dalmatians will likely love this Lego build, as you don't just get a Cruella De Vil Minifigure, but you'll build her iconic car and get one of the pups. Right now, this set is just $34.99 on Amazon after a 30% discount.View Deal

Ideas Disney Pixar Luxo Jr: was $69.99 now $55.95
You'll not only build the iconic Pixar Luxor Jr. Lamp and ball, but you'll also discover the many Easter eggs and hidden details Lego packed into this 613-piece set. With Toy Story 5 streaming on Disney+ and a 20% discount, now's an excellent time to score this Lego set for just $55.99.View Deal

Today's best Lego Creator deals

Creator 3 in 1 Forest Animals: Gray Wolf: was $49.99 now $34.99
We love a Lego 3-in-1 set as it adds the ability to rebuild, and this Creator set is pretty fun. For just $34.99, you can build a wolf, a falcon, or a raccoon.View Deal

Creator 3 in 1 Majestic Tiger: was $42.35 now $34.99
A bit more vibrant than the Creator 3-in-1 above, but also just as discounted, the Majestic Tiger set is just as fun. For $34.99, you can build a tiger, a koi fish, or a red panda.View Deal

So, the second day of Amazon Prime Day is in full swing and, as this one's only a two-day event, it's fair to say that we don't have much time. Don't worry, but, you know… don't miss out.

Could today be the day you treat yourself to a Bluetooth speaker for the shower, or level up your home with a more significant Wi-Fi multi-room investment for cosy nights in? I really hope so. If it's something musical and the deal's good, you'll find it here, in this little missive.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

Whether it's a WiiM Sound Lite (a rival to the Sonos Era 100), which is now just $183 (was $229) at Amazon US) or £189 (was £229) at Amazon UK, or even the Bose Soundlink Micro Gen 2, now just $99.99 (was $129) at Amazon US and just £79.95 (was £119.95) at Amazon UK, I've got a deal for you.

Stick with me, there's still plenty of time. Happy shopping — and always, always enjoy the music, friend.

The best Prime Day audio deals still live now, USBluetooth speaker deals still live now, US

The JBL Flip 7 is the ultimate portable speaker if you want something that's going to last. It's waterproof and seriously rugged, with swappable attachments that include a carabiner and carrying strap. It also delivers excellent sound for the price, with punchy bass, good volume, and up to 14 hours of battery life.View Deal

In the US, you can score a substantial 22% off the Bose SoundLink Micro Gen 2. This small yet mighty model boasts impeccably detailed sound for such a small speaker, with aptX support for higher-res listening and customizable EQ. It's also an absolute beauty, highly waterproof, and ultra-compact, making it easy to take on the go. This deal currently applies to the Dewdrop Mint colorway only.View Deal

Go 5: was $54.95 now $39.95
JBL's latest small speaker was released relatively recently, in summer 2026 — and it instantly became our new favorite cheap option. It comes in loads of lovely colors to suit your vibe, and is pretty much perfectly designed. The sound? It's a small thing, but for small spaces (especially in the shower) it will more than suffice.View Deal

Soundcore 2: was $44.99 now $28.48
A consistent best-seller on Amazon's website, this is an understated little buy. It looks 100% business-casual on a desk, unlike some more whimsical rivals, so if you need an office-ready speaker for very little money, you may have found it. It's not a new product (it actually launched in 2017), but you do get 12W stereo sound, an IPX7 waterproof rating, and up to 24 hours of battery life. And that isn't to be sniffed at for this money. View Deal

Wireless speaker deals still live, US

In our glowing 4.5-star review of the Sonos Era 100 SL, we were able to confirm what we'd all been hoping — it really is "a better price for the same performance" (as the regular Sonos Era 100). There are some compromises — voice control is absent, and Android users will miss out on Sonos' room correction. That said, it's one of the strongest performers in its price range — and this is a return to the lowest price it's ever been. View Deal

If you didn't know (that's fine, we're all here to learn!) this is a smart speaker with hi-res audio, Wi-Fi and touchscreen, and it comes in two finishes (black or white). You can read all about it in our WiiM Sound review. However, the main thing is this: this is its lowest-seen price, according to our price trackers. View Deal

And here's its cheaper relative! It's meant to rival the Sonos Era 100 — so check out our Sonos Era 100 vs WiiM Sound Lite feature, to see how well it squares up — but with this discount, you could be creating a lovely little hi-res wireless multi-room music ecosystem for a lot less. View Deal

Sub Pro Smart Wireless Subwoofer With Roomfit™ Bass, White: was $479 now $407.15
What is it? A wireless subwoofer with WiiM's Roomfit Bass technology. What do you do? Plug it in, get online, tap 'RoomFit' in the app, stay quiet and let AI dial-in perfect bass for your listening room. Then, just select your main WiiM speakers/amp in the app (or plug an RCA sub-out) and you've got yourself a sub-enhanced system, friend. View Deal

The best Prime Day audio deals, UK Bluetooth speaker deals still live, UK

SoundLink Micro Gen 2: was £119.95 now £79.95
You're getting an awfully good deal here; 33% off one of the best small speakers around, taking it below the £80 mark. Think premium, detailed audio, a sleek and compact build, and aptX support for higher-res streaming, you really can't go wrong — unless you don't like the shade pictured. This deal currently applies to the Petal Pink colorway only (which to me looks more like strawberry ice cream, so of course I love it). View Deal

There's no Amazon discount for UK shoppers on this excellent JBL Bluetooth speaker (that's roughly the size of a bottle of Sprite) at the moment, but you can still score the Flip 7 at a discount over at Very. Free home delivery is included as well.View Deal

Sony Ult Field 3 - Portable Bluetooth Speaker With Ult Power Sound, 24hr Battery, Ip67, Waterproof, Dustproof, Shockproof, Detachable Shoulder Strap, Compact - Off-White: was £129 now £97
This is the smallest Bluetooth speaker in Sony's ULT (or bass-focused) speaker lineup — there's a bigger Field 5 and even a slightly older Field 7 too. We loved the design and feature-set under review, and while we didn't wholly love the audio tuning, for this money (ie. under £100) it's highly competitive — a lot to enjoy here. View Deal

Soundcore 2: was £28.49 now £22.99
A consistent best-seller on Amazon's website, this is a chic but understated little speaker. It looks quite business-like on a desk, unlike rivals from JBL, so if you need an office musical companion for very little money, you just found it. It's not a new product (it actually launched way back in 2017!), but you do get 12W stereo sound, an IPX7 waterproof rating, and up to 24 hours of battery life. And that isn't half bad for this money. View Deal

Wireless speaker deals still live, UK

Era 100 SL: was £169 now £133.95
A nearly-ideal small and flexible speaker, honestly. It offers wide dispersion of sound, Wi-Fi plus Bluetooth and line-in connectivity, support for many streaming services, voice control, and it goes as loud as you'll ever need it to. Compared to the regular Sonos Era 100, the SL version drops voice control, but a lot of people can live with that.View Deal

This is the company's flagship smart speaker with hi-res audio, Wi-Fi and touchscreen. It comes in black or the white shade pictured (in fact, you can read all about it in our WiiM Sound review) but what you need to know is that we really like its detailed sound and touchscreen — and for this money, we like those things even more. View Deal

Wiim Sound Lite Smart Speaker, Multi-Room Wireless Speaker, Black: was £229 now £189
…and here's the cheaper version. No touchscreen it's true, but the Sound Lite offers connectivity as excellent as its full-fat sound, and that includes its hi-res 24-bit/192kHz playback. It can also connect to Google Cast and Alexa multi-room systems, or you could stream directly from Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, TIDAL, Qobuz, Deezer and more. On top of this, it sports a 3.5mm jack input, which is always a good thing if you want to hook it up to external audio kit. View Deal

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.36
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $28
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $89
• Smartwatches: up to 36% off Garmin & Apple
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $49

More Prime Day deals in the UK

• Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: up to 67% off Fire, Ring & Blink
• Amazon Haul: extra 15% off for Prime members
• Appliances: up to 40% off Ninja & De'Longhi
• Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
• Essentials: cleaning & groceries from £2
• Fashion: up to 50% off
• Gaming: record-low Nintendo Switch 2
• Headphones: up to 50% off Anker & Sony
• Laptops: up to £800 off Microsoft & Asus
• Tablets: up to 50% off Fire tablets
• TVs: from £129.99
• Vacuums: up to 50% off Shark & Dyson
• Wearables: Samsung & Oura from £31

It’s finally official: after what feels like years of leaks, Apple has entered the foldable race with the iPhone Duo. It brings a host of new features, but also has the same passport-style form factor as the recently launched Galaxy Z Fold 8, Xiaomi 18 Fold, and Huawei Pura X Max.

Apple’s first foldable features many of the same compromises you might expect from a first-generation foldable, even from a company as meticulous as Apple, but the biggest concern for most users may be around the Duo's battery life.

I’ve spent the past three months using the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and its competitors. What battery life do they offer, and what can we learn from it? I tested six of the best globally available flagship foldables over several weeks to answer that question.

How I tested the folding phones' battery life

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Over the past few months, I’ve been developing my own battery testing suite, CellMark, using a combination of AI models. After hundreds of hours and various iterations, I've built a solid test suite that accounts for each phone maker's idiosyncrasies and how the average person actually uses their phone today.

For this comparison, I ran the EnduranceMark suite, which loops until the battery level reaches 5%. A test is only valid if it successfully drains 80% of the battery, and each result below is characterized using a standardized metric. I ran two tests from this suite: the Synthesizer test to test drain under heavy loads, and my favorite, the Doom Scroller. As the name suggests, it simulates everyone’s favorite pastime of endlessly scrolling social media.

I also ran the ChargeMark charging test to log battery charging times. I paired the three CellMark tests with a web-browsing script that loaded 20 different web pages, scrolled at intervals, and looped to the next page, plus a looping video playback test.

As some phone makers aggressively limit background apps, some phones failed to complete certain tests, but I've included the relevant tests regardless.

Of course, these tests aren’t 100% indicative of real-world usage, but anecdotally, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Doom Scrolling results closely matched my findings during daily use. Having tested smartphones for 20 years, I'm confident in the CellMark app's results.

Round 1: The charging test

For years, charging speeds differed markedly between folding phones sold in the US and those sold outside it. Simply put, the former were vastly slower than the latter.

