Donald Trump's staggering tariffs on Chinese imports have hit nearly every category of consumer goods, from electronics and automobiles to clothing and footwear. One of the most vulnerable industries is the ultracheap e-commerce sites like Shein, Temu, and AliExpress that American shoppers have become accustomed to. It is already showing signs of a bloodbath.

Last week Shein and Temu warned shoppers that price increases were coming on April 25th. A spot-check of prices on Shein show modest increases across categories, though not every item is more expensive than it was a week ago. A pair of kid's fleece pants that were $8.29 on April 17th are now $10.19. A women's plus-size dress that was $22.39 is now $27.51. A pair of pants that were $13.99 have gone up to $17.09. Shein's inventory and prices change daily so it's impossible to pinpoint why an item has changed in price, but Shein shoppers have noticed their shopping carts and wish lists getting more expensive: shoppers on Reddit report some items doubling. According to data provided to The Verge by Bright Data, price increases on Shein until early March were for the most part modest compared to late 2024 prices, and many product …

Read the full story at The Verge.

A few years ago, it may have been fashionable to spend $1,000 on the latest flagship smartphone, but for most people, that’s neither practical nor necessary. You don't even have to spend $500 today to get a decent handset, whether it’s a refurbished iPhone or an affordable Android phone, as there are plenty of decent options as low as $160.

However, navigating the budget phone market can be tricky; options that look good on paper may not be in practice, and some devices will end up costing you more when you consider many come with restrictive storage. While we spend most of our time reviewing mid- to high-end handsets at Engadget, we've tested a number of the latest budget-friendly phones on the market to see cut it as the best cheap phones you can get right now.

Best cheap phones

What to look for in a cheap phone

For this guide, our top picks cost between $100 and $300. Anything less and you might as well go buy a dumb phone instead. Since they’re meant to be more affordable than flagship phones and even midrange handsets, budget smartphones involve compromises; the cheaper a device, the lower your expectations around specs, performance and experience should be. For that reason, the best advice I can give is to spend as much as you can afford. In this price range, even $50 or $100 more can get you a dramatically better product.

Second, you should know what you want most from a phone. When buying a budget smartphone, you may need to sacrifice a decent main camera for long battery life, or trade a high-resolution display for a faster CPU. That’s just what comes with the territory, but knowing your priorities will make it easier to find the right phone.

It’s also worth noting some features can be hard to find on cheaper handsets. For instance, you won’t need to search far for a device with all-day battery life — but if you want a phone with excellent camera quality, you’re better off shelling out for one of the recommendations in our midrange smartphone guide, which all come in at $600 or less.

Wireless charging and waterproofing also aren’t easy to find in this price range and forget about the fastest chipset. On the bright side, most of our recommendations come with headphone jacks, so you won’t need to buy wireless headphones.

iOS is also off the table, since, following the discontinuation of the iPhone SE, the $599 iPhone 16e is now the most affordable offering from Apple. That leaves Android as the only option in the under-$300 price range. Thankfully today, there’s little to complain about Google’s operating system – and you may even prefer it to iOS.

Lastly, keep in mind most Android manufacturers typically offer far less robust software features and support for their budget devices. In some cases, your new phone may only receive one major software update and a year or two of security patches beyond that. That applies to the OnePlus and Motorola recommendations on our list.

If you’d like to keep your phone for as long as possible, Samsung has the best software policy of any Android manufacturer in the budget space, offering at least four years of security updates on all of its devices. Recently, it even began offering six years of support on the $200 A16 5G, which we recommend below. That said, if software support (or device longevity overall) is your main focus, consider spending a bit more on the $500 Google Pixel 9a, or even the previous-gen Pixel 8a, which has planned software updates through mid-2031.

Those waiting for a good deal on Apple's latest M4 MacBook Air should check out Amazon now. The online retailer has the new MacBook Air for $100 off, down to $899 from $999, which is the best discount we've seen. At the moment, the discount is only available on the midnight color option.

Apple only released the MacBook Air M4 in Mid-March and it's already our pick for 2025's best MacBook overall. We gave it in a 92 in our review thanks to features like its 13.6-inch liquid retina display and slim build — it weighs 2.7 pounds and is 0.44 inches thick. But, it's the M4 chip that really gives this MacBook Air a boost. The 13-inch model has a 10-core CPU, 8-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine. Plus, it lasted over 18 hours while playing HD video. 

