IT General

I tested ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini for months, and the winner surprised me

How-To Geek - Tue, 05/05/2026 - 14:30

The landscape of AI is changing faster than anything in tech ever has. As such, the “best” AI tool is constantly changing from one company to another, and back again at dizzying speeds. I’ve stopped caring, and that’s the best thing that I’ve ever done in the world of AI.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 ESP32 projects that work even when the internet is down

How-To Geek - Tue, 05/05/2026 - 14:15

ESP32 boards are great for a whole range of projects because they often come with onboard Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. This means you can use them for projects that require an internet connection, but there are plenty of ESP32 projects that will work even when the internet is down.

Categories: IT General, Technology

3D movies at home aren't dead—here's how hardcore fans are keeping them alive

How-To Geek - Tue, 05/05/2026 - 14:00

I recently went to see the third Avatar film, and, of course, I saw it in 3D, since Jim Cameron’s blue space cats are the pinnacle of 3D filmmaking.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Bose introduces the Lifestyle Collection with a new speaker, soundbar, and subwoofer

Mashable - Tue, 05/05/2026 - 14:00

On May 5, Bose announced its new Lifestyle Collection, which consists of the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker ($299), the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar ($1,099), and the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Subwoofer ($899). The line is designed to work together or separately to deliver exceptional sound throughout the home. All three products are packed with proprietary Bose technology to deliver high-quality sound across different environments. They're available to preorder now, with a May 15 release date.

SEE ALSO: Rate your favorite audio brands for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card

I was invited to experience the Lifestyle Collection ahead of its release, and I was thoroughly impressed by what I heard and saw. Music on the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker sounded booming and full without muddying vocals, and a clip from Dune literally shook the floors with audio playing from the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar. The soundbar, speaker, and subwoofer, when paired, created room-filling sound sure to wow anyone who takes their Letterboxd account very seriously. And on top of that, the Lifestyle Collection looks sleek and doesn't scream "tech product."

Shop the Bose Lifestyle Collection Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker $299.00 at Amazon Shop Now Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar $1,099.00 at Amazon Shop Now Bose Lifestyle Ultra Subwoofer $899.00 at Amazon Shop Now

So, let's dive into each of these new Bose audio devices.

Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker is available in white smoke, driftwood sand, and black. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable

The Lifestyle Ultra Speaker is decently compact while still packing huge sound. It features three drivers — two front-facing and one up-firing — that allow the audio to truly fill a space, so you get powerful, clear sound no matter where you are in the room. It also features CleanBass technology, supported by a proprietary QuietPort acoustic opening, that delivers bass that doesn't sound echoey or blown-out.

Two Lifestyle Ultra speakers can be paired for a surround-sound stereo setup. And you can play music to as many Lifestyle speakers as you have directly from your preferred music app — no need to connect via Bluetooth. The Lifestyle Ultra Speaker is compatible with Google Cast, Apple AirPlay, and Spotify Connect, and can be grouped with other compatible smart speakers on your network. Additionally, it features a 3.5mm aux port, which is awesome for connecting a turntable. It's also the first to market speaker outside of Amazon's own devices to offer full Alexa+ capabilities.

Price and specs
  • Price: $299 or $349 for driftwood sand color

  • Available speaker configurations: 1.0, 2.0, 7.0.4, 7.1.4

  • Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth 5.3, AUX 3.5mm

  • Dimensions: 4.8 inches W x 7.3 inches H x 6.6 inches D

  • Colors: Black, white smoke, driftwood sand (limited edition)

Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker $299 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Best Buy Shop Now at Bose Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar comes in white smoke or black and has a sleek, low profile. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable

This marks the first major soundbar redesign from Bose in over a decade. The Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar features a new acoustic architecture with six full-range drivers (four front-facing and two up-firing), a center tweeter, and two Bose proprietary PhaseGuide drivers. It can play Dolby Atmos content and has SpeechClarity technology that ensures dialogue stands out at any volume, with three adjustable dialogue levels. CustomTune uses your phone's microphone to analyze the acoustics of your room to optimize audio output performance. Like the speaker, the soundbar features CleanBass technology.

While showing off the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar, a Bose rep toggled on and off the SpeechClarity setting, and I was instantly sold. I sometimes struggle to hear dialogue, but I hate using subtitles, and this technology feels like it was made for me specifically. It pushed the dialogue of a noisy scene without distorting any of the background sound.

The Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar also looks incredibly sleek and sports a tactile dial that allows users to control volume levels without picking up their TV remote or phone.

Price and specs
  • Price: $1,099

  • Available speaker configurations: 5.0.2, 5.1.2, 7.0.4, 7.1.4

  • Connectivity: HDMI Arc and eARC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3

  • Dimensions: 43.54 inches W x 2.64 inches H x 4.96 inches D

  • Weight: 14.8 pounds

  • Colors: Black, white smoke

Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar $1,099 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Best Buy Shop Now at Bose Bose Lifestyle Ultra Subwoofer

When paired with the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker and Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar, the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Subwoofer pushes the collection into full home theater mode by producing deep, controlled bass and reproducing the lowest frequencies for clearer overall audio. It also features the proprietary CleanBass technology, so you'll get cinematic bass without distortion.

Price and specs
  • Price: $899

  • Available speaker configurations: 5.1.2, 7.1.4

  • Connectivity: WiFi, 3.5mm wired connection

  • Dimensions: 11.63 inches W × 12.88 inches H × 11.63 inches D

  • Weight: 33.7 pounds

  • Colors: Black, white smoke

Bose Lifestyle Ultra Subwoofer $899 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Best Buy Shop Now at Bose
Categories: IT General, Technology

Jimmy Kimmel breaks down 1 hour of Trumps unhinged Truth Social feed

Mashable - Tue, 05/05/2026 - 13:39

To illustrate just how truly bizarre a place the president's Truth Social feed is, Jimmy Kimmel spent a couple of minutes breaking down what Trump posted between 11pm and midnight last Friday.

"At 11:13 he posted a thinly veiled, but definitely racist note about House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, followed two minutes later with a warning to Iran that said 'I have all the cards', holding a bunch of Uno cards — which is a game you win by having no cards," says Kimmel in the clip above. "This is what happens when you don't play with your children."

Summarising the president's posting habits, Kimmel goes on to reference a recent Daily Beast article that claimed Trump could only have gotten a full night's sleep five days in April, based on his feed.

"Last month he posted an average of 18 times a day," says Kimmel. "If you had a relative who was posting 18 times a day, you'd be worried about him, right?"

Categories: IT General, Technology

I was ready to quit Windows—until I found these powerful customization tools

How-To Geek - Tue, 05/05/2026 - 13:30

Despite the improvements since it was released, Windows 11 still feels a bit rough around the edges—almost unfinished. It has few customization options, and several basic features that you'll find in competing operating systems are missing completely.

Categories: IT General, Technology

These 4 simple solar panel tricks give me more power in less time

How-To Geek - Tue, 05/05/2026 - 13:01

I love solar panels, but using them isn't as simple as plugging a rechargeable battery into the wall. 400W panels often provide 200 watts of power, and that number can get even lower if you're not using them properly. Fortunately, with the right knowledge, it's easy to give those panels a boost.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Parents on Instagram, Facebook: Expect a big message from Meta

Mashable - Tue, 05/05/2026 - 13:00

Amid the second phase of a high-profile child safety trial in New Mexico, Meta is announcing new measures designed to ensure teens on its platforms are subject to age-related protections.

Meta announced in a blog post Tuesday that parents in the U.S. on two of its social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram, will receive a notification with details about how to check and confirm their teens' ages on the company's apps.

All users that Meta has identified as a parent, not just adults who supervise a Teen Account, will receive the notification. The notification will include a link to a blog post Meta published a year ago on how to talk to teens about the importance of providing their correct age.

Meta hopes to raise parent awareness of age confirmation on Instagram and Facebook. Credit: Meta

Meta also announced that age-detection technology will roll out to 27 countries in the European Union and Brazil. Additionally, the technology will apply to U.S. Facebook users for the first time.

In April 2025, Meta began using AI to identify teen users who listed an adult age in their account. The technology re-assigns those users to Meta's Teen Account product, which the company says has more stringent safety protections.

In the fall, independent experts who tested Teen Accounts published a report alleging that the product doesn't work as advertised. Among their findings, the researchers documented instances in which the guardrails failed to prevent inappropriate contact with strangers.

SEE ALSO: EU says Meta hasn't done enough to prevent minors under 13 from using Instagram and Facebook

On Tuesday, Meta said that its AI technology would begin to analyze user profiles for "contextual clues" of their age, simplify the process for reporting suspected underage accounts, and strengthen its ability to stop underage users from opening new accounts.

