I’ve recently moved into a brand new home, and the tiny kitchen I had to make do with in my old apartment has over doubled in size — and this Prime Day I’m looking for a brand new suite of kitchen gadgets, and general cookware to fill it with.
Top of my list is an airfryer — specifically the Ninja Air Fryer DoubleStack XL which is currently $40-off (now $209.95 at Amazon, and you can save £60 on it at Amazon UK) thanks to its efficient size and cooking prowess — but I’m hoping to indulging myself with a new coffee maker, or perhaps the Ninja Creami I’ve heard so much about (it’s $169.99 at Amazon US, saving you 23%-off, and £153.89 at Amazon UK, a 38% discount).
I’ve already grabbed a few non-techy essentials to fill out my kitchen, and I’ll highlight them below too with reasons you should consider them.
Today's best Ninja deals NINJA Air Fryer Doublestack XL NINJA Creami Ice Cream Maker NINJA Fresh Brew Coffee Maker NINJA Double Stack XL 9.5L Air Fryer NINJA Creami Deluxe Ice Cream Maker NINJA Perfect Temperature KettleThe Ninja Double Stack stands as the best airfryer in the world based on our tests thanks to its generous capacity for its small footprint and its “top-tier” cooking performance. Normally it is a bit pricey, but whenever it goes on sale (like right now) it’s one I have my eye on because it represents such an amazing deal.
The Creami is a few years older at this point, but it is still a capable ice cream maker — and I expect it’ll be vital next Summer if the UK faces another record-breaking heatwave which is why I’m considering grabbing it while I can for a discount.
Lastly, the only item I have on this list is the Ninja Kettle (it’s on sale in the UK, in the US I’ve picked a snazzy but simple coffee maker). I love coffee, matcha, chai, and fruit teas, while my wife likes classic black tea, and all need different temperatures for the best results — this kettle lets me easily heat water to the perfect temp for each in no time, and it’s easily my most used (and probably most loved) appliance.
My other favorite Prime Day deals for my kitchen GreenPan Stainless Steel Cookware Set KitchenAid Variable Speed Corded Hand Blender Tormek T-1 Kitchen Knife Sharpener KitchenAid Ribbed Soft Silicone Oven Mitt 2-Pack Set CAROTE 7-Piece Baking Pans Set ioion Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Stainless Steel Cookware Set Ninja Foodi 3-In-1 Hand Blender TORMEK T-1 Kitchen Knife Sharpener KitchenAid Ribbed Soft Silicone Oven Mitt Set Brod & Taylor Bread Steel Brod & Taylor Sourdough HomeI’ve tried a few different non-stick pans over the years, but fears over forever chemicals and frustration at safer coatings that never seem to last have brought me back to the ol’ reliable steel pan — and from my experience GreenPan’s are excellent.
I’ve been giving pieces from its 5-ply Premiere collection a whirl in my new flat — which combine steel and aluminum sheets to maximize heat efficiency and resilience while keeping them a less weighty — but as they aren’t on sale right now I’m highlighting this collection of 11 pots and pans, which for only $119.99 are a steal (especially as you get lids with everything too).
The thing to remember is unlike typical non-stick, steel pans will need a bit more oil, and plenty of time to get up to temperature before you add anything (around two to three minutes), but the upshot is they’re dishwasher and oven safe to high temperatures, and can survive metal tools — which for me is precisely what I need.
In the UK GreenPan’s options aren’t discounted at the time of writing, but the Cuisinart Chef’s Classic set should fill a similar role.
The Tormek T-1 isn’t on sale and it is a little pricey, but I’m highlighting it for any home chefs who have just bought new knives, or who are considering upgrading their old dull ones this Prime Day.
I’ve tried cheap and ‘easy’ knife sharpeners but they’re generally ineffective and can create an uneven edge. Meanwhile, sharpening stones are pretty intimidating.
The Tormek T1 works a treat. It’s super simple to use thanks to the instructions and helped transform all my knives into elite kitchen tools again — including some close to a decade-old blades I was close to throwing out given how useless they had become after years of abuse.
If you cook plenty and have some knives you want to look after, but not a lot of time to sharpen them regularly a more old-fashioned way this piece of kit is something to consider — though if you’re on a budget you may want to wait and see if a Black Friday sale can make it cheaper.
(Image credit: Future)Finally as an avid baker I've picked out some essential baking gear I use (or is very similar to the kit I have at home). My favorites of the bunch are the Brod & Taylor Bread Steel and Sourdough Home.
The steel is perfect for crusting the bottom of your loaves, but also works well with pizza and other doughs (I think most ovens should have one), while the Sourdough Home is more of a luxury — but one I adore nonetheless.
I keep my sourdough tucked away inside it at a constant cool 5-degrees celsius, and can easily make the home warmer (usually 24-degrees) when I’m getting my starter ready to be baked with. The Home makes managing your starter all-year-round much less of a chore, though it isn’t something I’d recommend for beginners — just because you don’t want to splash out on gear and only bake a few loaves.
But if you’ve fallen in love with sourdough baking and want to treat yourself (or the baker in your life) this deal is perfect.
Netgear has announced a new service whicht conducts dark web monitoring and notifies you when your stolen data is found lurking in someone else’s database.
Announced as part of its Armor and Armor Plus plans, the Dark Web Monitoring service is available to subscribers via the Netgear app.
The dark web is the hidden arena of the internet where various “out of sight” transactions are conducted. While it has legitimate uses (such as dissidents accessing resources via Tor), it is also the home of a black market in data – typically stolen from large organizations, companies, and governments in successful hacking attempts.
Collection of toolsOwners of the data should be notified by law when their information is stolen. However, often it isn’t until personal information (and more valuable data such as company secrets or software engines) hits the dark web that companies are even aware that they have been hacked. This makes dark web monitoring services such as Netgear’s new feature particularly attractive.
Netgear’s service is added to its existing collection of tools for Armor and Armor Plus subscribers. These include protection against malware and exploits, intrusion, anomaly, and DDoS detection and protection, and a VPN with adblock and anti-tracking.
The dark web monitoring feature adds to these by offering continuous monitoring of the dark web for emails, phone numbers, and financial details lost during a data breach. National Insurance numbers are also monitored.
If anything is found, Netgear Dark Web Monitoring sends alerts and recommends actions. It also offers an Identity Protection Score to illustrate exposure, and as households improve their security the tool tracks their progress.
Finding exposed dataWhile free services can uncover data that has been exposed in data leaks, the dark web is home to stolen information that may not yet be disclosed. This could be because the organization that has been hacked hasn’t got around to sharing the breach with their customers – or because they don’t know it has even happened.
This makes an active monitoring service like Netgear Dark Web Monitoring particularly valuable.
“Most people think about network security as something that happens within their home,” says Jonathan Oakes, Senior Vice President and General Manager of NETGEAR’s Home Networking Division. “But your details can end up exposed somewhere else entirely, in a breach at a company you’ve never even dealt with directly. Dark Web Monitoring means finding out while there’s still time to act.”
Netgear Dark Web Monitoring is available with its routers’ Armor ($99/year) and Armor Plus ($149.99/year) plans, available to be purchased via the Netgear app.
Choosing between two creative laptops becomes much easier when they share many of the same core specifications but have different prices. That's exactly the situation with two MSI laptops which have been discounted for Amazon Prime Day.
• Best for: I'd choose the MSI Katana 15 HX for most users, while the Crosshair A16 HX makes more sense if you think a larger, faster display is worth paying extra for. And that's not the case for most people.
• The deal: The MSI Crosshair A16 HX is down to $2294 (was $2699), while the MSI Katana 15 HX has dropped to $1791 (was $2200), both at Amazon.
• Why it matters: They both offer RTX 5070 graphics, 32GB of DDR5 memory, and 1TB SSDs, but have different processors (Intel vs. AMD) and price points. The decision largely comes down to whether you think the Crosshair's advantages justify another $503. For what it's worth, at this price, I mostly don't.
Katana 15 HX Laptop: was $2199.99 now $1791
This model features an Intel Core i9-14900HX processor, RTX 5070 8GB graphics, 32GB DDR5-5600 memory, 1TB NVMe SSD, 165Hz display, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.4, USB-C, HDMI, and RGB keyboard.View Deal
Crosshair A16 HX Laptop: was $2699 now $2294
This laptop features an AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX processor, RTX 5070 8GB graphics, 32GB DDR5 memory, 1TB NVMe SSD, 16-inch 2560 x 1600 240Hz display, Wi-Fi 6E, and USB-C connectivity.View Deal
The Crosshair A16 HX has some worthwhile advantages, particularly its larger display. Despite that, of the two laptops, I'd go for the MSI Katana 15 HX as it includes remarkably similar core hardware for $503 less.
The Katana combines a 14th-generation Intel Core i9-14900HX processor with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 8GB graphics card. There's also 32GB of DDR5-5600 memory and a 1TB NVMe SSD.
Its 15.6-inch display has a 165Hz refresh rate, while Cooler Boost 5 uses dual fans and five heat pipes to help manage temperatures. Connectivity includes USB-C, HDMI, Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.4.
In his 4-star review of the older (less powerful) model, our expert James said "for those with a limited budget, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) is among the best gaming laptops to pick from. There are some compromises, such as the styling and battery life, as well as a flaw or two, but the overall package provides a good quality gaming experience where you won’t feel the portable’s limitations."
The Crosshair A16 HX pairs an AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX with the same RTX 5070 8GB graphics and matches the Katana's 32GB of DDR5 memory and 1TB NVMe SSD.
You get a larger 16-inch 2560 x 1600 display with a much faster 240Hz refresh rate. It also has a 90Wh battery and supports up to 96GB of memory, compared with a 75Wh battery and maximum 64GB on the Katana.
While those extras make the Crosshair more interesting on paper, I'd still buy the Katana.
