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You may have already seen Engadget posting reviews from our friends at The Wirecutter. Now, from time to time, we'll also be publishing their recommended deals on some of their top picks. Read on, and strike while the iron is hot -- some of these sales could expire mighty soon.
Monoprice Premium 5.1-Ch. Home Theater System
Street price: $220; MSRP: $360; Deal price: $171
This is the best price we've seen on this budget surround-sound system from Monoprice. While it's currently $185 from the Monoprice store, that doesn't include the $40 shipping that they add on to the total cost. At $171, this is the best price we've seen by nearly $50, and it makes our budget pick even more affordable.
The Monoprice Premium 5.1-Ch. Home Theater System 10565 is our budget pick in our guide to the best budget surround-sound speaker system. Dennis Burger wrote, "Given that the Monoprice Premium 5.1-Ch. Home Theater System 10565 sounds (and even looks) like the Energy Take Classic 5.1 system in most respects, and sells for about $115 less, it's a no-brainer as our low-priced alternative. In fact, during our blind listening panel, we were split in our preference for the sound of the Monoprice and Energy systems. The Monoprice system may not be quite as neutral and natural-sounding, but its subwoofer plays a little deeper and voices are a bit more pronounced. And although it may not win any awards for its looks, the system is compact enough that it won't detract from most décor."
Samsung Gear 360 Camera
Street price: $300; MSRP: $350; Deal price: $260
We've seen this Samsung Gear 360 drop down to $300 from $350, and January continues the trend of the price gradually dropping down to a new low of $260. It's unclear whether or not this sub-$300 price will begin to be the new street price, but as of now, $260 is the best price we've seen and a nice $40 drop from the usual street price.
The Samsung Gear 360 is our Samsung owners pick in our guide to the best 360 degree camera. Jeff Carlson wrote, "The Samsung Gear 360 would have been our top pick if not for its limited compatibility—it works with only a handful of recent Samsung phones. The Gear 360 offers better image resolution than the Ricoh Theta S in a compact two-lens design that lets you change settings and shooting modes directly without a connected smartphone. A removable battery and memory mean you can swap in spares as needed, and the included tripod/handgrip is useful and well-designed."
Pioneer SP-BS22-LR Bookshelf Speakers
Street price: $120; MSRP: $130; Deal price: $90
These speakers drop in price a few times each year, bouncing back up to between $120 and $130 each time. This deal is a bit different as it a Prime exclusive, so only Prime members (or those on a free trial) would qualify for the $90 pricing. Even so, this deal price (if you qualify) matches the best we've seen in the last year.
The Pioneer SP-BS22-LR Bookshelf Speakers are our budget pick for the best bookshelf speakers. Chris Heinonen said, "These speakers were part of Andrew Jones' last series at Pioneer and sounded better than any of the other under-$200 speakers we tried. But our listening panel said they sounded less detailed compared to speakers in the $300+ range. They're good for the money, but we recommend you upgrade if you can afford to."
Refurbished Arris SURFboard SB6183
Street price: $90 (new); MSRP: $100 (new); Deal price: $50
This is a nice price for this refurb cable modem and matches the previous low we've seen for it. There's an included 90 day warranty.
The Arris SURFboard 6183 is our top pick in our best cable modem guide. Patrick Austin and David Murphy write, "After researching nearly 100 cable modems over the past three years, we recommend the Arris SURFboard SB6183 for most people. It's compatible with all the major cable ISPs in the US—including Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox, and Charter—and it supports the Internet speeds available to the vast majority of Americans. Our pick is popular and reliable, and it gives you the most flexibility for switching providers if you move somewhere else (or if you're lucky enough to have multiple ISPs to choose from)."
Deals change all the time, and some of these may have expired. To see an updated list of current deals, please go to The Wirecutter.com.