We hope you had a great Thanksgiving and are making informed decisions on any Black Friday sales. This morning (and throughout the week), you could save substantially on a new smartphone, wireless headphones, streaming devices and Alexa-powered Amazon devices -- if you didn't have one already. We've got some of the latest deals below, as well as our verdict on the Echo Flex, Amazon's newest, smallest smart speaker.
Amazon's Echo Dot was small, easy to use and incredibly affordable at only $50. Sure, there are speakers offering better audio, but if all you wanted was a cheap way to get Alexa into the home, the Echo Dot was the way to go. That is until earlier this year, when Amazon announced an entirely new product: the Echo Flex, a small Alexa-powered speaker that plugs directly into any wall outlet. At $25, it's one of the cheapest Alexa devices on the market -- but is it worth your time?
When AMD launched its third-generation Zen 2 Ryzen processors earlier this year, Intel had to be sweating. Its rival had developed an all-new architecture with improvements to clock speed, core count and instructions per clock and promised performance that matched -- and even beat -- Intel's CPUs.
Intel still has a lead in gaming, but only just, and given AMD's progress and recent Zen 3 announcements, is any market safe? Steve Dent explains all.
Black Friday deals equal giant TVs on sale and Instant Pots. Yep, the upgraded pressure cooker is back again, trying to convince you to free up the counter space for one -- and you'll need a fair bit. The best offer is $85 off the Instant Pot Ultra 8-quart model. Regularly priced at $180, it's on sale for $95. If you do get one and don't know where to start, we'd suggest reading our guide on getting the most out of your Instant Pot.
The 2019 Roku Ultra is down from $100 to $48 on Amazon until the end of Cyber Monday. Roku only started shipping its latest Ultra in October, so it's a killer deal on a brand new product. While it's a set-top box that takes up a little more space than a streaming stick, the 4K-ready Ultra has an Ethernet port, which might help ensure sturdier streaming than a WiFi connection.
If you missed out on the Pixel 3a's price drop last week, don't worry -- you'll have a second shot now Black Friday is here. Google's starter 64GB smartphone is selling for $300 until December 2nd at 3AM Eastern. That's a full $100 below the official price.
Yes, it's a mid-range phone in terms of processing power, and it lacks water resistance, but you'll still get that exceptional Pixel camera quality, healthy battery life and a quality screen. Oh, and did we mention that there's a headphone jack you won't find on the Pixel 4? (That model is also on sale...)
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As you’ve probably seen on The Verge, we’ve been rounding up all of the best Black Friday deals on laptops, truly wireless earbuds, gaming tech, 4K TVs, and plenty of other kinds of tech for the past few weeks. Many well-rated products that our team has reviewed are cheaper than ever, so if you haven’t had a chance to jump into shopping for yourself, or for some lucky people, you’re right on time to snag some excellent deals.
Many retailers, such as Best Buy, Walmart, Target, as well as online stores like Amazon, Newegg, B&H Photo, and more have been saving their very best deals for today. Whether you’re planning to drive to your local store, or leisurely shop online without much effort, you’ll find all of the best Black Friday deals below.
Some of these deals will last for today only, turning off when the doors close, or online when the date switches to Saturday, November 30th. If you miss out, Cyber Monday on Monday, November 2nd will be your next opportunity to save on gifts for the holiday, but there’s no guarantee that the deals will be as good.
The latest phones and smartwatches are steeply discounted
Phones have become our computers, our wallets, and in some cases, our keys. They’re everything, and smartwatches are an extension of that utility. And if you’re in the market for an upgrade, it’s a good idea to look at Black Friday deals because — this year especially — the latest tech won’t cost you nearly as much as it normally does.
Apple iPhones (including the iPhone 8, iPhone XR, and the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max) include a $50 Apple gift card with purchase from Apple
At Best Buy, you can get the iPhone 11 Pro for as little as $499 (roughly half off), but only if you activate a new line with an installment plan on Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint and also trade in your old phone. How much you pay overall will depend on how much trade-in value your phone has.
Also at Best Buy, the iPhone 11 is $199 after activating it, trading in your old phone, and paying off your installment plan.
If you’ve been toying with the idea of buying a 4K HDR TV or have been wanting to upgrade your current setup, 2019 has proven to be a great year — both for low prices and quality. If you need a little guidance on what kind of TV suites your living space the best, The Verge’s Jon Porter wrote a handy guide that breaks down sizes, screen technologies you should care about, and more.