Price context & historical valueBoth laptops have been reduced in price by just over $400 for Prime Day. The Katana falls from $2,199.99 to $1,791, saving you $408.99, or around 19%. It has been lower though. For Black Friday 2025 it was $1,369.99. That's $830 off the standard price.
The Crosshair drops from $2,699 to $2,294, knocking $405 off its regular price, or 15%. This is as cheap as we've seen it previously.
Which MSI laptop should you buy?✅ Buy the MSI Katana 15 HX if...
You want the better-value laptop of the two. You're getting an RTX 5070 alongside a powerful Core i9-14900HX without paying for some of the Crosshair's more premium features.
✅ Buy the MSI Crosshair A16 HX instead if...
Display performance is a priority. Its 16-inch 2560 x 1600 screen runs at 240Hz rather than 165Hz, while the larger battery and higher maximum memory capacity provide a couple of additional advantages.
I’ve been playing with Arcana Unleashed for the past month, and the latest Dungeons & Dragons gameplay expansion is exquisite. Easily the best released since the game’s Fifth Edition refresh in 2024, and this week might be the best time to grab this book if you haven’t already.
Arcana Unleashed serves up magic-focused gameplay options for both players and Dungeon Masters. There are brand new and refreshed subclasses for characters to be built around like the Vestige Warlock and Arcane Archer Fighter, spells that friends and foes alike can use to solve dungeons, manipulate social situations and command the battlefield from the front or back lines, and tips for building magical worlds and setting up an arcane adventure.
I’ve read Arcana Unleashed from cover-to-cover and have already started incorporating it into the campaign I’m running (both upcoming sessions, and ones I have planned for the future). Magic is my favorite aspect of this game, and this feels like a love letter to the mystical arts.
However the book is far too short — like a delicious cake you’re only allowed a sliver of, I’m desperate for more and left wishing WoTC had served a more generous helping. But this year's early Amazon’s Big Deals sale has already seen it get a serious discount, and as we head into the holiday sales period proper it could get an even bigger price drop.
Arcana Unleashed: was $49.99 now $39.95
The latest D&D book is incredible, and even better thanks if you can score it at a discount like this $10 saving currently at Amazon.View Deal
I've loved Arcana Unleashed. My only gripe is it's a little expensive for what you get, but this deal makes it a much easier book to recommend for fans of D&D.View Deal
A light touchA Gameplay Expansion is designed for both players and the DMs who run the games. If you’ve picked up previous D&D 5e expansions it feels like a successor to the popular Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything and Xanathar’s Guide to Everything.
The first chapter of Arcana Unleashed is dedicated to subclasses characters can choose at level three — some new like the Vestiga Warlock, most returning options revised following the 2024 5e game reboot like the Fighter’s Arcane Archer, and the Necromancy, Enchantment, Conjuration, and Transmutation Wizard options that were left out of the 2024 Player’s Handbook (finally letting wannabe mages specialize in whichever of the eight schools of magic they most wish to).
I don’t believe you can judge a subclass by pure numbers — I firmly believe the ‘best’ option depends entirely on the individual campaign setting and the vibes expected by the playgroup — but generally the updates to the older classes seem solid, and the new options feel fun from both a gameplay and thematic point of view. A Warlock getting powers from a dying being of great power has so many story possibilities.
Moving into backgrounds and Arcana Unleashed’s feat options, I love how the new Origin Feats — some special feature your character starts the game with — provide mechanical and flavorful ways to create diversity in builds. Arcane Eloquence making a character better at Persuasion and Deception, without forcing them into a typically Charismatic class like Bard or Sorcerer, or Arcane Infiltrator letting you dodge as a bonus action like a Rogue without committing fully to that class.
(Image credit: Wizards of the Coast)There are new spells, items and magical creatures to utilize in games too, though I want to focus on the advice it gives for building magical worlds and creating factions your players could work with (or against) on their adventure.
These chapters go into solid detail about the needs and wants of these groups as well as how their allies might be rewarded, and the sorts of folks the factions would work against. They also offer up plenty of inspiration and things to consider in a magical world — like the development of technology, or the sorts of societies that might spring up.
For a more experienced DM these considerations would be second nature, but for newcomers — especially those new to creating a world from scratch — they provide the perfect level of assistance. You have got something to chew on, but no specific right or wrong answers, and plenty of space to be creative.
Even as a DM with a few years under my belt the book has been a helpful world building tool, and has already helped me conjure up a few new locations for my current on-going campaign.
I’ve loved everything Arcana Unleashed has had to offer up, but it’s not without its faults.
(Image credit: Wizards of the Coast)Sharing is caringMy first disappointment is the uneven distribution of new subclasses. I love that Wizards finally get updated rules for the remaining schools of magic not included in the 2024 Player’s Handbook, but this comes at the expense of Bards, Barbarians, Druids, Paladins, Rangers, Rogues, Warlocks and Sorcerers who get nothing.
Of course new subclasses with an intrinsic arcane nature would be perfect — giving players new options for characters from a world where everyone has some kind of magical ability. Though they don’t need to be new. The Barbarian’s Wild Magic subclass from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything could have been updated, as could the Druid’s Circle of Wildfire from the same book, or the Circle of the Shepherd from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything.
I’d maybe understand if this book focused on a hyper-specialized aspect of D&D. If it was say, pirate themed, I wouldn’t expect every class to suddenly be granted a swashbuckling speciality. But for something so intrinsic to this game as magic, and when there are so many still to be updated subclasses which could easily have been included here, it feels like such a let down that most of the games’ classes — including many spellcasters — are excluded.
(Image credit: Wizards of the Coast)These more expansive subclass options would also help to solve my other upset: the books feel too short.
At just 160 pages Arcana Unleashed feels kinda thin in my hands as I hold it. Meanwhile 5e expansions I keep comparing them to are longer — Tasha's Cauldron of Everything is 192 pages, as is Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, Strixhaven A Curriculum of Chaos is 224 pages, and Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft is 256.
Short doesn’t necessarily mean bad, but 160 pages on an expansion dedicated to something so quintessential to D&D just isn’t enough. It hits especially hard when the cost is $49.99 / £41.99 / AU$69.99.
I do think Arcana Unleashed has more than enough going for it to be something folks should pick up — it feels like a true successor to the ‘of Everything’ books I’ve referenced throughout this piece, which were (and still are) some of the most essential 5e expansions — but I’d recommend you wait for a discount.
Be that a sale form a big retailer, or a discount offered by your local game store if Arcana Unleashed cost closer to $35 / £30 / AU$45 (or better yet, less) it’s an easy snap buy. SO keep an eye on it as we head into this year’s holiday sales.
Trump is temporarily allowing this fuel to be used on highways, although it's typically just for off-road farm and construction vehicles. Could that lower the price of diesel?
(Image credit: Scott Olson)
The Arizona Supreme Court has suffered a cyberattack in which it lost sensitive data on more than a million people after an employee allegedly “clicked a malicious link in an email”, which led to the compromise of information on 1.3 million people.
Information is still scarce on the issue, as we don’t know if that malicious link resulted in the victim’s device being infected with an infostealer, or if they were asked to log into a bogus portal, allowing the threat actors to access their account directly.
It was confirmed that the threat actors copied information on 1.3 million people with unpaid court fees, fines and restitution payments for traffic and criminal violations dating back 30 years. They also nabbed almost 30,000 active and inactive orders of protection, as well as 150,000 reports dating back to 2010 from a foster care board making recommendations in cases where parents were allegedly unable or unfit to care for a child.
This kind of data is a gold mine for cybercriminals. Personal and private information can be used to tailor unique, personalized phishing lures which the victims will have a very hard time identifying. These emails can lure the recipients into downloading malware, or navigating to spoofed login portals designed to steal credentials. That malware can then spread to the victims’ employers, possibly resulting in ransomware deployments or data theft and extortion.
Responding to the attackAccording to the Associated Press (AP), the court’s IT team shut down the attack on a backup server, roughly two hours after being spotted, on September 24. Since then, they have been notifying the affected individuals about the breach and theft.
So far, the data has not yet made it to the dark web, it seems: “We don’t have any evidence it has been used or shared” after the attack, Supreme Court spokesperson Alberto Rodriguez said.
This would also suggest that this was not the work of any known ransomware groups or data extortionists because by now they would have at least bragged about it on the dark web.
The investigation is still ongoing. The court’s operations have not been disrupted in any way, Rodriguez added. The records were not altered, or deleted, and the attackers apparently did not steal information about jurors, witnesses, or court employees.
Attacking courtsCourts (both in the US and elsewhere) are frequent targets, mostly due to the sensitivity of the information they work with.
In early September 2026, it was reported that Thomson Reuters, the IT company behind the Reuters news agency, suffered a similar incident in March.
The company operates a court case-management system called C-Track, used by different courts to manage things like cases, filings, hearings, and schedules. It is used by courts in several US states, the US Virgin Islands, as well as Ontario, Canada. Unnamed miscreants managed to break in, obtaining “court records and personal information” across 11 US states, the US Virgin Islands, and Ontario, Canada.
Earlier still, on November 21, 2025, the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA), which manages court and public-record services across Georgia, detected hackers trying to break into the network. The attack was claimed by threat actors called Devman, which claimed to have stolen sensitive files and demanded a ransom payment in exchange. The GSCCCA temporarily shut down its websites and online services, while the FBI warned the authority of an imminent threat.
However, GSCCCA said it stopped the attackers before they were able to extract or encrypt any data and refused to pay the ransom. Devman is not a household name in the cybercriminal underworld, and apparently, it is a financially motivated group, not a state-sponsored one.