If you're looking for something a little bigger and with more RAM, then it might be worth getting the 15-inch MacBook Air M4. It's currently down to $1,449 from $1,599 and offers 24GB of RAM, compared to the 13-inch's 16GB. Similarly to the 13-inch deal, this one is also only available at the discounted price in the midnight colorway.

Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

• Primark has a big presence in Europe, but it's now opening clothing stores in the US.
• The chain sells affordable items, putting it in competition with Old Navy and T.J. Maxx.
• I visited a Primark store in Virginia to see what it's like.

You've probably heard of T.J. Maxx or Forever 21 as places to buy cheap clothes.

But for US shoppers, Primark might not be a familiar name — yet.

The Ireland-based retailer has 460 stores globally, most in the UK and Europe. The company sells "affordable choices for everyone," according to its website. Owned by Associated British Foods, it has become as familiar a name in the UK for inexpensive clothing as Old Navy in the US.

It has also spent the past decade operating stores in the US, especially in the southern states, since opening its first American location in Boston.

Primark said that it had 29 stores in the US at the end of 2024 and plans to open more this year. Among them is an anticipated flagship store in Manhattan's Herald Square — not far from department store Macy's longtime home.

I wanted to see what shopping at Primark is like and whether it differentiates itself enough from other US stores that sell affordable clothing.

The concept makes sense — many shoppers have spent the last few years trying to save money and mitigate the effects of inflation on their budgets. However, several established retailers here in the US already cater to people trying to fill out their wardrobes at reasonable prices.

I went to a store in Virginia that Primark opened last year. Here's what I found:

I visited a Primark store in McLean, Virginia.

This store opened in July and is located in Tysons Corner Center, a major shopping mall in Northern Virginia.

Inside, there was much more than just clothing, such as luggage…

The selection of suitcases reminded me of the product selection you might find at a T.J. Maxx or Ross, even though those off-price retailers source their inventory differently.

…as well as cosmetics.

Many of the products appeared to be Primark's own brands, such as "PS." Shoppers have been buying store brands lately to save money after years of inflation and persistently high prices.

I entered Primark on the second floor and headed downstairs to look for shorts.

I bought some shorts at a Primark in the UK a couple of years ago and wanted to see whether I could find a similar pair here in the US.

Downstairs, I saw a wide range of clothes, from these Lionel Messi-themed items…

This display was an homage to Inter Miami, the soccer team that Messi plays for.

…to these Post Malone T-shirts.

These shirts were "on-trend must-haves," according to the sign above them.

For fans of American football, there were a few choices as well.

Apparently left over from this year's Super Bowl, these Kansas City Chiefs shirts were deeply discounted.

Simpler, non-branded clothing made up much of the selection at this Primark.

While I couldn't find the same pair of shorts from my UK trip, I did try on a pair of these $24 shorts that came with a belt.

There were also a few non-apparel items, such as these Primark-branded headphones.

It seems like Primark is trying to get into more than clothes with its store brands.

The signage at Primark emphasized the prices of most items, from these $5 tank tops for men…

The tank tops came in a variety of colors.

…to these shirts, which were on clearance.

I visited Primark in early April, when the retailer was running specials on many warmer clothes, such as these long-sleeve shirts and hoodies.

A few items at Primark were a little lackluster.

This very simple "New York City" hoodie would likely have been overlooked even at a souvenir shop in Times Square.

I appreciated Primark's variety of jeans.

Men's jeans were available in multiple colors and sizes. They were also clearly organized by cut, which made it easy to shop.

I picked out a few things to try on, including some shorts and two pairs of jeans.

The clothing prices at Primark varied a bit: Those shorts were $24 a pair with a belt, while one pair of jeans I tried on retailed for $12. Another pair of jeans was marked down to $10 from $20.

I headed to the fitting rooms to see how everything fit.

Two of the three items — the shorts and the discounted pair of jeans — fit well.

With a couple of purchases in hand, I headed for the checkouts.

Only the self-checkouts were open when I visited late on a Thursday morning.

Only a few of the self-checkout kiosks were open, though.

Most of the dozen or so kiosks at this Primark had "Closed" signs attached to their screens. It wasn't clear whether they had technical issues or if store management was worried about customers stealing things at self-checkout.

Checking out was easy once I found an open kiosk.