Get your PC ready for the next wave of punishing games
If you want the absolute best visual fidelity from your games, you won’t get it with anything other than a souped-up gaming PC. Black Friday is one of the best opportunities of the year to save on PC components, either for building your PC from scratch, or upgrading a few long-in-the-tooth parts that have seen better days.
Powerful, versatile laptops are getting cheaper
Whether you’re a gamer who demands powerful specs, or someone who just wants a well-built laptop, Black Friday has brought some great deals on laptops that will suit both kinds of people. Specs, features, and accessories that used to cost a small fortune are now a little more attainable.
Asus ROG Zephyrus S gaming laptop is down to $1,199.99 ($800 off) at Amazon. This laptop has a 144Hz refresh rate display, a 9th Gen Intel Core i7, 16GB of RAM, and Nvidia’s RTX 2070 graphics chip.
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 (Intel Core i3, 4GB RAM, 128GB storage) bundled with a black Type Cover is $599 (usually $959) at Best Buy and the Microsoft Store
MacBook Air (2019 model, Intel Core i5 dual-core CPU, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage) is $899 ($200 off) at Best Buy
MacBook Pro (2019 model, Intel Core i5 quad-core CPU, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage) is $1,099 ($200 off) at Best Buy and Amazon.
MacBook Pro (16-inch model) starts at $2,049.30 ($350 off) with the code 19CYBERPROG at Google Shopping
MSI GS65 gaming laptop is $1,399.99 ($500 off) at Best Buy. It features a 240Hz 1080p display, Intel’s i7-9750H processor, 32GB of RAM, Nvidia’s RTX 2060 GPU, 512GB of PCIe storage, and a Thunderbolt port, among other features.
For an extra $100 ($1,499), Best Buy has the Asus ROG Strix SCAR II 17.3-inch gaming laptop. It has an RTX 2070 GPU, but lacks the MSI’s fast refreshing display, and it has an 8th Gen Intel CPU instead of a 9th Gen chip.
If you’re obsessed with music or podcasts, it won’t take long to get a return on investment with even a pricey set of headphones. Whether you’re interested in canceling out the noise in your apartment building, or you just need a wire-free companion to bring on your commute, you can find big discounts on the best models during Black Friday.
We’re nearing the beginning of a new console generation in 2020 (albeit much later in the year) with the PS5 and Microsoft’s Project Scarlett. For some people, that means holding off on buying old tech. For others, it’s the perfect time to buy. You have a bunch of amazing games to play, and it’s never been cheaper to splurge.
PS4 Slim console is $199 (usually $299), and includes The Last of Us Remastered, God of War,and Horizon Zero Dawn at Best Buy, Amazon, Target, and Walmart
Xbox One X console with Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order included is $309.99 ($190 off) at Amazon by clipping the coupon on the product page. Other bundles cost $349, so if you’re looking to spend the least on Microsoft’s 4K-ready console, this is worth checking out.
The Nintendo Switch console (the original launch version without the battery performance gains of the latest iteration) includes Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for $299.99 at GameStop. Unlike at other retailers, it also comes with a free $25 gift card at GameStop.
If you want the newer version with improved battery life, Amazon is selling them for $298, and with a $25 Amazon gift card included when you checkout with offer code 397BFFA5
Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers are $59.99 ($20 off) per pair at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target
The premise of making your home into a smart home used to be batty, but not only is it now practical, it’s affordable. Black Friday deals on video doorbells, mesh Wi-Fi routers, smart speakers, smart displays, and more will help you add a few IQ points to your home without gutting your bank account.
Apple HomePod smart speaker costs $199.99 ($100 off) at Best Buy
Ring Video Doorbell 2 + Echo Show 5 bundle is $139, which is a mere $10 more than the doorbell costs by itself. The Echo Show 5 smart display will cost $49 by itself later in the month.
Eero mesh Wi-Fi system, which includes three Eero routers is $159 (usually $249) at Amazon and Best Buy
Single Google Nest Wifi routers are $20 off, down to $149 at the Google Store and Amazon. Another Nest Wifi deal includes a $40 discount on the Nest Wifi router and point bundle. It usually costs $269, but you’ll be able to pick it up for $229.
