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2026 might be winding down, but Netflix is bolstering its movie slate to close the year. With a mix of holiday adventures and prestige plays, there is something for everyone on this eclectic list. The first film features a dog and Christmas, so naturally, families will love it. The next movie is the first film from an award-winning director since 2018.

I get comfortable with things a little too easily. Once I find something that works for me, I rarely feel the need to try something new. Google isn’t making that any easier with Gemini, though. It keeps introducing new models, each promising to be better at something, and I’m starting to lose track of which one I should be using.

Millions of homeowners and DIYers have Ryobi tools in their garages or workshops, and with the cold winter months fast approaching, it's time to start preparing accordingly. That means rearranging your tools, choosing a safe place for storage, and managing freezing temperatures.

Microsoft's "Ultimate Performance" power scheme — introduced in Windows 10 Creators Update — is built upon the High-Performance power scheme but strips away fine-grained power management to reduce latency. Here's why you probably don't need it, and how to turn it on anyway.

Where to check for Zelda Switch 2 stock: Nintendo Nintendo Switch 2 — The Legend of Zelda — 40th Anniversary Edition $519.99 at Nintendo Shop Now Amazon Nintendo Switch 2 — The Legend of Zelda — 40th Anniversary Edition $519.99 at Amazon Shop Now Walmart Nintendo Switch 2 — The Legend of Zelda — 40th Anniversary Edition $519.99 at Walmart Shop Now Target Nintendo Switch 2 — The Legend of Zelda — 40th Anniversary Edition $519.99 at Target Shop Now Best Buy Nintendo Switch 2 — The Legend of Zelda — 40th Anniversary Edition $519.99 at Best Buy Shop Now GameStop Nintendo Switch 2 — The Legend of Zelda — 40th Anniversary Edition $519.99 at GameStop Shop Now

If your current morning ritual involves violently hitting refresh on a dozen retail tabs, you already know the vibe: finding the Nintendo Switch 2: The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition is turning into an Olympic sport.

Between automated bot armies scooping digital drops, surprise order cancellations at Walmart, and inventory vanishing in seconds on Amazon, this custom black-and-gold console feels like a myth. But while digital storefronts look completely barren, stock is actively circulating behind the scenes.

Where to check for Zelda Switch 2 stock right now

Before getting into the restock details, bookmark these retailer pages to check for surprise drops:

• Nintendo Store — Out of stock right now, but you can add it to your wishlist to get pinged the second a restock hits.

• Amazon — Dropping tiny batches of consoles randomly throughout the day.

• Walmart — Out of stock, so make sure your in-stock email alerts are turned on.

• Target — Sold out online, but two drops went live in-store on Thursday, Nov. 5, and online on Friday, Nov. 6.

• Best Buy — Sold out online, but select stores ran midnight openings on Nov. 5 with walk-in stock.

• GameStop — Online orders are off; you will have to walk into a store to find one.

Why is the console selling out so fast?

The feeding frenzy is being supercharged by Nintendo’s staggered release calendar. While the custom Zelda 40th Anniversary hardware dropped first on Oct. 29, the flagship game driving demand — The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo Switch 2 — arrived on Thursday, Nov. 5.

The remake rebuilds the 1998 classic from the ground up with modernized controls, a fully orchestrated soundtrack, reworked dungeon puzzles, and expanded Hyrule environments. Since the $520 console doesn’t include the game, everyone is rushing to lock down a system before launch day.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo Switch 2 $59.99 at Amazon
  Preorder at Amazon What comes with the Zelda 40th anniversary Switch 2?

The package includes the special-edition Switch 2 system sporting a custom black-and-gold finish, themed Joy-Con 2 controllers, and a matching dock decorated with the gold Triforce emblem. It retains the platform's signature flexibility, letting you switch between TV, Tabletop, and Handheld modes whenever you want.

Inside the themed chassis, you get 256GB of built-in storage (expandable with microSD Express cards), a vivid display in handheld mode, faster load times, and support for up to 4K resolution on compatible TVs when the console sits in the dock.

The magnetic Joy-Con 2 controllers add mouse-style tracking in supported games, while the new GameChat hub lets you voice chat and share your screen directly as you play. It also plays your older Switch games and supports standard multiplayer options.

How can you improve your chances of finding stock?

