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Game Reviews

This Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus Has Never Been This Cheap Before, Almost Free for Prime Big Deal Days

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We’re closing in fast on Prime Big Deals Day. A couple times a year, Amazon likes to roll out the red carpet to have its own Black Friday-esque sales event during the big gaps between the usual holiday sales. This one next week falls between Labor Day and Black Friday. It’ll be live from October 7 to October 8, but some items have already dropped in price ahead of the official event. Right now, Amazon has the Fire TV Soundbar Plus going for a solid 40% off. You’d normally find it for $250 on the website, but for a limited time, it’s down to just $150 which happens to be its lowest price yet. That’s a whole $100 you’re saving.

This compact, plug-and-play 3.1-channel soundbar supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X sound to bring out the best from your audio whether it’s watching movies or streaming a song It’s Bluetooth compatible so you can connect your phone and use that to play music through just one sound system.

See at Amazon

Easy to Install

You don’t need to be super knowledgeable about tech to set up this soundbar. The Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus is designed to be up and running within minutes of taking it out of the box. All you need to do is plug it into your TV with the included cable over your TV’s HDMI eARC/ARC port. Plug the power into a wall outlet or power strip. Then turn it on. Easy peasy. The audio will instantly move over from the built-in speakers of your TV to your new soundbar. You can also connect over USB or optical.

If you are watching via a Fire TV, you can immediately start using the remote to control both the TV and the Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus. No need to code or pair anything.

The Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus is a compact audio solution for your living room, only measuring in at 37 inches across. It’s lightweight, weight just 8.8 lbs. The small form factor makes it a natural fit atop any entertainment center or mounted to the wall. It’s low profile enough that when placed on the stand, it won’t hinder your viewing of the lower part of the screen. It’s also easy enough to wall-mount by yourself being as light as it is.

Enjoy rich audio  the next time you watch a football game or stream the new Marvel. Get the Amazon Fire TV Plus on sale for 40% off for a limited time.

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Henry Quick Corded review: a robust vacuum that punches above its cheap price tag
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Henry Quick Corded review: a robust vacuum that punches above its cheap price tag

by admin



Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Henry Quick Corded: two-minute review

The Henry Quick Corded is one of the most unique vacuums I’ve tested. It’s a stick vacuum, but it’s also both corded and bagged. And it has a face. In terms of features, it’s far from the flashiest model on the market; but it’s solidly built, functional, and comes with an extremely affordable price tag.

Corded vacuums tend to offer more power than cordless models, and that’s just about true here. The Henry Quick Corded isn’t the suckiest vacuum I’ve used, but it still packs enough power to offer a solid clean in low-traffic homes (although it does have an unfortunate tendency to sometimes spit out dirt it previously cleared).

The bags and cord will divide opinion. The emptying process here is pleasingly free from clouds of escaped dust (good news for allergy-sufferers) but I’m not thrilled about the extra waste being created, nor would I necessarily trust myself to remember to replace the bags. Similarly, while I love not having to worry about running out of charge mid-clean, using the Henry Quick Corded in a four-storey house meant more instances of the cable becoming tangled and a therefore a great risk of trip-hazards than I was comfortable with.

Incidentally, both might be good news in terms of longevity – corded vacuums often last much longer than cordless ones, and the presence of a bag means there’s far less danger of ultra-fine particles making their way into the motor and causing issues. Add to that the chunky, robust build (from a brand that’s known specifically for making indestructible canister vacuums), and I’d predict the Numatic Henry Quick will last far longer than the average budget vac.

I like the fact you could turn the brushroll on or off – switching it off is the way forward when tackling chunky debris, because it meant more dirt was sucked up and less was flung across the room. Other vacuum brands should take note.

The lack of anti-hair-wrap features turned out to be a bit of an issue, though – my armpit length hair started to become tangled around the brushroll almost immediately, needing to be ripped out with the aid of scissors. I haven’t had to clear hair like this for some time, and it was quite the unwelcome blast from the past.

There are some compromises, but I still think you’re getting solid value for money here – the Henry Quick is one of the best cheap vacuums I’ve used. I also applaud Numatic’s trend-bucking approach. Most modern vacuums look exactly the same and offer similar features – it’s very rare to see cords and bags in the stick vacuum space, and both have their place as an option.

That’s the short version; read on for my full Henry Quick Corded vacuum review.

(Image credit: Future)

Henry Quick Corded review: price & availability

  • List price: £160
  • Launched: September 2025
  • Available: UK

The Henry Quick Corded launched in September 2025, and is available in the UK only, exclusively at Argos. With a list price of £160, it sits firmly in the budget price bracket, and is the cheapest vacuum I’ve tested in a long time. The fact that it isn’t available at a range of retailers means there might not be quite so many discounts available – although, at time of writing, there was already £30 off at Argos, just a couple of weeks after the product launched.

I think you’re getting a really solid product for that price. If you’re not fussed about fancy features and don’t need ultra-powerful cleaning, it’s an especially strong recommendation.

In terms of what’s around in a similar price bracket, the Dreame R20 is often available for around £200. This model is cordless and has an Auto mode where the power will intelligently ramp up and down. If you want a corded stick vacuum, you’ll find a model in Shark’s range – but what’s available and at what price is a bit of a Wild West. At the time of writing, it’s the Stratos Pet Pro for £250.

  • Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Henry Quick Corded specs

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Weight (total):

9.3lbs / 4.2kg

Weight (body only):

4.3lbs / 1.9kg

Bin size:

1L (bagged)

Cord length:

32.8ft / 10m

Dimensions (H x L x W):

48 x 10.6 x 9.4in / 122 x 27 x 24cm

Wattage:

500W

Henry Quick Corded review: design

  • Corded stick vacuum with regular and “+” power modes
  • 1L bags made from recycled material; easy-empty system
  • Vacuum is solidly built, but rather long and heavy

The Henry Quick Corded is that rarest of things: a corded stick vacuum. So it looks roughly like your average cordless stick vacuum, except you plug it into the wall. The cable is 10m long, which is probably the most common length for corded vacuums, although some brands go shorter.

That gives you plenty of room to maneuver, without feeling like you’re too tethered to the wall, and there are clips on the wand around which you can wind the cable when the vacuum isn’t in use.

Corded vacuums tend to be more powerful than cordless models, and they often last longer, too. So if you can cope with the slight inconvenience the cable brings, there are potentially big benefits.

(Image credit: Future)

That’s not the only unusual thing about the Henry Quick Corded: it also uses bags to collect the dust. The “pod” holds a generous 1-liter of dust before it needs replacing, and I received several spares in the box with the vacuum. It’s released via a chunky flap on the main part of the machine.

Again, there are pros and cons of bagged vs bagless vacuums. Bags create less mess and can be a good choice for those with allergies, who are looking to minimize opportunities for particles to escape back into the air. They can also be better at trapping very fine particles. However, there’s the cost and annoyance of having to purchase bags, and the extra waste created. To Numatic’s credit, the Henry Quick pods are made from up to 65% recycled material, and “climate positive” as the brand is carbon offsetting all its pods, globally.

