Science

October Prime Day is coming. Here are the best early deals to shop now.

October 2, 20240

UPDATE: Oct. 2, 2024, 5:43 p.m. EDT This story has been updated with the latest information about Prime Big Deal Days, plus new deals on Fire tablets, Apple iPads, and a laptop.

The best early Prime Big Deal Days deals at a glance:
Best Apple Deal

Apple iPad, 10.2-inch (A13 Bionic, WiFi, 64GB)

$224 at Amazon
(save $105)



Best Amazon Echo Deal

Amazon Echo Show 5

$49.99 at Amazon
(save $40)



Best laptop deal

Acer Swift X 14 (Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD)

$1,099.99 at Amazon
(save $400)



Best headphone deal

Apple AirPods Max

$429 at Amazon
(save $120)



Best Bluetooth speaker deal

JBL PartyBox On-The-Go Speaker

$299.95 at Amazon
(save $50)



Best TV deal

Amazon 50-inch 4-Series 4K Fire TV

$279.99 at Amazon
(save $170)



Best streaming deal

Amazon Fire Stick 4K

$24.99 at Amazon
(save $25)



Best robot vacuum deal

iRobot Roomba j7+

$399.99 at Amazon
(save $133.81)



Best fitness tracker deal

Fitbit Sense

$177 at Amazon
(save $72.95)



Best home security deal

Google Nest Doorbell (battery)

$99.99 at Amazon
(save $80)



Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days event is back. Scheduled a little under three months after the retail giant’s flagship summer Prime Day sale, this 48-hour “October Prime Day” will present shoppers with an opportunity to get an extra-early start on their holiday shopping before the chaos of Black Friday.

Amazon started rolling out early Prime Big Deal Days doorbusters in mid-September, and we’ll be keeping track of them right here in the lead-up to its official start.

When is October Prime Day?

Prime Big Deal Days will run from Tuesday, Oct. 8 (starting at 3 a.m. ET) through Wednesday, Oct. 9 this year. Many of the sale’s best deals won’t go live until that exact start time, but again, certain doorbusters are up for grabs already — they’re basically appetizers for the main event.

What kind of deals can you find this year?

If you shopped Amazon’s main Prime Day sale this past July, you already know what to expect during the fall iteration: two full days of deals on products sitewide, including smart home devices, TVs, laptops, tablets, robot vacuums, headphones, and fitness trackers. So far, highlights include up to 58% off Echo devices, four free months of Amazon Music Unlimited (three if you’re a nonmember), and $10 off one GrubHub order of $15+ with the coupon code PRIME10.

As Prime Big Deal Days gets closer, we’re keeping an especially close eye on gadgets from Amazon’s Echo, Fire, and Kindle brands, as well as tech from big-leaguers like Apple, iRobot, and Samsung. Based on our experience covering past Prime events, we predict that many of their products will fall to new or year-round lows during the sale.

As a reminder, you don’t need to buy something just because it’s on sale. For more tips on how to shop smart, check out Mashable’s guides to finding the best deals and what not to buy.

Best Apple deal

Credit: Apple


Apple iPad, 10.2-inch (A13 Bionic, WiFi, 64GB)

$224.00
at Amazon

$329.00
Save $105.00



Why we like it

The 9th-generation iPad is down to $224, back up from its lowest price ever of $199 in late September. Even with this recent price increase, it’s still the most affordable iPad out there.

This tablet comes with the A13 Bionic chip, a powerful processor that lets you stream, browse the internet, and even game. Normally $329, the sweet price of $224 saves you $105 for 32% off. While we hope that once Prime Big Deals Day swings back around, so will its lowest price ever, but there’s no guarantee.

More Apple deals

iPads

MacBooks

AirPods

AirTags and accessories

Best Amazon device deal

Credit: Amazon


Amazon Echo Show 5

$49.99
at Amazon

$89.99
Save $40.00



Why we like it

The Amazon Echo Show 5 works as a smart home hub that’s more than just a speaker. It displays music, recipes, and even video calls with its built-in camera. While we normally prefer the Echo Show 8 over the 5, ahead of Prime Big Deal Days, we’re thoroughly pleased with the $40 discount on the Echo Show 5.

Score the Amazon Echo Show 5 for just $49.99, taking 44% off.

More Amazon device deals

Echo smart speakers and displays

Fire tablets

Eero WiFi devices

Best laptop deal

For deals on MacBooks, scroll back up to the “Apple deals” section.

Credit: Acer


Acer Swift X 14 (Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD)

$1,099.99
at Amazon

$1,499.99
Save $400.00



Why we like it

Read Mashable’s full review of the Acer Swift X 14.

“The Intel Core Ultra 7-powered Acer Swift X 14 is our top Windows laptop for photo and video editing, nabbing a 4.5/5 rating from Tech Editor Kim Gedeon (and a Mashable Choice Award) for its stellar performance, decent battery life, good build quality, and beautiful OLED display. “The Acer Swift X 14 may not be the most exciting laptop, but behind its boring exterior is a powerful set of internals that will handle your creative workloads like The Hulk,” she wrote. This variant features downgraded Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics — our loaner had an RTX 4070 GPU — and 16GB of memory instead of 32GB, but should still be plenty powerful for most users.