Landing limited-edition Nintendo hardware takes a little prep work, but these battle-tested habits will give you a real edge over the bots:

• Save your checkout details everywhere — Log in to Target, Best Buy, Walmart, and the Nintendo Store to save your shipping address and default card. Stopping to type a card number or billing zip code during a live drop is how you lose an order.

• Hands off the refresh button in Best Buy's queue — When an online drop goes live, Best Buy puts shoppers into a randomized waiting line to filter out scrapers. Touching the reload button resets your spot and boots you straight to the back.

• Watch for Walmart+ early-access paywalls — Walmart frequently locks headline console drops behind paid Walmart+ subscriptions for the first 30 to 60 minutes. If you have a membership, keep that tab signed in; if not, wait for the general public window to unlock.

• Dodge third-party sellers — Double-check the seller before buying. Marketplace scalpers frequently list units for jacked-up prices; make sure it says "Sold and shipped by [Retailer]" at the standard price.

• Skip the web wars and head to physical stores — Online checkout bots grab website stock in under 15 seconds. Showing up in person is easily your most reliable path to securing one without paying scalper markups.

Will the Zelda Switch 2 be restocked on Black Friday?

Most likely, yes.

Stores like Walmart, Amazon, and Best Buy often hold onto popular gaming hardware to use as headline deals during Black Friday and Cyber Monday week.

With that said, Black Friday restocks are usually the hardest ones to catch. You will be fighting website crashes, gift shoppers, and automated bots all at once. If you can grab a console during the Nov. 5 launch drops at Target or Best Buy, take it. Think of Black Friday as a backup plan, not your main bet.

Console hunting sucks right now, period. But between the surprise micro-drops and Thursday's physical store restocks, you still have real shots at retail price — just be ready to move the second that button turns yellow.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is available for $59.99 at Amazon. That's under TCGplayer's $108.42 market price.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box $59.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

After weeks of building excitement and preorder wars, the Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is out in the wild. And Amazon has marked the occasion by bringing back its stunning $59.99 deal.

As of Nov. 6, the Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is on sale for just $59.99 on Amazon. Everything is handled directly by Amazon, but Amazon is still routing orders through its "request invite" system. We can see these are selling fast, so it's clearly a system that's working for many shoppers. Don't be discouraged by the invitation process.

Amazon’s deal is way under TCGplayer’s $108 market price. We rarely see deals this far below market price, so we understand the hype.

The 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box contains nine 30th Celebration booster packs, an exclusive full-art foil Nidorina promo card, 16 foil Basic Energy cards, 65 custom card sleeves, damage-counter dice, a condition marker, card dividers, a collector’s player guide, and a code card for Pokémon TCG Live.

Shop the Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration ETB for $59.99 at Amazon, while supplies last.

TL;DR: Sign up for a 7-day free trial of Apple TV+ through Prime Video Channels to watch select F1 races for free. Watch the Brazil GP for free with the Prime Video app.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Apple TV Prime Video Channel Watch the Brazil GP for free with a 7-day trial Shop Now

Kimi Antonelli was crowned the 2026 F1 champion last weekend in Mexico, so where does that leave us now? We still have four race weekends this season, and nothing is really decided except the actual winner. Reputations are on the line, so we can expect more thrilling racing from the best of the best.

The action heads to São Paulo this weekend. Can Verstappen win again to cement his place in second? Or will Hamilton bounce back from a frustrating weekend in Mexico to leapfrog his old rival?

SEE ALSO: ExpressVPN review: A stylish VPN service with proven privacy and a large U.S. presence

If you want to watch F1 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is the Brazil GP?

The Brazil GP is the 20th race of the 2026 F1 season. Here's the full schedule from the Autódromo José Carlos Pace:

• Practice 1 — 10:30-11:30 a.m. ET on Nov. 6

• Practice 2 — 2-3 p.m. ET on Nov. 6

• Practice 3 — 9:30-10:30 a.m. ET on Nov. 7

• Qualifying — 1-2 p.m. ET on Nov. 7

• Race — 12 p.m. ET on Nov. 8

Fans can follow all the action from this race weekend without spending anything.

How to watch the Brazil GP for free

Apple TV holds exclusive U.S. broadcasting rights for F1, and you can now sign up for a seven-day free trial of Apple TV directly through Prime Video Channels. That free trial gives you access to select races for free, including this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix.

The subscription rolls over to $12.99 per month after the seven-day trial, but you can disable the automatic renewal and still stream the entire race weekend for free. It's a sneaky hack, but it works.

