Black Friday seems to start earlier and earlier each year in its relentless march across the American calendar. Retailers and manufacturers have traditionally buttoned themselves down and steeled themselves for Black Friday by skimping on deals in the weeks before the big event, but some have snuck in early Black Friday deals on a few of our most recommended products. From Sonos to Apollo to Samsung, there’s enough here to whet your whistle if you can’t wait—or if you just want to stealthily beat the crowds.
We rounded up several other sales earlier this week that are still running, including deals on Chromebooks as well as discounted Arlo security cameras and video doorbells. Check ’em out!
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Smartwatch and Laptop Deals
Read our Best Smartwatches and Best Laptops guides for more recommendations.
Samsung Galaxy Watch6
Photograph: Samsung
More than anything, what stood out to WIRED reviews editor Julian Chokkattu about the Galaxy Watch6 Classic (7/10, WIRED Recommends) was the return of Samsung’s rotating bezel. Unfortunately, the standard Watch6 doesn’t have this feature. Still, this is the lowest price we have tracked for it. It’s a comfy smartwatch with more than a day of battery life and the latest Wear 4 operating system. On the downside, there’s some occasional lag, the heart rate tracker is flighty, and some health features work only with Samsung phones.
This Wear OS-powered Ticwatch has some of the best battery life you’ll find in a full-featured touchscreen smartwatch. Its unique dual-display technology helps the watch last nearly three days on a single charge. You can respond to notifications and track health and fitness, plus it feels pretty snappy. The downside? Lackluster software support. This watch doesn’t have the latest Wear 4 operating system, and it may be a while before it does.
Fitbit Sense 2
Photograph: Fitbit
For serious health data tracking, the Sense 2 is a powerful tool. Its electrocardiogram sensor, in addition to tracking your heart data for signs of stress and activity, is FDA-cleared to help wearers detect potential signs of atrial fibrillation. During sleep, other sensors monitor your sleep quality and spot any physiological changes. Temporarily on back order, you can lock in the lower price now and receive it by December, if you can wait a month or so.
With Apple’s M2 processor, the 2022-model MacBook Pro (7/10, WIRED Review) is powerful and quick enough for performance-intensive video and photo editing tasks. It may not be worth upgrading from an M1-equipped MacBook Pro, but if you have an older Pro or just need a more capable machine than a MacBook Air, it’s a solid buy. Keep in mind that Apple announced an event on October 30, and rumors suggest there will be new MacBook Pro models with M3 chipsets, though likely at a far higher price than this model.
Scooter Deals
Read our Best Escooters guide for other options.
Apollo Phantom V3
Photograph: Apollo
The Phantom V3 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is a beast of an electric scooter at 77 pounds, but it has excellent range. WIRED reviews editor Julian Chokkattu traversed on it from Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, to Fort Lee, New Jersey—a 22-mile trip—and had 43 percent left in the tank. Now that’s a commuter scooter.
Enter code WIRED10 at checkout to see the full discount. WIRED reviewer Julian Chokkattu tested the 2022 model of the Air (6/10, WIRED Review) and wasn’t crazy about it, but the 2023 model makes notable tweaks, like a revamped handlebar, self-healing tires, and a better folding mechanism. The 500-watt motor can go up to 21 miles per hour, and most people should expect roughly 15 miles of range if not less at those speeds (depending on other factors as well).
This is our favorite escooter right now. It has a nice blend of power, range, and weight (it’s 45 pounds). It offers a nice suspension, can easily go past 18 miles of range, and hits a top speed of 20 miles per hour. You can track and make tweaks to its performance in the companion app. It frequently dips to this price.
Music and TV Deals
Check out our Best Sonos Speakers and Best TVs guides for more.
Sonos Ray
Photograph: Sonos
Tight on space? Watching your budget but still want a killer sound setup for your television? This combination marries the Ray soundbar (9/10, WIRED Recommends) with the Sub Mini subwoofer (8/10, WIRED Recommends) to provide a phenomenally powerful, compact setup that can fit into even the most cramped apartment. The sound from both the soundbar and subwoofer can envelop an entire room. Sonos’ mobile app is also slick and easy to use, although you need an iOS device for certain features.
Even several years after its debut, the Sonos Arc (9/10, WIRED Recommends) remains one of our favorite soundbars for upgrading the sound of your TV without having to mount speakers all over every corner of the room. The Dolby Atmos sound projects to every corner of the room beautifully, and it works with Google Assistant, Alexa, and Siri. This package includes the Sonos Sub, a powerful wireless subwoofer.
Samsung S95C
Photograph: Samsung
Bright colors, wide viewing angles, deep blacks dark enough to plunge into and get lost within. No wonder WIRED associate editor Parker Hall called the S95C (8/10, WIRED Recommends) among the best TVs of 2023. The interface might be slow, but the S95C is still one of our favorites on sale right now.
You know the classic Telecaster sound, even if you’ve never had the joy of playing one. Twangy and sweetly chimey on so many country songs, it can also be a rip-roaring rock ‘n’ roll guitar, as demonstrated by Joe Strummer of the Clash and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones. Hell, even guitar heroes known for other guitars used them on the leads of certain classic songs, such as Crazy Little Thing Called Love and Purple Haze. The Player Plus series from Fender is among the best bang for your buck, with solid electronics and smoothly finished necks and fret wire.
Camera Deals
Read our Best Mirrorless Cameras guide for other picks.
Nikon Z 6II
Photograph: Nikon
WIRED senior reviewer Scott Gilbertson crowned the Z 6II the best mirrorless camera for the legions of Nikon shooters. Sure, there are fancier models in Nikon’s lineup, but for the money, it’s hard to beat the excellent dynamic range from the 24-megapixel full-frame sensor, and the phase-detect autofocus system is one of the best he’s ever used.
Camera brands tend to inspire intense devotion or, at least, an acknowledgment that buying into one’s ecosystem often turns into an exercise of sunk costs. You’ve bought all the lenses that fit a certain brand’s frames, so you continue to buy that brand. For all the people who love to shoot Nikon, there are as many who love to shoot Canon, and the EOS-R was crowned best for Canon fans in our Best Mirrorless Cameras guide. This EOS R8 is a bit different, but it retains the characteristic slightly warmer hue common to Canons, fast phase-detect autofocus, and beautiful color contrast.
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