(Image credit: Future)

The iconic smiley Henry face is present and correct, although it doesn’t work quite as naturally here as it does on the brand’s canister options. The machine itself feels very tall for a stick vacuum. With the floorhead flat on the ground, it measures in at around 126cm tall, whereas my Dyson Gen5detect is 114.5cm, and the Dyson V8 is around 113.5cm. You can see all three below, for scale.

When placed next to a Dyson Gen5detect (middle) and V8 (bottom), the Henry Quick looks seriously chunky (Image credit: Future)

Interestingly, this vacuum turns on and off with a one-press button rather than a trigger. Overall, the controls are basic: there are no whizzy screens here. The power button launches standard mode, and pressing the “+” sign unleashes the higher-powered mode. There’s no automation and no low-power option, as you might find on a pricier model. There’s also no battery indicator – it isn’t needed.

The iconic Henry face is present and correct… if a slightly awkward inclusion (Image credit: Future)

Unusually, there’s a third button to switch the beater bar (brush roller) in the floorhead on and off. I’ve never seen this option before on a modern vacuum, but I guessed it was for tackling delicate floors or hard floors (the roller is mostly to agitate the carpet fibers and loosen dirt hiding within, so it’s not required so much on hard floors where all the dust is sat on the surface). On test, I found it was also great for tackling chunky spillages – more on that in a second.

There’s a headlight in the floorhead, which is on by default, but switches off when you disable the brush roller. I’m not sure the logic of that decision, but it’s so dim that it doesn’t make a difference anyway.

The roller in the floorhead can be switched on and off (Image credit: Future)

Thoughtfully, Numatic has added microfiber strips across the front and underside of the floorhead, the former presumably to prevent scratches if you accidentally hit a wall, and the latter to help sweep dust on hard floors. The roller doesn’t come with any anti-hair-wrap features; but if you press the red button you can release the roller to cut hair off as required. A chunky slider lets you adjust the amount of air that can get in, to make it easier to push.

It comes with a Crevice tool and 2-in-1 brush tool for detail work, and like all stick vacuums can be dismantled and reconfigured for use as a handheld.

  • Design score: 3.5 out of 5

Henry Quick Corded review: performance

  • Decent suction on hard floors and carpet, but can spit debris back out
  • The ability to switch the roller off is great for handling chunky debris
  • Hair wraps around the roller

In general use, the Henry Quick Corded felt a little heavy but easy enough to maneuver. There are pros and cons to the button operation – it’s great for longer vacuuming sessions, but annoying if you want a quick clean-up and don’t have a hand free to press the button (here it feels especially far away from the hand grip).

You’ll need a second hand free to reach the On button (Image credit: Future)

The thing with having a bag is that you can’t see how much dust you’ve busted. However, it felt like the Henry Quick Corded was doing a solid job of clearing dirt and pet hair from my floors.

I turned out to be a fan of the no-brushroll mode, because it’s much better for tackling chunky spillages without pinging particles all over the place. The boost mode is clearly a lot more powerful than the standard mode – I could hear things amping up considerably when I switched it on.

Clips help keep the cord tidy when not in use (Image credit: Future)

In general, I didn’t find the cord too annoying. However, testing in my home with four floors meant there were plenty of stairs to navigate, and at that point I did find myself wishing I was using something that was less of a trip hazard (and if I’m honest, lighter and smaller, too). I appreciate that Numatic has added a neat storage solution for the cable when the vacuum isn’t in use, though.

Hair began wrapping around the brushroll after cleaning a single room (Image credit: Future)

This vacuum does a decent job of sucking up pet and human hair. However, the lack of anti-hair-wrap features on the floorhead was immediately noticeable – my armpit-length hair quickly tangled itself around the brushroll. After testing numerous vacuums that don’t have this issue, it felt like an unwelcome blast from the past to have to painstakingly remove the roller and dig out the kitchen scissors to cut away the tangles.

Suction tests

To gain a more objective view of this vacuum’s suction power, I ran a series of standardized suction tests to see how well it coped with fine (loose, dry tea) and chunky (oats and dry lentils) debris.

On carpet, the Henry Quick Corded pulled up most of the tea on the first pass in standard mode, leaving a light sprinkling that took a few more passes to remove completely. It also picked up most of the oats and lentils, again leaving a smattering that required a few more passes to fully clear. However, it did spit a few oats and lentils out from its floorhead once I’d finished the cleaning session.

Henry cleaning tests on carpet

Image 1 of 4

Tea and oats/lentils on carpeted floor ready for the suction test(Image credit: Future)The remaining tea after a single forward pass with the Henry Quick Corded in standard mode(Image credit: Future)The remaining tea after two passes in standard mode with the Henry Quick Corded(Image credit: Future)The remaining oats/lentils after a single forward pass with the Henry Quick Corded(Image credit: Future)

That’s a decent result. (Later, I found that the vacuum picked up chunky debris slightly better with the brushroll turned off, because the rollers didn’t flick bits everywhere.)

I ran the same test with a Dyson V8 cordless alongside, and the pickup in standard mode was very similar with both machines. You can see the results below.

Comparison: Dyson V8 cleaning tests on carpet

Image 1 of 2

The remaining tea after a single forward pass with the Dyson V8 in standard mode(Image credit: Future)The remaining oats and lentils after a single forward pass with the Dyson V8 in standard mode(Image credit: Future)

I repeated the test on a hard, tiled floor. This time, I switched the brushroll off, and it cleared everything in a single pass. Not a complete win, though, because I could see bits of debris lingering in the floorhead. I switched the roller back on to try to encourage it to make its way up the wand. This worked to a certain extent, but when I came to lift up the vacuum it still dropped a light sprinkling of tea onto the floor.

Image 1 of 2

Oats and lentils, and tea, on a tiled floor ready for the suction tests(Image credit: Future)The Henry Quick Corded cleared everything in a single pass(Image credit: Future)

I used a mixture of the same products to test how well the vacuum coped with cleaning up to the edges of rooms. It took a few passes to clear everything, as you can see in the video below, but the Henry Quick got decently close to the edge of the room.

Overall, some solid, if not wildly impressive, cleaning results from the Henry Quick Corded. I’d probably recommend it to someone whose home has more hard floors than carpet, and who isn’t dealing with tons of dirt or pet hair. I especially like the extra level of control available by being able to switch the roller on or off to suit the situation.

  • Performance score: 3.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Henry Quick Corded?

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Attribute

Notes

Rating

Value

Firmly in the budget bracket, and the cheapest vac from a trusted brand I’ve seen in a long time. Basic, but still strong value for money.

4 / 5

Design

Corded, bagged stick vacuum. The build is sturdy and functional, but feels rather heavy and tall.

3.5 / 5

Performance

Decent cleaning on carpet and hard floor, and the ability to turn off the roller is useful. However, it can spit out some previously cleaned particles.