The kiosks only accepted card payments. While I later spotted an open checkout upstairs staffed by a person, it seemed like a tough environment if you wanted or needed to pay with cash.

This receipt scanner is something I haven't seen much of in the US.

To leave the checkout area, I had to scan my receipt. Once I did, a gate opened, letting me back into the store.

I remembered this scanner from the Primark I visited in the UK. Scanning your receipt at self-checkout seems more common in the UK than in the US, though a few American stores have adopted the tech.

I also wondered how effective this scanner and gate are at limiting or catching theft. The gate led me back onto the sales floor, not directly to a store exit, meaning someone could slip items they hadn't paid for into a bag from the checkout.

I headed back upstairs with my purchases.

I ended up buying a pair of shorts and a pair of jeans that were on clearance. In total, I spent about $36.

This Primark was located directly next to an Old Navy.

Given the similarities with Primark, I ducked in to see what this Old Navy store was like.

The stores seemed quite similar, though I liked the jean selection at Primark better.

The Old Navy store seemed to have a similar selection of things I typically buy, such as men's shorts and button-down shirts.

The selection of men's jeans at Old Navy wasn't quite as wide and organized as what I found at Primark, though. I also didn't see significant makeup and luggage selections like I did at Primark.

Overall, I'd definitely go back to Primark again, though I'll probably keep cross-shopping a lot for clothes.

It's usually easy to shop at just one or two stores for your weekly grocery haul.

But sticking to just one store for all your clothes can be more difficult. I've filled my wardrobe with stuff from Costco, J. Crew, Macy's, Target, and Zara, not to mention a few secondhand sources.

I liked the fit of the shorts and jeans I bought, so if they hold up well, I'll likely be back to Primark for more at some point. But affordable clothing is a competitive part of retail, and Primark will have to work hard to keep my attention.

You might already have a good idea of which smartphone you want to be your next one. But there are more solid options available now than ever before, making the decision not as cut-and-dry as it used to be. While the decision is a bit easier if you know you want an iPhone, there's even enough variation between those new models that you may have to think about it longer than you anticipated. If you’re an Android person, you have even more options to choose from — including foldables — and more questions to answer before you spend any money.

At Engadget, we review phones regularly and have tested dozens over the years. Whether you’ve had your eye on one of our current top picks, one of Samsung's Galaxy S25 phones, a cheap phone or another device, we’re here to help you decide which is the best phone to buy this year.

Android or iOS?

When you're searching for the best smartphone, it becomes clear that each OS has its pros and cons. Apple’s tight-knit ecosystem makes it super easy to share data between iPhones, iPads and Macs or seamlessly hand-off phone calls or music from one device to another. At the same time, you’re effectively locked in, as services like Apple Messages aren’t available on other platforms.

As for Android, there’s a much wider range of handsets from companies like Google, Samsung, Sony and more. However, Android phones don’t enjoy that same length of software support and often have lower trade-in values. In short, there’s no wrong answer. However, you will want to consider how your phone will fit in with the rest of your devices. So unless you’re really fed up with one OS and willing to learn another, it probably doesn’t make a lot of sense to switch from an iPhone to an Android phone (or vice versa) – especially if everyone else in your household is using the same platform.

Cameras

Since your cell phone often pulls double duty as your primary camera, figuring out what kind of photo tools you want is key. Nowadays, practically every mobile phone can take a great picture in bright light. But if you want a long optical zoom, you’ll probably have to upgrade to a more expensive device.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Mid-range phones often only have two rear cameras (a primary wide-angle lens and a secondary ultra-wide camera) and can sometimes struggle in low-light situations. Each phone maker also has various features that might be a better fit for your style, with Apple offering four different color presets on the latest iPhones, while Google’s Pixel 9 Pro comes with neat tools like dedicated long exposure and Action Pan modes.

Will you get mmWave 5G or Wi-Fi 7?

The good news is that in 2025, most phones have at least Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6e and support for some kind of 5G connectivity. However, if you want the fastest wireless speeds possible, it’s going to cost you a little extra. For example, on certain networks, mmWave 5G offers up to gigabit download speeds, less latency and better bandwidth. But mmWave 5G also requires more sophisticated (and pricier) modems, which means support for it is often missing on less expensive devices.

