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• Opera's browser now solves one of the biggest problems travelers face abroad
• The built-in eSIM connects the entire phone rather than Opera alone
• Travelers can activate connectivity without buying another eSIM application first

Opera has added a built-in eSIM to its Android browser, giving travelers 3GB of complimentary mobile data for three days across supported destinations.

Travelers who arrive in a new country can skip the hunt for public Wi-Fi, because the free data requires no card details, purchasing a plan or entering an email.

The connection covers the entire phone rather than only the browser, so maps, messaging and ride apps keep working without roaming charges.

Connectivity starts inside the browser

The new service is available across 47 destinations. International travelers can install the eSIM before departure and activate it after reaching their destination.

Once the introductory allowance expires, users can purchase additional packages through Opera, with options offering 3GB, 5GB or 10GB for 30 days.

Opera says its eSIM plans are about 33% cheaper on average than six major competitors, based on a 5GB United States comparison.

The comparison used prices recorded in August 2026, which means the actual costs can differ depending on the destination and selected package.

The service can connect through 5G where local networks support it, while supported phones can retain their normal cellular number separately.

Why other browsers could copy the approach

The practical advantage of this feature is that travelers no longer need to depend entirely on their carrier's roaming package when crossing international borders.

They also avoid downloading a separate eSIM application while disconnected, although initial installation still requires reliable internet access before departure.

“Opera has spent decades getting people online where data is expensive or hard to come by,” said Tim Lesnik, Product Manager of Opera.

“Roaming is the same problem in a different shape: you pay a disproportionate amount for the same internet you have at home.”

Opera's approach combines connectivity with services already associated with travel, including its VPN and data-saving tools, giving the browser another function beyond opening websites.

“The eSIM, alongside our data savings and VPN, makes browsing while traveling more convenient. After all, a browser is pointless without a connection – so now we provide that as well,” Lesnik added.

The eSIM is data-only, requires Android 10 or later, and works only with compatible phones that are not locked to a carrier.

The free data is currently available in the US, UK, Germany, France, Canada, UAE, Brazil, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Poland.

The underlying eSIM service can be purchased worldwide, while users traveling through several countries can keep one installed SIM and add country-specific data.

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Wednesday, September 30 (game #1710).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today — or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1711) — hint #1 — VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1711) — hint #2 — repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1711) — hint #3 — uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1711) — hint #4 — starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1711) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• N

• S

• B

• T

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1711) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1711, are…

• NAVEL
• SHEER
• BIRTH
• TACKY

When you get stuck on a word with a missing letter and can’t see anything that would work, the key is invariably the letter V.

Two years into my Quordle obsession and I am still ignoring it, and today I spent ages ruling out every other combination before I final gazed upon NAVEL.

Daily Sequence today (game #1711) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1711, are…

• CLUNG
• SLURP
• WHEAT
• RECAP

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1710, Wednesday, 30 September: CHOKE, BATCH, MOSSY, EAGER
• Quordle #1709, Tuesday, 29 September: BILGE, MEDAL, LODGE, PORCH
• Quordle #1708, Monday, 28 September: BRUNT, TORSO, STONE, HEATH
• Quordle #1707, Sunday, 27 September: VALET, CHEST, VIGIL, PUREE
• Quordle #1706, Saturday, 26 September: SNORT, BIBLE, LAPSE, CRANE
• Quordle #1705, Friday, 25 September: SWEAR, FLOOD, GUPPY, GROAN
• Quordle #1704, Thursday, 24 September: TOPIC, METRO, SCALP, FREED
• Quordle #1703, Wednesday, 23 September: SHEET, BLAND, JOIST, GUAVA
• Quordle #1702, Tuesday, 22 September: COMFY, LOBBY, DRESS, PANEL
• Quordle #1701, Monday, 21 September: WAXEN, HIPPO, PETAL, LEASH
• Quordle #1700, Sunday, 20 September: DERBY, LIMBO, GAWKY, REIGN
• Quordle #1699, Saturday, 19 September: SCOPE, HEIST, PULSE, CHAMP
• Quordle #1698, Friday, 18 September: MUCUS, MIRTH, APPLE, TILDE
• Quordle #1697, Thursday, 17 September: CRIER, CHIRP, NEIGH, FREER
• Quordle #1696, Wednesday, 16 September: SPEAR, PRICE, BLUNT, FISHY
• Quordle #1695, Tuesday, 15 September: SHUSH, LITHE, DELTA, BUGLE
• Quordle #1694, Monday, 14 September: ZEBRA, LEGAL, RATIO, TROLL
• Quordle #1693, Sunday, 13 September: LUCID, SPRAY, MANGE, EMAIL
• Quordle #1692, Saturday, 12 September: SUPER, BRUSH, RESET, SOWER
• Quordle #1691, Friday, 11 September: PLUSH, PAINT, RIVAL, AFOUL

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Wednesday, September 30 (game #1207).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #1208) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• NATIONAL
• KEN
• NECK
• SHINS
• ACRO
• STICK
• WAIST
• WALKMEN
• SITUATE
• SLEEVE
• CROSS
• PLACE
• SUD
• POSITION
• CHEST
• DECEMBERISTS

NYT Connections today (game #1208) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Manoeuvre into a spot where it belongs
• GREEN: Required for sharp dressing
• BLUE: Alt rock with something missing
• PURPLE: A puzzling beginning

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #1208) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: PUT
• GREEN: DRESS SHIRT MEASUREMENTS
• BLUE: 2000S INDIE ROCK BANDS, WITH "THE"
• PURPLE: STARTS OF NYT PRINT PUZZLES

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #1208) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1208, are…

• YELLOW: PUT: PLACE, POSITION, SITUATE, STICK
• GREEN: DRESS SHIRT MEASUREMENTS: CHEST, NECK, SLEEVE, WAIST
• BLUE: 2000S INDIE ROCK BANDS, WITH "THE": DECEMBERISTS, NATIONAL, SHINS, WALKMEN
• PURPLE: STARTS OF NYT PRINT PUZZLES: ACRO, CROSS, KEN, SUD

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

NYT got very meta with today’s purple group, with an online game paying homage to the NYT's offline games. I’m ashamed to say it flew over my head.

Instead, I was focused on the appearance of one of my favorite bands of all time in Connections, The NATIONAL, alongside three other equally highly regarded bands which made it into 2000s INDIE ROCK BANDS, WITH "THE". Even though the majority of music I like could be described as “indie rock” I find genre names cringe, but it’s not a hill I’m willing to die on, or even suffer a mild ankle sprain on, so I’ll let it go.

Anyway, I digress… Fortunately, with that purple group not registering, DRESS SHIRT MEASUREMENTS and PUT were both easy to collect

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Wednesday, September 30, 2026, game #1207)

• YELLOW: SECURITIES: BOND, FUTURE, OPTION, STOCK
• GREEN: THINGS THAT ARE SHAKEN (NOT STIRRED): ETCH A SKETCH, MARTINI, SPRAY PAINT, TAMBOURINE
• BLUE: GANGSTER MOVIES: BUGSY, CASINO, DONNIE BRASCO, SCARFACE
• PURPLE: STARTING WITH MONTH ABBREVIATIONS: DECENT, NOVELTY, OCTOPUSSY, SEPTUM

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, September 30 (game #941).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #942) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Things fall apart

NYT Strands today (game #942) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• OBEY
• CRUEL
• CORN
• SLAP
• REAL
• MATES

NYT Strands today (game #942) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #942) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

• First side: left, 3rd row

• Last side: right, 8th row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #942) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #942, are…

• BREAK
• CRUMBLE
• COLLAPSE
• DISSOLVE
• FRAGMENT
• SPANGRAM: BEYONDREPAIR

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 hints

I eventually got the spangram after multiple stages of feeling myself towards it — pair, then repair, then on repair, then finally BEYONDREPAIR. Once I’d made it, my gameplay felt the same way.

I was also slow to get going, but after finding half a dozen non-game words I took the lazy person’s way out and grabbed two hints: BREAk and CRUMBLE. From here it was easier, but I didn’t have my finest of days.

In the West we find the idea of things falling apart depressing, but in Japan there is a term — wabi-sabi — for taking pleasure and beauty in the natural decay and weathering of objects and displaying the patina of life. It’s lovely.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, September 30, game #941)

• CAPO
• PICK
• GUITAR
• DRUMS
• PIANO
• SYNTH
• AMPLIFIER
• SPANGRAM: MUSICSTORE

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Switzerland's glaciers are disappearing at a record pace. More than 5% of their ice has vanished this year alone — threatening water supplies, ecosystems and communities across Europe.

(Image credit: Swiss Academy of Natural Sciences)

The company estimates its fastest-charging tech yet is coming next year, but it’ll be a while before cars can hit its top speed.

• Russia will reject flight plans from October 1 for civilian drones over 250 grams that are not connected to its ERA-GLONASS tracking system
• ERA-GLONASS is Russia's eCall-style emergency telematics platform that effectively functions as a clearinghouse for tracker data
• Officials are pitching the system as a way to lift regional drone bans, yet Moscow-area and St. Petersburg restrictions remain in force for now

From October 1 2026, Russia will stop accepting flight plans for civilian drones that are not hooked up to ERA-GLONASS, the state telematics platform that was previously best known for dispatching ambulances to car crashes.

The Ministry of Transport recently announced the change, stating "connection to ERA-GLONASS will become a prerequisite for submitting flight plans" to the State Air Traffic Management Corporation.

The requirement, which comes at a time when it continues to engage in an increasingly escalatory conflict with Ukraine, much of which involves drones of various shapes and sizes, applies to any drone that weighs more than 250 grams.

Not a new requirement altogether

The obligation itself is not new: since March 1 2026, aircraft have had to carry remote identification hardware that reports the drone, its owner, location, altitude, and route, under a government decree issued in Feb. 2026 (RU), which amended an earlier 2024 decree.

ERA-GLONASS, which functions as an emergency call system and is Russia's counterpart to the EU's eCall service, is not entirely new; it was officially commissioned in Jan. 2015 and has been mandatory since Jan. 2017 for all passenger and freight vehicles in the region.

It has since doubled as a state-owned clearinghouse for drone information, storing it and tracking them across the board. According to Rosaviatsia, it accepts feeds from cellular, satellite, and hybrid trackers, as well as ADS-B, and passes position, altitude, route, identification index, and aircraft category to supervisory agencies and bodies authorized to stop drone flights.

It is fairly ambitious in its own right; in January, JSC GLONASS chief executive Alexey Raikevich told TASS, after briefing Vladimir Putin at a Moscow unmanned-vehicle exhibition, that the system was ready to monitor up to 1 million civilian unmanned vehicles on land, on water, and in the air.

The ministry's own numbers are much more revealing: after seven months, 1,027 users are connected, comprising 752 organizations and 278 individuals, including 50 professional drone operators, and 1,205 drones are registered.

For context, deputy industry minister Vasily Shpak said Russia produced 16,398 civilian drones in 2024 alone. Not all of these will weigh over 250 grams or remain in civilian hands, and imported consumer drones are not counted here at all; the gap between drones in circulation and drones on the register appears wide.

The boldest claim about the system, however, is one that does not pass the smell test: In January, Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin said the system could forcibly stop a drone's movement if necessary, and at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June 2025, Raikevich said supervisors would be able to "press a button and land all the drones in a given area."

This does not align with the requirements the Russian government's decree established, which describe a one-way data feed from the drone to monitoring services rather than a command link that would make such an approach possible.

There is a significant military aspect to this at a time when Ukraine has managed to hit Russian targets with drones launched into Russian airspace from the ground. The best example is also the one that ran Russia billions of dollars in military equipment: Operation Spiderweb.

Whether the million drone tracking claims hold up or the 'kill switch' is actually a functional design at some level in Russian-made drones or otherwise remains to be seen, but it does highlight a growing awareness at the state level of how lethal even a single unaccounted-for drone can be at a time when both Ukraine and Russia are targeting civillian and energy infrastructure as part of a long-drawn out drone-enabled war of attrition.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told hundreds of junior military officers and enlisted leaders on Wednesday that the Trump administration has achieved a cultural shift in the military.

(Image credit: Alex Wong)

Return of the iMac G4 design? The hub could feature a round base and positioning arm supporting the screen, like the company’s short-lived but friendlier iMac design.

• OVHcloud and CGI are teaming with the European Space Agency to build its ESA Earth Observation Information System
• Christened "Digital EO," the project will amass an incredible 500PB of Earth observation data by 2035
• The decentralized cloud-based project will provide data and compute processing for scientists, researchers, businesses, and citizens across Europe and the UK

A huge new project to record Earth Observation data has been launched by the European Space Agency (ESA), with OVHcloud providing cloud storage and processing and project management courtesy of IT and business management firm CGI (via its France Défense et Spatial subsidiary).

