Ars-Technica
It’s time for another Dealmaster! Our latest roundup of the web’s best tech deals includes a new low price on 8BitDo’s Pro 2 Gamepad, which is up to $42.50 on Amazon. If you prefer to shop elsewhere, it is also available for 50 cents more at Best Buy. The wireless gamepad normally retails for $50, so it’s not a massive discount, but it’s the best price we’ve tracked.
We gave the Pro 2 a positive review when it launched last year, calling it “more useful, more comfortable and more customizable” Nintendo’s Switch Pro Controller despite costing $20 less. The controller works on Switch, PC, macOS, Android, iOS, and Raspberry Pi devices. Compared to Nintendo’s “Pro” pad, its biggest addition is two programmable rear buttons. these can take off some entries in faster, more competitive games are more convenient since you won’t have to physically move your hands as much as you normally would. The controller is well-built and comfortable, with large face buttons, joysticks with a satisfying level of tension, and even weight balance. Unlike the Pro Controller, the Pro 2 also has analog triggers; this means that they will respond to different levels of pressure, which can be useful, for example, for gradually accelerating in a racing game, instead of always going full throttle. The D-pad is a bit firmer than what you’d find on a PS5 or Xbox controller, as it looks like the old Super Nintendo pad, but the presses are crisp and distinct, so it works well for 2D rigs or old school puzzlers love Tetris. 8BitDo also has a pretty comprehensive companion app that lets you remap inputs, create and assign macros, and adjust joystick and trigger sensitivity. These and other settings can be saved to three separate profiles.
The Pro 2 does not work with PlayStation or Xbox consoles. On Switch, it lacks conveniences like an NFC reader for Amiibo support and the ability to wake the console from sleep mode. The Switch Pro controller also boasts better battery life, lasting around 40 hours compared to the Pro 2’s 20 hours, although the latter is by no means mediocre. Still, if you want a feature-rich controller that you’ll use across platforms, the Pro 2 is a solid choice, and that price only amplifies its value.
If you’d rather use a mouse and keyboard instead of a gamepad, our roundup includes the best price we’ve tracked for Razer’s Viper Ultimate, which fell to $52. We previously named it the best wireless gaming mouse you can buy, and despite being a few years old now, it’s an exceptionally lightweight (74g) and responsive option for competitive FPS gaming and daily work. It’s not the most premium thing – Razer Synapse app can be a pain at times – and it charges via microUSB instead of USB-C, but it’s equally left-handed and right-handed friendly. It also lets you save settings changes to the mouse, and its included cable is very flexible. It normally retailed for around $90 for the past few months, but this deal is more accessible to anyone looking for a capable gaming mouse. If you don’t like the relatively low profile of the Viper Ultimate, Razer’s Basilisk Ultimate is a good alternative that also for salebut for $19 more at the time of this writing.
Beyond that, we also have great deals on Apple’s latest iPad Air, recommended Bluetooth speakers and charging equipment of Anker, the popular card drafting board game 7 Wondersour Video Game of the Year 2021, and much more. You can check out our full recap below.
Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post via affiliate programs.
Featured offers of the day
- 8BitDo Pro 2 wireless game controller for Switch/PC for $43 (
$50) at Amazon, best buy - Razer Viper Ultimate wireless gaming mouse for $52 (
$90) at Amazon, best buy, GameStop - 7 Wonders board game for $29 (
$41) at Amazon, Target - Psychonauts 2 (Xbox, PC) for $36 (
$50) at Xbox, Humble (also on Game Pass) - Apple iPad Air (2022) 10.9 inch tablet for $560 (
$599) at Amazon - Apple Smart Keyboard Folio for iPad Pro 11 inch + iPad Air for $100 (
$160) at Amazon, walmart - Nintendo Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda for $43 (
$50) at Amazon, GameStop - Anker Soundcore Motion+ portable bluetooth speaker for $84 (
$106) at new egg (use code: MKTCV8T24) - Anker PowerPort Band 3 USB power strip (5ft, 3x AC, 3x USB-A, 18W total USB output) for $13 (
$24) at Amazon (use code: ANK9131M2) - In stock: Microsoft Xbox Series X +Extra Xbox Wireless Controller+ Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (Xbox) for $574 (
$580) at Microsoft