Phone

Size

15 min

30 min

100%

Drain rate

Galaxy Z Fold 8

4,800mAh

33%

66%

69 minutes

69.6mAh / min

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

5,000mAh

41%

71%

60 minutes

83.3mAh / min

Pixel 11 Pro Fold

4,806mAh

26%

47%

54 minutes

54mAh / min

Moto Razr Fold

6,000mAh

67%

67%

100 minutes

100mAh / min

Oppo Find N6

6,000mAh

84%

84%

47 minutes

127.7mAh / min

Honor Magic V6

6,660mAh

66%

66%

59 minutes

112.9mAh / min

In the above charging test, the Galaxy Z Fold 8's 45W charging speed got it to a respectable 69-minute full charge, but the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra sustained 45W charging for longer to reach a full charge in one hour.

The Moto Razr Fold, Honor Magic V6, and Oppo Find N6 were the top three in ascending order, with Oppo retaining a charging lead it has held for years. The Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold ranked last, which isn’t surprising given its charging is the slowest.

For the iPhone Duo, Apple says 60W charging can reach 50% in just 20 minutes. Apple hasn’t published a full-charge estimate, especially since phones optimize charging speeds for longevity, but its claims put the iPhone Duo's charging speed around the level of the Honor Magic V6 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

Round 2: The web browsing test

(Image credit: Nirave Gondhia)

The second test was web browsing, and each phone ran a script to load 20 of the heaviest webpages on the internet and scroll through them to simulate real-world usage. Running in a loop, this gives us an estimate of the battery life if you’re always using your browser.

Phone

Size

100 --> 0%

Drain rate

Drain rate

Galaxy Z Fold 8

4,800mAh

17 hours 44 minutes

5.64 %/hr

270.7 mAh/hour

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

5,000mAh

14 hours 11 minutes

7.05 %/hr

352.5 mAh/hour

Pixel 11 Pro Fold

4,806mAh

13 hours 52 minutes

7.21 %/hr

346.6 mAh/hour

Moto Razr Fold

6,000mAh

20 hours 14 minutes

4.86 %/hr

291.7 mAh/hour

Oppo Find N6

6,000mAh

18 hours 52 minutes

5.48 %/hr

328.8 mAh/hour

Honor Magic V6

6,660mAh

18 hours 11 minutes

5.50 %/hr

366.3 mAh/hour

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 proved surprisingly strong here, but that's where a smaller screen comes in handy. Its drain rate was the lowest of all tests, meaning a larger battery at the same drain rate would theoretically give us the best battery life overall.

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold fell short of the competition, even though its drain rate was only the third-highest, while the Motorola Razr Fold proved that the Razr Fold — and its Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor — is very well optimized for web browsing. Apple hasn’t revealed any iPhone Duo web-browsing estimates, so it’s unclear what to expect.

Round 3: The video playback test

The other fairly standard test is video playback, which lets us directly test many phone makers’ listed claims. This involved looping a locally stored 4K video in the default media player with the phone’s brightness set to 50%.

Phone

Size

100 --> 0%

OEM Claims

Drain rate

Drain rate

Galaxy Z Fold 8

4,800mAh

20 hours 32 minutes

26 hours

4.87 %/hr

233.8 mAh/hour

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

5,000mAh

20 hours 39 minutes

27 hours

4.84 %/hr

242.1 mAh/hour

Pixel 11 Pro Fold

4,806mAh

18 hours 14 minutes

24 hours

5.48 %/hr

263.6 mAh/hour

Moto Razr Fold

6,000mAh

20 hours 49 minutes

39 hours

4.80 %/hr

288.2 mAh/hour

Oppo Find N6

6,000mAh

22 hours 47 minutes

26 hours

4.39 %/hr

263.4 mAh/hour

Honor Magic V6

6,660mAh

21 hours 57 minutes

24 hours

4.56 %/hr

303.4 mAh/hour

It’s clear that every phone maker makes bold battery-life claims that don’t always reflect your real-world experience. Here, Samsung, Oppo, and Honor deserve credit for fairly accurate video playback claims, whereas the results on the Moto Razr Fold and Pixel 11 Pro Fold fall far short of what's stated.

For the iPhone Duo, Apple claims that you'll get up to 35 hours of video playback on the inside screen and up to 44 hours on the outer display. If it lives up to these claims, or even comes close, it will likely have the best video playback battery life of any folding phone.

Round 4: The Synthesizer performance test

Web browsing and video playback are two common ways we use our phones, but companies also optimize for these scenarios, and phones struggle considerably under heavy loads.

To test this, I built the Synthesizer, which runs a series of calculations around ever-increasing prime numbers and runs numerous I/O operations in the background, both designed to heavily tax the chipset.

Phone

Size

Elapsed

Projected

Primes

IO operations run

Drain rate

Galaxy Z Fold 8

4,800mAh

20 hours 32 minutes

5 hours 51 minutes

25.8M

5.57M

16.07%

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

5,000mAh

20 hours 39 minutes

6 hours 03 minutes

27.0M

5.99M

15.54%

Pixel 11 Pro Fold

4,806mAh

18 hours 14 minutes

7 hours 05 minutes

26.6M

4.21M

13.27%

Moto Razr Fold

6,000mAh

20 hours 49 minutes

10 hours 55 minutes

31.5M

7.12M

8.60%

Oppo Find N6

6,000mAh

22 hours 47 minutes

11 hours 32 minutes

31.4M

9.08M

8.15%

Honor Magic V6

6,660mAh

21 hours 57 minutes

12 hours 37 minutes

33.4M

10.92M

7.45%

None of these results are surprising on their own, but together they show just how differently each phone maker has balanced power and efficiency.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra use the high-specification Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset, and Samsung doesn’t throttle performance of the chipset. The result is ~5.5 hours of battery life at high performance.

The Tensor G6 inside the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is surprisingly well optimized, but as the above test shows, Motorola, Honor, and Oppo all offer considerably better battery performance and battery-life balance. The result is sustained high-load performance for much longer.

Round 5: The doomscrolling test

(Image credit: Nirave Gondhia)

When I started building CellMark, I set out to build an app that could, among other tests, simulate social media usage. Considering how we use our phones — and my additional needs for visual ways to demonstrate battery and charging tests on social media — this felt like the most natural test to build.

It’s also where I've faced challenges with Oppo and Motorola phones specifically, which prevent the CellMark app from running tests longer than nine hours. Despite this, it reveals a lot of interesting data.

Phone

Elapsed (~100% > 5%)

Cards scrolled

Drain

Drain

Thermal

Galaxy Z Fold 8

9 hours 58 minutes

13,257

9.22 % per hour

442.6 mAh/hour

Fair

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

13 hours 04 minutes

16,144

7.19 % per hour

359.7 mAh/hour

Critical

Pixel 11 Pro Fold

10 hours 54 minutes

14,087

8.62 % per hour

414.2 mAh/hour

Fair

Moto Razr Fold

14 hours 53 minutes

18,067

6.31 % per hour

420.2 mAh/hour

Fair

Oppo Find N6

-

12,432

2.42 % per hour

145.2 mAh/hour

Nominal

Honor Magic V6

-

12,415

2.79 % per hour

167.3 mAh/hour

Nominal

First, the thin body on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and larger battery mean it runs considerably hotter than all the competition.

The thicker build and vapor chamber of the iPhone Duo should mean this won’t be an issue for Apple's first foldable, although the A20 Pro chipset is a powerhouse. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 proves it's possible to be a small phone without succumbing to overheating problems, despite using the same processor as its sibling.

The performance of the Pixel 11 Pro Fold proves the Tensor G6 is a welcome improvement over the Tensor G5, while the Honor Magic V6 reigns supreme yet again.

Phone

Duration

Nominal

Fair

Serious

Critical

Galaxy Z Fold 8

9 hours 58 minutes

46.0%

54.0%

0%

0%

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

13 hours 04 minutes

68.8%

0.5%

3.1%

27.5%

Pixel 11 Pro Fold

10 hours 54 minutes

44.2%

55.8%

0%

0%

Moto Razr Fold

14 hours 53 minutes

83.2%

16.8%

0%

0%

It’s worth noting that the Find N6 and Razr Fold results ran for 9 hours before ending, and while all phones drain much faster as thermal temperature rises, both likely had the lowest drain and best thermal performance.

The key takeaway there? The processor makes a big difference: the Find N6 has one fewer performance core than its rivals, while the Razr Fold uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 rather than the high-performance Elite version. Both companies made these choices with battery life in mind, and it becomes especially apparent when you look at thermal performance in these tests.

The 24-hour Galaxy Z Fold 8 run

(Image credit: Richard Priday / TechRadar)

Just days before publishing, I tested the Galaxy Z Fold 8 with a few changes to determine what battery life would look like under more optimal conditions. The surprise is just how much of a difference it makes.

Running the Doom Scroll test on a Galaxy Z Fold 8 with background data sync disabled and brightness set to 40%, I achieved 24 hours and 42 minutes on a single Doom Scroll run. That’s nearly 150% higher than the rest of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 testing results.

Also, every foldable phone maker tells you to open the phone for the fastest charging, partly because of thermal management. During this test, all 8,907 logged telemetry samples showed a nominal thermal status. In simple terms: unfold your phone to keep it cooler.

How might the iPhone Duo's battery compare?

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Apple claims the iPhone Duo has better battery life than the iPhone 17 Pro Max, offering up to 35 hours of video playback when unfolded or 44 hours when folded. That puts it 35% higher than the Galaxy Z Fold 8, and paired with a thicker body and better thermal management, the iPhone Duo could set a new battery-life benchmark for folding phones in the US.

The true test will be in real-world use cases like Doom Scroller. I’m excited to see how optimized the iPhone Duo is, but am cautiously optimistic that it can at least match the Galaxy Z Fold 8. We’ll find out once the iPhone Duo goes on sale.

The Dyson Airwrap has gained somewhat iconic status, but it's not the only great hair tool this brand makes. In fact, I've tested most of Dyson's haircare range, and for me, the Supersonic Nural hair dryer is the unsung hero of the lineup.

Both are discounted in the current Prime Day sales: the Airwrap i.d. is down to $499.99 (was $709.99) and the Supersonic Nural is down to $349.99 (was $449.99). You need to be a Prime subscriber to access both deals, but you can use the free trial.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

Before you scramble to purchase an Airwrap, it's worth considering if a Supersonic Nural might actually be a better fit for your styling needs — not least because with these deals, it's $150 cheaper. Scroll down for my take on who should buy an Airwrap, and who'd be better off with a Supersonic Nural...