The ESA Earth Observation Information System, or Digital EO, aims to collect data about our planet from satellites and other observation hardware for use in studies and research.

With initial deployment in Italy, France, and Germany, Digital EO will be able to extend to other European countries, as well as Canada. Despite leaving the European Union, the UK remains a member of the European Space Agency and as such has access to Digital EO.

Decentralized, scalable, resilient

Determining that the growth in data collection from satellites and other devices and hardware requires better management and wider access, the ESA has launched the Digital EO project as a decentralized system that relies on OVHcloud’s expertise.

“Digital EO must allow us to take a new step forward in the way Earth Observation data is managed and used,” said Nicolaus Hanowski, the ESA’s Head of EO Mission Management and Ground Segment Department.

“With CGI and OVHcloud, we will build and operate a European innovative and sovereign system capable of supporting this ambition and of providing lasting support to the ESA and European Commission programs like Copernicus and DestinE.”

OVHcloud will also support the evolution of the ESA Earth Observation Information System, potentially beyond the initial 30 month project, aiming to ensure performance and meet the needs of Digital EO’s users.

Digital EO backbone

The ESA, which is overseen by the European Commission, has a long history of relying on companies and technology across the continent, rather than buying in solutions from the USA, China, South Korea, or Japan.

French cloud technology firm OVHcloud is the ideal partner for the Digital EO project (OVHcloud state it is worth “multi-million” Euros). Its CEO and Founder, Octave Klaba, noted that, “Europe absolutely must have control over the infrastructure that runs its most strategic programs. With Digital EO, we are putting our sovereign cloud expertise at ESA’s service so that it can build innovative solutions to process, store and make the most of ever-growing volumes of Earth Observation data for the benefit of research, industry and operational user communities.”

OVHcloud aims to deliver “performance, resilience and security” says Klaba, adding that the ambition is “to build a robust, sovereign European Digital EO able to evolve over time, in step with ESA’s needs and ambitions.”

The fast charging network founded by eight automakers is now said to be the largest 400 kW fast charging network in the US.

• GMKtec EVO-X5 Pro starts at $6,399, but other Gorgon Halo systems exceed $7,000
• Runs 320B-parameter models offline under suitable conditions
• Memory bandwidth reaches 273GB/s, and up to 160GB can serve graphics

GMKtec has launched the EVO-X5 Pro starting at $6,399, making it one of the earliest devices to use the Gorgon Halo chip.

The mini PC combines AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495 processor with 192GB of LPDDR5X-8533 unified memory for demanding local computing.

According to GMKtec, this device can run LLMs containing 320 billion parameters completely offline under suitable software and configuration conditions.

A $6,399 machine with substantial hardware

The company revealed that the starting price applies to the first 30 units of the 192GB memory and 2TB storage model.

After the first 30 units, subsequent early buyers will spend $200 more, purchasing this device at $6,599, while the regular price after the promotional period is $6,799.

A second model with 192GB of memory and 4TB of storage is available for $6,699 during the Super Early Bird promotion, $6,899 during the Early Bird period, and $7,099 at its regular price.

Other Gorgon Halo devices start well in excess of $7,000, making the EVO-X5 Pro one of the cheapest Gorgon Halo devices available.

However, the X5 Pro could easily be one of the most expensive mini PCs out there, as most of these devices sell for less than $4,000.

Its Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495 processor provides 16 Zen 5 CPU cores, 32 threads, and boost speeds reaching 5.2GHz for demanding desktop workloads.

For graphics processing, this device uses the Radeon 8065S hardware with 40 compute units, RDNA 3.5 architecture, and hardware ray tracing.

Its XDNA 2 NPU can deliver up to 55 TOPS for supported artificial intelligence workloads, adding another processing resource to the system.

Memory bandwidth reaches 273GB/s, while the system can dynamically allocate as much as 160GB of its unified memory for graphics processing.

Its storage capacity can be expanded up to 24TB, giving the compact desktop considerable room for local datasets, applications and large artificial intelligence models.

To move that data in and out quickly, connectivity includes two USB4 V2 ports supporting up to 80Gbps, two USB4 ports reaching 40Gbps and two 10GbE LAN connections.

Offline AI capability is central to the EVO-X5 Pro

GMKtec originally developed the machine around support for 300B parameter models before later tuning increased its stated capability to 320B.

The company cautions that actual compatibility and performance depend on the selected model, software, quantization method, workload, and complete system configuration.

That capability is paired with features intended for private AI deployment, including local language models, coding assistants, research workloads and enterprise applications.

The EVO-X5 Pro supports eGPUs and multi-system clustering, allowing users to expand computing resources when individual workloads exceed its internal hardware.

For business environments, it includes AMD DASH, a dedicated dTPM 2.0 security chip and operating-system-independent out-of-band management.

GMKtec says the system has been validated for continuous 24/7 operation, although that claim does not establish performance levels across every workload.

To sustain that workload, cooling uses a vapor chamber with three fans inside an all-metal CNC-machined enclosure. The system also offers three performance modes for different operating requirements.

Beyond AI work, the device supports displays reaching 8K resolution, extending its intended use toward demanding professional desktop workloads.

We already have a unit of this mini PC on our desk; stay tuned for the detailed review coming up soon.

Founded and headquartered in California in 2018, PacketStream was launched specifically to address the high cost and complexity of residential proxies, which are IP addresses sourced from real devices around the world. The company runs a peer-to-peer (P2P) bandwidth-sharing network, which allows users to elegantly bypass geo-restrictions when accessing all sorts of data.

In this model, device owners share their unused internet bandwidth via a background app in exchange for compensation ($0.10/GB). On the other side, businesses and developers get to purchase cheap residential IP bandwidth for $1.00 per gigabyte.

As you can imagine, there are some risks involved. Though the setup makes proxies more affordable, it comes at the cost of reliability and speed. Then, there’s the potential issue of unreliable IP addresses within the network. Despite offering secure proxies in general, PacketStream doesn’t fully control the IPs sold through its network.

PacketStream: Plans and Pricing

There are loads of proxy providers with fairly complex pricing plans, and then there’s PacketStream. The vendor keeps things simple, charging per bandwidth at a flat fee of $1 per GB, with no recurring subscriptions and a purchased balance that never expires. This way, you get access to the entire network of residential proxies, which is considerably more straightforward and may even be a cheaper alternative to providers charging for individual IP addresses or monthly commitments.

Speaking of cheap, the $1 per GB price tag is one of the most affordable options in the industry. A quick look at the competitors confirms that most of them charge a lot more. For instance, entry pricing for IPRoyal begins at $7/GB for pay-as-you-go, whereas Bright Data starts at $8.40/GB, and Webshare will cost you $3.50/GB for residential bandwidth, though it scales down to $1.40/GB.

The caveat is that you’ll need to buy at least $50 worth of bandwidth to activate an account. This means you can’t buy just $1 of bandwidth to take the platform for a spin before deciding, as the $50 minimum deposit is a must. Still, PacketStream offers rotating proxies and sticky sessions (there are no true static/dedicated ISP proxies), which hold the same residential IP address for up to 60 minutes. So, in case one IP address doesn’t work, you can switch to a different one in a jiffy.

If you’re adamant about testing the service before committing, PacketStream offers trial credits, but without an automated, instant process. You need to fill out a trial request form or contact support, where a team member manually evaluates your workload before approving discretionary credits. This process can feel cumbersome for individual users who just need to test a few gigabytes' worth of proxies.

PacketStream accepts payments through PayPal and major credit cards, with bank transfers available for enterprise or reseller tier orders ($500+ minimum).

PacketStream: Features

Besides simply shelling out for proxies as a user, PacketStream also allows you to acquire the proxies and sell them on to offset costs. You can also sell your unused device bandwidth for profit, starting at $0.10 per GB. The minimum payout is $5 and is sent to your PayPal account within one week, with a 3% fee applied to cashouts.

During our testing, an interesting thing happened. Microsoft Defender blocked the download and installation of PacketStream, identifying it as a program that “displays deceptive product messages.” This is typically how ‘scareware’ is described, or software that makes deceptive or fraudulent claims about your computer’s health to trick you into buying unnecessary or potentially unwanted products, which may not be inherently malicious in the same way as other malware.

However, since PacketStream doesn’t make any scary claims about your device, the flagging as potentially malicious could be due to the application’s process of using your computer to route third-party traffic when you share your bandwidth with other users. Hence, the antivirus interprets the app’s behavior as unusual or questionable. So, if you fail to install PacketStream, this could be the reason.

Residential Proxies

PacketStream’s bread and butter is its P2P residential proxy network spanning 190+ countries. These proxies are sourced from real devices whose owners sell their bandwidth on the PacketStream network. Before you start worrying about illegally sourced IP addresses (a significant issue among many proxy providers), you’ll be glad to know that every IP address on PacketStream was consensually added by its owner to earn money.

The company offers both rotating (per-request) and sticky session options. Rotating sessions switch exit IPs with every new connection for maximum anonymity, while sticky sessions hold the same residential IP connection for up to 60 minutes for workflows requiring persistent logins or multi-step requests. Notably, PacketStream doesn’t offer true permanent static ISP proxies, as sticky sessions remain dependent on active peer device availability. Selection of the session type is configured directly via your proxy authentication URL string.

PacketStream’s proxy IP addresses were reliable during our test and offered reasonable speeds. We chose IP addresses from different countries, and they provided fast connections, although the speed varies depending on the country and peer device bandwidth. PacketStream lets you pick proxies from all around the globe, but you can’t select by city or state, which we consider a disadvantage. Several rival proxy providers allow you a granular selection of proxies from specific cities or ZIP codes (not to mention ASN targeting) to boost your odds of circumventing geographical limitations.

(Image credit: PacketStream )

The platform supports HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5 proxy protocols, which differ in how they handle traffic and their compatibility, each with its own strengths and downsides. Having SOCKS5 in particular is important as it operates at a lower network layer than HTTP/HTTPS, which makes it ideal for general-purpose tasks and specialized scraper setups.

While we’re on the subject of setups, residential proxies can be employed for many things. A good example is data scraping, wherein people use proxies to bypass website geo-restrictions and scrape relevant information.

Let’s say you run a website that tracks the prices of commodities and delivers this data to users. Running a price monitoring site requires extracting data frequently and quickly from many websites. The websites (primary data sources) are privy to external data scraping and block it by implementing geographical and IP restrictions. They can identify specific IPs from data scraping bots and block them from further access. They can also ban IP addresses from an entire country from accessing their information.

Through PacketStream, you gain access to a sizable network of residential IP addresses you can then use to evade restrictions and scrape commodity price data. Thanks to automatic IP rotation, in case one IP address gets discovered and blocked, your next request is instantly routed through a fresh peer connection. Although specific numbers fluctuate dynamically based on active peer devices, PacketStream routes traffic through millions of active household connections across 190 countries, so you’ll have plenty of new proxies to get your hands on the data you need.

Another frequent use case for residential proxies is online retail. Many people use automated scripts to snap up fast-selling products, placing orders before they run out of stock. But, e-commerce sites aren’t particularly keen on this and tend to blocklist bot IP addresses. PacketStream’s residential proxies let users circumvent this block and get their desired product.

As far as an e-commerce site is concerned, residential proxies belong to legitimate devices. They are inherently difficult to detect and block because doing so might lead to high false-positive rates, which could result in inadvertently locking out legitimate customers who share those same IP addresses. Even when e-commerce sites block a residential proxy, a sticky session can be refreshed to visit the site in question under a new peer identity.

That leads us to what is arguably PacketStream’s biggest drawback: it only offers residential IPs. It doesn’t have datacenter IPs in its lineup, which are faster and more reliable. Datacenter IPs are sourced from dedicated servers with more speed, making them ideal for massive data scraping tasks. Large enterprises are the main users of datacenter proxies, but PacketStream doesn’t serve this cohort well. Instead, it’s best suited for individuals and small businesses seeking affordable residential proxies.

PacketStream doesn’t offer dedicated mobile-specific IPs, which is surprising since mobile device IP addresses are present organically on this P2P network. Yet, you can’t specifically filter or target mobile carrier networks. Many businesses use mobile IPs for app testing and ad verification, but performing these tasks with PacketStream is difficult.

Likewise, you won’t find ISP proxies here. Sourced directly from Internet Service Providers, these proxies (static residential) provide higher data throughput and reduced delay than P2P residential proxies, but you’ll have to get them elsewhere.