If you're already paying for Amazon Prime, calling it "free" is a stretch. But if you don't have an active membership, Amazon offers a 30-day free trial for new users. Stacking that Prime trial with the seven-day Apple TV channel trial means you're truly spending nothing to stream this weekend's race.

If you've already made use of this hack, you still have a few workarounds:

• Apple TV: New standalone subscribers qualify for a direct seven-day free trial through Apple's app.

• Apple One: If you want more than just streaming, the Apple One tier packages Apple TV alongside Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, Apple News+, and 50GB of iCloud storage — and it comes with a full one-month free trial ($19.95 per month after the promotional period).

• Apple: The most generous Apple TV offer is tied to new hardware purchases. Buying an eligible iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV grants new subscribers three months of free service. You obviously have to spend money on hardware, but if you were already planning an upgrade, it effectively unlocks a massive chunk of the F1 season for free.

NotebookLM doesn’t get enough credit for how much it helps you with daily life. While it can help you learn, it could also be the assistant you’ve been waiting for since AI first started getting popular.

Like the other popular streaming services, HBO Max added many new shows and movies to its service. The Gilded Age made its triumphant return for its fourth season last weekend. As for movies, HBO Max loaded up its holiday hits collection with Elf, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and The Polar Express.

We're entering a new smartphone jailbreaking renaissance that may rival (or surpass) the jailbreaks that we experienced over a decade ago. It's a perfect storm; consumers are bored of ever-increasing iOS and Android restrictions, they're sick of having their privacy violated, and they now have access to powerful LLMs that rapidly accelerate the process of discovering and leveraging exploits.

Much of the time, opening the Command Prompt as a regular user is all you need. Sometimes, though, you will need to open the Command Prompt as an administrator to run system-level commands. Whether you are repairing a corrupted Windows installation with sfc /scannow, managing disk partitions, or configuring deep network settings, you need elevated privileges.

It's a sad fact of life that perfectly usable hardware often becomes unusable when the manufacturer stops supporting it. My fourth-generation Kindle has served me well for more than a decade, but Amazon decided to drop support for older models, and I lost access to some of the most useful features. By jailbreaking my Kindle, I've managed to bring a lot of them back.

Years ago, I was excited to try Bottles and finally run Windows applications on Linux. That excitement didn't last long. I got disappointed pretty quickly and eventually switched to open-source alternatives for my Windows apps. I haven't really looked back since.

PC components cost a small fortune these days, which means putting together a new build can set you back considerably.

Docker's explosive adoption and dominance over the tech industry is incredible, to say the least. But because Docker's rise was so meteoric, a lot of people tend to mistake it for some kind of mystical, groundbreaking, all-new way of doing things. But the reality is much more simple: Linux set the groundwork for containers decades ago, and Docker found an appealing way to use it.

Samsung's Galaxy phones are some of the best Androids you can buy, and we all know why. They're packed with a slew of features, excellent screens, and solid cameras. Part of what makes Galaxy phones unique is the dizzying number of features and customization controls. You're probably familiar with all the big-name ones, but here are a few tiny features you'll actually appreciate.

I’ve had an exoskeleton under my desk for several months now. That’s not a sentence I ever expected to type, but 2026 is weird like that. It was sent to me by a company called Hypershell, and it’s quite the conversation starter.

What's the best iPhone to buy right now? This fall, that question got a lot more interesting.

In mid-September, Apple launched the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max with upgraded cameras, a revamped vapor chamber cooling system, longer battery life, and a fresh, AI-ready chipset. A month later, it released the long-awaited iPhone Duo, its first-ever foldable. Mashable senior editor Stan Schroeder deemed it "the most exciting iPhone since the first one."

The new Apple phones join the standard iPhone 17, the budget iPhone 17e, and the super-slim iPhone Air to round out the 2026 iPhone roster, which now runs on iOS 27. We've tested the entire iPhone family, and we've compared them all to pick the best iPhone for every type of user.