Airwrap i.d. Multi-Styler: was $709.99 now $499.99
Good Airwrap discounts are rare, and tend to come and go quickly. This $210 price-drop is well worth hopping on — it take the styler back down to the lowest price we've seen lately.View Deal

Supersonic Nural Hair Dryer: was $449.99 now $349.99
The price of the Supersonic Nural tends to fluctuate, but based on our price tracker tool it's only been this cheap once before: very briefly, in November 2025 (I'd guess that's Black Friday). It's well worth snapping up this deal. View Deal

Buy the Dyson Supersonic Nural if...FutureFutureFuture

✅ You want healthier hair drying: In Scalp Protect mode, this dryer will raise or lower its temperature to maintain what feels like a constant heat on your head. That means you can get right up close to your scalp, for precision styling, without frying your head or your roots. The Airwrap does not have this feature. In general, if hair drying is your priority, the Supersonic Nural is more comfortable and efficient than the Airwrap-plus-dryer attachment.

✅ You have naturally curly hair: The Supersonic Nural is arguably a better choice for those with natural curls — amongst the plethora of attachments you'll find a two-part diffuser (one section for drying another for defining), a wide-tooth comb (ideal for coily hair) and a 'soft air' attachment.

✅ You're a big attachment-swapper: The attachments here are magnetic, and swapping them over is much less fiddly than the clip-in, clip out process required on the Airwrap. More impressive though, is the fact the dryer has attachment recognition, so it knows what's snapped on and will remember your preferred settings.

Buy the Dyson Airwrap i.d. if...FutureFutureFuture

✅ You have straight hair and want curls: There are no curling tools on the Supersonic Nural, so if you're creating curls you need the Airwrap. The i.d. feature makes this process dead easy — you flip a switch on the Airwrap handle and it'll launch into a wrap > curl > cool shot sequence, personalized for your hair type, for perfect results with minimal effort required from you.

✅ You want bouncy blowouts: The Airwrap i.d. comes with a round brush attachment, which I use regularly for creating volume and loose curls. There isn't an equivalent on the Supersonic Nural.

More Prime Day deals US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
• Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
• Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

Ladies and gentlemen, on my right, costing $322.98 and most popular new Windows PC at Amazon is the Kamrui Essenx E2.

Its challenger is the Bosgame E5 11 Pro, a lightweight PC that punches above its weight and costs only $263.49.

Let’s see who is the better (best?). Remember that you need to be a Prime member in order to benefit from these prices. You can sign up for a free 30-day trial here.

E5 11 Pro mini PC: was $309.99 now $263.49
AMD Ryzen 5300U | 16GB DDR4 | 512GB

The newcomer upstart set to take the crown from Amazon's best-selling $300 Windows PC.View Deal

Essenx E2 mini PC: was $379.99 now $322.98
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U | 16GB DDR4 | 256GB SSD

This Windows mini PC from Kamrui is a popular pick in the $300-ish budget category. View Deal

Performance

On paper, the Bosgame bosses the Kamrui around (excuse the pun). The Ryzen 5 3500U is no match for the Ryzen 3 5300U. Both have four cores but the latter uses a newer architecture and achieves better performance both in single thread (+17%) and multi thread (+26%).

The 5300U also runs cooler despite having a faster clock speed, which should translate into a quieter work environment. Same conclusion for the integrated Radeon video subsystem: the GPU used by the 5300U (RX Vega 6) is faster than the RX Vega 8 on the 3500U. So despite the Ryzen 3 moniker, the 5300U inside the Bosgame is a comfortable winner here.

Storage and memory

Both offer 16GB of RAM, one can assume two 8GB DDR4 memory modules for improved performance. The 5300U uses DDR4-3200 as opposed to DDR4-2666 for the 3500U, a marginal improvement in transfer rates that should help with performance.

On the storage side, Bosgame has twice the capacity (512GB vs 256GB) compared to its rival. Both use PCIe 3.0 which is fast enough for casual computing (whatever that means these days).

Both mini PCs also have an additional SSD slot. A legacy SATA one for the Kamrui and a PCIe one for the other contender. The E5 11 Pro emerges as victorious once again.

Ports and connectivity

Kamrui’s mini PC uses an older platform so I am not surprised that it can only handle two 4K monitors. It doesn’t have any Type-C connector as well and two of its USB ports use obsolete USB 2.0 tech. As for connectivity, you’ve got a Gigabit LAN port and an unknown variety of wireless connection which I assume is WiFi-5 as a worst case scenario.

The E5 11 Pro fares much better; it has one extra Type-C connector that allows it to support three 4K monitors, two 2.5Gb LAN connectors. That said, you still get WiFi-5 and those pesky USB 2.0 ports. There could only ever be one winner and that’s the Bosgame.

Anything else?

Both come with old school barrel chargers (not ideal) and have VESA ports. Both run on Windows although Bosgame uses Windows 11 Pro and is Linux/Ubuntu compatible as well, great for dual booting.

And the winner is?

No photo finish on that one. There’s no reason why anyone should buy the Kamrui Essenx E2 over the E5 11 Pro. The latter is not only a genuinely far superior product, it is also way cheaper, by almost 20% (nearly $60).

Read more: We're currently live-tracking all the best Prime Day home office deals.

The Xreal Aura will cost $1,279, and it has some similarities to the Meta VR Glasses coming next year.

Amazon Prime Day is in full swing and while there are plenty of tempting deals to be had for all sorts of tech in general, the computing component side of the big sale is a depressingly barren place.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

When it comes to the core components of a PC which have been hit hardest by the memory crisis – RAM sticks, SSDs, and GPUs – the deals which Amazon is offering may look like sizeable discounts on the face of it, but they aren't when you consider the pricing which these products were available at last year.

A case in point: the Samsung 9100 PRO 2TB SSD is currently half price at $335 (down from $680) at Amazon US, but a year ago, it was $165 in the Prime Day sale. So, in fact, this year you are paying twice as much as in 2025, which doesn't feel great.

That said, in the overall SSD landscape, this is now a decent price, which just shows how bad the RAM crisis has made everything.

Of course, the pricing of RAM itself is particularly painful. For example, there's a 64GB RAM kit (2 x 32GB modules) from Crucial on sale with 7% off at Amazon UK, but it's £690 after that discount. A year ago, that same kit was £170. Ouch.

A more commonplace 32GB kit (2 x 16GB) from Crucial is now on offer at Amazon UK with a 22% discount, bringing it down to £400 – while a year ago it was £108.

Let that sink in for a moment: it's an effective quadrupling of the prices in both these RAM examples.

As for GPUs, the Asus Prime RX 9070 XT Gaming graphics card has a 23% discount on Amazon US, reducing it to $829. Yet in the Prime Day sale a year ago, this was at $690 (and it actually dropped to $649 for the holiday season on Amazon, so it's now close to 30% pricier than that when it's on sale).

What a difference a year makes, and sadly a very negative difference, but while it's undeniably bleak out there, thankfully there are a few deals worth considering for Prime Day components in the US and UK.

I'll list them below, and they include what might be the best deals you'll get on a mid-range and a higher-end GPU for possibly quite a long time (depending on how the RAM crisis continues to affect video memory, and the latest hints aren't good).

Today's best Prime Day PC component deals in the US

Optimus GX 7100 1TB NVMe SSD: was $199 now $169.15
This Sandisk drive is 15% off in the US and gives you a somewhat palatable deal for 1TB of storage space, bearing in mind that a few months ago, it was actually a hundred bucks dearer than this sale price. It's a PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD and offers sequential reads of up to 7,250MB/s and writes of 6,900MB/s.View Deal

Vengeance LPX 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 RAM: was $296.99 now $249.99
If you need system memory, frankly there really aren't any good deals on RAM. If you're okay with having DDR4 RAM, though, this 16% discount on a Corsair Vengeance 32GB RAM kit in the US is about as good as it gets right now – but that's not very good sadly (and still hugely inflated on a year ago, but the worry is, things may get worse still).View Deal

Radeon RX 9070 GRE OC Edition 12GB GPU: was $789.99 now $529.99
The GRE is not a particularly well-liked flavor of the RX 9070, mainly because gamers feel that it doesn't offer good value compared to the vanilla 9070 (and it's considerably behind the 9070 XT in performance). However, at this price with a 33% discount in the US – pushing it under the MSRP – it stacks up well with these sibling Radeon GPUs, and currently it represents about as good a mid-range graphics card bargain as you'll get.View Deal

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.36
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $28
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $89
• Smartwatches: up to 36% off Garmin & Apple
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $49

Today's best Prime Day PC component deals in the UK

GeForce RTX 5080 Inspire 3X OC 16GB GPU: was £1279.84 now £1199.99
Want a high-end GPU? Amazon UK is currently offering what amounts to a reasonable price on an RTX 5080, which is a rare sight these days. While it's marked as a relatively modest 6% discount, it's a couple of hundred pounds cheaper than you'll find this RTX 5080 elsewhere, and if you need a powerful graphics card, this is the most compelling bargain for components on Prime Day that I can see.View Deal

More Prime Day deals in the UK

• Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: up to 67% off Fire, Ring & Blink
• Amazon Haul: extra 15% off for Prime members
• Appliances: up to 40% off Ninja & De'Longhi
• Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
• Essentials: cleaning & groceries from £2
• Fashion: up to 50% off
• Gaming: record-low Nintendo Switch 2
• Headphones: up to 50% off Anker & Sony
• Laptops: up to £800 off Microsoft & Asus
• Tablets: up to 50% off Fire tablets
• TVs: from £129.99
• Vacuums: up to 50% off Shark & Dyson
• Wearables: Samsung & Oura from £31

Everything is getting more expensive these days, but isn't it nice to be able to treat ourselves to a little something every now and then? Well, I've been searching through the Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sale all of this week, and I've found 34 useful and affordable deals under £50.

• Browse the full Prime Big Deal Days sale at Amazon

My top picks include everything from cool tech gadgets and handy smart home tech to big savings on essentials and bargains from major brands. Hopefully, there will be something in this list that catches your eye, ticks an item early off your Christmas shopping list, or helps you stock up on some household goods for less.

One that's proved extremely popular through the two-day sale is this Blink Outdoor 4 Camera with Blink Video Doorbell for £24.99 (was £129.98). That's a huge saving on a fantastic smart home starter bundle that has everything you need to monitor your home through your phone and other devices.

Other low-price deals I like the look of include the Loop Quiet 2 Ear Plugs for £15.95 (was £19.95), the Oral-B iO2 Electric Toothbrush for £37.99 (was £100), and an Anker PowerCore 10K Portable Charger for £14.98 (was £17.99).

I've picked out many more under £50 bargains from the sale below. Just be aware that you need to be a Prime member to access the majority of these and most offers end tonight when the Prime Big Deal Days sale comes to an end. After that, our next big sales event, when some of these will likely return, is Black Friday in November.