Sam Mashkovech
Electronic offers
- 8BitDo Pro 2 wireless game controller for Switch/PC for $43 (
$50) at Amazon, best buy - Apple iPad Air (2022) 10.9 inch tablet for $560 (
$599) at Amazon - Anker Soundcore Motion+ portable bluetooth speaker for $84 (
$106) at new egg (use code: MKTCV8T24) - Nintendo Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda for $43 (
$50) at Amazon, GameStop - LG C1 (2021) 55-inch 4K OLED TV for $1,197 (
$1,355) at Amazon, walmart, Target, best buy - Hisense U7G (2021) 55 inch 4K LED TV for $553 (
$645) at eBay (use code: SHOPTECH15) - Samsung QN90A (2021) 85 inch 4K LED TV for $3,000 (
$3,350) at Samsung, Amazon, best buy

Jeff Dunn

Samuel Axone
Deals on laptops and desktops
- Samsung 970 Evo Plus (500 GB NVMe) internal PCIe 3.0 SSD for $60 (
$69) at Amazon - WD elements (14 TB) desktop hard drive for $260 (
$310) at new egg (use code: 93XSR77) - AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 6-core/12-thread desktop processor for $229 (
$285) at Amazon, walmart - LG 34GN850-B 34 inch curved gaming monitor (3440×1440, IPS, 160Hz, FreeSync, G-Sync compatible) for $750 (
$990) at Adorama (returned to basket) - Gigabyte G34WQC 34 inch curved gaming monitor (3440×1440, 144Hz, VA, FreeSync) for $390 (
$420) at Amazon, best buy - Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga 13.5 inch 2-in-1 Laptop (Core i7-1160G7, 2256×1504, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) for $1,189 (
$1,500) at Lenovo (use code: TITANOFFER)

Jeff Dunn
Video Game Deals
- Kirby and the Forgotten Land (Switch) for $55 (
$60) at Amazon, walmart (returned to basket) - Inside (Switch) for $3 (
$15) at Nintendo Online Store ($5 at GOG, Epic) - Axiom Edge (Switch, PC) for $6 (
$15) at Nintendo Online Store, Epic - Psychonauts 2 (Xbox, PC) for $36 (
$50) at Xbox, Humble (also on Game Pass) - It takes two (Xbox, PS4, PC) for $16 (
$25) at Amazon, Xbox, NHP (also on Game Pass) - Mass Effect Legendary Edition (Xbox, PS4, PC) for $25 (
$35) at Target, Xbox, NHP (also on Game Pass) - The Yakuza Remastered Collection (PS4) for $16 (
$25) at NHP - Metal Gear Solid V: The Definitive Experience (PS4) for $4 (
$15) at NHP - judgment lost (PS5) for $27 (
$35) at Amazon - Final Fantasy VIII Remastered (PC, PS4) for $10 (
$15) at Humble, NHP - Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (PC, Xbox, PS4) for $10 (
$20) at Amazon, Xbox, NHP, Epic (also on Game Pass)
- Disco Elysium – The Final Cut (PC) for $14 (
$30) at GOG, To smoke - Registration (PC) for $14 (
$19) at GOG, Humble, Epic - The gate of death (PC, PS5, PS4) for $14 (
$19) at GOG, Humble, Epic, NHP (also on Game Pass) - The messenger (PC) for $8 (
$15) at GOG, Humble, Epic - Control: Ultimate Edition (PC) for $12 (
$20) at GOG, Epic - monkey outside (PC) for $5 (
$10) at GOG, Humble, Epic - loop hero (PC) for $7 (
$12) at GOG, Humble, Epic - underworld (PC) for $16 (
$20) at Epic (also on Game Pass) - Olja (PC) for $7 (
$12) at GOG, Humble, Epic (also on Game Pass) - Sable (PC) for $17 (
$22) at GOG, Epic (also on Game Pass) - Untitled Game of Goose (PC) for $10 (
$15) at Epic