Black Friday is back! Well, not officially, but the best deals on Meta Quest headphones are. By using code “HOLIDAYRUSH” on the relevant eBay listings, you can get another chance to snap up these mad deals. Sony’s best-in-class headphones are part of this discount code offer too, knocking down a new set of WH-1000XM6 down to $318.40 from $449.99. Bargain!
Deals for Today
There’s plenty of deals knocking around for the full-fat Meta Quest 3 experience and the budget-focused Meta Quest 3S, too. Want to get more reading done than gaming this holiday? Well, Amazon is currently running a buy one, get one sale on some cracking books from this year and beyond. Or if you just want a monitor upgrade, Alienware has got a full 34 inches of OLED glory with the brand tax knocked off. Let’s get into it:
eBay “Holiday Rush” Sale
The best Black Friday deal on Sony’s newest flagship wireless noise cancelling headphones has returned. eBay (via either Buydig or Electronic Express) is offering a brand new pair of Sony WH-1000XM6 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones for just $318.40 after you apply off coupon code “HOLIDAYRUSH“. That’s a 30% discount off the $450 list price and matches the best deal I saw during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. eBay estimates free delivery before Christmas. Both retailers are authorized Sony resellers, so you get the full manufacturer’s warranty.
Meta Quest 3 / 3S Deals
Deals aside, should you get a Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S? Here’s a specifications comparison table so you can make up your own mind:
FeatureMeta Quest 3Meta Quest 3SDisplay Resolution2064 × 2208 per eye1832 × 1920 per eyeLens TypePancake lensesFresnel lensesField of View (FOV)104° (horizontal) / 96° (vertical)96° (horizontal) / 90° (vertical)Storage Capacity512GB128GBProcessorSnapdragon XR2 Gen 2Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2Refresh RateUp to 120HzUp to 120HzControllersTouch Plus controllersTouch Plus controllersMixed Reality PassthroughYesYesStandalone (Tetherless)YesYesPC VR (Tethered)YesYes
34″ Alienware AW3423DWF 3440×1440 165Hz QD OLED Gaming Monitor
This is a perfect 1440p gaming monitor with all the bells and whistles. You’ll get bold yet accurate color representation with the OLED panel, which is also 165Hz for all the frames you’ll need for competitive play. It’s rocking a response time of 0.03ms, which is ridiculously fast with next to no input lag, certainly not noticeable.
Once you’ve made an Alienware account and logged in, simply go to “My Account,” which is under your account name at the top right. Then click “Dell Rewards” inside the far-left panel to grab your unique 10% off Alienware monitors code. You’re welcome!
Amazon Buy 1 Get 1 50% off Book Sale
So the quarter-bound The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion Tolkien Illustrated Editions are must-buys in this sale for me, and they are 44% and 46% off, respectively, before the buy one, get one deal comes into play. So that’s a total of $191.29 down from $243.63. Bear in mind, at MSRP, both of these books come to $445. That’s an insane deal on its own. Other highlights for me are The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia and A Game of Thrones hardback box set.
Sonos Refurb Sale
When it comes to big-brand gear, I’d always go for a solid refurbished or open-box deal over brand-new products. If it’s a brand or retailer worth its salt, these products are pretty much new anyway but can’t be sold as such, as they’re a customer return or something similar.
With Sonos refurbs, you’re getting the same one-year warranty you would with a brand-new alternative, plus they get delivered as new with all the leads and gubbins you’d usually get. It’s literally a no-brainer when you’re getting over 55% off a Sonos Arc soundbar, for example.
Pokémon TCG Single Card Price Crash
Pokémon TCG stock levels are getting better and better across the board, which means there’s more chance of buying off store shelves and a much bigger chance of scalpers losing out. It’s a win-win, especially for Pokémon card collectors, as single cards are finding a new floor when it comes to market values.
It’s the best time this year to snap up some of those grails you’ve been eyeing up, so I’ve found the top 5 chase cards in every Pokémon TCG expansion and base set from the previous Scarlet and Violet era, as well as Mega Evolution, the current era of Pokémon cards. There’s some serious bargains to be had here, and I reckon we’ll see prices tick back up when Ascended Heroes launches early next year, so don’t wait around.
Best Pokémon TCG Sealed Deals
The best deal here for me is the Mega Charizard X ex Ultra Premium Collection that’s currently at market value on Amazon and close to MSRP.
4 x Phantasmal Flames4 x Mega Evolution4 x Destined Rivals4 x Journey Together2 x Surging Sparks
The main pull of this UPC is the Mega Charizard X ex Mega Attack Rare and Oricorio ex SIR promo cards, which, frankly, are the best couple of promo cards we’ve had in a big box collection for a while. It also contains Mega Charizard X-themed card sleeves, deck box, damage counter dice, playmat, and a metal coin.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A and More Deals
Need to get Pokémon Legends: Z-A sorted for Christmas? Here’s the cheapest way: the Nintendo Switch 1 version of Pokémon Legends: Z-A for $44.99 on Woot, then upgrade it to the Switch 2 version for $9.99 via the Amazon digital code service. You’re saving $15 compared to buying the usual Switch 2 copy of Legends: Z-A.
Woot also has more discounts on top Pokémon Switch games, such as Legends: Arceus alongside Scarlet and Violet. It’s a great time to build up your library if you’ve got a few Pokémon-sized gaps on your shelf.
Pokémon Squishmallow Deals
Nothing beats cuddling a Squishmallow, and I’ll admit that to anyone. Well, getting a $69.99 massive 20-inch Sprigatito Squishmallow for $37.99 definitely beats that feeling, but there’s some great deals on the best Pokémon plushies right now (in my opinion, which is correct).
Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of “Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior”. Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.