Category: Technology

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OFFICIAL SWEEPSTAKES RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Readers’ Choice Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”) is governed by these official rules (the “Sweepstakes Rules”). The Sweepstakes begins on July 9, 2026, at 12:00 AM ET and ends on Oct. 11, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET (the “Sweepstakes Period”).

SPONSOR: Ziff Davis, LLC, with an address of 360 Park Ave. South, Floor 17, New York, NY 10010 (the “Sponsor”).

ELIGIBILITY: This Sweepstakes is open to individuals who are eighteen (18) years of age or older at the time of entry who are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States of America or the District of Columbia. By entering the Sweepstakes as described in these Sweepstakes Rules, entrants represent and warrant that they are complying with these Sweepstakes Rules (including, without limitation, all eligibility requirements), and that they agree to abide by and be bound by all the rules and terms and conditions stated herein and all decisions of Sponsor, which shall be final and binding.

All previous winners of any sweepstakes sponsored by Sponsor during the nine (9) month period prior to the Selection Date are not eligible to enter. Any individuals (including, but not limited to, employees, consultants, independent contractors and interns) who have, within the past six (6) months, held employment with or performed services for Sponsor or any organizations affiliated with the sponsorship, fulfillment, administration, prize support, advertisement or promotion of the Sweepstakes (“Employees”) are not eligible to enter or win. Immediate Family Members and Household Members are also not eligible to enter or win. “Immediate Family Members” means parents, step-parents, legal guardians, children, step-children, siblings, step-siblings, or spouses of an Employee. “Household Members” means those individuals who share the same residence with an Employee at least three (3) months a year.

HOW TO ENTER: There are two methods to enter the Sweepstakes: (1) fill out the online survey, or (2) enter by mail.

1. Survey Entry: To enter the Sweepstakes through the online survey, go to the survey page and complete the current survey during the Sweepstakes Period.

2. Mail Entry: To enter the Sweepstakes by mail, on a 3″ x 5″ card, print your first and last name, street address, city, state, zip code, phone number, and email address. Mail your completed entry to:

Readers’ Choice Sweepstakes – VPNs 2026
c/o E. Griffith
624 Elm St. Ext.
Ithaca, NY 14850-8786

Mail Entries must be postmarked by Oct. 12, 2026, and received by Oct. 20, 2026.

Only one (1) entry per person is permitted, regardless of the entry method used. Subsequent attempts made by the same individual to submit multiple entries may result in the disqualification of the entrant.

Only contributions submitted during the Sweepstakes Period will be eligible for entry into the Sweepstakes. No other methods of entry will be accepted. All entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be returned. Entries are limited to individuals only; commercial enterprises and business entities are not eligible. Use of a false account will disqualify an entry. Sponsor is not responsible for entries not received due to difficulty accessing the internet, service outage or delays, computer difficulties, and other technological problems.

Entries are subject to any applicable restrictions or eligibility requirements listed herein. Entries will be deemed to have been made by the authorized account holder of the email or telephone phone number submitted at the time of entry and qualification. Multiple participants are not permitted to share the same email address. Should multiple users of the same e-mail account or mobile phone number, as applicable, enter the Sweepstakes and a dispute thereafter arises regarding the identity of the entrant, the Authorized Account Holder of said e-mail account or mobile phone account at the time of entry will be considered the entrant. “Authorized Account Holder” is defined as the natural person who is assigned an e-mail address or mobile phone number by an Internet access provider, online service provider, telephone service provider or other organization that is responsible for assigned e-mail addresses, phone numbers or the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. Proof of submission of an entry shall not be deemed proof of receipt by the website administrator for online entries. When applicable, the website administrator’s computer will be deemed the official time-keeping device for the Sweepstakes promotion. Entries will be disqualified if found to be incomplete and/or if Sponsor determines, in its sole discretion, that multiple entries were submitted by the same entrant in violation of the Sweepstakes Rules.

Entries that are late, lost, stolen, mutilated, tampered with, illegible, incomplete, mechanically reproduced, inaccurate, postage-due, forged, irregular in any way or otherwise not in compliance with these Official Rules will be disqualified. All entries become the property of the Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned.

WINNER SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION: Sponsor shall select the prize winner(s) (collectively, the “Winner”) on or about Oct. 30, 2026, (“Selection Date”) by random drawing or from among all eligible entries. The Winner will be notified via email to the contact information provided in the entry. Notification of the Winner shall be deemed to have occurred immediately upon sending of the notification by Sponsor. Selected winner(s) will be required to respond (as directed) to the notification within seven (7) days of attempted notification. The only entries that will be considered eligible entries are entries received by Sponsor within the Sweepstakes Period. The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. The Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to choose an alternative winner in the event that a possible winner has been disqualified or is deemed ineligible for any reason.

PRIZE: One (1) winner will receive the following prize (collectively, the “Prize”):

One (1) $250 Amazon.com gift code via email, valued at approximately two hundred fifty dollars ($250).

No more than the stated number of prize(s) will be awarded, and all prize(s) listed above will be awarded. Actual retail value of the Prize may vary due to market conditions. The difference in value of the Prize as stated above and value at time of notification of the Winner, if any, will not be awarded. No cash or prize substitution is permitted, except at the discretion of Sponsor. The Prize is non-transferable. If the Prize cannot be awarded due to circumstances beyond the control of Sponsor, a substitute Prize of equal or greater retail value will be awarded; provided, however, that if a Prize is awarded but remains unclaimed or is forfeited by the Winner, the Prize may not be re-awarded, in Sponsor’s sole discretion. In the event that more than the stated number of prize(s) becomes available for any reason, Sponsor reserves the right to award only the stated number of prize(s) by a random drawing among all legitimate, un-awarded, eligible prize claims.

ACCEPTANCE AND DELIVERY OF THE PRIZE: The Winner will be required to verify his or her address and may be required to execute the following document(s) before a notary public and return them within seven (7) days (or a shorter time if required by exigencies) of receipt of such documents: an affidavit of eligibility, a liability release, and (where imposing such condition is legal) a publicity release covering eligibility, liability, advertising, publicity and media appearance issues (collectively, the “Prize Claim Documents”). If an entrant is unable to verify the information submitted with their entry, the entrant will automatically be disqualified and their prize, if any, will be forfeited. The Prize will not be awarded until all such properly executed and notarized Prize Claim Documents are returned to Sponsor. Prize(s) won by an eligible entrant who is a minor in his or her state of residence will be awarded to minor’s parent or legal guardian, who must sign and return all required Prize Claim Documents. In the event the Prize Claim Documents are not returned within the specified period, an alternate Winner may be selected by Sponsor for such Prize. The Prize will be shipped to the Winner within 7 days of Sponsor’s receipt of a signed Affidavit and Release from the Winner. The Winner is responsible for all taxes and fees related to the Prize received, if any.

OTHER RULES: This sweepstakes is subject to all applicable laws and is void where prohibited. All submissions by entrants in connection with the sweepstakes become the sole property of the sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned. Winner assumes all liability for any injuries or damage caused or claimed to be caused by participation in this sweepstakes or by the use or misuse of any prize.

By entering the sweepstakes, each winner grants the SPONSOR permission to use his or her name, city, state/province, e-mail address and, to the extent submitted as part of the sweepstakes entry, his or her photograph, voice, and/or likeness for advertising, publicity or other purposes OR ON A WINNER’S LIST, IF APPLICABLE, IN ANY and all MEDIA WHETHER NOW KNOWN OR HEREINAFTER DEVELOPED, worldwide, without additional consent OR compensation, except where prohibited by law. By submitting an entry, entrants also grant the Sponsor a perpetual, fully-paid, irrevocable, non-exclusive license to reproduce, prepare derivative works of, distribute, display, exhibit, transmit, broadcast, televise, digitize, perform and otherwise use and permit others to use, and throughout the world, their entry materials in any manner, form, or format now known or hereinafter created, including on the internet, and for any purpose, including, but not limited to, advertising or promotion of the Sweepstakes, the Sponsor and/or its products and services, without further consent from or compensation to the entrant. By entering the Sweepstakes, entrants consent to receive notification of future promotions, advertisements or solicitations by or from Sponsor and/or Sponsor’s parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, and business partners, via email or other means of communication.

If, in the Sponsor’s opinion, there is any suspected or actual evidence of fraud, electronic or non-electronic tampering or unauthorized intervention with any portion of this Sweepstakes, or if fraud or technical difficulties of any sort (e.g., computer viruses, bugs) compromise the integrity of the Sweepstakes, the Sponsor reserves the right to void suspect entries and/or terminate the Sweepstakes and award the Prize in its sole discretion. Any attempt to deliberately damage the Sponsor’s website(s) or undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes may be in violation of U.S. criminal and civil laws and will result in disqualification from participation in the Sweepstakes. Should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek remedies and damages (including attorney’s fees) to the fullest extent of the law, including pursuing criminal prosecution.

DISCLAIMER: EXCLUDING ONLY APPLICABLE MANUFACTURERS’ WARRANTIES, THE PRIZE IS PROVIDED TO THE WINNER ON AN “AS IS” BASIS, WITHOUT FURTHER WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. SPONSOR HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL FURTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE WITH RESPECT TO THE PRIZE.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: BY ENTERING THE SWEEPSTAKES, ENTRANTS, ON BEHALF OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR HEIRS, EXECUTORS, ASSIGNS AND REPRESENTATIVES, RELEASE AND HOLD THE SPONSOR its PARENT COMPANIES, SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATED COMPANIES, UNITS AND DIVISIONS, AND THE CURRENT AND FORMER OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, SHAREHOLDERS, AGENTS, SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS OF EACH OF THE FOREGOING, AND ALL THOSE ACTING UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE FOREGOING, OR ANY OF THEM (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONAL AGENCIES AND PRIZE SUPPLIERS) (EACH A “RELEASED PARTY”), HARMLESS FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, ACTIONS, INJURY, LOSS, DAMAGES, LIABILITIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER (COLLECTIVELY, THE “CLAIMS”) WHETHER KNOWN OR UNKNOWN, SUSPECTED OR UNSUSPECTED, WHICH ENTRANT EVER HAD, NOW HAVE, OR HEREAFTER CAN, SHALL OR MAY HAVE, AGAINST THE RELEASED PARTIES (OR ANY OF THEM), INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, CLAIMS ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO THE SWEEPSTAKES OR ENTRANT’S PARTICIPATION IN THE SWEEPSTAKES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, CLAIMS FOR LIBEL, DEFAMATION, INVASION OF PRIVACY, VIOLATION OF THE RIGHT OF PUBLICITY, COMMERCIAL APPROPRIATION OF NAME AND LIKENESS, INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT OR VIOLATION OF ANY OTHER PERSONAL OR PROPRIETARY RIGHT), AND THE RECEIPT, OWNERSHIP, USE, MISUSE, TRANSFER, SALE OR OTHER DISPOSITION OF THE PRIZE (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, CLAIMS FOR PERSONAL INJURY, DEATH, AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE). All matters relating to the interpretation and application of these Sweepstakes Rules shall be decided by Sponsor in its sole discretion.