34 best deals under £50 for Prime Day

Outdoor 4 Camera with Blink Video Doorbell: was £129.98 now £24.99
This excellent value bundle includes a Blink Outdoor 4 security camera and a Blink Video Doorbell at an incredibly low price. It's one of my top picks if you want to dabble with some cheap smart home tech. The 4th-generation outdoor security camera features two-way audio, a two-year battery life, and works with Amazon Alexa for hands-free control and interconnectivity with other smart devices. Meanwhile, the Blink Video Doorbell is a cheap and easy way to get alerts on your phone when motion is detected or when guests are at your door.View Deal

iO Series 2: was £100 now £37.99
The iO range is usually a more expensive option in Oral-B's range of electric toothbrushes, but this is an excellent deal on an entry-level option that's also bundled with a few handy extras. It doesn't boast many high-end features, but it has the basic ones you really need to brush your teeth effectively and efficiently, including a two-minute timer and a visible pressure sensor. Plus, you get a refill holder and a travel case included for free.View Deal

I bought this massage gun myself and found it to be excellent value for money, so I definitely recommend it at this record-low price. It's easy to use, quiet, has four attachments to target different muscles and has six speed settings to suit your preferred pressure. The detachable handle is a nice addition, too, so you can easily reach your back.View Deal

Quiet 2 Ear Plugs: was £19.95 now £15.95
I've seen a lot of people talk about and use Loop earplugs lately so if you want to see what the fuss is all about then this entry-level pair is down to a record-low price. Use them to block out noise on a commute, help you focus in the office, protect your ears from loud music at bars or concerts, or help you create a better environment for sleep. They're reusable and can last for up to five years so a good investment if you'll be a regular user.View Deal

Classic Large Creative Brick Box: was £44.99 now £29.39
As a way to get started, this box of 790 Lego pieces is a great beginner kit. With a variety of brick types and extras, you can start building whatever you please. You also get a very handy brick-shaped box to store everything in once playtime is over, all for under £30.View Deal

Basics 100-Pack AA Batteries: was £15.69 now £13.34
Sure, all of the fancy TVs, laptops, appliances and headphones are the exciting part of any Prime Day sale, but it's also a good chance to stock up on some handy essentials. So, how about a whopping 100 AA batteries for under £15? That'll keep you going for a while.View Deal

The Philips OneBlade 360 is a quick, simple and affordable electric razor that's suitable for a wide variety of face and body grooming needs. This jam-packed bundle was a little cheaper over Prime Day, but today's offer is still a solid one. This bundle includes the handle, as well as a spare blade, a 5-in-1 comb, a body kit, and a USB-A charging cable.View Deal

The new Blink Mini 2K+ has a couple of nice upgrades compared to the previous model, including a built-in spotlight, night view in colour support and the option to use it outdoors with the weather-resistant adaptor. Aside from that, it offers the same raft of security features such as motion detection, two-way audio and smartphone app integration. Get it now for a record-low price.View Deal

USB-C Charger Cable (2-Pack): was £7.99 now £5.69
Can you ever have too many USB cables? The box full of them under my desk would suggest you can. However, if you want a couple more to leave around the house or take with you when out and about, this pair of USB-C to USB-A cables from top brand Anker is now super-cheap for Prime Day.View Deal

TurboForce Power Fan: was £29.99 now £25.49
This small desk fan has been a popular buy all summer as it's a cheap yet powerful option, so it's worth shouting out again while it's on sale for Prime Day. It's not the most advanced fan out there, but you get three speed settings and quiet operation, which makes it a good choice for your desk while working or on the side table at night.View Deal

Not much to say about this one except it's a whole lot of dishwasher tablets for a great low price. Even though Prime Day is always a good time to score some tech bargains, it's just as good to get a few home essentials in your basket while they're available for less.View Deal

If you picked up those USB cables for cheap, you might also want a charger plug to use with them. There are several on sale right now at Amazon, but I like this Ugreen option the best. It's a 100W fast charger with three USB-C ports and one USB-A port, offering support for multiple phones, laptops, tablets, earbuds, and more, with the option to charge more than one at a single time with the correct arrangement. The small and compact design, is the ideal finishing touch.View Deal

Here's a chance to get the Suri Core Sonic Electric Toothbrush for a record-low price at Amazon. As I found after picking one up myself, it doesn't just have sustainability chops; it's also an excellent toothbrush that we scored an impressive 4.5 out of five in our Suri Sonic Electric Toothbrush review. It performs and cleans well, offers a fantastic 40-day battery life, fast charging over USB-C, and comes with handy extras like a magnetic wall mount.View Deal

Soundcore Portable Speaker 2: was £28.49 now £22.99
If you want a cheap and basic Bluetooth speaker, then you can't go wrong with this Anker Soundcore for a little over £20. Sure, it's not going to give you the biggest and boldest audio quality, but it's still a solid option at an affordable price. Battery life is an impressive 24 hours, too, so it's great to use around the home or take it with you when on the go.View Deal

PowerCore 10K: was £17.99 now £14.98
This is a handy and affordable power bank from the popular and well-rated Anker brand. It sports a sleek and slim design that makes it easy to carry around, while it can still recharge many mobiles up to two times over. There's only a single port to charge one device at a time but that's not a huge issue if you just want a cheap power bank for your phone.View Deal

Tapo Smart Plugs with Energy Monitoring: was £23.99 now £14.99
A fantastic low price for a pair of smart plugs that offer a suite of features to control your devices and monitor your energy use. You can use them with any existing socket and connect an assortment of devices such as chargers, lights, TVs, appliances and more. Remote controls, voice controls, schedules, energy monitoring features and more are all handled in the free smartphone app.View Deal

This bundle featuring the latest Xbox Wireless Controller and a USB-C charging cable is now available for £39.99 on Amazon. This well-loved and easy-to-use gamepad is compatible with most Bluetooth-enabled devices, such as Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles, PCs, tablets, and mobile phones. This is a good price to bite on, as I've only seen these controllers for £5 less in the past, and that hasn't happened for a long time.View Deal

Core Mini Air Purifier: was £49.99 now £39.99
I actually bought a Levoit Core Mini for myself when moving into a new house that hadn't been lived in for a while to get rid of the dust and debris, and I also think it works as a great option for any allergy problems. What I like most is that it's small and quiet, so it is perfect for all sorts of spaces, such as the living room and bedroom. It's now also very affordable at 15% off.View Deal

Salon One-Step Hair Dryer & Volumiser: was £49.99 now £24.99
Always a hot item during sales events, Amazon has the best-selling Revlon One-Step hair dryer on sale for a record-low price of £24.99. Thanks to the unique oval brush design, the hairdryer delivers a salon-like blowout with brilliant shine and extra volume.View Deal

MF50 Compressed Air Duster: was £49.99 now £32.29
The Wolfbox MF50 is a convenient and extremely easy-to-use air duster, with a single button to cycle through fan speeds, a trigger to fire out the air, and several different attachments to choose between depending on the cleaning job you need it for. It's completely wireless with USB-C charging and lasts up to four hours on a single charge on the lowest setting, too.View Deal

The Ninja Blast Portable Blender is Ninja's best-selling personal-sized blender for smoothies, slushies, and shakes. It comes with a USB-rechargeable base, so you don't need to swap batteries every few months, and a leakproof lid with a carrying handle. Its convenient, grab-and-go design stood out to our reviewer, who gave it four out of five stars. This handy kitchen gadget is now at its lowest-ever price.View Deal

As someone who grew up playing one of these on family holidays, I can't help but be incredibly tempted to pick up the super-cool Lego Game Boy as a display piece while it's over £10 off at Amazon. And I'm sure many other retro gamers out there would love it as a gift this Christmas.View Deal

This bundle featuring the latest Xbox Wireless Controller and a USB-C charging cable is now available for £39.99 on Amazon. This well-loved and easy-to-use gamepad is compatible with most Bluetooth-enabled devices, such as Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles, PCs, tablets, and mobile phones. This is a good price to bite on, as I've only seen these controllers for £5 less in the past, and that hasn't happened for a long time.View Deal

Blender 600 Series: was £69.99 now £46.99
I'm a little tempted by the £20 price reduction on this well-scoring blender. While it can't chop ice, it creates velvety smoothies out of fresh and frozen fruits hassle-free. On top of this, the build quality and performance impressed us, and the fact that it's only a few quid more than it was on Black Friday makes this an even sweeter deal.View Deal

Dual Monitor Arm: was £35.99 now £24.67
I've got this arm for my dual setup at home and it works really well to hold up both of my monitors, making it easier and more comfortable to work and game across the pair of them. This particular model supports displays from 13 - 27 inches. is height adjustable, can be mounted in two different ways, and supports up to 360-degree rotation.View Deal

DeskJet 2921 All-in-One Wireless Inkjet Printer: was £54.99 now £32.99
If you need a cheap and cheerful printer, this DeskJet 2921 is a great budget choice that supports wireless printing, scanning, and copying. This bundle also includes three months of HP Instant Ink, so you can save cash on your first few rounds of prints.View Deal

Galaxy Fit 3: was £41.94 now £31
At almost £30, now is a great time to buy Samsung's budget fitness tracker. As well as all the basic fitness, health and sleep tracking features, the Galaxy Fit3 is an excellent extension to your smartphone that lets you check your messages, control your music and navigate easily with simple gestures. Everything centres around the impressive 1.6-inch AMOLED display, and battery life is also not a problem, with 13 days on a single charge.View Deal

Battery Video Doorbell + Ring Indoor Camera: was £119.98 now £39.99
This excellent value bundle includes the latest version of the Ring Video Doorbell and a Ring Indoor Camera for a cheap and easy way to get started with home security. We've tested these and have been impressed with the video quality, high zoom, and night vision colour, but it's a shame that some of this device's value is only usable with a Ring Protect subscription. However, if you're fine with paying for a subscription or already using a Ring-based home security system, it's worth the cost.View Deal

Fire TV Stick 4K Select: was £64.99 now £21.99
Amazon's newest 4K streaming stick is down to within £2 of its lowest-ever price for Prime Big Deal Days. Considering it's only a few quid more than the cheaper HD version, you might as well pay for the upgrade and get access to higher resolution streaming — as long as you have a 4K TV. It lacks a few premium features found in the more expensive Plus and Max models, such as improved Wi-Fi and Dolby Atmos, but this is more than enough to cover general everyday use.View Deal