3.5 / 5

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Henry Quick Corded review: alternatives to consider

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Model:

Henry Quick Corded (reviewed)

Dreame R20

Shark Stratos Pet Pro Upright

Type:

Corded, bagged stick vacuum

Cordless, bagless stick vacuum

Corded, bagless upright vacuum

Weight (total):

9.3lbs / 4.2kg

6lbs / 2.7kg

14.7lbs / 6.7kg

Bin size:

1L

0.6L

1.3L

Cord length:

32.8ft / 10m

N/A

26ft / 8m

Max runtime:

Unlimited

90 mins

Unlimited

Wattage:

500W

570W

750W

How I tested the Henry Quick Corded

I spent a couple of weeks using the Henry Quick Corded as my regular vacuum cleaner. I used in a four-floored house with mostly carpeted rooms, but also some engineered wooden flooring and tiled bathrooms and kitchens. It’s home to one long-haired and one short-haired human, and a Cocker Spaniel that likes to molt everywhere.

As well as getting a general feel for its cleaning performance – including how well it handles hair – and ease of use, I also ran a series of standard suction tests. For these, I sprinkled fine (dry tea) and chunky (oats and dry lentils) debris onto hard floors and carpet, and recorded how efficiently the vacuum cleared them. I ran the same tests alongside an older and newer Dyson cordless stick vacuums to see how the three compared. I also assessed how the Henry coped with cleaning along the edges of rooms.

Read more about how we test vacuum cleaners

  • First reviewed September 2025

Henry Quick Corded Vacuum Cleaner: Price Comparison



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Product Reviews

The best cheap Windows laptops for 2025

by admin


Not everyone needs a super-expensive, top-of-the-line laptop, and the good news is you don’t have to break the bank to get a solid machine. Whether you’re a student, a casual user or just looking for an affordable device for everyday tasks, there are plenty of great options out there. The trick is finding the best cheap Windows laptop that balances performance, build quality and battery life without making too many compromises.

If you’re in the very particular bind of needing to upgrade your machine before Windows 10 support ends in October, don’t fret. The machines listed below will serve you well for basic tasks, but we also put together a whole list of the best Windows laptops to replace your aging machine that includes higher price-point options.

Table of contents

What to look for in a budget-friendly Windows laptop

While you can do a lot even when spending little on a Windows laptop, you must set your expectations accordingly. The biggest downside when purchasing a budget laptop (of any kind, really) is limited power. You’ll want to carefully consider a few specs, the most important among them being the processor (CPU). Many Windows laptops under $500 run on Intel Celeron or Pentium chipsets, but you can find some with Core i3/i5 and AMD Ryzen 3/5 CPUs at the higher end of the price spectrum.

We recommend getting the most powerful CPU you can afford because it will dictate how fast the computer will feel overall. Memory (RAM) is also important because, the more you have, the easier it will be for the laptop to manage things like a dozen browser tabs while you edit a Word document and stream music in the background.

When it comes to storage, consider how much you want to save locally. If you primarily work in Google Docs or save most things in the cloud, you may not need a machine with a ton of onboard storage. Just remember that your digital space will also be taken up by apps, so it may be worth getting a little extra storage than you think you need if you know you’ll be downloading big programs. A final side note: solid state drives (SSDs) are ubiquitous at this point, not to mention faster and more efficient than hard drives (HDDs), so we recommend getting a laptop with that type of storage.

As for screens, there’s a healthy mix of HD (720p resolution) and FHD (1080p) options in this price range and we recommend springing for a notebook with a 1080p display if you can. Touchscreens aren’t as common in the budget space as standard panels, but you’ll only really miss one if you get a 2-in-1 laptop.

Before we get to our recommended specs for a cheap Windows laptop, it’s worth mentioning that Microsoft clearly lays out the true minimum requirements for any Windows 11 machine. Those include a 1GHz or faster processor that includes two or more cores, at least 4GB of RAM and 64GB of available storage space. That’s the bare minimum to run Windows 11; we recommend giving yourself some wiggle room by choosing a machine that will perform well now and for years to come.

Specs to look for in an affordable Windows laptop

  • CPU: Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 processors, at minimum

  • Storage: At least 128GB SSD

  • Screen: At least 1080p FHD

It’s essential to prioritize what’s important to you. But at the lower end of the budget, a good laptop may not offer everything you need, whereas a great one might. Although most machines come with features like Bluetooth, built-in Wi-Fi and additional ports, you might find not all of them come with the specifics you require, like an SD card slot, webcam, charger, and so on. Be sure to check the spec list of any laptop you’re considering before you buy, especially if you need specific connectors and capabilities.

See Also:

As for Copilot+, don’t expect to see much of it on truly affordable Windows laptops just yet. Microsoft’s AI features and Copilot assistant require certain specs to run, namely a powerful neural processing unit (NPU), 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Currently, the cheapest Copilot+ AI PCs will run you about $700, so if you’re willing to pay more for those perks, check out our best laptops guide for more options.

If you’re looking for either a gaming laptop or a “Windows on Arm” laptop, both categories will require you to spend more money than we’re discussing here.

Best cheap Windows laptops for 2025

The cheap Windows laptop market moves fast, and — unlike nearly all of our other buying guides — we haven’t necessarily tested each specific configuration listed below. However, the combination of these technical specifications and familiar brands represent exactly the sort of entry-level laptops we’d recommend to shoppers in this price range based on our thorough research and expert knowledge.

acer

Screen size: 15.6 inches | Resolution: FHD | RAM: 8GB | Drive capacity: 128GB | Weight: 3.9 pounds | Max battery life: Up to 11 hours | Refresh rate: 60Hz

We’ve tested various versions of the Acer Aspire in the past and found them all to be solid, reliable laptops. This model runs on a Ryzen 3 processor, supports Wi-Fi 6 and its webcam uses noise-reduction technology to improve low-light image quality. It also has improved thermal management, so you can work for longer without any serious slow-downs or heat-ups.

$326 at Amazon

Acer

Screen size: 14 inches | Resolution: WUXGA (1920 x 1200) | RAM: 8GB | Drive capacity: 512GB | Weight: Not listed | Max battery life: Up to 10 hours | Refresh rate: Not listed

On the higher end of the affordable price spectrum, this version of the Aspire 5 has a healthy amount of memory and SSD storage, plus a 14-inch IPS display. Its 1080p webcam uses the same noise-reduction technology found in other Acer laptops to improve low-light image quality, and it can employ Acer PurifiedView and AI features to help you put your best face forward on video calls and live streams.

$489 at Amazon

Lenovo

Screen size: 15.6 inches | Resolution: FHD | RAM: 24GB | Drive capacity: 1TB | Weight: 3.74 pounds | Max battery life: Up to 12 hours | Refresh rate: 60Hz

Lenovo’s IdeaPad series offers Windows laptops and Chromebooks, and this model gives you a big 1TB SSD and an engrossing 15.6-inch FHD screen surrounded by ultra-thin bezels. You also have a variety of ports to use as well, including two USB-A, one USB-C and one HDMI port. There’s even an SD card reader for those who still need one to transfer photos and other media.

