The official Xbox wireless controller is down to $44 ($16 off)

A sudden gout attack dictated that my long holiday weekend was full of gaming. Between fraught journeys across the high seas in Skull and Bones, I scratched my competitive itch with several rounds of Tekken 8 and Madden NFL 24. However, my game time was interrupted by a few too many dropped combos and misfires due to worsening button responsiveness in my controller.

It would have felt good to exhaust my frustration by chucking the controller right through my TV, but a much less expensive (and less alarming) solution would have been to replace it with one of the official Xbox wireless controllers currently on sale. Amazon has core colors such as white, black, and red starting at $44 ($16 off). You can also pay $49 ($16 off) for blue, green, and pink. You can find similar prices at Best Buy and Target starting at $44.99 ($15 off).

If you’re an Xbox gamer, you already know why many of us swear by its controllers. We like the ergonomics afforded by their curvaceous shape, which comfortably accommodates many hand sizes. We also like the off-axis analog stick placement and the smooth traveling triggers, making it ideal for shooters. Xbox controllers don’t have as many parlor tricks as the PlayStation 5’s DualSense, but they’re well built, and in addition to their natural compatibility with Xbox consoles and Windows PCs, you can use the latest models with Bluetooth devices like your smartphone, tablet, and even an Apple TV. There’s one other unsung benefit — they take standard AA batteries (you can also buy rechargeable packs) that are user-replaceable and can last up to 40 hours.

It may be designed for streaming, but the Elgato Stream Deck MK. 2 should be on any PC power user’s radar, and Amazon has it in white for $129.99 ($20 off) right now, as does Best Buy. The Stream Deck has an array of 15 LED buttons that you can map to a huge variety of actions. Streamers can use it to quickly switch scenes, adjust compatible Elgato lights, manage audio, and play sound effects, for example. But there are hundreds of plug-ins from both Elgato and third-party developers that add miscellaneous functions covering just about every type of user. For instance, you can use it to control your Philips Hue lights, launch a predetermined list of browser tabs for work, or even connect it to your IFTTT account for one-touch web automation. 

You can make each button on the Stream Deck correspond to a specific action (or a chain of them) or nest multiple actions under any given button through a multilevel folder system. Some buttons can simply display pertinent information such as time, weather, and your PC’s usage statistics. You can also customize them to show any icon you want, even if it’s a GIF. The Stream Deck is just fun to tinker with, and I’d encourage anyone who is tired of clicking around their operating system to explore the countless ways it can enhance your workflow.

Five more deals worth a look

• Anker’s PowerHouse 521 portable power station is $179.99 ($20 off) at Amazon with on-page coupon or at Anker with coupon code WSCPDWMBFN. It’s just short of the all-time low but still a great price for something bearing two AC outlets, two USB-A ports, a USB-C port, and a car charging outlet. With a 256Wh capacity, it can fully charge most portable devices and power smaller appliances. (It’s rated for 300W with surge capacity up to 600W.) There’s also a built-in floodlight to help during power outages or night camping as well as an LED display to keep tabs on total capacity and current power draw.
• Now through the end of the day, Woot has the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K down to $22.99 ($27 off). Although we like the upgraded performance of the Max variant a little more, the original 4K Fire TV Stick still packs everything you need to stream movies and shows with Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, or HDR10 Plus, whether through Amazon Prime Video or any other free and premium streaming service you prefer. The device’s diminutive design makes it easy to hide behind the TV, and you can rely on the included Alexa remote to launch your favorite content using your voice or dedicated shortcuts for the most popular streaming apps.
• The iOttie Easy One Touch 5 car mount is $19.95 ($10 off) at Amazon. It uses suction that’s strong enough to stick to your windshield or dashboard. The universal holder fits any smartphone and requires squeezing just two buttons to release the side bars. There’s also a telescoping arm and a 260-degree horizontal range of motion to help you find the perfect angle to safely use your smartphone behind the wheel. There’s no Qi charging or any other fancy tricks, but it does its job well for a great price.
• If you need a solid webcam for work or streaming, the Logitech Brio 301 is a great place to start, now down to $44.85 (about $15 off) at Amazon. The 1080p webcam has a USB-C connector and integrates a physical privacy guard to ensure no one can see you in case it’s somehow enabled without your knowledge. There’s an integrated microphone and a 70-degree field of view, which is a touch narrower than the 90-degree range of the more capable Brio 500 but also means those who value privacy will have an easier time keeping portions of their background out of view.
• Today only, the iRobot Roomba i3 Plus Evo is $249.99 ($300 off) at Best Buy, which is an incredible value considering the i3 Evo is The Verge’s favorite budget robot vacuum. The i3 Evo is identical to the Plus version and starts at $349.99 but lacks the self-emptying charging base that you get here. It’s almost as adept at cleaning as the Roomba j7 thanks to dual rubber brushes and strong suction. And though it doesn’t have AI cleaning smarts, it can still map and remember your rooms and sensibly navigate them with great efficiency. The 419ml dust bin is on the middling side, but the base holds two months’ worth of waste to make up for it.