Opinion
Black Friday tech: Ten of our favourite gadgets on sale
Tim Biggs
Consumer Technology WriterBlack Friday is now more of a season than a day, beginning at Halloween and lasting until the Christmas tree goes up. And while there’s plenty to be wary of (scams, unnecessary purchases, crowded shops), there are also legitimate opportunities to save.
Here are 10 devices that have had a significant price reduction for this year’s Black Friday. I’ve tested and recommend them all. Most are discounted at multiple retailers, so while I’ve linked to the lowest in-stock price I could find, search around for more options.
Anker MagGo wireless charging station – $150 down from $200
The Anker MagGo is an ideal all-in-one charging station.
There are plenty of options for charging multiple Apple devices from one station, but this one from Anker is hard to beat. It comes with a 40W power brick so there’s enough juice to charge everything quickly, while its certified iPhone and Apple Watch charging pads are magnetic and fold up to raise the devices on an angle if you prefer. A third charging pad is perfect for an AirPods case.
Pixel Watch 2 – $214 down from $429
This year’s Pixel Watch 3 is a better fitness tracker, but it’s also $580. This deal gets you a wearable that’s almost as good for less than half the price. Compatible with Android phones, it’s a Fitbit-powered exercise and sleep tracker that also brings heaps of Google features and capabilities over from your phone to your wrist. It comes in only one size and may be a bit small for some.
Sony PS-LX310BT Turntable – $291 down from $399
Bluetooth or wired, the PS-LX310BT sounds great and is easy to use.
Many cheap turntables are bad, but if you want to get into vinyl with something that doesn’t require a big investment in hi-fi, Sony’s entry-level model is great. In fact, though audiophiles may disagree, I think it’s as good as some models several times the price. It’s fully automatic, has a built-in phono stage, is easy to set up and optionally outputs to Bluetooth speakers or headphones.
Bose QuietComfort SC – $299 down from $499
The competition for the best commuter-class over-ear headphones of 2023 was down to this set from Bose or Sony’s WH-1000XM4. Both are excellent and are discounted this year, but the Bose is discounted a little bit more. They’re comfy, they last a long time on a charge, the noise cancellation is excellent and out of the box they have a strong, bassy sound.
Motorola Edge 50 Neo – $348 down from $699
The Edge 50 Neo comes in a range of Pantone colours.
A mid-range phone in a somewhat-compact size, with a bold look and some high-end specs (LTPO OLED screen, telephoto camera, wireless charging), plus clean software and five years of updates, the Edge 50 Neo was already an interesting proposition at $700. At half the price, it’s a no-brainer.
Dreame L10s Plus – $794 down from $1399
This is a mid-range robot from Dreame’s extensive range, so it’s missing the most high-end features. It mops, but the base will not fill the robot with water, clean or dry the pads – that’s human work. But just ignore mopping, and this is an incredible robot vacuum for $800. It empties automatically, maps efficiently and cleans reliably, plus it easily integrates into a smart home for scheduling.
ThinkPad E14 Gen 5 Intel – $890 down from $1639
Yes, the red tracking nub is present and accounted for.
There’s no getting around it: this looks like a boring work computer that you use only because it was assigned to you by your employer and you need it to access the VPN. But don’t be fooled. The E14 line are brilliant work machines as long as you don’t need top-tier graphical performance, with excellent keyboards and a top-notch selection of ports, including Thunderbolt and a full Ethernet.
De’Longhi La Specialista Maestro – $999 down from $1499
Sure, $1000 is still a lot for a coffee machine. But it’s a pretty good price if you want a machine that offers a lot of automation while still giving you some hands on-control. It measures and grinds, following set recipes to produce a number of different drinks. It heats water in seconds and can “cold brew” in minutes. It can steam milk but also has a manual wand.
Pixel 9 Pro Fold – $2197 down from $2697
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold feels great open or closed.Credit: Bloomberg
If you’ve been intrigued by big book-style folding phones but have been waiting for a sale, this could be the cheapest (brand new) device you’ll find. Google’s Fold also happens to be the best phone yet in this form factor, with a big and usable standard phone display on the front and a square miniature tablet inside, ideal for running two standard apps side-by-side with no compromises.
LG OLED EVO C4 55-inch – $1981 down from $3295
My pick for the best overall TV of 2024 is discounted across all its sizes, from the 42-inch up to the monster 83-inch, and they all share the same top-notch specs for movies and video games alike. I’ve chosen to highlight the 55-inch here because it’s a great size for most living rooms, and because dipping under $2000 puts it closer to standard “long-overdue TV upgrade” territory.
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