Meta noted in its blog post that it believes lawmakers should require app stores to verify user age and provide that information to apps and developers.

Meta back on trial

Meta lost the first phase of the New Mexico trial in March when a jury found the company liable for misleading consumers about the safety of its platforms and endangering children. The suit was filed by the state's attorney general.

Meta has been ordered to pay the maximum penalties for each violation of New Mexico’s consumer protection laws, amounting to $375 million. The company has said it plans to appeal the decision.

In the bench trial, New Mexico's Department of Justice is seeking injunctive relief requiring Meta to pay additional damages of $3.75 billion and implement specific changes to protect children.

The proposed policies include effective age verification, blocking children under 13, limits on end-to-end messaging encryption for minors, and permanent bans for adult users who engage in or facilitate child exploitation.

Last week, Meta threatened to shut its platforms down in New Mexico in response to the state's demands.

"Many of the requests are technologically or practically infeasible and would essentially force Meta to build entirely separate apps for use only in New Mexico," the company said in its court filing, according to The Guardian. "Therefore, granting onerous relief could compel Meta to entirely withdraw Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp from the state as the only feasible means of compliance."

In court on Monday, Meta's counsel Alex Parkinson reiterated that stance, arguing that granting the state's injunctive relief in full would "genuinely make it untenable to continue offering Meta's products" in New Mexico.

State Attorney General Raul Torrez said that Meta is putting advertising revenue and profit ahead of the "safety of children."

"We know Meta has the ability to make these changes," Torrez said in a statement. "This is not about technological capability."

Categories: IT General, Technology

Samsung Wide Fold design revealed in leaked images

Mashable - Tue, 05/05/2026 - 12:37

Samsung's upcoming foldable phones have been revealed in a leak again, but this leak is different, because it comes directly from Samsung.

Android Authority dug through Samsung's new One UI 9 software and discovered images of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, as well as the entirely new foldable phone which will probably be called Samsung Wide Fold.

Don't expect photographs; the images are just simple graphics, but they do tell us a lot about these new phones. In particular, the Samsung Wide Fold looks significantly wider than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, which looks really skinny in comparison.

That's a large cover display. Credit: Samsung/Android Authority

The images also reveal that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 will have a triple rear camera, while the Wide Fold will only have a dual camera on the back.

Hello, skinny. Credit: Samsung/Android Authority

The designs are in line with previous leaks, renders, and mockups, including the dummy units that surfaced in late April.

Samsung's Wide Fold is widely (no pun intended) expected to clash with Apple's rumored, upcoming foldable iPhone, which will likely have a similar, wide design. This design might make the phone feel a little clunkier in the hand, but should pay off when you unfold it, as you'll get something akin to a small tablet.

As for the Galaxy Z Fold 8, it looks more or less unchanged compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy A57 5G falls short of other mid-range options

The rumored specs for the Samsung Wide Fold include a dual, 200/50-megapixel camera, a 10-megapixel selfie camera, a 5.4-inch cover display, a 7.6-inch foldable display, a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, and 12/16GB of RAM.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 will probably have similar specs as the Z Fold 7, but it should get a larger, 5,000mAh battery, as well as 45W charging.

Samsung is likely to unveil its new foldable phones in July.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Mashable will send the best deals directly to your phone daily — how to sign up for free

Mashable - Tue, 05/05/2026 - 12:31
Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

I spend a lot of time trawling through the depths of the online world to find deals that are genuinely worth your time and money. And no, I'm not talking about those heavily discounted products that have actually been stuck at that "low price" for months. I'm talking about limited-time discounts on the products that I'd actually recommend to a friend.

That's the aim of the game for Mashable's team of shopping experts. We're constantly scanning leading retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy to bring you new opportunities to save your precious cash. But we're not satisfied with the current state of affairs. We don't want you to miss a thing, and that's why we landed on the Mashable Deals text group.

Become a subscriber of the Mashable Deals text group and I'll send you the very best deals directly to your phone. You don't need to pay anything to get access to these deals. Simply sign up above and you'll be the first to know about huge savings on MacBooks, limited-time discounts on AirPods, price cuts on items under $50, and all of those other deals that drop throughout the week.

I'll send a Deal of the Day most days. During major shopping events like Prime Day and Black Friday, we may bump this up to a couple of sends per day. But that's only if we come across multiple offers that are truly worth the send. If we track down a bunch of impressively low prices during a busy shopping event, we'll drop those in a single text.