$498 at Amazon

HP

Screen size: 15.6 inches | Resolution: HD | RAM: 16GB | Drive capacity: 1TB | Weight: 3.7 pounds | Max battery life: Up to 11 hours | Refresh rate: 60Hz

This HP Pavilion laptop includes a number pad on the keyboard, an HD touchscreen and 1TB of onboard storage. The screen has an anti-glare coating, so it should be easier to see even in direct sunlight, and the built-in webcam clocks in at 720p.

$409 at Amazon

Dell

Screen size: 15.6 inches | Resolution: FHD | RAM: 32GB | Drive capacity: 1TB | Weight: 3.79 pounds | Max battery life: Up to 11 hours | Refresh rate: 60Hz

This 15-inch Dell laptop runs on an Intel Core i5 processor and has plenty of RAM and storage to keep you going for years to come. It also includes a number pad on its keyboard, plus an HDMI port and an SD card reader among its other connections.

$526 at Amazon

What to know about the budget Windows laptop market

The best cheap laptop models change all the time. Unlike more expensive, flagship machines, these notebooks can be updated a couple times each year. That can make it hard to track down a specific model at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart or any other retailer. Also, we’ve seen prices vary widely depending on the configuration and retailer you’re looking at.

You can ensure you’re getting a quality laptop by doing a few things. First and foremost, make sure you get a machine that follows the recommended specs we list above. Also, make sure you’re buying from a reputable retailer, including big-box stores like Walmart, Best Buy and Costco, online shops like Amazon or direct manufacturers like Dell, HP, Lenovo and others. If you have a physical store near you (likely a Best Buy in the US), it’s never a bad idea to go play around with some laptops in person before choosing one.

If you decide to shop online from the likes of Amazon or Walmart, double check the seller of the laptop you’re considering. For example, many items on Amazon are “shipped and sold” by Amazon and those are typically the best options. You’ll see that information on Amazon on the right sidebar on a product page, under the Add to Cart and Buy Now buttons. Third-party sellers are common in the affordable laptop space. Amazon sometimes classifies laptop manufacturers as third-party sellers, so you may see a laptop shipped and sold by HP or Dell — that’s a good thing, since it’s coming directly from the manufacturer.

However, there are other third-party electronics sellers out there. We recommend clicking on the third-party seller’s name on Amazon or Walmart (yes, Walmart has them, too) to see how much positive feedback and how many five-star ratings they’ve received from buyers.

What about Chromebooks and tablets?

You may be inclined to recommend a Chromebook or a tablet to anyone considering a budget Windows laptop computer. Those instincts aren’t wrong, but Chromebooks and tablets aren’t the best buy for everyone. Tablets have the most portability, but they will only work for the most mobile-competent users like kids who have been grabbing smartphones out of their parents’ hands since they’ve been dexterous enough to do so. Tablets can also be just as expensive as some of the cheapest Windows laptops, and that’s without a mouse or keyboard.

Chromebooks are a good alternative for those that basically live in a browser, the trade-off being you must give up the “traditional desktop.” And Chrome OS is a more limited operating system than Windows when it comes to the programs you can install and run.

What Windows laptops do well

What can you realistically accomplish on a cheap Windows laptop? Quite a bit, especially if you’re doing one thing (or a limited number of things) at a time. They’re great for everyday tasks like web browsing, checking email, video streaming and more. All of those things can be done on Chromebooks as well, but Windows laptops have a big advantage in Microsoft Office. While yes, there is a browser based version, the native, desktop apps are considered a must have for many and will run smoothly on even the most bare-bones budget laptop. The only caveat is that you may run into some slowdown on low-powered devices if you’re multitasking or working with large data sets in Excel or a lot of photos and graphics in Powerpoint.

When it comes to specs, a bright spot for Windows laptops is storage. Even the most affordable devices tend to have at least a 128GB solid state drive. That will come in handy if you prefer to keep your most important files saved locally on your laptop’s hard drive. In contrast, cheaper Chromebooks often have less storage because they’re built on the assumption that you’ll save all of your documents in the cloud. Not only is that less convenient when you need to work offline, but it also limits the size of programs and files that you can download. So, Chromebooks aren’t the best for hoarding Netflix shows before a long trip or for use as a gaming laptop.

Windows also has thousands of apps that you can download from its app store. Chromebooks have some Chrome apps, numerous browser extensions and the ability to download Android apps, but quality control is… inconsistent. Android apps, in particular, often haven’t been optimized for Chrome OS, which makes for a wonky user experience. Windows may not have as many apps as Android, but at least the experience is fairly standard across the board.

Windows also gives you the ability to download and use programs from other sources, like direct from the developer. You can run things like Adobe Creative Suite, certain VPNs and programs like GIMP, Audacity and ClipMate on a Windows device, which just isn’t possible on Chrome OS. Chromebooks limit you to the apps and programs in The Play Store and the Chrome Extensions store, reducing any others to unusable, space-sucking icons in your Downloads folder.



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This 27-Inch ASUS TUF Gaming Monitor Has Never Been This Cheap Before, Now With 3-Year Warranty Included
Game Reviews

This 27-Inch ASUS TUF Gaming Monitor Has Never Been This Cheap Before, Now With 3-Year Warranty Included

by admin


Gamers who love multiplayer online combat games where teamwork is key — think Helldivers II or Marvel Rivals — are all too aware that it only takes one laggy teammate to kill an entire mission. It’s not always a slow internet connection or console either — a subpar monitor with a bad refresh time can spell doom for the whole team.

If you end up being that guy who says “sorry, my screen is slow” one time too many, you might find your team membership revoked. This limited-time Amazon deal that guy-proofs you and ensures your screen is totally ready for combat: Act now and save 30% off the price of the 27-inch ASUS TUF gaming monitor, a 1440p QHD gaming superstar with a blistering 260Hz refresh rate, Adaptive Sync technology, and many more features that will upgrade your gaming performance. It’s just $229 while this deal is in effect.

See at Amazon

Silky Smooth, Lightning Quick

First things first — the ultra-fast 260Hz overclocked refresh rate and 1 ms pixel response time. No blur, smooth frames, or delay, even in the fastest action of your favorite shooter or racing game. ASUS doubled down on killing the bluir with their ELMB Sync tech (Extreme Low Motion Blur), and adaptive sync options that keeps things moving even if your graphics card is having a hard time. That translates to less tearing.

The colors pop too, and the anti-glare coating is a huge plus if your rig is located with your back to a window. That, of course, comes in handy if you decide to take a break from gaming to enjoy some streaming or YouTube.

Not a Space Hog

The ASUS TUF monitor won’t require a total overhaul of your gaming space either. It’s razor thin and weighs only 11 pounds, meaning it’s also easily wall-mountable of you go that route. The display port and two HDMI 2.0 ports are located in the back of the unit along with an earphone jack, and it comes with DisplayPort and HDMI cables so you can go from unboxing to heavy-duty action in mere minutes.