On the bright side, mmWave 5G isn’t as widely available as other versions of 5G, so depending on where you live and what network you’re on, you may not be missing out on much right now if you buy a phone that doesn’t support it. It’s a similar situation for Wi-Fi 7, which is available on some high-end handsets like the Galaxy S25, but harder to find on cheaper devices. Wi-Fi 7 also requires you to have a compatible router, so unless you know you need it or have a specific use case in mind, the lack of support for mmWave 5G or Wi-Fi 7 shouldn’t be a dealbreaker when looking for a new phone.

Other features to consider

Because not everyone agrees on what makes the best phone, you should think about any other specs that might be extra important for you. Mobile gamers will almost certainly appreciate the 120Hz refresh rates you get on phones like the Samsung Galaxy S25 or the Apple iPhone 16 Pro. Alternatively, if long battery life is important, you’ll probably want to go with a larger iPhone or an Android phone with a battery that’s between 4,000 and 5,000 mAh in size. Meanwhile, if you find yourself juggling a lot of devices, it can be really nice to have a phone that supports reverse wireless charging, which on Samsung phones even lets you recharge the company’s Galaxy Watches.

Other smartphones we've tested

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Like its predecessor, the S25 Ultra is an incredibly versatile phone. It’s one of the few handsets that come with an included stylus and premium features like a gorgeous 6.9-inch AMOLED display, titanium frame and a 5x telephoto camera. It also has excellent performance and strong battery life. The issue is that, aside from improved AI, this year’s phone doesn’t offer that much more than the previous model (or the one before that), and with prices starting at $1,300, we feel it needs to do more to earn a top pick spot.

OnePlus 13

While the OnePlus 13 features some basic AI features like Google’s Circle to Search and Gemini assistant, it’s really just an old-fashioned flagship in all the best ways. That’s because instead of focusing on machine learning, OnePlus crammed the phone with tons of top-notch hardware. It sports a 6.8-inch OLED display with an incredible peak brightness of up to 4,500 nits. The OP13 also offers excellent performance thanks to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, along with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. There are also three 50-MP rear cameras including one with a 3x telephoto zoom and a massive 6,000 mAh battery that’s bigger than what you get in practically all of its competitors.

OnePlus didn’t skimp on the phone’s design either, as the OP13 still comes with the company’s signature Alert Slider. Plus, if you opt for the blue or white variants, you’ll get a durable and very touchable vegan leather back that helps the phone stand out among all its glass brick rivals. But the best part is that starting at $900, it costs less than an equivalent Galaxy S25+ too.

FAQs

How do I know which smartphone is the best for me?

While choosing the best smartphone can be challenging, it mostly comes down to how you plan on using the device. All of the best phones available now get the basics right — you’ll be able to make calls, text and access the internet without many hiccups. If your smartphone is your most used gadget, you may want to consider paying for a device on the higher end of the price spectrum. That will get you better overall performance, higher-quality cameras and a phone that will last for many years. If you don’t use your phone for everything, you may be able to compromise on performance and extra perks and spend less on a still-capable handset.

How much is a smartphone?

Smartphones range in price from $300 to over $1,500. The best budget phones available now will usually compromise on overall performance, design, camera prowess and extra features to keep costs down. On the flip side, the most expensive phones will have powerful processors, triple-camera arrays and even flip or fold designs. Most people will find a phone that fits their needs somewhere in the middle of that wide price range — we’ve found that most of the best smartphones available right now cost between $500 and $1,000.

What can you do on a smartphone?

Smartphones are essentially small, portable computers that let you do things like check email, browse social media, follow map directions, make contactless payments and more. This is all on top of the basics like making phone calls and texting, which we’ve come to expect in all modern cell phones. Smartphones have also mostly replaced compact cameras thanks to their high-quality, built-in shooters, and the fact that most smartphones today as just as portable, if not more so, as compact cameras.

How long do smartphones last?

Smartphones can last years and people are holding on to their phones longer now than ever before. Software updates and battery life are two of the biggest factors that can affect phone longevity. Apple promises five years worth of software updates for its latest iPhones, and Google promises the same for its Pixel phones. Samsung phones will get four years worth of Android updates from the time they launch. As for charging speeds and battery life, your phone can deteriorate over time as you use and recharge your phone on a regular basis.

Recent updates

April 2025: Updated to include the Google Pixel 9a.

February 2025: Updated to include the iPhone 16e.

January 2025: Updated to include details about Samsung's latest Galaxy S-series phones.

