Apple Prices Just Dropped to Their Lowest of the Year — Before Prime Day
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Amazon just announced Prime Day 2025 will run for four days instead of the usual two, from Tuesday, July 8 through Friday, July 11.
Amazon has already slashed prices on a handful of Apple products to their lowest prices of the year.
Some of the best deals we've found so far: a record-low price on the and a 32% discount on the Good Housekeeping Institute-tested .
If you've been waiting to save before purchasing new Apple Airpods or upgrade your Apple Watch, the time is now. Not only did Amazon just unveil all of the details about Prime Day 2025, but the retailer managed to surprise us by releasing some of the lowest prices of the year on Apple tech ahead of the blockbuster event.
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For the first time ever, Prime Day is expanding from two to four days this year. The super-sized sale kicks off on Tuesday, July 8 and runs through Friday, July 11. Our team of shopping editors keeps a close eye on Apple deals, so we know which sales are worth it... and which you can hold out on.
As Prime Day gets closer, we'll keep you updated on the best Apple deals to shop on Amazon.
Expert favorite deal: 25% off the Apple Watch Series 10, making Apple's latest wearable the lowest price it's ever been.$169.00 at amazon.com$299.00 at amazon.com$779.00 at amazon.com
Expert favorite deal: Second generation AirPods Pro, the Good Housekeeping Institute's top-tested pick, are 32% off.$99.00 at amazon.com$169.00 at amazon.com$479.99 at amazon.com
Expert favorite deal: $100 off the travel-friendly iPad Mini.$299.00 at amazon.com$499.00 at amazon.com$489.00 at amazon.com$1099.00 at amazon.com
Expert favorite deal: $170 price cut on the 2024 MacBook Pro.$849.00 at amazon.com$1429.00 at amazon.com$1194.00 at amazon.com$24.99 at amazon.com$199.00 at amazon.com$29.99 at amazon.com$49.98 at amazon.com$74.99 at amazon.com$99.00 at amazon.com
You bet! Amazon Prime Day is historically one of the best times of year to buy Apple products, since the brand so rarely hosts sales of its own. Last year, both July and October Prime Day brought record-low prices to a select few products tested by our tech experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute — and we expect more of the same when the sale kicks off on July 8, 2025.
While we predict Apple prices will dip lower once Prime Day officially begins, these pre-Prime Day discounts offer a sneak peek into the caliber of deals we can expect during the four-day event. Deals like this are likely to sell out during the official sale, so it's not a bad idea to shop now while prices are already at their lowest ever.
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Conversely, you can also use the player's built-in speaker to play audio from other sources via the device's AUX input or a wireless Bluetooth connection. For people looking for an even cheaper all-in-one unit, the Victrola Eastwood II is also worth mentioning. It's often sold for $99, has a smaller footprint, and a sleek appearance. But while it costs half the price, the sound is about half as good as the One-Q. Best midrange Fluance's RT81+ is a great choice for people looking to upgrade from an entry-level turntable. It's my top midrange pick for the best record player under $500. This model costs about $300, has a solid wood construction, and uses premium components, which breathe life and sparkling clarity into that trademark analog sound that vinyl lovers crave. Beyond the solid body, the RT81+ uses three adjustable rubber feet to help isolate the sound from vibrations. A 3mm acrylic mat also helps create a better sonic experience with less static than felt. This unit has a precision and quality that you can feel and hear. Its deep, resonant playback is impressive for its price point. The RT81+ also includes a selectable preamp in case you aren't quite ready to invest in a separate unit. And if you ever do want to buy a dedicated preamp, you can simply add one to your audio chain and deactivate this function. However, the player only supports wired playback, so there is no Bluetooth option. It's a small feature, but I also appreciate the player's ability to automatically stop a record once the music has finished. This isn't a fully automatic player, so it won't move the tonearm back to its starting place, but you can have it stop spinning when side A has come to an end. Best for enthusiasts The Pro-Ject Debut EVO 2 is a worthy consideration for music enthusiasts who want a premium record player. This turntable drips cool with its ultra-modern, clean-cut design. It's also available in several tempting satin color options. On the music side, the EVO 2 features a custom Pick it MM EVO cartridge made in partnership with Ortofon. The carbon fiber tonearm is stable and precise and helps resist resonance. The height-adjustable feet with TPE dampening add to the stability and avoid unwanted vibrations. There's electronic speed control for 33 1/3 and 45 RPM record options that's cleverly hidden out of sight. The Debut Evo 2's design and components make the record player feel sturdy and elegant to use, leading to a better auditory experience. There are no compromises when it comes to delivering great performance. The clarity and richness in the music I listened to were immediately evident. I also noticed more consistency across the records that I played. As a record player geared more toward experienced listeners, the EVO 2 lacks some of the conveniences that casual buyers might look for, like a built-in preamp and Bluetooth support. However, those features are less attractive to enthusiasts since most will want to use a dedicated preamp and focus on wired playback to get the best audio quality. The EVO 2 builds upon the strengths of the brand's previous Carbon Debut model to deliver a truly stunning experience. It's a joy to use and spin vinyl albums with. If you want a premium turntable but don't want to spend more than $1,000, this is easily one of the best record players to get. What else we considered The record players highlighted above represent my top recommendations for the best turntables, but I also tested other models that are still worth considering. Most notably, I was impressed by the Sony PS-LX310BT, which I consider to be a great step-up alternative to the Victrola Automatic. Though pricier, this automatic player delivers better bass than the Victrola and uses higher-quality aluminum and metal