The 30% off deal happening right now at Amazon on the 27-inch ASUS TUF gaming monitor translates to a $100 price break, and also to one of the best $230 gaming monitors you’ll find. Finding a gaming monitor with enough speed to keep up with the most intense action gaming at this price is beyond rare, but as limited time deals do, this one could end at any time.

See at Amazon



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A Bunch Of Awesome Shooters Are Cheap Right Now On Steam
Game Updates

A Bunch Of Awesome Shooters Are Cheap Right Now On Steam

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Boom! Bang! Kablam! Etc. and so on. There will be a lot of that happening today as a big new event on Steam has a whole host of fantastic retro-inspired first-person shooters on sale for the rest of the week.

On September 23, Boomstock 2025 started on Steam. The event celebrates “all boomer shooters and retro-inspired” FPS games and features a ton of new trailers, demos, and of course, a load of games on sale. This includes some genuine bangers, like Dusk, Mullet Madjack, Project Warlock, Selaco, and Sulfur.  But don’t wait too long, as the event wraps up on September 27, which is just a few days away. If you need help picking out a new shooter to buy, here are some of the best and biggest deals we spotted from the event:

  • Nightmare Reaper – $15 ($25)
  • Brutal John 2 – $9 ($13)
  • Selaco – $19 ($25)
  • Forgive Me Father – $10 ($20)
  • Forgive Me Father 2 – $15 ($25)
  • Wizordum – $15 ($20)
  • Dusk – $7 ($20)
  • Sulfur – $16 ($22)
  • Zero Protocol – $7 ($12)
  • Project Warlock 1+2 – $12 ($27)
  • Mullet Madjack – $15 ($20)
  • Warhammer 40K Boltgun – $11 ($22)
  • Blood West – $9 ($25)
  • Heavy Bullets – $2 ($10)
  • Viscerafest – $10 ($20)
  • Supplice – $15 ($22)
  • Wild Bastards – $9 ($35)
  • Shadow Warrior (2013) – $3 ($30)
  • Shadow Warrior 2 – $3 ($30)
  • HROT – $10 ($20)
  • Gravelord – $15 ($20)
  • Quatermain and the Cult of Cthulu – $2.50 ($3)
  • Hard Reset – $1.50 ($15)
  • Hard Reset Redux – $2 ($20)
  • Serious Sam 2 – $2.50
  • Mycopunk – $11 ($14)
  • Graven – $5 ($23)

I’d also like to shout out some demos for upcoming games that you can play for free right now. You totally should check out these games if you love classic shooters. Or Tetris. You’ll see what I mean. Anyway, here are some Boomstock demos worth playing:

  • Sportal – A boomer shooter all about using sports equipment like bats and tennis rackets.
  • Blocks for Babies – Tetris meets Doom. It mixes 2D and 3D gameplay. It’s an odd one, but worth checking out.
  • Slyders – This one is part Serious Sam and part roguelike, which is already a great pitch, but then you add in a cool cartoon fox protagonist, and you’ve got something special.
  • The Last Exterminator – This is the Duke Nukem 3D sequel we deserved. This isn’t a new demo; I covered it last year, but it’s a part of the event and still worth checking out.



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Free ebooks and cheap iPhone 17 accessories are this week’s best deals
Gaming Gear

Free ebooks and cheap iPhone 17 accessories are this week’s best deals

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A cool new perk recently became available for Prime members: for a limited time, you can get a three-month subscription to Kindle Unlimited. If your ebookshelf is looking bare, Amazon is currently offering a three-month subscription to Kindle Unlimited for free. The service typically costs $11.99 per month, so the deal saves you $35.97 over the course of the trial. Keep in mind that your subscription will automatically renew once the trial period is over. The discount is one of Amazon’s early Prime Big Deal Days deals (that’s a mouthful), dropping well ahead of the October 7th event. We’ll be on the hunt for more early deals as that date approaches.

Kindle Unlimited is a subscription service that gives you access to a library of over four million books, thousands of audiobooks, and an assortment of magazines. You can download items from the Kindle Unlimited library onto — you guessed it — a Kindle, or any device with the Kindle app. The library is large enough that you should be able to find books in your favorite genres (perhaps by your favorite author, too) and three months is plenty of time to tear through a full series or two.

More deals our readers loved this week



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Mario races past an ink kid.
Game Updates

A Ton Of Nintendo Switch Games Are Really Cheap Right Now

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We’re about to get a ton of new games coming out this fall, but if you want to catch up on older stuff you already missed, a recent sale on physical Switch games is a great place to start. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl, and more are all decently discounted right now.

The sale is going on at the Amazon-owned daily deals site Woot which frequently unloads extra inventory of physical video games at cheap prices. The current sale is especially good, with just about ever major first-party Nintendo Switch game being $15-20 below the standard sticker price (which the company notoriously never lowers no matter how old the game is).

Here are some of best deals:

  • Super Mario Party Jamboree – $44 (27 percent off)
  • Luigi’s Mansion 3 – $43 (28 percent off)
  • Super Mario RPG – $35 (42 percent off)
  • The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening – $47 (22 percent off)
  • Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze – $44 (27 percent off)
  • Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – $46 (23 percent off)
  • Animal Crossing: New Horizons – $45 (25 percent off)
  • Super Mario Bros. Wonder – $45 (25 percent off)
  • Super Mario Odyssey – $45 (25 percent off)
  • Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury – $45 (25 percent off)
  • Metroid Dread – $47 (22 percent off)
  • Splatoon 3 – $45 (25 percent off)
  • Mario & Luigi: Brothership – $45 (25 percent off)
  • Pokémon Shining Pearl/Brilliant Diamond – $45 (25 percent off)
  • Pokémon Scarlet/Violet – $47 (22 percent off)

If you already own a Switch 2, this is a great opportunity to snag any of these games you might have missed last generation. Not only do they work thanks to backwards compatibility, many of them even play better on the new, more powerful hardware. Super Mario Party Jamboree has an upgraded version on Switch 2 with new DLC for $80, so with this deal you can effectively save $16 off that completely new release. Unfortunately, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, which both look outstanding on Switch 2, aren’t part of the current sale.

Mario Kart World is already on sale for $10 off

It’s also worth noting, for anyone who didn’t get the Mario Kart World Switch 2 bundle, that Nintendo’s newest racer is part of the current Woot sale. It’s currently $70 for the physical edition, which doesn’t feel like saving much, but hey, welcome to the world of $80 games. Of course, if you were somehow coming to the Switch ecosystem for the first time and had to choose between either Mario Kart World or Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, I would definitely recommend the latter. It’s cheaper and it feels like a more classic Mario Kart experience that benefits from years of post-launch updates and support, including dozens of extra characters and tracks in the form of a paid DLC add-on.

