IT General

Even though I stream most of my music on Spotify, I renew my YouTube Music subscription every month. It still has one feature that I can’t get anywhere else.

Having a phone with enough storage space is essential, and even though base models now come with more than ever, running out of space is still a common problem. Thanks to powerful cameras for photos and video, large modern apps, and more, your storage will slowly disappear. Even worse, part of the problem isn't your fault.

I had a Raspberry Pi 5 lying around and I was not doing much with it. Then Proxmox VE recently announced ARM64 support on 5th of August and that immediately made me think about my Raspberry Pi. Proxmox now provides Proxmox VE for 64-bit ARM platforms, although the Raspberry Pi devices are not officially supported because of their boot and hardware-description architecture.

Can technology make you a better tennis player? Wes Ott tests over $5,000 worth of smart tennis gadgets, from a "smart" ball machine and a radar gun to court cameras and a training racquet. Which ones are worth your money, and which ones should you skip?

Read more about robotic sports tech:
Sony's table tennis robot isn't playing fair

Timecode chapters
00:00 Intro: Testing $5,000 in tennis tech
00:33 PongBot Pace S Pro ($2,000)
01:22 Pocket Radar smart coach ($400)
02:29 Tech in Pro Tennis (Hawk-Eye)
03:32 SwingVision ($33 a month) and Baseline Vision ($2,000)
04:36 Functional Tennis Saber ($200)
05:24 Are they worth the money? (Verdict)
08:14 Final thoughts and outro

Video credits
Host: Wesley Ott
Producer and camera: Dillon Lopez
Video editor: Wesley Ott
Thumbnail designer: Zooey Liao

Amy Poehler and Kenan Thompson have walked a similar comedy path, as the latest episode of Good Hang will attest. The Saturday Night Live stars reconnected for Poehler's podcast released Tuesday, with Thompson being the longest-tenured cast member in SNL history — over 22 seasons and counting.

The longtime friends unpacked the art of timing in comedy and life, Thompson's pre-SNL career (including the Mighty Ducks franchise), auditioning for SNL at 23, getting his own writing on SNL with the recurring "Scared Straight" sketch, ice skating on the Rink at Rockefeller Center at 1 a.m. after filming SNL Christmas specials, fanning out over American figure skater Alysa Liu, and more.

And as always, there's a special guest question from Thompson and Poehler's fellow SNL star Maya Rudolph.

Want more of the latest entertainment news, reviews, trailers, and interviews? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

ECC stands for error-correcting code, and it works by using additional parity bits to verify that the data read from memory matches the data that was originally written to it. Regular RAM has no such safeguard. If a single bit in a memory cell flips from a 0 to a 1, or vice versa, standard memory has no way of knowing anything went wrong. That corrupted bit just gets treated as valid data and passed along to whatever process requested it.

Aardman Animations' wonderfully quirky duo, Wallace and Gromit, are getting their Lego debut this year. The company recently announced a 1,038-piece set of the beloved buddies as part of its Ideas line, scheduled for release on Oct. 1.

What's even better is that there's no need to wait until then to buy. Preorders are already live on Lego, priced at $99.99, so you can secure this awesome set ahead of time. One important element to keep in mind is that while Wallace and Gromit are a perfect pair for every age on-screen, this set is actually recommended for adults ages 18 and up.

If you know someone younger who really wants it, just make sure an older person is around to help them with the trickier parts.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Wallace and Gromit (21371) $99.99 at Lego
  Pre-order Here

As a big fan of Wallace and Gromit, I'm eager to get my hands on this build. Its 1,038 pieces depict both Wallace and Gromit riding in their motorbike and sidecar, an image plucked straight from A Close Shave. There are fun little accessories that you can throw in the motorbike's seat hatch as well, including crackers (of course), a yarn ball for Gromit, and a diamond that you might recognize from The Wrong Trousers.

Credit: Lego

What's particularly enjoyable about this set is that both Wallace and Gromit are posable. Gromit, in particular, comes with goggles and can be posed with his ears flying back in the wind. It's a fun touch.