Perhaps you're moving into halls or other university accommodation and want an option to get some exercise in at home, well, this cheap pack of resistance bands could be useful. For under £10, you get five different-strength bands, ranging from light to XX-heavy, that can help with all sorts of different home training, yoga, pilates, and other exercises.View Deal

This Warmco Portable handheld fan is a slightly more high-tech and serious-looking device. Again, we haven't reviewed it, but it does have good Amazon reviews and the price is right thanks to this current deal. According to the user reviews, this looks to be a surprisingly powerful little fan that's capable of 3 to 13 hours of operation per charge.View Deal

This is a brand new, lowest-ever price for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 on PS5. The latest entry didn't launch to huge positive acclaim, but we still think it has excellent Zombies and multiplayer modes, according to our review. Just don't expect a campaign that's as good as some of the classics.View Deal

Ultra 256GB MicroSD Card: was £44.99 now £36.09
Here's a cheap and cheerful 256GB MicroSD card for under £40 in the latest Amazon Prime Day sale. It's wild that this has been as low as £15 in the past, but this is where we're at with storage costs right now. Whether you need it for a camera, phone, tablet or Nintendo Switch, it'll expand the storage available in the device for more photos, videos, apps, games, or whatever else you need.View Deal

Ultimate Quilts (24 Rolls): was £14.75 now £10.63
Yep, it's not a tech deal, but it's an essential we all need to stock up on, and I think this is a very good price for a decent number of rolls. Prime Day is a good opportunity to pick up household items like this, and while similar larger bundles have been available in previous events, I think this is still good value for money overall.View Deal

• Microsoft will block .msix and .msixbundle email attachments in New Outlook and Outlook Web
• Change aims to reduce malware delivery through application package files sent via email
• Organizations relying on these formats must explicitly allow them before rollout begins

Users of New Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the Web in Exchange Online will no longer be able to download email attachments of two file types: .msix, and .msixbundle, Microsoft has confirmed, saying it’s for the users’ own safety.

“To enhance security in Outlook on the web and new Outlook for Windows, we are updating the default list of blocked file types in OwaMailboxPolicy,” a newly released advisory reads.

“As part of this update, the .msix and .msixbundle file types will be added to the BlockedFileTypes list in the default OWA Mailbox policy and any custom policies created in your tenant.”

What are .msix and .msixbundle files?

MSIX is a file format for packaging and installing applications. It is similar to .exe and .msi installer since it contains files and information Windows needs to install an application. Microsoft introduced .msix as a more modern and secure way of distributing software, saying it comes with features that make installing and updating software more reliable.

MSIXBUNDLE is, as the name might suggest, the same but in plural. It can contain several versions of an .msix package in a single file. For example, a developer can bundle versions designed for different processor architectures (x64 and ARM, for example), and Windows will automatically install the correct one. Both formats are commonly used to distribute Windows applications, including apps delivered through the Microsoft Store.

How big of a deal is this?

Apparently, not that big of a deal. Microsoft itself says that “most organizations are not expected to be affected by this update,” given the fact that these file types are “infrequently used.” However, they seem to be used frequently enough to warrant an update.

“This update is part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen security and help protect organizations from potentially unsafe file attachments,” Microsoft added.

Truth be told, sending application packages as email attachments is hardly the primary way businesses distribute software today. Employees usually do that through managed company portals, the Microsoft Store, package management tools, or direct downloads from software vendors. Therefore, we can assume that the majority of .msix and .msixbundle being sent through email could be malicious and weaponized.

General rollout will begin in early November 2026 and is expected to be complete by mid-November, the advisory reads. Exchange Online administrators who manage OWA mailbox policies are generally affected, as well as those who usually send or receive .msix or .msixbundle attachments in Outlook on the web or new Outlook for Windows Platforms and services. Obviously users of Outlook for the web, New Outlook for Windows, and Exchange Online, too.

So, in roughly a month, these two file types will be added to the BlockedFileTypes list in all OWA Mailbox policies across organizations, including the default policy and any custom policies created across tenants, preventing users from downloading them as attachments, or running them that way, at all.

Organizations that don’t rely on these two file types won’t need to do anything, but those that do should add them to the AllowedFileTypes property of their users’ OwaMailboxPolicy objects prior to rollout.

Defending email users from themselves

For years now, Microsoft has been adding different file types to the “blacklist”, in an effort to prevent users from downloading and running malicious attachments sent in phishing emails. As The Register reminds, in December 2023, the company disabled ms-appinstaller protocol handler by default, after it was abused to distribute malware.

Since then, Microsoft has also blocked .py (Python files), .ps1 (PowerShell files), and .cab (cabinet files). Some people found it surprising it took Microsoft this long to remember .msix and .msixbundle types, as well.

Via The Register

I'm a habitual audiobook listener, but I get a lot of my listening done at night. I calm my mind with books that I've read before and enjoyed, usually older classics like Sherlock Holmes stories, The Three Musketeers or The Lord of the Rings.

I go to bed with an audiobook, and if I wake up at night, I put an audiobook back on to help me go back to sleep. I try and avoid disturbing my wife, so I use my AirPods, but they stick out of my ears, and are uncomfortable if I roll onto my side.

That's why I'm getting these Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds, which are down to $159.99 (was $229.99) at Amazon US in the Amazon Prime Day sales. In the UK, they're also heavily discounted, now just £122.55 (was £199.99) at Amazon UK.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

I've included full details on the US and UK deals below. I was convinced to buy them after several of our writers tested the Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds and rated them very highly, with tech reviewer Becca Caddy writing "they’ve become my go-to earbuds over the past few months. And because I review audio gear for a living, that's not something I say lightly".

Check out the deals in full below.

Today's best sleep buds deals

Save 30% on the Soundcore Sleep A30, which offer active noise cancellation technology to eliminate distractions, and a flatter fit to make sure even side sleepers are as comfortable as possible. At just 3g each, they're light and very comfortable, while you can get up to five nights of use with the charging case. Free sleep content from Calm is also available in the app. View Deal

Save an impressive 39% on the Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds. The sliding clamshell case is nice, and the buds' tiny size and lightweight build make them ideal for sleep, yes — but also great for many other scenarios, as you use the ANC to tune out the world. In the app, there's a library of sleep-focused soundscapes, from waves to crackling fire, and they're all customizable with extra layers or density. View Deal

Sleep earbuds are having a bit of a moment, and you'll find plenty around from companies like Anker and Oslo, along with earplugs from brands such as Loop. However, Loop doesn't solve my audiobook problem, as I need proper earbuds rather than simple silicon ear plugs.

I like the Anker buds due to their discreet size, stylish case and active noice cancellation. Next time I wake up in the middle of the night, I will be able to reach for the Soundcore Sleep rather than my AirPods and not worry about sleeping on my side.

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.36
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $28
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $89
• Smartwatches: up to 36% off Garmin & Apple
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $49

More Prime Day deals in the UK

• Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: up to 67% off Fire, Ring & Blink
• Amazon Haul: extra 15% off for Prime members
• Appliances: up to 40% off Ninja & De'Longhi
• Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
• Essentials: cleaning & groceries from £2
• Fashion: up to 50% off
• Gaming: record-low Nintendo Switch 2
• Headphones: up to 50% off Anker & Sony
• Laptops: up to £800 off Microsoft & Asus
• Tablets: up to 50% off Fire tablets
• TVs: from £129.99
• Vacuums: up to 50% off Shark & Dyson
• Wearables: Samsung & Oura from £31

In summer, I stay active out of necessity. Events to attend, kids to run after, and tasks to get done around the home – often hitting my steps goal by pure accident. But as fall settles in, remaining active becomes more intentional. With colder days and darker nights, I find myself spending more time settled in the comfort of my desk, reluctant to get up and move around as much as before.

From experience, forcing myself to be more active is often short-lived. But make it convenient by building it into my routines and the spaces I frequently spend time in, and I get far more done than I planned.

So, I created a list of products I’m looking to invest in to make this my most active fall season ever. All of them are also in the Prime Big Deal Day sale, so it’s a great time to buy them.

CYBERGOING Walking Pad Treadmill Powered by Bosch®

StrongTek Professional Wooden Balance Board

Putnen Under Desk Elliptical Machine

NIYIKOW Grip Strength Trainer

AOC Ergonomic Mouse

QUTOOL Lumbar Support Pillow

AQUAFIT Half Gallon Water Bottle

LanSuper 10000 Lux Light Therapy Happy Lamp

Looking for a compact soundbar with Dolby Atmos audio and excellent dialogue clarity? The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is what you're after, and right now it's available at a seriously temping low price. You can grab the Sonos Beam Gen 2 for $359 (was $499) in the US, and just £338 (was £449) in the UK today in the Amazon Prime Day sales.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

I've used the Sonos Beam Gen 2 extensively and its punchy bass output, crystal-clear dialogue and expansive soundstage wow me every time. It's an ideal pick for two main reasons: firstly, it's incredibly compact, making it convenient for anyone who wants quality audio but is working with a smaller space. And secondly, it's a lot more affordable than a lot of Dolby Atmos soundbars. Whether you want it for your small apartment, you want a more affordable option, or both, this is the soundbar I'd recommend for you.

Scroll down to find the best prices on the Sonos Beam Gen 2 and to learn why I still love this soundbar after using it for multiple years.

Today's best Sonos Beam Gen 2 deal in the US

The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is the ultimate compact option. It provides convincing and expansive Dolby Atmos audio, clear dialogue, and Wi-Fi support for streaming music, making it perfect for movie and music lovers. It's also highly customizable via the Sonos app, and shines with a modern, understated look. At this price, it's incredibly easy for me to recommend. View Deal

Today's best Sonos Beam Gen 2 deal in the UK

The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is an exemplary compact soundbar, with immersive and engrossing Dolby Atmos audio, a gorgeous modern design, and a fantastic feature-set. It's also incredibly easy to set-up and use, and has Wi-Fi support for higher-res music streaming. At this price, it's an absolute steal.View Deal

I've used the Sonos Beam Gen 2 extensively during my years testing audio-visual gadgets here at TechRadar, and it's never failed to impress me.

One area in which it excels is with its bass output. It provides palpable low-end sound when you consider that it's such a small model, helping dark, ambient movie scores and high-octane action sequences feel super-impactful.

But that roaring bass doesn't come at the expense of other sounds in the frequency range. The Beam Gen 2 provides clear, well-defined dialogue, especially with the Speech Enhancement feature switched on. It also handles higher-pitched sounds with ease, and when watching Dolby Atmos movies, its ability to whip up a wide, expansive soundstage is something to behold.

