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While SANDMARC already makes what I consider to be the hands-down best metal Apple Watch bands (steel and titanium) on the market, they are getting even better now.  The brand makes metal bands for Apple Watch Series models and Ultra that look and feel like they were made for a luxury timepiece – my hands-on review has all of the details there – but SANDMARC has now announced that it has conducted months of research to fine tune the perfect Diamond-Like-Carbon (DLC) coating to match the Apple Watch Ultra perfectly – something it claims very few brands have managed to do properly. Head below for more details, to see it for yourself, and for our exclusive discount code. 

While the $380 Astro A50X has been out for a few months now, it wasn’t until the latest firmware update that it started working as intended for me. I’ve been using it on my live streams from the sim rig, but the HDMI switching never worked between my Xbox Series X and Philips Momentum 55 monitor. But now that it’s working, it’s about time I finished up my full review of this neat but very niche product. Be sure to hit the video below for all of the details. 

Just after unveiling its new NEO S retro-style controller and the brand new Nitro Deck+, both gamepads are now getting the official limited edition Hellboy treatment. The folks over at CRKD are celebrating Hellboy’s 30th Anniversary with a pair of special edition controllers made to “encapsulate the very soul of Mike Mignola’s beloved creation, where darkness and heroism collide in a timeless struggle for the fate of humanity!” Now available for pre-order directly from CRKD, head below for a closer look at the new Hellboy Nitro Deck and NEO S controllers. 

After unveiling the “world’s first” 240Hz OLED and 4K display tech on its new Blade gaming laptops earlier this year at CES 2024, Razer is upping the ante again. Described as “the most powerful Blade ever,” today Razer is officially taking the wraps off its new Razer Blade 18 gaming laptop. The “pinnacle of high-performance gaming laptops” builds upon the success of its “award-winning” Blade 16 and 14 models that debuted earlier this year, setting what Razer calls a “new benchmark for gaming and creative work with its unrivaled desktop-grade performance.” You can give it a closer look down below. 

Just after Geoff Keighley officially announced and confirmed this year’s major Summer Game Fest showcase, Ubisoft has now gone public with its plans as well. With the demise of E3, Summer Game Fest and a series of publisher specific-events have stepped into the fill the void, and we know when Ubisoft will be taking the stage. The next Ubisoft Forward event is set to take place come June 10, the same day as Apple’s highly-anticipated WWDC, and will likely be one of, if not, the biggest Ubisoft show of the year. 

LIFX continues to claw its way back from the grave with a pair of new indoor reveals today. The smart home lighting company first showed off an incredibly cool lineup of outdoor lights meant for bringing Siri to your patio back in February, and now it’s bringing that same attention to a pair of different light bulbs.

Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, TikTok, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they are available.

• AirPods 2 are down to the best price of the year at just $89 (Reg. $129)
• Rare Amazon discounts take 20% off eero Max 7 mesh Wi-Fi systems from $480
• Apple’s new HomePod 2 starts from $250 with these spring deals (Reg. $299)

Spring cleaning season is one of the better times to consider getting a robotic vacuum to help keep your home spotless. Dreametech makes some of the more reliable options on the market, too. Now, a discount on the Dreametech L20 Ultra means it won’t have to clean out your wallet in order to let this autonomous vacuum handle the chores.

Time and time again, BLUETTI has revolutionized the portable power industry, and it’s about to do it all again with its new ultra-resilient AC240 IP65 All-Weather Portable Power Station. Delivering the “world’s first fully system-wide IP65 truly outdoor mobile energy storage power supply,” the AC240 portable power station is designed to withstand tough conditions alongside a series of new technical innovations, from enhanced power output and faster charging to innovative parallel power connectivity and weatherproofing advancements both inside and out. Making its world-wide debut today, you can take a deeper dive into the new AC240 IP65 Portable Power Station down below alongside an exclusive early bird discount for 9to5 readers. 