Credit: Lego

This Lego Ideas set was brought to life by Sébastien Esnault, who originally submitted it to the Lego Ideas “90s Throwback — The Next Chapter” challenge.

As part of an interview with the Lego Ideas blog, Esnault explained why he chose this particular scene, noting that "Beyond the characters themselves, this scene perfectly captures the spirit of Wallace & Gromit. It brings together everything that defines them: inventiveness, humor, friendship, and a sense of adventure."

Credit: Lego

There's not long to go until this set's release on Oct. 1, so get your preorder in today on Lego. Maybe throw on The Curse of the Were-Rabbit while you're piecing it together to really get into the spooky season spirit.

Talk about the end of an era: Tim Cook is no longer the CEO of Apple.

In his place, as announced in April 2026, comes John Ternus, a long-time Apple executive and engineer. The change went into effect today, on Sept. 1, and is now reflected on Apple's official leadership page.

SEE ALSO: Tim Cook shares emotional farewell on final day as Apple CEO

If you've watched Apple's events over the past two decades, Ternus' face should be familiar; he's been with the company since 2001, most recently serving as senior vice president of hardware engineering.

To find more about Ternus and why he was chosen as Cook's replacement, check out Mashable's overview.

Featured Video For You Is ChatGPT Changing the Way We Write?

As for Cook, he's definitely carved himself into an incredibly important part of Apple's history. He took the helm at Apple after founder Steve Jobs resigned in 2011, and he turned the already successful company into a multi-trillion-dollar powerhouse and one of the largest companies in the world. He remains on Apple's Board of Directors as executive chair.

In a memo sent to employees on his last day of tenure, Cook thanked the entire team and called his time at Apple "truly special."

"I am most proud of what an annual report could never capture. This place is proof that culture triumphs over everything. We share a belief that what we build matters, and that we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to leave the world better than we found it," he wrote.

Cook also thanked his team via a message on social media.

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For Ternus, the first most important date at his new job is Sept. 9, when the company is scheduled to launch new iPhones, Apple Watch devices, and more.

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TL;DR: Burger King has launched a limited-time menu celebrating Dragon Ball Super. From Sept. 1, order the Dragon Ball Super Power Up Pack that includes a Super Saiyan sauce, Dragon Ball lemonade, and exclusive character figurines.

We're seeing a lot of popular food chains dropping collabs with even more popular franchises. We recently got a Krispy Kreme Pokémon doughnut collection and a Crumbl Cookies Minecraft menu, to name just a couple of the wild collabs we've covered. Those were fun, but I wasn't seeing anything that really spoke to me.

That was until I saw Burger King's limited-time menu celebrating Dragon Ball Super. This one is for me.

Burger King has launched a limited-time menu celebrating Dragon Ball Super. From Sept. 1, you can order the Dragon Ball Super Power Up Pack that includes:

• 10-Piece Chicken Nuggets with Super Saiyan Sauce: It's supposedly a sweet, savory, and tangy teriyaki-style sauce inspired by the iconic Super Saiyan. I don't know about you, but I always looked at Goku's transformation and thought, "I bet he tastes like teriyaki."

• Dragon Ball Burst Lemonade: Mango Peach Lemonade with juicy mango-flavored Popping Boba.

• Medium Fry: Classic french fries

• Dragon Ball Super Figurine: 1 of 6 exclusive character figurines, including Goku, Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan Goku, Vegeta, Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan Vegeta, Piccolo, and Beerus.

Credit: Burger King

There's also something for kids. You can pick up a Dragon Ball Super-themed King Jr. Meal that includes a choice of hamburger, cheeseburger, or 4- or 6-piece chicken nuggets, plus a side, drink, themed crown, and one of six figurines, while supplies last.

The food upgrades are interesting. I'm keen to try the new sauce and the lemonade, but that's not the real draw here. It's the collectible figurines. If you're hunting for the full six-figurine set, you'll want to move fast. These limited-time fast-food drops notoriously get picked clean by collectors within days, so hit the BK app early before eBay reseller prices get outrageously high.