Sure, the lack of dedicated height channels means you're getting Dolby Atmos using software processing and virtual height channels (rather than real, physical upward-firing drivers), but the Beam Gen 2 still sounds convincingly immersive. You can also customize its sound in the Sonos app, pair up supported Sonos speakers to turn it into a soundbar system, or even transfer audio over to your Sonos Ace or Sonos Ace Ultra headphones if you want to indulge in a private listening session.

The Beam Gen 2's compact size also makes it perfect for apartment living, or for adding to a spare room. It's an excellent small soundbar, and at this price, it's well worth snapping up — but be quick, Amazon Prime Day is almost over!

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.36
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $28
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $89
• Smartwatches: up to 36% off Garmin & Apple
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $49

More Prime Day deals in the UK

• Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: up to 67% off Fire, Ring & Blink
• Amazon Haul: extra 15% off for Prime members
• Appliances: up to 40% off Ninja & De'Longhi
• Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
• Essentials: cleaning & groceries from £2
• Fashion: up to 50% off
• Gaming: record-low Nintendo Switch 2
• Headphones: up to 50% off Anker & Sony
• Laptops: up to £800 off Microsoft & Asus
• Tablets: up to 50% off Fire tablets
• TVs: from £129.99
• Vacuums: up to 50% off Shark & Dyson
• Wearables: Samsung & Oura from £31

As a chronic deal-finder, I know when I've seen an outstanding deal for PC storage - and the Acer FA200 4TB internal SSD is now $479.99 (was $530) at Amazon, making it the cheapest 4TB SSD I've seen in the Prime Day sales and cheapest SSD per TB since February 2026.

Yes, that’s significantly more than what it was this time last year but hey, nobody wants to lend me their fusion-powered Delorean.

FA200 4TB SSD: $479.99
Designed for professionals, creators, and gamers, the Acer FA200 is a Gen4 NVMe internal SSD capable of hitting speeds up to 7200 MB/s. Stock is getting low, but more units are available by clicking on "other sellers on Amazon" from as little as $479.View Deal

Why I recommend this deal

At this price, that works out at $120 per TB (or a little under 12cents per GB, if you prefer), which is the most affordable I've seen in the deals.

The drive is well-specced for both general computing, as well as heavy workloads like video editing, 3D rendering, and gaming. Connectivity-wise, it features a PCIe Gen4 with hitting read speeds of 7,200 MB/s and write speeds of 6,200 MB/s.

It compares very well to competing 4TB PCIe 4.0 SSDs like the Samsung SSD 990 Pro ($938.99), which costs almost twice the price for a marginally faster performance or the Western Digital 4TB SN5000 Blue, which costs the same but has a way slower performance.

The FA200 got a solid 60% from our sister publication, Tomshardware. The reviewer noted that it has an above average overall performance, is power efficient and runs cool but suffers from poor sustained write performance.

WD Blue SN5000 4TB SSD: $494.99
The closest competitor to the FA200 in terms of price, but the speeds can't match it, reaching up to 5,500 MB/s. View Deal

990 Pro 4TB SSD: was $1099.99 now $949
Still one of the best internal SSDs we've ever tested, but the price is astronomically high right now, especially compared to the Acer FA200. View Deal

Black Opal 2TB SSD: was $289.99 now $245.99
This deal is from Biwin, who manufacturer's the Acer SSD. It's for the 2TB model, so you could plug two in a RAID-0 to match the FA200's capacity. View Deal

Read more: We're currently live-tracking all the best Prime Day home office deals.

It took me a decade to really understand what they mean when they say ‘less is more’ – at least when it comes to my workspace.

Over the past ten years, I have spent countless hours refining exactly what I have on my desk, aiming for optimal productivity. I've tested everything from a simple laptop-and-nothing-else setup to countless monitors and gadgets, and found that a small, carefully chosen set of items delivers the best results.

With many of my favorite products now in the Prime Big Deal Days sale, I’ve curated a list of 8 top items that will help you remove distractions and create your own minimalist desk setup.

Wolvende Premium Felt Desk Mat

Velinjowy Serving Acacia Wood Valet Tray

Lamicall 6 Pack Rotatable Cord Organizer

Univivi No Drill Under Desk Cable Management Tray

PEGZONE Ergonomic Monitor Stand Riser With Storage Drawer

UGREEN Vertical Laptop Stand Holder

ClocTeck Nixie Tube Clock

XXXFLOWER Plant Terrarium

Rainier days are coming, and now's a great time to make sure you have your wet weather gear sorted. If you've missed the memo, we're in the middle of Amazon's Prime Day sale (actually, we're nearing the end — the two-day event finishes at midnight). I went hunting for waterproof jacket deals in the Amazon sale, and unearthed some gems from The North Face and Columbia in the mix.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

There were also plenty of strange, no-name brands included in Amazon's sale, but as a former outdoor gear tester my advice would be to stick to brands that are known and trusted. The good news is that a number of the big outdoor retailers are running sales alongside Prime Day. I've rounded up all the best offers, from Amazon and beyond, below.

In the mood for some more bargains? Head to our Amazon Prime Day tag page to browse all the deals we thought were worth spotlighting.

Men's waterproof jacket deals

Hop down to the women's jacket deals

The North Face Men's Antora Jacket, Cedar/blk

Rab Khroma Kinetic Jacket - Men's

The North Face Men's Venture 2 Jacket, Cedar

Patagonia M10 Anorak - Men's

Columbia Men's Collegiate Field Bound Jacket

Marmot Men's Cascade Waterproof Rain Jacket, Trail Blue

Patagonia M10 Storm Jacket - Men's

Columbia Inner Limits III Jacket - Men's

Arc'teryx Beta SL Jacket - Men's

Marmot Superalloy Bio Rain Jacket - Men's

Arc'teryx Beta AR Jacket - Men's

Mammut Taiss HS Hooded Jacket - Men's

The North Face Lightning Zip-In Jacket - Men's

Rab Firewall Mountain Waterproof Jacket - Men's

The North Face Men's Venture 2 Jacket, Shady Blue

The North Face Men's Venture 2 Jacket, Iron Clay

Women's waterproof jacket deals

The North Face Women's Antora Jacket, Opal Frost

Rab Firewall Light Jacket - Women's

The North Face Women's Venture 2 Jacket, Black

The North Face Women's Venture 2 Jacket, Mars Dust

The North Face Alta Vista Rain Jacket - Women's

Helly Hansen Momentum 3L Stretch Jacket - Women's

Helly Hansen Graphic Rain Jacket - Women's

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.36
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $28
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $89
• Smartwatches: up to 36% off Garmin & Apple
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $49

• Google announces 20-year plan to help Constellation upgrade its existing nuclear plants
• The company previously promised to "[bring] net-new energy to the grid"
• It has now enabled over 1.5GW of new nuclear energy across the US

Google has signed a major long-term partnership with Constellation Energy designed to boost energy generation for the PJM Interconnection – a grid network that covers 13 states and an estimated 67 million US citizens.

The expansion, of course, comes amid the company's rising energy consumption as it continues to expand its AI data centers to keep up with customer demand.

A 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) is set to support 890MW of new nuclear generating capacity, but with one key detail – six existing sites will increase their output, rather than this being Google funding the development of new nuclear facilities.

Google signs 20-year nuclear deal to generate 890MW of additional energy

Global Head of Data Center Energy Amanda Peterson Corio explained that, with this announcement, the company has now enabled over 1.5 GW of new nuclear capacity for the US energy system. In other words, the latest development could mark around a 2.5-3x increase over its earlier total, which would have been around 610MW (based on the 1.5GW total).

Google says the first uprated nuclear plant is expected to go live in 2028, with the full 890MW of additional power set to be delivered by the end of 2032.

Constellation said it expects to invest more than $4.3 billion into the program – Google didn't share the financial details of its end of the deal, but Corio did emphasize the positive impact on jobs, particularly around temporary construction-related roles.

"Preserving and expanding the output of the existing nuclear fleet and developing new clean generation is critical to meeting our nation's growing energy needs," Constellation CEO Joe Dominguez explained.

Corio had previously promised to pay for the company's power and "any new infrastructure costs directly driven by [its] growth," including boosting "grid resilience" and "bringing net-new energy to the grid."

So while the 890MW isn't technically destined exclusively for Google's own data centers, it will ultimately support those expansions while helping to keep citizens' bills lower with more abundant energy supply.

Chances are that your VPN does more than just encrypt your traffic. An increasing number of providers now bundle malware detection, malicious link checkers, and ad blockers into their packages.

This recent trend raises an interesting question: Are a VPN’s built-in security tools enough to replace standalone antivirus products? Or do we still need dedicated antivirus protection layered underneath our VPN?

VPN security tools

Modern VPNs have evolved far beyond simple tunneling tools. The best VPNs like NordVPN and Surfshark now include real-time malware protection that checks URLs against malicious databases and scans files during downloads.

In 2024, NordVPN became the first VPN to earn certification as a reliable anti-phishing tool. Its Threat Protection feature blocks websites, web trackers, and ads while scanning downloads on the spot.

Surfshark takes this further with Surfshark One. It offers real-time protection from viruses and malware, with scheduled scans as part of regular security maintenance.

Surfshark's antivirus tool offers real time protection across all devices it's available on (Image credit: Surfshark)

That said, VPN-based solutions often skip features common in standalone antivirus such as full system scans and behavioral threat analysis.

Here’s where it gets interesting: some VPNs’ antivirus tools are essentially rebadged versions of the same underlying technology. Surfshark’s antivirus is directly powered by Avira’s anti-malware SDK, while CyberGhost Security Suite uses Intego’s frontend – which, for Windows, relies on Avira’s engine and definitions.

This shared infrastructure means they depend on the same detection databases. When Avira pushes an update, VPN partners may take time to integrate it, creating potential gaps in protection compared to native Avira users.

Beyond timing delays, platform support can be inconsistent. Some VPN antivirus features only work on Windows and Android, leaving macOS and iOS users with partial coverage. For threat actors targeting Apple devices specifically, this gap becomes exploitable.

OS-level protection

Having evolved significantly since the days of basic protection, built-in security deserves more credit. Microsoft Defender, once considered a bare-minimum option by many, has improved considerably.

In AV-Comparatives’ July-August 2026 real-world protection test, Defender blocked 95.5% of live threats with just one false positive recorded.

AV Comparatives' data shows just how well Windows Defender compares to third-party providers (Image credit: AV Comparatives)

What stands out is its consistency. Across multiple testing rounds, Defender has consistently earned Advanced+ awards and solid protection scores that often rival paid solutions, including Bitdefender and Sophos.

