With Prime Day on the horizon, set to kick off on July 11, several retailers have announced competing sales of their own, which means budget-conscious shoppers looking to snag a good deal will have plenty of chances to save. Walmart Plus Week will launch the day before Amazon’s big event, but you’ll have to be a Walmart Plus member to take advantage of early savings. The sales will open up to everyone the next day. However, with all of the early deals springing up at various retailers, there’s no need to wait — you can save on these early Walmart Plus Week deals right now.
We’ve rounded up some highlights from the sale. And be sure to check back often, as we will continue to update this list as we get closer to the official kickoff and more items see massive discounts.
Apple may soon add a new feature to its AirPods that will allow users to perform examinations on themselves for potential hearing issues and check their body temperature, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported Sunday.
The hearing-test feature will play different tones and sounds through the AirPods to determine how well a person hears, Gurman reported. The feature would be similar to the Apple Watch ECG app, which checks for heart problems, he noted, possibly making other hearing-aid apps irrelevant.
Apple already has two features, Live Listen and Conversation Boost, which can essentially turn AirPods into on-demand hearing aids. But, as noted by Bloomberg, these features aren’t approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.
Apple is also working on a feature that will measure your temperature through your ear canal, Gurman writes. The reading from the ear canal is considered more accurate than temperatures taken from your wrist, which the Apple Watch Series 8 and Ultra models collect while users sleep.
Apple has reported been tinkering with using AirPods to take the temperature of wearers for several years. The Wall Street Journal reported in 2021 that Apple was working to bring a thermometer and blood pressure tool to a future Apple Watch and also at how to use the iPhone to detect depression and cognitive decline.
But you may have to wait awhile for the temperature and hearing checks. The new health features may not arrive on AirPods for several months or even years, Gurman reports.
The company is also planning to offer less expensive AirPod models and transition to USB-C charging ports, Gurman wrote.
Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
When shopping for a budget laptop, compromises must be made. Then the question quickly becomes, in which areas are you willing to make concessions for a lower price? The cut corners usually start with forgoing a solid metal chassis for a creaky plastic enclosure and a bright, vivid and high-resolution display for one that’s dim and dull. They likely end with a CPU that’s a generation behind the times along with a meager memory allotment and an undersized SSD. And it’s possible you’ll end up with a clacky keyboard without backlighting and a middling touchpad, too. The Asus VivoBook 15 forces you to make many of these compromises, but its plastic body looks classier than that of most budget laptops and doesn’t creak.
The biggest draw for the VivoBook F1502ZA I tested might be its 512GB SSD, though. That’s double the capacity usually on offer at this price. It’s currently on sale for $599 at Asus. The 8GB of RAM is standard for the price but for only $50 more at Amazon you can double it to 16GB of RAM, which will keep Windows working smoothly. Amazon also sells a model with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD for $700, which might be the best value of the available VivoBook 15 configs. We like the fit and finish of the smaller and slightly pricier HP Pavilion Aero 13 and HP Pavilion 14, but the VivoBook 15 offers a roomier display for budget buyers. If getting the biggest display for your buck is your chief concern, however, then we’d steer you toward the 17-inch HP Laptop 17. And among 15-inch budget models, the Acer Aspire Vero is sturdier and more stylish.
Our Asus VivoBook 15 (model F1502ZA-DS52P) is currently available at Asus for $599, which is $101 less than the regular price. It features an Intel Core i5-1240P CPU, 8GB of RAM, integrated Intel HD graphics and a 512GB SSD. A generation behind Intel’s current series, the Core i5-1240P is a member of Intel’s 28-watt P series that’s the middle child between the more efficient 15-watt U series and more performance-oriented 45-watt H series. It features Intel’s hybrid architecture with performance and efficiency cores; it has four performance cores, eight efficiency cores and a total of 16 processing threads. The 15.6-inch display has a full-HD resolution (1,920×1,080 pixels) and a widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio. While midrange and premium laptops have switched to a 16:10 or 3:2 screen ratio for more vertical workspace, most budget models are still 16:9. The display is rated for a paltry 250 nits of brightness, and our tests sadly confirmed this figure.