Best iPhones at a glance: Best iPhone for most people Apple iPhone 17 (256GB) $0 with trade-in on select Experience plans at T-Mobile Shop Now Best budget iPhone Apple iPhone 17e (256GB) $0 with trade-in on Experience Beyond plan at T-Mobile Shop Now Best iPhone for photography Apple iPhone 18 Pro (256GB) $0 with trade-in on Experience Beyond plan at T-Mobile Shop Now Best iPhone for battery life Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max (256GB) $2.78/month for 36 months with trade-in on Experience Beyond plan at T-Mobile Shop Now Best foldable iPhone Apple iPhone Duo (256GB) $799 with new line and port on Experience Beyond plan at T-Mobile Shop Now Best iPhone for design snobs Apple iPhone Air (256GB) $0 with trade-in on Experience Beyond plan at T-Mobile Shop Now A note on Apple's iPhone price increases

Apple's smartphones have never been more powerful, feature-rich, or diverse in their form factors. Alas, they've also never been pricier. Every current iPhone has gotten more expensive due to the ongoing global memory crisis, which has jacked up the cost of electronic components over the past year. (The Duo turned out to be slightly less of a splurge than the gossip mill predicted, though it's still the most expensive iPhone ever.) Unfortunately, there's no escaping higher prices with any other brand: All the best smartphones have seen price increases this year.

SEE ALSO: Memory pricing suggests iPhones could get even more expensive in 2027

So, is it worth splashing out on the Duo or one of the new Pro models? Or would you be perfectly happy with something less snazzy and more wallet-friendly, relatively speaking? After extensively testing every single iPhone, Mashable's experts have recommendations for all budgets and usage needs.

One more thing: Before you buy your new iPhone, be sure to check out our coverage of the latest carrier deals. If you trade in an older device and sign up for a new line or data plan, you could pay a fraction of the price — or nothing at all.

Best iPhone for most people: iPhone 17 In addition to plain white (pictured), the iPhone 17 also comes in mist blue, sage, lavender, and black finishes. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

• Read our full review of the iPhone 17

• Who it's for: In all likelihood, you. We think the iPhone 17 is the model most people should buy. It's also the most colorful iPhone on the market.

The new iPhone 18 Pros and iPhone Duo are amazing phones, but they're overkill for the average user. Last year's iPhone 17 is still the most well-rounded, "just right" phone in Apple's lineup. (We don't expect the new base model iPhone 18 to land until spring 2027.)

The iPhone 17 is a fast-enough, long-lasting-enough, nice-looking-enough smartphone that feels "Pro" where it counts for most people. Namely, it has a 120Hz, always-on display and an ultrawide camera with a dedicated macro mode, but none of the extra photography or thermal fixings intended for superusers. Compared to the budget iPhone 17e, which costs $200 less, it has a brighter, smoother screen, nicer cameras, and 15 percent more battery life.

Was the iPhone 17 an earth-shattering upgrade over the iPhone 16? Not really, but it got better in some crucial yet practical ways without straying over the $1,000 mark. Mashable's Schroeder christened it "the most compelling standard iPhone in years."

Apple iPhone 17 (256GB) $0 with trade-in on select Experience plans at T-Mobile
  Shop Now at T-Mobile Shop Now at Walmart Shop Now at Apple.com iPhone 17 specs

• Screen size and display: 6.3-inch OLED display with 2,622 x 1,206 resolution and 120Hz variable refresh rate

• Cameras: 48MP (wide), 48MP (ultrawide), and 18MP (front)

• Battery life (rated): Up to 30 hours of video playback

• Processor: Apple A19

• Storage: 256GB or 512GB

• Colors: Black, white, mist blue, sage, or lavender

• Dimensions: 5.89 x 2.81 x 0.31 inches

• Weight: 6.24 ounces

• Software: iOS 27

Best cheap iPhone: iPhone 17e The iPhone 17e is Apple's first budget smartphone with MagSafe support. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

• Read our full review of the iPhone 17e

• Who it's for: We recommend the iPhone 17e for frugal shoppers who just want the core iPhone experience, as well as those who like small, pocket-friendly phones. It would also make a great starter phone for a teenager.

The iPhone 17e delivers your go-to iOS features like FaceTime and Siri AI, plus the classically clean Apple look — now with MagSafe! — for the least amount of money. It's a compact little device with a sharp, if not super-smooth display, and a battery that should last you a day between charges. It runs on the same A19 chip as the regular iPhone 17 and starts with the same amount of storage (256GB), which makes it more future-proof than last year's iPhone 16e (which started with half that).

The cameras on the iPhone 17e aren't as "versatile" as the ones on the iPhone 17, Schroeder said; it lacks an ultrawide lens and has a noticeably inferior front camera. But at least it takes marginally better low-light pictures than its predecessor.

