Mashable

Perplexity searches are now shoppable with a Perplexity Pro subscription.

Today, the AI-driven search engine unveiled "Buy with Pro," a shopping assistant within Perplexity searches that gives you a one-click shopping experience. If you're researching products, or some kind of shopping-related query, Perplexity includes products in its responses that can be bought on the page — as long as your payment info is saved in the app.

Search results include relevant product info to inform your purchases by comparing prices and features. To sweeten the deal, Perplexity is also offering free shipping.

SEE ALSO: ChatGPT Search is now live. Here's how to use it. How Perplexity compares to Google and OpenAI

Buy with Pro is available with a Perplexity Pro subscription, which costs $20 a month. But notably, Perplexity doesn't earn a commission from purchases like Google Shopping — for now. "We have no concrete plans to introduce affiliate revenue," said Perplexity spokesperson Sara Platnick. "But it's also not off the table." At least for now, it sounds like a way to entice Perplexity users to upgrade to Pro.

Perplexity has gained attention as competitor to Google and OpenAI by offering a combination of AI-generated and real-time responses from the web. It's like a hybrid of Google Gemini and Google's AI overviews or OpenAI's new ChatGPT Search. However, like other generative AI chatbots trained on publicly available content, it has faced accusations of violating copyright and trademark laws. While Perplexity battles infringement lawsuits, it is charging forward with monetizing AI-powered search results.

It's not an AI agent, as in, it doesn't perform multi-step tasks — a feature that's shaping up to be a big theme in the coming year. But shoppable search results could be a stepping stone to this autonomous feature that companies like Google and OpenAI are expected to launch soon.

In conjunction with the AI shopping assistant, Perplexity also announced a Merchant Program for retailers to share product specs with the app. In turn, participating merchants will get an increased chance of product recommendations and purchasing data about their products. Perplexity isn't sharing specific user browsing habits with merchants, Platnick confirmed to Mashable.

Americans increasingly get their news from online influencers, and a new study found those creators are predominantly men and more likely to be conservative.

Pew released a detailed study on Monday that examined news influencers in America. Among the key takeaways was that 21 percent of U.S. adults — and 37 percent of those under the age of 30 — said they regularly got their news from social media influencers. Overall, the study found that news influencers were majority men and more likely to be conservative.

The Pew study found that 63 percent of news influencers — a significant majority — were men. When it came to politics, meanwhile, 27 percent were right-leaning, compared with 21 percent who identified as left-leaning. Forty-eight percent, meanwhile, had "no clear orientation."

The fact that a plurality of news influencers identified as having no political orientation may be related to how Pew defined a news influencer. A news influencer was defined as: "[Individuals] who regularly post about current events and civic issues on social media and have at least 100,000 followers on any of Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) or YouTube. News influencers can be journalists who are or were affiliated with a news organization or independent content creators, but they must be people and not organizations."

SEE ALSO: Are the 2024 presidential campaigns Too Online?

Of the 500 popular news influencers included in the study, 23 percent were or had been employed in the news industry. Those current or former journalists proved much more likely to eschew explicit political bias. Most news influencers with no news background said they did lean one way or the other.

The more granular takeaways from the study were interesting as well. For instance, if Facebook seems more conservative, the study would agree. There were three times as many conservative influencers on the platform (39 percent) compared with liberal ones (13 percent). TikTok had the most equitable distribution of news influencers when it came to both politics and gender. Forty-five percent of news influencers on TikTok were women compared to 50 percent men. And 28 percent were liberal compared with 25 percent conservative.

The data from Pew seems to back the reporting and notion that there's a growing ecosystem of right-wing influencers. The 2024 election, after all, seemed to be, in part, proof of that idea.

Black Friday is upon us once again. Though the official shopping holiday is on Nov. 29, Amazon's Black Friday shopping event kicks off Thursday, Nov. 21, and runs through (Cyber) Monday, Dec. 2. Exciting deals await on electronics, toys, kitchen gadgets, and more. In fact, many are already live, as in years past.

Unlike Prime Day, which is exclusively for Prime members, shoppers aren't required to have a Prime membership to enjoy Black Friday deals at Amazon. Of course, it never hurts, though. With Prime, you'll have access to some exclusive savings, free and fast delivery, and access to the Black Friday NFL game on Nov. 29. The Kansas City Chiefs will host the Las Vegas Raiders at 3 p.m. ET in a game exclusive to Prime Video. New discounts on toys, electronics, and apparel will be up for grabs during the game.

Here's how shoppers can sign up for Amazon Prime:

Total Time

• 5 minutes, email address or phone number

What You Need

• Internet access

Step 1: Go to the Amazon Prime sign-up page and click on Start your free 30-day trial.

Head to Amazon Prime's sign-up page.

Step 2: Input your email if you have an existing Amazon account or click on Create Your Amazon account.

A new sign-in page will open up on the website. Input your email or mobile number and password if you have an existing Amazon account or click on Create Your Amazon account. If you make a new account, you'll need to provide some basic information such as name, email, and password.

Step 3: If you're creating a new account, follow the steps to verify your email with a One-Time Password.

If you choose to create a new account, Amazon will send an OTP to your respective email address or mobile number for account verification. If you are using an existing account, skip to Step 5.

Step 4: Input the OTP and click on Verify.

Once the OTP verification page appears on the screen, input the code and click on Verify.

Step 5: Sign up for your free one-month trial or purchase a full subscription.

Now users have two options: sign up for a free one-month trial or purchase a full subscription, though many users might not qualify for a free trial if they have already availed it in the past with the same email or phone number. If you are purchasing a subscription, click on one of these four plans to become a prime member: Monthly Prime Membership — costs $14.99 per month Annual Membership — costs $139 per year or under $12 monthly Student Monthly Membership — costs $7.49 per month; students are eligible for exclusive offers including a 6-month free Prime trial. Prime for government assistance recipients — costs $6.99 per month (must verify eligibility)

So what's the best laptop of 2024?

I've tested well over 59 laptops during my career as a tech reviewer. I've seen awful laptops that I wouldn't recommend to worst enemy, middling laptops that are forgettable, and extraordinary machines that are worth every cent.

Not to toot my horn — OK, fine maybe a toot-toot or two won't hurt — I'm a beast when it comes to inspecting laptops.

I put laptops through the wringer with battery life testing (if it doesn't last at least 15 hours, I don't want it); I overwhelm the laptop with memory-taxing Google Chrome tabs to test performance; I scrutinize the durability of the chassis; I test the speakers to see if they're too quiet; I take the laptop outside to see if it's too dim.

I run industry benchmarks from the likes of Geekbench and PCMark to determine how the review units — with hard numbers — compare to other equally priced competitors.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

When it comes to reviewing laptops, I always ask myself one crucial question: "Would I buy this with my hard-earned money?" If the answer is no, there's no way I'm recommending it to you — unless, of course, it's still a great laptop, but would better suit another specific niche.

That being said, among the many laptops I've reviewed thus far, there's only one laptop that's truly the best laptop of 2024: the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7.

Opens in a new window Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 $1,599.00 at Amazon
It has the longest battery life we've ever tested. Get Deal SEE ALSO: Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 review: 23 hours of battery life? MacBooks are in trouble Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 is the best laptop of 2024: 3 reasons why

Stay with me here. In order for you to understand why the Surface Laptop 7 is best laptop of 2024, you'll need a little historical context. Because the Surface family wasn't always highly recommended — until now.