Critically, it recorded fewer false positives than many commercial competitors – meaning fewer instances of legitimate files being incorrectly flagged as threats.

Apple’s approach is equally sophisticated, deploying a trio of defenses rather than traditional signature-based scanning. Gatekeeper verifies authenticity, Notarization scans for known malware before distribution, and XProtect handles background detection with automatic updates. XProtect Remediator, added in recent macOS versions, periodically scans for active infections that slip through.

Between these systems, Apple prevents a substantial share of opportunistic attacks, though zero-day threats remain a vulnerability.

The free options and when to pay

If you prefer not to pay for antivirus software, Avast Free Antivirus remains a solid baseline. In recent testing from AV-Comparatives, it was one of only three products out of 20 tested to achieve a 100% block rate.

Free tiers typically come with trade-offs such as limited cross-platform coverage and reduced toolsets. For casual browsing, these rarely matter, but for managing sensitive files across multiple devices, they start to add up.

However, the value proposition shifts with paid suites. Norton 360 Deluxe and Bitdefender Total Security offer numerous valuable extras beyond antivirus protection that justify their cost for many users.

Features include password managers, cloud backup, parental controls, and identity monitoring. Having all these utilities in one package means less to juggle, and often works out cheaper than buying each tool separately.

The Verdict

Rather than choosing between them, a combination works best. A VPN, free antivirus, and built-in OS-level security creates a solid protection foundation. Relying on any single layer leaves gaps.

A VPN alone won’t catch malware already on your device or protect offline activity. Free antivirus lacks the behavioral analysis and premium support of paid suites. OS-level security can’t stop every zero-day exploit or advanced persistent threat.

That said, for the average user practicing sensible browsing habits, this layered approach provides adequate protection for everyday use. If you manage sensitive data, handle financial transactions regularly, or use older hardware that might delay security updates, investing in a premium suite adds meaningful insurance.

Practically speaking, most users can stay secure without overspending. The key is to stay sharp by keeping software updated and avoiding clicking on unexpected pop-ups or unsolicited links without thinking twice.

We're well into day two of Amazon Prime Day and, well, there's no easy way to put this: it is but a two-day event — which means today is your last day to snap up a bargain.

Maybe today is the day you treat yourself to a set of earbuds for the gym bag or over-ears for the commute. And if it's something that plays music and the deal's good, you'll find it here, in this little roundup. I'm not including anything I wouldn't buy myself — if the saving isn't good and I don't rate the product, you won't find it here.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

Whether it's my favorite sports earbuds, the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2, which are only $179 (was $249) in the US, or £179 (was £249) in the UK, or Soundcore Space 2 over-ears, which are just $99 (was $129) in the US, or £99 (was £129) in the UK, there's something here I think you'll love.

Stick with me, there's still plenty of time to bag you an affordable music maestro! Happy shopping!

Today's best Prime Day audio deals, USTop Prime Day headphones deals still live, US

Quietcomfort Headphones: was $359 now $169
This is the older-gen set, not the new 2nd-generation QuietComfort — but for this money and with this iconic design, you cannot go wrong. Oh, and many of the colorways (including this limited-edition green) are in the sale, so you can have a style set to match your fall wardrobe. View Deal

Sony WH-1000XM6: was $459.99 now $378
They're class-leaders for a reason folks. These flagship Sonys really are the best that Sony can offer: think supreme comfort, big cosy ear cups and cocoon of silence ANC. Oh, and a whopping $82 off! View Deal

Need something super-cheap, right now? Here you go: Sony's WH-CH520 on-ears have recently been superseded by the WH-CH530, but look what that has done to the price tag! For the same price as an ad-free Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max bundle you can have these indefinitely — and yes, the sound quality absolutely befits Sony's name. View Deal

With impeccable, immersive audio, an excellent standard of build, and a seemingly endless suite of features, the Sony 1000X The Collexion stand as a fantastic set of over-ear headphones in a highly competitive market. I was hesitant to recommend them regularly in the past due to their steep asking price, but with this deal, I think they're well-worth snapping up.View Deal

Space 2: was $129.99 now $99.99
It seems that Soundcore's over-ears are $10 cheaper than they've ever gone before. Symbolically dropping into double-figures, that makes them seem like a real bargain, especially now that they're half the price of the Pro sibling.View Deal

We raved about the Sennheiser Accentum Plus when we reviewed them a couple years back, talking up their punchy, assertive sound, strong battery life, and quality build. At 56% off, this deal almost feels too good to be true.View Deal

WH-1000XM5: was $248 now $198
Sony's previous-gen flagship headphones are down to an incredible low price, and they're all too easy to recommend. With energetic, bass-heavy sound, a classy design, and excellent ANC, they're an absolute steal at under $200.View Deal

Now that their successor has launched, it's perhaps unsurprising to see the Sennheiser Momentum 4 get a juicy discount for Prime Day. These five-star headphones offer spectacular, impactful audio, huge battery life, and a timeless design that we can't get enough of. And at 43% off, it feels like the perfect time to snap up some of our favorite wireless headphones that Sennheiser has ever put out.View Deal

My colleague often waxes lyrical on his love for the Sennheiser HD 660S2, and it's not hard to see why. They supply nuanced, neutral, and engaging audio and a supremely comfortable fit that's ideal for musicians and audiophiles alike. At almost 30% off, these are worth every penny.View Deal

Top Prime Day earbuds deals still live, US

Apple Airpods Pro 3 Wireless Earbuds With Active Noise Cancellation: was $249 now $179
Amazon has dropped Apple's AirPods Pro 3 to $179.99, which is the best price you can find right now. Upgrades to the AirPods Pro 3 include vastly improved Active Noise Cancellation and audio, a better in-ear design, live translation and the ability to track heart rate, workouts, and calories burned. They're the complete package, especially for iPhone owners. View Deal

Powerbeats Pro 2: was $249.99 now $179.95
I'll be honest, the lilac (or 'Hyper Purple') is my top choice. I remember that when I tested them, I could choose my review sample loan product, and I loved them. That said, the 'Quick Sand' gray, 'Jet Black', or 'Electric Orange' finishes are all discounted too. If you own an iPhone, your workouts will not be the same after this purchase. View Deal

Liberty 5 Pro: was $169.99 now $135.99
While 20% off isn't as big a saving as for the Space 2, it's nothing to turn your nose up at. I can't see any previous discounts in the deal history, so this could be the first time the buds have been reduced. And they're absolutely worth it — one of my colleagues won't use anything else. View Deal

Another of my colleagues has been using the Sennheiser IE 200 for years, and they've never let him down. The level of detail they can unearth would be impressive enough at full-price, so this deal makes them a true must-buy for audiophiles or musicians on a budget.View Deal

Accentum Open Wireless Earbuds: was $129.95 now $59.95
This is a staggeringly low price for a pair of wireless earbuds from this brand. With a flexible open-style fit, 28 hours of battery life, and IPX4 waterproofing. From a trusted name such as Sennheiser, there's a lot to like about this deal.View Deal

The best Prime Day audio deals, UK Top Prime Day headphones deals still live, UK

They may not be Sony's newest flagship model, but the Sony WH-1000XM5 still have an awful lot to offer, with amazing ANC, exciting and punchy audio, an attractive look, and no end of features to play around with in Sony's Sound Connect app. At less than £200, you're looking at an unbeatable value for money option.View Deal

I love the expansive sound signature of the Sony 1000X The Collexion, as well as their incredibly comfortable fit, luxurious looks, and gigantic feature-set. Now, you can net £75 off Sony's most premium wireless headphones ever, making them a must-buy for anyone that wants the ultimate blend of premium sound and design.View Deal

Space 2: was £129.99 now £99.99
Double-figure pricing on these reliable over-ears is great, especially because it puts them at the same price point as many tempting rivals. All the color options are reduced too, so you can get the lovely blue version I use.View Deal

If you're a fan of on-ears, then I'd highly recommend scooping up the Sony WH-CH520 right now. For under £30, the quality you get in return is astonishing. With clean, balanced sound, 50 hours of battery life, and excellent in-app controls, there's just so much to love.View Deal

We're huge fans of the Sennheiser Accentum Plus here at TechRadar, and continue to recommend them regularly, even years after release. They offer punchy, assertive audio, plenty of playtime, and a stylish look that already felt like great value for money. So now, at almost half-price, it would be impossible for me not to advise you to snap these up!View Deal

HD660 S2: was £369 now £305
Finally, we have a set of audiophile-grade wired headphones in the Sennheiser HD 660S2. Our Reviews Editor, Josh Russell, always speaks highly of his pair, which offer satisfyingly neutral, insightful sound as well as an ergonomic fit and eye-catching design. A tidy saving of £64 only adds another reason to grab these, whether you enjoy making music or you're a hobbyist audiophile.View Deal

Top Prime Day earbuds deals still live, UK

The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 are some of the best running headphones you can buy, now at a steep discount. They beat their predecessor in almost every category, with a modern Apple H2 chip, lighter weight, longer battery life, and new features like heart-rate monitoring and Qi wireless charging. The battery lasts an impressive 45 hours total with both the buds and case, which beats many of the best workout earbuds by a long shot.View Deal

Liberty 5 Pro: was £149.99 now £112.49
At a quarter off, this is the biggest proportional saving of the lot. The discount applies on all four color options, but not the Pro Max model. Personally, I'd go for the Pros, even before the discount, and the wider price discrepancy makes it a no-brainer. View Deal

I've not tried the Sennheiser Accentum Open Wireless Earbuds yet, but this deal felt too good to leave out. With an ergonomic open-style fit, IPX4 waterproofing, and 28 hours of battery life, you're getting an awful lot of value for sub-£50 Sennheiser earbuds.View Deal

The Sennheiser IE 200 might just be some of my favorite IEMs ever made. That comes down to the fact that they provide such impressive levels of detail and insight while remaining highly affordable. So now, at less than £85, I would urge any audio enthusiast on a budget to scoop these up. View Deal

I take the Sennheiser CX 80U with me everywhere I go to use with my Nintendo Switch 2 or listen to tunes on my phone, and they continue to impress me no end. They offer amazing audio quality, with especially refined treble and instrument separation, plus the convenience of USB-C connectivity, and even a built-in mic for taking calls. In my view, there aren't any similarly priced USB-C earbuds that can compete with these. View Deal

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.36
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $28
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $89
• Smartwatches: up to 36% off Garmin & Apple
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $49

More Prime Day deals in the UK

• Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: up to 67% off Fire, Ring & Blink
• Amazon Haul: extra 15% off for Prime members
• Appliances: up to 40% off Ninja & De'Longhi
• Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
• Essentials: cleaning & groceries from £2
• Fashion: up to 50% off
• Gaming: record-low Nintendo Switch 2
• Headphones: up to 50% off Anker & Sony
• Laptops: up to £800 off Microsoft & Asus
• Tablets: up to 50% off Fire tablets
• TVs: from £129.99
• Vacuums: up to 50% off Shark & Dyson
• Wearables: Samsung & Oura from £31

After what feels like forever, GTA 6 is finally due for release on November 19, 2026. With that in mind, it might be a good time to think about upgrading your TV for this generation's most anticipated game. Thankfully, Amazon Prime Day has arrived with deals on top TVs.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

We here at TechRadar test the best gaming TVs all the time, putting them through their paces with fast-paced, high performance games to make sure they can handle the action. While there are tons of great gaming TVs out there, we've picked three of our favorites that will be perfect for GTA 6.