In labs testing, the VivoBook15 finished at the back of a pack of laptops that feature similar specs — two of the competing models feature 12th-gen Core i5 CPUs like the VivoBook15, while another features a previous-gen AMD Ryzen 5 5000 series processor. We also included Asus’s pricier Asus VivoBook 16X OLED laptop, which features a 12th-gen Core i7 part. Two of the four competing systems feature 8GB of RAM, and the other two offer 16GB of RAM. All rely on an integrated GPU. With the exception of a positive Cinebench score, the VivoBook15 finished last among this group, and by considerable margins on Geekbench, 3DMark and our battery drain test. You can find better budget performance and battery life elsewhere.
Cool blue
At first glance, the VivoBook 15 looks like a step up from the usual budget fare. Part of its appeal is the gun-metal blue color of the plastic shell, which looks a bit more dressed up than a typical silver or dark gray enclosure. The plastic chassis is fairly solid, with just a little flex felt in the keyboard deck and lid behind the display. I’ve experienced creakier budget laptops.
The VivoBook 15 has a weak display hinge — a dead giveaway of a budget laptop — and any movement causes the screen to wobble. The hinge is able to rotate 180 degrees so you can lay the display down flat. I still have yet to encounter a scenario where I need to have my laptop resting horizontally and would gladly sacrifice the 180-degree flexibility for a firmer hinge.
The display may be wobbly, but the keyboard feels solid. The keys offer deep travel and snappy feedback for a pleasant typing experience. You also get a number pad, and its presence doesn’t result in any annoyingly shortened keys. One oddity to the keyboard we’ve seen with previous VivoBooks is the striped Enter key. There’s white-and-black striping along its bottom edge to maybe spice up the design or perhaps act as an aid for locating the key. Regardless, it’s a key that, I’d argue, is the last key other than the spacebar you need assistance in finding and would prefer Asus skip the distracting striping in the future.
The keyboard offers backlighting, which is a useful feature found on most laptops but not always a given on budget models. And it’s three-level backlighting so you can get the level just right depending on ambient lighting.
The touchpad looks and feels undersized, which is a common issue on laptops with widescreen 16:9 displays. A laptop with a taller 16:10 display not only provides more vertical space on the screen itself but also results in a wider wrist rest below the keyboard, which means more room for the touchpad. Though undersized, the touchpad offers smooth, accurate gliding and firm click response. It also features a fingerprint reader in the upper-right corner for easy, secure logins — another bonus at this price.
At 3.8 pounds, the VivoBook15 is of average heft for its size, which is all you can ask for in a budget laptop. It’s a few ounces lighter than the more solid-feeling Acer Aspire Vero, which weighs an even four pounds. If you are looking for a more portable budget model and are willing to sacrifice some screen real estate, the 14-inch HP Pavilion 14 weighs 3.2 pounds, while the 13-inch HP Pavilion Aero 13 weighs just two pounds.
The VivoBook 15’s 15.6-inch, 1080p display is rather dull. It’s a 250-nit panel that our testing confirmed to be no brighter than its rating. Colors lack punch, and the limited contrast ratio means details are quickly lost in the brightest and darkest areas of an image. It’s no worse than a typical budget laptop’s display, but it’s certainly no better.
The 720p webcam above the display was actually a pleasant surprise. Most laptops today outside of the budget class feature 1080p cameras that result in crisper, better-balanced images. There was some noise evident, but images weren’t nearly as grainy as those of most 720p cameras. Colors and skin tones looked accurate, too. And the webcam has a physical cover you can slide across the lens to protect your privacy when you aren’t using the webcam, which is most of the time.
The speakers offered no such pleasant surprise. The audio output is tinny and muddy. Keep headphones handy for music playback. And you might want them when watching movies and shows since it’s hard to hear dialogue clearly.
The VivoBook 15’s ports are almost all located on the laptop’s right side, where you’ll find a USB Type-C port, two USB Type-A ports, an HDMI 1.4 port, a combo audio jack and the power connector. A lone USB 2.0 Type-A resides on the left side next to a cooling vent. A couple of notes on the USB ports: the USB-C port lacks Thunderbolt 4 support, and the two USB-A ports on the right offer faster USB 3.2 Gen 1 connectivity versus the slower USB 2.0 port on the left. All in all, the VivoBook15 offers solid connectivity among budget laptops, but you miss out on the latest Wi-Fi 6E standard. The VivoBookoffers Wi-Fi 6 wireless networking.