Selling Bandwidth

As a PacketStream user (or ‘Packeter’), you can sell your unused bandwidth and make money. Just add your IP address to the network and earn money when people use your device as a proxy (with no inbound ports or port forwarding required). Pricing is $0.10 per GB shared, which can help you offset the cost of buying bandwidth on PacketStream.

The bandwidth-sharing process is fairly easy, as the primary requirement is a stable internet connection. Of course, you’ll have to download the PacketStream client on your PC, available for Windows, macOS, and Linux (where it can be installed via Docker). The client is lightweight and runs on low-end PCs without noticeable hiccups.

After installing the PacketStream PC app, open it any time you feel like sharing a connection and activate the mode. Your payout is automatically calculated based on the amount of data your shared connection transmits. Closing or stopping the PacketStream app immediately terminates the shared connection and offers you complete control over the process. PacketStream can’t use your connection without your consent, which you give by running the app.

There’s no limit to the amount of bandwidth you can share. The minimum payout is $5, earned by transmitting 50 GB of bandwidth, which corresponds directly to the $50 minimum deposit threshold for buyers. Earnings are paid out in USD via PayPal and processed within one week. Keep in mind that a flat 3% fee applies to every cashout.

Reseller API

PacketStream offers white-label reselling services via a dedicated Reseller API, designed for entrepreneurs and business clients interested in launching their own proxy brand. This model allows you to sell PacketStream’s residential proxy bandwidth under your own branding with zero PacketStream mentions or attribution.

(Image credit: PacketStream )

Through the Reseller API, it’s possible to programmatically create and manage subaccounts, allocate bandwidth limits, track subaccount balances, and monitor real-time usage data. Resellers purchase wholesale bandwidth at $1.00 per GB (matching the standard platform rate), which is subject to a $500 minimum purchase threshold. Resellers can set their own retail pricing to determine their profit margins and are responsible for providing direct customer support to their end-users.

Any peer device added to PacketStream’s network automatically becomes accessible to your subaccounts. This feature isn’t for individual users, but we consider it worth discussing to give a complete PacketStream review.

PacketStream: Ease of Use

It’s safe to say that PacketStream outdoes several of its peers in user-friendliness. It offers one of the most streamlined interfaces in the proxy space, largely due to its highly focused portfolio.

(Image credit: PacketStream )

All the features are neatly arranged on the left menu, and the main dashboard lies on the right side. With a white background and a few contrasting colors, PacketStream’s interface feels visually appealing and easy to navigate. The average person won’t have any issues understanding this interface, which, sadly, can’t be said for some proxy providers.

There’s a drawback, though. PacketStream doesn’t offer a browser extension to manage proxies. Instead, users must copy their proxy authentication endpoint and username parameters directly from the web-based dashboard and enter them into their scraping scripts or third-party software. An extension lets you switch proxies at the click of a single button, but PacketStream doesn’t provide this benefit.

PacketStream: Customer Support

This is an area where PacketStream lags behind its competitors. It offers direct support only via email and web contact form, with no live chat or telephone option. Though incoming tickets are monitored around the clock, PacketStream doesn’t state a guaranteed SLA response time. Replies vary and can take up to 48 hours, with no option to hold a real-time conversation with support staff.

Self-help support is organized under a dedicated Resources page on the website. It includes quickstart and proxy gateway references, guides, tutorials, insights, and runnable code examples hosted on GitHub (a big plus for devs), among other things. The overall documentation is compact and largely on par with what we’ve seen in other proxy providers.

PacketStream: The Competition

PacketStream has numerous competitors, the most notable being Bright Data, Oxylabs, and Webshare.

Bright Data offers residential, static ISP, and datacenter proxies. It also offers advanced web scraping APIs, scraping browsers, automated web unlockers, and pre-built datasets. In contrast, PacketStream offers none of these, except residential IPs. If you need PacketStream’s proxies for automated data scraping, you’ll have to get an external platform for the APIs.

But at $1 per GB (with a $50 minimum deposit), PacketStream’s residential proxy service is much more affordable than Bright Data’s, which costs around $8.40 per GB on standard pay-as-you-go plans (scaling down to $3.00/GB with monthly commitments).

Oxylabs provides residential, static ISP, mobile, and datacenter proxies, with a pool of over 100 million residential IP addresses. It also has a Web Unblocker and web scraping APIs for enterprises in its lineup. Oxylabs is undoubtedly the more sophisticated platform, with more reliable and speedy proxy IPs and complete control over its proxy network.

Still, Oxylabs’ residential IPs cost around $8.00 per GB on pay-as-you-go tiers, compared to PacketStream’s $1 flat rate.

Webshare offers residential, static ISP, and datacenter proxies, but lacks built-in web scraping APIs. Its pool of 80 million+ residential IP addresses across 195 countries is on par with Oxylabs and Bright Data, but larger than PacketStream.

With residential pricing starting at $3.50 per GB (scaling down to $1.40 per GB on volume commitments), Webshare is one of the most affordable proxy providers for enterprises. Yet, PacketStream’s $1 per GB flat rate beats it in entry-level per-gigabyte pricing.

In summary, PacketStream lags slightly behind most competitors in certain advanced features and customer support. Nonetheless, it outperforms them in ease of use and affordability, helped by the lower costs of running a P2P network and the opportunity to earn money through offering your bandwidth to other users.

PacketStream: Final words

At $1.00 per GB, PacketStream is among the most affordable residential IP providers, although the minimum purchase is $50. This makes it ideal for individual users or small businesses that require rotating and sticky (up to 60 minutes) residential proxies for everyday data collection and web browsing tasks.

Having said that, enterprises will probably find PacketStream lacking for any large-scale data scraping needs. There are no datacenter or ISP proxies; it doesn’t offer granular targeting or built-in scraping APIs, and has limited customer support.

We've rated the best VPN services.

Meta’s Muse AI shared a Facebook Marketplace seller’s pickup address and arranged a deal that ended with a buyer showing up unexpectedly.

The post Meta AI Shares Seller’s Address: Facebook Marketplace Buyer Shows Up at His Home appeared first on TechRepublic.

I've covered every single Amazon sale that's taken place in Australia for TechRadar and, in my experience, it's been rare to see all-time low prices during the October Prime Day sale.

• Shop Amazon's full Prime Big Deal Days sale

And I have just been proven wrong! On day one of Prime Big Deal Days this year (which was Tuesday, September 29), there were already a fair few record lows in the morning, then nearly half of my top deals were cheaper still by the afternoon. Day two saw some of those prices fall further — my favourite price drop was on the Samsung Galaxy A57 smartphone for just AU$519, and that meant it quickly went out of stock.

Other highlights are still going strong: the Philips Baristina coffee machine dropping from a discounted AU$398 to AU$378, then to AU$359; the Bose SoundLink Flex (Gen 2) Bluetooth speaker getting cheaper by about AU$3; and the popular Ninja DoubleStack XXXL also dropping by nearly AU$10. I also love that the Ninja Crispi Pro is down to all-time low of AU$290.70 — it's the air fryer I use myself and couldn't recommend highly enough.

Of course, pretty much all these deals are Prime exclusive, so I hope you have a subscription. If not, you can sign up now and get a 30-day free trial if you're a first-time customer and you can cancel any time. Prime Big Deal Days 2026 ends at 11:59pm AEDT on Monday, October 5, so you have some time to figure out what to get, but don't take too long.

Amazon quick linksEditor's picks: today's top deals

This discount matches the Blink Video Doorbell System’s last all-time low price during the last Prime Day sale in July. It’s worth noting, though, that many of the features are locked behind the AU$4.95/m Blink Basic or AU$15/m Blink Plus subscription plans, so those costs should be considered if you want video storage, person detection and more. Amazon is also offering a bundle with two Blink Mini 2K+ cameras for AU$48 or 74% off, perfect for a good starter home security system.View Deal

The JBL Grip plugs the gap between the smaller Clip and formidable Flip. It's a compact speaker that delivers a big sound, offers impressive protection against dust and water and has some nifty LED lighting on its rear. The Flip 7 is still our top recommendation, but with the Grip currently at the lowest price we have seen for a couple of colour options, it's a great buy. View Deal

Vertuo Pop: was $229 now $92.15
This little pod machine is very popular among TechRadar's Aussie team. We've had past and present staff say how much they love it, and they'd even buy it at full price. With a very compact footprint and plenty of Vertuo pods to choose from, you'll get delicious coffee at just the press of a button. View Deal

These AirPods lack active noise cancellation but you still get great audio and personalised spatial audio with dynamic head tracking without having to pay too much. Additionally, a battery life of up to five hours on a single charge and 30 hours with the included carry case will keep you listening for longer.
Prefer noise cancellation as well? Grab the AirPods 4 with ANC for AU$185 (or 38% off).View Deal

SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen): was $249.95 now $147.25
Clean, detailed sound, full protection against dust and water and all packaged in a gorgeous body, the Bose SoundLink Flex is a Bluetooth speaker you'll want to take with you everywhere you go, and at a pretty good price too.View Deal

Momentum 4 Wireless: was $579 now $257
The 5th-gen version is out now, but it's our Sennheiser Momentum 4 review that scored a full five stars, where we called these headphones "unbeatable". With active noise-cancellation, 60-hours of battery life and excellent sound quality, there are few pairs that can compete with the Momentum 4.View Deal

Crispi Pro: was $499 now $290.70
I've just got me this air fryer, but I haven't started using it yet... I can't wait to cook up a storm that can potentially feed up to 10 people! Yes, its largest glass basket has a 5.7L capacity, so that's a lotta chips! There's another 2.3L borosilicate basket also in the box, so you can just cook a small portion too. And both come with lids, so you can serve in the same basket or cover and store in the fridge.View Deal

Baristina: was $599 now $359
The best entry-level bean-to-cup coffee maker has received a good discount for Prime Day. It's simple to use, taking care of the grinding, tamping and pouring for you. The porta filter will even automatically slide into position for you. Do note there's no milk frothing here, but a matching milk frother is available. Also available in black. View Deal

Instinct 2X Solar: was $769 now $379
An upgraded version of a watch we proudly awarded five stars, this handy fitness tracker features solar power charging, allowing it to last much longer than the standard model. It's a rugged wrist piece and it's intended for heavy-duty activities.View Deal

PowerDetect Clean & Empty: was $999 now $462.10
With powerful and dynamic suction, plenty of attachments and an auto-empty charging dock, this is arguably the best value non-Dyson cordless vacuum right now. Read our review for the full scoop. Often sold around the AU$750 price point, it as low as AU$438 at the start of this sale, but this is still a great bargain on what I think is the best stick vacuum cleaner in Australia. View Deal

As anticipated, Amazon has further dropped the price of this budget handset, making it an even better value option — as long as you don't need the most powerful phone with all the bells and whistles. We called it a "competent all-rounder" in our Samsung Galaxy A57 review, but we also noted that it will not wow you.View Deal

Deals under AU$100

Video Doorbell 2K+: was $109 now $41
Already quite affordable, this Blink video doorbell can rival anything from the more expensive Ring line, while also offering a long battery life and IP65 weatherproofing. Also included is the Sync Module that you'll need to make everything work, but you will need to take into account that it requires a Blink Subscription Plan if you want all its functions at your fingertips. Note that the 'typical price' listed was the July discount, so this is more than the displayed 7% discount.View Deal

TV Stick 4K Plus: was $99 now $45.60
This is just the previous Fire TV Stick 4K rebranded to a new name. So if you already have the original, there's no need to upgrade, but for a first-time customer, you get Wi-Fi 6 support and a fast processor so you can get to your favourite streaming content that much quicker. All Fire TV Sticks now get you access to XBox Game Pass, so you don't need a console to play if you already have a subscription.View Deal

Ultimate C: was $79.95 now $46.74
Sure, it's a wired controller, but this gamepad is simple to use and durable, with drift-free hall effect analog sticks. In fact, the base of the sticks also have RGB, which is fantastic at this price. Being wired, however, means this isn't ideal for couch play, but if you're a PC gamer at your desk, it'll do wonderfully well.
[Shipped and sold by Amazon UK]View Deal

Boasting a 12,000dpi 'Hero' sensor, as well as 6 programmable buttons, a 250-hour battery and onboard memory for your settings, the Logitech G305 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Mouse is ideal for competitive play. Want to know more? Check out our review, but not that only the blue and lilac colourways get the best discount.View Deal

Outdoor 4 (2 pack): was $179 now $58.99
Read our review for the full scoop, but the Blink Outdoor 4 is an affordable home security camera from Amazon with the ability to last up to two years off batteries. It comes with an easy-to-use app and fairly good camera quality via a 1080p lens, and can store video when paired with a Blink Sync module.View Deal

iO 2: was $159.99 now $56.05
If you're after a really good electric toothbrush that won't cost an arm and a leg (or some teeth), then this is it. It's an entry-level oscillating brush, which means it rotates at fast speeds and may not be ideal for people with sensitive or bleeding gums as that movement can be harsh, but it sure does remove a heck of a lot of plaque and keeps your teeth healthy. View Deal