Apple iPhone 17e (256GB) $0 with trade-in on Experience Beyond plan at T-Mobile
  Shop Now at T-Mobile Shop Now at Walmart Shop Now at Best Buy iPhone 17e specs

• Screen size and display: 6.1-inch OLED display with 2,532 x 1,170 resolution and 60Hz refresh rate

• Cameras: 48MP (wide) and 12MP (front)

• Battery life (rated): Up to 26 hours of video playback

• Processor: Apple A19

• Storage: 256GB or 512GB

• Colors: Black, white, or soft pink

• Dimensions: 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches

• Weight: 5.96 ounces

• Software: iOS 27

Best iPhone for photography: iPhone 18 Pro Good riddance, cosmic orange. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

• Read our full review of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max

• Who it's for: Get the smaller iPhone 18 Pro if you're a mobile photographer or creator looking for the best cameras.

Both the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max feature the latest Apple camera technology, but we think the former has greater appeal for on-the-go shutterbugs because it's more compact and less expensive.

What's new with those cameras? A new physical variable aperture on its main camera lens, for starters. This gives you more control over the exposure and depth of field of photos. It works automatically, but you can also adjust it manually via the Camera app. There, you'll find other new Pro controls for tweaking settings like white balance and shutter speed; new Photographic Styles; new Cinematic effects that can be applied to videos after they're recorded; and a new Focus Tracking tool that locks on moving subjects.

The average user might appreciate those upgrades, "but I do bet that the majority of people will try out the manual aperture setting once and then leave it on auto," wrote Mashable's Schroeder in his review. Power users will make the best use of them.

Besides the new camera features, the new A20 Pro chip also provides extra support for AI tasks, including the newer, smarter Siri AI. There's plenty of storage space, too: Unlike older iPhones, the 18 Pro supports up to 2TB of storage.

Apple iPhone 18 Pro (256GB) $0 with trade-in on Experience Beyond plan at T-Mobile
  Shop Now at T-Mobile Shop Now at Walmart Shop Now at Apple.com iPhone 18 Pro specs

• Screen size and display: 6.3-inch OLED display with 2,622 x 1,206 resolution and 120Hz variable refresh rate

• Cameras: 48MP (wide), 48MP (ultrawide), 48MP (4x telephoto), and 18MP (front)

• Battery life (rated): Up to 36 hours of video playback

• Processor: Apple A20 Pro

• Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB

• Colors: Black, silver, glacier, and burgundy

• Dimensions: 5.91 x 2.83 x 0.34 inches

• Weight: 7.44 ounces

• Software: iOS 27

Best iPhone for battery life: iPhone 18 Pro Max The iPhone 18 Pro Max (left) is a slightly larger and even longer-lasting version of the iPhone 18 Pro (right). Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

• Read our full review of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max

• Who it's for: The latest iPhone Pro Max is geared toward battery life maximizers who hate being chained to an outlet and Apple fans with large hands. That's not a euphemism for anything: This is a big ol' phone.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max is rated for up to 45 hours of video playback per charge, making it the longest-lasting iPhone ever. (Its battery is so big that Apple had to come up with a way to get around shipping restrictions that limit battery sizes, according to MacRumors.) Inside, you'll find the powerful A20 Pro chip and an improved vapor chamber cooling system that helps prevent overheating during extended heavy use. Schroeder tried to push this new hardware to the limit "by playing a few games of PUBG: Battlegrounds on the highest settings for a full hour," he wrote, and "The phone barely got warm." What's more, its battery only fell by nine percent.

The regular iPhone 18 Pro has the same chipset and cooling system as the Max version, though it's shorter-lived and smaller. The iPhone 18 Pro Max's size is an advantage for mobile gamers and movie-watchers who value immersion (but not so much that they can justify an iPhone Duo).

Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max (256GB) $2.78/month for 36 months with trade-in on Experience Beyond plan at T-Mobile
  Shop Now at T-Mobile Shop Now at Walmart Shop Now at Apple.com iPhone 18 Pro Max specs

• Screen size and display: 6.9-inch OLED display with 2,868 x 1,320 resolution and 120Hz variable refresh rate

• Cameras: 48MP (wide), 48MP (ultrawide), 48MP (4x telephoto), and 18MP (front)

• Battery life (rated): Up to 45 hours of video playback

• Processor: Apple A20 Pro

• Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB

• Colors: Black, silver, glacier, and burgundy

• Dimensions: 6.43 x 3.07 x 0.34 inches

• Weight: 8.78 ounces

• Software: iOS 27

Best foldable iPhone: iPhone Duo Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

• Read our full review of the iPhone Duo

• Who it's for: The iPhone Duo is a worthy investment if you're a well-off early adopter, tech enthusiast, or avid multitasker who consumes most of their entertainment on their phone. It's not for people who rely heavily on Face ID — it only has Touch ID.

Apple's first foldable is a feat in hardware and user interface design. It has some first-gen quirks, but they're not dealbreakers. And though it's expensive, "it's a quality-made product with enough novelty to justify the high asking price," said Schroeder.

The Duo features a passport-style design with a roomy matte inner display, a smooth hinge, and an extremely subtle crease. This form factor opens up a world of usage possibilities. You can use it closed like a normal phone. You can snap it open to play games and watch movies on it, like you would a tablet. You can have two apps running side by side. (It has the same peppy A20 chip as the new iPhone 18 Pros, so it's got plenty of horsepower for heavier workloads.) You can even draw or take notes on either display using a USB-C Apple Pencil.

The Duo's battery life isn't Pro-tier, but it's quite good for a device that powers two screens at once. In typical mixed use, it lasts about as long as the cheap iPhone 17e. Its cameras are probably the most lackluster thing about it, especially its crummy inner selfie camera, but that's typically the case with foldables, in our experience.

Apple iPhone Duo (256GB) $799 with new line and port on Experience Beyond plan at T-Mobile
  Learn More at T-Mobile Learn More at Apple.com Learn More at Verizon iPhone Duo specs

• Inner screen size and display: 7.6-inch OLED display with 1,878 x 2,670 resolution, 120Hz variable refresh rate, and nano-texture finish

• Outer screen size and display: 5.4-inch OLED display with 1,398 x 2,034 resolution and 120Hz variable refresh rate

• Cameras: 48MP (wide), 48MP (ultrawide), 12MP (front, outer), and an additional inner, under-display FaceTime camera (resolution TBA)

• Battery life (rated): Up to 44 hours of video playback when using the outer display; up to 31 hours of video playback when using the inner display

• Processor: Apple A20 Pro

• Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB

• Colors: Night sky and star white

• Unfolded dimensions: 4.64 x 6.48 x 0.21 inches

• Folded dimensions: 4.64 x 3.31 x 0.44 inches

• Weight: 8.96 ounces

• Software: iOS 27

Best iPhone for design snobs: iPhone Air Left: The iPhone Air is so thin. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable Right: Like, REALLY thin. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

• Read our full review of the iPhone Air

• Who it's for: This is the iPhone for minimalists and aesthetes who care more about their phone's looks than its performance. Its camera system, in particular, is pretty mediocre for the money.

People who bought the iPhone Air often say the same thing: Its svelte form factor ruins you for other phones.

The iPhone Air is the thinnest handset Apple has ever made — and arguably the "sexiest," said Schroeder. If you set it next to one of the iPhone Pros, "it feels like a Ford F-150 parked next to a Porsche," he wrote. "The Porsche may not have the utility that a pick-up has, but it turns heads." The bezels on its smooth, detailed display are virtually invisible, and its rear camera bump blends into the back of its chassis when you look at it straight-on. It's made from titanium, so it's not easy to scratch up, and it's super comfy to hold. It's peak Apple sleekness.

An A19 Pro chip makes the iPhone Air mildly faster than the A19-powered iPhone 17, though it doesn't last as long. (Apple makes a MagSafe battery that you can slap on the back of it, but costs $100 extra and works against the device's "ultra-thin" thing.) Camera-wise, it has better zoom than the iPhone 17, but it misses out on an ultrawide shooter à la the iPhone 17e. While you probably won't win any photography prizes with the Air, it's perfectly fine for selfies and everyday snapshots.

Apple iPhone Air (256GB) $0 with trade-in on Experience Beyond plan at T-Mobile
  Shop Now at T-Mobile Shop Now at Walmart Shop Now at Apple.com iPhone Air specs

• Screen size and display: 6.5-inch OLED display with 2,736 x 1,260 resolution and 120Hz variable refresh rate

• Cameras: 48MP (wide) and 18MP (front)

• Battery life (rated): Up to 27 hours of video playback

• Processor: A19 Pro

• Storage: 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB

• Colors: Space black, cloud white, light gold, and sky blue

• Dimensions: 6.15 x 2.94 x 0.22 inches

• Weight: 5.82 ounces

• Software: iOS 27

Mashable tech editor Timothy Beck Werth also contributed to this guide.