Via AP News
It feels like wired earbuds have been well and truly back in fashion for a little while now, and I can totally see why. A wired connection gives you access to lossless audio, unlike lossy Bluetooth devices, and they can also look pretty fashionable. And if you're looking to grab a pair of wired earbuds on the cheap, you're in luck. That's because the Sennheiser IE 200 are $99.95 (was $159.95) in the US and just £81.69 (was £129.99) in the UK, thanks to the Amazon Prime Day sales.
• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale
The Sennheiser IE 200 are in-ear monitors (IEMs) that are ideal for audiophiles or musicians on a budget. They provide incredibly detailed, articulate audio for the price you pay, with clean and agile bass, well-defined mids, and precise treble — they truly are perfectly equipped to handle any genre. I've been using them regularly for two years now, I've seen no signs of wear or degradation, and I love using them when I want a more analytical, balanced listening experience.
The IE 200 use a 3.5mm connector, so they work great with laptops, MP3 players, and any phones that retain the now somewhat elusive headphone jack. But if you need something with a USB-C connector for your smartphone, then you're in luck — if you're in the UK that is. Because right now, you can snap up the spectacular Sennheiser CX 80U for £30.95 (was £34.99) at Amazon UK, which is very cheap for the best-sounding wired earbuds in their price-class.
Want to know more about these deals? Scroll down for the best prices and more details on these top-tier Sennheiser earbuds.
Today's best Sennheiser IE 200 deal in the USI've been using the Sennheiser IE 200 for years, and they've never let me down. The level of detail they can unearth would be impressive enough at full price, so this deal makes them a true must-buy for audiophiles or musicians on a budget.View Deal
Today's best Sennheiser IE 200 deal in the UKThe Sennheiser IE 200 might just be some of my favorite IEMs ever made. That comes down to the fact that they provide such impressive levels of detail and insight while remaining highly affordable. So now, at less than £85, I would urge any audio enthusiast on a budget to scoop these up. View Deal
In my Sennheiser IE 200 review, I lauded the IEMs for their fantastic, balanced audio, great build quality, and ultra lightweight, comfortable feel. They also have a really discreet, understated look in use, rather than assuming the chunky form that a lot of IEMs go for.
As they're IEMs, you're not going to get that V-shaped EQ curve with super prominent bass and treble — these are designed for more faithful, critical listening. That's not to say that the low-end or highs lack impact — quite the opposite. They sound incredibly dynamic and expressive, but are simply tuned in a way that intricate mids aren't overshadowed. As a result, casual listeners and audiophiles alike will find plenty to love about the sound here.
Their excellent instrument separation gives plenty of room for every instrument in a mix to breathe, and if you're new to IEMs, you'll almost certainly be wowed by their ability to expose details you've never noticed in your favorite tracks. The IE 200 are a true value-for-money behemoth, so don't miss these impeccable deals that make them even more affordable.
Now, a quick word on the Sennheiser CX 80U for my fellow UK folk. If you want the flexibility of USB-C, then you may actually want to snap these up instead. The CX 80U sound phenomenal, with great balance across the frequency range, but especially strong clarity in the treble range. They also have a mic for taking phone calls, impressive noise isolation, and come with a range of different-sized eartips to help you find your perfect fit. You can read more about this deal down below.
Today's best Sennheiser CX 80U deal (UK only)I take the Sennheiser CX 80U with me everywhere I go to use with my Nintendo Switch 2 or listen to tunes on my phone, and they continue to impress me no end. They offer amazing audio quality, with especially refined treble and instrument separation, plus the convenience of USB-C connectivity, and even a built-in mic for taking calls. In my view, there aren't any similarly priced USB-C earbuds that can compete with these. View Deal
More Prime Day deals in the USWe're already on the final day of Amazon's October Prime Day — aka Prime Big Deal Days — and the good news is that there are still plenty of deals to be found.
The shopping event, exclusive to Prime members, is packed with discounts across plenty of categories. And here we're focusing on Lego sets, and the discounts are across many, many themes, including Botanicals, Technic, Disney, Star Wars, and Harry Potter. You'll even find some Creator 3-in-1 sets that make great gifts if you're already holiday shopping.
Probably the most surprising Lego discounts this October Prime Day would be on Star Wars Smart Play sets. The Lego Smart Brick was only introduced in January 2026, and it's been hard to find at a discount, so if you've been waiting, now's a great time to score one.
As TechRadar's resident Lego expert, I've been scanning the sale for the best of the best, and ahead, I'm sharing over 30 deals across many themes that are worth adding to your cart.
Today's best Lego deals under $10At just $4.89 with a fresh discount, this 65-piece Lego City Police Motorcycle Chase set is 51% off. This compact set includes two Minifigures plus a buildable motorbike.View Deal
City Go-Karts and Race Drivers: was $9.99 now $6.62
Two Lego sets are better than one, and two Lego sets certainly get the job done. For just $8.99, you'll build two go-karts and two Minifigures thanks to this fantastic, small build. View Deal
Whether you want a smaller Lego flower build or want to expand your Botanicals collection, you can't go wrong with this set of Lego Botanicals Daisies for just under $10 on Amazon.View Deal
These Roses will look great with any Lego Flowers set, even though these aren't part of the Botanical theme! Right now, this duo is down to $11.99.View Deal
Today's best Lego Star Wars dealsStar Wars Smart Play: Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter: was $69.99 now $55.95
Now, this is the cheapest an all-in-one Lego Smart Play set has ever been. Lego's Smart Play: Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter is 20% off at just $55.95 and includes everything you need to build and play — most notably a Smart Brick is in the box.View Deal
Star Wars Smart Play: Luke’s Red Five X-Wing: was $89.99 now $71.99
For Prime Big Deal Days, Amazon is discounting the Lego Star Wars Luke's Red Five X-Wing Smart Play set by 20% to just $71.99. And yes, this set includes a Smart Brick as it's an 'all-in-one', as well as several Minifigures.View Deal
Star Wars Siege of Mandalore Battle Pack: was $22.99 now $18.39
This set is perfect for display or play. At just $18.39, the Siege of Mandalore Battle Pack has four Minifigures and two compact builds. View Deal
Star Wars The Mandalorian's N-1 Starfighter: was $59.99 now $41.99
At 30% off, this Mandalorian-themed Star Wars Lego set might just make the perfect gift for a fan of Mando or Grogu. It's down to $41.99, which is a new low price.View Deal
Star Wars Brick-Built Star Wars Logo: was $59.99 now $49.99
The opening crawl of any Star Wars film might be one of the most iconic openings in any film franchise. And now, you can finally build the iconic Star Wars logo out of Lego bricks (with some fun details hidden by the design team). This fantastic set is down to $49.99 at Amazon for Prime Big Deal Days.View Deal
Star Wars Millennium Falcon A New Hope 25th Anniversary Edition set: was $84.99 now $67.99
Lego has produced many Millennium Falcon sets, but this smaller one, which debuted for the 25th anniversary of Star Wars: A New Hope, is an excellent model and even better with a 20% discount. It's currently available at the lowest price ever at $67.99, and makes a superb display piece.View Deal
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Mos Espa Podrace set: was $79.99 now $68.18
Love a podrace? You can build a diorama of the iconic scene from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace out of Lego bricks. This set is currently 15% off at $67.87 on Amazon.View Deal
Star Wars Ahsoka Chopper (C1-10P) Astromech: was $99.99 now $71.99
In the world of astromechs, I really do love Chopper, and with this 1,039-piece Lego set, you can build the iconic C1-10P droid. Best of all, it's 28% off at just $71.99, and you get free shipping.View Deal
Star Wars Grogu with Hover Pram: was $99.99 now $79.99
A Lego deal roundup wouldn't be complete without a set that lets you build Grogu, right? Well, right now you can build Grogu and the iconic Hover Pram for just $79.99 – a 20% discount.View Deal
Star Wars R2-D2 Building Set: was $99.99 now $79.99
R2-D2 is the most iconic droid around, and right now you can build your own out of 1,050 Lego bricks for just $79.99. That's a 20% discount from the $99.99 MSRP, and Prime members get free fast shipping. This set comes with a mini R2-D2, a display plate, and a Darth Malak minifigure.View Deal
Star Wars The Phantom Menace Battle Droid with STAP: was $139.99 now $83.99
Roger, Roger! Fans of The Phantom Menace or Battle Droids will want to take note of this deal and likely add it to their cart. At 40% off — a sharp $56 discount — this Lego set lets you build an iconic droid out of 1,0888 pieces.View Deal
Botanicals Happy Plants: was $22.99 now $18.39
With over 7,000 sold on Amazon in the past month, it's clear Lego has a hit on its hands with the most joyful set in the Botanicals theme. Happy Plants are exactly what the name says — two plants with smiley faces in cute pots, one blue, one yellow. This set is already 20% off at $18.39 on Amazon right now.View Deal
The Lego Botanicals Chrysanthemum is back to just $23.99 from $29.99 for Prime Big Deal Days. This is an especially vibrant Lego Botanical set and should be a fun, easy build with 278 pieces.View Deal
This one is a personal favorite of mine, and it's the perfect display piece. The Botanicals Mini Orchid is a delightful set made up of 274 pieces. Right now, it's just $23.99 on Amazon.View Deal
Botanicals Lucky Bamboo: was $29.99 now $23.99
Amazon has reduced the price of Lego Botanical Lucky Bamboo back to the lowest we've ever tracked. This delightful set is just $23.95 right now with free shipping for Prime members.View Deal
This is a really adorable one, and it's back to the lowest price we've tracked. For Prime Big Deal Days, the Lego Botanicals Flowering Cactus is 27% off at $25.55View Deal
If you're after colors, the Lego Botanicals Succulents set is an excellent pickup on Amazon for Prime Day. Right now it's $34.99 — a 30% discount from $49.99 — and you'll build several plants out of 771 pieces. View Deal