A few years ago, I was smack-talking the Surface Laptop 5 when I reviewed it for a different publication. (The Surface Laptop 5 is technically the Surface Laptop 7's truest predecessor. There's a Surface Laptop 6, but it's for business, which means it targets enterprise customers.) I've always wanted Microsoft Surface laptops to win — but they just couldn't live up to my expectations (at the time).

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

It's not that Microsoft Surface laptops were awful per se — they just kept getting outperformed by cheaper, better competitors. So I couldn't, in good conscience, recommend them.

Now, if you were to tell me that, in 2024, I'd be recommending a Surface laptop, I'd say, "You're out of your mind!" But here I am, as a laptop expert, actually suggesting a Microsoft laptop to my readers. But you know what? I'm backing this up. I have proof that it's the best laptop of 2024 Here are my three reasons.

More laptop deals you may like:

• Laptops on Amazon

• Laptops at Best Buy

• Laptops at Walmart

1. The best battery life we've ever seen

I've tested the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7's battery life and it lasted 22 hours and 50 minutes.

The Surface Laptop 7's keyboard is OK. Nothing to write home about. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

That's nearly 23 hours! Now that is all-day battery life. This is practically unheard of for Windows laptops these days. (Trust me; I've tested a lot of them.)

This is the best battery runtime we've ever recorded at Mashable. Here are some of the other runtimes of our laptops:

• 15-inch M3 MacBook Air - 10 hours and 52 minutes

• HP OmniBook X - 16 hours and 47 minutes

• Lenovo Yoga 9 2-in-1 - 7 hours and 21 minutes

As you'll find out in the next section, the reason behind the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7's success with battery life is its new Qualcomm processor. (I'm sorry, but Intel just isn't cutting it anymore.)

Can you guess which chip was inside the Lenovo Yoga 9 2-in-1, which lasted only a measly 7 hours? It certainly wasn't a Qualcomm chip. (Spoiler alert: It was an Intel chip.)

2. Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 performance beats M3 MacBooks

I don't want to bore you with too many details about chipsets, but they're crucial to bring up to help you understand why Microsoft Surface finally has positive reviews from testers after a few tumultuous years.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Long story short, Intel, the most popular chipset maker for Windows, was holding the Microsoft Surface series back from laptop nirvana. (Even Apple stopped dealing with Intel a few years ago.)

In 2020, Apple introduced its new in-house, custom ARM chips (i.e., M-series processors). After Apple debuted these chips in the M1 MacBook Air and M1 MacBook Pro four years ago, it never looked back. Why? They were a huge success, delivering unmatched battery life and performance. (Apple's current-gen MacBooks are now rocking M3 series chips and the company is eyeing an M4 release soon).

Now, non-Apple vendors are finally hopping aboard the "Intel ain't it" train, too, thanks to Qualcomm, an Intel rival. Qualcomm announced it had a chipset, dubbed the Snapdragon X Elite processor, that is so good, it beats all M3-based MacBooks. Now, I was skeptical and didn't believe it at first. But this new Snapdragon X Elite processor was packed inside the new Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 — and it blew its rivals out of the water.

With "Best performance mode" turned on in the Settings app, the Surface Laptop 7 notched an incredible multi-core score of 14,548 on Geekbench 6. For context, here are the multi-core scores of other laptops I've tested this year:

• 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro - 11,998

• 15-inch M3 MacBook Air - 12,057

And yes, I purposely highlighted Apple's M3 MacBooks here to prove a point (i.e., Qualcomm was right). This wasn't just a fluke either. The HP OmniBook X I reviewed this year, also packed with a Snapdragon X Elite chip, is almost as good as the Surface Laptop 7, but delivered a slightly lower multi-core score of 13,888.

3. Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 makes Windows fun again with AI

Remember when Windows used to be fun? As a kid (I'm now a Millennial adult for context), I used to mess around on Paint, play Microsoft 3D Pinball, and watch visualizers bounce along to the music I played on Windows Media Player.

Me using Cocreator in Paint, which creates masterpieces based on your sketches. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Now, Microsoft has revitalized that excitement with a flurry of new AI features. From the new ChatGPT rival Copilot to AI additions that seduce you back to Paint (e.g., Cocreator), getting to play around with the AI on Windows has captivated me.

If Microsoft is using AI to seduce users away from Apple (though Apple Intelligence is officially landing on supported Mac systems very soon), it's working — at least for me.

The Photos app as a new AI-powered Image Creator feature that lets you create AI-generated images with prompts Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

The Surface Laptop 7's AI capabilities are possible thanks to the NPU, an AI accelerator packed inside the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite.

One minor flaw you should consider before purchasing

As a laptop reviewer, I know more than anyone that no machine is ever perfect. One minor flaw that I spotted with the Surface Laptop 7 is app incompatibility. It's something I discovered when I tried to install the Apple Music app. I typically have no issues with doing this on other Windows systems, but it looks like some developers haven't enabled Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite support for their apps yet.

Keep in mind, Apple Music was the only app I noticed that didn’t support the Surface Laptop 7 — a discovery I made because it’s an essential part of my daily PC activities.

Another note: The Surface Laptop 7 is not a gaming PC by any means (it lacks a discrete GPU that can handle intensive gaming), but I'll admit that you can get away with some light gaming on it. But keep in mind that some games, according to this list, may not run properly on the Surface Laptop 7.

Overall, though, the Surface Laptop 7 has never-ending battery life, engaging AI features, zippy performance, a sturdy, anti-fingerprint chassis, and more. How could it not be the best laptop of 2024?

How much is the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7?

The Surface Laptop 7 I tested and highly recommend has a price tag of $1,599 on Amazon.

However, every now and then, it's on sale. As of this writing, for example, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 is $200 off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 $1,599.00 at Amazon
Get Deal

I thought I had the best iPhone camera settings simply because I have the iPhone 16 Pro Max — the latest and greatest smartphone from Apple.

However, I was humbled quickly when I saw Mashable's professional photographer, Joe Maldonado, shooting out in the field with a highly tuned iPhone 14 Pro. Although we were taking the same photos, and despite using the best handset out of Cupertino, Maldonado's photos turned out more crisp, sharper, and more vibrant than mine.

What gives?!

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

At first, I thought a dirty lens was the issue. But even after carefully cleaning the sensors with a microfiber cloth, Maldonado’s photos were still far superior to mine.

Finally, I asked, "Wait, how does your iPhone 14 Pro take better pictures than my iPhone 16 Pro Max?"

"It's all about the settings," Maldonado said.

Featured Video For You 5 reasons iPhone 16 is the best upgrade for you Best iPhone camera settings, according to an expert

So how do you get the crème de la crème of photo quality out of your iPhone? Follow these steps — and thank our pro photographer Maldonado later.

Total Time

• 5 min

What You Need

• iPhone
• preferably a recent Pro model

Step 1: Go to 'Settings'

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 2: Tap on 'Camera'

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 3: Tap on 'Formats'

You'll find "Formats" between "Record Sound" and "Preserve Settings."

