A streaming stick should definitely be on your back-to-school list if you’re heading back to college. After all, a good one can provide you with hours of budget-friendly entertainment when you need to unwind after studying. Buying one seems especially attractive today now that Amazon’s latest Fire TV Stick 4K Max is at the lowest price we’ve seen since Prime Day.

Regularly $54.99, Amazon and Best Buy are selling the streaming stick for $39.99, which is only $5 shy of the device’s all-time low. We think the Fire TV Stick Max is the best streaming stick for those embedded in Amazon’s ecosystem, namely because it integrates quite nicely with Alexa and allows you to reliably make voice commands with the included remote. We also found that it offers a great selection of streaming apps and faster performance than its predecessor, not to mention support for Wi-Fi 6. Read our review.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2021)

Amazon’s latest and greatest streaming stick has improved performance and now supports Wi-Fi 6. It continues to offer a terrific selection of streaming apps and an easy-to-use interface with the benefit of Alexa voice commands.

Excited for the premiere of House of the Dragon but not as thrilled about the pricey HBO Max subscription you’ll need to watch it? Now through October 29th, new and returning subscribers can get 30 percent off a one-year subscription to HBO Max, assuming you’re comfortable paying the full year in advance. This means you can buy the ad-supported plan for $69.99 instead of $99.99 (or $5.83 per month) or purchase the ad-free plan for $104.99 instead of $149.99 (or $8.75 per month).

No matter which plan you choose, however, you’ll be able to watch House of the Dragon in addition to other popular shows and movies, including The Batman, Succession, and more. Just be aware of the ongoing Warner Bros. megamerger, which has already resulted in the removal and cancellation of a number of shows and movies — including Batgirl.

HBO Max (annual subscription)

Now through October 29th, you can save 30 percent on an annual subscription to HBO Max, which typically starts at $149.99 and grants you access to everything from Westworld to The White Lotus.

Speaking of college, a pair of noise-canceling earbuds will come in handy as they can help you better focus by tuning out your roommates. While the best tend to be on the pricey side, Amazon is currently taking $40 off of its second-gen Echo Buds. You can buy them with a wireless charging case for just $99.99 or a wired charging case for $79.99, which are some of the lowest prices we’ve seen on the true wireless earbuds to date.

Sure, the latest Echo Buds may not boast brilliant noise cancellation tech like Apple’s AirPods Pro, but their ANC is effective for the price. Plus, they offer a number of other great perks, including good sound quality, swappable tips, IPX4 water and sweat resistance, and a great passthrough mode that allows you to hear your surroundings. Read our review.

Amazon Echo Buds (second-gen)

Amazon’s second-gen Echo Buds improve upon the originals with a more comfortable design, improved ANC, and a more natural ambient sound mode. They support hands-free Alexa commands as well.

If you’re looking to add some extra security to your home, you may want to check out today’s discount on the Ring Alarm Pro. The eight-piece kit is a good investment for those looking to get started with a home security system, especially because it’s easy to use and supplies you with everything you need. While it’s not compatible with Google Home, Apple’s HomeKit, or IFTTT, it does integrate quite nicely with Amazon Alexa.

Typically $299.99, you can buy it right now for $239.99 at Best Buy and Amazon (with delayed shipping), which is its best price ever. The discounted kit includes a base station, which also doubles as an Eero 6 dual-band mesh Wi-Fi router, four contact sensors for doors and windows, a motion detector, and a Z-Wave range extender to reach sensors that are further out. Just be aware the system doesn’t come with 24/7 video recording, and you’ll have to pay extra for local storage. Read our review.

Ring Alarm Pro (eight-piece kit)

The Ring Alarm Pro is a great security system, offering everything you need to easily set up your smart home as well as a built-in Eero Wi-Fi router and local storage for videos from Ring cameras. It doesn’t, however, offer 24/7 video recording, and it’s not compatible with Google Home, Apple’s HomeKit, or IFTTT, either.

A few more ways to save...

• Apple’s fifth-gen, Wi-Fi-enabled iPad Air is on sale at Amazon in a variety of colors with 64GB of storage for $559, which is a $40 discount and $10 shy of the tablet’s all-time low. The latest Air is faster than its predecessor thanks to Apple’s M1 processor and features an excellent 10.9-inch display and speakers, along with all-day battery life. Read our review.
• Google’s Nest Doorbell is its first to operate fully on battery and is currently available for $129.99 ($50 off) at B&H Photo with a coupon, which is automatically applied at checkout. Walmart is also selling the white model for the same price. We found the video doorbell offers long battery life and liked that it can detect both packages and people but wished it offered 24/7 recording. Read our review.
• If you’re shopping for a budget-friendly phone, you can buy an unlocked Motorola Moto G Stylus — one of our favorite models — with 128GB of storage from Amazon and Motorola for $199.99 ($100 off). Although it lacks 5G connectivity, the smartphone is a good buy overall, one that comes with a stylus and a big, 6.8-inch 1080p LCD display. Read our review.
• Govee’s colorful Immersion TV LED Kit is $104.99 ($45 off) at Best Buy for today only. This model is sized for TVs from 55 to 65 inches. In addition to the rear-mounted LED strip and top-mounted camera for matching the colors to what’s on the screen, it comes with two external light bars to flood the walls with more color-matched light. Read our review.