Windows doesn't make it easy to see what your installed apps are quietly sending out over the internet. Portmaster, a free and open-source tool, changes that by showing every outbound connection an app makes and giving you the power to block it.

TL;DR: Windows 11 Pro is just $7.97 (reg. $199) through Sept. 1 for one compatible PC.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Windows 11 Pro $7.97
$199 Save $191.03   Get Deal

Some upgrades just feel right. This is one of them.

If your PC has been running a little sluggish or you’ve been meaning to bring your system up to speed, Windows 11 Pro is just $7.97 (MSRP $199) through 11:59 p.m. PT on Sept. 1 — a rare, time-sensitive offer that rewards quick, savvy decisions.

This isn’t about chasing trends; it’s more about giving your computer the modern foundation it deserves. Windows 11 Pro brings a sleeker UI, better multitasking, and enhanced security — all in a one-time lifetime license.

SEE ALSO: The 6 best battery life laptops we've ever tested

Think of it as the difference between driving a reliable car and suddenly upgrading to one with a smarter dashboard, smoother handling, and built-in security features.

For professionals, creators, and power users, this upgrade also unlocks features like Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, BitLocker encryption, and seamless Azure AD integration — tools that make a real difference when you’re working across projects or managing sensitive data.

And yes, Windows 11 comes with Copilot, Microsoft’s AI-powered assistant that can summarize pages, change settings, or even help you generate code on the fly. It’s like having a co-pilot (literally) inside your OS.

But you don’t need convincing — you already know a smart upgrade when you see one.

Get Windows 11 Pro for just $7.97 (reg. $199) through Sept. 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: This refurbished 11-inch M3 iPad Air combines current-gen performance, 128GB of storage, and Wi-Fi + Cellular connectivity for $499.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Air 2025 (Refurbished) $499.99
$749 Save $249.01   Get Deal

Buying refurbished doesn’t have to mean settling for outdated technology. This 2025 Apple iPad Air has the M3 chip — the newest processor available in the Air lineup — yet it costs $499.99 instead of the regular $749.

That current-gen hardware gives it the speed to handle multitasking, demanding apps, photo editing, streaming, note-taking, and Apple Intelligence features. Its 8GB of memory helps keep performance responsive across multiple apps, while 128GB of built-in storage provides room for documents, photos, videos, and everyday downloads.

SEE ALSO: Ditch the Apple Watch: Hatch launches a contactless sleep-tracking alarm clock

The 11-inch Liquid Retina display has a 2360-by-1640 resolution, Wide Color support, and True Tone. That combination makes it well-suited to everything from reviewing documents to watching videos or working on creative projects. It also supports Apple Pencil Pro for drawing, annotation, and handwritten notes.

Connectivity is a particularly useful upgrade here. Along with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, this model includes cellular connectivity and supports 5G service where available through your carrier. That means it can stay useful while commuting, traveling, or working somewhere without nearby Wi-Fi.

Front and rear 12MP cameras cover 4K video, photos, and video calls, while Center Stage helps keep you framed during supported calls.

This Space Gray iPad Air has a thin, lightweight build and is Grade C refurbished, so buyers should expect some cosmetic blemishes.

The value comes from getting current-generation M3 performance and cellular flexibility for less — not from pretending it just left the box.

Get this refurbished 11-inch M3 iPad Air for just $499.99 (reg. $749) while supplies last.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Google Maps is one of those apps I use almost every time I leave the house, yet I keep finding things I didn't know it could do. After years of using it for directions, I've become much more interested in the little features that make navigating and planning a trip less frustrating. Here are the five I've found most useful.

Love Island USA just aired its Season 8 reunion episode on Monday night, finally letting us catch up with the four winning couples and rehash some of our favorite moments.

The Season 8 Islanders were joined by hosts Ariana Madix and Andy Cohen, who got into the nitty gritty post-villa details, recapped some of the season’s messiest moments (like Casa Amor and Movie Night), inspired healing conversations between old friends (like Kenzie and Melanie), and revealed which of the couples are still together. 

Let's get into the best moments from the Love Island USA Season 8 reunion.