Right now, Lego Botanicals Magnolia Branches is 22% off at $39 on Amazon for Prime Big Deal Days.View Deal
Today's best Lego Harry Potter dealsReturning to an all-time-low price, Amazon's October Prime Day is letting you score the Lego Harry Potter Thestral Family set for just $41.99.View Deal
Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle and Grounds: was $169.99 now $136.99
With 2,660 pieces, you'll build both the iconic Hogwarts Castle and some of the grounds in a more miniature form that's perfect for display. This Lego set has been purchased over 3,000 times in the last month, and it's 19% off at $136.99 on Amazon.View Deal
Technic Bush Plane Toy: was $27.99 now $22.49
With this Lego Technic set, you'll get 333 pieces to build a Bush Plane complete with a propeller up front and three wheels. It even features adjustable ailerons. View Deal
Technic Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica Orange: was $49.99 now $34.99
Fans of sports cars will want to pay attention, as this is a pretty stellar deal. At 30% off, Lego's Technic Lamborghini Huracán in a vibrant shade of orange is down to just $34.99. View Deal
Technic Ford Bronco: was $64.99 now $51.99
For $51.99 on Amazon, you can build a Ford Bronco out of Lego Technic bricks. This is a fun set that lets you build detailed parts of the vehicle, including the rear axle, engine, and suspension.View Deal
Technic Planet Earth and Moon in Orbit: was $74.99 now $67.99
While you won't build a car with this Lego Technic set, you'll still get a pretty out-of-this-world result. For $61.99 on Amazon — after a 17% discount — you'll build a working model of Earth and Moon, which you can rotate to see the orbit pattern.View Deal
Disney Moana Hei Hei: was $39.99 now $25
Hei Hei is probably one of the most iconic Disney characters, and I'd bet Moana fans agree. Right now, ahead of Prime Big Deal Days you can build Hei Hei out of 566 Lego pieces for just $25 — a 37% discount.View Deal
Disney Cruella De Vil’s Car: was $49.99 now $34.99
Fans of 101 Dalmatians will likely love this Lego build, as you don't just get a Cruella De Vil Minifigure, but you'll build her iconic car and get one of the pups. Right now, this set is just $34.99 on Amazon after a 30% discount.View Deal
Ideas Disney Pixar Luxo Jr: was $69.99 now $55.95
You'll not only build the iconic Pixar Luxor Jr. Lamp and ball, but you'll also discover the many Easter eggs and hidden details Lego packed into this 613-piece set. With Toy Story 5 streaming on Disney+ and a 20% discount, now's an excellent time to score this Lego set for just $55.99.View Deal
Creator 3 in 1 Forest Animals: Gray Wolf: was $49.99 now $34.99
We love a Lego 3-in-1 set as it adds the ability to rebuild, and this Creator set is pretty fun. For just $34.99, you can build a wolf, a falcon, or a raccoon.View Deal
Creator 3 in 1 Majestic Tiger: was $42.35 now $34.99
A bit more vibrant than the Creator 3-in-1 above, but also just as discounted, the Majestic Tiger set is just as fun. For $34.99, you can build a tiger, a koi fish, or a red panda.View Deal
So, the second day of Amazon Prime Day is in full swing and, as this one's only a two-day event, it's fair to say that we don't have much time. Don't worry, but, you know… don't miss out.
Could today be the day you treat yourself to a Bluetooth speaker for the shower, or level up your home with a more significant Wi-Fi multi-room investment for cosy nights in? I really hope so. If it's something musical and the deal's good, you'll find it here, in this little missive.
• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale
Whether it's a WiiM Sound Lite (a rival to the Sonos Era 100), which is now just $183 (was $229) at Amazon US) or £189 (was £229) at Amazon UK, or even the Bose Soundlink Micro Gen 2, now just $99.99 (was $129) at Amazon US and just £79.95 (was £119.95) at Amazon UK, I've got a deal for you.
Stick with me, there's still plenty of time. Happy shopping — and always, always enjoy the music, friend.
The best Prime Day audio deals still live now, USBluetooth speaker deals still live now, USThe JBL Flip 7 is the ultimate portable speaker if you want something that's going to last. It's waterproof and seriously rugged, with swappable attachments that include a carabiner and carrying strap. It also delivers excellent sound for the price, with punchy bass, good volume, and up to 14 hours of battery life.View Deal
In the US, you can score a substantial 22% off the Bose SoundLink Micro Gen 2. This small yet mighty model boasts impeccably detailed sound for such a small speaker, with aptX support for higher-res listening and customizable EQ. It's also an absolute beauty, highly waterproof, and ultra-compact, making it easy to take on the go. This deal currently applies to the Dewdrop Mint colorway only.View Deal
Go 5: was $54.95 now $39.95
JBL's latest small speaker was released relatively recently, in summer 2026 — and it instantly became our new favorite cheap option. It comes in loads of lovely colors to suit your vibe, and is pretty much perfectly designed. The sound? It's a small thing, but for small spaces (especially in the shower) it will more than suffice.View Deal
Soundcore 2: was $44.99 now $28.48
A consistent best-seller on Amazon's website, this is an understated little buy. It looks 100% business-casual on a desk, unlike some more whimsical rivals, so if you need an office-ready speaker for very little money, you may have found it. It's not a new product (it actually launched in 2017), but you do get 12W stereo sound, an IPX7 waterproof rating, and up to 24 hours of battery life. And that isn't to be sniffed at for this money. View Deal
In our glowing 4.5-star review of the Sonos Era 100 SL, we were able to confirm what we'd all been hoping — it really is "a better price for the same performance" (as the regular Sonos Era 100). There are some compromises — voice control is absent, and Android users will miss out on Sonos' room correction. That said, it's one of the strongest performers in its price range — and this is a return to the lowest price it's ever been. View Deal
If you didn't know (that's fine, we're all here to learn!) this is a smart speaker with hi-res audio, Wi-Fi and touchscreen, and it comes in two finishes (black or white). You can read all about it in our WiiM Sound review. However, the main thing is this: this is its lowest-seen price, according to our price trackers. View Deal
And here's its cheaper relative! It's meant to rival the Sonos Era 100 — so check out our Sonos Era 100 vs WiiM Sound Lite feature, to see how well it squares up — but with this discount, you could be creating a lovely little hi-res wireless multi-room music ecosystem for a lot less. View Deal
Sub Pro Smart Wireless Subwoofer With Roomfit™ Bass, White: was $479 now $407.15
What is it? A wireless subwoofer with WiiM's Roomfit Bass technology. What do you do? Plug it in, get online, tap 'RoomFit' in the app, stay quiet and let AI dial-in perfect bass for your listening room. Then, just select your main WiiM speakers/amp in the app (or plug an RCA sub-out) and you've got yourself a sub-enhanced system, friend. View Deal
SoundLink Micro Gen 2: was £119.95 now £79.95
You're getting an awfully good deal here; 33% off one of the best small speakers around, taking it below the £80 mark. Think premium, detailed audio, a sleek and compact build, and aptX support for higher-res streaming, you really can't go wrong — unless you don't like the shade pictured. This deal currently applies to the Petal Pink colorway only (which to me looks more like strawberry ice cream, so of course I love it). View Deal
There's no Amazon discount for UK shoppers on this excellent JBL Bluetooth speaker (that's roughly the size of a bottle of Sprite) at the moment, but you can still score the Flip 7 at a discount over at Very. Free home delivery is included as well.View Deal
Sony Ult Field 3 - Portable Bluetooth Speaker With Ult Power Sound, 24hr Battery, Ip67, Waterproof, Dustproof, Shockproof, Detachable Shoulder Strap, Compact - Off-White: was £129 now £97
This is the smallest Bluetooth speaker in Sony's ULT (or bass-focused) speaker lineup — there's a bigger Field 5 and even a slightly older Field 7 too. We loved the design and feature-set under review, and while we didn't wholly love the audio tuning, for this money (ie. under £100) it's highly competitive — a lot to enjoy here. View Deal
Soundcore 2: was £28.49 now £22.99
A consistent best-seller on Amazon's website, this is a chic but understated little speaker. It looks quite business-like on a desk, unlike rivals from JBL, so if you need an office musical companion for very little money, you just found it. It's not a new product (it actually launched way back in 2017!), but you do get 12W stereo sound, an IPX7 waterproof rating, and up to 24 hours of battery life. And that isn't half bad for this money. View Deal
Era 100 SL: was £169 now £133.95
A nearly-ideal small and flexible speaker, honestly. It offers wide dispersion of sound, Wi-Fi plus Bluetooth and line-in connectivity, support for many streaming services, voice control, and it goes as loud as you'll ever need it to. Compared to the regular Sonos Era 100, the SL version drops voice control, but a lot of people can live with that.View Deal
This is the company's flagship smart speaker with hi-res audio, Wi-Fi and touchscreen. It comes in black or the white shade pictured (in fact, you can read all about it in our WiiM Sound review) but what you need to know is that we really like its detailed sound and touchscreen — and for this money, we like those things even more. View Deal
Wiim Sound Lite Smart Speaker, Multi-Room Wireless Speaker, Black: was £229 now £189
…and here's the cheaper version. No touchscreen it's true, but the Sound Lite offers connectivity as excellent as its full-fat sound, and that includes its hi-res 24-bit/192kHz playback. It can also connect to Google Cast and Alexa multi-room systems, or you could stream directly from Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, TIDAL, Qobuz, Deezer and more. On top of this, it sports a 3.5mm jack input, which is always a good thing if you want to hook it up to external audio kit. View Deal
It’s finally official: after what feels like years of leaks, Apple has entered the foldable race with the iPhone Duo. It brings a host of new features, but also has the same passport-style form factor as the recently launched Galaxy Z Fold 8, Xiaomi 18 Fold, and Huawei Pura X Max.
Apple’s first foldable features many of the same compromises you might expect from a first-generation foldable, even from a company as meticulous as Apple, but the biggest concern for most users may be around the Duo's battery life.
