Dealmaster —

New users can get 3 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $1 today

Dealmaster also has deals on iPhone cases, Garmin watches, and robot vacuums.

A collage of electronic consumer goods against a white background.
Ars Technica

Today's Dealmaster is headlined by a deal on Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, as new users can getthree months of the video game subscription service for $1. We've seen Microsoft提供这笔交易before, but it still represents a $30 savings. (The company typically gives new users one month of service for $1 before bumping the cost up to $15 per month.) Those who currently subscribe or have previously subscribed to Game Pass Ultimate aren't eligible for the discount.

As a refresher, Game Pass Ultimate pairs Microsoft's Xbox Live Gold service—which is required for online play with most Xbox games—withthe company's all-you-can-eatGame Pass subscriptions for Xbox consoles and PC for one monthly fee. A membership also includes access to Microsoft'scloud gamingplatform (which is out on Android and semi-availableon iOSandWindows) and asubscription to EA's Play service.

The general consensus is that Game Pass Ultimate is one of gaming's best deals, and the Dealmaster is inclined to agree. The service's library nowcovers hundreds of gamesacross genres: there's the expected Microsoft-made series likeHalo,Forza, andGears, but there are also titles fromnewly acquired studio Bethesda; majorsports games likeMLB The ShowandFIFA;larger-scale "triple-A" games likeDestiny 2,Control, andOutriders(some of which arrive on release day); older classics likeBanjo-Kazooie和各种Final Fantasygames; and indie gems likeSubnautica,Celeste, andOuter Wilds, among many others. Games rotate in and out of the service over time, and you'll get the most out of it if you're constantly looking for new titles to sample. But it's not hard to see the value if youarethat type of player (and own an Xbox).

If you're looking for a longer-term subscription,Microsoft's membership policiesstill make it possible for new users tostockpile up to 36 months of Xbox Live Goldor a regular Game Pass first, then convert them all to a Game Pass Ultimate subscription for $1 extra. And as an aside, previous Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can also save a few bucks by converting a12-month EA Play subscriptionto anotherfour months of Ultimatefor effectively half off.

In any event, our deals roundup below has plenty of discounts for those who aren't interested in another subscription service, with good prices on Sony noise-canceling headphones, Garmin running watches, Anker USB chargers, Apple iPhone cases, video games for every major platform, and much more. Have a look at the full curated list below.

Note: Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post throughaffiliate programs.

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Top 10 deals of the day

Sony's WH-1000XM4 noise-canceling headphones.
Enlarge /Sony's WH-1000XM4 noise-canceling headphones.
Jeff Dunn

Laptop and desktop PC deals

  • Dell Inspiron 15 5000laptop—Intel Core i7-1165G7, 15.6-inch 1080p, 12GB RAM, 512GB SSD for$685.99at Dell (use code:50OFF699—normally $800).
  • 31.5-inch LG 32GK650F-Bgaming monitor—2560x1440, VA, 144 Hz, FreeSync for$296.99at BuyDig (normally $362).
  • 27-inch Gigabyte M27Qgaming monitor—2560x1440, IPS, 170 Hz, FreeSync for$309.99at Amazon andNewegg(normally $330).
  • 27-inch Dell S2721DGFgaming monitor—2560x1440, IPS, 165 Hz, FreeSync for$379.99at Best Buy (normally $460).
  • AMD Ryzen 7 5800X8-core/16-thread desktop processor for$421.05at Amazon (normally $450).
  • SK Hynix Gold P31(1TB) PCIe NVMe Gen 3 internal SSD for$114.74at Amazon (clip 15% coupon—normally $135).
<em>Hades </em>topped the list of our favorite games of 2020.
Enlarge / Hadestopped the list of our favorite games of 2020.
Supergiant Games

Video game deals

The new <em>Resident Evil Village</em>, complete with tall vampire women.
Enlarge /The newResident Evil Village, complete with tall vampire women.
<em>Celeste</em> topped the list of our favorite games from 2018.
Enlarge / Celestetopped the list of our favorite games from 2018.
Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gets you access to a lot of games for a monthly fee.
Enlarge /Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gets you access to a lot of games for a monthly fee.
Microsoft

Gaming deals

Apple's AirPods Pro are great noise-cancelling true wireless headphones.
Enlarge /Apple's AirPods Pro are great noise-cancelling true wireless headphones.

Electronics deals

The Garmin Forerunner 45 is a solid choice for casual runners.
Enlarge /The Garmin Forerunner 45 is a solid choice for casual runners.
Valentina Palladino

Smart home device deals

The Roku Streaming Stick+ 4K HDR media streamer.
Enlarge /The Roku Streaming Stick+ 4K HDR media streamer.
Samuel Axon

Accessories and miscellaneous deals

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