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 4: Ensure the following 3 settings are toggled on

Here, make sure "High Efficiency" under Camera Capture is ticked as well as "24 MP" under Photo Mode. Plus, make sure "ProRAW & Resolution Control" is toggled on.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon

Step 5: Tap on 'Pro Default'

Make sure that there's a checkmark next to "ProRAW Max (Up to 48MP)." There should also be a checkmark next to JPEG-XL Lossy (this is only available for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max).

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 6: Go back to 'Camera' menu and tap on 'Preserve Settings'

Make sure the following are toggled on: Camera Mode, Creative Controls, Macro Control, Exposure Adjustment, Night Mode, Portrait Zoom, ProRaw & Resolution Control, Live Photo. Like the menu name suggests, this ensures that your current settings are preserved every time you open the Camera app.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 7: Return to 'Camera' menu

Enable 'Grid' and make sure 'Level' is toggled on. According to Maldonado, these settings help him line up his shots. Plus, ensure that 'Portraits in Photo Mode,' 'Prioritize Faster Shooting,' 'Lens Correction,' and 'Macro Control' are enabled, too.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon

And that's it as far as the Settings app is concerned.

While you're actually in the Camera app itself, Maldonado suggests that users toggle "Raw MAX" on.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Plus, while shooting, make sure you're hitting "1x" (the main sensor known as the wide camera) to get the best-quality photos.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Now, go out there with your newly tweaked iPhone and let us know in the comments if you notice a difference.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple iPhone 16 Pro From $999 or $41.62 per month at Apple Shop Now

When it comes to shopping for the best cheap laptops, you can do a lot with $1,000. (Heck, even $500 cuts some mustard nowadays.) But you'll probably have to make some compromises along the way to stay below that price point.

That doesn't mean you have to settle for a total clunker that doesn't tick any of the boxes on your must-have specs list. It just means you have to shop a little smarter than someone with unlimited funds.

That's where we come in. The Mashable team is constantly reviewing new laptops with different operating systems and use cases, and we recommend several affordable machines that meet most, if not all of our performance and build quality standards.

Our top picks

As of Nov. 2024, we believe the best cheap MacBook is the 13-inch Apple MacBook Air powered by the previous-generation M2 chip. It's speedy enough for most people, it lasts all day, has an excellent keyboard, and it starts at $999 (though it's often on sale for well under $900). What's more, it just got a welcome base configuration bump to 16GB of RAM.

Among Windows PCs, the Lenovo Yoga 7i 14 (Gen 9) is currently the best laptop under $1,000 that we've tried. It has a peppy processor and a good battery life, it doubles as a tablet, and it starts at $899.99.

If you're really into Microsoft machines, look into the Surface Laptop Go 3. The company's current cheapest offering is a super portable notebook with a chic look and a clicky keyboard — though I'd encourage shoppers to find it on sale, given its older CPU. It otherwise starts at $799.99.

SEE ALSO: The best laptops of 2024, tested and approved by Mashable staff

The best cheap Chromebook is the $499 HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch, with its big, vibrant display and competent everyday performance. It also supports some useful AI features and multimedia editing apps.

Cheap gaming laptops don't get much better than the Acer Nitro V 15, which combines a cool design with cool Triple-A performance for $999 as tested. (The base model is only $749.) We also now recommend the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE as an even cheaper "cheap gaming laptop" pick — which shouldn't be a huge surprise, given how much we liked its very similar predecessor. It costs the same $649, too.

Other cheap laptops on our radar

We currently have the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 in hand for testing (specifically, the 2023 model with a 12th-generation Intel processor that retails for $399.99). If it feels like a better value than HP's Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch, it could be a new "best cheap Chromebook" contender.

We'll also test the Asus Vivobook S 14, a new Copilot+ PC with a Lunar Lake CPU and an OLED display, as well as the latest Framework Laptop 13, a repairable laptop that seems like a solid long-term value. We were big fans of an older version.

Look for extra-cheap laptops on Black Friday

Tech retailers like Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart, HP, Dell, and Lenovo save the bulk of their year-round lows for Black Friday season. (That's why we've deemed it the best time of year to score a great deal on a laptop.) For the next couple of weeks, we expect our favorite cheap laptops to be even cheaper than usual.

SEE ALSO: The best early Black Friday laptop deals on Apple, HP, Dell, Lenovo, and more

Don't want to scour the myriad listings yourself? Bookmark Mashable's guide to the best Black Friday laptop deals. We'll be updating it constantly throughout the holidays with vetted discounts on MacBooks, gaming laptops, Chromebooks, and more.

Read on for Mashable's in-depth guide to the best cheap laptops of 2024. FYI: We've listed the pricing and specs of our testing units, which may not apply to each laptop's base model.

Apple is reportedly working on an upgraded version of AirTags.

In his latest Power On newsletter for Bloomberg, prominent Apple insider Mark Gurman revealed that the first hardware update for AirTags is expected to arrive in mid-2025.

Apple AirTags debuted in April 2021. While a four-year hardware update might typically promise significant new features, Gurman suggested that this may not be the case for the upcoming revision.

SEE ALSO: Apple makes iPhone 6s Plus and XS Max vintage as obsolete list updated Apple AirTags: Updates to expect in 2025

According to Gurman, the next-generation AirTags will reportedly offer improved range, but the standout feature will be a design tweak making it harder to disable the onboard speaker — a key safeguard for detecting unknown AirTags placed on you. Gurman also said the new AirTags will improve privacy in general, but it's difficult to know right now if there will be other measures beyond protecting the speaker from removal.

Other than that, it sounds like the new AirTags will be a more incremental revision than some might like. The new model will also reportedly look similar to the old ones, so you won't even get a visual upgrade. But at least Apple is fixing the speaker issue.

UPDATE: Nov. 18, 2024, 11:37 a.m. EST This article has been updated with information about Black Friday 2024.

The best part about Black Friday at Amazon is that you don't need a Prime membership to take advantage of (most) of the deals. So, if you're looking to put some extra money toward gifts this season, you can go ahead and cancel your Prime membership.

Many Amazon purchases over a specific amount can still qualify for free (and fast!) shipping. So as long as you don't want until the last minute, there's no reason to pay $14.99 per month just to shop for Black Friday. Of course, there are plenty of other good reasons to stop giving the retail giant your money, whether you're trying to save on subscription fees overall, avoid auto-renewal after a free 30-day trial, or align your spending more closely with your values.

Amazon's Prime cancellation process can be convoluted, so here's a step-by-step guide on how to bid Bezos goodbye.

How to cancel your Amazon Prime membership in the Amazon app

The process for canceling your Prime subscription via the Amazon app is the same on both iOS and Android.

Total Time

• 2 min

What You Need

• Smartphone
• Amazon mobile app

Step 1: Open the app and tap the middle button at the bottom (it should look like a person).

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

Step 2: Tap "Your Account."

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

Step 3: Scroll down through the list of options to "Manage Prime Membership" (under "Account Settings").

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

Step 4: Hit "Manage membership" at the top of the page.

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

Step 5: Tap "Manage Membership (Update, cancel and more)."

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

Step 6: Tap "End membership."

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

Step 7: Review how many days are left in your current Prime billing cycle. Scroll all the way down to "Continue to cancel."

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

Step 8: Confirm your cancellation by clicking the yellow button that says "End on [date]."

