By Bryant Chan
Amazon released its planned Black Friday deals, and we at SpecOut compiled some of the highlights. The sales on hundreds of items start as soon as Nov. 20, so you might be able to avoid the crowds this year and find the perfect gift from the comfort of your own home.
Pro tip: If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you’ll get access to some deals 30 minutes before they’re available to the public.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite – $99.99
The e-reader to end all e-readers, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite has a crisp display, stores over 1,000 books and allows you to look up word definitions without leaving your page. This is a great deal and gift for the people on your holiday list who still don’t have an e-reader.
Amazon Fire Kids Edition – $84.99
If you’re looking for something more kid-friendly, the Amazon Fire Kids Edition is a great way to distract the little ones on long road trips without spending considerably more for an iPad.
$15 off Amazon Fire TV Stick
Cut your cable and turn your TV into a smart TV for less. Normally priced at $40, the Amazon Fire TV Stick is a small gift that can change the way you’re enjoying your streaming services.
Up to 45% Off Select LG TVs
High-end LG TVs receive some of the best ratings for televisions on SpecOut, but often times their price can be prohibitive. With these major price cuts, it might be time to upgrade.
Samsung 32″ LED TV – $177.99
This isn’t a top-of-the-line TV, but it’s a quality product with great user reviews (4.5 out of 5 across over 100 reviews), at a low price. This 32″ option is ideal for a small bed room, or a college dorm room.
$49 off Sonos 2-Room Streaming Music Starter Set
Building out an entertainment system in your home is a daunting task, but this deal is a great place to start. Sonos is a leader in the multi-room speaker scene with all of its products receiving ratings over 95/100 points on SpecOut.
The 2 Room Starter set comes with two Sonos Play 1s that can be controlled via smartphone, tablet or computer.
40% off Polk Audio Omni S2 Wireless Speaker
If you’re not ready to take the multi-speaker plunge, the Polk Audio is a good solo-speaker deal. This gift is nicely discounted from $180, so consider giving it to a friend who loves movies or gaming, or treating yourself.
Jawbone UP3 – $99
If you’re looking to get fit in 2016, a Jawbone UP3 for under $100 is a steal. Normally priced at $180, the Jawbone UP 3 has a seven-day battery life, and is our highest-rated fitness tracker with a major Amazon Black Friday deal.
Over 50% off Sennheiser HD 598
The Sennheiser brand claims the top-rated spots for headphones on SpecOut. With positive reviews from both experts and users (4.5 from PC Mag and 4.4 from Head-Fi), it’s hard to pass up high-quality sound at this deal’s cost. This is the must-buy for music lovers in the market for new headphones.
Up to 40% Off Select Acer Computers, Monitors and Tablets
We like this deal because it’s made for the price-conscience consumer (ie., not just a marked-down luxury item).
Acer Chromebooks are already cost-effective and highly rated, making this deal an ideal bang-for-buck winner. Additionally, it might be a good time to get a second monitor for your desktop or an external monitor for your laptop.
$50 Off XBox One and Bundles
Game console prices are usually pretty consistent from retailer to retailer, so when we see a substantial drop like this, it requires a mention. Treat yourself, or a loved one, to incredible graphics and the comprehensive game library that comes with the Xbox One — for almost half the original launch price.
$50 Off PS4 Uncharted Bundle
Similar to the XBOX One, the PS4 is getting a price drop, as well. It’s hard to pass up the best-selling console of its generation, with the Uncharted series of games, for only $300.
Up to $200 Off Select Dyson Vaccums
Dyson dominates our rankings for vacuum cleaners, and frankly makes vacuuming a breeze. Most of its high-end models range from $300 to $500, so savings of up to $200 is quite a bargain.