Where are the Love Island USA Season 8 couples now? Aniya Harvey, Carl Schmidt, Melanie Moreno, and Sincere Nicholas Rhea. Credit: Christine Bartolucci / Peacock

Love Island USA Season 8's final four couples were Melanie and Sincere, Kayda and Zach, Aniya and Carl, and Trinity and Bryce, the latter of whom who won first place. All four couples are still going strong, especially Trinity and Bryce, who told Madix and Cohen during the reunion they haven't spent a night apart since leaving the villa.

Onstage, Aniya and Carl said they're also still making it work outside of the villa, while Kayda and Zach are testing the waters exclusively (but not as boyfriend and girlfriend), since Zach finally got his visa to move to the United States. Melanie and Sincere said they're also taking it slow while dating, with Melanie saying that Sincere is working towards building her trust.

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We also got to see two other couples who made it close to the end of Season 9 but not to the Love Island USA finale: Kenzie and Dylan, and Tierra (Titi) and KC.

During the reunion, our favorite "clam-slammin'" Islander Kenzie said that she is very much in love with Dylan, and graced us with a final display of her flexibility by performing her signature split onstage. Titi and KC are also still together, opting to split (pun intended) their time between Inglewood and San Diego.

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Since the Islanders had a chance to watch the entirety of Season 8 after filming, seeing their old villa mates stirred up some unresolved feelings about the season’s most tense moments.

Melanie serves some much-needed realness Melanie Moreno and Sincere Nicholas Rhea. Credit: Christine Bartolucci / Peacock

Melanie and Sincere didn’t have the most peaceful love story in the villa, partially because of a recoupling in episode 9 that paired Sincere with bombshell Sol and Melanie with bombshell Corbin.

During the reunion, Sol called Melanie out for not being "genuine" in the villa, accusing her of making mean comments behind her back (such as when Melanie shouted "I got my man back!" in episode 10 after talking to Sincere). Sol said this treatment extended to the other Islanders, using this season's instalment of Love Island's notorious pie contest in episode 9 as an example. She argued that she was pied more than twice by Islanders (hosts Madix and Cohen confirmed the total), which she thought was unfair. On the couch, Melanie said she had apologized to Sol after the pie contest, with Melanie telling Sol she would respect her dating Sincere.

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While Melanie and Sol may not have ended the season on good terms, Melanie and Kenzie were able to come to a mutual understanding on their friendship.

After the season ended, Kenzie made a comment about Melanie during Sol's post-villa livestream with the Love Island USA cast. During an interview with Call Her Daddy's Alex Cooper, Kenzie confirmed she and Jaiden "were just saying she did get a lot more screen time than a lot of other people who were in couples that wanted to talk."

During the reunion, Kenzie said she followed Melanie on Instagram after Love Island USA wrapped and the livestream aired, but Melanie had ignored the request. Melanie also said she felt that Kenzie didn't support her enough as a friend in the villa, as she did for Kenzie. However, after talking it out, Kenzie and Melanie left us hopeful for their future as friends. Season 8 wasn't nicknamed "Friendship Island" by social media users for nothing.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. KC and Titi (plus Trinity) speak their truth Bryce Alakai Dettloff and Trinity Celeste Tatum. Credit: Christine Bartolucci / Peacock

One of the most tense moments of Love Island USA Season 8 took place after the internet-breaking Casa Amor in episode 17, when KC decided to leave his connection with Aniya in favor of pursuing a connection with Titi. When KC and Titi arrived at the villa three days later as a couple in episode 21, some Islanders did not take it lightly, due to the heartbreak it caused Aniya. One person who stood up for Aniya in the episode was Trinity, who called KC and Titi out for moving the way they did. Trinity got into an argument with Titi, during which Titi called Trinity "a little girl," one of the most memorable comebacks of the season.

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During the reunion, Titi admitted that she could've worded things differently during the moment. Onstage, KC called The Girls out for their lack of support for coupling with Titi, which Aniya argued did happen but not until after the infamous Movie Night in episode 26 – which let KC see firsthand how his actions may have been hurtful to Aniya.

