The payday wishlist – what we'd spend our money on this week (September 15)

MacBook Air, iPhone 15, Apple Watch SE, Echo Pop and Samsung SmartThings Station on an orange background

(Image credit: Future)

It's been a big week in the world of tech with the announcement of the new iPhone 15 and Apple Watch 9. These two devices have a big impact on our Payday Wishlist this week - but not always in the way you might expect.

I mean, sure, we've been on the hunt for the best iPhone 15 deals available right now and have dropped the top offer just below. But when it comes to the wearable, we've actually gone with the Apple Watch SE as it's plummeted in price since the announcement.

There's some time left in the Discover Samsung sale, too, which has brought back a popular offer on some handy smart home tech. Why's it so popular? Well, it only costs $1. But the cheap smart home tech doesn't end there as non-Prime members can also get the new Echo Pop for its lowest price yet.

1. iPhone 15

After it was announced earlier in the week, iPhone 15 preorders are now live. Our phone deals hunting expert Alex Whitelock has searched around and picked out the very best offer if you're looking to upgrade to one of Apple's latest handsets.

Right now, it's at Verizon. Why? Because you can trade in any iPhone in any condition and get up to $1,000 off a brand new model - including the Pro version. That's a massive rebate if you're moving from an old-generation device.

Apple iPhone 15: up to $1,000 off with a trade-in at Verizon
On the surface, Verizon's opening iPhone 15 deals don't offer a huge departure from the usual trade-in rebates at the carrier. However, Verizon has relaxed its trade-in eligibility criteria to be more inclusive, which means you can trade-in any iPhone in any condition and get up to $1,000 off a Pro model. Since this promotion is so good, we'd probably advocate going for one of the Pro models here since the iPhone 15 is valued at just $799.

2. Samsung SmartThings Station

The Discover Samsung Sale has been underway all this week with huge savings across TVs, phones, appliances, earbuds, laptops and more. But there's one that was super-popular last time and stands out above the rest because it's so cheap: the Samsung SmartThings Station is just $1. It usually costs $79.99, so for a single US dollar it's an absolute steal.

Unfortunately, you can't simply head over and buy the handy smart home hub. There are loopholes to jump through. A limited number of promo codes are available from around 12pm ET at Samsung every day through Sunday that can be used to buy the SmartThings Station for $1. Simply jump through the link above to reach the promotion page, watch a short video and then you'll be provided with a promo code if any is still available.

SmartThings Station: was $79.99 now $1 at Samsung
Samsung is releasing a limited number of promo codes from around 12pm ET every day this week that can be used to slash the price of its smart home and charging hub to a buck. Simply visit the offer page at that time, watch a brief video and then claim a code that allows you to bag the SmartThings Station for a bargain price. Use it to set up your smart home network to control the lights, heating, and various other devices around your house with the touch of a button on the station or your connected smartphone. Plus, as a neat bonus, it also functions as a wireless charging pad for supported devices.

Find more ways to save with one of the latest Samsung promo codes

3. Apple Watch SE

It wasn't just the new iPhone 15 range that was announced at the Apple September event - there's also an Apple Watch 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. But if those are a bit over the top for you when it comes to features or a little out of your price range then you'll want this bargain on the Apple Watch SE at Walmart.

Sure, it's an older smartwatch now, but it'll cover you with all the basic health and fitness tracking features for $129. That's almost $300 less than the Apple Watch 9, so a huge saving and an excellent budget option. This one is selling out fast, though, so best to move quickly.

Apple Watch SE (GPS + Cellular): was $149 now $129 at Walmart
The budget-friendly Apple Watch SE is reduced to its lowest price ever at Walmart. The design is similar to the more premium Apple smartwatches, but it has a smaller screen and doesn't feature the same always-on function. Even though this is the older first-generation model, it still comes with all key health and fitness tracking features, such as heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and GPS. At this price, it's a solid, affordable option if you're after your first smartwatch.

Want the new watch? Here are all the Apple Watch 9 preorders
You can also check out the latest Apple Watch Ultra 2 preorders

4. Echo Pop

A number of TechRadar deals writers, including Mackenzie Frazier, already own a couple of the 3rd generation Echo Dots with the familiar dome design. She's found the smart speaker comes in handy for answering any questions she throws at it, updating her on the weather forecast and more – all through Alexa.

Just recently, Amazon launched the all-new Echo Pop, which effectively keeps all the same voice controls and useful smart home features but wraps it in a slimmer and modern design. And that device is now available for its cheapest price yet for non-Prime members. It was an additional $5 cheaper back in July for Prime Day but it's the best time to buy since launch if you're not signed up to Amazon's subscription service.

Get ready for the next Amazon Prime Day in October

5. MacBook Air M2

Apple's powerful 15-inch MacBook Air M2 was released in June of this year, and Amazon already has an impressive discount on the larger laptop, bringing the price down to $1,099 (was $1,299). That's a $200 discount and the best deal we've seen so far.

This version of the MacBook Air features a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display and is claimed to be the world's thinnest 15-inch laptop, weighing just three pounds. It's powered by Apple's high-performance M2 chip with an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU, resulting in exceptional speed in everything you do. The laptop also features a six-speaker sound system, a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, 18 hours of battery life, and a fanless design that runs completely silent.

See more ways to save with today's best Apple promo codes

James Pickard is a Deals Editor at TechRadar. After many years of scouring the net for the cheapest games and tech for his personal use, he decided to make it his job to share all the best bargains and coupon codes with you. James also has almost a decade of experience covering some of the biggest sales events of the year at Eurogamer and VG247, including Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Amazon Prime Day. When not deals hunting or stacking coupon codes to get the biggest savings, James can be found on the PS5, watching a classic film noir or cheering on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.