Your membership will officially end once your current billing cycle is over.

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon How to cancel your Amazon Prime membership on desktop Total Time

• 2 min

What You Need

• Laptop or PC

Step 1: Log in to your Amazon account on your browser. Hover over "Accounts & Lists" in the upper right hand corner. In the menu of options, click "Prime Membership."

You'll pull up your personal Prime membership page with a collection of plan benefits and options.

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

Step 2: Click "Manage Membership" in the top right-hand corner. Click "End Membership."

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

Step 3: Review how many days are left in your current Prime billing cycle. Click the yellow button on the lower-right side of the page that says "Continue to cancel."

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

Step 4: Confirm your cancellation by clicking the yellow button that says "End on [date]."

Your membership will officially end once your current billing cycle is over.

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

SAVE UP TO 58%: As of Nov. 18, you can score up to 58% off select board games at Amazon.

Best board game deals as of Nov. 18 Best board game deal overall Operation $12.49 (save $7.50) Get Deal Best runner-up board game deal Twister $10.99 (save $9) Get Deal Best budget board game deal Sorry! $5 (save $6.99) Get Deal

With Thanksgiving coming up in just a week, you might be scrambling to find something for the kids to do (that doesn’t involve a screen) while relatives visit or to keep everyone occupied and entertained as you host friends and family for the upcoming holiday season.

SEE ALSO: The best board games that we played and loved

Luckily, Amazon has a pretty sizeable selection of board games currently on sale — from family-friendly classics to the latest strategy and party games. And as of Nov. 18, you can score up to 58% off popular titles like Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Twister.

Here are the best board game finds that caught our eye:

Best board game deal overall Opens in a new window Credit: Hasbro Operation $12.49 at Amazon
$19.99 Save $7.50 Get Deal Why we like it

Operation is a game of skill and precision that’s fun for kids and adults. In this classic game (which I also had growing up), players use a pair of metal tweezers to carefully remove tiny plastic body parts from the patient's body without touching the sides and setting off the buzzer. Each successful removal earns them a paper $50 or $100, and the player who racks up the most dough by the end of the game wins.

Pro tip: This also makes for a fun drinking game for older crowds!

Best runner-up board game deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hasbro Twister $10.99 at Amazon
$19.99 Save $9.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Twister is a party game that ties you up in knots (literally!). To play, you spin the wheel and twist your body to put your hands and feet on whatever color it lands on. It's perfect for rainy days, family game nights, or any time you need a good laugh and a bit of a stretch, and with up to four players, it’s ideal for small groups or a double date. It’s also portable and 45% off right now, so you can’t lose (monetarily, at least).

Best budget board game deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hasbro Sorry! $5.00 at Amazon
$11.99 Save $6.99 Get Deal Why we like it

For just $5, you and your friends or family can get in on Sorry! — a classic that teaches strategy, planning, and friendly competition. This game board includes 12 pawns, 44 cards, and instructions. Just be warned: If you can’t take a joke or are a sore loser, this might not be the game for you.

More board game deals

• Candy Land Kingdom Of Sweet Adventures — $8.99 $11.99 (save $3)

• Guess Who? — $10.49 $16.99 (save $6.50)

• Monopoly (Token Vote Edition) — $14.97 $21.99 (save $7.02)

• the Uzzle — $49.99 $70.99 (save $21)

UPDATE: Nov. 18, 2024, 12:00 p.m. EST This article has been updated to include details of Black Friday 2024.

Preparing for the impending chaos of Black Friday?

Amazon's Black Friday shopping event is upon us. It officially kicks off on Thursday, Nov. 21 and runs through (Cyber) Monday, Dec. 2, with new deals dropping daily. We know all too well that it's easy to get caught up in the sales, indulge in some impulse purchasing, and experience a bit of buyer's remorse.

As in years prior, there are already plenty of live deals to shop ahead of the official event kickoff, with lots more to come — and you just might run into some questions along the way. Whether you're dealing with a classic case of buyer's remorse, or have questions about deals, damage to packages, or your Prime membership, you want to know that you can actually speak to customer service.

SEE ALSO: Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday: Which day is better for shopping?

Since contacting Amazon can be tricky at times, here are all the ways you can get in touch with their customer service for a smoother online shopping experience before, during, and after Black Friday:

Amazon customer service help page

This is probably the most common, and easiest, way to look for answers to common queries, such as those about Amazon’s return policies or information about international shipping. The page contains a whole library of questions that users can get answers to, including how to track packages, cancel orders, or start a return. Your most recent purchases will pop up at the top of the page for easy navigation.

To access Amazon’s Customer Service Help Page, go to the website landing page and click on "Customer Service" in the top left of the screen. 

Amazon customer service email

Sometimes customer queries need to be worked through on a case-by-case basis, and the answers on the official website need to be more specific to offer any help to shoppers. In these cases, users can email cs-reply@amazon.com and explain their issues. Remember that contacting Amazon’s customer service via email might not be the best solution if you have an urgent question regarding your purchases, since customers are unlikely to get a prompt response.

Amazon customer service phone number

Need a quicker reply? Call Amazon at 1-888-280-4331. When customers call this number, a bot picks up the phone and eventually connects them to Amazon staff, depending on the type of query that needs to be answered. It’s important to note that customers should have a cell phone number connected to their Amazon account. Customers must enter verification codes that will be messaged to their linked contact information before using this service. In other words, things can get a bit tricky if you're sharing an account with someone else.

Amazon online chat service

Real-time chatting with Amazon representatives is the most convenient way to get all your questions answered. To use the live chat feature, return to the Customer service help page and click on "Something else." Another page opens with a list of more help options. Select "I need more help."

Now you've officially entered the chat. Type "Talk to associate" in the chat box. Amazon's messaging assistant might prompt you to give more info on your issue, which you can, but if you'd rather get to a real person ASAP, you can select, "I need more help" from the pre-written responses.

From there, you can choose if you’d prefer to talk via chat or call. If you're looking for immediate help with a Black Friday purchase — be it due to buyer's remorse, a damaged package, an address change, etc. — this is your best bet to get your needs met.

For simple questions, Amazon is also testing a new AI chat feature called "Rufus," who can help customers solve some problems.

Contact Amazon via social media

If your questions aren’t that urgent, you can contact Amazon Customer Service at @amazonhelp on X, @amazon on Instagram, and www.facebook.com/Amazon on Facebook.

Black Friday is back, babes.

This year, Amazon is hosting a "Black Friday Week" savings event that kicks off on Thursday, Nov. 21, and runs through Friday, Nov. 29 — aka Black Friday proper. Later that day, the mega-retailer will shift into Cyber Monday mode, which will run through Monday, Dec. 2. Expect to see "millions of deals across more than 35 categories" throughout the event, including all-time low prices on brands like Yeti, Beats, and Ninja.

Of course, it's Amazon, so plenty of early deals are already live. And there's a chance that thing you've been eyeing is already on sale. If you want to ensure you score the best deals on your must-have items this Black Friday season, we've got a shopping hack for you: Create a wishlist.

Curating your personal list of must-have items and setting price alerts can help you stay on track and avoid adding things to your cart just because they were on sale.

Get your scroll on and find out how to create an Amazon wishlist for Black Friday.