DISPUTES: If, for any reason (including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of the Sponsor which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Sweepstakes), the Sweepstakes is not capable of being conducted as described in these Sweepstakes Rules, Sponsor shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process, and/or to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes. The Sponsor assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, entries. The Sponsor is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers, providers, computer equipment, software, or failure of any e-mail or entry to be received by Sponsor on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website, or any combination thereof, including, without limitation, any injury or damage to any entrant’s or any other person’s computer related to or resulting from participating or downloading any materials in this Sweepstakes. Because of the unique nature and scope of the Sweepstakes, Sponsor reserves the right, in addition to those other rights reserved herein, to modify any date(s) or deadline(s) set forth in these Sweepstakes Rules or otherwise governing the Sweepstakes, and any such changes will be posted here in the Sweepstakes Rules. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages to the fullest extent permitted by law. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Sweepstakes Rules shall not constitute a waiver of any provision.

As a condition of participating in the Sweepstakes, entrant agrees that any and all disputes that cannot be resolved between entrant and Sponsor, and causes of action arising out of or connected with the Sweepstakes or these Sweepstakes Rules, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, exclusively before a court of competent jurisdiction located in New York, New York, and entrant irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of the federal and state courts located in New York, New York with respect to any such dispute, cause of action, or other matter. All disputes will be governed and controlled by the laws of the State of New York (without regard for its conflicts-of-laws principles). Further, in any such dispute, under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and hereby irrevocably waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, or any other damages, including attorneys’ fees, other than entrant’s actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e., costs incurred directly in connection with entrant’s participation in the Sweepstakes), and entrant further irrevocably waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased, if any. EACH PARTY EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply.

PRIVACY: Information collected from entrants in connection with the Sweepstakes is subject to Sponsor’s privacy policy, which may be found here.

SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTION: Although the Sweepstakes may be featured on Twitter, Facebook, and/or other social media platforms, the Sweepstakes is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or in association with Twitter, Facebook, and/or such other social media platforms and you agree that Twitter, Facebook, and all other social media platforms are not liable in any way for any claims, damages or losses associated with the Sweepstakes.

WINNER(S) LIST: For a list of name(s) of prizewinner(s), after the Selection Date, please send a stamped, self-addressed No. 10/standard business envelope to Ziff Davis, LLC, Attn: Legal Department, 360 Park Ave South, Floor 17, New York, NY 10010 (VT residents may omit return postage).

BY ENTERING, YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE READ AND AGREE TO ALL OF THESE SWEEPSTAKES RULES.

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The AI backlash came to OpenAI’s developer conference in San Francisco this morning, with a few dozen people protesting the company outside its DevDay event.

“Sam Altman, get off it. Put people over profit,” the group chanted, referring to OpenAI’s CEO. The protestors carried signs including “No Killer Robots,” “No Climate Destruction,” and “People Over AI,” reflecting various fears about the technology. A few protestors even dressed up as killer robots, swinging a cardboard axe. 

Activist group Bay Resistance helped organize this “CloseAI rally,” with support from about 15 different organizations that say OpenAI is failing to rein in AI. Earlier this month, as some of OpenAI’s models repeatedly went rogue, Altman said the industry should “pace the frontier” amid concerns that AI development was moving too quickly and risked spiraling out of control.

“OpenAI suddenly now claiming that they support regulation is completely untrue and a complete distraction,” Jane Martin, Organizing Director at Bay Resistance, said in a statement. The group also took aim at OpenAI President Greg Brockman, one of the tech executives who met with President Trump today at the White House and donated millions to a Trump-affiliated political action committee.

“They are supporting Trump because they don’t want real regulation, the kind that would ensure AI technology actually benefits working people and doesn’t destroy the climate and future generations,” Martin added. 

(Credit: PCMag/Michael Kan)

The protest also called out OpenAI’s $200 million contract with the US Defense Department. Although the agreement bars using the AI model for domestic surveillance or autonomous weapons, the groups still fear the technology is being used to select targets in the US’s ongoing conflict with Iran. According to The Wall Street Journal, the US military used rival AI company Anthropic’s Claude tool to help plan the bombing campaigns, which is considered a lawful use. 

“This whole system is being used to help the war machine, and we’re sick of it,” said a retired tech worker, Jim Ausman. “We’re also concerned about the fact that we have trillionaires now; these people are completely unaccountable. They are giving money to the Trump administration.”

Ausman, 61, also noted that he was recently laid off at Chime, a financial tech provider, and his company’s adoption of AI played a role in the job cuts. “I really feel sorry for these younger employees,” he said, fearing that the rise of AI will lead to more layoffs in the tech industry or force people to work even harder to keep their jobs. 

Another protester, named Mohamed Shehk with the Arab Resource and Organizing Center, called out the “AI and tech takeover of our government and our democracy.”

“We have AI executives being some of the largest Trump supporters,” Shehk said, pointing to Brockman. “We’re here to demand that we want an end to the unregulated AI influence over contracts that are used for military purposes, for mass surveillance, we want people over profit.”

In a Q&A with journalists this afternoon, Altman said he, too, is concerned about the uncontrolled development of AI and wants to avoid repeating the dark side of the Industrial Revolution. “We really want people to stay at the center of the story,” he said, noting that a key goal is to ensure everyone has access to the latest AI tools. The company has also scrapped the release of GPT-6.1 Astra due to safety concerns and has paused training of its most advanced models.

About Our Expert

Michael Kan

Principal Reporter

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Experience

I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.

Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.

I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. In 2024 and 2025, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.

I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how the AI-driven memory shortage is impacting the entire consumer electronics market. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.

Read Full Bio

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OFFICIAL SWEEPSTAKES RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Readers’ Choice Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”) is governed by these official rules (the “Sweepstakes Rules”). The Sweepstakes begins on Sept. 18, 2026, at 12:00 AM ET and ends on Jan. 3, 2027, at 11:59 PM ET (the “Sweepstakes Period”).

SPONSOR: Ziff Davis, LLC, with an address of 360 Park Ave South, Floor 17, New York, NY 10010 (the “Sponsor”).

ELIGIBILITY: This Sweepstakes is open to individuals who are eighteen (18) years of age or older at the time of entry who are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States of America or the District of Columbia. By entering the Sweepstakes as described in these Sweepstakes Rules, entrants represent and warrant that they are complying with these Sweepstakes Rules (including, without limitation, all eligibility requirements), and that they agree to abide by and be bound by all the rules and terms and conditions stated herein and all decisions of Sponsor, which shall be final and binding.

All previous winners of any sweepstakes sponsored by Sponsor during the nine (9) month period prior to the Selection Date are not eligible to enter. Any individuals (including, but not limited to, employees, consultants, independent contractors and interns) who have, within the past six (6) months, held employment with or performed services for Sponsor or any organizations affiliated with the sponsorship, fulfillment, administration, prize support, advertisement or promotion of the Sweepstakes (“Employees”) are not eligible to enter or win. Immediate Family Members and Household Members are also not eligible to enter or win. “Immediate Family Members” means parents, step-parents, legal guardians, children, step-children, siblings, step-siblings, or spouses of an Employee. “Household Members” means those individuals who share the same residence with an Employee at least three (3) months a year.

HOW TO ENTER: There are two methods to enter the Sweepstakes: (1) fill out the online survey, or (2) enter by mail.

1. Survey Entry: To enter the Sweepstakes through the online survey, go to the survey page and complete the current survey during the Sweepstakes Period.

2. Mail Entry: To enter the Sweepstakes by mail, on a 3″ x 5″ card, print your first and last name, street address, city, state, zip code, phone number, and email address. Mail your completed entry to:

Readers’ Choice Sweepstakes – Home PCs 2027
c/o E. Griffith
624 Elm St. Ext.
Ithaca, NY 14850-8786

Mail Entries must be postmarked by Jan. 4, 2027, and received by Jan. 14, 2027

Only one (1) entry per person is permitted, regardless of the entry method used. Subsequent attempts made by the same individual to submit multiple entries may result in the disqualification of the entrant.

Only contributions submitted during the Sweepstakes Period will be eligible for entry into the Sweepstakes. No other methods of entry will be accepted. All entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be returned. Entries are limited to individuals only; commercial enterprises and business entities are not eligible. Use of a false account will disqualify an entry. Sponsor is not responsible for entries not received due to difficulty accessing the internet, service outage or delays, computer difficulties, and other technological problems.

Entries are subject to any applicable restrictions or eligibility requirements listed herein. Entries will be deemed to have been made by the authorized account holder of the email or telephone phone number submitted at the time of entry and qualification. Multiple participants are not permitted to share the same email address. Should multiple users of the same e-mail account or mobile phone number, as applicable, enter the Sweepstakes and a dispute thereafter arises regarding the identity of the entrant, the Authorized Account Holder of said e-mail account or mobile phone account at the time of entry will be considered the entrant. “Authorized Account Holder” is defined as the natural person who is assigned an e-mail address or mobile phone number by an Internet access provider, online service provider, telephone service provider or other organization that is responsible for assigned e-mail addresses, phone numbers or the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. Proof of submission of an entry shall not be deemed proof of receipt by the website administrator for online entries. When applicable, the website administrator’s computer will be deemed the official time-keeping device for the Sweepstakes promotion. Entries will be disqualified if found to be incomplete and/or if Sponsor determines, in its sole discretion, that multiple entries were submitted by the same entrant in violation of the Sweepstakes Rules.

Entries that are late, lost, stolen, mutilated, tampered with, illegible, incomplete, mechanically reproduced, inaccurate, postage-due, forged, irregular in any way or otherwise not in compliance with these Official Rules will be disqualified. All entries become the property of the Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned.

WINNER SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION: Sponsor shall select the prize winner(s) (collectively, the “Winner”) on or about Jan. 28, 2027, (“Selection Date”) by random drawing or from among all eligible entries. The Winner will be notified via email to the contact information provided in the entry. Notification of the Winner shall be deemed to have occurred immediately upon sending of the notification by Sponsor. Selected winner(s) will be required to respond (as directed) to the notification within seven (7) days of attempted notification. The only entries that will be considered eligible entries are entries received by Sponsor within the Sweepstakes Period. The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. The Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to choose an alternative winner in the event that a possible winner has been disqualified or is deemed ineligible for any reason.