And, just as a little treat, the hosts aired some unseen footage of Trinity going off on Sincere for not exploring enough in the villa:

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And that's why Brinity was our winning couple of Season 8. 

Jaiden and Caleb (and Kayda) talk hookups  Kuman Dameon “KC” Chandler, Sean David Reifel, Corbin Mims, Caleb McDaniel, and Jenn Terry. Credit: Christine Bartolucci / Peacock

Last but not least, Love Island USA Season 8 reunion ended with some unexpected drama between two Islanders who used to be a couple: Jaiden and Caleb. 

Jaiden and Caleb left the villa together as a couple, and said during the reunion that they tried to make their connection work after the show. However, onstage, it was clear that the two had very different perspectives about their separation. Jaiden said that Caleb didn't work on their relationship after the show concluded, and that he did not communicate with her what his intentions were, saying that the pair had hooked up more than once. Caleb rejected Jaiden's view but admitted that he was afraid of having a deeper conversation, and ended up apologizing to Jaiden for not being more communicative.

In the heat of the moment, Kayda asked Jaiden why she hooked up with Caleb again, prompting Titi to come to Jaiden’s defense (along with social media users on X, who accused Kayda of not being a "girl's girl" in that moment).

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It’s not looking like Friendship Island for Caleb and Jaiden, but we did get to see a few of our other favorite moments of the season: Kenzie saying Bryce had "turtle tongue," Trinity asking who had "french fries" last night, Sincere's intricate food metaphors, and Sol saying "Mama happy" after talking to Sincere.

We also got to see a few iconic "CorbinGPT" moments with Love Island "robot" Corbin being "shut down" (sleeping) or "rebooting" (zoned out) in the villa. 

Season 8 of Love Island USA may have come to an end, but we can look forward to Season 9 premiering on Peacock in the summer of 2027.

SAVE $100: As of Sept. 1, the Garmin Forerunner 265 is discounted to $349.99 at Amazon during its Labor Day sale. That's $100 off its full price of $449.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin Forerunner 265 $349.99 at Amazon
$449.99 Save $100   Get Deal

Labor Day sales are officially live, offering shoppers a nice little sprinkle of savings before big seasonal sale events like Black Friday. If you're using this as an opportunity to find a fitness tracker or smartwatch for your fall activities, Amazon has plenty of great discounts available in its sale, including an excellent price cut on the Garmin Forerunner 265.

As of Sept. 1, this running smartwatch is $349.99. That's a solid $100 in savings, and it applies to every available color as well, so you can choose between the black and powder gray, aqua and black, or whitestone and tidal blue models.

SEE ALSO: Purple's Labor Day sale gets you a king mattress for the price of a queen — shop now for up to $400 off

As its name suggests, the Garmin Forerunner 265 is built for runners. It's packed with features to help keep on top of a training schedule, including a training readiness score — which uses data gathered from sleep, recovery, training load, and HRV status to see if you're ready for a workout — and personalized daily workouts that can help you plan a race strategy after putting the course in the Garmin Connect app.

It provides you with stats bright and early, with a morning report that offers a breakdown of your sleep, recovery, training outlook, HRV status, training readiness, and the weather so you can plan ahead for the day. On top of that, it offers up to 13 days of battery in smartwatch mode (or up to 20 hours in GPS mode) and boasts a bright AMOLED touchscreen display, so you can clearly see your stats throughout the day.

If this Garmin Forerunner 265 has been on your radar, this is a great opportunity to save during Amazon's Labor Day sale.

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

SAVE $311: As of Sept. 1, the Segway Navimow i110 is on sale for $788 at Amazon. That's a 28% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Navimow Segway Navimow i110 $789 at Amazon
$929 Save $140   Get Deal

Mowing the lawn is one of those chores that is so easy to put off. And if you really hate to do it, how does the idea of taking mowing completely off your to-do list sound? With a robot lawn mower, it is entirely possible.

Right now at Amazon, there's a great deal on the Segway Navimow i110, so you can upgrade for less. As of Sept. 1, it's priced at just $788. It normally costs $1,099, so that's a savings of $311.