Echo Dot (5th gen): was $99 now $59
Amazon's Echo Dot it's a great smart speaker with decent sound and Alexa built-in. It also has motion detection and can measure temperature, which is handy if you have a connected thermostat. It is a little long in the tooth now, having released in 2022, but it's a bargain at this price.View Deal

Already affordable, these wireless buds have dropped to a record-low price (outdoing the previous one by a single cent). This is excellent value considering we rate them 4.5 stars in our Earfun Air Pro 3 review, and they have active noise cancelling, premium aptX sound quality and 45 hours total play time.View Deal

A Modo Mio Jolie Evo: was $129 now $64.99
The Lavazza Jolie machines are excellent and affordable alternatives to Nespresso. This Evo model just has a single button for extracting coffee (compared to the Jolie Plus that has programmable buttons), making it oh so simple to use. If you'd like the option to froth milk, you can get a bundle with a frother too. View Deal

Blast Water Flosser: was $179.99 now $65.78
If you don't enjoy flossing the traditional way, use the power of water instead. Removing plaque using three different water pressure settings, this handy flosser will clean out those hard-to-reach gaps that your toothbrush can't. Plus, it's cordless, meaning you can take it on your travels too. Admittedly these were a lot cheaper in July (just over AU$48), but they were bestseller then, so it would be remiss of me to not include it here again.View Deal

Galaxy SmartTag 2 (4-pack): was $169 now $69
Samsung's answer to the AirTag, the SmartTag 2 works with select Samsung phones to help you find mislaid items. It has a built-in hole for easier attachments, up to 700 days of battery life and it's water-resistant. If you're always losing stuff, this is a worthy investment that drops the price of each individual tracker to a mere AU$17.25 apiece.View Deal

Freeze Wand: was $149 now $84
The Ninja Creami is great and all, but paying almost AU$300 for an ice cream maker is a lot — but this one from Cuisinart costs a fraction of the price and also takes a lot less space too! It's a versatile machine that makes ice cream, slushies, milkshakes, sorbets, and mix-ins to truly earn its space in the kitchen. You can even combine up to three flavours with three included dessert cups.View Deal

the Aroma Style: was $109.95 now $87
This drip-style coffee maker lets you wake up to a fresh pot of coffee every morning and it will even keep it warm all morning for those cold days working from home. You can program it to brew at a specific time and even adjust the strength of your brew. View Deal

MultiPro Go food processor: was $149 now $87
This food processor's biggest drawcard is its small footprint (30cm tall and 16cm wide), making it great for those with smaller kitchens, but it also has a powerful 650W motor to help blitz foods to slice, grate, chop and knead in seconds. This is the lowest price we've seen for the MultiPro Go, and you can read the full review here.View Deal

Our 1More Sonoflow review praised the comfort of the headphones, as well as the excellent active noise cancelling and up to 70 hours of battery life. Honestly, at this price, it's excellent value for everyday listening.View Deal

Air Circulator 460: was $179 now $94
We might be in the middle of winter, but there's no denying some parts of Australia need a good fan year round. This Vornado model creates tornado-like air flow that circulates around the room. Note that this is the smallest model in the range, ideal for bedrooms. View Deal

2000 Series: was $179 now $98
If you're after a compact model that can feed one or two people, this Philips option is great for under a hundred dollary-doos. It's been hovering around the AU$95 mark for a while, so it's quite the best deal, but it's still a discount that's hard to pass up on an air fryer with a staggering 13 preset cooking options.View Deal

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Headphones & speakers

Offering poised and revealing sound, along with excellent comfort and microphone quality, this saving is one to consider if you've been on the hunt for a quality pair of earbuds. Though noise cancellation and battery life could use some work, we awarded these earbuds a TechRadar Recommends seal of approval in our Technics EAH-AZ80 review.View Deal

Offering “incredible sound”, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds have all the power and quality you’d expect from a Bose-branded item while providing the benefits of an open-ear form factor. The Immersive sound is excellent, and there’s also up to seven hours of play time and up to 48 hours of standby time. They simply just work and work very well.View Deal

Momentum True Wireless 4 earbuds (Black Copper): was $499 now $247
We gave these stunning earbuds 4.5 stars in our review as they have class-leading audio handling and impeccable sound quality that rivals the best wireless earbuds. With balanced sound, effective ANC and a great battery life, these Sennheiser buds will make any audiophile smile. View Deal

OpenRun Pro 2: was $319 now $227.05
Read our review for the full lowdown on why these are the ideal runners headphones. Importantly, this Pro 2 version that improves the sound quality by combining the bone conduction tech with an air conduction speaker. This discount beats the price from Black Friday last year, but is five cents more than July.View Deal

QuietComfort SC: was $499.95 now $243
Nearly as good as the gen 1 QuietComfort Ultra, the SC misses out on the Immersive Audio mode. There'll also be a little difference in sound quality as they process sound differently, but it's still excellent, as is the ANC performance. You'll also get a soft case for this foldable headphone rather than the hard one for the more expensive set.View Deal

WH1000-XM6 (pink): was $699.95 now $513
It's a pity only one colourway is going for this price, but if you don't mind the dusty pink of Sony's latest flagship cans, you'll be in for a treat. Arguably one of the best headphones available today, there's no doubting performance here, with beautifully balanced sound and great ANC.View Deal

Boom 4: was $229.95 now $158.85
This floatable Bluetooth speaker is perfect for the poolside party, with up to 15 hours of playtime and very decent 45m connectivity range. It promises bassy, punchy and yet a clear 360º soundstage.View Deal

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Vacuum cleaners

This is a very different Dreame R10 to the one we've previously reviewed on TechRadar, but if it performs anything like the light-coloured version that has since been discontinued, then I think this is excellent value. For not a lot of money, this appliance promises up to 45 minutes of runtime and a bendy wand to get under furniture. It even comes with a wall-mount attachment.View Deal

Cordless Vacuum with Self Cleaning Brushroll (IZ102): was $549 now $189
We haven't tested this cordless vacuum ourselves but user reviews are glowing and I think that says something. For quick and daily vacuuming, this is great and excellent value and is currently at an all-time low price on Amazon.View Deal

Arguably the cheapest Dyson available right now, the V8 Origin is pretty much the same machine as the standard V8, just with a red wand and barely any additional accessories shipping in the box along with it — which explains the lower price. Honestly, I think the standard V8 is the better buy, but if cash is tight and you really want a Dyson, this will suit you fine with up to 40 minutes of runtime.View Deal

F25 Ace: was $999 now $349
This Roborock wet-dry vacuum will leave your hard floors sparkling clean thanks to powerful suction and effective cleaning. It can get up close to edges and the whole body can lay completely flat to help getting underneath tricky to reach places. This price is equal to the lowest we have seen on Amazon and is a great saving on an excellent floor washer – read our review for more info.View Deal

X40 Ultra (black): was $2799 now $712.49
Where this Dreame differs from all the others on this page is that if you don't want it to mop (do a vacuum-only run), it can drop its mop pads in the base station by itself. It's also pretty powerful and scored 4 stars in our Dreame X40 Ultra review. It's now two generations old but I'd still recommend it today, especially at this price. View Deal

L50 Ultra CE: was $2199 now $999.99
Want the latest Dreame tech? Released earlier this year, this robovac packs everything that Dreame models are good at — excellent suction, decent mopping, superb obstacle avoidance, pet-zone cleaning and so much more — into a sleek machine. OK, so it looks like all the others, but c'mon, you can't tell me the white with metallic accents don't fit into any home.View Deal

This is the robovac I would consider buying if I didn't already have a high-end Dreame machine that's been cleaning my home like... a dream. This Roborock is slimlined to crawl under furniture (no navigation puck here), and can raise not just its mop pads, but its side brush to avoid scattering and excessive tangling. Its headline act, however, has to be its cleaning prowess — our Roborock Saros 10R review didn't score 4.5 stars for nothing!View Deal

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Coffee machines

Dedica Arte: was $299 now $196.95
This compact manual coffee machine can pour up to two espresso shots at once and features a steam wand for cafe-quality milk foaming. There's no built-in grinder, but you either use ground coffee beans or invest in a separate grinder using the cash you save with this deal. View Deal

La Specialista Arte: was $649 now $444
This gorgeous-looking, easy-to-use, bean-to-cup espresso machine is a worthy addition to any coffee lover's kitchen. It's relatively compact, too, and pours delicious espresso with little to no skill involved. Note that this is the non-Evo model, meaning it can't make cold brew. The Evo model is out of stock at the time of writing.View Deal

The Breville Bambino Plus is incredibly simple to use, and can take care of most of the coffee making process for you. Grind some beans into the porta filter, insert it into the group head and use the one-touch controls to brew. It also has a hands-free milk texturing system for expertly frothed milk, while ThermoJet technology means the machine is ready to use in seconds. There's very little you need to do to simply enjoy the results — now AU$20 more than what it cost at the start of the sale.View Deal

4400 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine: was $1199 now $563.99
This Philips bean-to-cup machine can make 12 coffee-based drinks, all of which are served perfectly, and can be customised to suit your tastes. We weren't too fond of its milk frothing skills in our LatteGo 4400 Series review, but at this price, I can't recommend it highly enough since it's the lowest I can remember it dropping to, thanks to an additional AU$175 coupon you need check on the listing page. View Deal

Luxe Café Premier: was $799.99 now $577.89
This 3-in-1 coffee machine brews quality espresso, drip coffee and even fast cold brew using its Barista Assist technology, an integrated grinder and weight-based dosing. There's a lot it can do, and it does it very well. And it's just dropped in price by about AU$11 in the Oat Milk colourway.View Deal

The Barista Express (Stainless Steel): was $999 now $599
This at-home espresso machine is perfect for hobbyist baristas and coffee connoisseurs alike and has long held a position on our round-up of the best espresso machines for good reason. This manual coffee machine streamlines the brewing process from beans to latte with its integrated conical burr grinder, steam wand and precise espresso extraction. View Deal

It's an expensive machine but we like it so much that it scored 4.5 stars in our De'Longhi Eletta Explore review. Capable of making both hot and cold coffee brews, this bean-to-cup machine produces delicious results, although it's not without its quirks. Our reviewer thought its water tank design was a little annoying and wasn't too thrilled with the two-carafe milk system, but if those aren't going to be issues for you, this could be a good investment.View Deal

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Air fryers

Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer (AF300): was $249.99 now $127
This is an excellent price for the air fryer we awarded five stars to in our Ninja AF300UK review. It has six easy-to-use cooking functions and a total 7.6L capacity dual drawer setup, which can cook separate foods and sync timers to finish simultaneously — perfect for a couple.View Deal

Multi Zone Air Fryer Oven: was $299 now $162.45
This big air fryer has multiple accessories to keep clean, but there's no denying this Sunbeam unit is a fantastic addition to any kitchen. It's capable of cooking in separate zones, complete with separate trays to maximise the space or one huge 11.4L zone. Food is roasted to perfection, whether it's a full chicken or small portions of fries or vegetables.View Deal

DoubleStack XXXL: was $599.99 now $170.05
Securing a spot on our list of the best air fryers, our reviewer said this innovative model from Ninja was the "air fryer of my dreams". It takes a familiar double drawer design, but stacks them on top of each other, resulting in a smaller footprint. Performance is exemplary, but just make sure the food you put in isn't that big, as the drawers themselves are on the smaller side at 4.75L each.View Deal

3000 Series dual basket air fryer (9L): was $349 now $170.05
We haven't tested Philips' dual basket air fryer, but considering how much we've loved the brand's other kitchen appliances, it's hard to not make a mention of this offer. This 9L air fryer has drawers of different sizes, which makes it easy to cook a main and a side together, and promises to sync cooking times if needed. View Deal

This compact air fryer packs 1700W of power into a portable design, with two borosilicate glassware containers that serve as both frying baskets and serving dishes. The borosilicate means they can also withstand extreme temperatures, making it easy to take your favourite foods from frozen to crispy, and it's safer to use than any non-stick basket. The Crispi also comes with two removable crisping grates and two snap-on container lids for easy food-storage post-feast.View Deal

5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer Steam: was $499 now $224.20
Ever cooked with steam in an air fryer? Now you can with this Philips two-drawer air fryer. In my Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket XXL Air Fryer Steam review, I said that it cooks everything really well, but there are some caveats to keep in mind when it comes to the use of steam. Still, it's absolutely worth the investment if you want to upgrade from an old air fryer and you have the space for it.View Deal