PRIZE: One (1) winner will receive the following prize (collectively, the “Prize”):

One (1) $250 Amazon.com gift code via email, valued at approximately two hundred fifty dollars ($250).

No more than the stated number of prize(s) will be awarded, and all prize(s) listed above will be awarded. Actual retail value of the Prize may vary due to market conditions. The difference in value of the Prize as stated above and value at time of notification of the Winner, if any, will not be awarded. No cash or prize substitution is permitted, except at the discretion of Sponsor. The Prize is non-transferable. If the Prize cannot be awarded due to circumstances beyond the control of Sponsor, a substitute Prize of equal or greater retail value will be awarded; provided, however, that if a Prize is awarded but remains unclaimed or is forfeited by the Winner, the Prize may not be re-awarded, in Sponsor’s sole discretion. In the event that more than the stated number of prize(s) becomes available for any reason, Sponsor reserves the right to award only the stated number of prize(s) by a random drawing among all legitimate, un-awarded, eligible prize claims.

ACCEPTANCE AND DELIVERY OF THE PRIZE: The Winner will be required to verify his or her address and may be required to execute the following document(s) before a notary public and return them within seven (7) days (or a shorter time if required by exigencies) of receipt of such documents: an affidavit of eligibility, a liability release, and (where imposing such condition is legal) a publicity release covering eligibility, liability, advertising, publicity and media appearance issues (collectively, the “Prize Claim Documents”). If an entrant is unable to verify the information submitted with their entry, the entrant will automatically be disqualified and their prize, if any, will be forfeited. The Prize will not be awarded until all such properly executed and notarized Prize Claim Documents are returned to Sponsor. Prize(s) won by an eligible entrant who is a minor in his or her state of residence will be awarded to minor’s parent or legal guardian, who must sign and return all required Prize Claim Documents. In the event the Prize Claim Documents are not returned within the specified period, an alternate Winner may be selected by Sponsor for such Prize. The Prize will be shipped to the Winner within 7 days of Sponsor’s receipt of a signed Affidavit and Release from the Winner. The Winner is responsible for all taxes and fees related to the Prize received, if any.

OTHER RULES: This sweepstakes is subject to all applicable laws and is void where prohibited. All submissions by entrants in connection with the sweepstakes become the sole property of the sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned. Winner assumes all liability for any injuries or damage caused or claimed to be caused by participation in this sweepstakes or by the use or misuse of any prize.

By entering the sweepstakes, each winner grants the SPONSOR permission to use his or her name, city, state/province, e-mail address and, to the extent submitted as part of the sweepstakes entry, his or her photograph, voice, and/or likeness for advertising, publicity or other purposes OR ON A WINNER’S LIST, IF APPLICABLE, IN ANY and all MEDIA WHETHER NOW KNOWN OR HEREINAFTER DEVELOPED, worldwide, without additional consent OR compensation, except where prohibited by law. By submitting an entry, entrants also grant the Sponsor a perpetual, fully-paid, irrevocable, non-exclusive license to reproduce, prepare derivative works of, distribute, display, exhibit, transmit, broadcast, televise, digitize, perform and otherwise use and permit others to use, and throughout the world, their entry materials in any manner, form, or format now known or hereinafter created, including on the internet, and for any purpose, including, but not limited to, advertising or promotion of the Sweepstakes, the Sponsor and/or its products and services, without further consent from or compensation to the entrant. By entering the Sweepstakes, entrants consent to receive notification of future promotions, advertisements or solicitations by or from Sponsor and/or Sponsor’s parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, and business partners, via email or other means of communication.

If, in the Sponsor’s opinion, there is any suspected or actual evidence of fraud, electronic or non-electronic tampering or unauthorized intervention with any portion of this Sweepstakes, or if fraud or technical difficulties of any sort (e.g., computer viruses, bugs) compromise the integrity of the Sweepstakes, the Sponsor reserves the right to void suspect entries and/or terminate the Sweepstakes and award the Prize in its sole discretion. Any attempt to deliberately damage the Sponsor’s website(s) or undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes may be in violation of U.S. criminal and civil laws and will result in disqualification from participation in the Sweepstakes. Should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek remedies and damages (including attorney’s fees) to the fullest extent of the law, including pursuing criminal prosecution.

DISCLAIMER: EXCLUDING ONLY APPLICABLE MANUFACTURERS’ WARRANTIES, THE PRIZE IS PROVIDED TO THE WINNER ON AN “AS IS” BASIS, WITHOUT FURTHER WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. SPONSOR HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL FURTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE WITH RESPECT TO THE PRIZE.

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DISPUTES: If, for any reason (including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of the Sponsor which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Sweepstakes), the Sweepstakes is not capable of being conducted as described in these Sweepstakes Rules, Sponsor shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process, and/or to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes. The Sponsor assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, entries. The Sponsor is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers, providers, computer equipment, software, or failure of any e-mail or entry to be received by Sponsor on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website, or any combination thereof, including, without limitation, any injury or damage to any entrant’s or any other person’s computer related to or resulting from participating or downloading any materials in this Sweepstakes. Because of the unique nature and scope of the Sweepstakes, Sponsor reserves the right, in addition to those other rights reserved herein, to modify any date(s) or deadline(s) set forth in these Sweepstakes Rules or otherwise governing the Sweepstakes, and any such changes will be posted here in the Sweepstakes Rules. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages to the fullest extent permitted by law. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Sweepstakes Rules shall not constitute a waiver of any provision.

As a condition of participating in the Sweepstakes, entrant agrees that any and all disputes that cannot be resolved between entrant and Sponsor, and causes of action arising out of or connected with the Sweepstakes or these Sweepstakes Rules, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, exclusively before a court of competent jurisdiction located in New York, New York, and entrant irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of the federal and state courts located in New York, New York with respect to any such dispute, cause of action, or other matter. All disputes will be governed and controlled by the laws of the State of New York (without regard for its conflicts-of-laws principles). Further, in any such dispute, under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and hereby irrevocably waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, or any other damages, including attorneys’ fees, other than entrant’s actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e., costs incurred directly in connection with entrant’s participation in the Sweepstakes), and entrant further irrevocably waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased, if any. EACH PARTY EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply.

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BY ENTERING, YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE READ AND AGREE TO ALL OF THESE SWEEPSTAKES RULES.

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As summer comes to a close and the air turns crisp, you know what’s coming: postseason baseball. The NFL season is already underway, and if you’re also a baseball lover, this next month is essential viewing. The MLB has been through a number of changes in recent years. From the universal DH and the pitch clock to video replay and an automated strike zone, baseball may look very different if you haven’t been paying attention.

Regardless of rule changes, the playoffs are here, and today’s Wild Card Series kicked off with the Braves beating the Phillies 5-3, and the Chicago White Sox winning against the Houston Astros, 6-3. The Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees game is still going on, but next up we have the Chicago Cubs vs. the San Diego Padres. Don’t want to miss a minute of the action? Here’s how you can catch the action, live.

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What Time Is the Chicago Cubs vs. the San Diego Padres?

The Chicago Cubs vs. the San Diego Padres Wild Card Series Game 1 will take place today, Tuesday, September 29 at 10 p.m. ET at Petco Park.

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How to Watch the Chicago Cubs vs. the San Diego Padres

Tonight’s Cubs vs. Padres Wild Card Series game will air on NBC and Peacock. You can also watch it with a live TV or sports streaming subscription from DirecTV, Fox One, Fubo, HBO Max, Hulu, Sling, Sportsnet+, or YouTube TV.

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Can You Watch the Cubs vs. Padres Game For Free?

If you don’t want to subscribe to any of the above platforms, you may be able to sign up for a few free trials to gain access to today’s game. Fox One and Hulu offer three-day trials, DirecTV and Fubo offer five days, and YouTube TV gives you 10 days for free.

Peacock doesn’t have a free trial, but there is a workaround. Walmart+ allows you to bundle Peacock or Paramount+ with your subscription at no extra charge. By signing up for a $1 trial to Walmart’s service, you can also get 30 days of access to Peacock.

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2026 MLB Playoffs Game Schedule

MLB’s expanded postseason means more teams on the playoff schedule. The Wild Card Series, the first round of MLB’s playoffs, is best-of-three games. This round begins on September 29 and includes the three Wild Card winners for each league, plus the lowest-ranked division winner. Upon advancing to the Division Series, which starts October 3, teams will need to win three out of five games against the top two division winners.

The Championship Series extends to seven games to determine the best team in each league, then advances to a best-of-seven World Series to crown the champion. Who will make it all the way?

Wild Card Series Schedule:

• Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves:

  • Game 1 on September 29 @ 2:00 p.m. ET – NBC/Peacock

  • Game 2 on September 30 @ 2:00 p.m. ET – NBC/Peacock

  • Game 3 on October 1 @ 2:00 p.m. ET – NBC/Peacock

• Chicago White Sox vs. Houston Astros:

  • Game 1 on September 29 @ 5:00 p.m. ET – NBC/Peacock

  • Game 2 on September 30 @ 5:00 p.m. ET – NBC/Peacock

  • Game 3 on October 1 @ 5:00 p.m. ET – NBC/Peacock

• Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees:

  • Game 1 on September 29 @ 8:00 p.m. ET – NBC/Peacock

  • Game 2 on September 30 @ 8:00 p.m. ET – NBC/Peacock

  • Game 3 on October 1 @ 8:00 p.m. ET – NBC/Peacock

• Chicago Cubs vs. San Diego Padres:

  • Game 1 on September 29 @ 10:00 p.m. ET – NBCSN/Peacock

  • Game 2 on September 30 @ 10:00 p.m. ET – NBCSN/Peacock

  • Game 3 on October 1 @ 10:00 p.m. ET – NBCSN/Peacock

(Credit: MLB)

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How to Stream the 2026 MLB Playoffs

This year’s MLB postseason is stretched across multiple networks and streaming services. All Wild Card Series games for the American League and National League will be broadcast on NBC, NBCSN, and Peacock. Additional rounds will be on other networks. ALDS and ALCS games are on TBS/TruTV and HBO Max, while NLDS and NLCS games are on Fox/FS1. For the World Series, all games will be broadcast on Fox and the Fox One streaming service.

• DirecTV: DirecTV’s MySports base pack costs $45 per month for the first six months to see every game on Fox, FS1, NBC, and TBS/TruTV.

