Xbox raises console prices up to $150
Microsoft has raised Xbox console prices by up to $150, marking the third price hike in recent years. The increase follows Apple's similar move on iPads and Macs, with both companies blaming rising component and memory costs. Critics have slammed the decision, while Microsoft has also launched a Buy Now, Pay Later scheme to ease the financial burden on consumers.
DeepSeek announces a major hiring push, aiming to double its workforce and become a driving force in artificial general intelligence. Meanwhile, Databricks' former AI chief claims he can reduce AI power consumption by a factor of 1,000. Author Cory Doctorow also weighs in with a critical take on Elon Musk, the AI bubble, and what he describes as corporate cruelty.
Scalpers are targeting AMD's limited-edition Ryzen 7 5800X3D 10th Anniversary Edition, listing it for $600 or more. B&H is offering a bundle deal with 32GB of DDR5 memory for around $250, while a Prime Day RTX 5090 PC build is reportedly cheaper than buying the GPU and RAM separately. The deals highlight intense demand for PC hardware components.
Apple has raised prices on Macs and iPads, citing rising memory component costs, while sparing the iPhone lineup for now. The move echoes broader industry price increases from competitors like Microsoft. Consumers are rushing to find deals before prices rise further, with Prime Day promotions offering last-chance savings on iPads.
Amazon Prime Day is underway, and tech outlets are curating their top picks. WIRED has published multiple roundups highlighting the best deals editors would spend their own money on, including an Aerogarden deal at 63 percent off. The event is driving intense consumer interest across electronics, home, and smart garden categories.