September 2024: Updated to include the latest iPhone 16 models and a new midrange iPhone top pick.

• I grew up in tiny NYC apartments, so the thought of shopping at Costco was a distant luxury.
• However, my partner and I recently moved into a house in Los Angeles and now love it there.
• We get gas, protein bars, batteries, frozen fruit, and more at Costco each month.

I grew up in New York City and have always lived in small apartments without much storage space. It just never made sense for me to buy groceries in bulk.

However, my partner and I recently moved to Los Angeles, and now we have a whole house to ourselves. One of the best perks of our new life is taking monthly trips to Costco for all our favorite items.

Here are my favorite things to get there.

Gas is always at the top of our shopping list.

We tend to have a Costco shopping trip at least once a month, and I also go there about once a week to fuel my car.

Gas is expensive, especially in Los Angeles, and Costco typically has unbeatable prices — particularly for premium, which is what my Mini Cooper takes.

The best part is I can easily check the rate on a daily basis when using the store's app, which helps me determine if Costco gas prices are better than competitors that day.

We often buy a five-pack of steaks to use for dinners throughout the week.

My partner is a carnivore to the max. To him, nothing beats the five-pack of the Kirkland Signature boneless New York steaks.

They taste great on the grill or in a cast-iron pan and are often the star of a delicious weekday meal for us.

Ribs are also a must-buy.

We never skip out on buying Costco's ribs, especially since we can get over 9 pounds of meat for about $35.

The store also stocks pre-seasoned ribs, which are great when we're out of our homemade dry rub. We'll make these for ourselves or when having friends over for a barbecue.

Greek yogurt is a versatile staple.

I'm a huge fan of Kirkland Signature products, and I especially like the label's organic Greek yogurt.

It's perfect for making smoothies creamy or adding protein to granola.

I have plenty of room in my freezer for frozen fruit.

Now that I live in a house, I have room in my freezer to buy staples in bulk, like frozen strawberries.

I'm usually pretty happy with the prices of frozen fruit at Costco, so I pick up mixed berries or strawberries there.

Recently, I got 4 pounds of Kirkland Signature organic strawberries for $10, which felt like a steal compared to prices I've seen at other local grocery stores.

Kirkland Signature paper towels feel like a steal.

Again, now that I have the space, I'm able to buy more household staples in bulk.

We often pick up big packs of the Kirkland Signature paper towels and store them in our shed to optimize kitchen space.

These affordable paper towels are thick and powerful. One 12-pack of rolls often lasts us over two months, especially since we supplement the use of them with microfiber cloths.

I also get my batteries in bulk.

Since we live in a house with a ton of random gadgets, we somehow always need batteries. I try to keep a few varieties on hand.

Fortunately, we've found Kirkland Signature batteries to be fairly affordable and easy to buy in bulk. They especially came in handy during the recent California wildfires, when we lost power and needed to use flashlights.

I'm so glad we've found sugar-free Liquid IV.

Working from home, I get distracted and find myself not hydrating frequently or as much as I should. So, I like that I can use Liquid IV to boost the flavor and hydration power of my water with electrolytes and sugar-free flavoring.

I'm usually not able to find sugar-free Liquid IV at my local grocery stores, but Costco always seems to have some packs in stock.

We go through a lot of Kirkland Signature protein bars.

My partner and I typically each eat one Kirkland Signature protein bar a day.

I don't eat too much meat, so these bars help me easily get 21 grams of protein when I need a boost.

We usually buy the variety pack with 10 cookie-dough and 10 brownie bars. My partner likes the cookie-dough flavor, and I prefer the brownie one — a match made in heaven.

Dates are always in my cart.

I'm a huge date girl. Dates really are nature's candy.

I love eating them raw on their own, making date bark with some peanut butter and chocolate chips, or incorporating them into a smoothie or yogurt bowl.

They're a great source of fiber, potassium, and magnesium too.

Costco has some of the best deals on vanilla extract I've seen.

I love baking, but quality vanilla extract is a key ingredient in many recipes that can be expensive and hard to find in larger quantities.

At Costco, however, I can find 16 ounces of pure vanilla extract for under $12. To me, that's an amazing deal.

Nothing beats the Kirkland Signature three-pack of honey's flavor and price.