parts. It also has the added bonus of including a USB port that can be used to rip old vinyl records to a computer. However, I don't like that it has permanently attached RCA cables in the back. Ultimately, the Victrola model is a better fit for beginners who want an easy-to-use automatic player, but the Sony is a good upgrade option. How we test record players To find the best record players, I tested several models by listening to dozens of vinyl records. To get a proper comparison, I wired each one up to three different speakers: a Sonos Era 100 stereo pair, a Marshall Stanmore III, and a pair of Edifier R1280T bookshelf speakers. I kept the volumes of the speakers at 50% throughout the tests. While I listened to a host of records on each one, I also made sure to use the same two on each of the units tested. I used the Bond 25 (The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) album and Georgia's Euphoric to get a sense of two extremes, one with orchestral instrumentation and the other heavy on electronic sounds. For relevant models, I also connected them over Bluetooth to gauge the ease of connection and to listen to their wireless audio quality. While it's preferred to use a wired connection to get the best sound, connecting a record player wirelessly is a convenient option for casual listeners. Across the various tests and sessions, I listened for clarity of detail and depth. Although not directly competing with each other, I did note how the differently priced models performed relative to each other. I kept an ear open for mechanical sounds and distracting clicks and ticks. I also looked for the smoothness of the parts and the feel of how each of the record players felt to operate. I also observed how each looked sitting in a place where I've kept a record player for the last five years. Was it suitable to be out and visible in a living room, or was it better in a place with less attention on it? This is ultimately subjective, but some players have stylistic flourishes that will be more appealing to most people. Record player FAQs Should you buy an automatic or manual record player? An automatic record player will move the tonearm for you and place it in the precise location. It will also lift it up once the music finishes. This makes an automatic player easy to use, and it's nice not to have to monitor it so closely. The flip side to that is that there are more parts and potential for things to break or go wrong. Moving parts might also introduce unwanted noise or vibrations. Manual record players are simpler in that way, and they tend to be the player of choice for purists who want a premium sound. There's no right or wrong choice here, just what suits your listening style better. Do records sound better than streaming music? The answer to this question is somewhat debatable and dependent on a few factors. Whether you're spinning a record or streaming songs from one of the best music services, the audio performance you get will vary depending on the source quality and components used. Assuming you have an album in good condition and a quality turntable with solid speakers, a vinyl record can deliver a wider spectrum of sound with higher dynamic range and fidelity than a typical streaming music track. Spotify, for example, presents streaming music in a lossy compressed format that can't match the quality of vinyl. However, there are exceptions. Some services, like Apple Music and Amazon Music, offer plans that provide lossless music streaming and high-resolution mastering. Streaming tracks that use these features can surpass the quality offered by vinyl. And unlike records, digital music doesn't degrade over time, so you don't have to worry about the sound quality diminishing the more you play a track. That said, though lossless streaming is technically superior, vinyl records often provide a warmer sound than digital files, and some people prefer this tone, even if it is less accurate. So, the pros and cons of records vs. streaming are ultimately highly subjective, and it really comes down to whether you like the experience of vinyl collecting, the physical act of playing a record, and the unique warmth of a record's sound signature. What do 33 1/3 RPM and 45 RPM speeds mean? RPM stands for revolutions per minute, so 33 1/3 RPM means that the record plays correctly when it's spun 33.3 times per minute. Both 33 1/3 and 45 are the most common speeds, and they are supported on most record players. There is a 78 RPM option, which is a bit more difficult to find support for. If you're buying modern records, you shouldn't have to worry about the less common speeds, as most albums are 33 1/3 RPM. What record sizes are there? The size of a record will typically correspond to the speed it plays. For example, a seven-inch record plays at 45 RPM and a 12-inch record usually plays at 33 1/3 RPM. The less common 10-inch record will usually play at 78 RPM. Be aware that you may need a center adapter to play seven-inch records that have a 1.5-inch center hole. Does a record player need an amp and preamp? Preamps and amplifiers are often required to use a record player with external speakers. A preamp boosts the cartridge's audio level, which is a necessary step to properly hear a record through speakers. Some of the best turntables include a preamp built in, and they are also sold separately. If you're using passive speakers (ones that don't have a battery or plug into a wall for power), you'll also need an amplifier to power them. Audio receivers are convenient solutions for both these needs since they work as speaker amplifiers, and many include built-in preamps for connecting to a record player. You simply wire your speakers to a compatible receiver's terminals and then plug your record player into the receiver's phono input. Meanwhile, if you use powered speakers that already have their own amplification built in, you don't need to worry about a separate amp. What's a record player cartridge, and how important is it to the overall experience? There are a lot of components that make up a record player, but the cartridge is arguably the most critical to sound quality. It contains the needle that touches the record, and it turns the analog grooves into an electrical signal. A high-end cartridge is often the part that's most worth splurging on. But in the same way you wouldn't spend the money to put a Ferrari engine into a Corolla, you want to make sure all the pieces around the cartridge are up to its quality and support an elevated listening experience.