Quick links TV deals in the US

• Amazon: Big savings on Hisense, Samsung, TCL and more
• Best Buy: save up to 50% on LG, TCL and more
• Walmart: TVs from as low as $68

TV deals in the UK

• Amazon: big deals on LG OLED, Hisense and Samsung
• Currys: save up to £500 on TVs from Sony and more
• Argos: TCL and Samsung TVs from £189
• John Lewis: up to £350 off Sony TVs

Our 3 perfect for GTA 6 TVs LG C6 FutureDisney / Future Warner Bros. / FutureFuture

The LG C6 is truly the whole package, delivering brilliant performance with every feature you could need and all for a better price than its rivals. Available in 42-83-inch sizes, it really can fit any room: perfect for a gaming setup.

The C6 carries a full suite of features for gaming, with 4K 165Hz, full VRR (including FreeSync and G-Sync), Dolby Vision gaming and ALLM, as well as a ton of Game Optimizer settings to really customize your playstyle. I measured the C6's input lag time at 9.2ms for 4K 60Hz (with Boost activated) and 4.7ms for 1080p 120Hz: which are both superb results.

In practice, gaming on the C6 was incredibly smooth. Darting around battle sequences in Battlefield V to avoid enemy gunfire was judder-free, and the C6 showcased its razor-sharp response times whenever a big battle took place. As you're tearing around Vice City in GTA 6, expect a very smooth experience on the C6.

The C6's picture quality is up there with the best TVs. During my testing, its bold, dynamic colors were perfect for movies like Elemental, accurately rendering the dazzling oranges and blues of the fire and water people respectively. Expect the same when you're exploring Vice City's streets, whether it's the neon-clad nightlife or the bright, vibrant outfits of the locals. The C6 also has deep, inky blacks as you'd expect from an OLED: perfect for night-time scenes.

The C6 excels in offering everything you need from a TV, and while it is a premium price for many, what offers for said price is incredible value, often cheaper than its major rivals.

65-inch C6 4k OLED TV (2026): was $1699.99 now $1499.99
The LG C6 is an excellent all-rounder, delivering fantastic picture quality and performance for movies, TV, sports and gaming. It's a notable upgrade over its predecessor, the LG C5, but still for the same launch price. The 65-inch is available at Amazon for $1,499. We've also seen it a 3rd party seller on Amazon for $1,449, but stock is low. View Deal

48-inch C6 4K OLED TV (2026): was £1199 now £1049
Not many TVs can cover the wide range of content that the LG C6 does, be that movies, gaming, sports etc, and even fewer can do it so well. The C6 delivers on almost every front, and stands out as a brilliant value option in an expensive market. The 55-inch model has dropped £1,049 at Richer Sounds.

LG C6 48-inch: was £1,199 now £1,087 at AmazonView Deal

C5 48-inch 4K OLED TV (2025): was £999 now £819
Bonus UK deal! While the LG C5 doesn't have the picture accuracy, newer processor or new panel (in 77 and 83-inch sizes) of the C6, it is still an excellent TV for gaming. While stock of the C5 continues to thin out, the 48-inch model is available at Crampton & Moore for £799. We've seen the price fluctuate a couple of times, so check out PRC Direct if it goes back up again.

LG C5 48-inch: was £999 now £819 at PRC DirectView Deal

TCL QM7L/TCL C7L Future / James HollandFuture / James HollandFuture / James HollandFuture / James Holland

The TCL QM7L (known as the C7L in the UK) is the definition of value. We thought it "almost reached the heights of TCL's flagship TVs, but at a much lower price". While it may not have the brightness of the step-up QM8L/C8L, it still delivers great colors, excellent clarity and brilliant backlight control. We haven't fully tested the C7L ourselves yet, but should be virtually identical to the QM7L as they carry the same SQD mini-LED panel, processor and features.

The QM7L is well equipped for gaming, with 4K 144Hz, FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision gaming and ALLM all featured. During our testing, we found that "whether it was Madden 26 or Star Wars: Outlaws, the picture was crisp and the action was smooth." This bodes well for the chaotic, open-world of GTA 6, where the action will almost certainly need to be smooth as you try to shake-ff a five-star wanted level.

The QM7L's picture is truly impressive for the price. Watching The Batman, we found the QM7L rendered the fast-paced Batmobile chase scene with real clarity. Watching Coco, the QM7L faithfully delivered the vibrant colors of the land of the dead. The QM7L also shows off TCL's Halo Control System, resulting in great backlight control during a scene in Soul, where a bright character against a dark background showed no blooming.

As we said above, we've not fully tested the C7L in the UK yet, but we have tested its predecessor the C7K which in itself was a brilliant TV. With a new SQD mini-LED panel, it can only get better.

The real highlight here though is the QM7L's price. Launching for a great price, the QM7L receives regular discounts throughout the year and is often among the most competitively priced TV on the market.

65-inch QM7L SQD mini-LED 4K TV (2026): was $997.99 now $897.99
The TCL QM7L is superb value for money, with this deal taking the 65-inch model under $900. It's perfect for gaming, with excellent performance and picture quality that's sure to work well for games like GTA 6, as well as movies and TV shows. View Deal

55-inch C7L: was £1099 now £849.15
Packed with nearly every feature you could need for gaming, as well as great picture quality for movies, the TCL C7L is excellent value for money. This deal at Richer Sounds knocks the 55-inch model down to £849.15: excellent value for a TV with this much to offer. View Deal

LG B6FutureDisney / Future FutureWarner Bros. / Future

Unsurprisingly, the third TV on this list is another LG OLED, but this time it's the entry-level LG B6. If you've been researching this TV, you may notice that in certain sizes, there are two models: the B6 and B6E. I've personally tested both these TVs and aside from some AI picture features and a plainer back panel, the B6E performs virtually the same and carries the same major features but at a cheaper price.

The B6 comes equipped with four HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K 120Hz, full VRR, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming, as well as the Game Optimizer menu: virtually the same feature-set as the step-up C6. I also measured the B6's input lag at 8.9ms at 4K 60Hz and 4.9 at 1080p 120Hz, which are amazing results.

Playing Battlefield V on the B6, I found the TV's response times to be fantastic, resulting in super-smooth gameplay. Whether I was flying around the skies in a commandeered plane in a desert mission or sprinting to avoid enemy fire, the B6 expertly handled the action. For GTA 6 then, as you're no doubt tearing around the streets of Vice City in some ridiculously fast car, you can expect the B6 will do a great job with the action.

The B6's picture quality is also great. Its colors are rich and vibrant, making the pink flowers in a tree from Wicked or the dazzling oranges, reds and purples of a glittery vase in Elemental all pop on screen. It also demonstrates strong contrast, with a great balance between light and dark tones, shown in The Batman's many high-contrast scenes. As you're moving around Vice City, whether it's during the colorful nightlife or bright daytime, the B6 is sure to deliver a well-rounded picture.

It's worth noting that the B6E is better value than the B6, but both are still great entry-level OLED prices. The B6 is your only option in 48-inch, but this TV has dropped to some seriously low prices. And in larger sizes, the B6E is a no-brainer.

65-inch B6E 4K OLED TV (2026): was $1899.99 now $999.99
The B6E offers a cheaper alternative to the LG B6 without compromising on any major features. It delivers the same great picture quality and fantastic gaming performance, making it a real all-rounder. You can get the 65-inch model at Best Buy for under $1,000: sensational value for a 2026 OLED of this size. View Deal

48-inch B6 4K OLED TV (2026): was £999 now £887
The LG B6 48-inch is a superb TV for gaming in a smaller room. Carrying a full suite of features with performance to match, the B6 is also top-notch for movies, with a nice brightness increase over its predecessor. This deal takes the 48-inch down to £887. View Deal

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.36
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $28
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $89
• Smartwatches: up to 36% off Garmin & Apple
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $49

More Prime Day deals in the UK

• Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: up to 67% off Fire, Ring & Blink
• Amazon Haul: extra 15% off for Prime members
• Appliances: up to 40% off Ninja & De'Longhi
• Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
• Essentials: cleaning & groceries from £2
• Fashion: up to 50% off
• Gaming: record-low Nintendo Switch 2
• Headphones: up to 50% off Anker & Sony
• Laptops: up to £800 off Microsoft & Asus
• Tablets: up to 50% off Fire tablets
• TVs: from £129.99
• Vacuums: up to 50% off Shark & Dyson
• Wearables: Samsung & Oura from £31

As I sat down at my desk this morning, something felt different. I sipped my coffee and looked around. Nothing had moved, but the room had changed.

Several sips of coffee later, it clicked. The familiar feeling of fall had finally settled in. The room was darker, cooler, and a light mist was visible from my office window. For me, this time of year has always been my favorite. The chaos of Summer is behind us; it’s cozy sweater season.

As I spend more time in my home office than any other single space, I started thinking about how I can create a cozier work environment in the coming months. This collection offers 11 ideas on how to do just that. Some of these items are already trusted parts of my desk setups; others are on my list to consider investing in this year.

Oh, and they are all in the Prime Big Deal Days sale at the time of writing.

COMFIER Back Massager With Heat

Nextmug by Nextboom Temperature-Controlled, Self-Heating Coffee Mug

Snailax Heated Footrest

Amazon Basics Ceramic Portable Mini Space Heater for Office Desk

Bedsure Soft Fleece Throw

SONORAN Merino Wool Fingerless Gloves

SweetSlubr Memory Foam Seat Cushion

LISUNAR Electric Candle Warmer Lamp Black

LitONES Led Desk Lamp

Air-Scent Waterless Diffuser

Contigo Byron Vacuum-Insulated Stainless Steel Travel Mug