There are no deal-breaking misfires with the VivoBook15, and we do appreciate getting a 512GB SSD, which is spacious for the price. And we like the affordable upgrades that double the RAM and SSD that are available at Amazon. Plus, it’s one of the better-looking budget laptops you’ll find. However, the dull display and weak speakers quickly remind us that the VivoBook15 is, indeed, a member of the budget category. HP has a number of budget models in a variety of sizes that we like better, and we prefer the unique and eco-friendly Acer Aspire Vero among 15-inch budget models.
Short answer: Yes. Amazon’s annual Prime Day event is a great time to pick up your first 3D printer or expand your collection.
While there are always budget options for 3D printers, Amazon’s Prime Day — July 11 and July 12 — is the best time for you to jump into the hobby. Major brands like Elegoo, Anycubic and FlashForge often have significant savings on the most popular printers and big discounts on the stock they’re trying to clear.
While there are some generous discounts on Prime Day, make sure the savings you are getting are real. More than one company raises its prices on or just before Prime Day only to reduce it back down and call it “savings.” It’s a dirty practice, but one we’re constantly aware of.
In addition to making recommendations, we track the prices of these products as well to offer the best advice for Prime Day. Our 3D printer deals page will have the latest verified deals, so keep your eyes out in the coming weeks.
Which 3D printer should you buy on Prime Day?
There are a lot of major 3D printer brands that will likely cut prices this Prime Day, and which model you buy will depend on what type of 3D printer you need. Most of the sales will center around the more common FDM printers — these create 3D prints from rolls of plastic filament, rather than liquid resin — so you’ll see the biggest discounts there.
Anycubic and Elegoo have recently refreshed their lineups so you can expect to see discounts on their previous-generation 3D printers and smaller discounts on the latest ones. I’m hoping that we see a discount on the Anycubic Kobra 2, as it is one of the best fast 3D printers available right now.
OLED TVs routinely deliver the best pictures money can buy, and in my tests over the years LG’s “C” series consistently emerges as the best TV for most high-end shoppers, combining that great picture with a not-too-crazy price. The C3 faces strong competition from Samsung, which has its own pair of OLED TVs now, as well as from LG itself, which finally gave the more expensive G3 a marked bump up in image quality.
For this review I compared three LG OLEDs — the C3, the G3 and the C2 from last year — as well as the Samsung S95C and the Sony A80L OLED TVs side-by-side in my lab at CNET. The C3 held its own, despite looking dimmer next to the G3 and the Samsung (which both cost hundreds more). If the price difference between those two and the C3 no big deal to you, go ahead and splurge. For most people, however, it’s still not worth paying extra for anything better than the LG C3.
And right now I’d argue the best deal on a high-end TV is still the LG C2 from 2022, not the C3. Going with last year’s LG OLED saves you another few hundred bucks and the two TVs were basically indistinguishable in features, design and image quality in my tests. The C2 will sell out over the summer and heading into the TV buying season this fall, while the C3 will drop in price, but if you want a high-end TV right now, grab a C2.
LG C3 sizes, series comparison
I performed a hands-on evaluation of the 65-inch LG C3 OLED TV, but this review also applies to the other screen sizes in the series. The four largest sizes have similar specs and should provide similar picture quality. LG says the two smaller sizes, the 42- and 48-inch models, will be dimmer than the larger sizes.
LG OLED83C3PUA, 83 inches
LG OLED77C3PUA, 77 inches
LG OLED65C3PUA, 65 inches
LG OLED55C3PUA, 55 inches
LG OLED48C3PUA, 48 inches
LG OLED42C3PUA, 42 inches
The C3 series sits in the middle LG’s 2023 OLED TV lineup. Spending more for the G3 gets you a substantial bump in brightness and the sleek “Gallery” wall-friendly design. The less expensive B3 is dimmer than the C3 and lacks the company’s latest-generation A9 processor. The most expensive models from 2022, namely the 97-inch G2 and the 8K resolution Z2 models, will remain on sale this year rather than being replaced by “3” equivalents.
Sleek and familiar, in a good way
The similarities between the C3 and the C2 from last year start with design. From the minimalist panels to the stands to the backsides, the two looked identical to my eye in CNET’s TV lab. That’s not a bad thing; both are sleek TVs and I continue to appreciate the nearly all-picture look.
The “C” also remains one of the lightest TVs on the market thanks to carbon-fiber construction — the 65-inch C3 weighs the same as the C2, just 41 pounds with a stand, making it easy to lift onto furniture or the wall. It’s also more efficient to ship. The simple center stand has a small footprint.