I’ve spent the past three months using the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and its competitors. What battery life do they offer, and what can we learn from it? I tested six of the best globally available flagship foldables over several weeks to answer that question.
How I tested the folding phones' battery life(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)Over the past few months, I’ve been developing my own battery testing suite, CellMark, using a combination of AI models. After hundreds of hours and various iterations, I've built a solid test suite that accounts for each phone maker's idiosyncrasies and how the average person actually uses their phone today.
For this comparison, I ran the EnduranceMark suite, which loops until the battery level reaches 5%. A test is only valid if it successfully drains 80% of the battery, and each result below is characterized using a standardized metric. I ran two tests from this suite: the Synthesizer test to test drain under heavy loads, and my favorite, the Doom Scroller. As the name suggests, it simulates everyone’s favorite pastime of endlessly scrolling social media.
I also ran the ChargeMark charging test to log battery charging times. I paired the three CellMark tests with a web-browsing script that loaded 20 different web pages, scrolled at intervals, and looped to the next page, plus a looping video playback test.
As some phone makers aggressively limit background apps, some phones failed to complete certain tests, but I've included the relevant tests regardless.
Of course, these tests aren’t 100% indicative of real-world usage, but anecdotally, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Doom Scrolling results closely matched my findings during daily use. Having tested smartphones for 20 years, I'm confident in the CellMark app's results.
Round 1: The charging testFor years, charging speeds differed markedly between folding phones sold in the US and those sold outside it. Simply put, the former were vastly slower than the latter.
Phone
Size
15 min
30 min
100%
Drain rate
Galaxy Z Fold 8
4,800mAh
33%
66%
69 minutes
69.6mAh / min
Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra
5,000mAh
41%
71%
60 minutes
83.3mAh / min
Pixel 11 Pro Fold
4,806mAh
26%
47%
54 minutes
54mAh / min
Moto Razr Fold
6,000mAh
67%
67%
100 minutes
100mAh / min
Oppo Find N6
6,000mAh
84%
84%
47 minutes
127.7mAh / min
Honor Magic V6
6,660mAh
66%
66%
59 minutes
112.9mAh / min
In the above charging test, the Galaxy Z Fold 8's 45W charging speed got it to a respectable 69-minute full charge, but the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra sustained 45W charging for longer to reach a full charge in one hour.
The Moto Razr Fold, Honor Magic V6, and Oppo Find N6 were the top three in ascending order, with Oppo retaining a charging lead it has held for years. The Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold ranked last, which isn’t surprising given its charging is the slowest.
For the iPhone Duo, Apple says 60W charging can reach 50% in just 20 minutes. Apple hasn’t published a full-charge estimate, especially since phones optimize charging speeds for longevity, but its claims put the iPhone Duo's charging speed around the level of the Honor Magic V6 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.
Round 2: The web browsing test(Image credit: Nirave Gondhia)The second test was web browsing, and each phone ran a script to load 20 of the heaviest webpages on the internet and scroll through them to simulate real-world usage. Running in a loop, this gives us an estimate of the battery life if you’re always using your browser.
Phone
Size
100 --> 0%
Drain rate
Drain rate
Galaxy Z Fold 8
4,800mAh
17 hours 44 minutes
5.64 %/hr
270.7 mAh/hour
Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra
5,000mAh
14 hours 11 minutes
7.05 %/hr
352.5 mAh/hour
Pixel 11 Pro Fold
4,806mAh
13 hours 52 minutes
7.21 %/hr
346.6 mAh/hour
Moto Razr Fold
6,000mAh
20 hours 14 minutes
4.86 %/hr
291.7 mAh/hour
Oppo Find N6
6,000mAh
18 hours 52 minutes
5.48 %/hr
328.8 mAh/hour
Honor Magic V6
6,660mAh
18 hours 11 minutes
5.50 %/hr
366.3 mAh/hour
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 proved surprisingly strong here, but that's where a smaller screen comes in handy. Its drain rate was the lowest of all tests, meaning a larger battery at the same drain rate would theoretically give us the best battery life overall.
The Pixel 11 Pro Fold fell short of the competition, even though its drain rate was only the third-highest, while the Motorola Razr Fold proved that the Razr Fold — and its Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor — is very well optimized for web browsing. Apple hasn’t revealed any iPhone Duo web-browsing estimates, so it’s unclear what to expect.
Round 3: The video playback testThe other fairly standard test is video playback, which lets us directly test many phone makers’ listed claims. This involved looping a locally stored 4K video in the default media player with the phone’s brightness set to 50%.
Phone
Size
100 --> 0%
OEM Claims
Drain rate
Drain rate
Galaxy Z Fold 8
4,800mAh
20 hours 32 minutes
26 hours
4.87 %/hr
233.8 mAh/hour
Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra
5,000mAh
20 hours 39 minutes
27 hours
4.84 %/hr
242.1 mAh/hour
Pixel 11 Pro Fold
4,806mAh
18 hours 14 minutes
24 hours
5.48 %/hr
263.6 mAh/hour
Moto Razr Fold
6,000mAh
20 hours 49 minutes
39 hours
4.80 %/hr
288.2 mAh/hour
Oppo Find N6
6,000mAh
22 hours 47 minutes
26 hours
4.39 %/hr
263.4 mAh/hour
Honor Magic V6
6,660mAh
21 hours 57 minutes
24 hours
4.56 %/hr
303.4 mAh/hour
It’s clear that every phone maker makes bold battery-life claims that don’t always reflect your real-world experience. Here, Samsung, Oppo, and Honor deserve credit for fairly accurate video playback claims, whereas the results on the Moto Razr Fold and Pixel 11 Pro Fold fall far short of what's stated.
For the iPhone Duo, Apple claims that you'll get up to 35 hours of video playback on the inside screen and up to 44 hours on the outer display. If it lives up to these claims, or even comes close, it will likely have the best video playback battery life of any folding phone.
Round 4: The Synthesizer performance testWeb browsing and video playback are two common ways we use our phones, but companies also optimize for these scenarios, and phones struggle considerably under heavy loads.
To test this, I built the Synthesizer, which runs a series of calculations around ever-increasing prime numbers and runs numerous I/O operations in the background, both designed to heavily tax the chipset.
Phone
Size
Elapsed
Projected
Primes
IO operations run
Drain rate
Galaxy Z Fold 8
4,800mAh
20 hours 32 minutes
5 hours 51 minutes
25.8M
5.57M
16.07%
Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra
5,000mAh
20 hours 39 minutes
6 hours 03 minutes
27.0M
5.99M
15.54%
Pixel 11 Pro Fold
4,806mAh
18 hours 14 minutes
7 hours 05 minutes
26.6M
4.21M
13.27%
Moto Razr Fold
6,000mAh
20 hours 49 minutes
10 hours 55 minutes
31.5M
7.12M
8.60%
Oppo Find N6
6,000mAh
22 hours 47 minutes
11 hours 32 minutes
31.4M
9.08M
8.15%
Honor Magic V6
6,660mAh
21 hours 57 minutes
12 hours 37 minutes
33.4M
10.92M
7.45%
None of these results are surprising on their own, but together they show just how differently each phone maker has balanced power and efficiency.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra use the high-specification Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset, and Samsung doesn’t throttle performance of the chipset. The result is ~5.5 hours of battery life at high performance.
The Tensor G6 inside the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is surprisingly well optimized, but as the above test shows, Motorola, Honor, and Oppo all offer considerably better battery performance and battery-life balance. The result is sustained high-load performance for much longer.
Round 5: The doomscrolling test(Image credit: Nirave Gondhia)When I started building CellMark, I set out to build an app that could, among other tests, simulate social media usage. Considering how we use our phones — and my additional needs for visual ways to demonstrate battery and charging tests on social media — this felt like the most natural test to build.
It’s also where I've faced challenges with Oppo and Motorola phones specifically, which prevent the CellMark app from running tests longer than nine hours. Despite this, it reveals a lot of interesting data.
Phone
Elapsed (~100% > 5%)
Cards scrolled
Drain
Drain
Thermal
Galaxy Z Fold 8
9 hours 58 minutes
13,257
9.22 % per hour
442.6 mAh/hour
Fair
Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra
13 hours 04 minutes
16,144
7.19 % per hour
359.7 mAh/hour
Critical
Pixel 11 Pro Fold
10 hours 54 minutes
14,087
8.62 % per hour
414.2 mAh/hour
Fair
Moto Razr Fold
14 hours 53 minutes
18,067
6.31 % per hour
420.2 mAh/hour
Fair
Oppo Find N6
-
12,432
2.42 % per hour
145.2 mAh/hour
Nominal
Honor Magic V6
-
12,415
2.79 % per hour
167.3 mAh/hour
Nominal
First, the thin body on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and larger battery mean it runs considerably hotter than all the competition.
The thicker build and vapor chamber of the iPhone Duo should mean this won’t be an issue for Apple's first foldable, although the A20 Pro chipset is a powerhouse. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 proves it's possible to be a small phone without succumbing to overheating problems, despite using the same processor as its sibling.
The performance of the Pixel 11 Pro Fold proves the Tensor G6 is a welcome improvement over the Tensor G5, while the Honor Magic V6 reigns supreme yet again.
Phone
Duration
Nominal
Fair
Serious
Critical
Galaxy Z Fold 8
9 hours 58 minutes
46.0%
54.0%
0%
0%
Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra
13 hours 04 minutes
68.8%
0.5%
3.1%
27.5%
Pixel 11 Pro Fold
10 hours 54 minutes
44.2%
55.8%
0%
0%
Moto Razr Fold
14 hours 53 minutes
83.2%
16.8%
0%
0%
It’s worth noting that the Find N6 and Razr Fold results ran for 9 hours before ending, and while all phones drain much faster as thermal temperature rises, both likely had the lowest drain and best thermal performance.