A two-pack of Google Nest Hub smart displays costs $139.99 at Best Buy ($70 each is the best price yet, though you’ll need to sign up for the free My Best Buy program)
Echo (third-gen) is $59.99 (usually $99.99, includes the (RED) edition) at Amazon
Capable tablets cost less than a laptop
Many modern tablets have good enough hardware and software that you can get away with using them as a quick laptop replacement. In Apple and Google’s case below, it’s becoming more plausible to use either company’s most recent model as your sole portable device. And better yet, they’re cheaper than ever, leaving you with extra cash to buy some extra accessories for the road.
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U.S. consumers splurged more than $2 billion online in the first hours of Thanksgiving shopping on Thursday, while crowds were largely thin at retailers on the eve of Black Friday, reflecting the broader trend away from shopping at brick-and-mortar stores.
Early discounts offered this month by chains seeking to extend this year's shorter holiday season saw a dip in the numbers lining up at stores across the country, according to consultants and analysts making spot checks on the ground.
"We've seen many merchants start their promotions pretty much right after the trick-or-treaters have gone to bed," said Lauren Bitar, head of retail consulting at analytics firm RetailNext.
Jennifer Yen pulls to shopping carts full of items at Wal-Mart Supercenter in Denver, Colorado.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Sales made prior to Thanksgiving and Black Friday could erode "the spike that we have seen in sales dollars historically," Bitar said.
The day after Thanksgiving has been America's biggest shopping day, and this year more than 165 million people are expected to take part over the weekend, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF).
While Black Friday still matters, its relevance is fading as the holiday shopping season now begins the week before Halloween and stretches to Christmas Eve with retailers offering deep discounts throughout the season.
The condensed shopping season this year accelerated early promotions and spending. Retailers have six fewer days to make sales between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day this year.
That has pulled spending into early November — more than half of consumers polled by the NRF in the first week of this month had already begun making purchases. On average, Americans had already completed almost a quarter of their shopping, the most in the history of NRF's surveys.
Store openings on Thanksgiving evening have also reduced store crowds lining up for doorbuster deals at the crack of dawn on Friday.
While store traffic still remains an important indicator, a lot of shopping during Thanksgiving and Black Friday now happens online. Adobe Analytics, which measures transactions from 80 of the top 100 U.S. online retailers, estimates $7.5 billion in sales for Black Friday online, a growth of over 20.5% year-over-year.
As of 5 p.m. ET on Thanksgiving Day, shoppers had spent $2.1 billion online, up 20.2% on a year ago.
Companies including Walmart, Target, Costco, and Best Buy have bulked up their online presence, deliveries and fast in-store pickups to attract customers.
At the other end of the divide, specialty apparel retailers Gap, Victoria Secret-owner L Brands, and department stores Macy's and Kohl's have slumped as they struggle to lure shoppers to malls and away from online giants like Amazon.com.
This year's holiday season will not only test the resilience of such companies but will be a challenge for most retailers as U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war with China begins to take its toll on margins.
A pricing analysis conducted for Reuters by retail analytics firm Profitero, which examined online prices from seven large retailers for 21,000 products, found sites including Walmart and Amazon have held prices steady for many popular holiday products despite the pressure from tariffs on Chinese imports.
The National Retail Federation had forecast U.S. holiday retail sales in November and December will increase between 3.8% and 4.2% over 2018, for a total of $727.9 billion to $730.7 billion. That compares with an average annual increase of 3.7% over the past five years.
Daimler, the German carmaker that owns Mercedes-Benz, has said it will shed at least 10,000 jobs worldwide as it seeks to fund the switch to electric cars.
Daimler personnel chief Wilfried Porth told journalists the number of jobs lost would be "in the five figures".
Daimler said the car industry was going through "the biggest transformation in its history".
"The development towards CO2-neutral mobility requires large investments, which is why Daimler announced in the middle of November that it would launch a programme to increase competitiveness, innovation and investment strength," the firm said.
"Part of this programme is to reduce staff costs by around €1.4bn by the end of 2022 and, among other things, to reduce the number of management positions worldwide by 10%."
Electric cars
Daimler, which has a global workforce of nearly 300,000 and factories in 17 countries, said it would reduce costs and employment "in a socially responsible manner", including the use of "natural fluctuation".
"In addition, the possibilities for part-time retirement will be expanded and a severance programme will be offered in Germany in order to reduce jobs in the administration," it added.
Daimler said its plans had been agreed with the firm's works council, which includes union representation.
German carmakers have been slow to adapt to new technological trends, including self-driving cars and electric vehicles.
At the same time, they have been suffering falling demand in China, while the trade war between Washington and Bejing has also dented growth.
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