We're not going to spam you. The daily deals that we send to the Mashable Deals text group will have been researched and assessed by the team with the same level of care that we dedicate to the rest of our shopping content.

Signing up for the Mashable Deals text group is quick, safe, and totally free. You can also opt out anytime you like. I hope you give it a try.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 chart types you should never use in Excel (and what to use instead)

How-To Geek - Tue, 05/05/2026 - 12:30

Excel makes it easy to turn numbers into visuals, but "easy" doesn't always mean "accurate." Some chart types do more to hide your data than highlight it. If you want your reports to be readable and professional, stop using these confusing layouts right away.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The DJI Neo is down to its best-ever price at Amazon — save $60 right now

Mashable - Tue, 05/05/2026 - 12:23

SAVE $60: As of May 5, the DJI Neo is on sale for $139 at Amazon. That's a 30% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Neo $139 at Amazon
$199 Save $60   Get Deal

A drone for under $200 is always great deal, and a top drone for its best-ever price is even better. And that's exactly what you're getting right now with the DJI Neo at Amazon — on sale for $139 right now.

You may have heard about recent restrictions on DJI products in the U.S., but this only applies to future imports, so you can still purchase and use drones that are already available through retailers like Amazon. If you've been eyeing up a DJI drone for a while, take this as your sign to buy.

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This drone is a great choice for beginners. Not only is it an affordable option, but it weighs just 135g, meaning it's flexible and doesn't require FAA registration or Remote ID. It can take off and land from your palm with a single button and can be flown without a controller or via voice control, mobile app, or remote.

It uses subject tracking and includes eight QuickShots modes for capturing footage. It also benefits from DJI stabilization technology and level-4 wind resistance support for smoother filming during less than perfect conditions. The drone has full-coverage propeller guards for added protection during flight and comes with a battery and other essentials for use out of the box.

This drone deal is available right now at Amazon.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Save over $100 on the Breville Barista Express Impress espresso machine at Amazon

Mashable - Tue, 05/05/2026 - 12:20

SAVE OVER $100: As of May 5, the Breville Barista Express Impress is on sale for $549.95 at Amazon. That's a 20% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Breville Breville Barista Express Impress $549.95 at Amazon
$688.99 Save $139.04   Get Deal

Life is too short to settle for average coffee, especially when the Breville Barista Express Impress espresso machine is on sale at Amazon.

As of May 5, this advanced machine is reduced by almost $140, bringing the price down to $549.95. You can choose from different colors to help it blend into your kitchen. The brushed stainless steel, black sesame, and black truffle are all at the same discounted price.

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This espresso machine is designed for a truly perfect coffee. It has a built-in conical burr grinder that grinds beans directly into the portafilter. It uses low pressure pre-infusion to gradually increase pressure during extraction, alongside digital temperature control to regulate water temperature. The machine includes a grind size dial and allows adjustment of grind amount, with options for single or double shots.

It also includes a steam wand for texturing milk, so it's the perfect choice if you prefer a latte over an espresso. And it comes with a wide range of accessories so you can start enjoying great coffee on delivery day. These include a 54 mm stainless steel portafilter, single and dual wall filter baskets, a razor dose trimming tool, coffee scoop, integrated tamper, stainless steel milk jug, cleaning disc, tablets, brush tool, Allen key, and a water filter with holder.

Get this Breville deal at Amazon now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 are back on sale at Amazon — save $50 right now

Mashable - Tue, 05/05/2026 - 12:18

SAVE $50: As of May 5, Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 are on sale for $199.95 at Amazon. That's a 20% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 $199.95 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $50.04   Get Deal

These days earbuds are beyond clever. With a new pair you won't just get the standard noise cancellation — many leading models now offer features like heart rate monitoring, including the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2. As of May 5, these earbuds are reduced from $249.99 to $199.99, saving you $50 and giving you the lowest price in almost a year.

These earbuds are the perfect choice for working out. They have a secure earhook fit, helping them stay in place even during intense training. In fact, they were developed with over 1,500 hours of athlete testing to make sure they give a comfortable and reliable fit. They include active noise cancelling and a transparency mode, along with heart rate monitoring sensors that track your pulse.

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They have an IPX4 rating, so they are both sweat and water resistant. And thanks to the Apple H2 chip, they offer up to 45 hours of battery life with the charging case. And this chip doesn't mean they are for Apple users only, these are compatible with both Apple and Android devices. With both types of device you'll get features such as one-touch pairing, device switching, and more that can be controlled in the Beats app.

