The best weekend deals: Apple MacBooks, Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, 4K TVs, and more

It’s the weekend, which means it’s time for another Dealmaster. Our latest roundup of the web’s best tech deals includes Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5, the company’s speedy T7 portable SSD, solid TV options in a range of sizes from TCL, LG and Samsung, and $150 off the latest generation MacBook Diffuse in various configurations.

The MacBook Air deal brings the new M2-powered laptop back to its lowest price just months after its June release. The 256GB and 512GB are available for $150 off at $1049 and $1349, respectively. While storage is the main difference here, you can also pick up a 2021 MacBook Pro with 512GB of storage for $1,049 and get slightly better performance for sustained workloads and a nicer display. .

We break down all the differences to consider in our MacBook buying guide, but the 2021 13-inch MacBook Pro sits just between the 2022 MacBook Air (our pick for most users’ basic needs) and the MacBook Pro 14-inch 2022 (our choice for developers, engineers and researchers) in terms of performance. While we think the 14-inch Air and Pro are best for their target demos, the value of this deal may just tip the scales a bit further for the 13-inch Pro which we believe strikes a balance between both.

Samsung moved up a few spots in our featured deals list with a $50 discount on the Galaxy Watch 5 ($250) and a modest discount on the T7 Rugged Portable SSD ($100). The Galaxy Watch 5 currently represents the best smartwatch available for Android users, especially those with Samsung devices. With sensors for blood oxygen, heart rate and ECG monitoring, it’s a very capable fitness companion, although ECG monitoring requires a paired Samsung phone. After partnering with Google to create a unified wearable OS on the Galaxy Watch 4, third-party app compatibility has improved dramatically (although it’s still a long way off compatibility and Apple Watch is taking advantage of it) and the operating system is smoother than ever.

Samsung’s well-balanced 85-inch QN85B 4K QLED TV (2022) is also on sale for the lowest price we’ve ever tracked ($400 off). The $2,598 TV represents strong value for its size. It works well for games with HDMI 2.1 on all ports and corresponding refresh rates. Competent HDR performance and glare reduction also make it a great choice for watching movies. If you’re looking for something smaller with comparable performance, LG’s 48-inch C2 OLED TV (2022) is a respectable contender in the mid-size range. Right now, the C2 is on sale for $1,197 ($220 off) with an additional $100 gift card to sweeten the deal. TCL’s budget-conscious 65-inch 5-Series TV is also on sale for $550 (usually $700).

Outside of video game deals, we have a $20 discount that brings Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for $40 with code SBSPMR10. There are also a handful of price cuts on some of our favorite games, like Cuphead, and a mix of PC hardware, smart home devices, gift cards and deals on so much more. You can check out our full list of offers below.

Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this posting through affiliate programs.

Featured offers of the day

• Sony A80K (2022) 55-inch 4K OLED TV for $1,300 ($1,500) on Amazon (Prime members only)
• LG C2 (2022) 48-inch 4K OLED TV + $100 gift card for $1,197 ($1,420) at Newegg (GC expires after six months)
• Samsung QN85B (2022) 85 inch 4K QLED TV for $2,598 ($3,000) on Amazon
• Apple MacBook Air (2022) 13.6 inch Laptop (Apple M2, 2560×1664, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $1,049 ($1,199) on Amazon, (512 GB for $1349)
• Apple MacBook Pro (2021) 13.3 inch laptop (Apple M1, 2560×1600, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for $1,049 ($1,500) at Best Buy
• PCIe 4.0 SSD SK Hynix Platinum P41 (1TB) for $120 ($150) at Amazon (2 TB for $208)
• WD Black SN850 (1TB) PCIe 4.0 SSD with heatsink for $104 ($140) at Best Buy
• WD Black P10 portable SSD (5 TB) + Xbox Game Pass 1 month for $115 ($130) on Amazon
• Google Nest Hub 7 inch smart display for $55 ($85) at Target, Best Buy, Walmart
• $100 DoorDash Gift Card + $20 Best Buy Gift Card (digital) for $100 ($120)
• Samsung Galaxy Watch5 for $250 ($280) to Woot
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Switch) $40 ($60) (use code SBSPMR10 at the checkout) at the SuperShop

Super Smash Bros Ultimate“>

Enlarge / Super Smash Bros Ultimate

Electronic offers

my favorite bedside device and sleep tracker.”>

Deals on laptops and desktops

• Apple MacBook Air (2020) 13.3 inch laptop (Apple M1, 2560×1600, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $900 ($940) at Amazon (discount in shopping cart)
• Apple MacBook Air (2022) 13.6 inch Laptop (Apple M2, 2560×1664, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $1,049 ($1,199) on Amazon, Best Buy (512 GB for $1349)
• PCIe 4.0 SSD SK Hynix Platinum P41 (1TB) for $127.49 ($150) on Amazon ($22.50 coupon) (2TB for $208)
• PCIe 3.0 SSD SK Hynix Gold P31 (1TB) for $91.80 ($106) ($16.20 coupon) on Amazon (2TB for $169)
• Corsair Vengeance DDR5 32GB (2×16GB) 5600MHz RAM for $158 ($200) at Newegg (use the code: UPGBW2Z232, $158 at Amazon)
• ViewSonic Elite XG270Q 27″ Gaming Monitor (2560×1440, IPS, 165Hz, G-Sync) for $260 ($375) at B&H, Amazon
• Gigabyte M28U 28 inch (3840×2160, IPS, 144Hz, VRR) Gaming Monitor for $480 ($540) on Amazon, Best Buy
• Gigabyte M32UC 32 inch Gaming Monitor (3840×2160, VA, 160Hz, VRR) for $530 ($600) at Amazon, B&H
• Gigabyte M32QC 32 inch Gaming Monitor (2560×1440, VA, 165Hz, VRR) for $230 ($300) at Amazon, Newegg

Video game deals

Game offers

Accessories and various promotions