Kirkland Signature honey is one of our pantry staples since I'm a huge tea fan and love adding it to my drinks. I also recently got my partner into peppermint tea, which can be enhanced with a dollop of honey.

This honey tastes high-quality — and getting three 24-ounce bottles of it for under $13 feels like a bargain.

Costco sells my favorite pimple patches.

Yes, I still struggle with acne in my late 20s. I really like the pimple patches from Hero because they can hardly be seen when they're applied correctly.

I'll often wear one or two when I'm traveling on a plane, taking a between-Zoom-meeting stroll, or even having virtual calls.

The stickers help me avoid picking at my skin, and I'm a firm believer they make my pimples disappear much faster.

Having bulk containers of allergy meds has been a game changer.

As someone who deals with allergies, I always try to keep medication on hand that will help me deal with symptoms.

Name-brand options can get pricey, especially since I take tablets every day. So, I opt for Kirkland Signature allergy medicine.

The $5 bottle of 600 pills does my wallet a huge favor.

Big containers of ibuprofen can come in handy, too.

One of the first things we did when moving into our first place together was buy a first-aid kit. After that, we stocked up on some of our staple medications, like ibuprofen

I can get big tubs of CeraVe at the bulk retailer.

Since moving to Los Angeles, my skin has struggled to adjust to the dry climate. So, I've been buying bulk packs of the CeraVe moisturizing cream and using it morning and night.

Hydrating and not greasy, the cream has been my hero as of late. Plus, it's fairly affordable at Costco at $25 for two 16-ounce tubs.

I like to peruse the clothing section while I'm shopping.

Perhaps one of the best things about Costco is that it's truly a one-stop shop. I always check the retailer's clothing section and often pick up a piece or two.

My latest favorite purchase is the $18 two-piece lounge set from Honeydew. It's so cozy and especially great on long car or plane rides.

I have to end every Costco run at the food court.

Lastly, we end our shopping trip with celebratory Costco hot dogs, which cost just $1.50 each and come with a soft drink.

Click to keep reading Costco diaries like this one.

It's almost time to pre-order the Nintendo Switch 2, now that we finally know how much it'll cost, when it comes out, some of the games it's getting, and the fact that you can use the new Joy-Con as a mouse, even on top of your pants. The Nintendo Switch 2 costs $450, it comes out on June 5, and pre-orders are set to go live on Wednesday, April 9. If you're pre-ordering from a third-party retailer, your best bet is to make an extra cup of coffee that morning and get your clicking fingers ready — an exact time for pre-orders to activate hasn't been announced yet, but it'll likely be around 9AM ET, as these things often are.

If you're ordering directly from Nintendo, things will work a little differently.

Nintendo's US and Canada purchasing site asks interested customers to register to receive an emailed invitation to order the Switch 2. These invites will start going out on May 8, giving each recipient 72 hours to complete their purchase. The fine print clarifies that invites will be sent first to people who meet the following criteria as of April 2, 2025:

• They've purchased any Nintendo Switch Online membership

• They've had any paid NSO membership for a minimum of 12 months

• They've opted in to share gameplay data and have logged at least 50 hours of total play time

Registrants who fit these criteria will be included in the priority group and receive email invites in the initial batches. All other hopeful customers will get in line on a first-come, first-served basis behind them. The UK pre-order guidelines are similar. 

On the negative side, this means folks who have opted out of Nintendo's data-sharing program or never used NSO will be lumped in with the non-priority group, even if they've played their Switch every day for the past eight years. This also makes it harder for non-playing people to pre-order a Switch 2 from Nintendo as a surprise for a friend or family member. That's a bummer.

On the positive side, this seems to be Nintendo's attempt to thwart scalpers, and it should be an effective roadblock. It'll simply be harder for profit hunters to receive the initial batch of Switch 2 consoles directly from Nintendo, which should curtail the influx of price-jacked resales — at least a little bit, and at least for a little while. 

On the most positive side, this is a nice, unexpected benefit for people with a track record of actually playing the Switch. Sure, the benefit is simply enabling them to more easily spend their money on Nintendo products, but as far as capitalistic ploys go, this one's pretty kind.

That said, retailers including Gamestop, Walmart and Best Buy won't have these restrictions on pre-orders, so things should operate as usual there. This means you won't have to prove you're a Real Gamer in order to pre-order a Switch 2 from a third-party store, but neither will the scalpers.

