Black Friday 2025: The wise ways to buy earbuds, streaming and consoles without buyer’s remorse

Discount fever has arrived: AirPods Pro 2 dropped to $139, Sling TV day passes fell to $1, and PS5 bundles hit sub-$450 prices during the Black Friday window. If you want one smart buy instead of 10 impulsive ones, here are the offers worth chasing - and the traps you should avoid.

Retailers rolled out aggressive short-term price cuts for tech and subscriptions across Thanksgiving weekend, and many of the best deals run through December 1 or November 30 depending on the retailer. That means you have to act fast, but not blindly; some discounts are new lows, others are recycled markdowns that look urgent but will repeat in January.

Headphones and earbuds: where the real bargains live

This guide walks through the standouts - audio, gaming and streaming - with specific prices, what you actually get for your money, and a quick checklist to prevent buyer’s remorse. I tested usability cues, read retailer fine print, and cross-checked published price histories so you can decide in minutes rather than fretting for weeks.

AirPods Pro 2 hit a record-low $139 at Walmart during the Black Friday window, down from their usual $249, and Engadget called it “the lowest price we’ve ever seen” for that model (see Walmart deal). That $110 shave nets you Apple’s H2 chip, solid ANC, and a wireless-charging case with roughly 30 total hours of listening; battery life with ANC runs around six hours per charge according to product testing.

Streaming subscriptions and single-day passes: pay for nights you actually watch

If you want newer hardware, the AirPods Pro 3 are also discounted around their best post-launch prices, but the Pro 2 remains the best value for iPhone users who want the Apple ecosystem experience without the newest features like onboard heart-rate sensing. The Verge’s Black Friday roundup noted multiple premium headphones - Sony, Bose, Apple - at “their lowest prices to date,” which means you can expect significant savings on flagship models if sound quality is your priority.

Budget buyers should not skip last-gen or alternative-brand offers. Nothing’s Ear (a) and Anker’s Soundcore models dropped to all-time or near-all-time lows, often under $100, while Bose’s last-gen QuietComfort Ultras were $130 off in some listings. Consider warranty terms and return windows: many retailers extended holiday return periods to late January, which effectively reduces risk if you buy and then test at home.

Gaming consoles and accessories: buy what you’ll actually use

Streaming promos this season favor time-limited subscriptions and day passes. HBO Max offered a one-year ad-supported plan for $36 - $3 per month - through December 1, down from the $11 monthly Basic With Ads price. That gives two-device HD streaming and access to HBO originals, Warner Bros. releases and Discovery content, but 4K and more simultaneous streams remain behind pricier tiers.

Sling TV’s Orange Day Pass dropped to $1 through November 30, giving 24-hour access to 34 channels including ESPN channels, TNT and TBS. Engadget highlighted Sling’s flexibility: day passes prorate add-on channels, so you can tune in for a game without committing to a month. One caveat: Sling Blue (which carries FS1 and NFL Network) is not available as a day pass, so check channel lineups before you buy.

Bundles can be the best deal if you use them. Disney+ and Hulu (with ads) bundled for roughly $5 per month for a year in this sales window, a steep cut from the typical $13 monthly cost. But remember the math: if you rarely watch, even deep discounts add up to wasted subscription fees over 12 months. Use a single fast watch-night pass or short-term trial to cover event TV and then cancel.

How to choose, what to check, and avoid the hype trap

Gaming consoles and accessories: buy what you’ll actually use

Sony’s PS5 models dipped about $100 in some listings - the standard PS5 for $449 and the Digital Edition at $399 - matching the lowest prices we’ve seen since Sony adjusted its MSRPs earlier this year. If you target bundles, look for ones that include a game you would buy anyway; some retailers offered PS5 + NBA 2K26 bundles with only a small premium.

Peripherals also saw meaningful discounts. The DualSense controller fell to about $55, and the premium DualSense Edge reached roughly $169. If you play competitively or split-screen often, spare controllers make sense; casual players can skip the Edge and save double.

Storage for the Nintendo Switch 2 mattered this season because the console requires microSD Express cards. Samsung’s 512GB P9 Express ran about $75, a new low for that format and a practical buy if your library fills quickly. Always verify the microSD model compatibility with the console you own before purchase.

• Bose, Sony, and Apple headphones are cheaper than ever for Black Friday - The Verge, 2025-11-28

• Black Friday subscription and streaming deals include discounts on Apple TV+, HBO Max, Disney+ and more - Engadget, 2025-11-28

• Black Friday streaming deals include Sling Orange Day Passes for only $1 each - Engadget, 2025-11-28

• The best Black Friday gaming deals for 2025: Save on PS5 consoles, Nintendo Switch games, handhelds and more - Engadget, 2025-11-28