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Summer essentials

Creami Deluxe: was $449.99 now $283.10
It's got a cult-like following and two members of our own staff are massive fans. If you love your chilled desserts – ice creams, gelatos, smoothies – but want to control your calorie intake, you really should consider getting the Ninja Creami. This Deluxe edition gets you three containers, which is great value at this price, although it was over AU$50 cheaper in July.View Deal

The Ninja Slushi lets you skip the ice and still enjoy perfectly smooth icy drinks with very little effort. Whether you're craving a frappe, smoothie, or even a cheeky spiked slushi, its multiple drink modes have you covered. Check out our Ninja Slushi review for the full rundown. View Deal

Tower Fan 5000: was $179 now $113.05
When space is a premium and you only require cooling in a focused area, then a tower fan might be for you. This one from Philips is only 23.8cm deep and wide to fit a small space like a corner or a narrow hallway, while also standing 109.5cm tall to provide more cooling.View Deal

This fan can be used either at home, plugged in, or on the go with its built-in battery that’s rated for up to 12 hours of continuous operation. The water droplets from the misting function are ultra-fine and come from an integrated tank, so the feature also works while on the go. A built-in handle and lightweight 1.76kg body also make the FlexBreeze HydroGo easy to transport and move around.View Deal

This bladeless fan may be the priciest in this list, but this discount still makes the Shark TurboBlade Ultra a more affordable option than Dyson’s offerings. The fan can either be set horizontally to cover a wider area or vertically for more focused cooling. It comes with 10 speed options and different noise levels to suit whatever your cooling needs are.View Deal

2.5Kw portable air conditioner: was $299.99 now $239.99
This portable aircon can rapidly cool down a space of up to 20sqm while also running relatively quietly for as low as 64db. We haven't reviewed this yet, but it has dozens of 5-star user reviews for its ease of installation and effectiveness.View Deal

portable air conditioner: was $379.80 now $303.84
This portable aircon also doubles as a dehumidifier and can cool down a room of up to 30sqm, while also running at 64db during low-speed mode. TechRadar hasn't reviewed this yet, but it has a handful of 5-star user reviews praising its portability and performance.View Deal

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Personal care

The Beard Hedger: was $159.99 now $119.99
Whisk away facial hair in one smooth motion using Manscaped's Beard Hedger beard trimmer. With 20 length settings, edge trimming capabilities and a fully waterproof body, you'll be perfecting your stubble in no time. We have seen this trimmer go lower in price before, but we think it's such a talented performer that we felt compelled to include it here.View Deal

Series 9000 Prestige wet & dry shaver: was $209 now $113.53
Fitted with a flexible head, this shaver is designed to glide against the shape of your face, while onboard sensors will allow it to adapt the cutting power to your beard's length. Speaking of which, it's got 5 length settings to suit different needs and it holds its own while in the shower too. View Deal

Gleam Hair Dryer: was $169.99 now $66.47
The Dreame Gleame hair dryer is an even more affordable alternative to the bigger brands. Its motor spins at a mighty fast 110,000 RPM for fast airflow and quick drying, plus built-in ion technology results in smooth, shiny hair. Not to mention, the slim, lightweight build make it comfortable to hold. View Deal

The Oral-B iO 6 is a smart brush that can recognise your personal brushing style and provide feedback via the companion app to improve it. It also features a pressure sensor and an interactive display, as well a ring timer letting you know when to move on to a different section of your pearly whites. View Deal

Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 (2-pack): was $619 now $249
If you didn't know what a 'sonic' brush is, it's quieter and gentler than an oscillating electric toothbrush (like Oral-B). The DiamondClean 9000 has 4 cleaning modes, and one of them gets you 3 intensities. This value pack gets you a his-and-hers version, plus the glass is actually the charger.View Deal

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Home entertainment & Hi-Fi

The Amazon Fire TV Cube combines all the benefits of a streaming device with Alexa support. It works as a smart speaker so you can control your smart home devices with it, but it also provides access to every streaming app you can think of. Throw in Dolby Vision, HDR, and Dolby Atmos, and it’s everything you could want. So why not grab a streaming device that's also a smart speaker?View Deal

This budget-friendly 2.1 soundbar is ideal for anyone looking to upgrade their TV or computer audio without spending much money. We were pleasantly surprised by how it performed in our Creative Stage Pro review, finding it delivered impressive bass and excellent volume. Given its size and price, expectations should be tempered, but for a cost-effective audio upgrade, it's ace.View Deal

SR-B30A soundbar: was $499 now $309
It's often the #1 bestselling soundbar on Amazon and that doesn't surprise me in the least. It was very well received by experts at its price point when it launched in 2023, and has remained a top option for users too. And at this price, it's a fantastic budget option with Dolby Atmos support, plenty of bass and a wide soundstage.View Deal

In our Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar review, we said this soundbar rivals the Sonos Arc, which is the best Sonos soundbar we've tried. The Smart Ultra is compact, beautifully built, and offers plenty of control options to go with its wide, detailed sound. View Deal

Arguably one of the most iconic turntables available right now, the Sound Burger is lightweight, works wirelessly with up to 12 hours of playtime, has Bluetooth connectivity and is easy to use. It's a fabulous entry into the world of vinyl at a fantastic price.View Deal

PS-LX310BT turntable with Bluetooth: was $399 now $230
This Sony Bluetooth turntable is as fuss-free as they come with regard to setup and getting your favourite vinyl records spinning. Whether you're playing via wired or wireless speakers, it delivers a delightfully musical sound that will satisfy vinyl beginners or those looking for a more hands-off approach. View Deal

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Phones & tablets

Phone (4a) 128GB: was $649 now $538.99
We named the Nothing Phone (4a) the best overall cheap phone for its mix of good mid-range specs, unique design, clean Android UI and low price. Its cameras can be better and there's no wireless charging here, but it's to be expected for a phone at this price point. If you're sold, then hurry, as there's limited stock right now on Amazon.View Deal

17T (512GB): was $1199 now $889
It looks like an iPhone and can rival Apple's performance too, thanks to a powerful chipset under the hood. In fact, our tester was quite impressed with this phone in our Xiaomi 17T review, with the biggest issue being bloatware. If that doesn't bother you, we gave this one four stars.View Deal

Galaxy S26 Ultra (256GB): was $2199 now $1688
Our Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review called it the best Android phone ever for its powerful specs, excellent cameras, AI features and a new privacy display screen. It's also one of our picks for the best phone you can buy in Australia and we highly recommend it if you’re shopping for a top-spec Android handset. We’ve seen the S26 Ultra cheaper elsewhere before, but this discount is the lowest price we’ve seen on Amazon.View Deal

Galaxy Tab A11+ (128GB, Wi-Fi): was $399 now $339
The latest in Samsung's well-received budget tablet range, the A11 picks up where the A9 left off, and at the same price too. This is the base model, with just Wi-Fi connectivity and 128GB of storage, but you can expand that easily to up to 2TB via a microSD card. If you need an Android tablet for daily use like browsing, watching videos and maybe playing a few games, this one's well worth considering, although it has been available for less than AU$300 previously.View Deal

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2024): was $329 now $259
With more storage than the standard Paperwhite, a brighter screen and wireless charging, the Paperwhite Signature Edition is arguably better value than the base model above if you think you'll make full use of the storage and its wireless charging capabilities. If not, you're better off going with the standard Paperwhite, although its meagre discount is rather disappointing.View Deal

Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition: was $419 now $334
The Kindle Colorsoft is one of the best ereaders with a colour display, even offering a feature to make the hues more vivid. While I wouldn't recommend at full price, this discount makes it a little easier on the pocket for the 32GB version that also has wireless charging.View Deal

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Fitness trackers & smartwatches

Ring 4 (silver, black): was $449 now $317
We called it "nearly the perfect fitness tracker" in our Oura Ring 4 review, praising the design, ease-of-use, long-lasting battery and detailed health information it offers. This fascinating bit of tech hasn't been cheaper and, even though you need a subscription, it can be well worth it for the comprehensive health data you can get. Note that prices vary depending on colour and size, but most are discounted.View Deal

Epix Pro (Gen 2) Sapphire Edition: was $1699.01 now $829
While it’s been cheaper before (having dropped to AU$684 in July this year), you get the same core functionality of the Fenix 9 — like multi-band GPS tracking, a built-in LED torch, core mapping data, and premium materials like scratch-free sapphire lenses and titanium bezels — for a much lower price.View Deal

Forerunner 265S: was $799 now $498
The 'S' in the name stands for 'small', meaning this specific Garmin was made for petite wrists and features a 42mm vibrant OLED display. You also get Multiband GPS, an intuitive menu navigation, excellent battery life, plenty of Garmin fitness features... and, oh, did I mention the OLED display? Just note that only the pink option is currently in stock.View Deal

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Cameras

Brave 7 LE: was $249.99 now $193.79
You may not have heard of this brand and dismiss it out of hand but, for its price, our colleagues at Digital Camera World rated it with a 4-star score in their review. Even at full price, it represents excellent value, offering a front screen that even a GoPro doesn't get you. Admittedly its image quality lacks against the big players, but we have it on good authority that it's reliable, easy to use and comes with plenty of accessories in the box.View Deal

PowerShot V10: was $699 now $499
This point-and-shoot camera fits perfectly in the palm of your hand, and makes content creation as easy as possible. You quite literally just need to point and shoot. There are just a few control buttons on the rear, but the tiny 2-inch flip-up touchscreen adds functionality too. It's capable of 4K/30p videos and 20MP stills. View Deal

Tough TG-7: was $644.91 now $598
While it's not a huge upgrade over the previous model, the TG-6 is no longer available to buy, making this the best choice if you'd like a near-indestructible camera that you can take underwater.View Deal

PowerShot V1: was $1449 now $1015
This is Canon's first compact camera in years, picking up where the fabulous and popular PowerShot G7 X series left off. It features a brand-new 22.3MP 1.4-inch sensor that boasts Canon's trusty Dual Pixel CMOS II autofocus and it has an integrated fan to keep things cool for the content creator. With plenty of grunt under the hood, this is the best price yet on this relatively new camera.View Deal

EOS R8 (body): was $2599 now $1529
This might be an entry-level camera but it has some advanced features. Anyone who wants to shoot wildlife or sports will be thrilled with the 40fps burst speed, and it inherits some of the tracking precision from Canon's higher-end cameras too. With a 24.2MP full-frame sensor, it's one of the lightest cameras available today and represents excellent value for a beginner even though this isn't the best price it's been.View Deal

Z6 III (body): was $4499 now $2602
It's been cheaper than this before, but this is still a fantastic saving on an excellent Nikon full-framer. The 24.6MP sensor can shoot at up to 120fps, records 6K video, has built-in image stabilisation and has dual card slots, including one for a CFexpress device to make full use of its speed. Note that this offer is from a third-party reseller and not Amazon AU.View Deal

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Dash cams

E1 Mini: was $239.99 now $126.99
Holding a spot on our list of the best dash cams, the Vantrue E1 is super compact, yet is capable of recording clear, detailed footage day and night. A comprehensive mobile, PC and Mac app allows for easy footage transfers and built-in GPS ensures you know exactly where any incidents take place.View Deal

A510 dash cam: was $269.99 now $170.98
We call this an "all-round surveillance solution" in our 70mai Dash Cam A510 review, due to it including both front-facing and rear-facing cameras in the box. They're quality cameras, too, recording 2.7K footage from the front and 1080p at the back, complete with wide fields of view. Built-in GPS, 360º rotation for in-car recording and easy install only add to its appeal.View Deal

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Gaming hardware

Nova Lite: was $45 now $32
This is an excellent budget PC controller and affordable even at full price, but let's not scoff at the AU$13 saving, shall we? Despite its price, there's plenty here to get your game on, including 2.4Ghz wireless connectivity, Bluetooth, a wired option via the Type-C port, and 10 hours of battery life. The build quality isn't the best and there's no audio jack but, for under AU$50, it's a fab buy.View Deal

Quest 3S (128GB): was $569 now $454
This deal offers you a significant saving on the new, higher price on Meta's best 'affordable' headset, and a close second to its best ever headset according to our resident VR headset tester. In fact, he thinks it's the second-best headset anyone can buy from any brand, and it's only a more tempting offer thanks to this limited-time deal.View Deal

Please don't confuse this with the ROG Xbox Ally X, which has more powerful specs. This is the cheaper sibling that now costs AU$10 more than its July Prime Day price. However, given the price hikes across the board on all game consoles, this seems like a tempting buy right now. This was AU$799 during Amazon's Mid-Year Sale in early June, but it would be remiss of me to not list this discount here.View Deal

