Why You Can Trust CNET Monday's best deals: Arcade1Up X-Men (save $150), Creality 3D printer (save $140), more
Plus: Can't get an Xbox Series X? Wring more life out of your Xbox One with this affordable upgrade.
Here's a quick TV recommendation if you're looking for something new: Resident Alien, starring Alan Tudyk (Firefly, Rogue One), debuted earlier this year on SyFy, a lighthearted but occasionally dark mishmash of Starman, Northern Exposure and maybe a little Independence Day. It's free to stream on Peacock Premium (albeit with commercials), but right now you can buy Resident Alien Season 1 (HD) from Amazon for just $9. Well worth it, in my humble opinion -- and don't take my word; the show has a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score.
With that out of the way, let's talk about two of my favorite subjects: gaming (both console and arcade) and 3D printing. Get ready to bust open the piggy bank.
I'm a relative newcomer to Creality's printer lineup, but it's been a fast and fun education. Right now I'm running the popular CR-6 SE, but for not much more money, I can step up to the CR-10S Pro V2, which has most of the same features and a larger print bed.
It originally sold for $800, though Creality proper currently has it for $520. (It's over $600 at Amazon.) Tomtop's price is the lowest I've found anywhere -- possibly because there are newer models coming soon, but that shouldn't stop you from jumping on this deal.
I have mad love for Arcade1Up's arcade replicas, 3/4-size though they may be. This one includes three X-Men games and Marvel Vs. Capcom. It's a two-player machine with a matching riser and stellar user reviews. I can't say I know these games particularly well, but if you're looking for a new addition to your home arcade, this represents a pretty significant savings.
Haven't had any luck tracking down an Xbox Series S or Series X? Maybe for now you should consider upgrading your Xbox One. My recommendation: Replace your current external hard drive with an SSD (solid-state drive), which can reduce game load times and make your console feel like new (or at least less old).
I tried doing exactly that with this Silicon Power rugged portable drive, which isn't on sale right now but has been known to dip closer to $100. Although I wasn't able to do any actual benchmark testing, I can say that some games loaded a bit faster and some loaded much faster. Your mileage may vary.
There's a pretty detailed Reddit thread here if you want to learn more.
Your thoughts?
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