SEE ALSO: Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday: Which day is better for shopping? Tip No. 1: Organize your Amazon wishlist

If it’s news to you that Amazon even offers such a feature, here’s how it works:

Every product page on the retail giant’s website has a little “Add to List” button right near “Add to Cart.” Click on the list button and you can add said product to your personal Amazon wishlist, or any other saved list that you’ve created on your profile.

Do this with all of those items that you've been eyeing, but can't seem to make a move on unless they're on sale. Then, you can view your definitive list at a glance, or even rank each item based on how badly you want it.

Then — and here's the important part — be sure to check back on your wishlist when Black Friday 2024 kicks into high gear. You’ll be able to see which products have gone on sale and snatch them up before they’re gone.

WARNING: Only add the necessities to your wishlist or risk critical failure and end up with mass shipments of stuff you don’t need, never needed, and will never need.

Tip No. 2: Turn on wishlist alerts

That’s not where the perks of "wishlisting" cap out. If you download Amazon’s mobile companion app, you’ll be granted the added benefit of "wishlist alerts."

These alerts notify you when an item on your wishlist becomes a “lightning deal,” as well as when a sold-out item on your wishlist goes back in stock.

This isn’t a notification setting that's turned on by default, so you’ll have to go in and check it off yourself. All you have to do is open up the Amazon app, go into your settings, then to your notifications, and click on “your watched and waitlisted deals.”

It's this one. Credit: Screenshot: Amazon Tip No. 3: Turn on Alexa's advanced deal alerts

As it turns out, newer Echo smart speakers are good for more than just bumping out your playlists. They can also notify you of a sale on an item in your wishlist, shopping cart, or "saved for later" queue up to 24 hours before it even goes live.

• Open up the Alexa mobile app to turn on the advanced deal alerts feature. You'll find it under More > Settings > Notifications > Amazon Shopping

• Once you're there, click Shopping Recommendations and then Deal Recommendations. Since you already have your wishlist organized and ready to go, that's all there is to it.

• You'll see a pop-up alert or a yellow ring light on your Echo device whenever Alexa finds out about an upcoming deal on products in your wishlist. Ask, "Alexa, what are my notifications?" to get the scoop.

You can either have Alexa let you know once the deal is live or even give her the go-ahead to order it for you ("Alexa, buy it for me"). Your default payment and delivery address on file will be used automatically.

Voilà — now you’ll never miss a deal for something you want. Your Amazon wishlist is one of the most useful tools that you have at your disposal to ensure a successful shopping experience.

When you're done curating your list, you can even share it with your friends. You can also view wishlists created by other Prime members. Just click the "Invite" button in your wishlist or click over to the "Your Friends" tab in your profile.

Bonus tip: Get ready for Black Friday 2024 with Mashable

We like to think we're just as on top of tracking deals on the stuff you care about as a wishlist is. Follow along with our Black Friday and Cyber Monday coverage (which has already started!), where we'll be highlighting all of the most important intel from the sale, from record-low price alerts to any invite-only deals for Prime members that may pop up to giant lists of the best deals in categories like TVs, Apple stuff, robot vacuums, headphones, and kitchen gear.

Meta announced yet another pair of smart glasses back in September — and now we have an idea of what researchers are doing with it before it's ready for consumers.

As part of its research-focused Project Aria initiative, Meta released a list of research projects that are being performed with its Orion smart glasses that were revealed at Meta Connect a couple of months ago. Orion isn't even close to being available to the public yet, but when it is, there are a few things that it might be able to do to help you out in daily life.

Here are four of the most interesting research projects being done with Orion right now via Project Aria.

SEE ALSO: Meta Quest 3S vs. Meta Quest 3: What are the differences? Meta Project Aria: Four futuristic things Orion might be able to do

This will encompass pretty much everything Meta talked about in its project list, but they're all worth knowing about.

Driving assistance

Researchers at IIIT Hyderabad in India are using machine learning and Orion to help people ideally become better drivers. For example, they are able to use the glasses to detect what the user is and isn't looking at. What this means is that the glasses could potentially be able to warn you before you take a right turn into a pedestrian you didn't see.

Help for the visually impaired

Investigators at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute have also done some work with Project Aria. What they showcased in Meta's post is tech that can help those with visual impairments navigate complex indoor spaces using audio cues. The example given was that they were able to create a 3D indoor map of Pittsburgh's airport — and someone wearing the Orion glasses would theoretically be able to get around and find where they're going, thanks to the onboard audio assistant.

Help for those with hearing loss

At the University of Iowa, Orion research is seemingly a little more straightforward, but no less useful in everyday life for some people.

Researchers in Hawkeye country have come up with a way to use the Orion glasses to provide visual cues for those with hearing loss. For instance, if a noise is made, the glasses could use their HUD to show the user which direction the noise came from. It's not the most complicated or out-of-this-world application of Orion technology, but it's one that could easily become important for some users — if it's done properly.

Help with performing complex tasks

Finally, researchers at the University of Bristol have captured data from "highly skilled people" (think chefs and mechanics), which can be used to help the less-skilled among us perform complex tasks with visual aid. For example, in the future, Orion could guide you step-by-step on which components to install, the order to install them, and their exact placement.

Currently, Orion is just a prototype, so don’t expect a consumer version anytime soon. If it’s any consolation, a market-ready version should be available by 2030 at the latest.

Get $200 off: As of Nov. 18, This 75” Samsung Smart TV Black Friday deal is available for $549.99. Get it now to take 27% off the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 75” Class DU6950 Series Crystal UHD 4K Smart Tizen TV $549.99 at Best Buy
$749.99 Save $200.00 Get Deal

At Best Buy, Black Friday has basically already begun. No need to wait — this Smart TV deal was registered to go live on Thursday, November 28th as a Black Friday doorbuster, but the sale price is already available three days early. Be quick and get this sneaky deal on a behemoth TV.

If you’re looking for an exceptional screen for a once-a-year price this UHD 75” smart TV packs all the visual juice your eyes crave. With 4K resolution, it delivers the crispness you expect in 2024, and even upscales content to 4K so that you can take advantage of its Crystal detail on older, lower resolution content.

SEE ALSO: When do Black Friday sales start? Early holiday deals are already here.

HDR 10+ pairs with a wide color gamut to ensure that video looks striking in all light conditions. For those who play games, the TV delivers 60Hz screen refresh times, ensuring it can keep up with the action.

Get the Samsung 75” Class DU6950 Series Crystal UHD 4K Smart Tizen TV now for $549.99 and take advantage of early Black Friday sale pricing for $200 off.

A Tizen operating system lives within, giving you access to apps, games, and streaming services natively. This smart TV has two speakers built-in, but uses virtual surround sound to create atmosphere. It’s optimized for connection to Samsung sound bars for more immersive sound.

Trump is running down his list of administration appointees, landing this week on Brendan Carr as the new pick for Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair.

Carr, current FCC commissioner and its top Republican member, was nominated for the FCC by Trump in 2017 after serving as general counsel and as an advisor to former Chair Ajit Pai. His term has since been extended to 2029, and in the seven years he's served on the commission, Carr has been a vocal, partisan opponent to Net Neutrality and the Biden Administration's tentpole broadband subsidies.