Go buy Xenoblade Chronicles X 

Monolith Soft’s remaster of the Wii U open-world RPG only came out earlier this year and the Woot discount is its cheapest price yet. It’s $47 for a physical copy (the international version) which is 22 percent off the standard $60 price. It’s the definitive version of a great game that belongs in every RPG lover’s Switch collection. I suspect physical copies of it will become harder and harder to find, too. The soundtrack is great, the mechs are fun, and the world is sci-fi as hell.



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A really cheap way to get really smart lights
Gaming Gear

A really cheap way to get really smart lights

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Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 96, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, has your inbox been as busy as mine the past few days?, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.)

This week, I also have for you Hollow Knight: Silksong (finally!), Instagram on iPad (also finally!), a spinoff for The Office, and more.

And a programming note: David’s taking over Installer again next week! It’s been a blast writing the newsletter while he’s been away. Thanks to everyone for sharing their recommendations and nice notes while I’ve been steering the ship!

(As always, the best part of Installer is your ideas and tips. What do you want to know more about? What awesome tricks do you know that everyone else should? What app should everyone be using? Drop a line to [email protected]. And if you know someone else who might enjoy Installer, forward it to them and tell them to subscribe here.)

  • Hue Essentials. Philips Hue has a new lineup of cheaper smart lightbulbs starting at $25 per bulb (or $15 each as part of a four-pack), making them much cheaper than its flagship color-changing bulbs. Parent company Signify also announced a new bridge, more new lights, and a wired video doorbell.
  • Hollow Knight: Silksong. Team Cherry’s years-in-the-making Hollow Knight sequel is finally here, and early indications all point to it being a worthy follow-up. There’s still a lot to discover about it, but if you figure out who Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone voices in the game, can you let me know?
  • Instagram for iPad. Nearly 15 years after Instagram initially launched for iOS, the social network now has an official iPad app. But the app has a video-focused twist: when you open it up, the app shows you a feed of short-form Reels. Android tablets will be getting the new design soon, Meta says.
  • The Paper. Peacock’s spinoff of The Office debuted in a big batch drop this week, and apparently it’s actually good, even if it takes a few episodes to hit its stride. It’s already been renewed for a second season, too.
  • Samsung Galaxy S25 FE. Samsung has a new model in its more affordable FE line, with the S25 FE taking some inspiration from the S25 Edge by being thinner and lighter than its predecessor. The company also launched new S11 and S11 Ultra tablets with a redesigned S Pen.
  • Remarkable Paper Pro Move. Remarkable has a new E Ink digital notepad, and with a skinny 7.3-inch screen, it’s one you can theoretically drop into your pocket. I’m a big fan of small paper notebooks, so the idea of using an E Ink one seems really fun to me.
  • Chipolo’s Loop. This item tracker and Chipolo’s new Card tracker both have rechargeable batteries instead of requiring replacements. They’ll last up to six months on a charge and work with Apple’s Find My and Google’s Find Hub networks.
  • Mophie Max Headphones Charging Stand. Mophie’s new charging stand is designed to charge your AirPods Max and AirPods Pro (or another Qi-compatible device) simultaneously. To charge the AirPods Max, you’ll plug in a USB-C dongle and plop the headphones into the stand, which will automatically put them into sleep mode. Seems super handy, though it’s a little expensive at $150.

Today I’m featuring Paulus Schoutsen, founder of the popular open-source smart home automation platform Home Assistant and president of the Open Home Foundation. With so much smart home news coming out of the IFA 2025 conference this week, I figured this would be the perfect time to feature his homescreen. I was very curious how someone so involved in the smart home world actually uses their phone day to day — unsurprisingly, Paulus has put a lot of thought into his homescreen setup.

Side note: I originally got these responses from Paulus about his iOS homescreen in August, but he told me this week that he’s since switched over to a Google Pixel. He says the setup is largely the same, with one notable change to use more web apps.

Image: Paulus Schoutsen

The phone: I have an iPhone 15 Pro.

The wallpaper: The background is the blurred version of my Lock Screen wallpaper, which is a graphic of Home Assistant. I never liked busy wallpapers because it makes it hard to read the letters.

The apps: The icons on my homescreen are limited as I try to limit my screen usage.

  • The widget at the top is a Smart Stack showing battery, calendar, weather, photos. I had to disable suggested widgets because Apple was showing me ads for McDonald’s powered by Yelp and DoorDash.
  • Home Assistant is on my homescreen because it’s the best smart home platform in the world.
  • I have no social media apps on my phone, and only use Bluesky and Mastodon via website. That way it’s a poor experience and I’m more likely to stop using it.
  • I used to use Quiche browser (discovered via Installer!). I had it configured with the few websites I frequent and set the UI to be able to quickly (see second screenshot) open them. After the switch to Pixel, I dropped the Quiche browser and installed my favorite websites as apps on my phone.
  • For AI I currently use Claude. I was using ChatGPT before, but nowadays use the Claude Max subscription to be able to leverage Claude Code for programming, so switched my personal AI use to Claude too.
  • Arc is on my homescreen because the iOS app is amazing: it is not a browser. Instead, it shows all my bookmarks from my desktop. When opening a bookmark on my phone, and it’s supported by a native app (e.g., Google Docs), it will actually open that app. Extremely useful as my way to organize files across different platforms. I also use Arc on the desktop and am already mourning the day that The Browser Company is going to stop updating it.
  • Obsidian I use for notes. I only recently started to use it, and that’s actually because of the relaunch of the Pebble watches and the rise of AI. Pebble watches don’t work well on iOS because of the limited access third-party apps have. And it made me realize that Apple Notes has the same limitations. I need open systems so I don’t have to wait for the maker of my hardware/software to do cool things. So I switched to Obsidian, which stores all my notes in folders with Markdown files. The action button is mapped to allow me to quickly write down a note without seeing all my other notes. I wrote a small script that allows me to add AI instructions within folders in my notes, and whenever I update a note, it will automatically run Claude Code to follow my instructions. For example, my shopping list is automatically categorized and action items are gathered at the top of my personal meeting notes.

I also asked Paulus to share a few things he’s into right now. Here’s what he said:

  • AI! Claude Code is amazing. Being able to have it work on an issue while I’m in meetings and quickly giving it some feedback between meetings has made me finish things I wouldn’t have had time for otherwise. I also love using Claude Code with my 7-year-old, pushing our imagination to see what Claude comes up with. The other day we made a pong game that would change the color of the light via Home Assistant on every ball bounce.
  • Z-Wave. We just launched the Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2, our take on making the best antenna for this smart home standard. It’s huge, over a foot, and it can reach all the devices everywhere.
  • Catching up with friends and family. We live in Brooklyn but spend our summers in Europe, taking full advantage of remote working. Spend time in the Netherlands, Belgium, Hungary, and Denmark.
  • Season three of Foundation on Apple TV Plus is again excellent.