Ubiquiti has yet another UniFi gateway out! Hooray. The UniFi Gateway Max justifies its $199 price tag and addition to the lineup with a full slate of 2.5Gb Ethernet ports and all of the usual security features that Ubiquiti is known for.

Update: The Nocturnal Vapor Xbox Wireless Controller is now marked down at Amazon to $54.93 shipped from the regular $69 price tag.

Microsoft has now taken to the official Xbox Wire to reveal the new Nocturnal Vapor Special Edition Xbox Controller. Just after the debut of its S.P.E.C.I.A.L. edition Vault Boy Fallout Xbox Wireless Controllers, the limited South Park: Snow Day bundles, and the new misty Vapor gamepads before that, Xbox is now inspiring gamers to “own the night” with the new moody Nocturnal Vapor Special Edition Xbox Wireless Controller. Now available for pre-order directly from Microsoft and at Amazon, you can get a closer look and more details down below. 

The final Anker Qi2 releases that were first shown off at CES 2024 are beginning to ship. We’ve seen a handful of the company’s new 15W chargers already debut, but today, the brand’s new 3-in-1 charging stands hit store shelves, complete with 15W magnetic power pads and Apple Watch fast charging.

The ECOVACS DEEBOT X2 lineup is one of the more high-end, powerful, and intelligent systems out there in the robotic vacuum world. While the base models have been out in the wild for some time now, ECOVACS is officially launching the new ECOVACS DEEBOT X2 Combo today – an enhanced version of the DEEBOT X2 system complete with a larger docking station to accomodate the add-on hand vacuum system. I have had a chance to give it all a try around my place for the last couple weeks, and you’ll find my impressions and thoughts on the just about perfect cleaning experience below.

Last time we checked in with the latest from REDMAGIC’s wild, high-tech gadget lineup, we featured its crazy transparent 150W charger with onboard display and custom RGB, and now it’s time for the new REDMAGIC VC COOLER 5 Pro. Described as a “new era of liquid cooling intelligence,” the VC COOLER 5 Pro is the brand’s next-generation smartphone cooling system that looks like it was pulled right from some futuristic sci-fi movie. All of the details and more imagery are waiting down below the fold. 

We have more to share about the upcoming LEGO UCS Jabba’s Sail Barge today. It’s been looming as the fall Ultimate Collector Series set since back in the beginning of 2023. Now over a year later, 9to5Toys can report on what to expect from the largest Star Wars set of 2024 before it’s release in October.

Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, TikTok, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they are available.

• Save $400 on Apple’s 15-inch M2 MacBook Air with 16GB of memory at $1,499
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 512GB drops to $900 (New low, Reg. $1,120)
• Lutron Aurora smart bulb dimmer switch sees rare discount to $33 (Reg. $50)

Last week, we posted that LEGO would be revisiting one of the very first Star Wars sets come May 1, and now we have photos to prove it! The upcoming Darth Maul’s Sith Infiltrator will remake one of the original creations from the theme for not only the 25th anniversary of kits from a galaxy far, far away, but also to celebrate the same anniversary of The Phantom Menace – and the LEGO Group has sent over some images for us to share.

A new batch of LEGO sets are about to hit store shelves for April. It’s no joke! You can now score the long-awaited Dungeons and Dragons set alongside a massive Batman mosaic and quite a few other LEGO sets.

World Backup Day has arrived and, like every year, is reminding you that it’s time to be smarter about your data. Whether it’s beloved family photos, Time Machine backups of your Mac, or your expansive media server, having plan in place to ensure all of your data is protected is crucial. NAS plays an important role in this, and today for the occasion, we’re taking a look at what three different models from Synology bring to the table to join all of the price cuts now live on hard drives and more. Head below for all of our World Backup Day NAS recommendations, tips, and tricks.

Update: The new TP-Link dual-outlet outdoor smart plug with Matter is now seeing its first price drop down to $22.99 with free shipping for Prime members or in orders over $25. Regularly $30, this is the very first deal and a subsequent Amazon all-time low. Details below. 