Carr is also the author behind the controversial Project 2025 mandates for the FCC, focused heavily on Communication Act's Section 230 and content moderation online — he's also buddies with leader of the new "Department of Government Efficiency" Elon Musk.

SEE ALSO: PSA: Your Twitter/X account is about to change forever

Calling Carr a "warrior for Free Speech" in a battle against "regulatory Lawfare" — a phrase used by Carr to refer to the revocation of a $885 million FCC grant to Musk's Starlink — Trump applauded the commissioner's plan for a revamped FCC landscape. "He will end the regulatory onslaught that has been crippling America’s Job Creators and Innovators, and ensure that the FCC delivers for rural America," the president-elect wrote.

Tweet may have been deleted

So where does the new Chair stand on the big issues?

Net Neutrality and Section 230

The new Trump appointee was a central opponent to the FCC's restoration of landmark Net Neutrality laws, previously repealed during Trump's first administration and former chair Pai. Carr argued at the time that such regulations would have a negative impact on rural areas, increasing rates and slowing down infrastructure builds. The increasingly partisan issue has drawn clear lines between Republican and Democrat FCC members, and as the fate of Net Neutrality gets batted back and forth in court, many proponents of an "Open Internet" fear a Republican-controlled FCC could doom its fate.

Carr has also taken a hard line against the immunities included in Section 230. Included among a list of Project 2025 recommendations, the commissioner wrote, "The FCC should work with Congress on more fundamental Section 230 reforms that go beyond interpreting its current terms. Congress should do so by ensuring that Internet companies no longer have carte blanche to censor protected speech while maintaining their Section 230 protections. Reforms that prohibit discrimination against core political viewpoints are one way to do this... [Congress] could focus legislation on dominant, general-use platforms rather than specialized ones. This could include excluding comment sections in online publications, specialized message boards, or communities within larger platforms that self-moderate."

Carr singled out tech giants like Facebook, Google, Apple, and Microsoft as a "censorship cartel," pledging to take them on under a new administration. Additionally, Carr has backed a total federal ban on TikTok.

Free speech, diversity, and accessibility

Shortly after the announcement, Carr posted to X that he would end its promotion of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, the agency's "second-highest strategic goal" outlined in its recent budget proposal. "When it comes to the FCC's promotion of DEI, I have just one thing to say: Afuera!" added Carr.

Tweet may have been deleted

Carr has previously echoed Trump's stance against "political bias" and moderation within "mainstream media." After the announcement, Carr posted: "We must dismantle the censorship cartel and restore free speech rights for everyday Americans."

One potential hit? Broadcast media's use of public airwaves. In yet another X post, Carr wrote, "Broadcast media have had the privilege of using a scarce and valuable public resource—our airwaves. In turn, they are required by law to operate in the public interest. When the transition is complete, the FCC will enforce this public interest obligation."

The commissioner has publicly aligned himself with Trump's desire to slash regulations, revoke licenses, and punish media networks for publishing with "bias."

Tweet may have been deleted

UPDATE: Nov. 18, 2024, 11:40 a.m. EST This story has been updated with new info about Best Buy's official Black Friday sale, including a preview of some of its upcoming deals.

Black Friday 2024 falls unusually late this year (on Nov. 29), giving shoppers extra time to hatch a game plan — and retailers extra time to build hype for their seasonal programming.

For its part, Best Buy spent the first few weeks of November dropping a slew of early Black Friday deals and holiday doorbusters. With just a few days to go before its official Black Friday sale starts this week, the electronics store has revealed some of its upcoming discounts on popular tech. If you shopped there earlier this month, they'll probably look a bit familiar.

Here's what you should know ahead of time.

When does Best Buy's Black Friday sale start?

Best Buy's Black Friday Sale gets underway online, on its mobile app, and in stores on Thursday, Nov. 21 — a full eight days early. (Amazon is doing the same, FYI.) It'll run for ten days through Saturday, Nov. 30, before its Cyber Monday sale begins on Sunday, Dec. 1.

SEE ALSO: When do Black Friday sales start? Early holiday deals are already here.

Previously, Best Buy released a wave of early Black Friday deals on Nov. 8. These were supplemented with two batches of weekend-long doorbusters that arrived on Nov. 8 and 15. It also launched limited-time deals and restocks on its app throughout the month as part of its "Drops" program.

What will be the best Black Friday deals at Best Buy?

In a press release Monday (Nov. 18), Best Buy said shoppers can expect to see "Black Friday deals on everything from TVs and laptops to headphones and smart rings, electric scooters, and more."

The retailer's Black Friday sale will kick off with the return of seven doorbusters from earlier in the month. Paid members of its My Best Buy program (Plus and Total tiers) will get early access to them this Thursday before they're live for all shoppers the following Friday, Nov. 22:

• LG 48-inch B4 Series OLED 4K TV — $599.99 $799.99 (save $200)  

• Samsung 75-inch DU6950 Series 4K TV — $549.99 $749.99 (save $200) 

• Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $749 $999 (Save $250)  

• HP Victus 15-fb2063dx (AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, AMD Radeon RX 6550M, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $429.99 $799.99 (save $370)   

• LG 45-inch UltraGear OLED Curved Gaming Monitor — $999.99 $1,699.99 (save $700)  

• Asus ROG Ally (AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme Processor, 512GB SSD) — $499.99 $649.99 (save $150); extra $50 off for paid My Best Buy members

• Dyson Digital Slim — $229.99 $499.99 (save $270)  

Eight brand-new doorbusters will join the ranks on Friday, though the exact details of their discounts haven't been disclosed just yet:

• TCL 55-inch F35-Series 4K TV

• HP Envy x360 14-es1023dx (Intel Core 7 150U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD)

• Apple Watch Ultra 2 (GPS + Cellular, 49mm)

• Beats Powerbeats Pro

• JBL Flip 5

• JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam

• College Football 25 and Madden NFL 25

• Theragun Prime

Even more doorbusters will be up for grabs at Best Buy on Black Friday proper. They'll be accompanied by rapid-fire Drops on its mobile app starting at 9 a.m. ET that day; the retailer promises huge discounts "on products from Apple, Dyson, Sony, Ninja and more" while that's happening.

Shoppers who purchased anything at Best Buy earlier in the month can request a price adjustment if the item gets cheaper during its Black Friday festivities under the company's Holiday Price Match Guarantee. And most items purchased at Best Buy through Dec. 31 can be returned through Jan. 14, 2025 as part of its Extended Holiday Return and Exchange Policy.

What are Best Buy's Black Friday hours?

After being closed on Thanksgiving, Best Buy stores will be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time on Black Friday.

Camping out probably isn't necessary, for what it's worth. "While there are usually a small handful of Black Friday Deals that are only available for shoppers in a physical Best Buy store, most deals during Black Friday 2024 can be found both online and in store," says Best Buy's Black Friday landing page.

The retailer's extended store hours went into effect starting Nov. 3. Check your local store's listing for the latest info.

Garmin might have just spilled the beans on its next project, which is big news for outdoor enthusiasts.

A leak from Garmin Spain’s website has unveiled key details about the Instinct 3, the latest addition to its lineup of adventure-ready smartwatches.

