Amazon Prime Day officially starts on July 12 and runs until the 13th, but early deals are already rolling in across the retailer and its competitors. For example, several Google products are on sale at Amazon and retailers like Target, from the Chromecast With Google TV to Nest Cams. Some items might see further discounts on Prime Day itself, but many have already expired. These are some of our favorites that are currently kicking.
Check out our Amazon Prime Day coverage for more deals ahead of the big sale. Our Prime Day Shopping Tips guide will help you decide if a deal is worth your time and money.
Updated July 8, 2022: We regularly update articles and strike through items that sell out or rise in price as of publishing. Many of these have deals expired, and we’ve noted that accordingly.
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Doorbell and Security Camera Deals
Nest Doorbell
Only certain colors are still included in this deal. Nest’s video doorbell is our runner-up pick, coming second to Arlo’s Essential simply because it’s more expensive. This deal matches the cheapest we’ve seen in the past few months. It’s easy to mount and remove for charging (the battery lasts more than a month). The smart notifications identifying faces and packages are accurate, too, but you’ll need a Nest Aware subscription ($6 a month). You can find this deal at Best Buy as well.
Need an indoor security camera? This simple one looks elegant, can be mounted, and doesn’t have a battery, meaning you’ll need to plug it in. (On the plus side, you never have to charge it.) WIRED reviews editor Julian Chokkattu has had one pointed at his front door for the past year and has had a good experience with it, though a Nest Aware subscription will expand your video history. This deal isn’t rare, but it’s still a solid price. It’s also available at Target.
Nest Cam
This security camera works just like the above indoor camera, except it’s battery-powered and can withstand rain, wind, and snow. It has a 130-degree field of view and 1080p video, which WIRED editor Adrienne So says showed clear views of her driveway, front door, and even most of her front yard. The battery needs charging after a little more than a month. This deal is also available at Target.
If you’re planning on monitoring a dark and dreary area, this camera is functionally similar to the Nest Cam above but doesn’t run off a battery, and it has two floodlights on either side. The lights can switch on automatically, like when the camera detects movement. You can also set a schedule or use your voice to turn them on. This deal is also available at Target.
Phone, Laptop, and Speaker Deals
Google Pixel 6 Pro
If you’re after a new Android phone, most people should go for the Pixel 6. This is a small deal, but it’s the lowest price we’ve ever tracked and an incredible value. You get a 90-Hz AMOLED screen, wireless charging, the same powerful Tensor processor, and a great dual-camera system. Read our Pixel Phone guide for tips and accessory recommendations.
We like Google’s Pixel 6 Pro (9/10, WIRED Recommends) because it has a spectacular camera system, with a great 4X optical zoom, a sharp 120-Hz screen refresh rate with an AMOLED panel, and plenty of useful smart software features powered by Google’s Tensor processor. Oh, and a battery that generally lasts a full day. The phone has had its fair share of bugs, but many of the issues have been fixed now. Just know that the Pixel 7 Pro arrives toward the end of the year (and the Pixel 6A later this month).
This Pixel Stand was a little cheaper earlier this week. It’s the first-gen wireless charger from Google—it’s not the newer, second-gen version. It’ll charge any device with wireless charging support, whether in landscape or portrait orientation. If you put a Pixel phone on it you’ll get a few extra perks, including ambient lighting that mimics the sunrise, a digital photo frame feature, and quick access to smart home controls. Read our Best Wireless Chargers guide for more options.
Nest Mini
The Nest Mini is the cheaper, smaller, and lesser version of the Nest Audio. It doesn’t sound as good, but it’s a great tiny speaker for small areas in the home where you want to use your voice to control your smart home devices. You can also wall-mount it (as long as there’s an outlet nearby).
If you can do all your work off the Chrome browser, then a Chromebook might be all you need. This Pixelbook Go is getting a little old, but it’s still one of our favorite Chromebooks and runs perfectly well. The screen is crisp, the keyboard is lovely, and this Core i5 model is plenty powerful for most.
Google’s Nest Audio (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of our favorite smart speakers. This is the typical deal price that it dips to during major sale events. The Nest Audio is the successor to the original Google Home from 2016, offering deeper bass and louder sound for better streaming. Naturally, it’s powered by Google Assistant, so you can ask it anything you’d type into the Google Search bar. Pairing two together makes for a solid stereo system. There’s a physical switch for turning off the mic, which we appreciate. This deal is also available at Walmart.
Smart Display and Router Deals
Nest Wifi Router and Point
This router frequently dips to this price, but it fluctuates up to $169, so this is still a solid deal. The Nest Wifi is easy to set up, looks elegant, and creates a reliable mesh network in your home. This deal is just for the router, but you can add a Nest Point to extend coverage: That bundle is $175 ($94). Already have a router but want to add the Point? Read our Best Mesh Routers guide for more recommendations.
This is a pretty common deal on this smart thermostat, but only certain colors are included right now. We haven’t reviewed this exact version extensively, but we have a guide on how to confirm compatibility and set it up. If you like how Google runs its smart home, we think you’ll like this. The newer Nest Thermostat is also on sale for $100 ($30 off). It doesn’t learn and adapt to your habits, but you can still set schedules.
Nest Hub Max
Technically this is a deal, but the Nest Hub Max (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is discounted to this price frequently enough that you should never purchase it for full price. This version has a camera, so you can use it for video chatting. It’s a helpful companion, as it can function as a security camera feed (if the camera supports it), walk you through cooking instructions, or just act as a digital photo frame.
The camera-less Nest Hub is also on sale. This one has a 7-inch screen as opposed to the Nest Hub Max’s 10-inch screen, so it’s more suited to small spaces like bedrooms. This second-gen model can also detect your sleep habits in case you want to make sure you’re hitting seven hours (no wearable required). Check out our Best Smart Displays guide for more details.
Source by www.wired.com