Amazon Prime Day 2021: best early deals on tech, headphones, and more – The Verge

Amazon Prime Day, the retail giant’s two-day blitz of deals and promotions, officially lands on June 21st. The annual shopping event is taking a place a few weeks earlier than it has in the past, yet despite still being a week away, Amazon has already kick-started the event with a slew of deals for Amazon Prime subscribers, discounting everything from the last-gen Echo Show 5 to the latest pair of Amazon Echo Buds. More deals are likely to go live in the days leading up to the main event, too, with retailers such as Walmart and Best Buy joining the shopping fray with deals of their own, many of which will rival Amazon’s offerings.

Below, we’ve rounded up the best early Prime Day deals. In most instances, all you need to do is sign up for Amazon Prime to take advantage of the deals, however, a few promotions come with some additional caveats that we’ll note.

Amazon Echo Buds (second-gen)

The second-gen Echo Buds were appealing when they launched two months ago — and that was before they received a $40 discount. They also improve upon their predecessors in almost every way, offering up enjoyable sound, better comfort, and effective noise cancellation that helps you to drown out the world around you. They can’t compete with the likes of Sony’s WF-1000XM4 and the AirPods Pro, but if you’re looking for an affordable pair of true wireless earbuds, or a way to bring Alexa with you on the go, the Echo Buds are it.

Right now, you can snag the standard, second-gen Echo Buds with a wired charging case in either black or white for $80. Amazon is also offering $40 off the version with the wireless charging case, bringing the price down to $100 for a limited time.

Amazon Halo

The Amazon Halo is no Fitbit, but if you don’t mind a little invasiveness and can get around the fact it doesn’t have a dedicated screen, it’s a convenient way to track your sleep habits, chart your physical activity, and access a host of workout programs. While the woven, band-like device can track basic fitness metrics like your steps and heart rate, it can also measure your body fat percentage and the tone of your voice, a tool which will supposedly measure your emotional state throughout the day.

The Amazon Halo is currently available in several sizes and color configurations for $70, the lowest price we’ve seen the band since its debut in August 2020. The fitness tracker also comes with a six-month membership, after which you’ll be required to pay $3.99 a month.

Amazon Halo

Amazon’s Halo fitness tracker keep tabs on the usual set of metrics (heart rate, sleep, and step tracking), but with a paid subscription, it can track the tone of your voice and provide a readout of your body fat levels.

• 
  $70
  

  
  at Amazon
  
  

Echo Show 5 (first-gen)

The recently updated second-gen Echo Show 5 is one of the best smart displays you can get for the bedroom, however, it’s also not nearly as affordable as its last-gen counterpart. Thankfully, the first-gen Echo Show 5 offers much of the same functionality in the same compact package. Like the newer model, it features a vibrant touchscreen and a host of voice-activated features, and while its 1-megapixel camera leaves a lot to be desired, it does come with a physical shutter if you’re someone who prefers privacy assurance.

Normally $80, the Echo Show is currently priced at $45 for Prime members, matching the lowest price we’ve seen yet on Amazon’s capable smart display.

Amazon Echo Dot (fourth-gen)

The fourth-gen Echo Dot, Amazon’s latest entry-level smart speaker, is yet another refinement of what has become the most popular model in the Echo lineup. Despite its price and size, the Alex-equipped speaker still manages to tout impressive sound and a commendable set of mics, which allow you to play music, control your smart home gadgets, and carry out the full range of commands you might find on other, more capable Echo devices. It’s the entry-level smart speaker to get, even if the new design isn’t as convenient for mounting.

Now through Prime Day, the fourth-gen Echo Dot is buy one, get one free with offer code PDDOT2PK (discount applies at checkout).

Amazon Echo Dot (2020)

The fourth-gen Echo Dot features a more spherical design than an actual dot but can still do all the things Alexa does with other Echo models. Right now, you can purchase two Echo Dots for the price of one by using offer code PDDOT2PK at checkout.

• 
  $50
  

  
  at Amazon
  
  

Amazon Music Unlimited

If you haven’t tried Amazon Music Unlimited before, Amazon is offering Prime members a four-month free trial to the popular Spotify and Apple Music alternative. Its feature set is akin to most of its competitors, however, it also offers lossless audio at no extra cost, a perk Apple recently rolled out to Apple Music subscribers. With Amazon Music Unlimited, you’ll gain access to ad-free listening, podcasts, and a robust catalog of more than 70 million songs, not to mention the service’s deep integration with Amazon devices.

Just be sure to cancel your subscription before the trial ends if you no longer want to continue subscribing after the four-month window. Otherwise, you’ll automatically be charged an $8 monthly subscription fee.