LG kept the same remote, unfortunately. In my old age I’ve grown easily annoyed by too many buttons, and I much prefer the streamlined, simple layout of Samsung and Roku/TCL remotes, for example. As always, you can wave LG’s remote around to move the cursor or scroll quickly through menus with the built-in wheel.
Smart TV, dumb use of screen real estate
LG’s redesigned menu system occupies the top half of the screen with a big ad, which was pushing LG’s app store when I saw it. Me no likey. Below that is the marginally more useful row of “cards,” new for 2023, that offer things like the TV’s input, a game section, music and a “home hub.”
The most useful card is the game section but it’s worse than Samsung’s version, with a less-polished design and no access to Xbox Game Pass. LG only has Nvidia GeForce Now, Utomik and Blacknut cloud gaming (there’s a reason you’ve never heard of the latter two) in addition to Twitch, YouTube and a quick link for connected consoles. The sports card lets you set up alerts for favorite teams’ scores, which feels kinda useful to me, but overall the card row also feels like more wasted space. Only the final row, with familiar streaming app icons, would get any use in my household.
I think most people using this high-end TV should just connect an external streaming device, like Roku or Apple TV, and avoid using LG’s system altogether.
The C3 also has a couple notable features LG debuted last year, namely a multiview mode that puts two images side-by-side — which remains limited and can’t show two HDMI sources — and the always-ready screen saver that can show clocks, art and other widgets when the TV is turned “off.” Elements of the latter move around the screen to reduce the possibility of burn-in.
Here’s where I remind you that, like all OLED TVs, the C3 is more subject to both temporary and permanent image retention, also known as burn-in, than LCD-based TVs. The risk is small, which is why I don’t consider burn-in a reason for most people to avoid buying an OLED TV. Check out our guide to OLED burn-in for more.
Connections for everyone (including gamers)
LG continues to excel at connection options. All of LG’s 2023 OLED models announced so far (including the B3) have the latest version of the HDMI standard: 2.1. That means their HDMI ports can handle 4K at 120 frames per second and variable refresh rate, as well as enhanced audio return channel and automatic low latency mode (auto game mode). In other words, they can take advantage of the latest graphics features available from PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S consoles as well as high-end graphics cards. All four of the C3’s HDMI ports support 4K/120 — great for hardcore gamers with multiple next-gen devices.
Four HDMI inputs with HDMI 2.1, HDCP 2.2
Three USB ports
Optical digital audio output
RF (antenna) input
RS-232 port (minijack, for service only)
Ethernet (LAN) port
Picture quality comparisons
I lined the C3 up against the LG G3 and Samsung S95C — two more-expensive 2023 OLED TVs — as well as the LG C2 from 2022 and a non-OLED TV, the TCL 6-Series Roku TV. All of the OLED TVs looked spectacular, and a clear step above the cheaper TCL, but some differences emerged between them. The Samsung and G3 outperformed the C3 in many areas, in particular HDR brightness and bright-room performance, but the C3 and matched or beat the other two.
TV and movies: Comparing the C3 to the Sony, using the snowy nature scenes from the Spears and Munsil test disc, the two looked similar. The C3 did appear a bit brighter than the Sony when I chose the latter’s (default) Graduation Preferred tone mapping setting, but switching to Brightness Preferred evened the playing field and made them appear nearly equally bright. I liked the look of Gradation better, however, and I’d give the nod to the C3 for being able to deliver a slightly more impactful overall image in default settings.
Differences between the C2 and C3 were even more difficult to discern. Brightness, color and shadow detail were so close as to look identical, and despite LG’s claim that the C3 might appear brighter, I didn’t see it.
The Samsung and the G3 looked brighter and better than the other OLED TVs, mainly thanks to superior brightness. They measured roughly 500 nits brighter than the C3, for example, and in side-by-side comparisons the difference was obvious. The Samsung’s color was deeper and more saturated, but measured a bit less accurate and showed less detail in shadows than the other OLED TVs.
Switching to TV I checked out The Witcher: Blood Origin on Netflix and during the initial bar scene, the C3 and Sony again looked neck-and-neck. Highlights, shadow detail and color were excellent and I couldn’t see much difference between the two as Elle sang and stabbed. The G3 and Samsung looked a bit better but not by leaps and bounds. Translation: the C3 still looked great, even in this rarified company.
