I’m a tech writer – these are the Prime Day deals you should be looking out for this year
Hello there. I’m a tech writer, and like all tech writers I spend most of my time lying flat on my back making snow angels in piles of high-end consumer electronics, like the woman on the American Beauty poster, except with old MP3 players and HDMI cables instead of rose petals.
As a tech writer, I’ve also developed a keen sense for a good deals and when they might appear. Given how expensive most new technology is, it’s especially important you feel confident that you’re paying a reasonable price for your new toys, and that what you’re buying is going to last longer than the time it takes to update the firmware.
Ahead of Prime Day on 12 and 13 July, our crack team of experts from all across IndyBest have already begun compiling Amazon Prime Day shopping guides on everything from home appliances and TVs to Apple products and Amazon devices. We’ve been covering Amazon Prime Day for years, we know all the tricks. Have pity on us.
For new Prime Day deals in the run up to the sales event you can check out our full guide to shopping for tech on Prime Day, but in this article I’m going to do something a little different. I’m sharing some of my personal recommendations and predictions about the gadgets and tech you might see on sale this summer.
These are all products I’ve either tested, that I already own, or that I plan to grab for myself if they crop up in the Prime Day fun. Feel free to add them to your wish list, so long as you whisper the words “thank you Steve” as you do.
Read more:
Echo show 5 (2nd generation): Was £74.99, now £44.99, Amazon.co.uk
The second generation Amazon Echo show 5 is confirmed for a discount this Amazon Prime Day, when Amazon says there’ll be “up to 60 per cent” off its own range of smart home speakers and displays. That includes this guy, as well as the Echo dot speakers, the Fire TV cube – which I’ve featured in our round-up of the best streaming devices – Blink cameras, Ring home security cameras, and the Fire 7 kids pro tablet.
If you’re feeling impatient and can’t wait for the sale to start, there’s already £30 off the Echo show 5 right now. The smart display acts as a kind of spaceship command console for your entire home, enabling video calls with friends and family, reminders for forgetful housemates, voice-activated music playback, hands-free cooking tips, smart light bulb controls. The lot.
iRobot Roomba j7+: £899.99, Amazon.co.uk
Roomba is to the robot vacuum cleaner what hoover was to the regular vacuum cleaner, a brand so successful that it became shorthand for the entire product category (see also: tannoy, jacuzzi, jet ski and frisbee). As well as being synonymous with the best robot vacuum cleaners, Roomba still leads the charge when it comes to designing and improving these automated helpers who pootle around and tidy up your home.
Read more: The best robot vacuum cleaners for effortless tidying
The latest model in the j7 range introduces features that make a big difference to how the wandering vacuum performs. Namely a feature I’ve been wanting since I first started using a Neato botvac D7 (£549.53, Amazon.co.uk): the ability to detect and avoid shoes. Robot vacuums seem to purposefully seek out dangling laces, like they’re some forbidden treat for robotkind. On many occasions I’ve come home to find my little friend beeping his heart out in the corner, all tied up and panicking in my Reeboks.
Well no more, promises the iRobot Roomba j7+. This guy will dodge shoelaces, avoid charging cables and even steer clear of dog poo, which older models would merrily spread all over your floors like the most pathetic robot uprising.
Robot vacuum cleaners cleaned up at last year’s Prime Day, so I expect we’ll see more discounts on Roomba and other brands.
Sony WH-1000XM4: £276.79, Amazon.co.uk
When it comes to predicting Amazon Prime Day tech deals, this one’s an easy win. Sony’s noise-cancelling headphones are among the very best wireless headphones you can buy, but they’ve very recently been superseded by a newer model, the WH-1000XM5.
Read more: Where to buy the Sony WH-1000XM5
This alone is enough to suggest that the older headphones might appear in the Prime Day sales, but Sony has also begun bundling a free pair of WH-1000XM4 with every new Sony Xperia 1 IV smartphone pre-ordered. When Google offered a similar deal with the Bose NC 700 (£259, Amazon.co.uk) and the Pixel 6, it created a supply of second-hand Bose headphones which drove down prices from £349 to £249.
Might we see the same thing happen to Sony’s excellent cans? I’m so confident that we will, that I promise to never use the word “cans” as a synonym for “headphones” again if I turn out to be wrong.
Samsung Galaxy watch 4: £249, Amazon.co.uk
This smart watch is ticking away on my wrist right now. The Samsung Galaxy watch 4 is a powerful and stylish wearable that pairs wonderfully with Android phones. Until Google launches its own long-awaited Pixel Watch later this year, Samsung’s watch remains the wearable of choice for tracking workouts and body composition, daily health monitoring and sleep tracking.