The key takeaway there? The processor makes a big difference: the Find N6 has one fewer performance core than its rivals, while the Razr Fold uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 rather than the high-performance Elite version. Both companies made these choices with battery life in mind, and it becomes especially apparent when you look at thermal performance in these tests.
The 24-hour Galaxy Z Fold 8 run(Image credit: Richard Priday / TechRadar)Just days before publishing, I tested the Galaxy Z Fold 8 with a few changes to determine what battery life would look like under more optimal conditions. The surprise is just how much of a difference it makes.
Running the Doom Scroll test on a Galaxy Z Fold 8 with background data sync disabled and brightness set to 40%, I achieved 24 hours and 42 minutes on a single Doom Scroll run. That’s nearly 150% higher than the rest of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 testing results.
Also, every foldable phone maker tells you to open the phone for the fastest charging, partly because of thermal management. During this test, all 8,907 logged telemetry samples showed a nominal thermal status. In simple terms: unfold your phone to keep it cooler.
How might the iPhone Duo's battery compare?(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)Apple claims the iPhone Duo has better battery life than the iPhone 17 Pro Max, offering up to 35 hours of video playback when unfolded or 44 hours when folded. That puts it 35% higher than the Galaxy Z Fold 8, and paired with a thicker body and better thermal management, the iPhone Duo could set a new battery-life benchmark for folding phones in the US.
The true test will be in real-world use cases like Doom Scroller. I’m excited to see how optimized the iPhone Duo is, but am cautiously optimistic that it can at least match the Galaxy Z Fold 8. We’ll find out once the iPhone Duo goes on sale.
The Dyson Airwrap has gained somewhat iconic status, but it's not the only great hair tool this brand makes. In fact, I've tested most of Dyson's haircare range, and for me, the Supersonic Nural hair dryer is the unsung hero of the lineup.
Both are discounted in the current Prime Day sales: the Airwrap i.d. is down to $499.99 (was $709.99) and the Supersonic Nural is down to $349.99 (was $449.99). You need to be a Prime subscriber to access both deals, but you can use the free trial.
• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale
Before you scramble to purchase an Airwrap, it's worth considering if a Supersonic Nural might actually be a better fit for your styling needs — not least because with these deals, it's $150 cheaper. Scroll down for my take on who should buy an Airwrap, and who'd be better off with a Supersonic Nural...
Airwrap i.d. Multi-Styler: was $709.99 now $499.99
Good Airwrap discounts are rare, and tend to come and go quickly. This $210 price-drop is well worth hopping on — it take the styler back down to the lowest price we've seen lately.View Deal
Supersonic Nural Hair Dryer: was $449.99 now $349.99
The price of the Supersonic Nural tends to fluctuate, but based on our price tracker tool it's only been this cheap once before: very briefly, in November 2025 (I'd guess that's Black Friday). It's well worth snapping up this deal. View Deal
✅ You want healthier hair drying: In Scalp Protect mode, this dryer will raise or lower its temperature to maintain what feels like a constant heat on your head. That means you can get right up close to your scalp, for precision styling, without frying your head or your roots. The Airwrap does not have this feature. In general, if hair drying is your priority, the Supersonic Nural is more comfortable and efficient than the Airwrap-plus-dryer attachment.
✅ You have naturally curly hair: The Supersonic Nural is arguably a better choice for those with natural curls — amongst the plethora of attachments you'll find a two-part diffuser (one section for drying another for defining), a wide-tooth comb (ideal for coily hair) and a 'soft air' attachment.
✅ You're a big attachment-swapper: The attachments here are magnetic, and swapping them over is much less fiddly than the clip-in, clip out process required on the Airwrap. More impressive though, is the fact the dryer has attachment recognition, so it knows what's snapped on and will remember your preferred settings.
Buy the Dyson Airwrap i.d. if...FutureFutureFuture✅ You have straight hair and want curls: There are no curling tools on the Supersonic Nural, so if you're creating curls you need the Airwrap. The i.d. feature makes this process dead easy — you flip a switch on the Airwrap handle and it'll launch into a wrap > curl > cool shot sequence, personalized for your hair type, for perfect results with minimal effort required from you.
✅ You want bouncy blowouts: The Airwrap i.d. comes with a round brush attachment, which I use regularly for creating volume and loose curls. There isn't an equivalent on the Supersonic Nural.
More Prime Day deals USThe New York Times reporter Greg Jaffe says Hegseth has disproportionately blocked promotions of Black and women senior officers, and he's also been purging the military of transgender people.
Ladies and gentlemen, on my right, costing $322.98 and most popular new Windows PC at Amazon is the Kamrui Essenx E2.
Its challenger is the Bosgame E5 11 Pro, a lightweight PC that punches above its weight and costs only $263.49.
Let’s see who is the better (best?). Remember that you need to be a Prime member in order to benefit from these prices. You can sign up for a free 30-day trial here.
E5 11 Pro mini PC: was $309.99 now $263.49
AMD Ryzen 5300U | 16GB DDR4 | 512GB
The newcomer upstart set to take the crown from Amazon's best-selling $300 Windows PC.View Deal
Essenx E2 mini PC: was $379.99 now $322.98
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U | 16GB DDR4 | 256GB SSD
This Windows mini PC from Kamrui is a popular pick in the $300-ish budget category. View Deal
PerformanceOn paper, the Bosgame bosses the Kamrui around (excuse the pun). The Ryzen 5 3500U is no match for the Ryzen 3 5300U. Both have four cores but the latter uses a newer architecture and achieves better performance both in single thread (+17%) and multi thread (+26%).
The 5300U also runs cooler despite having a faster clock speed, which should translate into a quieter work environment. Same conclusion for the integrated Radeon video subsystem: the GPU used by the 5300U (RX Vega 6) is faster than the RX Vega 8 on the 3500U. So despite the Ryzen 3 moniker, the 5300U inside the Bosgame is a comfortable winner here.
Storage and memoryBoth offer 16GB of RAM, one can assume two 8GB DDR4 memory modules for improved performance. The 5300U uses DDR4-3200 as opposed to DDR4-2666 for the 3500U, a marginal improvement in transfer rates that should help with performance.
On the storage side, Bosgame has twice the capacity (512GB vs 256GB) compared to its rival. Both use PCIe 3.0 which is fast enough for casual computing (whatever that means these days).
Both mini PCs also have an additional SSD slot. A legacy SATA one for the Kamrui and a PCIe one for the other contender. The E5 11 Pro emerges as victorious once again.
Ports and connectivityKamrui’s mini PC uses an older platform so I am not surprised that it can only handle two 4K monitors. It doesn’t have any Type-C connector as well and two of its USB ports use obsolete USB 2.0 tech. As for connectivity, you’ve got a Gigabit LAN port and an unknown variety of wireless connection which I assume is WiFi-5 as a worst case scenario.
The E5 11 Pro fares much better; it has one extra Type-C connector that allows it to support three 4K monitors, two 2.5Gb LAN connectors. That said, you still get WiFi-5 and those pesky USB 2.0 ports. There could only ever be one winner and that’s the Bosgame.
Anything else?Both come with old school barrel chargers (not ideal) and have VESA ports. Both run on Windows although Bosgame uses Windows 11 Pro and is Linux/Ubuntu compatible as well, great for dual booting.
And the winner is?No photo finish on that one. There’s no reason why anyone should buy the Kamrui Essenx E2 over the E5 11 Pro. The latter is not only a genuinely far superior product, it is also way cheaper, by almost 20% (nearly $60).
Read more: We're currently live-tracking all the best Prime Day home office deals.
Amazon Prime Day is in full swing and while there are plenty of tempting deals to be had for all sorts of tech in general, the computing component side of the big sale is a depressingly barren place.
• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale
When it comes to the core components of a PC which have been hit hardest by the memory crisis – RAM sticks, SSDs, and GPUs – the deals which Amazon is offering may look like sizeable discounts on the face of it, but they aren't when you consider the pricing which these products were available at last year.
A case in point: the Samsung 9100 PRO 2TB SSD is currently half price at $335 (down from $680) at Amazon US, but a year ago, it was $165 in the Prime Day sale. So, in fact, this year you are paying twice as much as in 2025, which doesn't feel great.
That said, in the overall SSD landscape, this is now a decent price, which just shows how bad the RAM crisis has made everything.
Of course, the pricing of RAM itself is particularly painful. For example, there's a 64GB RAM kit (2 x 32GB modules) from Crucial on sale with 7% off at Amazon UK, but it's £690 after that discount. A year ago, that same kit was £170. Ouch.
A more commonplace 32GB kit (2 x 16GB) from Crucial is now on offer at Amazon UK with a 22% discount, bringing it down to £400 – while a year ago it was £108.
Let that sink in for a moment: it's an effective quadrupling of the prices in both these RAM examples.
As for GPUs, the Asus Prime RX 9070 XT Gaming graphics card has a 23% discount on Amazon US, reducing it to $829. Yet in the Prime Day sale a year ago, this was at $690 (and it actually dropped to $649 for the holiday season on Amazon, so it's now close to 30% pricier than that when it's on sale).
What a difference a year makes, and sadly a very negative difference, but while it's undeniably bleak out there, thankfully there are a few deals worth considering for Prime Day components in the US and UK.
I'll list them below, and they include what might be the best deals you'll get on a mid-range and a higher-end GPU for possibly quite a long time (depending on how the RAM crisis continues to affect video memory, and the latest hints aren't good).
