This week felt like Christmas due to all the boxes filling my home. Deliveries arrived every day, causing my dog to bark each time someone knocked on the door to drop off a parcel.
But my living room was not packed with a gaming console, a new computer, or a VR headset. Instead, I spent my free time putting together a push chair, learning how to attach a car seat, and trying on my new baby carrier.
My wife and I are expecting our first child in a couple of months. We’re tremendously excited and have been getting our home ready since we found out. During our nesting period, we’ve repainted several rooms, prepped the nursery, test-driven strollers, and gotten new carpet.
What we haven’t done is spend money on non-baby tech. Adulting has made Amazon Prime Day a bit ironic, since I’m spending every day finding deals on tech I’d usually want to buy but won’t purchase this year.
But hey, maybe you don’t have a baby on the way. Or perhaps you have a different budget — enough for both a rocking chair and a gaming chair. Here are the best Prime Day deals I’d buy if I weren’t having a baby.
My top 5 Prime Day deals
Xbox Series S
College Football 26 came out this week, and I’m jealous of my friends who get to play it. Last year’s installment was a triumphant return for the franchise, and College Football 26 is an upgrade in just about every way.
Of course, I wouldn’t buy a console for just one game. With Xbox Play Anywhere and Xbox Game Pass, it’s easy to continue my experience from another device onto the Xbox Series S.
Surface Pro 12-inch
The Surface Pro 12-inch is the closest Microsoft has ever come to making a Windows “iPad.” The tablet is smaller than its siblings and houses a stylus in a way that’s better suited for tablet use. But when you need to get work done with a keyboard, you can still attach one to create a laptop-like experience.
I’ve covered virtual reality since the days of the GearVR and watched closely as Meta / Oculus released several headsets over the years. The Meta Quest 3S is an excellent bargain at retail price and an even better deal during Prime Day.
The headset features a new chipset, comes with next-gen controllers, and supports a large library of games. It can also be used to stream games to a giant virtual display through Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Lenovo Legion Go
I may actually buy this one even with a baby on the way. The Legion Go S is a gaming handheld that’s easy to enjoy when sitting on a sofa or lying in bed. I’ve been told by dozens of friends and family members that fatherhood will greatly change my schedule, so I assume portable gaming that I can put down at the drop of a hat will be better than having to go to my desk to play PC games.
Xbox Wireless Controller + Fire TV Stick 4K + Game Pass Ultimate (1 month)
This bundle only costs a bit more than the regular price of a Fire TV Stick 4K. I have a smart TV, but for certain content I prefer the experience provided by the Fire TV Stick 4K. It’s also handy to be able to take a stick when I go on vacation and have all my apps ready to go with my various accounts.
To be entirely honest, I don’t expect to miss any of the gadgets above. I’ve had a blast this week practicing unfolding our push chair and realizing it has a slot for a cup holder. Seeing scans of the baby and sharing them with friends and family has also been special. This is the fun part — all the excitement and none of the sleepless nights.
But I’d be remiss if I didn’t share the best Prime Day deals for those looking for the best bargains on computers and gaming gadgets.