SEE ALSO: The 6 best power stations for camping keep you both online and off-grid

This robot lawn mower doesn't require any perimeter wires. Instead, with a smartphone-guided setup, you can map virtual lawn boundaries in just a few taps, helping it navigate seamlessly. Plus, AI-assisted mapping can identify lawn edges and automatically map the working area. It also has a 140-degree field-of-view camera that can identify more than 150 common garden objects (such as toys and plant pots) and avoid them.

Once you have it all set up, the Navimow mower follows its planned mowing patterns to ensure full coverage. It even changes direction after reaching 100% coverage to minimize tracks. And if it runs out of battery on the job, it recharges itself before continuing until the job is done.

Sold on the idea of no more manual mowing? Get this deal from Amazon now.

SAVE $80.01: As of Sept. 1, the Skyrover S1 Mini Drone Combo is on sale for $318.99 at Amazon. That's an 20% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Skyrover Skyrover S1 Mini Drone Combo $318.99 at Amazon
$399 Save $80.01   Get Deal

Looking for a new drone? As of Sept. 1, the Skyrover S1 Mini Drone Combo has dropped in price at Amazon, saving you $80. This deal brings the price down to $318.99, its best-ever price. The bundle includes everything you need to get going, so this is a great offer for newbies and experienced drone fans alike.

This model is a compact mini drone designed to make capturing high-quality aerial footage easy. It has a 1/2-inch CMOS sensor that shoots 4K/60 fps video and 8K/48 MP photos, and comes packed with features that make flying easier. For example, it benefits from forward obstacle avoidance, one-tap takeoff and landing, and Smart Return-to-Home, making it beginner friendly. It even uses an AI Auto Track to help keep you in frame as you move.

SEE ALSO: Viral video shows Amazon delivery drone dropping package in hot tub

You'll get up to 40 minutes of flight time per battery and up to 120 minutes with the included three-battery setup, so there's plenty of time to film. Plus, the design weighs under 249g, meaning this drone is compact enough to take on trips and is FAA-friendly for recreational flying.

Head to Amazon now to score this drone deal.

SAVE $100: As of Sept. 1, the Dyson Supersonic Nural is on sale for $349.99 at Amazon. That's a 22% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson Supersonic Nural $349.99 at Amazon
$449.99 Save $100   Get Deal

A deal on a Dyson hair product is basically a sign to treat yourself, right? And right now, the Dyson Supersonic Nural is on sale, so if you've been wanting to upgrade to the famed styling tool but not at full price, now is the time. As of Sept. 1, it's down from $449.99 to $349.99, saving you $100. According to price tracker camelcamelcamel, this deal is just 99 cents above its lowest-ever price.

So, what exactly does this hair dryer do that makes it so popular? As the name suggests, the Supersonic Nural uses a network of Nural sensors to automatically activate intelligent features that tailor your styling routine to your hair type. There are features like Scalp Protect, which adjusts the air temperature to maintain a target of 130°F at the scalp, as well as Attachment Learning, which recognizes each attachment and remembers your preferred airflow and heat settings.

SEE ALSO: I found 4 Dyson Supersonic dupes that are almost as good as the real thing

There's even a Pause Detect feature, which switches off the heater and reduces airflow when you stop styling, then reactivates when you pick the product back up. You can also choose from three airflow settings and four heat settings, including a constant cool setting and an 82°F cold shot to help set your style.

This deal is available on Amazon right now, but we don't know how long it'll last.

SAVE OVER $200: As of Sept. 1, Sony XM5 headphones are on sale for $198 at Amazon. That's a 50% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony XM5 $198 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $201.99   Get Deal

The Sony XM5 headphones have dropped in price at Amazon, and it's not just any discount; they're currently at their lowest-ever price.

As of Sept. 1, these popular headphones are over $200 off, bringing the price down to $198. And all colorways have been reduced, so you can choose from black, midnight blue, silver, or smoky pink.

SEE ALSO: I expected the new Bose QuietComfort headphones to be great. They're my new favorites from the brand.