Today's best Prime Day PC component deals in the USOptimus GX 7100 1TB NVMe SSD: was $199 now $169.15
This Sandisk drive is 15% off in the US and gives you a somewhat palatable deal for 1TB of storage space, bearing in mind that a few months ago, it was actually a hundred bucks dearer than this sale price. It's a PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD and offers sequential reads of up to 7,250MB/s and writes of 6,900MB/s.View Deal
Vengeance LPX 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 RAM: was $296.99 now $249.99
If you need system memory, frankly there really aren't any good deals on RAM. If you're okay with having DDR4 RAM, though, this 16% discount on a Corsair Vengeance 32GB RAM kit in the US is about as good as it gets right now – but that's not very good sadly (and still hugely inflated on a year ago, but the worry is, things may get worse still).View Deal
Radeon RX 9070 GRE OC Edition 12GB GPU: was $789.99 now $529.99
The GRE is not a particularly well-liked flavor of the RX 9070, mainly because gamers feel that it doesn't offer good value compared to the vanilla 9070 (and it's considerably behind the 9070 XT in performance). However, at this price with a 33% discount in the US – pushing it under the MSRP – it stacks up well with these sibling Radeon GPUs, and currently it represents about as good a mid-range graphics card bargain as you'll get.View Deal
GeForce RTX 5080 Inspire 3X OC 16GB GPU: was £1279.84 now £1199.99
Want a high-end GPU? Amazon UK is currently offering what amounts to a reasonable price on an RTX 5080, which is a rare sight these days. While it's marked as a relatively modest 6% discount, it's a couple of hundred pounds cheaper than you'll find this RTX 5080 elsewhere, and if you need a powerful graphics card, this is the most compelling bargain for components on Prime Day that I can see.View Deal
Everything is getting more expensive these days, but isn't it nice to be able to treat ourselves to a little something every now and then? Well, I've been searching through the Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sale all of this week, and I've found 34 useful and affordable deals under £50.
• Browse the full Prime Big Deal Days sale at Amazon
My top picks include everything from cool tech gadgets and handy smart home tech to big savings on essentials and bargains from major brands. Hopefully, there will be something in this list that catches your eye, ticks an item early off your Christmas shopping list, or helps you stock up on some household goods for less.
One that's proved extremely popular through the two-day sale is this Blink Outdoor 4 Camera with Blink Video Doorbell for £24.99 (was £129.98). That's a huge saving on a fantastic smart home starter bundle that has everything you need to monitor your home through your phone and other devices.
Other low-price deals I like the look of include the Loop Quiet 2 Ear Plugs for £15.95 (was £19.95), the Oral-B iO2 Electric Toothbrush for £37.99 (was £100), and an Anker PowerCore 10K Portable Charger for £14.98 (was £17.99).
I've picked out many more under £50 bargains from the sale below. Just be aware that you need to be a Prime member to access the majority of these and most offers end tonight when the Prime Big Deal Days sale comes to an end. After that, our next big sales event, when some of these will likely return, is Black Friday in November.
34 best deals under £50 for Prime DayOutdoor 4 Camera with Blink Video Doorbell: was £129.98 now £24.99
This excellent value bundle includes a Blink Outdoor 4 security camera and a Blink Video Doorbell at an incredibly low price. It's one of my top picks if you want to dabble with some cheap smart home tech. The 4th-generation outdoor security camera features two-way audio, a two-year battery life, and works with Amazon Alexa for hands-free control and interconnectivity with other smart devices. Meanwhile, the Blink Video Doorbell is a cheap and easy way to get alerts on your phone when motion is detected or when guests are at your door.View Deal
iO Series 2: was £100 now £37.99
The iO range is usually a more expensive option in Oral-B's range of electric toothbrushes, but this is an excellent deal on an entry-level option that's also bundled with a few handy extras. It doesn't boast many high-end features, but it has the basic ones you really need to brush your teeth effectively and efficiently, including a two-minute timer and a visible pressure sensor. Plus, you get a refill holder and a travel case included for free.View Deal
I bought this massage gun myself and found it to be excellent value for money, so I definitely recommend it at this record-low price. It's easy to use, quiet, has four attachments to target different muscles and has six speed settings to suit your preferred pressure. The detachable handle is a nice addition, too, so you can easily reach your back.View Deal
Quiet 2 Ear Plugs: was £19.95 now £15.95
I've seen a lot of people talk about and use Loop earplugs lately so if you want to see what the fuss is all about then this entry-level pair is down to a record-low price. Use them to block out noise on a commute, help you focus in the office, protect your ears from loud music at bars or concerts, or help you create a better environment for sleep. They're reusable and can last for up to five years so a good investment if you'll be a regular user.View Deal
Classic Large Creative Brick Box: was £44.99 now £29.39
As a way to get started, this box of 790 Lego pieces is a great beginner kit. With a variety of brick types and extras, you can start building whatever you please. You also get a very handy brick-shaped box to store everything in once playtime is over, all for under £30.View Deal
Basics 100-Pack AA Batteries: was £15.69 now £13.34
Sure, all of the fancy TVs, laptops, appliances and headphones are the exciting part of any Prime Day sale, but it's also a good chance to stock up on some handy essentials. So, how about a whopping 100 AA batteries for under £15? That'll keep you going for a while.View Deal
The Philips OneBlade 360 is a quick, simple and affordable electric razor that's suitable for a wide variety of face and body grooming needs. This jam-packed bundle was a little cheaper over Prime Day, but today's offer is still a solid one. This bundle includes the handle, as well as a spare blade, a 5-in-1 comb, a body kit, and a USB-A charging cable.View Deal
The new Blink Mini 2K+ has a couple of nice upgrades compared to the previous model, including a built-in spotlight, night view in colour support and the option to use it outdoors with the weather-resistant adaptor. Aside from that, it offers the same raft of security features such as motion detection, two-way audio and smartphone app integration. Get it now for a record-low price.View Deal
USB-C Charger Cable (2-Pack): was £7.99 now £5.69
Can you ever have too many USB cables? The box full of them under my desk would suggest you can. However, if you want a couple more to leave around the house or take with you when out and about, this pair of USB-C to USB-A cables from top brand Anker is now super-cheap for Prime Day.View Deal
TurboForce Power Fan: was £29.99 now £25.49
This small desk fan has been a popular buy all summer as it's a cheap yet powerful option, so it's worth shouting out again while it's on sale for Prime Day. It's not the most advanced fan out there, but you get three speed settings and quiet operation, which makes it a good choice for your desk while working or on the side table at night.View Deal
Not much to say about this one except it's a whole lot of dishwasher tablets for a great low price. Even though Prime Day is always a good time to score some tech bargains, it's just as good to get a few home essentials in your basket while they're available for less.View Deal
If you picked up those USB cables for cheap, you might also want a charger plug to use with them. There are several on sale right now at Amazon, but I like this Ugreen option the best. It's a 100W fast charger with three USB-C ports and one USB-A port, offering support for multiple phones, laptops, tablets, earbuds, and more, with the option to charge more than one at a single time with the correct arrangement. The small and compact design, is the ideal finishing touch.View Deal
Here's a chance to get the Suri Core Sonic Electric Toothbrush for a record-low price at Amazon. As I found after picking one up myself, it doesn't just have sustainability chops; it's also an excellent toothbrush that we scored an impressive 4.5 out of five in our Suri Sonic Electric Toothbrush review. It performs and cleans well, offers a fantastic 40-day battery life, fast charging over USB-C, and comes with handy extras like a magnetic wall mount.View Deal
Soundcore Portable Speaker 2: was £28.49 now £22.99
If you want a cheap and basic Bluetooth speaker, then you can't go wrong with this Anker Soundcore for a little over £20. Sure, it's not going to give you the biggest and boldest audio quality, but it's still a solid option at an affordable price. Battery life is an impressive 24 hours, too, so it's great to use around the home or take it with you when on the go.View Deal
PowerCore 10K: was £17.99 now £14.98
This is a handy and affordable power bank from the popular and well-rated Anker brand. It sports a sleek and slim design that makes it easy to carry around, while it can still recharge many mobiles up to two times over. There's only a single port to charge one device at a time but that's not a huge issue if you just want a cheap power bank for your phone.View Deal
Tapo Smart Plugs with Energy Monitoring: was £23.99 now £14.99
A fantastic low price for a pair of smart plugs that offer a suite of features to control your devices and monitor your energy use. You can use them with any existing socket and connect an assortment of devices such as chargers, lights, TVs, appliances and more. Remote controls, voice controls, schedules, energy monitoring features and more are all handled in the free smartphone app.View Deal
This bundle featuring the latest Xbox Wireless Controller and a USB-C charging cable is now available for £39.99 on Amazon. This well-loved and easy-to-use gamepad is compatible with most Bluetooth-enabled devices, such as Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles, PCs, tablets, and mobile phones. This is a good price to bite on, as I've only seen these controllers for £5 less in the past, and that hasn't happened for a long time.View Deal
Core Mini Air Purifier: was £49.99 now £39.99
I actually bought a Levoit Core Mini for myself when moving into a new house that hadn't been lived in for a while to get rid of the dust and debris, and I also think it works as a great option for any allergy problems. What I like most is that it's small and quiet, so it is perfect for all sorts of spaces, such as the living room and bedroom. It's now also very affordable at 15% off.View Deal
Salon One-Step Hair Dryer & Volumiser: was £49.99 now £24.99
Always a hot item during sales events, Amazon has the best-selling Revlon One-Step hair dryer on sale for a record-low price of £24.99. Thanks to the unique oval brush design, the hairdryer delivers a salon-like blowout with brilliant shine and extra volume.View Deal
MF50 Compressed Air Duster: was £49.99 now £32.29
The Wolfbox MF50 is a convenient and extremely easy-to-use air duster, with a single button to cycle through fan speeds, a trigger to fire out the air, and several different attachments to choose between depending on the cleaning job you need it for. It's completely wireless with USB-C charging and lasts up to four hours on a single charge on the lowest setting, too.View Deal
The Ninja Blast Portable Blender is Ninja's best-selling personal-sized blender for smoothies, slushies, and shakes. It comes with a USB-rechargeable base, so you don't need to swap batteries every few months, and a leakproof lid with a carrying handle. Its convenient, grab-and-go design stood out to our reviewer, who gave it four out of five stars. This handy kitchen gadget is now at its lowest-ever price.View Deal