SEE ALSO: The Garmin fēnix 7 Pro is at its lowest-ever price at Amazon

The Instinct series has long been a favorite for hikers, climbers, and survivalists. It combines durability with Garmin’s knack for hardcore outdoor tech. If the leaked repair codes are anything to go by, the Instinct 3 will have the following trio of features: a 45mm case, a solar-charging option, and a classic black design.

As reported by Fitness Tracker Test, this marks the second Instinct 3 leak in just a matter of days. The earlier leak hinted at a significant new feature: support for rucking, a growing fitness trend where participants hike with weighted backpacks. It also teased a potential release timeline, suggesting the Instinct 3 might hit shelves before the end of this year.

With Instinct 2 celebrating its two-year anniversary, it wouldn’t be surprising if these rumors were on point. Garmin seems poised to refresh its lineup. If these leaks are accurate, the Instinct 3 could bring some serious upgrades for outdoor and fitness enthusiasts alike.

UPDATE: Nov. 18, 2024, 11:25 a.m. EST

Best early Black Friday gaming laptop deals 2024 Best gaming laptop deal Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (Intel Core Ultra 9, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,599.99 (save $400) Get Deal Best budget gaming laptop deal Acer Nitro V (AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $699.99 (save $250) Get Deal

If you can believe it, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just around the corner. We know, it seems like we just got done with another massive sale in Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event, but there's simply no rest for dedicated deal hunters. So, let's keep the momentum going, shall we?

While Black Friday is a good time to buy pretty much anything you're looking for, it's especially kind to gamers. From discounts on individual games, consoles, accessories, and more, you're bound to save a ton this holiday season if you're an avid player. That includes gaming laptops, too, which are a fantastic way to dip your toes into the realm of PC gaming if you're not ready (or able) to commit to a desktop setup just yet.

SEE ALSO: Alienware m16 R2 review: The best RTX 4070 gaming laptop

If you're one of those people, take a look at some of our favorite gaming laptop deals ahead of Black Friday 2024, including offers from big brands like Razer, Asus, and plenty of others.

Best gaming laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: Asus Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (Intel Core Ultra 9 185H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $2,399.99 at Best Buy
$2,799.99 Save $400.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Asus is known for its high-quality gaming laptops, and the ROG Zephyrus line is one of the very best to come from the lineup (we loved the G14). The Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 comes packed with some great internals right out of the box, including an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 GPU and a sizeable 1TB SSD for storage. Better yet, this model features a stunning OLED display that'll have all of your games looking their best, whether you're playing at home or out in the wild. Ahead of Black Friday, the gaming machine is $2,399.99 at Best Buy, saving you $400 off the usual asking price.

Best budget gaming laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: Acer Acer Nitro V (AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $699.99 at Best Buy
$949.99 Save $250.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Not every gaming laptop has to drain your bank account, and that's never been more true than with the Acer Nitro V. It's one of our favorite budget gaming laptops to date, and it's only $699.99 ahead of Black Friday — that's $250 in savings. Plus, this bundle comes with a nice carrying case, so that's fun.

More early Black Friday gaming laptop deals

• Lenovo LOQ Gaming Laptop (AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, 12GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $649.99 $799.99 (save $150)

• ASUS TUF Gaming Laptop (AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS, AMD Radeon RX7700S, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $699.99 $1,099.99 (save $400)

• Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 (Intel Core i7 13650HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $999.99 $1,149.99 (save $150)

• Gigabyte G6 KF 16 (Intel i7-13620H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,049.99 $1,199.99 (save $150)

• Asus TUF Gaming F16 (Intel Core i7-13650HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,099.99 $1,299.99 (save $200)

• MSI Katana 15 (AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,099.99 $1,499.99 (save $400)

• Asus ROG Strix G16 (Intel Core i7-13650HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,269.99 $1,399.99 (save $130)

• Dell G16 7630 (Intel Core i9 13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,299.99 $1,599.99 (save $300)

• Lenovo Legion 7i (Intel 14th Gen Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,299.99 $1,699.99 (save $400)

• Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 (Intel Core i9-14900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,349.99 $1,699.99 (save $350)

• Alienware m16 R2 (Intel Core Series 1 Ultra 9, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,699.99 $2,099.99 (save $400)

• HP OMEN Transcend 16 (Intel Core i9-14900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,849.99 $2,199.99 (save $350)

• Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (Intel 13th Gen Core i9, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $2,799.99 $2,999.99 (save $200)

• Razer Blade 16 (13th Gen Intel 24-Core i9 HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,999.99 $3,799.99 (save $800)

Shop Purple, Nectar, and more mattresses ahead of Black Friday. Check out our top picks:

Best mattress deals ahead of Black Friday Best mattress deal overall Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress $949 (save $1,337) Get Deal Best runner-up mattress deal Purple Mattress $1,299 (save $200) Get Deal Best budget deal Casper The One Premium Foam Mattress $799 (save $200) Get Deal

Black Friday is still over a week away, but we’re already seeing crazy deals on everything from laptops to home goods. If you’ve been putting off getting a new mattress, now might be the perfect time to take advantage of early sales.

Score $1,000+ off a brand-new mattress before Black Friday hits

Wouldn’t you like to cash in for a restful night before the stress of the holidays sets in? Thanks to these early Black Friday mattress deals, you can skip the post-Thanksgiving shopping wars and still score a top-of-the-line mattress at a deep discount — we’re talking $1,000 (or more) off premium mattresses from brands like Nectar, Purple, Casper, and more across major retailers like Amazon, Mattress Firm, and Wayfair.

SEE ALSO: Best Buy Black Friday ad: The best deals you can buy online

Below, we’re tracking the best mattress deals ahead of Black Friday. Deals are organized by brand, and all deals within each category are ordered by price from the most affordable to the most expensive.

We’ll be updating this list in the days leading up to Black Friday week, so be sure to check back regularly. New offers may become available, or existing deals may change.

Best mattress deal ahead of Black Friday Opens in a new window Credit: Nectar Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress (Queen) $949.00 at Nectar
$2,286.00 Save $1,337.00 Get Deal Why we like it

We’re shocked by how many mattress deals are popping off this early in the game. While there are great discounts across the board, the Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress (Queen) has our vote as the best deal ahead of Black Friday.

This 13-inch-thick mattress has twice as much pressure-relieving memory foam as the Nectar Classic, 60% more cooling, and is currently 50% off. With five layers of premium OEKO-TEX-certified materials, this mattress will provide an incredibly comfortable and supportive night's sleep. There’s also a 365-day trial and forever warranty, so if you don’t absolutely love it, you can return it.

