The best tech deals for the July Fourth weekend

Tomorrow is July Fourth, or Independence Day if you live in the US. Like all major US holidays, there are some good sales happening on tech that are worth mentioning. We’ve listed the best ones we know about below, broken up by category. Many of them are happening through tomorrow night, so it’s best to hurry if you want to get your shopping on. Though, some of them last for a few more days.

Computing

Acer is offering a 20 percent discount on almost anything from its online store, including laptops, monitors, desktops, accessories, and more. Use the code JULY2020 at checkout to save. In terms of exclusions, certain products listed here can’t be discounted.

Image: Lenovo

Lenovo’s new Legion 5 gaming laptop is discounted at Best Buy to a great price. Usually $1,100, paying $950 will get you a capable laptop with Intel’s 10th Gen Core i7-10750H processor, Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics chip, 8GB of RAM, a 512GB PCIe SSD, and a 15.6-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate.

A quick note: I recently reviewed the $989 configuration of Lenovo’s IdeaPad Gaming 3, and I’d recommend this Legion 5 over it based on specs alone. You’re getting a superior graphics chip here for less.

TVs

Best Buy is offering a fantastic deal on Samsung’s 65-inch RU8000 4K HDR TV. Usually $900, it’s down to $600. This is Samsung’s previous 8-series model and it’s tough to find in stock at most retailers, but in a few ways it’s the preferable option over the newer TU8000 TV. It features four HDMI ports to three in the latest version, and it has a 120Hz refresh rate, while the new model is only 60Hz. Additionally, this TV supports AirPlay 2 and it’s wall-mountable.

If you want something smaller than the option above, a little more affordable at $550, and with better colors and contrast with its QLED screen, TCL’s latest 55-inch 6-series TV might be a good fit. Like the Samsung model I mentioned, this one features four HDMI ports and a 120Hz refresh rate, though this one has local dimming zones, which are great for illuminating dark scenes in a realistic fashion. It also comes with Roku software built in, thus eliminating the need for a set-top streaming box.

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Fire TV Edition televisions come with Amazon’s Fire HD streaming tech built right into them, so they’re a good option if you don’t want to fuss with plugging in and setting up a device. Models ranging in size from 32 inches to 55 inches from Insignia and Toshiba are discounted at Best Buy this weekend, and each one comes with a free Amazon Echo Dot smart speaker. You can use it to command Alexa to start a show on the Fire TV edition television, or just gift it to a friend or family member.

Gaming

If you want to load up on preowned games for PS4 and Xbox One, GameStop is offering a deal where if you buy two games, you’ll get the third free. So, add three games to your cart, and the cheapest one will be free. To maximize the value, aim for titles that are more expensive, like The Last of Us Part II, so you’ll save more on the game you get for free.

Smart home

Photo by James Bareham / The Verge

Apple’s HomePod smart speaker is down to $200 again at Best Buy. This is $100 off the usual price, and while this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this big of a drop, it’s your time to save if you’ve been hoping to pick one up.

Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge

Ring’s second-generation Video Doorbell is $80 at Amazon and it comes with a free Echo Dot smart speaker. This is a good entry price if you just want a battery-powered video doorbell to see who’s at the door or when a package gets dropped off.

Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge

Best Buy is throwing in a free Google Nest Hub smart display (usually around $80) when you buy the $230 Nest Hub Max that features a camera and a larger display. We reported recently that you can host or join Google Meet or Duo video calls from the Nest Hub Max, so it could be a good option if you want to stay connected for work or pleasure.

Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge

SimpliSafe’s home security system is steeply discounted at Best Buy. Normally $270, you can pick up the complete system for $210. It features Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility and includes the base station, motion detector, four door or window sensors, and a keypad.

Misc.

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

Ultimate Ears’ MegaBoom 3 is one of the best Bluetooth speakers you can buy. It’s loud, with long-lasting battery, and it’s $70 off at Best Buy this weekend. You can snag one in the moon color variant for $130.

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

If you want to try out Tidal’s Hi-Fi music streaming service, you can sign up for three months for $3. This subscription usually costs $20 (high-fidelity audio is not a cheap hobby!), so this a good opportunity to try it out with just a small investment before you’re sure it’s something you want to continue paying for.

Image: Marshall

Marshall is tossing in a free set of its Major III wireless headphones (usually $80) when you buy one of its speakers. The most affordable one is $170 (and this deal excludes the new Emberton), though it’s a good deal if you are in the market for a new speaker anyway.

Image: Satechi

Satechi is knocking 20 percent off its collection of wireless charging products for phones and wearables. Just use the code WIRELESS at checkout to save some money.