Here’s what the Installer community is into this week. I want to know what you’re into right now as well! Email [email protected] with your recommendations for anything and everything, and we’ll feature some of our favorites here every week. For even more great recommendations, check out the replies to this post on The Verge, this post on Threads, and this post on Bluesky.

“Some sequel to an indie game about a bug.” — DuckInAPond

“I got tired of streaming music and all the ephemeral aspects of it so I bought a semi-janky MP3 player (they call them DAPs now, I guess) and I’m building a FLAC collection (shoutout to Bandcamp and my vinyl collection). I’m back to organizing id3 tags 🤘” — William

“I came across a documentary over the weekend about Python, the programming language, and thought it was worth sharing. I’m not a developer myself, but I found it really engaging. It tells the story of how this small, quiet language grew to shape areas like climate science, astrophysics, crypto, and AI. The film also touches on some serious conflicts in the community that almost caused it to fracture, and it made me reflect on how different the tech world might be today if that had happened. Even if you’re not a developer, it’s surprisingly compelling.” — Hayley

“This week I wasted time trying out a new RSS app. It was not quite working so I ended up adding a load of side services until I realised that my existing solution does all these things better. So I just want to give some extra love to Reeder. Everything I need in an RSS reader app.” — Chris

“I’ve become a big fan of architecture and interior design videos. It’s so fascinating seeing the walk-throughs and hearing commentary of the architects and designers about their own works and of notable works from others. Favorite channels include Archimarathon, Architectural Digest, Design Anthology, Design Seed, and Open Space.” — Sunlight Express

“I am not a birdwatcher but I do love a great film. This one about birdwatching is the film of the year.” — Michael

“You might dig this funny and not super serious, very well done birdwatching documentary.” — Andrew

“Super into this (relatively) new post-hardcore band Static Dress. Particularly their newest song ‘face.’ It’s just peak 2000’s screamy music with modern production and sensibilities. Really great all around.” — cowboyxboombap

“Listening to NTS Radio lately. Great DJ mix shows. Incredible, never paid for something faster. App is solid. The NTS Breakfast Show w/ Flo is very popular and that seems earned!” — yatrik

I’ve touched on it a bit already, but there was a lot of interesting stuff announced at the IFA show in Berlin this year, including robot vacuums that can climb stairs, a bunch of new smart lights, and even a few party speakers. The show kind of feels like a midyear CES. We rounded up some of the coolest stuff, but if you want to read all of our coverage, you can find that here.

David will see you all next week!

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BTC Traders Snag Cheap OTM Puts Bracing for NFP Shock
GameFi Guides

BTC Traders Snag Cheap OTM Puts Bracing for NFP Shock

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As the August U.S. nonfarm payrolls report (NFP) nears, bitcoin BTC$109,544.20 traders on the CME are snapping up inexpensive bearish bets by purchasing far out-of-the-money puts, hedging against the possibility of an unexpectedly strong jobs print that could trigger a sell-off in risk assets.

The NFP, due Friday, is expected to show that the economy added 110,000 jobs, up from 73,000 in July, according to consensus estimates from FactSet. The jobless rate is expected to have held steady at 4.2%. Meanwhile, hourly earnings are projected to rise 0.3%, the same as in July.

The labor market outlook has already darkened, with JOLTS data revealing that job openings declined more than expected to 7.2 million in July, while a low quit rate points to moderating wage pressures. Early Thursday, ADP’s private sector employment report revealed that employers added just 54,000 jobs in August, a steep decline from the 104,000 positions recorded in July.

These figures strengthen the case for Fed rate cuts, a bullish development for asset prices. Yet, traders on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) are considering the possibility of an upbeat NFP report, which could dent Fed rate cut bets and send BTC lower.

“We’ve seen robust appetite for leveraged downside exposure through 5-delta, OTM puts, with consistent demand across the curve. This positioning signals investors are bracing for the possibility of an upside surprise in August’s NFP report that could re-anchor the Fed’s focus on inflation and reduce the odds of rate cuts this year,” Gabe Selby, head of research at CF Benchmarks, told CoinDesk.

Put options give the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to sell the underlying asset at a predetermined price by a specified future date. Traders buy puts to hedge against or to profit from a drop in the asset’s price.

The 5-delta put options are deep out-of-the-money puts with strike prices well below the current market price, making them relatively inexpensive compared to options closer to the spot price. Traders often buy these cheap “lottery ticket” puts as speculative bets on sharp downward moves or as low-cost hedges against extreme bearish scenarios.

Downside fear

Selby observed that, unlike previous pre-NFP periods when put buying was mainly focused on long-term expiries, this time the activity is spread across both short-term and long-term expiries.

“The breadth of put buying reflects a market recalibrating around asymmetric risks, as much of this activity is centred around far OTM puts, indicating traders still see a materially strong jobs print as an outside chance. That lines up with our view that even an in-line or slightly stronger-than-expected payrolls number would not be sufficient to tilt the Fed’s balance of risks back toward its price stability mandate,” Selby told CoinDesk.

Options listed on Deribit, the world’s largest crypto options exchange by volume and open interest, also exhibit downside fears, with short and near-dated puts trading at a notable premium to calls, according to risk reversals tracked by Amberdata.

BTC’s daily chart. (TradingView/CoinDesk)

As of writing, BTC changed hands at $109,950, down 2% on a 24-hour basis, according to CoinDesk data. The recovery from weekend lows ran out of steam above $112,000 on Wednesday, reinforcing the Aug. 3 low as key resistance.



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Is Hollow Knight Silksong's 'cheap' price a problem for other indie games? Devs and publishers weigh up its impact
Game Updates

Is Hollow Knight Silksong’s ‘cheap’ price a problem for other indie games? Devs and publishers weigh up its impact

by admin


Here’s a complaint I never thought I’d hear: Hollow Knight Silksong is too cheap.

Team Cherry announced the $19.99/€19.99/¥2300 price alongside Silksong’s 4th September release date (that’s today!) only a couple of weeks ago. No other regional pricing was announced, such as how much it’ll cost in the UK, but I expect we’re looking at £19.99 because that’s how these things usually settle here. That price makes Silksong more expensive than Hollow Knight, which cost around £11-13 across various platforms, but not much more expensive, and it’s nowhere near the £50-70 price associated with triple-A games. So, what’s the problem?

Apparently it’s too little – too cheap. Scores of comments on Bluesky and X, in reaction to Silksong’s date and price announcement, say as much. “Actually underpriced,” said one user on Bluesky. “You guys are nuts for this at $20,” said another. And, “You’re going to spawn a week of discourse with that price announcement, you know that?” said another. Oops, ignore that last one.

Broadly it’s lighthearted – most people are pleased Silksong is €20 and not more. Some people are threatening to buy multiple copies, even, which probably defeats the point. But underneath the giddy excitement there is a more serious discussion happening. Comments from worried indie developers show there is concern about the knock-on effects a price like this could have.

“Silksong honestly should cost 40 bucks and I’m not even joking,” posted developer RJ Lake, who worked as a composer on I Am Your Beast and is directing rhythm adventure Unbeatable. “I won’t go as far as to say it’s bad but it will have effects, and not all of those effects are good.”