Gaming: The C3, like the C2 before it, is an excellent gaming TV and LG hasn’t done much to change it. I still love all the options in the Game Optimizer menu, which gathers all of the gaming settings in one place and verifies refresh rate, VRR status and more at a glance. I also appreciated the ability to edit the gaming dashboard to swap in more status indicators (resolution, Dolby Atmos and so on), but I’m pretty nerdy like that.
The Dark Room mode is designed to reduce eye fatigue but it also dulls the image so I’d avoid using it unless you need to. Among the various gaming image modes I liked Standard best for most games with its balance of shadow detail and contrast. FPS is best if you want more visibility into shadows, or you can just crank the Black Stabilizer control up (at the expense of a washed-out image).
Buried within Game Optimizer is another setting labeled “Reduce input delay (input lag)” with two options, Standard and Boost. The former, which is the default for any game, serves up an excellent input lag result similar to past LG OLED models: just 13.5ms for both 1080p and 4K HDR sources. Engaging Boost cuts lag even further, to just under 10ms for both. The catch is that Boost is only available for 60Hz sources, so you can’t use it with 120Hz games or VRR. And no, I don’t think many humans would notice the extra 3ms of lag.
Bright lighting: The C3 is bright enough for just about any viewing environment, but basically the same as the C2. As usual for OLED TVs, it was dimmer and less-impactful than LED-based TVs like the TCL. It was also substantially dimmer than higher-end OLED models, namely the G3 and S95C.
Below are my measurements in nits for select comparison TVs in their brightest and most accurate picture modes, using both standard dynamic range and high dynamic range test patterns.
Light output in nits
TV
Brightest mode (HDR)
Accurate mode (HDR)
Brightest mode (SDR)
Accurate mode (SDR)
TCL 65R655
1,387
1,194
1,292
624
LG OLED65G3
1,378
1,378
725
724
Samsung QN65S95C
1,348
1,326
238
648
LG OLED65C3
861
817
501
464
LG OLED65C2
812
759
413
389
As with most TVs, the brightest mode for HDR and SDR (Vivid on the C3) is horribly inaccurate. For the accurate results listed above, I used ISF Expert Bright picture mode (Peak Brightness: High) for SDR and Filmmaker mode for HDR. I recommend C3 owners do the same to get good color in bright rooms. Note that with SDR, you’ll need to disable the Auto Energy Saving setting (Support > Energy Saving > Energy Saving Step > Off) to get full brightness.
The anti-reflective screen of the C3 is very good, but the Samsung and especially the G3 did a better job deadening bright reflections in the room. The C3 did have a darker overall finish than either one, which led to slightly more pop and contrast, but the difference was minimal. Meanwhile the C3 was better than the Sony at dimming reflections, which combined with the Sony’s slightly dimmer image led to better performance in bright rooms for the C3.
Uniformity and viewing angle: Like all OLEDs I’ve tested the C3 was exemplary in this area compared to LCD-based TVs, with no significant brightness or color variations across the screen and nearly perfect image quality from off-angle. From extreme angles I did notice that the G3 was better, however — the C3 introduced a slight purplish hue at extreme off-angles, while color on the G3 remained true.
Picture setting notes
LG made some changes to its picture settings menu for 2023. My favorite is the ability to edit the top level, letting me surface different settings for easy access and move around others. In addition to the standard litany of picture modes — Vivid, Cinema, Game Optimizer and so forth — LG has a new “Personalized Picture” mode. Setting it up steps you through a series of images and asks you to choose which one you like best, and in the end an “AI” analyzes your choices and applies the mode. I gave it a whirl and the wizard said I liked a “Clear” picture, which it applied to the image. Unfortunately it didn’t look very good to my eye, and when I measured it the image was horribly inaccurate, so my advice is to stick with one of the (accurate) preset modes rather than the wizard.
The most accurate modes were Cinema and Filmmaker for both HDR and SDR, as well as the two ISF modes available in SDR. For SDR viewing I went with Cinema for dark rooms (because it was closer to my 2.2 gamma target) and ISF Bright for brighter environments, and for HDR I used Filmmaker (which was slightly brighter than Cinema HDR). Game Optimizer is best for gaming, thanks to its processing, but quite blue; for the best color accuracy for gaming you should adjust the color temperature control toward red (Picture > Advanced Settings > Color > White Balance > Color temperature).