• Fox One: Fox’s own streaming app lets you watch the NLDS, NLCS, and World Series on Fox and FS1 for $20 per month.

• Fubo: Fubo’s Sports plan costs $45.99 for the first month to watch the Wild Card Series, NLDS, NLCS, and World Series on Fox, FS1, and NBC.

• HBO Max: If you pay for the $18.49-per-month HBO Max Standard, you’ll be able to watch the ALDS and ALCS games on TBS/TruTV.

• Hulu: For $90 per month, you can watch every game on Fox, FS1, NBC, TBS, and TruTV.

• Peacock: Instead of a live TV service, you’d need to pay $10.99 per month for Peacock Premium to see the Wild Card Series games.

• Sling: The $60.99-per-month Sling Orange & Blue bundle will let you watch the ALDS and ALCS on TBS/TruTV and the NLDS and NLCS on FS1. Day Passes are also available for Sling Orange, allowing you to watch games on TBS for up to seven days.

• Sportsnet+ (Canada only): The $30-per-month Standard tier lets you watch every postseason game.

• YouTube TV: Though the standard plan for YouTube TV costs $83 per month, you can actually now pay for the cheaper $65 Sports package to see all games on Fox, FS1, NBC/NBCSN, and TBS/TruTV.

Can I Watch Postseason Games on MLB.TV?

Are you already an MLB.TV subscriber? You can watch the Division Series, Championship Series, and World Series games through MLB’s own streaming service—but there’s a catch. To watch on MLB.TV, you’ll first need to authenticate through a participating pay TV provider. It’s such a sticking point that it makes the entire question moot. If you already have a TV provider, then you wouldn’t need to use a streaming service. If you don’t already have an MLB.TV subscription, don’t pay for one now.

How can I listen to the 2026 postseason?

You can also listen to the games via ESPN Radio.

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Which Teams Are In the Playoffs?

Since MLB expanded its postseason picture in 2022, a total of 12 teams make the playoffs each year. That includes six teams per league, including the three division winners and three Wild Card teams.

• American League Division Winners: Tampa Bay Rays (1), Cleveland Guardians (2), Houston Astros (3)

• American League Wild Card: New York Yankees (4), Boston Red Sox (5), Chicago White Sox (6)

• National League Division Winners: Milwaukee Brewers (1), Los Angeles Dodgers (2), Atlanta Braves (3)

• National League Wild Card: Chicago Cubs (4), Philadelphia Phillies (5), San Diego Padres (6)

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Upgrade Your Streaming Experience

If you decide to watch the MLB postseason, there’s still time to get a big-screen television for viewing this beautiful game. Pro tip: Turn on your TV’s motion-smoothing option for the best picture while watching sports. Just remember to turn it off before watching other TV shows and movies to avoid the awful “soap opera” effect.

About Our Expert

Jason Cohen

Senior Editor, Help & How To

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Experience

As PCMag’s editor of how to content, I have to cover a wide variety of topics and also make our stories accessible to everyday users. Considering my history as a technical writer, copywriter, and all-around freelancer covering baseball, comics, and more at various outlets, I am used to making myself into an expert.

I believe tech corporations are bad, but you might as well know how to use technology in everyday life. Want more how to content delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the tips and tricks newsletter that I curate three times a week.

My job as how-to guru means I use just about every gadget under the sun, so I can figure out how everything works. I work from a Lenovo ThinkPad running Windows 11, but also have a very large Dell Inspiron 17 3000 and Apple silicon MacBook. I have a Google Pixel 6a for personal use and use a Galaxy Z Flip 4 for additional Samsung-related testing. For iOS coverage, an iPhone 13 mini works like a charm, though it’s already becoming a little long in the tooth.

My desktop situation includes a dual monitor setup with a modest Acer monitor. I also use a Logitech vertical mouse (who can use these ThinkPad trackpads) and a Havit keyboard (my first mechanical keyboard; I love it but my wife hates it!). I’m a recent convert from wired headphones; I have Anker Soundcore Liberty Air wireless earbuds for personal use and have taken to the Sennheiser HD 450BT headphones for work.

Whenever I have a second to myself, I’m probably gaming on my Nintendo Switch 2, Steam Deck, or Xbox Series S. I also still have a bunch of classic consoles lying around as well.

Read Full Bio

Quick Answer: Most households need at least 100Mbps of download speed and 20Mbps of upload speed, and 500Mbps to 1,000Mbps if several people are online at once. Upload speed is a different story: Fewer than 6% of subscribers upload enough to need symmetrical speeds, where your upload matches your download. If you’re a creator, sending big files for work, or backing up to the cloud all day, Xfinity can help.

What are symmetrical upload speeds? Symmetrical speeds mean your plan’s upload speed and download speed are equal—for example, a 1,000Mbps plan delivers 1,000Mbps both downstream and upstream.

Americans are uploading record-breaking amounts of data. According to a 2026 report from OpenVault, upstream consumption has increased by double-digit percentages each year since 2023, with a 19.2% increase in the second quarter of 2026 alone.

All that uploading is making internet plans with symmetrical upload and download speeds look more attractive. But unless you actually take advantage of those super-fast uploads, you could end up overpaying for pricey broadband you don’t really use.

The Xfinity fiber-backed network gets around that trade-off by offering symmetrical speeds in select locations. The enabling technology is DOCSIS 4.0 Full Duplex (FDX), which lets upstream and downstream traffic share the same spectrum simultaneously, delivering multi-gigabit symmetrical speeds over Xfinity’s existing hybrid fiber-coaxial infrastructure without requiring a full fiber-to-the-home rebuild.

Xfinity also offers flexible, no-contract plans, money-saving mobile bundles, and the latest equipment included at no extra charge, so there’s no need to trade high upload speeds for value, reliability, and performance in select locations. Xfinity also offers flexible, no-contract plans, money-saving mobile bundles, and the latest equipment included at no extra charge, so there’s no need to trade high upload speeds for value, reliability, and performance.

Here’s how to figure out whether you can really benefit from symmetrical upload speeds, and which Xfinity features meet your household’s needs.

Who Needs Symmetrical Speeds?

Symmetrical speeds may be worth paying for if you’re a content creator, a remote worker consistently sending big files, or a household backing up to the cloud around the clock. But that’s a small group: According to the 2026 OpenVault report, fewer than 6% of broadband subscribers upload enough to need them. For everyone else, a standard plan does the job.

You likely need symmetrical speeds if you:

• Upload 2TB or more of data per month

• Stream live video content regularly

• Send large files (video edits, CAD files, datasets) for work daily

• Run continuous cloud backups across multiple devices

• Host video calls while others in your household are also uploading

You likely don’t need symmetrical speeds if you:

• Primarily stream video, browse, and check email

• Upload less than 100GB per month

• Work from home with standard video calls and documents

• Have a household of casual internet users

When you’re shopping for home internet plans, you tend to focus on the big numbers listed by providers: 300Mbps, 500Mbps, 1,000Mbps. Those are top speeds, not what you’ll see day to day. In fact, a recent study by Parks Associates found that 17% of U.S. households with home internet experienced slow download speeds. 

Until recently, upload speeds have typically been much slower than download speeds. Closing that gap matters most for the super power users who upload 2TB or more of data each month, according to the OpenVault report, and three profiles make up most of them.

Content Creators

If you’re creating content, you need fast uploads to publish every day without long wait times, lagging, or dropped connections. Streamers, social media influencers, and video producers move large files upstream as part of the job—often while everyone else in the house is online, too.

Remote Professionals 

Even if you can log in to your job from anywhere, some things are non-negotiable—and if your work involves uploading large files, fast upload speeds are one of them. Waiting on a video edit, a CAD file, or a big dataset to upload can take longer than the work itself.

Cloud-Heavy Households

Cloud-heavy households need faster uploads because Wi-Fi-enabled devices sync continuously to the cloud while AI-assisted workflows draw on upstream channels. And that traffic runs around the clock, not just during your working hours.

If one of these profiles sounds like you, it’s smart to consider plans with symmetrical speeds when you’re shopping for home internet. Here’s a look at the features Xfinity plans offer, including symmetrical speeds with select plans and addresses.

Do You Need a Pure Fiber Connection to Get Symmetrical Upload Speeds?

No, a pure fiber connection isn’t the only way to get symmetrical upload speeds. In service areas with upgraded networks, the Xfinity fiber-backed network offers symmetrical speeds. The quickest way to figure out if your specific address is eligible is to check availability on the Xfinity website. 

How Much Home Internet Speed and Upload Capacity Do You Actually Need?

Most households need at least 100Mbps download speed and 20Mbps upload speed for basic streaming, email, and web browsing, according to PCMag’s speed calculator. 

Speed Recommendations by Household Size

• 1–2 people (light use): 100Mbps download, 20Mbps upload for basic streaming, email, and web browsing

• 3–4 people (moderate use): 500Mbps download for several people streaming and working simultaneously

• 5+ people or smart homes: 1,000Mbps or more for large households with many always-on connected devices

• Heavy uploaders: Symmetrical speeds if you upload 2TB or more monthly (fewer than 6% of subscribers according to OpenVault)

As for upload speeds, you likely need less than you might think. Upstream usage is increasing among subscribers overall, but the average subscriber uploads just 58.2GB a month, according to OpenVault—a fraction of the 2TB that qualifies as a super power user. 

Check your current download and upload speeds with the PCMag Speed Test to see where you stand. The good news is that if you do need symmetrical speeds, they’re available on select plans in an Xfinity upgraded service area. And if you don’t, you can pick a plan that fits your household with lower monthly bills, mobile savings bundles, free equipment, and flexible, no-contract plans. 

Head to Xfinity to check the availability of symmetrical speeds in your service area. 

About Our Expert

Every month, I cringe when I check Netflix to see what TV shows and movies are losing their streaming status. October sees a lot of high-profile content leaving the service, including all of the Hunger Games movies, the live-action Death Note film, and shows like Dawson’s Creek and Poldark, among others. Here are our top picks to watch before they evaporate.

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Halo: Seasons 1-2 (October 1)

It’s a tough time to be a Halo fan, with Microsoft doing mass layoffs at Halo Studios, canceling their upcoming game, and handing the franchise to Activision. And now Netflix is losing the rights to the 2022 TV series? Originally made for Paramount+, the show is uneven at best, but it does feature killer effects and spectacular action scenes. Ultimately, it’s a fun watch, and if you act fast, you can do both seasons before it’s gone.