The advent of the Pixel watch is one big reason you should be looking out for a deal on the Samsung Galaxy watch 4 at Prime Day this year. Google’s Fitbit-powered Android watch will be Samsung’s biggest competitor at launches.
Read the full Samsung Galaxy watch 4 review
LG C1 4K OLED TV: £1,199, Amazon.co.uk
The price of every tech writer’s favourite television is in free-fall right now. As I write, the 55in LG C1 (£1,199, Amazon.co.uk) has £500 off at Amazon. A vivid 4K set with Dolby Vision HDR and rich, inky contrast, it has a 120Hz refresh rate and a 1ms response time that makes it the set of choice for gaming and entertainment. This is the set I recommend whenever anybody asks me which telly they should buy, and while so far I’ve had no complaints, the premium display has always hovered around the more spenny end of the market.
Read more: The best 4K TV deals in the UK for May
However, the inevitable onward march of progress – plus the introduction of the 2022 model, the LG C2 (£1,665, Amazon.co.uk) – has dragged this brilliant OLED display closer and closer to eventual obsolescence. The LG C1 is far from over the hill though, and it’s at last struck a balance between superb quality and great value.
Will Amazon Prime Day see the LG C1 drop much lower than this? I don’t think so, but keep today’s price in mind when the sales start. TV prices fluctuate wildly in the run up to Prime Day, and often what seems like a big discount is just an old offer rehashed. Over on our Amazon Prime Day TV deals guide you’ll find exactly this kind of killer insight and more.
Fitbit charge 5: £113.90, Amazon.co.uk
Always popular on Prime Day, this iconic fitness bracelet from Fitbit is almost certainly cruising towards an enticing discount at Amazon’s two-day sale. Last year we saw the Fitbit charge 4 (which appears in our list of the best fitness trackers) fall in price by up to 33 per cent.
With seven days of battery life, automatic workout tracking and swim-proof and sweat-proof water resistance, the wearable is designed to accompany you during even the most strenuous exercise routines. But all-day features such as round-the-clock heart rate monitoring, stress management and sleep scoring make this a watch you’ll want to wear outside the gym too.
Microsoft Surface pro 8: £849, Amazon.co.uk
The Surface pro 8 is an outstanding Windows tablet-laptop hybrid and – if you forced me to pick only one – my favourite Windows 11 device on the market. If you’re regularly hot desking, hybrid working, or travelling long distances to and from the office, this guy is your ideal workplace buddy.
It runs the full version of the Windows operating system, so unlike an iPad or an Android tablet you don’t have to fret about whether your preferred software or tools will be compatible – if it works on your desktop PC, it will just work here.
As a tablet, it’s a fast and zippy way to browse the web, chat online and watch videos. Plug in the keyboard cover accessory (sold separately, but essential if you want to get the most out of the Surface pro 8) and it becomes a productivity powerhouse that could comfortably replace your existing laptop.
Last year’s Amazon Prime Day saw a 25 per cent discount on the previous model, the Surface pro 7 (£634, Amazon.co.uk). This year’s sale should see some fresh deals on the latest version.
Read the full Microsoft Surface pro 8 review
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For the latest discounts on homewares and furniture, try the links below:
Read more on Amazon Prime Day 2022
Your ultimate guide to Amazon Prime Day 2022 – Expert insight on what to expect, how to get the best deals and confirmed dates
The best home and kitchen Prime Day deals to expect – We’re predicting huge savings across big-name brands such as Shark, Dyson, Nespresso and Philips
Your ultimate guide to tech Prime Day offers – Our experts share insight into the gadgets to watch, from tablets to headphones
The top gaming discounts to know this Amazon Prime Day – Any gaming heads will want to bookmark this guide, where we detail the best deals based on this year’s releases and last year’s top sellers
Best Amazon device deals to watch out for this Prime Day – The tech giant offers huge discounts on its own-brand devices, and we’ve got all the latest insight
Amazon Prime Day Nintendo Switch offers to expect – Following the release of the latest Switch OLED late last year, we share our predictions for this year’s sales event
The Prime Day Apple deals to know – Whether you’re in the market for a MacBook or a shiny new iPad, read our guide for all the details
The fitness deals to expect this Prime Day– From New Balance trainers to Sweaty Betty gym leggings and Nutribullets, here’s everything you need to kow
Best alcohol deals to shop this Amazon Prime Day – Whether you’re a vodka lover or whisky fanatic, we’re expecting some serious price cuts in the booze department
The top laptop discounts to know for Prime Day 2022 – We’re predicting some big savings on Dell, Lenovo, Surface and more
The best Amazon Prime Day TV deals to expect– The shopping bonanza is the perfect time to snap up a seriously discounted 4K or OLED telly