Like most TVs the C3 offers settings that engage smoothing, aka the soap opera effect, as I prefer to turn it off for TV shows and movies (and it’s off in Game Optimizer mode because it increases input lag). You can experiment with the settings (Picture > Advanced Settings > Clarity > TruMotion) and it’s off by default in the Cinema and Filmmaker modes.
Looking to keep the party going all summer long? Having a portable Bluetooth speaker is a great way to bring music with you wherever you go — and you can find some great deals out there. Right now you can score $30 off the Anker Soundcore Motion Boom at Amazon when you clip the on-page coupon, bringing the price down to just $80. It has a waterproof design and delivers on sound quality, making it a great addition to your pool party or day at the beach.
The Anker Soundcore Motion Boom scored a spot on our roundup of the best Bluetooth speakers out there thanks to its portability, sound quality and price. It’s a solid mini boombox and is both fully waterproof with an IPX7 rating and has an integrated handle for easy carrying. It will even float if it gets knocked into the water. The speaker delivers a solid sound for the size, beating out a lot of the competition and has a BassUp setting to give it a better punch. It also has an impressive battery life of up to 24 hours and can even charge your device if you need a boost.
I grabbed one for myself last year and have really enjoyed having it for celebrations and while hanging out by the pool. CNET’s David Carnoy gave it a full review, stating that “this speaker is easy to recommend, particularly if you’re looking for something that can play more loudly than your typical compact Bluetooth speaker.” And this deal makes it an even better value.
With the advent of smart TVs and voice assistants, universal remotes have all but disappeared. Why would you buy a separate clicker when you can control everything with Alexa or your TV remote? Because plenty of people still need more than a basic controller, that’s why. Millions of Americans subscribe to cable TV and/or have an AV system that can’t be controlled by a TV remote alone. The original Amazon Fire TV Cube was a bridge between the new reality of streaming and the smart home, and the need to control third-party devices. It’s been replaced by a second-generation Fire TV which includes plenty of high-end features, such as a faster processor and 4K upscaling.
There’s a lot to like about the Fire TV Cube. Its small, boxy design is both cute and sleek, and it looks good in a TV cabinet. Its built-in mic and speakers are also capable of controlling a TV using just Alexa. To top it all off, the Cube also connects directly to a cable box so Alexa can control that, too. Pretty sweet, right?
In theory, yes. But after spending untold hours over the course of five months testing two different Fire TV Cube units on three separate TVs, I’m sad to report that the new Cube just didn’t work as advertised. Sure, it performed admirably as a regular streaming player, as it lets you download and watch just about any content you’d want. But people buying the Cube might reasonably expect the full smart-home experience, and this is precisely where the device faltered
In my testing, Alexa consistently struggled to reliably complete voice commands, while the Cube as a whole regularly encountered glitches when attempting to control other connected devices. When everything worked as it should, the Cube felt almost magical. But too often, I was left begging Alexa to follow the commands I gave it. The end result is a product that offers a tantalizing vision of the future of smart TVs but is ultimately so frustrating to use that I wanted to throw it across the room.
A pretty package
The Cube, true to its name, has always been a square box that’s made to sit by your TV. The first two generations of the Cube were made entirely of plastic and featured sharp, straight lines.
The latest version of the device comes wrapped in a mesh-like fabric with rounded edges that gives the Cube more of an upscale look and feel. On top of the box, you’ll find Alexa mute and volume controls, as well as a Select button. To control anything else, you’ll need to use your voice, or the included remote.
On the back of the Cube, you’ll find space to plug in a USB stick; an ethernet cable; an optional IR extender for controlling a device that’s in a cabinet; plus two HDMI connectors — an output to connect to your TV and an input to connect from a cable box or other device. It’s easy to set up, too: I had everything plugged in and running in about five minutes.
Content everywhere
The initial onscreen setup is also fairly painless. The Cube walks you through all the steps — from signing into your Amazon account to pairing Alexa with your TV — in just a few minutes. It all works seamlessly until you’re faced with navigating the busy Fire TV home screen, most of which is taken up with a carousel of rotating ads.
Below this,you’ll see a small strip of useful buttons, such as your Amazon profile, an input switch, search, a home button, a channel guide for Amazon’s Freevee live TV options, a Favorites bookmark and a group of your installed apps, as well as a settings shortcut.
But here is where the familiar problems of the Fire TV interface become evident. Those useful buttons are quickly followed by seemingly endless carousels filled with content, most of it spam. For every helpful section, like Recently Used Apps, there are twice as many rows filled with sponsored content or movies from other Amazon properties.