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The Wandering Earth (October 2)

Chinese science fiction movie The Wandering Earth is a deep-space adventure about a group of scientists working to push the Earth out of the Sun’s orbit before it engulfs our planet. When the gravity of Jupiter threatens to disrupt its trajectory, they must work fast to solve the problem before everybody on our planet dies. It’s a compelling and unique premise that’s executed very well.

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Deadwind (October 29)

Nobody does brooding crime drama quite like the Scandinavians, and Finnish series Deadwind is worth a binge before it leaves Netflix. Homicide detective Sofia Karppi returns to work after the death of her husband and is immediately thrown into the middle of a perplexing murder case that implicates a massive clean energy company. It’s grim, engrossing, and full of twists and turns.

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Everything Leaving Netflix in October 2026

October 1

A Dog’s Purpose
A League of Their Own
Aloha
Angel Eyes
Apollo 13
Baby Mama
Beginners
The Beguiled
The Boss Baby
Blue Is the Warmest Color
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Cinderella Man
Clueless
Fargo
The Fifth Element
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters: Answer the Call
Gone Girl
Halo: Seasons 1-2
High Fidelity
The Hitman’s Bodyguard
The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard
Identity Thief
Inside Man: Most Wanted
Krampus
The Lazarus Project
Nomadland
Out of Africa
Parenthood
The Parkers: Seasons 1-5
Queen & Slim
Savages
The Shack
U-571
The Vow
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

October 2

The Wandering Earth

October 3

Dawson’s Creek: Seasons 1-6

October 7

Nurse Jackie: Seasons 1-7

October 8

Poldark: Seasons 1-5
Scream

October 9

After

October 11

A Quiet Place Part II

October 14

The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

October 15

Death Note
The Smurfs 2

October 16

Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins

October 29

Deadwind: Seasons 1-3

About Our Expert

K. Thor Jensen

Contributing Writer

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Experience

K. Thor Jensen is a writer and cartoonist living in the Pacific Northwest. He has contributed to dozens of prestigious outlets, including PCMag, Tested, Clickhole, and Newsweek. His second graphic novel, Cloud Stories, was released in 2017.

Read Full Bio

It’s our favorite time of the year again! Amazon Prime Big Deal Days is still weeks away, but early robot vacuum and mop deals just couldn’t be contained. Amazon has already rolled out holiday-level price drops, letting you automate your floor cleaning before the sale rush begins. With smarter obstacle avoidance, self-emptying docks, and mopping pads that actually scrub, today’s cleaning bots deliver an instant quality-of-life upgrade.

Whether you need heavy suction for pet hair, a fully hands-free auto-wash dock, or a budget-friendly bot for daily sweeps, we’re tracking the best early discounts across Ecovacs, Eufy, and Roborock. I’ll be updating this list daily with the newest deals, so check out today’s top picks below, bookmark this guide, and check back as Prime Day nears.

Roborock Early Prime Day Deals

The Roborock Qrevo CurvX takes hands-free floor cleaning to the next level by handling both heavy debris and dried floor spills. Its dual spinning mops lift automatically over carpets, while powerful suction pulls embedded dirt out of rugs and hard floors. Its self-cleaning dock empties dust, washes the mops with warm water, and dries them with heat, so you avoid nasty mildew odors.

PCMag expert Andrew Gebhart rated it “Excellent” for its “innovative self-lifting chassis, extendable brushes, and capable cleaning performance across a variety of floor surfaces,” in his in-depth review. Right now, you can get it for $799.99, which is a huge 47% off its retail value. Set your cleaning schedule in the app, let it map your home, and cross vacuuming off your weekly to-do list.

The 2026 Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro takes the hassle out of cleaning hard-to-reach spaces. Its FlexiArm side brush and mop extend right along baseboards and chair legs, leaving fewer dusty corners behind. The all-in-one dock cleans the spinning dual mops with hot water, dries them with warm air to prevent musty smells, and automatically drains and refills the water tank. Set a daily schedule in the Roborock app, let it map your rooms, and enjoy pristine floors without lifting a finger. You can get it now for $549.98, which is 31% off its actual price of $799.99.

The Best Editor-Vetted Early Prime Day Deals

*Deals are selected by our commerce team

Eufy Early Prime Day Deal

The Eufy 11S Max tackles daily dust and crumbs with a super-slim profile that easily slides underneath low-hanging furniture where manual vacuums can’t reach. Packed with 2,000Pa of suction power and BoostIQ technology, it automatically increases suction when transitioning onto carpets for a deeper clean. Plus, its quiet operation lets it run in the background without interrupting your day. Bring it home now for $169.99, which is 39% lower than its usual price, and say goodbye to crumbs forever.

You can also check out our PCMag experts’ list of the best robot vacuums for 2026 to see more options.

The Eufy Omni C20 gives you fully automated floor care by combining a robust 7,000Pa suction system with active dual-spinning mop pads that lift tough stains. Its all-in-one docking station handles automatic dust emptying, mop washing, and air drying so you can enjoy completely hands-free maintenance. Plus, its clever anti-tangle comb keeps pet hair from jamming the roller brush. It’s available now for $339.98, which is 38% off its retail value of $549.99. Don’t sweep this deal under the rug.

If you’re a pet owner and need something specific to deal with the shedding, check out our PCMag expert’s list of the best robot vacuums for pet hair for 2026.

The Eufy E25 is built to conquer sticky kitchen messes and heavy pet shedding in a single pass. It combines deep suction with high-speed scrubbing pads that press firmly against hard floors to lift dried coffee stains and muddy paw prints. The smart obstacle sensors steer clear of toys and stray charging cables, while the multi-stage dock automatically washes and dries the pads between cycles. It’s available now for $599.98, that’s a 40% discount on its retail value. Fill the clean water tank, hit start on your phone, and let it take over your chore list.

If you want to see more options, take a look at our PCMag expert’s list of the best robot mops for 2026.

More Deals on Robot Mops

*Deals are selected by our commerce team

Ecovacs Early Prime Day Deal

The Ecovacs Deebot T90 Pro Omni redefines automated cleaning with a staggering 30,000Pa suction system and a wide spinning roller mop that washes itself with hot water. Its Advanced AIVI 3D obstacle avoidance ensures it navigates seamlessly around household clutter without getting stuck. It provides top-tier performance for homes that demand immaculate, zero-effort upkeep. You can bring it home now for $499, that’s a 38% discount on its retail value of $799.99. Time to go pro with this deal!

The Ecovacs Deebot X11S Omnicyclone delivers premium hands-free cleaning while reducing the need for costly replacement accessories. Its Omnicyclone station uses bagless cyclonic separation to empty the vacuum’s dustbin directly into a washable container, eliminating the need for recurring dustbag purchases. Its high-precision LiDAR navigation maneuvers smoothly around tricky table legs, while dual spinning mops leave tile and hardwood gleaming. Right now, you can get it for $799.99, which is 27% lower than its usual price. Mop it up before it’s too late.

You can also check out our PCMag expert’s list of the best self-emptying robot vacuums for 2026, and see more options.

More Deals on Robot Vacuums for Pet Hair

*Deals are selected by our commerce team

Check out our deals page, where we round up all of the top savings from Prime Day!

About Our Expert

Amazon’s fall sale event is heading our way and fast. Big Deal Days is mere weeks away (Oct. 6), and with it comes major savings on all the tech upgrades you could possibly desire. And here at PCMag Deals, we’re spending every waking minute until the sale sifting through the depths of deals pages to find you the best discounts on big-name tech (because savings don’t always wait for a sales event).

Make sure to check back here as we update this story with the best-of-the-best deals on headphones, laptops, tablets, SSDs, wearables, and more. You don’t have to wait for the official event to shop and save, not when the early Prime Big Deal Days deals are this good.

Not a Prime Member?

Don’t worry, you can still participate in the savings party. But if you want to score the best deals, signing up for Prime is your best bet. You can snag a free 30-day trial during the sales event to get a taste and cancel later (no judgment). But, we actually think the subscription is well worth the cost (billed at $14.99 per month or $139 per year), even if you’re only an occasional Amazon shopper. There are way more Prime perks to enjoy than meets the eye!

Best Early Prime Big Deal Days Laptop Deals

HP OmniBook 3 Laptop Deal

We like to call HP one of our favorite brands for business laptops on a budget, and the OmniBook 3 sits pretty on that affordable pedestal without asking for more than a few Benjamins. Especially right now, since Amazon just shaved 22% off for an early Prime Big Deal Day treat.

Powered by a highly efficient Snagdragon X1 processor and equipped with 16GB of memory and a fair 256GB of storage, it’s a very basic, lightweight ultraportable that’s perfect for light workloads and easy browsing. And with its beautiful, bright, and colorful 2K OLED display, it’s quite the contender to be your next daily driver. And for over $150 off, the deal is looking even better.

Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Deal

Lenovo is among the most trusted laptop brands in the industry, and we’ve tested just about every notable model with rigorous benchmarks for years now. Those reviews include the first-gen Lenovo ThinkPad E16 where laptop expert Eric Grevstad pointed out that it didn’t reinvent the wheel but did offer a “capable big-screen business laptop at a bargain price.” It’s 28% off on Amazon right now, slashing $510 off the $1,799 list price.

Back then, we might’ve had a bone to pick with the display quality, but the third-generation on sale here fixes that with a dazzling 16-inch, 1200p screen with ample space for dozens of multitasking windows. It goes easy on your eyes, lets you tackle the workday hard, and is only $1,289 for a sweet early Prime Big Deal Days treat.

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*Deals are selected by our commerce team

Best Early Prime Big Deal Days Monitor Deals 

Samsung Borderless Business Monitor Deal

This 24-inch business monitor keeps everything on-screen professional. Its skinny bezels are barely there, maximizing your screen space—because every pixel matters when you’re boosting profits and minimizing costs. Its IPS panel shows off beautiful color, and a reduced-blue-light feature also helps minimize eye strain if your work marches on into the night. While it’s marketed for business and productivity tasks, it has a fairly impressive 100Hz refresh rate, so if you’re a moonlight gamer or streamer, you can dabble without running into snags or lag.

Amazon has the model without built-in speakers on sale for 31% off right now, dropping the $159.99 list price down to a much more palatable $109.99. The 27-inch model with the speaker is also on sale for 28% off.

Arzopa Z1FC 144Hz Portable Gaming Monitor Deal

Game on! No, seriously—game on this awesome gaming monitor from Arzopa. It’s a 16.1-inch portable gaming screen you can connect to your laptop, Mac, Xbox, PS5, Steam Deck, or other device via USB-C or mini HDMI. It boasts a bright Full HD picture thanks to its 1080p resolution, and you can rest assured that every on-screen color will be lifelike and vibrant with 106% sRGB color coverage. That’s pretty impressive at this price point!

