Welcome to the weekend. Whether you’re working today, or you’re off, we have a range of deals that you might be interested in. Most of these were big hits throughout the week that we’re resurfacing for your perusal, though we’ve packed in a few deals that popped up more recently. In terms of what to look forward to on The Verge, this week will be Samsung’s Unpacked event. That’s all happening on Wednesday, August 10th, and based on rumors, we expect to see new foldable phones and other gadgets, and plenty of preorder deals. See you then.
At the Epic Games Store on PC, you can play as much Far Cry 6 as you can fit into this weekend. The storefront is offering an extended free trial of Ubisoft’s latest open-world first-person shooter. Deals on Far Cry 6 aren’t too uncommon these days (though the PC version sees fewer discounts than the console versions), and yet, it’s really hard to beat the current cost: $0.00. The game trial is also available to Xbox and PlayStation gamers. You don’t need a subscription of any kind on PlayStation consoles to get access to the free trial. On Xbox, however, you’ll need Xbox Live Gold (or the modern equivalent, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate).
Usually, we like to provide context around deals that we promote, so that you can make an educated purchase. That’s not as necessary for a freebie. It’s worth noting that Far Cry 6 delivers more of the same great-feeling combat and exploration. In Diego Arguello’s analysis of the game’s story, Far Cry 6 is one of the few AAA games set in Latin America, though its narrative and handling of cultural portrayals are hit or miss. If you can look past that, it might be a good use of your free time this weekend.
If you plan to head on vacation this summer, or just want to lounge around the house with some books, the latest Kindle Paperwhite may be the perfect gadget to add to your repertoire. At Best Buy, this model is $45 off, costing $94.99 through Saturday night. This is just about the lowest price that we’ve seen the 2021 Kindle Paperwhite sell for.
As for why this is the e-reader to buy over the previous generation, it has USB-C charging, a bigger 6.8-inch backlit display, and customizable screen color temperature. It has waterproofing in common with the last-gen Paperwhite. Read our review.
The Beats Fit Pro and Studio Buds have each returned to their Prime Day prices. Starting with the Fit Pro, these wireless buds with wing tips to stay in your ears during runs and other workouts are back down to $179.99 ($20 off) at Amazon. In addition to being great workout companions, they have active noise cancellation (ANC), a transparency mode to let you stay tapped into sounds happening around you, and they can last up to six hours per charge with ANC. Read our review.
The Studio Buds are $99.99 ($50 off at Amazon) and similarly, they offer ANC and a transparency mode. Apple claims that you’ll get up to eight hours of listening time per charge without ANC on. My colleague Chris Welch said in his review that the ANC is worse in the Studio Buds than in the Fit Pro. Both the Fit Pro and Studio Buds include a charging case with a USB-C port, though it’s important to note that neither option supports wireless charging. Read our review.
A few more deals
- Here’s yet another reminder that the latest Apple TV 4K streaming box with 64GB of storage (usually $199.99) is down to just $139.99 at Amazon.
- If you’re considering the Google Pixel 6A, Amazon is still throwing in a complimentary $50 gift card when you purchase the phone at its full $449.99 price.
- Compatible with the latest iPads (except for the ninth-generation iPad), the Apple Pencil 2 stylus is down to $99.99 at Amazon, a price that has been a rarity to spot in 2022. It normally costs $129.99. This stylus can magnetically attach (and recharge) to the side of modern iPads.
- Lastly, you can get the lightweight LG Gram 17 with a 12th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD for just $999 at BuyDig when you use the code GRAM at checkout. I reviewed last year’s model, and I think it’s a great fit for people who want a laptop with excellent battery life, a good amount of ports, and of course, a huge 16.10 aspect ratio screen.