Legion Go S: was $1199 now $997
This handheld gaming PC has been cheaper before, dropping to the AU$899 mark but, then again, nothing really comes cheap these days. Importantly, though, this is a great performer, with a vivid 8-inch display and 144Hz refresh rate for smooth gameplay. It's also rather nice looking and comfortable in the hand.View Deal

G Pro X Superlight 2 Dex Lightspeed: was $299 now $186.33
One of the best gaming mice available right now, the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 Dex is an exceptionally lightweight and capable device, with a long-lasting battery life, five programmable buttons and a 32K DPI sensor. View Deal

AW2725Q QD-OLED (2025): was $1199 now $813.01
A nice 30% off deal on a 27-inch OLED gaming monitor, bringing it down to the lowest price we have seen on Amazon. It features a 180Hz panel capable of a 4K resolution. We awarded four and a half stars to this screen in our Alienware 27 AW2725Q review, and were impressed with its sharp visuals and HDR performance.View Deal

AW3425DW QD-OLED (2025): was $1499 now $971.22
This OLED monitor comes with a gigantic 34.2-inch curved screen that boasts a 240Hz refresh rate and a lightning fast 0.03ms response time. It’s capable of producing gorgeous darkness with DisplayHDR TrueBlack 400 certification, and offers a 3440 x 1440 resolution.View Deal

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PC peripherals

Lift: was $129.95 now $71.24
This ergonomic vertical mouse is perfect for small hands and it encourages better posture, thus reducing aches along the wrist, shoulder and shoulder blade. I use it myself (I have the white colourway) and can't recommend it highly enough, even at full price. View Deal

MX Master 3S (Bluetooth Edition): was $149.95 now $89.99
The Logitech MX Master range have been some of my favourite mice of all time, thanks to the ergonomic design, multiple customisable buttons, and a second scroll wheel for horizontal scrolling (or for flicking through multiple browser tabs). This version is Bluetooth-only, meaning it doesn’t have the Logi Bolt USB dongle and a USB-C charging cable included in the box.View Deal

L24-4E 23.8-inch monitor: was $179 now $117
A 100Hz-refresh-rate monitor for just AU$100? Sign me up! This display from Lenovo may be a bit small at under 24 inches with a 1080p resolution, but it uses IPS technology for sharp image quality. This is price is the lowest we've seen this monitor go on Amazon.View Deal

The MX Keys S Combo is an excellent desk upgrade if you want a premium keyboard and mouse without paying anywhere near the usual bundle price. It combines the backlit MX Keys S with the quiet, ergonomic MX Master 3S, plus a palm rest, and both can switch between up to three devices. View Deal

K100 Air wireless gaming keyboard: was $489 now $284.88
The most striking feature of this mechanical keyboard is its thinness, but it also comes with the promise of sub-1ms latency and 8,000Hz hyper-polling. In our review we praised the K100 Air's durability, great actuation and high polling, while bemoaning the high price of this slab. And yeah: it's expensive, so good thing there's a discount.
[Shipped and sold by Amazon US]View Deal

Nest Wifi Pro Home Mesh Wi-Fi 6E System: was $699 now $279
Google's Wi-Fi 6e capable mesh system is worth considering for big homes, although we've seen discounts that make this 3-pack cheaper than half price. You can position each unit around your home to create an even blanket of Wi-Fi, cracking down on dead spots.View Deal

Eero 6+ Mesh Wi-Fi Router (3-pack): was $599.99 now $419.98
If you aren't keen on the Google mesh Wi-Fi system listed above, consider Amazon's own Eero 6+ three-pack instead. You should read our full review to get the complete picture, but we gave the Eero 6+ 4 stars, and noted that the Wi-Fi performance was excellent, the pricing is good and it's easy to use. View Deal

eero Pro 7 tri-band mesh Wi-Fi 7 router: was $529.99 now $397.49
The latest eero Wi-Fi 7 mesh router is down to the lowest price we have seen on Amazon. We don't have a review yet, but our friends over at Tom's Guide rated it 4-stars. It's a Wi-Fi 7 model designed for high-speed wireless and wired networks and includes dual 5GbE ports. View Deal

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Smart home

Mini Smart Plug (4 pack): was $69.99 now $48.99
I've tried a fair few smart home devices in my time but not the Meross smart plugs. Still, something has got to be said about the 4.6-star rating on Amazon with some very happy customers saying it's a great product. Smart plugs are a great way to turn any gadget at home into a smart one, including lamps and kettles. Where the Meross stands out from other affordable offerings is by also featuring an energy monitor — a great way to keep tabs on your usage and save money on power bills.View Deal

Echo Hub: was $329 now $118
This 8-inch smart display will need to be wall-mounted and it gives you control of thousands of smart home devices that work over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and other connectivity standards like Zigbee, Matter and Thread. You can stream video, even security footage, start routines, add widgets and a heck of a lot more you can't with a regular Echo Show — now at its lowest price yet.View Deal

Matter Smart Multicolor Floor Lamp: was $149.99 now $119.20
As of October last year, the RRP for this floor lamp was just AU$149, something that made me give it a high value score on my Nanoleaf Smart Multicolor Floor Lamp review. Now, though, the RRP is AU$169.99 – blame inflation, I suppose — but Amazon is still sticking with the original price. What that means is this is a bigger discount than it first appears. Either way, this is one of the cheapest smart lamps you can get, one that does exactly what it promises on the tin. I have one in my bedroom and, although it's not bright, it creates lovely wall-washing effects.View Deal

Echo Dot Max: was $199 now $119
This little speaker might be priced higher than the older Echo Dot models, but then it takes what Amazon's palm-sized smart speakers can do to the, well, max. It improves on sound with higher bass than the previous Echo Dot to make streaming music a much better experience. View Deal

Shapes (Hexagon; 9pk): was $349.99 now $191.42
It's been a while since I've seen a good Nanoleaf Shapes discount on Amazon, so I'm stoked to find this. It will make a lovely Christmas gift or you can use it to create spooky Halloween effects this month, the possibilities are endless if you want to get creative. I'm not a great fan of the Nanoleaf app itself but I can't fault the lights.View Deal

I much prefer this design of the newest Echo Show 8 smart display, now powered by a AZ3 Pro chip for better performance and 15% more screen real estate than previous generations. It's a much better smart hub now, with Alexa at your beck and call (and fingertips).View Deal

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Hello and welcome back to my ongoing live coverage of Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days sale. And, guess what? It's proving to be a rather big deal indeed. I honestly wasn't expected the kind of prices I'm seeing right now — I assumed that would happen during the Amazon Black Friday sale.

That begs the question: if prices are already low now, would we see even better discounts in November? Well, we can hope but there are no guarantees. So if a price looks right to you and it's an item you've had on your shopping list for a while, grab it now.

September 30, 2026 – 5:15 PMBlack Friday vs Prime Big Deal Days: should you wait?

(Image credit: Getty)

In some ways, it's good to wait till Black Friday sales kick off in Australia for purchasing big-ticket items like TVs and laptops as nearly every retailer will be vying for your attention. However, for most items available on Amazon, this year's Prime Big Deal Days sale is proving to be quite good than previous ones, so you can get a head start on your Christmas gift shopping — I would highly recommend it.

So it all depends on what exactly it is that you'd like to buy. If it's Halloween decorations or Christmas gifts, indeed shop now. For the more expensive tech, I would suggest you wait, but there's no guarantee you'll get stock later. As always, if a price suits your budget now on a product sold on Amazon AU, splurge away.

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September 30, 2026 – 6:15 PMLego, it's Halloween season!

(Image credit: Lego)

While Halloween and trick-or-treating are still treated as American imports, more Aussies are embracing the festivities and even Amazon Australia has its own dedicated Halloween-themed storefront for costumes, decor and more.

Some standout deals we've found are these Halloween-themed Lego sets: The Nightmare Before Christmas set for AU$262 and this brilliant Haunted Mansion set complete with minifigures like a werewolf, vampire, ghost, skeleton and even Frankenstein's monster — for AU$100.

Whether they're for decorating or as a fun Halloween activity with the kids, these themed Lego sets are sure to provide some spooky (but wholesome fun) for everyone.

Lego Ideas Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas set: AU$299.99 now AU$262.55
Lego Creator 3in1 Haunted Mansion 31167: AU$149.99 now AU$100

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September 30, 2026 – 7:16 PMIt's a good morning when toast is consistently coloured

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

There are toasters and there are toasters, none need to cost as much as AU$400, but then again, maybe they do.

I'm not saying I can justify the high asking price of the Breville Eye Q, but damn, it makes fabulous toast, just how I like it. It uses optic sensors to determine the doneness of the bread based on the colour (and that's chosen by the user of course) rather than heat sensors, and it has a specific mode for artisanal breads too. Whether you like it well browned or just lightly toasted, the Breville Eye Q can do it just right every time.

Well, at least it won't cost you AU$400 to get perfect toast every morning — a couple of the colourways on Amazon are slightly cheaper, although they were AU$299 before Prime Day (yeah, go figure).

Breville Eye Q (2-slice; Red): AU$419 now AU$329

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September 30, 2026 – 8:15 PMHoover this up

(Image credit: Future)

I've been reviewing vacuum cleaners for a decade and Shark has consistently impressed me. Right now, the best Shark vacuum I would recommend to anyone who asks is the PowerDetect Clean & Empty as it's just got a massive discount.

Unfortunately it's no longer at its lowest price — which was just over AU$438 for the first two days of Prime Big Deal Days — but it's still an excellent option at AU$462.10.

It's a little heavy and some users might find it hard to manoeuvre, but it boasts excellent suction and a self-emptying charging dock that doesn't need dust bags as it empties into a larger bin that you'll need to wash out regularly. There's even an optional odour neutraliser to help combat bad smells inside the vacuum, but you'll need to replenish that puck if you want to continue using it.

You can read all about why my colleagues and I think this is an excellent vacuum in our Shark PowerDetect Cordless review — this is one deal you shouldn't pass up.

Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty: AU$750 AU$462.10

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September 30, 2026 – 9:15 PMHow fast can deals make it to my door?

(Image credit: Amazon)

If you’re an Amazon shopper in Australia, you’ve probably noticed that shipping speeds can vary depending on where you live. The quickest way to have purchases delivered is to be a Prime member.

In some parts of Sydney and Melbourne, Prime members can get same-day delivery on certain products, but I should stress that this will depend on your post code within the metro areas of each major city. This means that if you place your order before lunchtime, you could have it by the evening. It’s a great option for last-minute gifts or urgent purchases.

Next-day delivery is the most common for all metro areas, and it's available on a much larger catalogue of eligible items. Order today, and your package could be at your door tomorrow. Again, you need to be a Prime member and this applies on products marked as eligible.

If you have several items in your cart and they all arrive on different days, Amazon now gives you the option to choose a date so as many of them can arrive at the same time in minimal packaging and reducing the number of trips a delivery van has to do — thus reducing its own and your carbon footprint.

If you’re not a Prime member, standard shipping options are still available, but delivery times may be longer, and you might need to pay extra.

For those in regional and rural areas, Amazon still delivers, but shipping times will depend on how far you are from a major hub. Most Prime-eligible items will arrive within two to five days, though some locations may have to wait a little longer. Non-Prime orders may take longer, and shipping costs can vary depending on the seller and product.

No matter where you live, Amazon shipping speeds are better than ever, but if you want to check what’s available in your area, you can enter your postcode at checkout to see estimated delivery times.

Want more info? Head to the Amazon Help hub and click Delivery Speeds & Charges.

If you’re a frequent Amazon shopper, signing up for Prime could be worth it just for the faster shipping alone. If you’ve never tried it, you can start with a 30-day free trial. That means you can sign up now, take advantage of the sale, and cancel anytime if you decide it’s not for you.

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September 30, 2026 – 10:16 PMWrap this up real quick

(Image credit: Dyson)

Given how expensive the latest Dyson Airwrap i.d. is, you might as well get yourself the older model, especially since the Airwrap Origin is now down to less than AU$400.

The problem with the Origin is that you don't get all the attachments, but the basics are supplied. You'll get the 40mm barrel to add waves and curls, but you'll also get a brush and a condenser. So if you want to coif your hair to perfection without spending too much money on a premium Dyson, this is the deal for you.

Dyson Airwrap Origin: AU$649 now AU$378.10

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September 30, 2026 – 11:16 PMThese headphones are something

(Image credit: Future)

Among a sea of talented pairs of headphones from the likes of Sony and Bose et al., you'd be forgiven for forgetting about Nothing. Yet the brand has consistently proven it can compete at lower price points, and that's saying something.