Apple raised prices this year, but who didn't? Well, now that Black Friday sale season is here, this is your best chance to cancel out those price hikes. That's why we're paying extra close attention to early Black Friday Apple deals.

Yes, Apple does do Black Friday, but not in the way you might expect. Shopping directly on Apple's website usually means getting a measly gift card for future purchases. The real way to find great deals? Looking at retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and Target. Especially as Black Friday approaches (mark Nov. 27 in your calendar), retailers duke it out to see who can offer the best prices on AirPods, MacBooks, and iPads. Walmart and Amazon are infamous for outdoing each other by a single cent.

Usually, prices on Apple products drop to record lows during the hectic Black Friday weekend. However, especially good deals can also sell out quick. In my five years covering Black Friday at Mashable, I've seen many an AirPod Pro deal go out of stock before I can finish writing a 200-word story about the deal.

SEE ALSO: 14 headphones deals that are already Black Friday-worthy

Shopping early lets you score decent savings while avoiding the post-Thanksgiving chaos. So, how do you know what to buy, and what to save for Black Friday and Cyber Monday? That's where the expertise of the Mashable shopping team can be helpful.

How I chose the best early Apple deals

Let's start with the very expensive elephant in the room. In June, Apple raised prices on MacBooks, Macs, iPads, the HomePod, Apple TVs, and even the Vision Pro headset, followed by iPhone price increases in September. With many products rising up to $200 in price, the likelihood of seeing products fall to record-low prices is, well, low. Instead, I used price-tracking tools to look for products at or near record-low prices over the past five months.

SEE ALSO: The 45 best early Black Friday deals: Shop Kindle, Lego, and Bose

I also took into account the frequency of deals. If, like the AirPods Pro 3, there's a $50 deal that's nearly always on, I don't necessarily consider that a deal worth highlighting. On the other hand, if an iPad is $100 off for the first time in a month, I'll include it and note its pricing history.

Finally, I considered our reviewers' first-hand experiences with these products. Most of the items in this guide have been hands-on tested by at least one person on the Mashable staff, and I prioritized Mashable award winners, choosing the best deals based on overall product performance and value.

Best Black Friday AirPods deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 $89 at Walmart
$129 Save $40   Get Deal at Walmart Why we like it

AirPods with no active noise cancellation are a thing of the past, unless you pick up a pair of the last-generation earbuds. The AirPods 4 without ANC don't stand up against the AirPods 5 with ANC at full price, but picking them up for a sub-$100 price point makes them a much better buy. With five hours of battery life per charge, an IP54 water- and dust-resistance rating, spatial audio for immersive listening, and voice isolation for calls, they're a great daily pair of earbuds. With no silicone ear tips, they're also ideal for folks who like the Apple experience, but prefer a semi-open ear design.

While this $89 sale price has been live for some time, I imagine Walmart is clearing out the last of its stock — these earbuds are no longer sold new at Amazon, Apple, or Best Buy (at least, not by a first-party seller). During Black Friday, I imagine they'll clear out for good.

More early AirPods deals Apple AirPods Max 2 $449 (save $100) Get Deal Black Friday AirPods deals to watch for

• The Apple AirPods Pro 3 are on sale for $199 at the time of writing. While the $50 discount off their $249 isn't necessarily bad, it is common, and almost certain to get significantly lower during the week of Black Friday. Ahead of June's Prime Day sale, they dropped to a record low of $169.

• The AirPods 5 haven't received a proper discount yet, as Apple's newest AirPods. The version without a wireless charging case got a few dollars off the $129 around their release, while the $149 wireless charging case edition hasn't had any price drops. If these buds are going on sale in 2026, Black Friday is likely when.

Best early MacBook deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,349 at Amazon
$1,599 Save $250   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

At $250 off, this is the lowest price we've seen on the 13-inch MacBook Air since June. The terabyte of built-in storage means you probably won't ever run into the issue of having to delete a bunch of files when updating your operating system, while the M5 chip will easily power you through daily tasks. According to our laptop expert, this is a great laptop for college students due to its size, but it's also a great daily driver in general. If you prefer a slightly larger display, the 15-inch Air with 1TB of storage is also $250 off at the time of writing.