As someone who grew up playing one of these on family holidays, I can't help but be incredibly tempted to pick up the super-cool Lego Game Boy as a display piece while it's over £10 off at Amazon. And I'm sure many other retro gamers out there would love it as a gift this Christmas.View Deal
This bundle featuring the latest Xbox Wireless Controller and a USB-C charging cable is now available for £39.99 on Amazon. This well-loved and easy-to-use gamepad is compatible with most Bluetooth-enabled devices, such as Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles, PCs, tablets, and mobile phones. This is a good price to bite on, as I've only seen these controllers for £5 less in the past, and that hasn't happened for a long time.View Deal
Blender 600 Series: was £69.99 now £46.99
I'm a little tempted by the £20 price reduction on this well-scoring blender. While it can't chop ice, it creates velvety smoothies out of fresh and frozen fruits hassle-free. On top of this, the build quality and performance impressed us, and the fact that it's only a few quid more than it was on Black Friday makes this an even sweeter deal.View Deal
Dual Monitor Arm: was £35.99 now £24.67
I've got this arm for my dual setup at home and it works really well to hold up both of my monitors, making it easier and more comfortable to work and game across the pair of them. This particular model supports displays from 13 - 27 inches. is height adjustable, can be mounted in two different ways, and supports up to 360-degree rotation.View Deal
DeskJet 2921 All-in-One Wireless Inkjet Printer: was £54.99 now £32.99
If you need a cheap and cheerful printer, this DeskJet 2921 is a great budget choice that supports wireless printing, scanning, and copying. This bundle also includes three months of HP Instant Ink, so you can save cash on your first few rounds of prints.View Deal
Galaxy Fit 3: was £41.94 now £31
At almost £30, now is a great time to buy Samsung's budget fitness tracker. As well as all the basic fitness, health and sleep tracking features, the Galaxy Fit3 is an excellent extension to your smartphone that lets you check your messages, control your music and navigate easily with simple gestures. Everything centres around the impressive 1.6-inch AMOLED display, and battery life is also not a problem, with 13 days on a single charge.View Deal
Battery Video Doorbell + Ring Indoor Camera: was £119.98 now £39.99
This excellent value bundle includes the latest version of the Ring Video Doorbell and a Ring Indoor Camera for a cheap and easy way to get started with home security. We've tested these and have been impressed with the video quality, high zoom, and night vision colour, but it's a shame that some of this device's value is only usable with a Ring Protect subscription. However, if you're fine with paying for a subscription or already using a Ring-based home security system, it's worth the cost.View Deal
Fire TV Stick 4K Select: was £64.99 now £21.99
Amazon's newest 4K streaming stick is down to within £2 of its lowest-ever price for Prime Big Deal Days. Considering it's only a few quid more than the cheaper HD version, you might as well pay for the upgrade and get access to higher resolution streaming — as long as you have a 4K TV. It lacks a few premium features found in the more expensive Plus and Max models, such as improved Wi-Fi and Dolby Atmos, but this is more than enough to cover general everyday use.View Deal
Perhaps you're moving into halls or other university accommodation and want an option to get some exercise in at home, well, this cheap pack of resistance bands could be useful. For under £10, you get five different-strength bands, ranging from light to XX-heavy, that can help with all sorts of different home training, yoga, pilates, and other exercises.View Deal
This Warmco Portable handheld fan is a slightly more high-tech and serious-looking device. Again, we haven't reviewed it, but it does have good Amazon reviews and the price is right thanks to this current deal. According to the user reviews, this looks to be a surprisingly powerful little fan that's capable of 3 to 13 hours of operation per charge.View Deal
This is a brand new, lowest-ever price for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 on PS5. The latest entry didn't launch to huge positive acclaim, but we still think it has excellent Zombies and multiplayer modes, according to our review. Just don't expect a campaign that's as good as some of the classics.View Deal
Ultra 256GB MicroSD Card: was £44.99 now £36.09
Here's a cheap and cheerful 256GB MicroSD card for under £40 in the latest Amazon Prime Day sale. It's wild that this has been as low as £15 in the past, but this is where we're at with storage costs right now. Whether you need it for a camera, phone, tablet or Nintendo Switch, it'll expand the storage available in the device for more photos, videos, apps, games, or whatever else you need.View Deal
Ultimate Quilts (24 Rolls): was £14.75 now £10.63
Yep, it's not a tech deal, but it's an essential we all need to stock up on, and I think this is a very good price for a decent number of rolls. Prime Day is a good opportunity to pick up household items like this, and while similar larger bundles have been available in previous events, I think this is still good value for money overall.View Deal
Users of New Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the Web in Exchange Online will no longer be able to download email attachments of two file types: .msix, and .msixbundle, Microsoft has confirmed, saying it’s for the users’ own safety.
“To enhance security in Outlook on the web and new Outlook for Windows, we are updating the default list of blocked file types in OwaMailboxPolicy,” a newly released advisory reads.
“As part of this update, the .msix and .msixbundle file types will be added to the BlockedFileTypes list in the default OWA Mailbox policy and any custom policies created in your tenant.”
What are .msix and .msixbundle files?MSIX is a file format for packaging and installing applications. It is similar to .exe and .msi installer since it contains files and information Windows needs to install an application. Microsoft introduced .msix as a more modern and secure way of distributing software, saying it comes with features that make installing and updating software more reliable.
MSIXBUNDLE is, as the name might suggest, the same but in plural. It can contain several versions of an .msix package in a single file. For example, a developer can bundle versions designed for different processor architectures (x64 and ARM, for example), and Windows will automatically install the correct one. Both formats are commonly used to distribute Windows applications, including apps delivered through the Microsoft Store.
How big of a deal is this?Apparently, not that big of a deal. Microsoft itself says that “most organizations are not expected to be affected by this update,” given the fact that these file types are “infrequently used.” However, they seem to be used frequently enough to warrant an update.
“This update is part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen security and help protect organizations from potentially unsafe file attachments,” Microsoft added.
Truth be told, sending application packages as email attachments is hardly the primary way businesses distribute software today. Employees usually do that through managed company portals, the Microsoft Store, package management tools, or direct downloads from software vendors. Therefore, we can assume that the majority of .msix and .msixbundle being sent through email could be malicious and weaponized.
General rollout will begin in early November 2026 and is expected to be complete by mid-November, the advisory reads. Exchange Online administrators who manage OWA mailbox policies are generally affected, as well as those who usually send or receive .msix or .msixbundle attachments in Outlook on the web or new Outlook for Windows Platforms and services. Obviously users of Outlook for the web, New Outlook for Windows, and Exchange Online, too.
So, in roughly a month, these two file types will be added to the BlockedFileTypes list in all OWA Mailbox policies across organizations, including the default policy and any custom policies created across tenants, preventing users from downloading them as attachments, or running them that way, at all.
Organizations that don’t rely on these two file types won’t need to do anything, but those that do should add them to the AllowedFileTypes property of their users’ OwaMailboxPolicy objects prior to rollout.
Defending email users from themselvesFor years now, Microsoft has been adding different file types to the “blacklist”, in an effort to prevent users from downloading and running malicious attachments sent in phishing emails. As The Register reminds, in December 2023, the company disabled ms-appinstaller protocol handler by default, after it was abused to distribute malware.
Since then, Microsoft has also blocked .py (Python files), .ps1 (PowerShell files), and .cab (cabinet files). Some people found it surprising it took Microsoft this long to remember .msix and .msixbundle types, as well.
Via The Register
I'm a habitual audiobook listener, but I get a lot of my listening done at night. I calm my mind with books that I've read before and enjoyed, usually older classics like Sherlock Holmes stories, The Three Musketeers or The Lord of the Rings.
I go to bed with an audiobook, and if I wake up at night, I put an audiobook back on to help me go back to sleep. I try and avoid disturbing my wife, so I use my AirPods, but they stick out of my ears, and are uncomfortable if I roll onto my side.
That's why I'm getting these Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds, which are down to $159.99 (was $229.99) at Amazon US in the Amazon Prime Day sales. In the UK, they're also heavily discounted, now just £122.55 (was £199.99) at Amazon UK.
• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale
I've included full details on the US and UK deals below. I was convinced to buy them after several of our writers tested the Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds and rated them very highly, with tech reviewer Becca Caddy writing "they’ve become my go-to earbuds over the past few months. And because I review audio gear for a living, that's not something I say lightly".
Check out the deals in full below.
Today's best sleep buds dealsSave 30% on the Soundcore Sleep A30, which offer active noise cancellation technology to eliminate distractions, and a flatter fit to make sure even side sleepers are as comfortable as possible. At just 3g each, they're light and very comfortable, while you can get up to five nights of use with the charging case. Free sleep content from Calm is also available in the app. View Deal
Save an impressive 39% on the Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds. The sliding clamshell case is nice, and the buds' tiny size and lightweight build make them ideal for sleep, yes — but also great for many other scenarios, as you use the ANC to tune out the world. In the app, there's a library of sleep-focused soundscapes, from waves to crackling fire, and they're all customizable with extra layers or density. View Deal
Sleep earbuds are having a bit of a moment, and you'll find plenty around from companies like Anker and Oslo, along with earplugs from brands such as Loop. However, Loop doesn't solve my audiobook problem, as I need proper earbuds rather than simple silicon ear plugs.
I like the Anker buds due to their discreet size, stylish case and active noice cancellation. Next time I wake up in the middle of the night, I will be able to reach for the Soundcore Sleep rather than my AirPods and not worry about sleeping on my side.
More Prime Day deals in the US