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Thursday's best deals: $249 Chromebook, $35 outdoor speaker, $21 webcam and more

There's also a 40-inch TV for $120 and the return of a popular AirPods alternative for $29.

Rick Broida Senior Editor
Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook "I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie").
Rick Broida
3 min read
$249 at Dell
dell-chromebook-3100
Dell Chromebook 3100
Save $100
$35 at Outdoor Tech
outdoor-tech-buckshot-pro-ultra
Outdoor Tech Buckshot Pro Ultra rugged outdoor speaker
Save $41
See at Amazon
depstech-d09-webcam
Depstech D09 2K webcam and tripod
Save $19 with coupon and code
See at Amazon
boltune-bh020-true-wireless-earbuds
Boltune BH020 noise-isolating true-wireless earbuds
Save $12 with coupon and code
$120 at Best Buy
insignia-40-inch-led-tv
Insignia 40-inch 1080p LED TV (or monitor!)
Save $60

Today's deal roundup features a product that's extremely hard to come by right now: a Chromebook. With so many students working from home, it's no surprise these inexpensive laptops have been hot items. (That said, check with your school district to see if you can get a loaner. In our neck of the woods, they've been readily available to middle- and high-school students.)

As always, everything listed here is available for a limited time and while supplies last. Inventory often goes quickly; coupons and promo codes often expire without warning.

Dell

This is on the smaller side, with an 11.6-inch (non-touch) screen, but that might be fine for smaller people, aka students. The Chromebook 3100 features 4GB of RAM, 16GB of onboard storage, four USB ports (two of them USB-C) and the all-important built-in webcam. Dell promises up to 14 hours of battery life.

CNET hasn't reviewed this model, but I daresay a Chromebook is a Chromebook. As long as the basic specs meet your needs, you should be good.

Outdoor Tech

Available in black, sailor blue or mossy oak, the Buckshot Pro Ultra is designed to go where you go. It's not only an IP6-rated portable Bluetooth speaker (meaning it can survive shock, water, dust and the like), but also an emergency power bank for your USB devices. 

It comes with a removable flashlight, too, one that has four modes of operation, and a bike mount so you can use that light for nighttime pedaling. 

Depstech

If you need a camera for your desktop monitor or an upgrade for your low-res laptop, check this: The Depstech D09 2K Webcam with tripod drops to just $21 when you clip the on-page 5%-off coupon and then apply promo code WEBCAM09. It normally sells for $40.

The camera boasts a resolution of 2,560x1,440 pixels, higher than the vast majority of built-in webcams. That should translate to a much sharper-looking you during video calls.

I did a quick test-drive on this and found that it worked as advertised. Then I gave it to my daughter, who wanted a better webcam than the one built into her hand-me-down PC. Verdict: "Excellent, Dad!"

Worth noting: You can also get the Depstech D11 for $22.22 with a 5%-off coupon and promo code WEBCAM11. It's pretty much the same camera, but in place of the tripod you get a privacy shutter.

Boltune

Like the "pipe" design of Apple's AirPods Pro but not the $250 price tag? As regular Cheapskate readers know, there are zillions of less-expensive alternatives. Here's another one, and it's just ridiculously decent for the price: $29.24 when you clip the on-page 20%-off coupon and then apply promo code 25KACPBF at checkout. Regular price: $41.

I first shared this deal a couple months ago (it sold out quickly), having tested the earbuds for a few hours. Sound quality? Surprisingly good given the price. As long as you get a good inner-ear seal -- a requirement for all earbuds like these -- you'll enjoy slightly bass-forward audio with considerable noise isolation. (No active noise-canceling, however.)

Meanwhile, the charging case uses USB-C and promises a total of 40 hours of play time. This is yet another example of a really solid AirPods alternative at a fraction of the cost.

Best Buy

A 40-inch TV might be a good fit for a bedroom, den, small apartment or the like. This Insignia model from Best Buy is "dumb," meaning if you want to stream from the likes of Netflix or Hulu, you'll have to plug in a Fire TV, Roku or game console. No problem: It has three HDMI inputs.

Ah, but consider this: The TV offers full-HD (1,920x1,080) resolution, meaning you could also use it as an oversize monitor. Couch-based computing, anyone?

For what it's worth, you can also get its 43-inch counterpart for just $10 more.


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