These are impressive headphones for a number of reasons, but especially for noise cancellation. They use two processors and eight microphones to deliver impressive noise cancellation, with the Auto NC Optimizer adjusting it based on your surroundings and how you're wearing them.

The sound quality in general is impressive with the XM5, thanks to Sony's Integrated Processor V1, which delivers high-quality audio, as well as the four beamforming microphones and advanced audio signal processing that help provide clear output for voice notes and calls.

You'll also get a significant battery life, with up to 30 hours of use. And when you do run out of battery, quick charging gives you three hours of playback from just a three-minute charge.

This Sony deal is available at Amazon now, but only for a limited time.

More expensive doesn't always mean better, and the second generation Bose QuietComfort headphones are proof of exactly that.

No shade to the second gen Bose QC Ultra headphones — they are still the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn. Good as the brand's premium flagship model is, however, it was a boring upgrade upon launch and remains so now (such is the case with many a tech release these days).

SEE ALSO: The 10 best noise-cancelling headphones we use, love, and recommend

That's because the name of the game these days is that making small tweaks — like 10 percent better noise cancellation or a new colorway — constitutes an entirely new generation release. The latest Bose QuietComfort headphones, on the other hand, actually make real changes while retaining the same $359 price tag as the original QuietComforts.

Sure, Bose didn't go totally into left field, but they made tweaks where it mattered most, closing the performance gap between the QCs and the $449 Ultras, and resulting in the most well-rounded pair of headphones I've seen from the brand to date. Let's get into why.

The Bose QuietComfort (2nd Gen) headphones at a glance I requested the eucalyptus green pair because look at them. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

What I liked: The list is long, but I'll aim to keep it brief. These QuietComforts are wearable for hours and hours on end with earrings and glasses, feature some of the best (though not quite industry leading) active noise cancellation that's manually adjustable, solid sound quality without any adjustments, several ways to listen, fun colorways that make them feel like a real accessory, intuitive touch controls, replaceable ear cups for future proofing, and most importantly, are a good deal cheaper than most other premium options available.

What I didn't like: The app only has a three-band equalizer, the noise cancellation can get staticky with sudden spikes of noise (just like the first gen QuietComforts), and despite offering USB-C listening for lossless audio, these headphones feature no options for passive playback.

Specs

• Active noise cancellation: Yes, with manual adjustment available

• Microphones: Six

• Lossless playback: Wired USB-C audio up to 24bit/48kHz

• Equalizer: Three-band custom equalizer

• Spatial audio: Bose TrueSpatial technology with Immersive Audio modes for Still, Motion, and Cinema

• Battery life: 24 hours per charge (18 hours with Immersive Audio)

• Quick charge: 15-minute charge for 2.5 hours of playback

• Connection: Bluetooth 5.4

• Multipoint: Yes

• Weight: 0.5 pounds

• Colors: Black, white smoke, eucalyptus green*, dewdrop mint*, rosewood mauve* (*limited edition colors)

Pricing and availability

As I mentioned up top, these headphones retail for $359 — the exact same list price as the first generation QuietComfort headphones. At the time I'm writing this review, the first gen headphones are on sale for $199 in one colorway, with the remaining options available for $229. While these prices are likely reflective of the release of the new generation, I wouldn't be surprised if we see the second gen QuietComforts drop down to $299 (or lower) during the upcoming Black Friday season.

Bose QuietComfort headphones (2nd gen) $359 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Best Buy Shop Now at Bose Bose QuietComfort (2nd Gen) performance Sound quality

The standard listening experience of these headphones didn't feel all that different from other QuietComfort headphones I'd tried, but that's not a knock against them. Bose's sound on this line tends to lean warm and rich, but I wouldn't describe the clarity as one of the standout features.

The mids also run a little low for my taste, so I tend to bump them up on the equalizer. That said, if you often like fine-tuning your sound just so, these might not be the headphones for you — the equalizer is limited to one treble, one mid, and one bass adjustment band.