But where this monitor really shines is its 144Hz refresh rate. It’s zippy enough to make all your games fluid and smooth, no matter where you’re playing. While its portability means you can bring it anywhere, it’ll be particularly useful if you have roommates and are looking to up your boss battles without stealing real estate from them. And for less than $100 right now, you’d better grab it while you can.

Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G6 Gaming Monitor Deal

With 27 inches of gorgeous OLED screen space, this gaming monitor boasts a blistering 240Hz refresh rate that’ll certainly bring all your favorite worlds to life and check off the hardware upgrade you’ve been itching for. And with a $200 discount, it’s hard to ignore.

It can reach up to 400 nits of brightness and uses variable refresh rates to adjust your settings on the fly and make sure you’re having the best possible gaming experience without giving manual tweakage a second thought.

We’re waiting with bated breath for Amazon to add more monitors to its early Prime Big Deal Days sale, so make sure to check back here or keep an eye on our deals page for updates.

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*Deals are selected by our commerce team

Best Early Prime Big Deal Days Tablet Deals 

Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet Deal

The Prime Big Deal Days sale is when we really start to see Amazon products drop to pennies, and this is one of those special deals. The Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet won our Editors’ Choice award for being one of the best tablets you could buy for under $150, which makes this 53% price drop even more shocking.

It’s a solidly built device with a great 10.1-inch screen, and it packs a surprising punch in the processing and memory department. With 32GB of storage, you can download thousands of ebooks or just use it to stream, browse, or even sneak in a light gaming sesh. The cherry on top is its stellar battery life, so the entertainment lasts all day long.

TCL Nxtpaper 11 Gen 2 Tablet Deal

TCL’s back at it with the early tablet deals ahead of Amazon’s big shopping event. When we reviewed this budget-friendly tablet, we especially loved its beautiful matte display for comfortable reading, but it has massive potential for a note-taking tablet that doubles as your daily driver for casual use.

You can use the included 4,069-pressure-level T-Pen stylus on its crystal-clear 11-inch display, or just tap the screen to kick off a streaming or gaming session. Arguably, the best thing about this tablet is the ability to switch between three viewing modes: regular for crisp and vibrant visuals, Ink Paper Mode for an e-reader-like display, and Color Paper Mode for more artistic tasks.

Right now, Amazon has the TCL Nxtpaper 11 (Gen 2) on sale for 28% off, slashing $80 from its already affordable price. But if you’re still gathering options, make sure to browse our list of the best tablets for 2026.

TCL Nxtpaper 11 Plus Android Tablet Deal

Artists, get ready to meet your new canvas: The TCL Nxtpaper 11 Plus is a drawing pad, tablet, and digital notebook all in one beautiful, 11.5-inch tablet. Its 2.2K display has a smooth 120Hz refresh rate to deliver sharp, pixel-perfect graphics, and you can control it with a tap or the included TCL T-PEN stylus. The pen has 4,096 pressure levels, so writing on the tablet will feel almost as natural as writing on real paper.

Depending on how many hours you log on your next digital painting (which can be plenty, with a battery that lasts all day), you can rest assured your eyes will be OK: The Nxtpaper 4.0 display technology uses low blue light, anti-glare coatings, and dimming to reduce eyestrain and make the screen feel more like paper. But this tablet isn’t just for creatives; with 256GB of storage and ample RAM, professionals and casual users alike can multitask up a storm. Only $239.98 is a pretty delightful deal for this creative tablet!

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*Deals are selected by our commerce team

Best Early Prime Big Deal Days TV Deals

Insignia 55-Inch 4K FHD Smart TV Deal

Smart TV, smarter deal: This 55-inch Insignia Smart Fire TV is a massive 47% off right now, almost cutting its $299.99 list price in half. As a Class F50 Series LED TV, it shows off all your favorite movies, shows, and sports in stunning 4K UHD, where colors pop and contrast deepens on every frame.

And because it’s a Fire TV, its default interface is already intuitive, user-friendly, and preloaded with all the most popular streaming apps. But if your preferred media isn’t available inside the walled garden, the TV offers a couple of HDMI ports and Apple AirPlay. Amazon also doesn’t make any product isolated from its own ecosystem, so you can rest assured that Alexa is available for voice control when you’re too lazy to dig through the couch cushions to find the remote.

Hisense 100-inch E6 Cinema Series Smart TV Deal

You shouldn’t buy a big TV unless it comes with significant savings. But if a gargantuan 100-inch television has been on your home theater wishlist for a while, the wait is over: this Hisense Class E6 series model just went on sale fo 20% off on Amazon. That slashes $350 from the $1,749.99 list price.

This massive TV uses Hi-QLED and HDR10+ tech to make every single frame pop off the screen with true-to-life color. And thanks to both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, you can use the E6’s built-in (and quite nifty) Filmmaker Mode, which displays movies and shows exactly as the creator intended, no diving into settings menus required.

But if you’re itching for other options, check out PCMag expert Will Greenwald’s list of the best TVs for 2026!

Samsung 65-Inch Class The Frame Smart TV Deal

If you’ve been waiting for a sale to score one of the neatest art TVs on the market, this deal is your chance: Amazon has the 65-inch Samsung The Frame TV on sale for 20% off, yanking the $1,497.99 list price down by $300.

This ultra-thin, matte display TV will turn heads when you switch it from a Picasso to the playoffs, where its 120-144Hz refresh rate won’t miss a single play. But because it’s so slim, don’t be surprised if your guests miss the fact that it’s an actual QLED smart TV at first glance.

If you’re looking for something else, check out our experts’ list of the best TVs for 2026! 

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*Deals are selected by our commerce team

Best Early Prime Big Deal Days Streaming Device Deals

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus Deal

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus is an affordable, fast, and feature-heavy streaming stick that stands out from the rest of the budget crowd. It streams beautiful 4K resolution, so your shows and movies pop right off the screen, and supports HDR content in HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision for dramatically better depth and contrast. With Wi-Fi 6 and a better processor, it offers much speedier performance and Alexa responses, which is particularly helpful if you have other Amazon smart home devices! And with all the apps available in the Amazon Fire TV Store, you won’t be lacking when it comes to streaming platforms. 

PCMag expert Will Greenwald gave it a rare 4.5/5 rating in our review, earning the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus our Editors’ Choice award. It’s easily one of our top picks for media streamers, which is what makes this 46% off deal even sweeter.

Best Early Prime Big Deal Days Fitness Tracker and Smartwatch Deals

Google Pixel Watch 4 Deal

Tick tock, it’s time for some smartwatch savings. If you’re already ingrained in Google’s ecosystem, the Pixel Watch 4 is one of the best intelligent timekeepers you can get. With a gorgeous curved display, its domed screen is bright and easy to read from any angle in any light. Protected Corning Gorilla Glass, aerospace-grade aluminum, and an IP68 weather resistance rating, it’s ready to follow you into any adventure (or just a neighborhood walk, of course).

Between powerful on-device AI with Gemini, health, fitness, and even safety tools, the Pixel Watch 4 is packing every feature you need to keep tabs on both your well-being and notifications. And right now, it’s 27% off on Amazon.

Garmin Instinct 3 Smartwatch Deal

Adventure is calling—will you listen? OK, maybe your daily walk around the neighborhood isn’t that treacherous, but if your lifestyle leans toward the rugged side in any capacity, the Garmin Instinct 3 smartwatch is the perfect investment in your health, fitness, and tactical lifestyle aesthetic. It’s seeing an early Prime Big Deal Days sale for 22% off right now, putting $100 back in your pocket.

It brings a scratch-resistant 1.2-inch AMOLED display right to your wrist with a durable, metal-reinforced bezel. It’s a data monster for health and movement, tracking up to 93 different workouts and sports profiles, and a power-efficient machine with up to 18 days of battery life. Perfect for going off-grid!

Garmin Vivoactive 5 Deal

Oh, Garmin—a royal name in the fitness and health tracking realm. When we reviewed the Garmin Vivoactive 5, PCMag expert Andrew Gebhart gave it a glowing “Excellent” rating for its beautifully rounded design and onboard music storage. It rocks a spectacular 11-day battery life, 4GB of storage, and water resistance up to 164 feet for all you extreme athletes and hobbyists. Between that and its top-notch health and activity tracking metrics, it’s a particularly good pick for anyone looking to take their health by the horns. 

Right now is the time to buy; Amazon has it on sale for 34% off, putting $110 back in your pocket. But if you’re looking for something different, check out our experts’ list of the best smartwatches for 2026! 

More Smartwatch Deals

*Deals are selected by our commerce team

Best Early Prime Big Deal Days Wireless Headphones Deals

Bose QuietComfort Headphones Deal

Bose is an audio industry leader for a reason—it delivers in quality, comfort, and active noise cancellation in spades. The Bose QuietComfort over-ear headphones are no exception to the lineup and deliver spectacular noise cancellation for the price. Right now, they’re even cheaper with this 36% off deal. So, if you need to drown out a crowded campus or chattering coffee shop, these headphones are how you do it affordably.

The QuietComfort headphones boast up to 24 hours of playtime, plenty of customizable modes, and top-tier noise cancellation. In our review, PCMag expert Tim Gideon even said that they outperformed the Apple AirPods Max in that department! And for 31% off, they’re an undeniably good pick for your next over-ear companions.

Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones Deal

If you’re going to dive into the savings spree on headphones, allow us to reveal one of the best holiday sale prices we’ve seen on our Editors’ Choice award for audiophiles: the Sony WH-1000XM5s. Amazon has these premium noise-cancelling headphones on sale for a wonderful 25% off. So, if you need perfect cinematic sound to follow you through your day, these headphones are positively the right pick.

That glorious sound is powered by 30mm drivers that deliver a frequency range of 4Hz to 40kHz, and depending on how loud you jam out or how you use ANC, Sony estimates you can squeeze out a solid 30 hours of battery life. Speaking of, their ANC is top-notch and doesn’t use a noticeable—and annoying—high-frequency hiss to mask signals, unlike most noise-cancellation technology. PCMag expert Tim Gideon compared these headphones to the Bose QuietComfort 45 and Apple AirPods Max in our in-depth review, and even with that stiff competition, concluded that “the 1000XM5 over-ear headphones offer comparable noise cancellation and arguably the best sound quality of the bunch.”

Open your ears to even more Early Prime Day headphones and earbud deals.