Today we are taking a closer look at the latest piece of smart home kit from TP-Link, its new Tapo P400M Matter Outdoor Smart Plug. One of the very first outdoor plugs with Matter support to be available for purchase from a major smart home brand (alongside this Leviton model), TP-Link’s latest outdoor power solution delivers the multi-platform integration the Matter standard is known for directly to your backyard with its latest 2-outlet model now available over at Amazon for $29.99. Head below for more details.

After launching F-ZERO 99 for Switch Online, Nintendo has now brought the classic F-Zero Maximum Velocity Game Boy title to its online, on-demand game membership. Today’s addition to the Game Boy Advance lineup comes on the heels on the Mario Day additions that came in the form of the original Dr. Mario, Mario Golf, and Mario Tennis Game Boy titles that landed a couple weeks back, but this time Nintendo taking its Game Boy Advance lineup into overdrive with its future-classic mobile racing experience. Head below for more details. 

Wyze is out with its latest feature-packed budget home security camera, the Wyze Cam v4. With a long list of upgrades in addition to the standard specs we’ve come to expect with Wyze cameras, it’s a welcomed update to the three-year-old Cam v3. Be sure to hit the video below and check out all the details. 

WITHit, a brand that’s new around these here parts, creates a wide range of Apple watch bands, straps, and more. But it was its metal – stainless steel and titanium – models that caught my eye a few weeks ago. Despite the inherent price tag titanium fetches in this product category (or any one for that matter), many of them looked fantastic to my eyes and, in many cases, undercut the prices on some of my favorite options out there. So, naturally, I decided to reach out and give them a run for their money and share my thoughts with the 9to5Toys crowd. Head below for my hands-on review of the WITHit Titanium Band for Apple Watch. 

9to5Toys can report on another one of the 25th anniversary LEGO Star Wars minifigures today. After locking in Saw Gerrara as the next addition to the lineup of celebratory figures from our coverage of the Sith Infiltrator, we have R2-KT. The pink Astromech droid will be debuting later this year as the sixth and final 25th anniversary LEGO Star Wars minifigure.

Today, VIZIO is introducing a new oversized 4K smart TV to its 2024 lineup of displays. The brand is refreshing the look and feel of its lineup this year that is said to go “beyond the brand-new Home Screen design, the “Watch Us” 360 campaign, and updated color palette.” Rolling out to national retailers now and throughout the spring, the brand is looking to double down on the value-packed models that made it somewhat of a household name in year’s past with new HD and 4K models across the usual spectrum of sizes, but today it is announcing a new addition, an 86-inch 4K smart TV that will carry a retail price at $999. Head below for details. 

With just days remaining to win yourself one of two massive $500 gift cards to spend on Burton Goods’ gorgeous leather Apple gear accessories, the brand has introduced a new leather iPhone 15 case. We recently had a chance to go hands-on with its fantastic Modern Pocket Book Wallet case and loved every second of it – it is the best one I have tested out in the category – but the brand has now released its new, more simple leather case. Giving folks a chance to score one of its artisan-crafted cases without spending nearly as much as the full wallet model, the new Burton Goods leather case is now available for purchase and we have an exclusive deal for you. Head below for a closer look. 

About a month go we reported on rumors of potential upcoming all-white, all-digital Xbox Series X and now, recently surfaced imagery is fueling the fire further. While there was no mention of this machine back when Phil Spencer and friends hinted an upcoming ultra-powerful next-gen hardware and maybe even an upcoming Xbox handheld machine, but, if recent leaks are to be believed, Microsoft does look to be readying the release of a new version of the existing Xbox Series X with a fresh coat of all-white paint for this summer. Head below for more details. 