These earbuds are only on sale for a limited time, so don't miss out.

Categories: IT General, Technology

ASUS Zenbook A16 (2026) review: A surprising amount of power for its impossibly light design

How-To Geek - Tue, 05/05/2026 - 12:00

The ASUS Zenbook A16 (2026) is so close to perfection that I'd buy one tomorrow and tell all my friends to do the same. Not only does it pack fantastic power into a feather-light chassis, but it also boasts a gorgeous OLED screen, AI features, and an impressive speaker system.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Jon Stewart responds to Trump saying hes the only president to take a cognitive test

Mashable - Tue, 05/05/2026 - 11:50

We already know that the cognitive test Trump keeps banging on about isn't actually meant to be hard, but nonetheless the president won't stop bragging about it — recently boasting that he's "the only president to take a cognitive test."

"You're the only president to take the cognitive test?" asks Jon Stewart in the Daily Show clip above. "Let me ask you a question: Why do you think that is? Why do you think that you're the only president that that happens to? That for some reason every time you go to the doctor, which is a lot, the doctor's always like, 'Hey while you're here...'"

Stewart then plays another clip of Trump talking about a complex mental arithmetic question that they apparently also asked him, and which he claims to have answered correctly.

"No, Trump is a regular Stephen Hawking," says Stewart. "That's what it is. Although I thought the only thing they had in common was being in the Epstein files."

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Kindle Colorsoft is $60 off at Amazon — act fast to save on this serious upgrade

Mashable - Tue, 05/05/2026 - 11:44

SAVE $60: As of May 5, the Kindle Colorsoft is on sale for $189.99 at Amazon. That's a 24% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Kindle Colorsoft $189.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $60   Get Deal

If you need a boost to get through your reading list, how about a brand new e-reader? As of May 5, the Kindle Colorsoft is on sale, and it's the perfect motivator you need to start turning pages (digital ones, that is). Right now, you can save $60 on this model, currently priced at $189.99. This is for the device only in black with no ads.

With this Kindle you get a 7-inch color display as opposed to the standard black and white. This means book covers and content in your favorite reads are brought to life. You can highlight text in multiple colors, and the display can be adjusted from white to amber for comfortable reading in both bright sunlight and low light.

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Like all Kindles, the battery life is enough to see you through weeks of reading, with a single USB-C charge lasting up to eight weeks. Ideal for taking with you on vacation without extra charging cables. And speaking of vacation, the device is waterproof for use by the pool, in the bath, or on the beach.

And you won't run out of books to read. With the Colorsoft, you'll get access to over 15 million titles in the Kindle Store, with the option of a Kindle Unlimited subscription for access to a huge number of books at a monthly fee, rather than paying for each title individually.

How is that to-be-read list looking? Get this deal at Amazon now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Score the best-ever price on the Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Beginner Box — save over $10

Mashable - Tue, 05/05/2026 - 11:28

TL;DR: Amazon has the Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Beginner Box on sale for $20, down from its $34.99 list price. That saves you $14.99 and marks its lowest-ever price at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Beginner Box $20 at Amazon
$34.99 Save $14.99 Get Deal

Whether you’re a new or seasoned Magic: The Gathering player, the Avatar Beginner Box is one of the best ways to get into the expansion. Now, you can grab this popular MTG entry point for less than ever on Amazon. 

As of May 5, Amazon has the Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Beginner Box listed for $20 as a limited-time deal, which is 43% off its $34.99 list price. That's the lowest price the Avatar Beginner Box has seen on Amazon (confirmed with price tracker camelcamelcamel). That also puts it below the current TCGplayer market price of $23, and close to TCGplayer’s lowest listing of $19.88 before shipping

Walmart listings go down to $18.99 at the lowest, but that listing is from a third-party marketplace seller. 

For a licensed starter set that is made to teach two people at once, $20 is a great price to get both you and a friend started in MTG. The box starts with a guided Aang versus Zuko battle using two 20-card tutorial decks, so you can learn the basic flow of Magic without having to build anything first. 

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After that, the Beginner Box opens up with eight 20-card Avatar-themed half-decks based around themes like Firebending, Earthbending, Waterbending, Allies, Big Creatures, Counters, Spells, and Attacking. Combine any two, and you have a full 40-card deck, giving the set more replay value than a one-and-done tutorial product.