Who will play Silksong first – Zoe or you? Watch on YouTube

RJ believes Silksong’s price will distort players’ views about what a €20/$20 indie game can and perhaps should offer. Which other indie teams can afford to take several years to make a game, after all? Similarly, if they did take that long, which teams could afford to ask only $20/€20 upon release? Would it cover all that work? Not everyone has the diamond-encrusted safety net that Hollow Knight provides.

Theoretical concerns turned into real concerns not long after, when an indie developer who had been planning to charge $20 for their game took to X to ask people what they should charge now – now that Silksong was doing the same. “I can’t afford to give it away for free,” they – BastiArtGames, developer of Lone Fungus – said. Hearteningly, most of the replies I read – there are more than 1000 – encouraged BastiArtGames to stick to their original price. But as with the games hurriedly moving their releases away from Silksong, Lone Fungus seemed to be far from the only indie game affected.

Toukana, the developer of successful and wonderful tile-laying puzzle game Dorfromantik, delayed the release of new game Star Birds because of Silksong, moving from 4th September to 10th September. And co-founder Zwi Zausch now tells me the game’s as yet unannounced price has been affected too.

“Yes, Silksong’s price has influenced our decision,” Zausch says. “We’re trying not to compete too directly with Silksong, both in terms of release date and pricing. Of course, these are two very different games with potentially different player bases, but there’s definitely some overlap. That makes things tricky, especially since Star Birds is a joint project between two studios, together employing more people than Team Cherry.”

Team Cherry has four core team members, incidentally, which includes the two co-founders, and it uses some contracted help.

But even companies as robust as Devolver have felt the presence of Silksong. The publisher was one of the first to move the release of its game Baby Steps out of the way (from 8th September to 23rd September). “We felt that the same media and influencers who would be drawn to Baby Steps would inevitably (and understandably) prioritise Silksong, and we felt that would overshadow the glory of Nate falling down the side of a mountain,” Devolver CEO and co-founder Graeme Struthers explains to me.

Tellingly, perhaps, the price of Baby Steps hasn’t been announced yet. Struthers didn’t say this was because of Silksong, but he did suggest Silksong was causing questions to be asked. “My general take is that indie games tend to err on the side of value for the gamer,” he says. “I think the triple-A world has had much more to say about price-points and value, but maybe Team Cherry has brought that conversation over this way.”

Mike Rose, founder of indie publisher No More Robots, says pricing is a fascinating and tricky thing to manage. He’d long been an advocate for higher prices, he tells me, because it leaves room for discounts and down-pricing as a game ages. “But recently,” he adds, “I think the economy of games has been shifting, and people who aren’t actually releasing games don’t see it [or] realise.

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“People have less money now and are buying fewer games,” Rose says, “so you have to set yourself up to hopefully be that one game they buy when they do have money. And if you are a higher price, it’s now actually a bit offputting.” Budget co-op climbing sensation Peak is a great example of things going the other way, he says. “Part of the reason that game did so well was the crazy low price. It’s definitely making us rethink the pricing for our upcoming games.”

One game which shares a lot of similarities with Silksong is Citizen Sleeper 2. It’s not because of the game’s content – Citizen Sleeper 2 is a sci-fi role-playing game – but because both games were built on the extraordinary success of a predecessor, both are made by very small teams (Citizen Sleeper is just Gareth Damian Martin, with contracted art and soundtrack help), and both have very similar prices. In fact, the jump from the original game to the sequel is also almost identical.

Damian Martin tells me there were “extensive” discussions about Citizen Sleeper 2’s price, and it jumped from around £16.50 to £21 to reflect it being a bigger game, to account for inflation, and because of how other games were currently priced. All things I’m sure Team Cherry has taken into account when pricing Silksong 2. But there wasn’t any negativity around Citizen Sleeper 2’s price when it launched earlier this year – not that Damian Martin noticed.

“I don’t think most people notice the price unless it is really out of step with the market,” Damian Martin tells me. “That doesn’t mean people don’t make buying decisions based on price, they obviously do, but I think they do that without judgment or comment. They just decide to buy or not, they don’t complain unless there’s a big disparity.

“No matter how big Silksong is,” they added, “I don’t think it can really affect the going rate for indies. It’s just one data point, you’d need hundreds of indies to offer massive amounts of content for a low price to shift the market. It especially feels like conjecture when we don’t even know how big the game is anyway!”

Unprecedented. So much about Silksong feels unprecedented to me. Has there ever been an indie game this anticipated? Has an indie game ever disrupted release schedules in this way, or upended pricing plans? Here’s a game being treated like the biggest of triple-A blockbusters, except it’s not, and I think that’s where some of the pricing confusion arises from. “That’s why people think the price is low compared to the triple-A games that sell for 80 bucks,” says Bram van Lith, co-founder of Game Drive.nl, a company which helps indie devs price and sell their games. Hype has warped perceptions of what Silksong actually is.

But the question remains: is Silksong too cheap? Perhaps a keener question to ask is how much the people I speak to would charge for it, were it their game. Van Lith’s colleague Alisa Jefimova, a market analyst and expert in pricing, would charge €25, she tells me, to give room for a launch discount. Not that they need the attention of a discount, she adds. “It’s gonna be popular no matter what,” she says.

“They definitely could have gone $25,” No More Robots’ Mike Rose agrees, “but this way they are essentially cementing Silksong as being a gigantic success before it even launches, by making it a steal. So I don’t think Team Cherry is wrong to go $20. If I had been pricing it personally, I would have been on the fence between $20 and $25. But given the state of the industry right now, it’s very possible I would have also fallen on $20.”

“The more interesting question,” Bram van Lith chimes in, “is would the game be more successful asking $20 or $30?” What he means is would Silksong make more money if it sold at a higher price-point, or will the extra quantity it sells at a lower price-point more than make up for it? It’s an interesting question, but it’s not something I think Team Cherry is primarily concerned about.

Again, Team Cherry doesn’t depend solely, wholly and entirely upon Silksong’s success. Far from it. Hollow Knight has sold an astronomical 15 million copies already, and the overwhelming majority since Silksong was announced in 2019, curiously enough. Financially, Team Cherry is fine even without Silksong. Financially, Team Cherry is made.

A far more important consideration for Team Cherry is audience reaction. To wheel out an old cliché, this is the Australian studio’s difficult second album, the game that follows the phenomenal success of Hollow Knight. The intense spotlight beam of expectation and hype can be withering. And the elongated wait for Silksong hasn’t helped. Dipping the price slightly below expectations is a powerful way to prime people towards positivity.

Will it work? As Damian Martin noted: so much remains conjecture until the game itself arrives, which it is now agonisingly close to doing – Silksong unlocks at 3pm UK time today. How big will it be? How historic a gaming moment are we about to witness? And will it be worth the wait? Time will tell. We’ll have to wait and see.



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