More early MacBook deals Apple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $684 (save $15) Get Deal Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,099 (save $200) Get Deal Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,299 (save $200) Get Deal Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,549 (save $250) Get Deal Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M5, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,599 (save $200) Get Deal Black Friday MacBook deals to watch for

MacBook prices went up in June of this year, with the Neo jumping by $100 and the Air by $200. That means it's highly unlikely we'll see any prices reach their former record lows, even if they're starting at a much higher price point. I've taken this into account as I select the best deals and note the deals to look out for.

• The MacBook Neo only dropped $10 over October Prime Day, which means that the $684 price isn't bad, but the real Black Friday dream for this laptop would be if it dropped back down to its former list price of $599.

• The MacBook Pro hasn't really dropped below the sale price of $1,799 since the price was raised in June. That is, except for one time on October 31, according to the price-tracking tool camelcamelcamel, when it fell to $1,349. While I'm not keeping my fingers crossed for that much of a price dip, a $250 discount would at least be an improvement.

Best early iPad deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M4, 128GB, WiFi) $649.99 at Amazon
$749 Save $99.01   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

While it's pricier than the base iPad, the M4 chip in this tablet means that it's more versatile, being just as good for streaming as it is for creative projects. Since the price raise on iPads, the Air has fallen to $649 a handful of times, dropping even as low as $559 in August. Still, even with the price raise this is one of the better value (and more future proof) tablets you can pick up from Apple. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a return to the $559 low, but in the meantime, this is a solid deal to pick up in early Black Friday sale season.

More early iPad deals Apple iPad (A16, 128GB, WiFi) $399.99 (save $49.01) Get Deal Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M4, 128GB, WiFi) $849.99 (save $99.01) Get Deal Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch (M5, 256GB, WiFi) $1,099 (save $99.01) Get Deal Black Friday iPad deals to watch

• The base iPad used to regularly go on sale for $299 pre-price raise. Its current $399.99 price isn't bad, especially compared to the rest of the iPad lineup — but it could be even better.

• The 11-inch iPad Pro is technically on sale, but a price drop of $99 on a $1,200 isn't significant. It is the lowest price this tablet has dropped to in the past five months, which is why I included it as one of the best early deals. Still, a $200 price drop for Black Friday would make this a more palatable tablet to pick up.

Best early Apple Watch deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Ultra 3 (49mm, GPS + cellular) $549 at Best Buy
$799 Save $250   Get Deal at Best Buy Why we like it

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 shares similar features to the newer Ultra 4. In his review of the Ultra 4, Mashable's Stan Schroeder wrote, "It's an amazing smartwatch, but not an essential upgrade from last year's model." A huge benefit of opting for the Ultra 3? The list price is $100 cheaper, and during Best Buy's first phase of Black Friday deals, it's at an even more impressive discount of $549, making it $150 cheaper than the Ultra 4's current sale price of $799. In other words, it's easily the best Apple Watch deal available right now.

More early Apple Watch deals Apple Watch Ultra 4 (49mm, GPS + cellular) $799.99 (save $99.01) Get Deal Black Friday Apple Watch deals to watch

• The Apple Watch SE 3 dropped $50 to a price of $199 during October Prime Day, so I expect to see a return to this price point during or in the lead-up to Black Friday.

• The Apple Watch Series 12 was announced just this past September, but it has dropped down to $349.99 once already. In Black Friday's past, new generations of Apple Watch have fallen as low as $329. It would be great to see a return to that pattern, but with RAMaggedon, we're hoping for a $50 markdown.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters or get Mashable push alerts today. 

Fresh off their triumph in the wildly chaotic Series 22, Taskmaster champion Chloe Petts sits down with Say More's Mark Stetson to break down what it really takes to claim Greg Davies’ golden head.

From navigating the unfiltered comedic mayhem of fellow contestants like Richard Ayoade to executing game-winning strategies—including the legendary hide-and-seek decoy and that heartbreaking baked beans calculation—Chloe opens up about balancing raw competitive drive with pure absurdity. Plus, they reflect on the moments that almost broke them and their work co-founding the queer comedy collective, The LOL Word.

Taskmaster Series 22 is streaming now on YouTube.