Amazon Music Unlimited (four-month trial)

Amazon Music Unlimited offers ad-free listening, lossless audio, and a robust catalog of music that rivals that of Spotify and Apple Music. As part of its Prime Day promotions, Amazon is offering Prime subscribers a four-month trial free of charge.

• 
  $32
  

  
  at Amazon
  
  

Amazon Echo (fourth-gen)

The Amazon Echo remains the namesake of the current Echo lineup. Although it shares much of its functionality with the aforementioned Echo Dot, the fourth-gen Echo produces bigger, bolder sound and features a built-in smart home hub, meaning you can connect it with lightbulbs, door sensors, and a host of other popular Zigbee devices sans a secondary hub. It even has a temperature sensor, just in case you want to turn on your air conditioner or fan via Alexa routines.

Like the fourth-gen Echo Dot, Amazon is discounting a pair of Echos ahead of Prime Day, knocking $30 off the price of two with offer code ECHOPRIME (discount applies at checkout).

Amazon Echo (2020)

The latest Echo opts for a spherical build and better sound, while maintaining its approachable price. Now through Prime Day, you can pick up a pair for $30 off by using offer code ECHOPRIME at checkout.

• 
  $120
  

  
  at Amazon
  
  

Luna Controller

With Amazon opening up Luna access to all Prime subscribers on June 21st and 22nd, now might be your best opportunity to check out Amazon’s answer to Google Stadia and Microsoft’s xCloud. Using a dedicated app or browser, the cloud gaming platform is available on pretty much any device you can throw at it — including Windows, Mac, FireTV, iOS, iPadOS, and select Android devices — and offers a way to stream titles like Control and Metro Exodus without a dedicated console or gaming machine. Basic subscriptions run $5.99 a month, though, you can also pay $14.99 a month for the Ubisoft Plus beta channel, which grants you access to a range of Ubisoft titles, including Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.

We found the service to be hit or miss in our initial review, but Amazon is currently offering a Luna Controller for $49 as part of its early Prime Day deals, making the lack of titles far more palatable. You can also purchase a bundle with a Fire TV Stick for $74 or with a phone clip for $82, if you want to attach your phone directly to the Luna Controller.

Luna Controller

Amazon’s Luna Controller was made specifically for the budding cloud gaming platform. It features a standard controller layout but connects via Wi-Fi as opposed to Bluetooth, helping to reduce roundtrip latency. It also features Amazon Alexa, allowing you to launch titles with just voice.

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  $50
  

  
  at Amazon
  
  

Insignia 55-inch 4K Fire TV Edition

Insignia’s 55-inch 4K Fire TV Edition television certainly doesn’t offer the kind of picture afforded by today’s best OLEDs, but it’s hard to find a Fire TV Edition model that supports HDR10, a feature that allows for better brightness, color accuracy, and contrast. Insignia’s 4K TV also supports HDMI ARC and HDMI eARC, meaning you can utilize a single cable to send audio from a compatible soundbar or receiver to your TV, and features Amazon’s Fire TV software, allowing you to access Prime Video, Netflix, and a slew of popular streaming services without a standalone streaming device.

As of this week, Insignia’s 4K Fire TV Edition model is available at Amazon for $350, a $150 discount and the lowest price we’ve seen yet on the 55-inch model.

Insignia 55-inch 4K Fire TV Edition

This 2021 model of Insignia’s Fire TV Edition 4K television includes HDR10 for a more contrast-rich picture. It has three HDMI ports, with support for HDMI ARC and eARC to send sound through an HDMI cable instead of requiring audio cables.

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  $350
  

  
  at Amazon
  
  

Audible Premium Plus

If you’re an audiobook fan, it’s hard to ignore Amazon’s audiobook service, Audible. Its catalog spans more than 200,000 ad-free titles, and it’s peppered with exclusives and originals, some of which come in the form of podcasts and guided wellness programs. A monthly subscription to Audible Premium Plus provides you with one credit a month, which can be redeemed for any premium audiobook in Amazon’s catalog, regardless of the price.

Audible Premium Plus subscriptions typically run $15 a month, however, now through Prime Day, you can subscribe for $7 a month for the first four months, after which the subscription rate will automatically revert to the standard rate.

Audible Premium Plus

With more than 200,000 titles, Audible has become a well-known source for audiobooks. An Audible Premium Plus subscription grants you instant access to thousands of audiobooks and podcasts — some of which are exclusive — as well as one premium audiobook a month, regardless of the price.

• 
  $28
  

  
  at Amazon