Apple devices currently hold the top honor in our guide to the best laptops, smartwatches and tablets. But the company’s gear isn’t cheap — and you won’t find sales at Apple’s own website either. But that doesn’t mean you can only get a new iPad or MacBook at full price. Other retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Target and B&H Photo often host considerable discounts, sometimes on the order of a few hundred dollars in savings.

At Engadget, we’ve tested and reviewed every major device Apple has released — including the brand new MacBook Air M4, the Mac Studio M4 Max, a new iPad Air M3, and of course the iPhone 16. One thing to note is that it’s harder to find unlocked current-model iPhones on sale — for those you’ll need to go directly to Apple’s site or buy through a wireless carrier.

It's springtime, and deals at this time of year are never what they are in, say, November when Black Friday deals are live. So even in a normal year, deals would be harder to come by right now. But the uncertainty surrounding tariffs seems to be having an effect on both in-stock levels and the number of deals currently offered. Still, we scoured retailer's pages and gathered the best Apple deals out there. We'll continue to hunt and update this list every week. If you’re thinking of buying an Apple product, check here first to see if you can save some cash.

Best iPad deals

Apple iPad Air 13-inch (M3) for $730 ($69 off): We gave the 13-inch iPad Air a review score of 89 when it was released in March. It has a bigger and slightly brighter display than its 11-inch counterpart; otherwise, the two slates are the same. If you plan to keep your iPad hooked up to a keyboard, the extra screen space is lovely for taking in movies and multitasking for work. In general, the newest Air is a spec bump, but we still recommend it over the standard model if you can swing it: Its display is more color-rich and better at fending off glare, the speakers are more robust, it works with Apple’s best accessories and its performance should hold up better in the years ahead.

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) for $899 ($100 off): The iPad Pro is more tablet than most people need, but it’s the ultimate iPad for those who can stomach its price tag. It’s wonderfully thin, its OLED display is one of the best we’ve seen on a consumer device and its M4 chip can handle virtually anything you’d ever do on an iPad. It’s also the only Apple tablet with Face ID, plus it has a better speaker setup than the iPad Air. We gave it a score of 84 in our review, with the only real drawback being how expensive it all is. Also at Best Buy.

Apple iPad Air (M2, 11-inch) for $499 ($100 off): Last year’s iPad Air earned a score of 91 in our review. It was our pick for the best iPad for most people until it was usurped by the newer model that came out this year. Still, it’s a reliable tablet that hits the sweet spot between performance, features and price. The M2 chip even supports Apple Intelligence features.

Best Apple AirPod deals

AirPods 4 with ANC for $169 ($10 off): These buds have ANC, but they don’t have the interchangeable ear tips you’ll find on the AirPods Pro 2. Even so, they have an improved fit over the last version, plus good sound quality and a heap of advanced features. Also at Walmart.

Best MacBook deals and Mac discounts

MacBook Air (M4, 13-inch) for $899 ($100 off): Apple's latest MacBook Air is another device that only came out last month but already has a modest discount at some retailers. One of the things we appreciated most in our review was the slight price drop for the base configuration. Instead of starting at $1,099 like the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air, the M4 starts at $999. Add in this discount and the fact that the ultraportable packs Apple's latest M-series chip, and you've got yourself a pretty good deal on a capable laptop — one that happens to be our favorite laptop overall. Also at B&H Photo.

MacBook Air (M3, 15-inch) for $999 ($300 off): The last-gen M3 MacBook Air has officially been discontinued, but it remains a superb laptop while the last bits of stock remain available. We gave this 15-inch model a score of 90 in in our review — outside of its slower chip (which is still plenty fast for everyday use), marginally improved camera and inability to power two external displays with the lid open, it's virtually identical to the newer version.

MacBook Air (M2, 13-inch) for $799 ($200 off): With the launch of the M4 MacBook Air, the M2 model feels a little old — though it's objectively a solid laptop. We called it Apple's "near-perfect" Mac in our original review, praising it for its excellent performance, gorgeous screen and thinner design.

iMac (M4, 24-inch) for $1,193 ($106 off): For an all-in-one solution, the M4 iMac is a good pick thanks to its powerful performance, standard 16GB of RAM and improved webcam. Just note that it only comes in the 24-inch screen size option.

Read more Apple coverage:

• The best AirPods

• The best Apple Watches

• The best MacBooks

• The best iPhones

• The best iPads

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