Even more early Black Friday mattress deals

Here are the best early Black Friday mattress deals across a selection of top brands:

Avocado

• Avocado Eco Organic Mattress (Queen) — $1,169 $1,299 (save $130)

• Avocado Green Mattress (Queen) — $1,699 $1,999 (save $300)

• Avocado Luxury Organic Mattress (Queen) — $3,679 $4,599 (save $920)

Bonus Avocado Mattress deals:

• Save 10% on pillows

• Save 10% on all furniture

• Save up to 50% on bedding

Brooklyn Bedding

• Brooklyn Bedding Brooklyn Essential Mattress (Queen) — $652.40 $932 (save $279.60)

• Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Cooling Mattress (Queen) — $1,585.50 $2,265 (save $679.50)

• Brooklyn Bedding Sedona Elite Mattress (Queen) — $1,679.30 $2,399 (save $720)

Casper

• Casper The One Premium Foam Mattress (Queen) — $799 $999 (save $200)

• Casper Snow Cooling Hybrid Mattress (Queen) — $1,745 $2,495 (save $750)

• Casper Snow Max Cooling Hybrid Mattress (Queen) — $2,620 $3,745 (save $1,125)

Leesa

• Leesa Sapira Hybrid Mattress (Queen) — $1,499 $1,999 (save $500)

• Leesa Legend Chill Hybrid Mattress (Queen) — $2,099 $2,799 (save $700)

• Leesa Reserve Hybrid Mattress (Queen) — $2,774 $3,699 (save $925)

Purple

• Purple Mattress (Queen) — $1,299 $1,499 (save $200)

• Purple Plus Mattress (Queen) — $1,599 $1,899 (save $300)

• Purple RestorePlus Hybrid Mattress (Queen) — $2,599 $2,999 (save $400)

JBL portable speakers are on sale for Black Friday, with deals up to 40% off or more from retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, and Amazon.

Best early Black Friday JBL portable speaker deals: Best large JBL portable speaker deal JBL - PartyBox 310 $349.99 (Save $170) Get Deal Best small JBL portable speaker deal JBL Go 4 $39.95 (Save 20%) Get Deal Best budget JBL portable speaker JBL Go 3 $29.95 (Save 40%) Get Deal

JBL is the brand for portable outdoor sound. Whether you’re looking for an amped-up speaker like the JBL - PartyBox 310 to bring the party to your dock or campsite, or a clip-on like the JBL Go 4 that will transport the vibe with you as you bike through the city, JBL is the pick.

JBL's portable Bluetooth speakers have become a modern classic, but the brand is also known for solid headphones, which offer another approach to portability. Whatever you choose, early Black Friday deals offer standout opportunities to save on portable sound.

Best large JBL portable speaker deal Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL - PartyBox 310 $349.99 at Best Buy
$519.99 Save $170.00 Get Deal Why we like it

When you’re looking for big-sound outdoors, the JBL - PartyBox 310 is the one. With 240 watts for up to 18 hours, this portable Bluetooth speaker stays booming. Splash proof, you won’t have to worry about it getting a little wet, so beach and boat parties are fair game. This speaker connects with Bluetooth or auxiliary. The same versatility applies to its battery: just plug it in to keep going when the 18 hour battery life runs low.

A customizable light show is part of the package with the PartyBox 310. Lights will pulse to the music with different settings that will augment your playlist, whatever the energy is. Right now, the JBL - PartyBox 310 is available for $349.99 for a savings of $170.

Best small JBL portable speaker deal Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Go 4 $39.95 at Amazon
$49.95 Save $10.00 Get Deal Why we like it

When you’re looking for maximum portability, the JBL Go 4 is an easy choice. Made to clip onto a backpack or bike, this portable waterproof speaker sports 7 hours of battery life. It will follow you into the backcountry, or keep you energized while you cruise the city.

Today, you can get the JBL Go 4 from Amazon for $39.95 and save 20%.

Best budget JBL portable speaker Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Go 3 $29.95 at Walmart
$49.95 Save $20.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The JBL Go 3 is also a great pick. With a similar clip-on design, this Bluetooth speaker may be one generation behind the 4, but it's certainly not left behind. It sports 5 hours of battery life and the same IP67 weather resistance that you'll find on the JBL Go 4. A generation behind the 4, you can often find it for less. That's true now: take advantage of Walmart’s early Black Friday sale and get the JBL Go 3 for $29.95, saving 40%.

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Nov. 18: OUR TOP PICK JBL Clip 5 $49.95 (save $30) Get Deal BEST FITNESS TRACKER DEAL Oura Ring 3 Horizon $349 (save $100) Get Deal BEST TV DEAL Samsung 55-inch The Frame QLED 4K TV $897.99 (save $600) Get Deal BEST SMARTWATCH DEAL Garmin vívoactive 5 $199.99 (save $100) Get Deal

While Black Friday isn't technically until Nov. 29, Amazon's official sale kicks off in just a couple of days. But, as per usual for the mega retailer, deals have been popping up left and right for days (weeks, even!). You can jump start your shopping and grab gadgets from top brands like Samsung, Garmin, Oura, and JBL at record-low prices.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day on Nov. 18. Be sure to keep an eye out the rest of the week as well — we'll be selecting new deals every day.

Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Clip 5 $49.95 at Amazon
$79.95 Save $30.00 Get Deal

The definition of portable, JBL's Clip 5 speaker can "clip" onto any bag, belt loop, or keyring with its built-in carabiner, which has been redesigned on the latest model with a wider opening. That means it can clip onto even more stuff. The newest iteration of our favorite portable Bluetooth speaker, it boats up to 12 hours of battery life, a "Playtime Boost" mode that gives you an extra 3 hours of listening, an IP67 waterproof and dust-proof rating, and impressively loud and crisp sound for its size. Usually $79.95, it's on sale ahead of Black Friday for only $49.95. That's 38% in savings and its lowest price on record.

Opens in a new window Credit: Oura Oura Ring 3 Horizon $349.00 at Amazon
$449.00 Save $100.00 (gold) Get Deal

Read our full review of the Oura Ring 3.

Now that the Oura Ring 4 is out, it's no surprise that the Oura Ring 3 is seeing some big discounts. The latest drops the price of the Horizon style Oura Ring in gold down to just $349 instead of $449. That's the lowest price we've seen on this particular model, although we saw a few other colors drop to this price on October Prime Day. The third-generation ring is still very much worth grabbing. It features a low-profile design and offers in-depth info about sleep, workouts, recovery, mindfulness, and more through a variety of sensors, though sleep tracking is truly where it shines.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 55-inch LS03D The Frame QLED 4K TV $897.99 at Amazon
$1,497.99 Save $600.00 Get Deal

Gone are the days of having a boring black rectangle that hangs on your wall when your TV is switched off. The Frame has revolutionized the TV experience with its ability to look like artwork hung on the well when it's not in use. The 2024 version also added some noteworthy upgrades to make it even better, most importantly a new eco-friendly setting that kicks down the refresh rate in art mode from 120Hz to 60Hz. It won't affect the image, but it could save you some money on your energy bill. The updated Art Store also includes 20 new complimentary pieces of art per month. The price is still steep — $1,497.99 for the 55-inch version — but as of Nov. 18, you can slash 40% off. That brings the price down to just $897.99 at Amazon — its lowest price to date and $2 cheaper than at the Samsung store.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin vívoactive 5 $199.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal

It may not be as fancy as the Venu 3, but the Garmin vívoactive 5 is still a powerful smartwatch. We haven't reviewed it yet, but we have tested the previous model and loved it. As per our reviewer: "The vívoactive 4 is an excellent smartwatch for active people wanting to be more in tune with their bodies, and for less active individuals who have the desire but need a little nudging to stick to their goals." The newer model adds even more fancy features, an upgraded AMOLED display, improved heart rate sensor, upgraded sleep and stress coaching, and over 30 sports apps. It's usually $299.99, but as of Nov. 18, it's on sale for just $199.99. That's 33% in savings and its lowest price on record — it even beats its Prime Day price by $50.

None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.