I might not have minded this so much if Amazon had made it easier to actually get to the content I wanted to watch. Instead, the small area containing all my downloaded apps only has slots for six of them, which means I have to dig deep into the apps menu to get to what I want. Not surprisingly, Prime Video and Freevee come preinstalled on this list of six. Thankfully, you can demote them from the top spots and put other apps in their place, but it’s just one more way Amazon makes the Fire TV interface less than user-friendly.
Navigating through the system and launching apps does feel snappy, though. There’s a new processor in the Cube that Amazon claims has twice the performance of the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which itself is impressively fast. Although I wasn’t able to back up the company’s speed claims for the Cube, it felt just as responsive as the 4K Max stick, if not more so. The Cube launched both Netflix and Disney Plus in just over two seconds, which is on par with other punchy streaming devices.
Playback looked great, backed by the support of Dolby Vision, HDR and Dolby Atmos audio. I was also a fan of the included Wi-Fi 6E support, as it enables those with upgraded routers to take advantage of superfast streaming.
Equipment control failures
Amazon touts that you’ll be able to connect many of your TV-related devices to your Cube so it can seamlessly switch between streaming, a game console or even a cable box. In order to set up this feature, you first need to head to Equipment Control in the settings menu to add each extra piece of equipment you want to connect. This is where my problems began.
I first tried to add a Roku and an Xbox Series X to a Cube plugged into a 2021 TCL 6 Series Google TV, but the Cube failed to automatically recognize the television. Instead, I needed to manually find and click on my TV manufacturer. Eventually, the Cube was able to turn my TV on and off using Alexa, but it remained incapable of adequately reading which device was plugged in, and to which HDMI. As a backup measure, I tried to teach it the infrared signals my remote uses when switching to each device, but that also failed to work. Even if it made the correct guess one time, it would switch to the wrong input the next. I spent way too many hours trying any conceivable combination to get it working consistently. I contacted Amazon and had a meeting with its technicians to try to fix the issue. They sent me a brand new Cube to see if that would help. It did not. The Cube just doesn’t want to work with this TCL TV.
Next, I tried the exact same setup on a 2020 Samsung TV, which, to my relief, worked much better. The Cube recognized the TV immediately, and Alexa was able to switch back and forth between my Xbox and my Roku with ease. Unfortunately, I was unable to get Alexa to launch my Xbox games, despite spending hours checking all my settings on both devices and using the prompts listed on the Xbox site. By this point in the process, I was just happy that Alexa worked at all.
Finally, I connected the Cube to an LG TV circa 2011 to see how it worked with older devices. To my surprise, it automatically recognized the model and connected easily. I then hooked up my cable box directly to the Cube through the HDMI input. Amazon claims cable boxes from Spectrum, my provider, along with a string of others, work in conjunction with the Cube to allow Alexa to control your cable.
After I added the cable box to my list of connected devices, I said aloud “Alexa, tune to ESPN on cable,” and held my breath. To my genuine surprise and delight, it worked. My TV went from the Fire TV home screen directly to ESPN on my cable box. At last, I could finally skip easily around cable, multiple streaming devices and gaming consoles all with a few simple commands to Alexa. It felt, dare I say, magical. I was finally starting to experience Amazon’s vision for the Cube, and it felt pretty cool.
But, sadly, it all went out the window the second I tried to get Alexa to change the channel and was met with silence. Saying “Alexa” triggered the Cube to listen, but also activated the TV’s volume mute and unmute features in a way that made it impossible for Alexa to hear my query. She would perk up every time I said her name, but no matter how many times I pleaded and begged, I couldn’t find a way to manipulate the settings so that she could actually understand my commands.
To find out if the problems I’d had were with the Cube or the Alexa assistant itself, I set up the Cube side-by-side with an Amazon Echo Dot. I issued the same command to each in turn while muting the other. The main difference is that the Cube tries to find answers in relevant TV shows if you’re not extremely specific. Most of the issues I was having with Alexa related to navigating the Cube’s connections between devices on the TV, which I’m not able to replicate on the Echo.
Off the mark
The 2022 Amazon Cube may have lofty intentions, but I found it just didn’t deliver on its promise of a full-featured smart home connection. Some of its key features are incompatible with a recent and popular TV set, while its new cable box connection is too buggy to use. If you’re looking for a high-end Amazon streaming device, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max works just as well at half the cost. While parts of the Cube feel close to offering a rich, voice-activated experience, the end product is too underbaked to recommend.