Along with the cards, you also get two playboards, two Spindown life counters, two learn-to-play guides, five double-sided tokens, and a rules reference booklet.

Ready for when you’ve got the basics down, you can expand your Magic: The Gathering collection with the 24-pack Avatar: The Last Airbender Jumpstart Booster Box on sale. Among other expansions, the newly-released MTG Secrets of Strixhaven Play Booster Box is on offer for just over $140.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Pokémon TCG Perfect Order Build and Battle Box is down to its lowest-ever price at Amazon — save almost $20

Mashable - Tue, 05/05/2026 - 11:24

TL;DR: Amazon sellers now have the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Build and Battle Box listed from $34.99. Walmart is at $42.95, while TCGplayer listings start at $39.82 shipped.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Build and Battle Box $38.98 at Amazon
$59.94 Save $20.96   Get Deal

Perfect Order is one of the best new Pokémon expansions for TCG players, since its products are so affordable compared to others like Ascended Heroes. And now you can get a battle-ready deck for under $40. 

As of May 5, Amazon’s cheapest third-party listing has the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Build and Battle Box down to $34.99, before a $4.99 delivery charge for a $38.98 total. That’s nearly $20 below the $54.95 typical price shown on Amazon. That's the lowest-ever price on Amazon according to price tracker camelcamelcamel

This deal has a wide delivery window of May 12-27. For anyone who prefers speedier dispatch, another Amazon seller has the box at $45.89 with free delivery guaranteed for May 11 at the time of writing, which still takes 16% off the listed typical price. 

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Outside of Amazon, Walmart currently has the Build and Battle Box at $42.95 with free shipping. TCGplayer is slightly lower at $39.82 shipped for its cheapest unopened listing, while its market price is sitting at $38.31. If you’re the type of collector who prefers buying their cards through Amazon, you can take comfort knowing its cheapest option is close to market price — even with delivery included. 

Each box includes a 40-card ready-to-play deck, four Mega Evolution Perfect Order booster packs, and a code card for Pokémon TCG Live. It also comes with one of four possible foil promo cards: Serperior, Barbaracle, Tyrantrum, or Doublade. 

If you’re keen on the other expansions, you can also pre-order the Pokémon TCG’s Chaos Rising Build and Battle Box at Amazon. Meanwhile, you can pre-order Chaos Rising Booster Packs for around $13 at Amazon.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Pokémon TCG Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box is now under $80 at Amazon

Mashable - Tue, 05/05/2026 - 11:19

TL;DR: Amazon has the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box listed for $79.69, down from $84.99. With over $5 off, that’s a 6% discount on an already low-priced ETB.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box $79.69 at Amazon
$84.99 Save $5.30   Shop Now

The closer we get to the launch of Pokémon’s Chaos Rising expansion, the more we’re seeing price drops on the already affordable Perfect Order range — making it one of the most budget-friendly expansions in the trading card game. 

As of May 5, Amazon has the Pokémon TCG Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box on sale for $79.69, down from its $84.99 list price. It’s sold and shipped directly by Amazon, with Prime delivery available depending on your location. That still doesn’t make it the cheapest option overall, but it does make it a more convenient buy for Amazon shoppers who want fast shipping and don’t want to sort through third-party listings.

Walmart has come in with an even lower price, listing the same Perfect Order ETB for $69.77. Over on TCGplayer, the lowest shipped listing is currently $72.99, with the dedicated trading card selling site showing a $70.43 market price and a $77.82 listed median. While Amazon is no longer wildly out of range, Walmart and TCGplayer remain the better picks if price is the only thing you care about.

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Inside the box, you’re getting nine Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Perfect Order booster packs, one full-art foil Tyrunt promo card, 65 card sleeves, 40 Energy cards, a player’s guide, six damage-counter dice, a competition-legal coin-flip die, a plastic coin, a collector’s box with dividers, and a code card for Pokémon TCG Live.

It’s a better time than ever to get into the Pokémon Legends: Z-A-centric expansion if you’ve not had a chance to dive in yet — built around featured Pokémon like Mega Zygarde ex, keeping the city in balance, with Mega Clefable ex, Mega Starmie ex, and Meowth ex also appearing in the 120+ card collection. 

You can still preorder the Pokémon TCG’s Chaos Rising Elite Trainer Box on sale. Elsewhere, you can pre-order Chaos Rising Booster Packs for around $13 at Amazon.

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