Every year there's a bubble of excitement before Prime Day as we wonder just what offers await us over the 48-hour sales extravaganza. There have been lots of offers to get through this year across a vast range of products and categories that it can all get a bit overwhelming. In the chaos, it's worth taking a moment to stop and ask: are any of these Prime Day deals really that good?
That's what we've done right here. We've taken a closer look at some of the most popular deals from Prime Day 2022 and whether they're really as good as they seem. We've studied price history, compared to other sales events, and generally considered what really gives you the best value for money right now.
This year's Prime Day Apple Watch deals
Although smartwatches and other wearables usually feature quite heavily during Prime Day, it's been a surprise to see the sheer number of Apple Watch offers this year. Why could this be? Well, the main reason is likely the upcoming Apple Watch 8, which is strongly expected to release in late 2022.
Discounts in the US have led the way with the Apple Watch 7 for $279. That's a $120 saving on the standard version with a 41mm strap and GPS functionality. Until the run-up to Prime Day, this version of the latest Apple Watch had never been below $300, so we definitely can't argue against a record-low price for Prime Day.
As for the UK, the more budget-friendly Apple Watch SE has the better offers. If you want to pay the lowest possible then this Apple Watch SE (40mm, GPS) for £206.15 is the one to go for. Again, with discounts up to £65, it's another one that's available for its cheapest price yet – even if it is just £10 lower.
Should you buy an Apple Watch on Prime Day? Yes. Many models are available for their lowest ever prices for Prime Day and are unlikely to be any cheaper until Black Friday following the launch of the Apple Watch 8.
Best Prime Day Apple Watch deals
This year's Prime Day TV deals
TVs are another huge area of interest during any sales event - equally so during Prime Day. So, if you want to upgrade your display or get a low-cost screen for another room in the house then do you have any good options right now?
You do if it's budget-friendly that you're after. There have been big savings of up to $700 on Fire TVs this year and many were available before the event even began. This year's best deal was a 55-inch Fire TV Omni Series for $299.99 - a massive $260 off the usual price for Amazon's premium but still low-cost display.
Now that's sold out, you're best budget option is the 50-inch Insignia F30 Series for $239.99 (was $399.99). If that's not large enough, there are savings available on everything up to the 75-inch, which is still only $600. That's a lot of TV for the money.
Where it gets less interesting are those premium QLED and OLED TVs from the likes of LG, Samsung, and Sony. They do feature in this year's Prime Day, but the quality of the offers leaves a lot to be desired.
That's not because they're bad, it's just that many are the same discounts we've seen since last Black Friday or earlier this year. So, if you pressed pause on buying the 48-inch LG C1 OLED for $796.99 during the 4th of July sales in case it would be cheaper on Prime Day then, don't worry, it's back again now.
Should you buy a TV this Prime Day? It depends. Budget models, smaller displays, and those from Amazon's own Fire TV brand are good purchases this year. The discounts on these are strong and we've seen many record low prices. It's the high-end OLED TVs and larger displays where the offers are underwhelming. They're not bad, it's just many of them we've seen countless times over the past eight months. Wait until Black Friday for those and the savings will be much more impressive.
Best Prime Day TV deals
This year's Prime Day laptop deals
There's been a bigger emphasis than ever before on back-to-school-themed deals in this year's Prime Day sale – especially in the US – so that's factored into a lot of the best laptop deals we've seen.
When Prime Day got underway it was the low prices for a Chromebook that immediately stood out, including a Lenovo IdeaPad 3 that was reduced to only $99. Unsurprisingly, that sold out sharpish, but there are still many excellent offers on Chromebooks. Anyone with $300/£300 or less to spend and only in need of a basic machine for general everyday use or light work should check these out.
As we start to move towards the more expensive mid-range machines there's nothing that jumps out quite so quickly. Sure, there are some fine savings on laptops from Acer, Asus, LG and HP, but many are in line with the discounts we see when tracking all the best laptop deals each week.
And, it feels the same when you get to the very high end. Even with the new launch of the MacBook Air M2, the previous model has held firm to its normal price. That's not to say there's been a complete lack of gaming laptop deals at Amazon, either, it's just these have generally underwhelmed - especially at a time when graphics card prices have stabilized and it's now becoming more viable to build your own rig again.
Should you buy a laptop on Prime Day? Maybe. It really depends on what kind of device you're looking for. If it's a basic Chromebook for school work or very light use then you can get a good deal today. For anything that's more powerful, there are some good mid-range options but the more expensive you go the less this year's Prime Day deals look appealing.
Best Prime Day laptop deals
This year's Prime Day Amazon Devices deals
It seems too obvious to state that Amazon devices feature very heavily during Prime Day. We see it every year, as the retailer dramatically price cuts everything from the Fire TV Stick and Ring Doorbell to the Kindle and Fire tablet in its yearly sale.
For example, previously the cheapest we'd seen the latest generation Echo Dot was back in June at $27.99. Right now, the smart speaker is $19.99 – that's a 60% discount off the usual price. Then there's the Echo Show 5, which dropped to $45 back in April. It's now another $10 cheaper for Prime Day and at its all-time low of $34.99. And alongside all of that, a Fire TV Stick now starts at just $11.99.
In the UK, it's much the same story. There's an Echo Dot (4th Gen) for £19.99 – a new record low. You can find a Fire 7 tablet for £24.99 - that's the cheapest price yet by £7. And how about the all-new Kindle Paperwhite for £84.99? Yep, today's £45 discount on the ereader is the biggest one since it launched.
Should you buy Amazon devices this Prime Day? Yes. It's always the case that Amazon's own products are reduced to their cheapest prices during the retailer's own sale. Similar offers do sometimes return at various points throughout the year but – outside of a few less popular items –. they are never as cheap as the prices on Prime Day
Best Prime Day Amazon Devices deals (US)
Best Amazon Devices deals (UK)
This year's Prime Day headphone deals
Whether it's a new pair of over-ear noise-cancelling cans or quality earbuds for the gym, major sales events are always good for discounts on headphones. But how this year's Prime Day deals fare?
Well, there are definitely some good savings out there. The main highlight is the Sony WH-1000XM4 for $228. For a long time these were at the top of our list of the best noise-cancelling headphones you can buy. What knocked them off the top? The Sony WH-1000XM5. So, yeah, these headphones are still and excellent pickup, even more so they're not down to their cheapest ever price - even if it's just $20 less than the previous record-low.
When it comes to earbuds, it's Samsung that have the best offers this. We're talking cheapest prices ever for the Galaxy Buds Pro (now $119.99) and the Galaxy Buds Live (now $79.99).
Those after Apple products may be a little more disappointed however, as the prices we've seen for AirPods do not beat anything we've seen since in the last year. In fact, the AirPods Pro are $169.99 right now - that's $10 more than the price they fell to over Black Friday.
Should you buy headphones this Prime Day? Mostly yes. We've seen record low prices for some Samsung, Bose and Sony headphones - including options that we consider best in class. Definitely snap up those during the sale. If it's Apple AirPods you're after, well, they're either the same price as last year, or they've been cheaper before. Wait for better deals on these later in the year.
Best Prime Day headphones deals