Amazon has been making streaming devices for almost a decade now, and it has had its own line of affordable TV sets for several years too. But it’s not just budget TVs Amazon is focused on making, with the the Omni QLED Series launching last year and offering a stunning 4K UHD quantum dot display and the best resolution of any Amazon TV to date.
And with Amazon Prime Day just around the corner, you can save across all sizes of the Fire TV Omni QLED Series with all-time lows and up to $200 off:
The Fire TV Omni QLED Series supports Dolby Vision IQ as well as HDR10 Plus Adaptive, HDR10 and HLG for vibrant colors and deep, rich blacks. Adaptive brightness also allows the screen to automatically adjust depending on the environment using a built-in sensor.
Running Amazon’s Fire OS, you of course have easy access to streaming apps like Prime Video, Netflix, Disney Plus and more. Four HDMI ports on the back allow you to hook up devices likes consoles, soundbars and other streaming devices if you prefer.
It also has an “ambient experience” mode, which converts the TV into a sort of smart display, digital picture frame and bulletin board combo when not in use. You can customize it with personal photos, handy Alexa widgets and a selection of free artwork. And like the original Omni Series, it has a built-in microphone so you can control your TV completely hands-free.
Read more: Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED vs. Samsung The Frame TV
If you’re building a home entertainment setup, don’t just stop at an impressive screen. There are other components worth investing in to make your space more immersive — and if you don’t want to drop the cash on a full surround sound system, grabbing a soundbar is the next best thing. These devices can deliver powerful, room-filling audio to help you stay engaged with your favorite movies and shows. And many soundbars these days are compatible with building a complete surround sound system, so whether you’re looking to get a total overhaul or just need a basic single-piece setup, there are tons of options out there for you to choose from. And you can also score a solid deal on a soundbar if you shop around.
If you aren’t sure what you’re looking for, or how to decipher all the channels, wattages and other technical specs, be sure to consult our handy soundbar shopping guide. Below, we’ve rounded up some of the best bargains you’ll find out there on soundbars at the moment, and we’ll continue to update this page as offers come and go, so be sure to check back often.
With financial turmoil off the pitch, and disappointing results on it, Canada are in big need of a win on Saturday, as they take on Guatemala in this key Gold Cup Group D clash in Houston.
Lucas Cavallini and Richie Laryea were both on the scoresheet for Canada in their opening match of the tournament against Guadeloupe, but were pegged back to a frustrating 2-2 draw.
Guatemala, meanwhile, kicked off their campaign with a confidence-boosting 1-0 win over Cuba, thanks to a second-half winner from Darwin Lom. That result was Los Chapines’ first victory in seven Gold Cup games, and they’ll likely fancy their chances of registering another against a Canadian side low on confidence and missing its star trio of Alphonso Davies, Stephen Eustáquio and Jonathan David.
Below, we’ll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the game live wherever you are in the world.
Guatemala vs. Canada: When and where?
Guatemala take on Canada at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston on Saturday, July 1. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. CT local time, 9:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. PT (2:30 a.m. BST in the UK and 11:30 a.m. AEST on Sunday, July 2 in Australia).
How to watch the Guatemala vs. Canada game online from anywhere using a VPN
If you find yourself unable to view the game locally, you may need a different way to watch — that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it’s also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.
Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.
Livestream the Guatemala vs. Canada game in the US
Saturday’s game is on Fox Sports 1. If you don’t have the channel as part of your cable lineup, it can be streamed via Sling TV, as well as other more expensive streaming TV services.
Livestream the Guatemala vs. Canada match in the UK
Broadcast rights in the UK for this game are with Viaplay, with kick-off set for 2:30 a.m. BST in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Livestream the Guatemala vs. Canada match in the Canada
If you want to stream this Gold Cup clash live in Canada, you’ll need to subscribe to FuboTV Canada.
Can I livestream the Guatemala vs. Canada game in Australia?
There is currently no confirmed broadcaster for this key Gold Cup match Down Under.
The only alternative is to use one of our best VPN services as described above, set your location to a country on this page that is broadcasting and go from there. Just be aware that most paid streaming services will require a credit card based in the country the service is from.
Quick tips for streaming CONCACAF Gold Cup 2023 using a VPN
With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — your experience and success when streaming Gold Cup matches may vary.
If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for city or country” option.
If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.
