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Dealmaster —

The weekend’s best deals: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, 8BitDo gamepads, and more

Dealmaster also has discounts on the Apple Pencil, PS5 games, and Beats earbuds.

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The weekend’s best deals: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, 8BitDo gamepads, and more
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It's the weekend, which means the time has come for another Dealmaster. Our latest roundup of the best tech deals from around the web includes the lowest price we've tracked for Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite. The 8GB, ad-supported version of the e-reader is currently down to $95 at Target and Best Buy, which matches the discount we saw during Amazon's Prime Day sale. Both retailers say this deal will last through Saturday.

Further Reading

Review: Bigger screen, better lighting make for a nearly perfect Kindle Paperwhite
We gave the Paperwhite a glowing review upon its launch last year, and in general we still consider it the best Kindle—and thus, the best e-reader—for most people. Amazon's e-book library remains comprehensive—even if Kindles still don't fully support some open standards natively—and the Paperwhite itself offers a comfortable and waterproof design, battery life that lasts for weeks, Bluetooth audio support, and a sharp, 300-pixels-per-inch display. There's no urgent need for owners of the previous-gen Paperwhite to upgrade, but compared to that model, the latest version offers a larger screen (at 6.8 inches, up from six) with a smoother frontlight, faster performance (albeit not without the occasional hiccup), and a USB-C port. It's a significant upgrade from the base Kindle and close enough to the higher-end Kindle Oasis to be a better value (though both of those e-readers are also back down to their all-time lows today).

It's worth noting that the Kids version of the Paperwhite is on sale for $10 more, though. That also matches the lowest price we've tracked. This variant is marketed toward children and includes a year of Amazon's Kids+ service, but its hardware is identical to the standard model, plus it comes with a two-year warranty (compared to one year for the base model), a useful case, and, notably, no lockscreen ads. If you don't mind spending a little bit extra, it may be the better overall value.

Further Reading

8Bitdo Pro 2 gamepad review: A $50 bargain for cool features, killer performance
If you don't need a new e-reader, though, our roundup includes all-time lows for a few other gadgets we like, too. A number of gamepads from accessory maker 8BitDo are still on sale, for instance, including the excellent Pro 2, which we recommend as a more affordable and customizable alternative to Nintendo's Switch Pro Controller. At its current deal price of $75, Amazon's latest Fire HD 10 offers strong value for those in need of a cheap tablet, while Beats' Studio Buds offer easy pairing and solid performance for a set of true wireless earbuds priced just under $100. We also have lower-than-usual prices on several high-profile PS5 games, Apple's Pencil stylus, and various LG OLED TVs, among other devices. You can find our full curated list of the weekend's best deals below.

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

Featured deals of the day

Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition.
Enlarge / Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition.
Andrew Cunningham

Electronics deals

Beats' Studio Buds noise-canceling true wireless earphones.
Enlarge / Beats' Studio Buds noise-canceling true wireless earphones.
Jeff Dunn
The 9th-generation iPad. <a href="https://www.macrumors.com/2022/08/04/10th-generation-ipad-renders-rumor/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rumors suggest</a> a redesigned model could arrive by the end of the year, though that refresh could ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack in the process.
Enlarge / The 9th-generation iPad. Rumors suggest a redesigned model could arrive by the end of the year, though that refresh could ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack in the process.
Andrew Cunningham

Laptop and desktop PC deals

Apple's entry-level MacBook Air doesn't have the faster processor or more modern design of <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/07/2022-macbook-air-review-apples-clean-slate/">its follow-up</a>, but it's still a great notebook for those who want to save some cash, especially at its current deal price.
Enlarge / Apple's entry-level MacBook Air doesn't have the faster processor or more modern design of its follow-up, but it's still a great notebook for those who want to save some cash, especially at its current deal price.
Lee Hutchinson

TV and home entertainment deals

The FastSnail Grips lend the Nintendo Switch's Joy-Con controllers a more traditional shape.
Enlarge / The FastSnail Grips lend the Nintendo Switch's Joy-Con controllers a more traditional shape.
Jeff Dunn

Gaming deals

The mammoth and intricate RPG <em>Divinity: Original Sin 2</em>.
Enlarge / The mammoth and intricate RPG Divinity: Original Sin 2.
Larian Studios

Video game deals

<em>Clubhouse Games</em> compiles digital versions of various card, board, and tabletop games from around the world.
Enlarge / Clubhouse Games compiles digital versions of various card, board, and tabletop games from around the world.
Nintendo
The first-gen (left) and second-gen (right) Apple Pencil styluses. The <a href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211029" target="_blank" rel="noopener">former is for</a> the base iPad and various older models, while the latter is compatible with newer iPad Pros and iPad Airs, as well as the latest iPad Mini.
Enlarge / The first-gen (left) and second-gen (right) Apple Pencil styluses. The former is for the base iPad and various older models, while the latter is compatible with newer iPad Pros and iPad Airs, as well as the latest iPad Mini.
Samuel Axon

Accessories and miscellaneous deals

Jeff Dunn Jeff Dunn is the Senior Commerce Editor for Ars Technica, where he oversees buying guides and deal coverage. He also assists with consumer tech news and reviews. He is based in New York City.

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