Normally $1,499.99, Amazon has it on sale for just $1,099.99 — a 27% savings and a record low. Meanwhile, it’s still full price on the Acer website.” — Haley Henschel, Senior Shopping Reporter

Best headphones deal

Credit: Apple


Apple AirPods Max

$429.00
at Amazon

$549.00
Save $120.00



Why we like it

“AirPods Max are stylish headphones with easy connectivity to boot. Just like the rest of the AirPods collection, the AirPods Max connect to iOS devices just by turning them on, plus you don’t need an auxiliary app to control them. While AirPods Max aren’t in our round-up of best headphones, we’ll still sing their merits as they possess excellent audio quality and good battery life.

A big hang-up we have with the AirPods Max is their price tag because at $549, you can find headphones of the same quality for far cheaper. However, when the AirPods Max are on sale, we’re all in. Ahead of Prime Big Deal Days, you can get the AirPods Max for $429, saving $120 for 22% off. This is just $50 short of their lowest price ever.” — Samantha Mangino, Shopping Reporter

More headphones deals

Headphones

Earbuds

Best Bluetooth speaker deal

Credit: JBL


JBL PartyBox On-The-Go Speaker

$299.95
at Amazon

$349.95
Save $50.00



Why we like it

“Maybe your Bluetooth speaker kicked the dust this summer after one too many pool parties. If you find yourself in the market for a new one, Prime Day is an especially great time to hit add to cart.

If you need a speaker for a party, the JBL PartyBox is just that. Despite its large size, the shoulder strap makes it easy to carry. Plus, six hours of battery life keeps it running all night long. Built-in lights and a microphone really keep things turning up all night long.

Ahead of Prime Day, you can find the JBL PartyBox down to $299.95, saving $50 for 14% off.” — Samantha Mangino, Shopping Reporter

More Bluetooth speaker deals

Soundbar deals

Best TV deal

Credit: Amazon


Amazon 50-inch 4-Series 4K Fire TV

$279.99
at Amazon

$499.99
Save $220.00



Why we like it

Who says you need to spend a grand to get a nice (and decently sized) 4K TV? With the early 35% discount that Amazon slapped on the 55-inch version of its most affordable Fire TV, Prime members could actually get one for two different rooms for way less than $1,000.

As Amazon’s most basic in-house Fire TV, the 4-Series would be best suited for people who aren’t super picky about saturation or brightness levels as long as it’s a step up from their old LED TV — and this definitely will be. With the intuitive Fire TV platform built-in, the 4-Series can access all of your favorite streaming apps, which you can arrange in whatever layout makes sense to you.

More TV deals

Best streaming deal

Credit: Amazon


Amazon Fire Stick 4K

$24.99
at Amazon

$49.99
Save $25.00



Why we like it

Is the Amazon Fire Stick 4K the best streamer we’ve ever tested? No, Roku takes the cake there. However, it still works perfectly fine, and not to mention, it’s hard to turn away from its delightful $30 price tag ahead of Prime Day. Having tested the Amazon Fire Stick TV, set-up is easy, as simple as plugging it into an HDMI port in the back of your TV.

While the home screen is a little clunky and slow, full of ads and promotions for Prime Video content, it is a dream for those who primarily stream on the site. The Amazon Fire Stick 4K is down to $24.99, saving you $25 and 50% off.

More streaming deals

Best gaming deal

Credit: Nintendo


Nintendo Switch Lite (Gray)

$170.52
at Amazon

$199.99
Save $29.47



Why we like it

“The Nintendo Switch Lite (Gray) is $179.99 at Amazon right now. It might go down in price during Prime Day, but its record-low is $196.80, and that was back in February 2022, so this deal (even at just $20 off) is still worth considering. If you want to save even more, you can buy a renewed model for $165.

The Nintendo Switch Lite is a portable version of the original Nintendo Switch. You can play classic games like Super Mario Bros and Zelda on the go and purchase and download other Switch games straight to the console.

If you prefer gaming on a TV, the Nintendo Switch is $264.97, down from $299.99. That’s not a massive discount, but it’s a decent price for a new Nintendo Switch.” — Tabitha Britt, Mashable Shopping Contributor

More gaming deals

Best drone deal

Credit: Holy Stone


Holy Stone GPS drone HS175D RC Quadcopter

$134.49
at Amazon

$229.99
Save $95.50



Why we like it

“If you’re really into drones, the name Holy Stone should be on your radar. This brand is known for making high-end drones that are feature-packed and, at times, super affordable.