Take the Nothing Headphone (a): it's got a low RRP of just AU$329 when other premium models launched around the same time came in at AU$699, and they sound lovely too.

As we said in our Nothing Headphone (a) review, they "nail it in nearly every way", delivering an "impactful and well-balanced sound, good active noise cancellation, the best on-ear controls and battery life available today". Those couple of latter points are particularly noteworthy, as they really do help the over-ears to stand out from the crowd — and that's before I even get onto the design.

Yes, these look unlike any other pair of headphones available today (except for Nothing's own Headphone (1), of course. Grab one of these distinctive cans, but note that the offers are from Amazon UK for all colour options.

Nothing Headphone (a): AU$329 now AU$210.50

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October 1, 2026 – 12:14 AMLook, an affordable monitor

(Image credit: Future)

It's hardly a secret at this point that PC gaming is expensive as ever, no thanks to shortages in RAM and storage pushing up prices of the overall computing industry. In fact, it's even impacted console gaming, too, with price hikes on the PlayStation 5 and the Nintendo Switch.

One respite, however, is that monitors are getting cheaper than ever, and this Lenovo monitor is a fantastic budget option.

While the 23.80-inch Lenovo L24-4E isn't an outright gaming monitor, it has a 100Hz refresh rate to create a smooth gaming experience if you don't mind a 1080p display, as well as crisp IPS display technology. It was down to AU$94 during July's Prime Day sale, but I think the current price is still worth considering if you don't need the latest tech for a triple-monitor setup — it would still be cheaper than a single ultrawide monitor in most cases.

Lenovo L24-4E 23.8-inch monitor: AU$179 now AU$117

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October 1, 2026 – 1:15 AMThe keyboard Apple should have made

(Image credit: Logitech)

Apple's Magic Keyboard does a great job of replicating the built-in MacBook keyboard, but for Macs. The seamless device pairing, ultra-slim build and Touch ID make it a really convenient option.

But the typing experience could be a lot better, and it only works on Apple devices.

Logitech's MX Keys keyboard brings a similar slim chassis but adds a more cushioned and ergonomic typing experience. It uses spherically-dished keys with deeper, more tactile travel, which can be more comfortable for longer typing sessions. It also has backlighting, which is missing in the Magic Keyboard, and it also adjusts automatically to your ambient room lighting.

And because it isn't an Apple product, the MX Keys also works with Windows and Linux too!

Logitech MX Keys S: AU$229 now AU$132.05

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October 1, 2026 – 2:15 AMGet your game on

(Image credit: Logitech)

This wireless gaming headset is premium for a reason. And even though we haven't tested this one ourselves, we have reviewed some of Logitech's other premium headsets and if it's anything like them, you'll likely forget you even have them on.

Features include Playsync Audio, which allows for seamless platform switching via a USB-C connection to the headset’s charging base station, although it misses out on the HDMI ports in the base station that the Astro A50X offers.

The Astro A50 Gen 5 boasts Pro-G Graphene audio drivers that impressed is very much in our Astro A50 X review, so you know you won't be disappointed. This is in addition to a 48kHz high-resolution microphone for more clear communication and, potentially, even live streaming.

And let's not forget that it's 46% off for the white variant, making it cheaper than what it was in July (when it was AU$358).

Logitech G Astro A50 Lightspeed (Gen 5): AU$599.95 AU$326.15

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October 1, 2026 – 3:15 AMGet a Grip, literally

(Image credit: Future)

JBL is no stranger to producing excellent Bluetooth speakers — just take the Flip and Charge series are prime examples — but it's latest creation, the Grip, is one of the cutest in my opinion.

Admittedly, we do think the Flip 7 provides just a touch more value, but there's no denying the Grip is a truly fun little speaker (it's roughly the size of a Coke can), offering excellent weather protection and a big, bold sound we've come to expect from JBL. Plus, it can now be yours for for an all-time low price of just under AU$70 for a couple of colourways.

JBL Grip: AU$129.95 from AU$69.95

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October 1, 2026 – 4:15 AMAre Amazon's lightning deals good?

For the most part, yes they are. There are, however, certain things you need to know about lightning deals on Amazon.

Firstly, they're usually available only for a limited time — this could be just a couple to a few hours, or maybe a couple of days. Sometimes the offer is available till stocks run out.

And that brings us to the second thing: stock is typically very limited. To put that into perspective, here's an analogy that might help — if there are 100 pieces of the item in the Amazon warehouse, perhaps only 10 of those would be available at the discounted price in a lightning deal.

The good thing is that the discounted price is typically far better than a regular Amazon deal would be. For example, if something costs AU$100 RRP and it is discounted typically to AU$60, then a lightning deal on limited stock could drop to as low as AU$30-AU$40.

During Prime Day, most of these lightning deals will likely be Prime exclusive, so not only will you need to be quick to secure your purchase, but you'll also need to be a Prime member. So be sure to sign up if you aren't already.

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October 1, 2026 – 5:15 AMDon't Dash off just yet

(Image credit: ShutterStock)

Did you know that your Prime membership includes a two-year free DashPass subscription? That means you can get as many DoorDash deliveries as you need, but this offer is only for a limited time. As a Prime member, you'll need to redeem it before November 14 this year.

Once the two years has passed, the DashPass membership will renew automatically at AU$9.99 a month (or the then-current fee) unless you can cancel it prior to renewal. This is a saving of AU$239, which isn't bad at all.

Click here to redeem your DashPass offer

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America.gov wants to answer questions about government services. Just don’t ask it to play Minecraft, or type in the word “hotdog.”

Nihon Falcom is on a real hot streak right now, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down with Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter. The remake of 2006’s acclaimed Japanese role-playing game (JRPG), The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC, is packed full of excellent quality-of-life updates that are sure to delight veteran players and newcomers alike, with full English voice acting, a visual overhaul, and modernized combat.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
Release date: September 17, 2026

But just how good is Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter? Should you play it? Here are my thoughts after countless hours of gameplay.

I absolutely loved this game’s predecessor, which launched last year and was among the best RPGs released in 2025. Yes, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter was a phenomenon, supplying a beautiful blend of action and turn-based combat, silky smooth performance, and a brilliantly revamped UI. I sunk so many hours into that game, and so I was delighted to find that everything I loved about 1st Chapter transferred across to this follow-up.

A first-rate follow-up

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)

I’ll start by talking about gameplay, which feels just as tight and refined as it did in 1st Chapter. You can rush around the world and attack enemies with Arts and basic attacks in Quick Battle. This is great if you want to mow through enemies — especially weaker ones — without having to spend too long strategizing, and it feels incredibly rapid and responsive. Being able to hack, slash, and whack your foes in a flash means that the game feels well-paced, and longer dungeons don’t seem too daunting.

However, you also have the choice to partake in turn-based Combat Battles to vanquish your opponents, and this is where a lot of the depth comes in. You have to carefully manage your Craft Points (CP) and Energy Points (EP), which enable you to use brutal physical and magical attacks and support options, while also carefully positioning your units to manage health.

It's also crucial to keep an eye on turn order to avoid getting KO’d before you unleash your attacks, choosing when to steal bonuses from your foes to heal or deal critical damage, and when to launch a deadly all-out team attack.

Best bit

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)

My absolute favorite part of this game was simply managing my Orbments — building out the ideal set of Quartz to buff my allies, to protect against almighty attacks, and to unleash mega damage on my foes.

As you can gather, there are a lot of mechanics to consider, and there’s plenty of depth to be found in command battles. But perhaps the most important thing is to manage your Orbments properly.

Orbments string a number of gems together, known as Quartz, which determine the Arts that you can use in battle. Carefully curating your Orbments for each character is crucial, and I had an absolute blast tinkering around to build the ideal build for every boss.

By travelling the world and taking on optional battles and quests, you can unlock some seriously powerful Quartz too, which makes exploration feel truly rewarding.

This may seem like a lot to take in at once — especially for newer players. But don’t worry — there are plenty of difficulty options to choose from to fit your desired level of challenge. There’s everything from Very Easy to Nightmare (one for the true sadists). I selected Advanced this time out, which is somewhere between Normal and Hard, and while the road got tough at times, the Orbment system gave me all the tools I needed to shield my allies from devastating attacks.

Hey bro, wya?

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)

The follow-up from the 1st Chapter is seamless gameplay-wise, and also in terms of narrative.

You can watch a recap of the first game if you want a refresher (or if you missed it entirely), and you’re reminded that Joshua (the protagonist Estelle’s adopted brother…lover? Both?) has fled. I won’t delve into the reasons why in this review, but essentially, Estelle decides to attend a specialist training camp to bolster her skills and track him down herself. It sounds pretty basic, but the story is pretty engrossing, actually. Like the first game, there are deeper political elements to explore, and you get to learn more about the mysterious secret society, Ouroboros.

The narrative remains gripping throughout, and there is no shortage of characters who join Estelle on her journey, be they returning faces like the travelling musician and romantic Olivier or the alcohol-loving Senior Bracer, Scherazard.

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)

Voice acting is strong across the board, and breathes so much life into this colorful and charismatic cast. Some of the more low-key parts of the story and side content are only voiced partially, though, meaning you can get one character narrating their thoughts aloud while others sit in silence with text boxes. This was also in Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, and can create a slightly awkward atmosphere in moments, though I understand this is more of a nitpick.

It’s also worth noting that this is a true anime-inspired JRPG with all of the melodrama and theatrics that you’d expect from the genre dialled up to 11. While this produces some stronger emotive moments and a good amount of comic relief, it may feel overbearing for some players. A few characters, like Anelace, go on pretty long monologues about the importance of wearing pretty bows while facing your foes. The wandering priest, Kevin, likes to let Estelle know how pretty she is about 10 times in the space of five seconds during the game’s opening section, too.

While this is by no means something that ruins the experience, I did find some of the characters a little unlikeable. So yes, some dialogue can feel superfluous at times, and it can also stretch on for quite a while. But there is a speed-up mode, and there’s nothing stopping you from skipping over the less crucial dialogue segments.

Robustly revamped for the modern era

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)

On top of what I’ve already mentioned, Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter is filled with a slew of masterful modernizations that really make the game click.

Like last time out, the UI has been considerably revamped and feels incredibly intuitive to sift through, while also looking great. Managing items and skills is seamless and easy, and you can access your quest list, recipe book, and the map in an instant. The speed-up option is also very welcome if you want to fly through your quick battles or travel over a long distance when fast-travel isn’t available.

The visuals are also great once again. Shimmering water, rich forest environments, and character models all look spectacular, at least on the PS5 version I played. By default, the game runs at silky 60fps with next-to-none hiccups whatsoever, but you can also play in performance mode, which targets 120fps at the expense of some graphical fidelity. This is perfect for fast-flowing action combat and exploring vast open areas. Loading screens are also incredibly brief, and I continue to be blown away by how well these games play on modern platforms.

One more thing I absolutely love about this remake is its stellar soundtrack. There’s an eclectic mix of delicate acoustic tracks, funk-infused high-energy tunes, and grandiose, hard-hitting battle themes that totally immerse you in the land of Liberl. Again, you have the option to pick between standard, arranged, or original background music – something that long-time fans no doubt appreciate.

All in all, Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter is another exceptional remake that effortlessly maintains the strong momentum its predecessor picked up. Gameplay is varied, depth-filled, and addictive; the narrative is engaging, and the quality-of-life upgrades make it feel almost like a brand new game — all while carrying over the beloved aspects of the source material. Sure, the game’s melodramatic nature might not be to everyone’s taste, but if you’re a fan of the JRPG genre and want an epic adventure to sink your teeth into, then look no further.

Should you play Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter?

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)Play it if...

You want a deep combat system to sink your teeth into
Combat is excellent in Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter, with a brilliant blend of action and turn-based battles available. The depth of the combat system is also impressive; you need to be considerate when it comes to your Orbments, turn order, stealing bonuses, and so much more.

You’re looking for a game with peak performance
I was absolutely wowed by the performance in Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, and luckily that remains the case for its sequel. It's visually striking, runs at an incredibly smooth 60fps, and there’s even a performance mode that targets 120fps if you have a compatible display.

Don't play it if...

You’ve never played a Trails game before
While there’s an option to catch up on the events of Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, I’d strongly recommend playing that title before you jump into this one. This is a direct sequel, and a lot of the story elements won’t make much sense if you start here. The first game is the ultimate entry point — so be sure to get that finished before hopping into this.

You’re not a big fan of anime-style melodrama
If you’re not a fan of the classic anime tropes and over-the-top characters, you might find it a little challenging to get on with the case in Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter. I still like a lot of the characters here personally, and the core narrative is very strong, it has to be said.