Aqara makes one of the most intelligent and versatile smart home locks on the market, and 9to5 readers can now score a deep deal on its intelligent Smart Lock U100. Constantly updated with new features via OTA updates, the Aqara Smart Lock U100 features just about every unlock option out there, including Apple Home Key action, alongside complete integration with the rest of your smart home, the ability to learn the habits of its users, and an attractive design that works with a wide range of home decor. Head below for more details on your key to a smarter and safer home as well as today’s sizable price drop on the Aqara Smart Lock U100. 

Aqara Smart Lock U100 $144 (Reg. $230) Using code USU10095 at checkout

Back during CES 2024, Positive Grid – makers of the fantastic smart Spark guitar amps – debuted the latest edition to its lineup with the Spark LINK wireless guitar system. After getting a chance to go hands-on with its fantastic little intelligent guitar amp-meets-Bluetooth speaker-meets audio interface devices previously, I couldn’t wait to give the new wireless guitar system a run for its money. Now finally out of the pre-order phase and available for purchase, head below for our hands-on impressions of the new Spark LINK wireless guitar system. 

Venture is officially coming to Overwatch 2 next month as the latest hero added to the Blizzard team-based hero shooter. Not letting Marvel Rivals have all the fun today, the newest DPS will be bringing a unique new kit to the game based around digging under enemies and doing damage with their drill.

Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, TikTok, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they are available.

• Apple’s just-released 13-inch M3 MacBook Air hits $999 with new all-time low
• Apple’s 13-inch M2 MacBook Air falls to new all-time low of $849 (Reg. $999+)
• Save $499 on Apple’s 16-inch M2 Pro MacBook Pro with all-time low drop to $2,000

Described as the “premier Super Hero Team-based PVP,” the new Marvel Rivals is making its official debut today. Marvel has teamed up the developer NetEase games to bring the best of the Marvel Multiverse into a 6v6 hero shooter of sorts, blending the ultra-popular superhero stable with the likes of titles like Overwatch. The official announcement trailer has now landed on the Marvel YouTube channel and you can check it out below. 

2024 is the year of Space for the LEGO Group, and it’s newest Collectible Minifigure Series is following the trend. Launching in May, the new CMF Series 26 figures will assemble 12 delightful characters that are all out of this world. There’s the return of Ice Planet, M:Tron, and so much more.

SANDMARC, a brand that has quickly become a personal favorite and one of the better-selling iPhone accessory makers around here, is introducing its latest piece of kit today known as the Travel Backpack. In a marketplace filled to the brim with carriers geared towards photography, SANDMARC has decided to create a dedicated backpack “for the most popular camera in the world: the iPhone.” While it appears to me to be just as useful as a typical backpack as well, it is specifically geared towards iPhoneographers, filmmakers, and content creators with a special exclusive pre-order price available to 9to5Toys readers starting today (details below). Head below for all of the details. 

Vuori today announced its newest line of clothing, Outdoor Adventure, which includes coats, tee shirts, jackets, shorts, and joggers for the outdoors from $54. Leading the way in the drop are the men’s Kore Shorts, which are made out of recycled materials and feature 4-way stretch and material that is both moisture-wicking and quick-drying – they’re available in 15 colorways and come in at $68. Free shipping on orders over $75. Keep reading below to learn more about Vuori’s new Outdoor Adventure drop.

New special edition South Park Xbox Series X bundles are here, but you’ll have to try to win one. After seeing the new special edition Dune model and the official SpongeBob Xbox Series X console bundle after that, Microsoft has now unveiled its next custom console job in celebration of the release of South Park: Snow Day today. The infamous and beloved animated characters from the show are debuting in their latest console experience starting today, and Microsoft has now revealed these four unique Xbox Series X consoles and matching controllers, each featuring the iconic South Park characters. head below for more details and a closer look. 

The Displate wall art has indeed been around for a while, but I thought it was time to see if they are truly as good as they sound. Alongside a constantly growing collection of new designs to choose from, the Displate mounting system, at least on paper, seemed to be the easiest possible way decorate my space and home office without damaging the walls or needing to get any tools involved. The short form version of this review is that they do indeed deliver on that promise, but you can get a full rundown of what to expect down below. 

Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, TikTok, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they are available.

• New all-time low takes $500 off Google Pixel Fold at $1,299
• Save $60 on carbon neutral Apple Watch SE 2nd Gen styles starting at $189
• Spring savings take $70 off Sony’s XM5 ANC Headphones at $328 (Second-best)

Just after getting a chance to go hands-on with Razer’s impressive new Chroma V3 Seiren mic, another one of the brand’s new smart lighting solutions is now available for purchase. The PC gaming smart light with Matter was first unveiled earlier this year and, after being sold out directly from Razer for most of 2024, you can now bring home the new Razer Aether Monitor Light Bar to kit out your battlestation even more at $129.99 shipped via Amazon. It now joins the rest of the Razer Aether smart lighting gear and you can get a closer look at the feature set down below. 

The fourth LEGO Star Wars set slated to release on May 1 has been revealed. 9to5Toys can now confirm that we’ll be getting the first-ever creation based around Order 66 with the upcoming LEGO BARC Speeder Escape set (75378).

Today we are taking a closer look at Journey’s latest power bank, known as the Rapid GO 10,000mAh Wireless Kickstand. This model adds a few extra touches to your traditional power bank setup, including MagSafe connectivity, an integrated kickstand and finger loop grip, as well as the ability to charge three devices at once. The question is, does it make sense to score a new power bank without Qi2 tech just to save some cash? Head below for our hands-on impressions of Journey’s Rapid GO 10,000mAh Wireless Kickstand Power Bank. 

Qi2 is one of the biggest things to happen in smartphone charging since MagSafe launched to start off the 2020s. But how does the new, open standard compare to Apple’s own 15W implementation? Below, I explore how the specs line up on paper and how the chargers in each category actually compare from my own hands-on experiences.

The Swatch x Omega collaboration strikes again, this time with the introduction of the MoonSwatch Mission to the Moonphase, a Snoopy-themed Bioceramic watch. For the past couple of months, Swatch has been teasing a Snoopy callout in its newest watch, and now it has delivered. The all-white colorway of the Mission to the Moonphase has a white dial, a white case, and a white velcro strap. Another timepiece in the MoonSwatch collection, this watch resembles other MoonSwatches, with the exception of Snoopy, who can be seen in the upper right corner of the watch lying atop two moons within a moon phase indicator. Keep reading below to learn more about the Mission to the Moonphase MoonSwatch.

With more direct drive wheelbases hitting the market, the search for the best sim racing cockpit continues. We’ve tried the Playseat Trophy and the new entry-level GTRacer from Next Level Racing but now we’re taking things up a notch with the GT Omega Titan. While not the top-of-the-line cockpit that the Scottish company sells, it’s a solid choice for a sim-racing cockpit and has been a great upgrade for my live streams. Be sure to hit the video below to see all of the details. 

Detroit-based watch and leather accessory maker, Shinola, has debuted three new watch faces for two of its popular watches, The Birdy and The Derby. The best-selling Birdy 34mm is now available in the color Aventurine, a form of translucent, green quartzite frequently found in building stone, monuments, and jewelry. The Birdy features a stainless steel case material, polished gold plating, a push-down crown construction, and double-curve sapphire crystal; it can be yours in the new Aventurine color for $700. Head below to learn more.

Samsung’s new 2024 TVs are now available for pre-order. The whole collection was first revealed back at CES in the beginning of the year, and now we finally have pricing. Not just that, but you can also lock-in your order and score some savings along the way.

Amazon’s new Big Spring Sale has arrived. As we do through the rest of the year, the team at 9to5Toys will be working around the clock in order to highlight all of the best discounts. Whether you’re doing spring cleaning on all your gadgets or just want to lock-in all the best deals, we’ll have everything rounded up in one place.

We have more details to share today on the upcoming PDP Riffmaster gaming guitar controller. The first and only new guitar designed to work with Fortnite Festival will be launching on April 30. You can pre-order both the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions now.