The Holy Stone GPS drone HS175D RC Quadcopter is currently $134.49 at Amazon, which is $85.50 off the listing price. It’s a solid mid-range drone option that shoots 4K videos, has a 46-minute flight time, and a special flight mode where you can direct its movement — whether you want it to follow you or fly along a specific path.” — Tabitha Britt, Mashable Shopping Contributor

More drone deals

Best robot vacuum deal

Credit: iRobot


iRobot Roomba j7+

$399.99
at Amazon

$533.80
Save $133.81



Why we like it

While the gold standard of robot vacuums is the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+, but every Roomba has its merits, including the j7+. Having tested the j7+ combo, we appreciated its advanced mapping skills and obstacle detection. While it doesn’t have mopping, it does a good job sweeping floors for a thorough clean.

Ahead of October’s Prime Big Deal Days, get the iRobot Roomba Combo j7+ for just $399.99, knocking $133.81 off the prize for 25% savings.

More robot vacuum deals

More vacuum deals

More home deals

Best fitness tracker deal

Credit: Fitbit


Fitbit Sense

$177.00
at Amazon

$249.95
Save $72.95



Why we like it

The Fitbit Sense is ideal for wellness-focused users. The EDA Scan app detects electrodermal activity (AKA a stress meter), the ECG app, which is only available in certain countries and intended for people who are 22 or older, checks heart rhythm for signs of atrial fibrillation, and the built-in GPS lets you track your runs without your phone.

The battery lasts six days on a full charge, and the fast-charge function gives you a full day’s worth of use after just 12 minutes of charging (up to 12 hours with GPS mode on).

More Fitbit deals

More fitness tracker deals

Best kitchen deal

Credit: Ninja


Ninja Foodi Pro 11-in-1 pressure cooker (6.5-quart)

$149.99
at Amazon

$199.99
Save $50.00



Why we like it

When it comes to pressure cookers, the Ninja Foodi Pro is one of the best (if not the best). The 11-in-1 multicooker is basically all of your kitchen appliances wrapped up into one magical device. It can pressure cook, steam, slow cook, air fry, sous vide, roast, sauté, broil, dehydrate, keep foods warm, and make yogurt. It’s also dishwasher safe and large enough to fit a five-pound chicken or three pounds of fries. Regularly retailing for $200, you can score it on sale ahead of October’s Prime Day for just $149.99. That’s 24% in savings or $50.

More kitchen deals

Air fryer deals

Blender deals

Coffee maker deals

Multicooker deals

Stand mixer deals

Best book deal

Credit: Avery


‘Atomic Habits’ by James Clear

$13.79
at Amazon

$27.00
Save $13.21



Why we like it

“If you’re not into self-help books, James Clear’s Atomic Habits might not be on your radar. But this is one of the best nonfiction titles to come out within the past few years, and it’s currently 49% off in hardcover.

This book is all about teaching yourself to build good habits, break bad ones, and generally become more focused, productive, and successful in your daily life. And at just $13.79 for the hardcover, it’s a steal.” — Tabitha Britt, Mashable Shopping Contributor

More book deals

Best home security deal

Credit: Google


Google Nest Doorbell (battery)

$99.99
at Amazon

$179.99
Save $80.00



Why we like it

If your home security system could use an upgrade, the Google Nest Doorbell might be the perfect addition. With the free Google Home app you’ll be able to view live HD footage or HDR night vision, checking in on any happenings in your yard or front driveway. Talk and listen to visitors through the app as well. The battery-powered doorbell can work on any door with easy installation. To score the sale price of $99.99, grab the Google Nest Doorbell in the Snow colorway and save 44% off the normal price of $179.99.

More home security deals

Best printer deal

Credit: HP


HP ENVY 6055e

$79.99
at Amazon

$129.99
Save $50.00



Why we like it

The HP ENVY 6055e wireless color inkjet printer can print quickly, going through five pages a minute in color, and eight and a half pages in black and white. It also comes with three months’ worth of ink through HP+. You just have to activate your subscription to get it — it’s pretty easy to do through the app. This compact printer is ideal for at-home printing or dorm room use.

Ahead of Prime Day, you can find it for 38% off. It’s down to $79.99, saving you $50.

More printer deals

Best Samsung Galaxy deal

Credit: Samsung


Samsung Galaxy A35 (Unlocked, 128GB)

$313.99
at Amazon

$399.99
Save $86.00



Why we like it

Samsung’s Galaxy A35 is a ‘strong buy for the price,’ as our friends at PCMag (also owned by Ziff Davis) said in their review. The budget-friendly Galaxy phone was released as a more affordable alternative to the Galaxy S24. As a budget phone, it doesn’t offer the same speed and performance as the S24, but it also doesn’t cost over $1,000. It packs a gorgeous 6.6-inch display, Samsung’s Exynos 1380 processor, a 50 MP wide-angle camera with optical image stabilization, and a long-lasting 5,000mAh battery that supports fast charging. It’s not the most impressive phone on the market, but on sale for just $313.99, it’s a pretty hard deal to beat. That’s 22% in savings.” — Christina Buff, Mashable Shopping Contributor

More Samsung Galaxy deals

Galaxy Book deals

Galaxy Buds deals

Galaxy phone deals

Galaxy Tab deals

Galaxy Watch deals

https://mashable.com/article/october-prime-day-2024