Accessibility features

You can adjust the subtitle language to English, German, French, or Spanish, and select either English or Japanese voice acting. There are a number of ways to customize the camera’s behavior, too, such as normal or inverted configurations, camera movement speed, and camera distance.

On top of this, there are difficulty options, including a Very Easy mode if you just want to focus on the game’s story. Unfortunately, there is no colorblind mode.

How I reviewed Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)

I spent two weeks playing through Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter, during which time I played through the main story, took on a bunch of side quests, and sunk hours into exploring the land of Liberl.

For the most part, I played the game on my PS5 while connected to the Sky Glass Gen 2 TV and my Marshall Heston 120 soundbar. However, from time to time I dipped into the title on my PlayStation Portal remote player, and had the Sonos Ace Ultra headphones connected to listen to in-game audio.

More generally, I’ve spent years reviewing gaming software and hardware at TechRadar, where I serve as a Senior Reviews Writer. I reviewed the previous game in this series, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, and have covered a wider range of JRPGs here, including Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake, and The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales.

First reviewed September 2026

Nihon Falcom is on a real hot streak right now, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down with Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter. The remake of 2006’s acclaimed Japanese role-playing game (JRPG), The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC, is packed full of excellent quality-of-life updates that are sure to delight veteran players and newcomers alike, with full English voice acting, a visual overhaul, and modernized combat.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
Release date: September 17, 2026

But just how good is Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter? Should you play it? Here are my thoughts after countless hours of gameplay.

I absolutely loved this game’s predecessor, which launched last year and was among the best RPGs released in 2025. Yes, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter was a phenomenon, supplying a beautiful blend of action and turn-based combat, silky smooth performance, and a brilliantly revamped UI. I sunk so many hours into that game, and so I was delighted to find that everything I loved about 1st Chapter transferred across to this follow-up.

A first-rate follow-up

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)

I’ll start by talking about gameplay, which feels just as tight and refined as it did in 1st Chapter. You can rush around the world and attack enemies with Arts and basic attacks in Quick Battle. This is great if you want to mow through enemies — especially weaker ones — without having to spend too long strategizing, and it feels incredibly rapid and responsive. Being able to hack, slash, and whack your foes in a flash means that the game feels well-paced, and longer dungeons don’t seem too daunting.

However, you also have the choice to partake in turn-based Combat Battles to vanquish your opponents, and this is where a lot of the depth comes in. You have to carefully manage your Craft Points (CP) and Energy Points (EP), which enable you to use brutal physical and magical attacks and support options, while also carefully positioning your units to manage health.

It's also crucial to keep an eye on turn order to avoid getting KO’d before you unleash your attacks, choosing when to steal bonuses from your foes to heal or deal critical damage, and when to launch a deadly all-out team attack.

Best bit

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)

My absolute favorite part of this game was simply managing my Orbments — building out the ideal set of Quartz to buff my allies, to protect against almighty attacks, and to unleash mega damage on my foes.

As you can gather, there are a lot of mechanics to consider, and there’s plenty of depth to be found in command battles. But perhaps the most important thing is to manage your Orbments properly.

Orbments string a number of gems together, known as Quartz, which determine the Arts that you can use in battle. Carefully curating your Orbments for each character is crucial, and I had an absolute blast tinkering around to build the ideal build for every boss.

By travelling the world and taking on optional battles and quests, you can unlock some seriously powerful Quartz too, which makes exploration feel truly rewarding.

This may seem like a lot to take in at once — especially for newer players. But don’t worry — there are plenty of difficulty options to choose from to fit your desired level of challenge. There’s everything from Very Easy to Nightmare (one for the true sadists). I selected Advanced this time out, which is somewhere between Normal and Hard, and while the road got tough at times, the Orbment system gave me all the tools I needed to shield my allies from devastating attacks.

Hey bro, wya?

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)

The follow-up from the 1st Chapter is seamless gameplay-wise, and also in terms of narrative.

You can watch a recap of the first game if you want a refresher (or if you missed it entirely), and you’re reminded that Joshua (the protagonist Estelle’s adopted brother…lover? Both?) has fled. I won’t delve into the reasons why in this review, but essentially, Estelle decides to attend a specialist training camp to bolster her skills and track him down herself. It sounds pretty basic, but the story is pretty engrossing, actually. Like the first game, there are deeper political elements to explore, and you get to learn more about the mysterious secret society, Ouroboros.

The narrative remains gripping throughout, and there is no shortage of characters who join Estelle on her journey, be they returning faces like the travelling musician and romantic Olivier or the alcohol-loving Senior Bracer, Scherazard.

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)

Voice acting is strong across the board, and breathes so much life into this colorful and charismatic cast. Some of the more low-key parts of the story and side content are only voiced partially, though, meaning you can get one character narrating their thoughts aloud while others sit in silence with text boxes. This was also in Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, and can create a slightly awkward atmosphere in moments, though I understand this is more of a nitpick.

It’s also worth noting that this is a true anime-inspired JRPG with all of the melodrama and theatrics that you’d expect from the genre dialled up to 11. While this produces some stronger emotive moments and a good amount of comic relief, it may feel overbearing for some players. A few characters, like Anelace, go on pretty long monologues about the importance of wearing pretty bows while facing your foes. The wandering priest, Kevin, likes to let Estelle know how pretty she is about 10 times in the space of five seconds during the game’s opening section, too.

While this is by no means something that ruins the experience, I did find some of the characters a little unlikeable. So yes, some dialogue can feel superfluous at times, and it can also stretch on for quite a while. But there is a speed-up mode, and there’s nothing stopping you from skipping over the less crucial dialogue segments.

Robustly revamped for the modern era

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)

On top of what I’ve already mentioned, Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter is filled with a slew of masterful modernizations that really make the game click.

Like last time out, the UI has been considerably revamped and feels incredibly intuitive to sift through, while also looking great. Managing items and skills is seamless and easy, and you can access your quest list, recipe book, and the map in an instant. The speed-up option is also very welcome if you want to fly through your quick battles or travel over a long distance when fast-travel isn’t available.

The visuals are also great once again. Shimmering water, rich forest environments, and character models all look spectacular, at least on the PS5 version I played. By default, the game runs at silky 60fps with next-to-none hiccups whatsoever, but you can also play in performance mode, which targets 120fps at the expense of some graphical fidelity. This is perfect for fast-flowing action combat and exploring vast open areas. Loading screens are also incredibly brief, and I continue to be blown away by how well these games play on modern platforms.

One more thing I absolutely love about this remake is its stellar soundtrack. There’s an eclectic mix of delicate acoustic tracks, funk-infused high-energy tunes, and grandiose, hard-hitting battle themes that totally immerse you in the land of Liberl. Again, you have the option to pick between standard, arranged, or original background music – something that long-time fans no doubt appreciate.

All in all, Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter is another exceptional remake that effortlessly maintains the strong momentum its predecessor picked up. Gameplay is varied, depth-filled, and addictive; the narrative is engaging, and the quality-of-life upgrades make it feel almost like a brand new game — all while carrying over the beloved aspects of the source material. Sure, the game’s melodramatic nature might not be to everyone’s taste, but if you’re a fan of the JRPG genre and want an epic adventure to sink your teeth into, then look no further.

Should you play Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter?

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)Play it if...

You want a deep combat system to sink your teeth into
Combat is excellent in Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter, with a brilliant blend of action and turn-based battles available. The depth of the combat system is also impressive; you need to be considerate when it comes to your Orbments, turn order, stealing bonuses, and so much more.

You’re looking for a game with peak performance
I was absolutely wowed by the performance in Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, and luckily that remains the case for its sequel. It's visually striking, runs at an incredibly smooth 60fps, and there’s even a performance mode that targets 120fps if you have a compatible display.

Don't play it if...

You’ve never played a Trails game before
While there’s an option to catch up on the events of Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, I’d strongly recommend playing that title before you jump into this one. This is a direct sequel, and a lot of the story elements won’t make much sense if you start here. The first game is the ultimate entry point — so be sure to get that finished before hopping into this.

You’re not a big fan of anime-style melodrama
If you’re not a fan of the classic anime tropes and over-the-top characters, you might find it a little challenging to get on with the case in Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter. I still like a lot of the characters here personally, and the core narrative is very strong, it has to be said.

Accessibility features

You can adjust the subtitle language to English, German, French, or Spanish, and select either English or Japanese voice acting. There are a number of ways to customize the camera’s behavior, too, such as normal or inverted configurations, camera movement speed, and camera distance.

On top of this, there are difficulty options, including a Very Easy mode if you just want to focus on the game’s story. Unfortunately, there is no colorblind mode.

How I reviewed Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter

(Image credit: Nihon Falcom, GungHo)

I spent two weeks playing through Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter, during which time I played through the main story, took on a bunch of side quests, and sunk hours into exploring the land of Liberl.

For the most part, I played the game on my PS5 while connected to the Sky Glass Gen 2 TV and my Marshall Heston 120 soundbar. However, from time to time I dipped into the title on my PlayStation Portal remote player, and had the Sonos Ace Ultra headphones connected to listen to in-game audio.

More generally, I’ve spent years reviewing gaming software and hardware at TechRadar, where I serve as a Senior Reviews Writer. I reviewed the previous game in this series, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, and have covered a wider range of JRPGs here, including Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake, and The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales.

First reviewed September 2026

Amazon plans more than 20,000 Smart Delivery Glasses by the end of 2027, bringing AI navigation and new privacy questions to its delivery network.

The post Amazon Plans 20,000+ Smart Glasses for Delivery Drivers in 2027 appeared first on TechRepublic.

• The US Department of Energy has plans for $1.9 billion in grants for 31 grid projects worth $5.25 billion, with recipients covering the other $3.35 billion
• The money is essentially rebranded Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) funding from the 2021 infrastructure law, aimed at reconductoring and grid-enhancing tech rather than a focus on new power plants
• Only three project summaries tie the work to AI or data center demand, but half the value of the spending sits in four state-led projects under a category DOE designed around 'new large loads', which could potentially be addressing AI data center demand

The US Department of Energy's Office of Electricity said on September 24 that it intends to help fund 31 transmission projects under its Speed to Power through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key Advanced Transmission Technology Upgrades initiative, a mouthful that it has somewhat mercifully shortened to SPARK.

The $5.25 billion attached to the announcement, however, is the projects' combined value, not federal spending, with the federal government only picking up roughly 36% of the tab.

The DOE's $1.9 billion is tied to commitments from utilities, cooperatives, state agencies, and companies it selected that will provide the remaining $3.35 billion in coverage.

An AI-centric play?

The DOE's announcement focuses on the infrastructure side of the equation; it says the work will rebuild more than 1,500 miles of transmission line, add grid-enhancing technologies to nearly 21,000 more, and free up over 23 GW of capacity.

The Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the investments will "get more out of the infrastructure we already have," even as the current documentation lists selections rather than actual signed awards.

The DOE expects to finalize them between October 2026 and January 2027, according to its SPARK program page, and the funding notice lets the department redirect or discontinue funding at go/no-go checkpoints.

The money isn't exactly new, nor is the idea for a country dealing with an aging grid that saw most of its infrastructure built 50 to 75 years ago; SPARK is the third round of the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) program funded by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Adding a large number of AI data centers would quickly overwhelm it at various junctions, potentially turning the AI infrastructure race into one about power delivery and capacity versus actual compute power as the US continues to fend off Chinese advances in the arena.

The DOE's release never mentions artificial intelligence or data centers, though publications like The Register were less subtle, saying "Bit barn builders can rejoice" as a result of the new commitment. The link is indirect but present. DOE launched the wider Speed to Power initiative in September 2025 partly to "win the global artificial intelligence (AI) race".

Its data center resource hub lists SPARK among its grid actions, and the funding notice counts enabling data centers as a qualifying benefit. This is despite only three of the thirty-one project summaries naming AI or data centers outright as direct beneficiaries. They amount to roughly 7% or $371 million of the total funding in play here.

Bigger projects, however, are more discrete but leave no doubt about where the money is going; they focus on building "transmission systems that facilitate development of new large loads," the industry's catch-all for data centers, factories, and other heavy users.

With potentially 23 GW of transmission capacity essentially being unlocked on the grid, coupled with private and public generation being geared up across the country to meet AI power demand, one could assume- and correctly so that energy costs will only increase at a time when crude oil is hovering near the $100 mark due to a prolonged conflict in the Middle East, coupled with large spending being earmarked by utility companies that will inevitably show up on residential power bills.

Federal funding for the grid might dull the blow, but small domestic consumers and taxpayers will inevitably pick up the tab for a buildout that doesn't seem to have data center developers lining up to pay for the capacity they will eventually consume.