8BitDo’s terrific Pro 2 controller is down to its lowest price at Amazon

The Nintendo Switch is a great console, but its Joy-Con controllers aren’t exactly made for traditionalists looking for a more familiar controller design. Thankfully, there are excellent third-party alternatives like 8BitDo’s Pro 2, which is currently on sale at Amazon for $44.99 instead of $49.99 when you clip the on-page coupon located below the price.

We called the 8BitDo Pro 2 the best Switch controller you can buy when we reviewed it last year, one that takes a cue from the original Super Nintendo controller and offers some added functionality over Nintendo’s Switch Pro Controller. 8BitDo’s Pro 2 lacks some of the features found on Nintendo’s first-party offering — including HD rumble and Amiibo support— but it includes hand grips and customizable back paddles, as well as Bluetooth for connecting the controller to your PC, Mac, or mobile device. Plus, it’s rechargeable via USB-C and comes in black or one of several retro-inspired colors. Read our review.

Significant deals on Apple’s 14-inch MacBook Pro have been nearly impossible to find since the powerful laptop launched late last year, but today, you can save around $249.01 on one of the higher-end, M1 Pro-equipped configurations. Right now, the $2,499 model equipped with a 1TB SSD, a 10-core M1 Pro CPU, 16GB of RAM, and the upgraded 16-core GPU is on sale at Amazon for $2,249.99, a price that will be reflected in your cart at checkout.

To say we were impressed by the latest MacBook Pro line is an understatement — after all, we gave the 14-inch laptop a rare 9.5/10 in our review. Apple’s latest machines are the fastest laptops we’ve ever tested when it comes to performing many tasks, rendering them a great pick for power users looking to do heavy creative work like video editing and other forms of content creation. They also offer a beautiful display and a more robust port selection than the previous models, not to mention some of the longest battery life we’ve seen in a laptop. Read our review.

You can spend your three-day weekend saving while streaming with this discounted three-month subscription to YouTube TV. For a limited time only, new subscribers can pay $54.99 a month instead of $64.99 for their first three months. That would typically cost you around $195 all said, so that means you’ll pay $165 by the end of this discount period. That’s a small yet welcome discount on service that has increasingly gotten more expensive over the last few years. You can also cancel your subscription whenever you’d like.

With YouTube TV, you’ll be able to access over 85 on-demand channels covering live sports, news, entertainment, and a breadth of other content. The subscription also comes with unlimited recording and DVR capabilities for up to six accounts, as well as the ability for three simultaneous streams. It’s a solid service overall, especially given it’s compatible with most streaming devices, and it uses the YouTube interface, which you’re already probably familiar with.

Monthly YouTube TV subscription (first three months)

YouTube TV offers access to over 85 major channels covering live sports, news, entertainment, and more such as NBC, Comedy Central, ABC, MTV, CBS, FOX, CNN, and ESPN. It also includes unlimited recording for up to six accounts.

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

If you’re an Android user looking for a reliable pair of true wireless earbuds, Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2 have returned to their best-ever price. Normally $149.99, Woot is currently selling them for $99.99 with a 90-day Woot warranty. If the shorter warranty is a concern, however, you can also pick them up at Amazon in select colorways for around $106 or at Samsung for $109.99, both of which offer a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.

We gave the Galaxy Buds 2 an 8.5/10 in our review, praising their active noise cancellation as well as the enhanced design and fit, which is a nice improvement over their predecessors. They’re a great pick for Android users looking for a pair of earbuds with good sound, wireless charging, and a subtle design that, for better or worse, won’t turn many heads.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2

The Galaxy Buds 2 are the new entry-level wireless earbuds from Samsung. Despite this, they’re packed with enough features that people on a budget might be happy choosing these over the pricier Buds Pro.

Still looking for the right smart speaker for your home? Well, if you’re a Costco member, you can snag Apple’s HomePod mini right now for $79.99 instead of $99. That’s one of the best deals we’ve seen on Apple’s pint-sized smart speaker, which sounds great despite its size and offers the full range of Siri voice capabilities. It also can also act as a hub for your home via HomeKit and, if you own an iPhone, can be used to make calls and send messages. Sadly, the current discount only runs through February 23rd and only applies to the white and space gray models — not any of the fun, vibrant colors Apple recently introduced late last year. Read our review.

Apple HomePod mini 

Apple’s HomePod mini offers good sound for its size and works well with other Apple devices.

It may be a last-gen model, but the 2018 Kindle Paperwhite is still a good e-reader with a great E Ink display. You can take the waterproof device in the bath with you and read for hours on end without worrying about battery life, as we found it can last for weeks. While its 6-inch display isn’t as big as the screen on the 2021 model and it still charges via Micro USB, it remains a solid option if you’re looking for an affordable alternative to the newer model. That’s because Woot is currently taking $50 off the popular e-reader, selling the 8GB, ad-supported configuration for just $79.99, which is about $10 shy of its lowest price to date. Read our review.

Other deals worth considering

• If you’re set on a 2-in-1 computer, the 2020 Microsoft Surface Book 3 is currently on sale for its lowest price to date at Best Buy. The discounted model comes with an Intel 10th Gen Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD for $899.99, a healthy $700 off the list price. While still expensive for an older model and lacking in storage, we liked its keyboard and the display’s 3:2 aspect ratio, as well as its all-day battery life. Read our review.
• If you own a Samsung Galaxy device and are on the market for a Tile-like Bluetooth tracker for keeping tabs on your belongings, Amazon is knocking a couple dollars off of Samsung’s Galaxy SmartTag in black, costing $26.99 instead of $30
• Ultimate Ears’ Boom 3 may be pretty old at this point — the rugged Bluetooth speaker came out in 2018 — but it’s still a good-sounding speaker with IP67 dust and water resistance, as well as an iconic button. Normally $149.99, it’s currently on sale at Amazon for $129.99, $10 shy of its best price to date.