Nothing Ear (a) Wireless Earbuds Deal

Stand out from a bland sea of AirPods with the Nothing Ear (a) buds. They make it clear that premium can come in a more affordable package—literally, they’re transparent. The Nothing Ear (a) wireless earbuds rock the company’s iconic see-through design for a more unique, futuristic look. And once they’re in your ears, you can enjoy 45dB hybrid active noise cancellation, Hi-Res Audio features, and play music on two phones at once thanks to dual-device connectivity. You’ll never want to take them out, and you won’t have to (that often) with up to 42.5 total hours of battery life. 

When we reviewed the Nothing Ear (a), audio expert Tim Gideon gave them an “Excellent” rating, praising their striking design and bass-heavy sound. The noise cancellation could be better, but the trade-off is a sick-looking pair of earbuds. And right now, 20% off feels pretty premium for Prime Big Deal Days savings!

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*Deals are selected by our commerce team

Best Early Prime Big Deal Days Speaker Deals

Soundcore Boom 2 Bluetooth Speaker Deal

Every get-together needs some good tunes. But if you really want to make an impression, you should bring a little light show. That’s exactly what this Soundcore Boom 2 Bluetooth speaker does.

LED lights decorate the sides of the speaker’s fully waterproof design, providing a full RGB vibe. But it isn’t one of our favorite waterproof speakers just for that alone, and it isn’t called the “Boom” for nothing. Packing 80 watts of maximum power, it delivers loud, clear sound and huge bass (thanks to a built-in subwoofer and BassUp 2.0 tech). If the party gets a little too wild, and someone knocks the jams into the drink, don’t worry. The Boom 2 can actually float and keep the party going!

We gave the Anker Soundcore Boom 2 speaker an “Excellent” rating in our detailed review. Audio expert Tim Gideon said it was a fantastic option for nighttime pool parties, so if you’re trying to squeeze one more of those into summer 2026, this 23% off deal is definitely for you.

Anker Soundcore 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker Deal

We love the sound of savings, especially when Amazon still has 33% knocked off this powerful little portable speaker. The Anker Soundcore 2 portable speaker packs 12W of power and lasts up to 24 hours on a single charge—perfect for when your barbecue inevitably runs into the evening. It also rocks an IPX7 waterproof rating that’ll keep your soundtrack safe if the elements decide to rain on your parade, but if you need to make a quick run for cover, it’s only about the size of a pencil case! 

With a $44.99 list price, the Anker Soundcore 2 is already relatively affordable. But with this deal, Amazon sends it under the $30 mark! But if you’re looking for other options, check out the other best speakers we’ve tested for 2026. 

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*Deals are selected by our commerce team

Best Early Prime Big Deal Days Robot Vacuum and Mop Deals

Roborock Q10 S5 Plus Robot Vacuum and Mop Deal

Now here’s a deal that leaves no crumbs: Amazon has the Roborock Q10 S5 Plus 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop on sale for 49% off right now—that slashes its $549.99 list price all the way down to $279.99. This tiny but mighty device scitters around your home to rid it of dust, debris, and even spillage so you don’t have to get down on your hands and knees to deal with it yourself. And the best part is, it self-empties into a 2.7-liter dust bag that can keep your hands clean for up to 70 days of use. 

For 49% off, snagging this Roborock 2-in-1 is a pretty clean decision. But if you want to check out other options before letting this sale sweep you off your feet, check out PCMag’s best robot vacuums roundup.

iRobot Braava Jet m6 Deal

The Braava Jet M6 won our Editors’ Choice award a few years ago, and while there are newer robo-vacs out there also worth your dollar, we couldn’t ignore this 56% discount.

The Jet M6 is primarily a robot mop, but it also sweeps up any debris it comes across beautifully. With a generous 150-minute battery life, it’ll make its way across your apartment or house’s floor to get things squeaky clean without you having to get down on your hands and knees. And thanks to smart mapping and detection, you don’t even need to give it a tour before it gets to work.

For only $199.99 right now, the Jet M6 sure scoops up the savings! But if this deal doesn’t sweep you away, check out the other best robot mops we’ve tested for 2026!

Sweep up even more savings these Early Prime Day deals on robot vacuums and mops.

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*Deals are selected by our commerce team

Best Early Prime Big Deal Days Wi-Fi Router Deals

Amazon Eero Max 7 Wi-Fi Router Deal

I spy with my little eye… An Editors’ Choice-winning Wi-Fi 7 router on sale! The Amazon Eero Max 7 is a mesh Wi-Fi system that covers up to 2,500 square feet of your home in super-speedy connection twice as fast as Wi-Fi 6. A single hub can support more than 250 devices, too.

It features two 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports for wired speeds of up to 9.4 Gbps and wireless speeds of up to 4.3 Gbps. And with multi-gigabit backhaul speeds, you’ll forget what it was like to experience slow downloads forever. In our review, where router expert John R. Delaney gave it an “Excellent” rating, it earned our Editors’ Choice award thanks to its speedy throughput scores, wide signal coverage, capability as a smart home automation hub, and ability to serve as a Thread border router. And right now, it’s yours for a massive 30% off.

Amazon Eero Pro 6E Deal

You can’t take advantage of early Prime Big Deal Days deals without a good Wi-Fi connection. And why wouldn’t you choose another one of our Editors’ Choices—the Amazon Eero Pro 6E—while a three-pack is 25% off right now? In honor of savings, Amazon slashed $125 off its usually steep $499.99, making it the perfect time to buy a better connection.

This Amazon Eero Pro 6E uses Wi-Fi 6 technology to cover up to 2,000 square feet per node, so this three-pack will blanket your home with connection speeds up to 2.3GBps, rerouting congested connections and reducing dead zones. And because it’s backward-compatible with older Eero models, you don’t have to toss your old devices to upgrade.

In our review, router expert John Delaney gave it an “Excellent” rating for outperforming several serious competitors on the 5GHz band, which was impressive enough to earn our Editors’ Choice award. So don’t settle for lag and run to grab this router before the deal disappears.

TP-Link Archer BE550 Deal

Connection is something you should be able to rely on without a second thought, but what if it was actually something that impressed you every time you logged on? That’s what life’s like with this TP-Link Archer BE550 Wi-Fi router. It can cover up to 2,000 square feet of your home with incredible connection (and few to no dead zones). Wi-Fi isn’t the only thing this device is good for—it also features Easy-Mesh support, a built-in VPN service, and Advanced QoS that puts gaming and streaming at the top of the priority list so you don’t have to mess with anything.

For 32% off right now, it’s the kind of deal you want to grab before the savings connection drops.

Connect with even more Early Prime Day deals on Wi-Fi mesh and routers.

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*Deals are selected by our commerce team

Best Early Prime Big Deal Days Security Camera Deals

Blink Battery Doorbell 2K+ Deal

Knock, knock! Who’s there? A massive 62% deal on this Blink Battery Doorbell 2K+ and Mini 2K+ bundle! This camera-and-doorbell home security duo is only $45.99 right now, and it pays for itself in peace of mind. They both record in 2K video with a special Head-to-Toe View to monitor everything from a tall individual’s face to a tiny package on your doorstep, so no one (and no thing) is missed if you aren’t there to greet them.

But if you aren’t home at all, the doorbell alerts you to someone’s presence and lets you have a two-way conversation as if you were standing right in front of them (with active noise cancellation to drown out any neighborhood commotion). The Mini 2K+ camera might require wiring, but the doorbell is battery-powered, making installation a piece of cake.

Eufy Outdoor Security Camera Deal

Don’t want to rely on cables or regular batteries to support your home security setup ever again? Say less. Allow us to introduce you to the Editors’ Choice-winning Eufy S340 outdoor security cam. Running on both battery and solar power, its dual-lenses cover up to 360 degrees of horizontal panning and 70 degrees of vertical panning, meaning virtually nothing can get out of the frame.

It also features an LED spotlight and siren in its IP67-rated weather-resistant enclosure, which will alert you to anything (or anyone) day, night, and in any conditions where the camera can pick up movement. In our review, PCMag expert John R. Delaney gave it an “Excellent” rating, where he got giddy over its sharp 3K resolution and free local video storage. That’s a breath of fresh air over alternatives like Ring and Blink, if you ask me.

Right now, you can land this solar-powered security cam for $40 as an early Prime Big Deal Days treat. But if you’re looking for other options, check out our experts’ list of the best outdoor security cameras for 2026.

More Home Security Deals

*Deals are selected by our commerce team

Best Early Prime Big Deal Days Printer Deals

Canon MegaTank G3270 Wireless Printer Deal

Every house or apartment needs a printer, and this Canon MegaTank G3270 is a great pick for you and your roommates—especially since it’s 36% off right now, slashing $90 off the $248.99 list price. It checks all the basic boxes you’d expect (wireless printing, copying, and scanning) and includes an ink supply that could last up to two years, saving you money on the infamous cost of ink (and potentially get you through over half your bachelor’s). With that supply, it can print up to 6,000 black-and-white pages or 7,700 color pages using just one set of inks.

In our 2023 review, PCMag expert M. David Stone gave it an “Excellent” rating, declaring it one notch above an entry-level printer “thanks to its support for printing from mobile devices.” While the 100-sheet maximum capacity leaves a bit to be desired, the low $159 sale price right now makes up for it in spades.

Even More Printer Deals

*Deals are selected by our commerce team

Best Early Prime Big Deal Days SSD Deals 

Samsung Internal SSD 990 2TB Deal

You can never find enough SSD sales during RAMageddon, but Samsung is actively delivering deals. And the SSD 990 is one of its internal PCIe Express 4.0 SSDs that gives your PC a 2TB upgrade for a massive 30% off. It rocks 7,250 and 6,450 sequential read and write speeds and is a DRAM-less drive to keep manufacturing costs down.

Samsung, per usual, threw in some extra goodies, too. You can enjoy the company’s Magician software suite to help you keep tabs on and optimize all your data, as well as relax knowing everything is protected by a highly secure 256-bit AES encryption key. The RAMpocalypse is likely going to get worse before it gets any better, so hop on this SSD sale while you can.

Survive RAMageddon with these other Early Prime Day SSD deals.

Samsung 990 Pro 2TB NVMe Internal SSD Deal

If you’re pulling together parts for a new PC and dreading the horribly high SSD sticker prices, we have good news: Samsung has yet another SSD deal to save you hundreds—a rare thing in the RAMpocalypse, indeed! This internal hard drive is quick on its digital feet, has 256-bit AES hardware-based encryption, and much better power efficiency than the competition. We gave it an “Excellent” rating in our detailed review, and PCMag expert Tony Hoffman praised it for being “a big step forward from the SSD 980 Pro, with considerably faster sequential read and write speeds and a much higher PCMark 10 Overall score.” Talk about a considerable upgrade.