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However, Bose does offer more options in listening with the inclusion of Immersive Audio, which is designed to open up the soundstage of your audio and more closely mimic a live performance. From the first generation QC headphones to the QC Ultra headphones, this was one of the biggest discrepancies — the cheaper headphones simply didn't have it. With its inclusion, a significant gap has been closed. Granted, I've never been the biggest fan of Bose's Immersive mode — to me, it can make music sound too flat, which especially stands out against the richness of Bose's standard mode. However, this can really come down to personal preference (and it's worth mentioning I've rarely preferred any headphones' spatial audio modes in the past).

Noise cancellation

Bose claimed that these new QuietComforts came with improvements in noise cancellation, so I was thrilled to put them to the test in all my usual scenarios — noisy cafes, on walks around town, in my home, and during some travel from California to the Pacific Northwest.

These headphones are a godsend on a long travel day. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

I'll start with the cons, because they are minimal: all three times I was on a plane, I wore these during takeoff, and all three times, the noise cancellation got real staticky. It wasn't a huge bummer, and it was over in a matter of seconds, but it did echo a complaint my colleague Samantha Mangino faced when she wore the first generation QuietComforts around an approaching train.

To their credit, Bose does say their Aware Mode is better at dealing with sudden bursts in sound (in that they're not over-amplified), so it's possible a fix for this is in the pipeline for future generations.

Now, onto the pros: these headphones are just really solid at blocking out sound from the world around you. Without any music, I can barely hear myself type on my laptop — with the volume at 50 percent on my music, my typing disappears completely. On a plane, some low engine hum still comes through, but other passengers and the majority of the plane sounds get dampened to an impressive degree.

It's not quite the cocoon of silence offered by the QC Ultra 2 headphones (and it shouldn't be, these headphones have six microphones to the Ultra's 10), but it gets close enough that the price difference starts to look less justifiable.

Bose QuietComfort (2nd Gen) design and build quality

Whenever someone asks me for a rec on the most comfortable headphones, I point them in the direction of Bose, and these headphones will only have me pointing with more vigor.

The full carrying case arsenal. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable The tactile controls all live on the bottom of the ear cups, making for a sleeker appearance over the previous gen. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

Before I full-on gush over how much I loved wearing these headphones, let's go over the design changes. Bose changed the shape of the second gen headphones slightly, opting for more of an oval leaning rounded rectangle than true oval shape of the ear cups on the OG QuietComforts. They also now feature an indent around the perimeter, more closely following the design of the Ultra headphones, and offering a convenient spot to hide all the on-ear controls and power switch.

OK, let's get to the good stuff — these headphones added a more plush headphone and ear cushions over the previous gen and it shows. Not once did I experience even the slightest bit of wear fatigue, even when I wore them pretty consistently through full work days and travel days. The QC Ultra headphones are ever so slightly more comfortable, but these still fall into the category of some of the most long-wearing headphones I've ever tried.

My only real gripe, which I noticed most during my time in the airport, was that these headphones won't fold flat down when you wear them around your neck. It's a small grievance, but if you travel a lot or simply prefer around-the-neck wear, it's worth being aware of.

That said, the overall portability of these headphones is a 10/10 for me. The case is compact, but I also tried simply folding them up and throwing them into my bag, and they took up as minimal space as I could expect from over-ear headphones.

Yes, it popped back on with ease, and yes, replaceable parts cannot be undervalued. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

Finally, it's not a new feature, but I continue to appreciate the inclusion of replaceable ear cushions on these headphones. When I used QC 35 II's, the ear cups were the first part to show their age, and being able to simply swap them out breathed new life into the headphones.

Are the Bose QuietComfort (2nd Gen) headphones worth it?

If I had to buy new headphones today, these would be the ones I'd buy for myself.

It's hard to find top-of-the-line features for under $400, so I was impressed in all the ways that these headphones went head-to-head with their more expensive counterpart in the QC Ultras. If I had to put a number on it, I'd say the Ultras are roughly 10 percent better, but there's a 20 percent price difference between the two headphones. In other words, the math doesn't add up.

Unless you need sound-first headphones (in which case, might I introduce you to the Sony XM6 headphones), the second gen QuietComfort headphones offer the best blend of high-end noise cancellation, wear, durability, and value.