Amazon set Prime Big Deal Days for October 6 and 7, offering early discounts on electronics as tech shoppers face rising prices from an ongoing memory crisis, mashable.com reported. While buyers awaited the official 48-hour October Prime Day kickoff, select devices from Apple, TCL, Garmin, Beats, and Sony already dropped to record-low prices ahead of the holiday shopping season. Walmart and Target are also preparing their own sales for October.
Discounts Hit Apple Laptops and AirPods Ahead of October Prime Day
The 14-inch MacBook Pro powered by the M5 Max chip received a $600 price cut on Amazon, dropping from $4,099 down to $3,499. The M5 Max is the most powerful laptop chip Apple has produced to date. The base configuration includes 36GB of RAM and 2TB of storage, surpassing previous Prime event discount caps of $400. This specific model had seen a $500 price increase in June, which had moved the cost from $3,599 to $4,099. Meanwhile, Apple AirPods 4 dropped to $99 at both Amazon and Walmart, matching a classic Prime event price point despite launching a newer generation. While these earbuds hit $69 during the previous Black Friday, $99 is the lowest price for them in 2026.
Amazon Fire Tablets and Streaming Devices See Price Cuts
Amazon discounted two of its own tablets for Prime members ahead of the October sale. The Fire HD 8 with 64GB of storage and the Fire HD 10 with 32GB of storage are now up to 53% off. Both tablet models feature 13-hour battery lives. Amazon also offered 46% off a 4K streaming stick. This follows a trend where Fire tablets avoided price increases, but all Fire TV streaming sticks rose by at least $5 in August, including the 4K Plus model, which climbed from $49.99 to $69.99.
Smartwatches and QLED Televisions Join Early Tech Deals
A smartwatch dropped by $70 to $229.99 on Amazon. Lifehacker gave the device a 4.5/5 review and described it as “a great watch for somebody who wants to track their steps and activity.” For home entertainment, the 85-inch TCL QM8L QLED TV is available for $2,797.99, though trackers anticipated further drops to $2,497.99 or less once the official event began. Former TV expert Leah Stodart identified the 65-inch version of the TCL QM8L as the best QLED TV for most people.
Memory Products Face Supply Pressures During Prime Sales
Global memory shortages impacted pricing for gadgets. SanDisk storage products saw reductions.
Frequently Asked Questions About Prime Big Deal Days
When do Amazon Prime Big Deal Days take place?
The 48-hour shopping event is scheduled for October 6 and 7, serving as Amazon’s unofficial kickoff to the holiday shopping season.
How much does the M5 Max MacBook Pro cost during the early sales?
Amazon listed the 14-inch model with 36GB of RAM and 2TB of storage for $3,499, representing a $600 discount from its $4,099 price.
Are Amazon Fire tablets on sale for non-Prime members?
No, the discounts on the Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 10 require an active Amazon Prime membership.
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