It also includes Samsung’s Moagician data management software, which is particularly useful for anyone with substantial storage requirements. It’s a great pick for anyone who needs a little extra oomph in their PC—whether you’re a gamer, creator, student, or casual user. For 39% off, you save $250 on a roomy 2TB SSD! Pretty hard to beat in the current memory crisis.

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*Deals are selected by our commerce team

Make sure to check back in as we continue to scour Amazon’s sale pages and pick out the best early Prime Big Deal Days deals of the bunch. We’ll be updating this story from now through Amazon’s event itself, so stay tuned for some major savings.

If you simply can’t get your hands on enough savings, we’re always finding discounts worth your dollar across the web on our PCMag deals page!

The Best Editor-Vetted Early Prime Day Deals

*Deals are selected by our commerce team

About Our Expert

When it comes to the top tech deals, don’t forget about Woot. The online site is essentially a deals hub where you can find markdowns on devices from top brands like Apple, Samsung, and Google every single day of the year. Just know that items often sell out quickly. Your best bet is to shop fast and shop smart. Plus, Prime members automatically get free shipping.

Right now, you can take advantage of $750 off a Samsung 7-channel sound system and save $110 on award-winning Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Pro speaker. Plus, pick up a pair of premium Sennheiser HD 800S wired headphones with a $600 discount. The deals don’t stop there: snag a premium Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 ultrawide gaming monitor for $400 less, and get one year of a Nord VPN subscription for under $25.

Let’s take a closer look at the best Woot deals of the week so you can start saving!

VPN Deal

Boasting an extensive suite of privacy and security features, including advanced encryption, threat detection, and transparent data practices, NordVPN is not only the fastest VPN we’ve tested, but also the best value. It’s essentially a robust privacy ecosystem that uses tools like NordPass for secure password management and NordLocker for file encryption and cloud storage. It’s our Editors’ Choice Pick for VPN, and right now, you can get an entire year’s subscription on sale for just $24.99.

Robot Vacuum Deals

With the iHome AutoVac Nova S1 Pro, you can enjoy the luxury of clean floors without much work. This capable robot vacuum and mop gets the job done and empties itself into a dustbin. It boasts 2,700pa of suction power and automatically engages Hyper Drive when it comes across carpet. On sale for under $150, it’s an affordable cleaning companion. 

The A6Pro robot combo might not have a brand name, but it does have all the features you would want in a robot vacuum and mop: strong suction power and water flow, smart mapping with no-go zones, obstacle-avoidance, and the ability to self-empty into a sealed dock. You truly won’t have to lift a finger except for once every 90 days or so.

See how they compare to other self-emptying robot vacuums we’ve reviewed.

Earbuds Deals

The sleek and stylish Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are a premium pair of noise-cancelling earbuds, offering a comfortable fit, excellent audio quality, and nifty AI features – and all for under $160 right now. In addition to crisp high-res audio, adaptive ANC technology automatically adjusts the noise cancellation in real time for a strong, smooth, and distraction-free listening experience. Plus, you can access Galaxy’s AI assistant hands-free and take advantage of live translation. We awarded their predecessor, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, a rating of “Excellent.” If you’re an Android user, these are a top pick.

The Beats Studio Buds are a great budget-friendly option for wireless noise-cancelling earbuds. Despite the low price point, they offer similar features to high-end models like Apple AirPods Pro 2, including active noise cancellation, Spatial Audio, and one-touch pairing for iOS and Android devices. The overall audio output is solid with powerful bass and crisp highs, too. As you might expect, the noise cancellation is less impressive, but for the price, it’s a great value.

More Deals on Earbuds

*Deals are selected by our commerce team

Headphone and Headset Deals

The premium Sennheiser HD 800S wired headphones provide a high-end audio experience best suited for home use. When you listen to your music with these, you’ll enjoy a rich, accurate sound signature that projects even the deepest sub-bass content without sacrificing clarity. Plus, the plush, velour earpads are exceptionally comfy with an open, circumaural design that creates a wide, spatial feel. Serious audiophiles will want to take advantage of this $600 discount before it’s gone.

Per our expert reviewer, Will Greenwald, the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro “offers all of the benefits of the wired BlackShark V2, like strong audio performance, an incredibly clear mic, and THX Spatial Audio, plus wireless connectivity.” It easily earned a rating of “Excellent”, and that was at full price. With a 36% discount bringing the price to $69.99, this becomes a clear winner for a PC wireless gaming headset.

Speaker Deals

Designed to be on-the-go, the JBL Flip 6 produces respectable sound for its size with thumping mid-bass and adjustable EQ available in the companion app. It’s water-resistant and durable enough to bring on all your outdoor adventures, too. While it lacks some of the fancier features of other portable Bluetooth speakers, it’s a solid pick for a simple, bring-anywhere speaker, especially at a sale price of $79.95.

Featuring a built-in carabiner, this fully waterproof (and dust-proof) Bluetooth speaker is super portable and easy to bring on the go. Considering its small size, the Clip 5 produces surprisingly loud and crisp sound, thanks to the powerful driver and passive radiator. The bass is punchy, and you can pair it with other JBL speakers for more robust stereo sound. With a sale price of $49.95, it’s a solid budget-conscious choice if you want to listen to music when you’re out and about. Clip it to your bag, belt, or bike, and get ready to jam out—for less.

When you want big, loud, and powerful sound, pull out the Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Pro. This fully waterproof (and dustproof!) portable outdoor speaker delivers rich audio with strong bass and nine-band EQ. Customizable LED lighting helps create a fun party ambiance. It’s basically the same speaker as our Editors’ Choice-Winning Anker Soundcore Boom Plus 2, only with a slightly more rugged build—it even floats!

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Sound System Deals

The Samsung HW-Q990H/ZC sound system features a powerful soundbar and wireless subwoofer that work together to create rich sound. The wireless soundbar automatically analyzes the environment to calibrate the sound to your space. Plus, the sound system integrates easily with voice assistants and smart devices via Alexa, Chromecast, AirPlay, and more.

Curious how this model compares to other soundbars? Read our reviews for the best soundbars.

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Computer Monitor Deals

In the words of our expert reviewer, Zackery Cuevas, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 is “a feast for the eyes and the ultrawide monitor to beat for immersive PC gaming”. It’s slim in design with a dazzling 49-inch screen featuring glare-free technology and automatic brightness control. Both color gamut and color accuracy are exceptional, and it boasts a near-instant 0.03ms GTG response time. While such a premium monitor typically comes a premium price, you can save over $400 right now!

If all you need is basic curved monitor for work or play, then the Samsung Essential S3 delivers. The wide screen is slightly curved to enhance depth perception and minimize peripheral distraction, immersing you in your content. In terms of performance, it’s fast and smooth so you don’t have to put up with lagging or motion blurring. Plus, it features plenty of optimizable game settings.

Smart TV Deals

At first glance, the Samsung 32-Inch The Frame QLED 4K TV looks more like a framed work of art than a smart TV. That’s because it’s meant to double as wall art when not in use. It hangs flush against the wall with customizable bezel options and features an anti-glare matte display for showcasing beautiful works of art (such as Monet’s Water Lilies or the famous Mona Lisa). However, it also streams video content and video games beautifully in clear, colorful 4K resolution.

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Keyboard Deal

Gaming should be fast and fun, which is why you need this highly responsive gaming keyboard. The Razer BlackWidow V4 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard features light, balanced keystrokes with an extra-durable build, including two layers of sound-dampening foam. You’ll also enjoy the versatility of a multi-function roller and media keys, along with two-sided RGB underglow lighting on each key. It’s also wireless, with the option to quickly cycle through up to three Bluetooth-connected devices.

Microsoft Office Deal

Earning an Editors’ Choice and PCMag’s Best of the Year awards, Microsoft Home Office 2024 is a one-time purchase that gives you lifetime access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote on a single Mac or Windows device (meaning you won’t have to pay for a Microsoft 365 subscription over and over again). The Microsoft Office productivity apps are top-tier, especially with Word being the world’s most powerful word processor and Excel boasting more features and power than Apple’s Numbers. It’s a worthwhile investment if you primarily use one device.

Dash Cam Deal

Enjoy added peace of mind regarding your vehicle’s security with the Jzones 4K 3-channel dash cam. On the front, it captures clear 4K footage with a 155-degree lens, while the rear camera records in 1080p with a 130-degree wide-angle lens. Left- and right-side cameras ensure full 360-degree coverage. Since it’s Wi-Fi connected, you can easily access live and recorded footage through the companion app. Plus, it’ll automatically record emergency video and lock the files when it senses scratching or collision damage on the car.

See how it compares to other dash cams we’ve tested.

Looking for something else? Check out additional Woot tech deals for even more savings.

About Our Expert

If you’re still experiencing Face ID glitches on your brand-new iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max, you should update your device to the latest iOS version immediately.

Apple began rolling out iOS 27.0.1 to all eligible devices on Monday, and among other things, it fixes a bug that causes new iPhones to “unexpectedly restart when Face ID fails to authenticate,” a release note says.

To install the update, head to Settings > General > Software Update and tap Update Now or Update Tonight. Since this isn’t a major software update, the download file will be significantly smaller than previous updates, and you should be able to complete it within minutes.

(Credit: Jibin Joseph)

Early adopters of the iPhone 18 Pro models had been complaining about the issue for days. When trying to launch protected apps like Wallet or Passwords, the device would freeze and restart itself. The bug somehow didn’t impact Lock Screen unlocks.

iOS 27.0.1 also addresses two other key issues. It blocks a “color artifact” that had begun appearing in some photos taken using the 2x zoom on the iPhone 18 Pro, while also fixing an unresponsive screen issue that many users observed when trying to launch the Notification Center and Control Center simultaneously.

Older Apple Devices Need Urgent Updates Too

Alongside iOS 27.0.1, Apple on Monday released security updates for its older devices, including iOS 26.7.1, iPadOS 26.7.1, macOS Tahoe 26.7.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.8.1.

All of these updates carry solutions to fix the creation of malicious files that could lead to arbitrary code execution, Apple says. Some cybercriminals may have already used the vulnerability to carry out an “extremely sophisticated attack” against specific individuals running older OS versions, the company adds.

Apple’s description of the updates makes them sound critical. So, if you’re using an Apple device running on an earlier version of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, or macOS 27, we’d recommend upgrading to the latest OS version immediately by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

About Our Expert

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Experience

Jibin is a tech news writer based out of Ahmedabad, India. Previously, he served as the editor of iGeeksBlog and is a self-proclaimed tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex information for a broader audience.

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