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These top-rated wired earbuds are only $6 right now

They have inline controls and memory-foam tips for comfort and noise isolation. Plus: $100 AirPods arrive and the unlocked OnePlus 7T drops to $370.

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
ludos-clamor-wired-earbuds

Toss some wired earbuds into your gym bag for just $6.

Ludos Tech

Let's talk audio. If you've been following along, you know that Walmart's first early Black Friday sale kicks off today at 4 p.m. PT. One highlight: $99 AirPods. But guess what? Best Buy just jumped in with Apple AirPods for $100, currently (and temporarily) the lowest price on record. Apple sells them for $159, though they've been available for $129 just about everywhere for the past couple months.

Need another option? Costco is also offering the AirPods for $100. Wherever you end up shopping, I'm not sure how long these will last at this price. If you miss out, don't sweat it: There are lots of great AirPods alternatives priced even less. (And you can go ahead and sweat in them, because all offer at least some water resistance -- unlike the AirPods themselves.)

I'm reminded sometimes that not everybody likes true wireless earbuds. Indeed, some folks prefer a wired option, at least some of the time or for some situations.

Here's one such option for about as cheap as you can get: For a limited time, and while supplies last, Amazon seller Ludos Tech USA has the Ludos Clamor Wired Earbuds for just $5.99 with promo code LUDOS053. Regular price: $19.97. That code is good for the black version only.

Why opt for wired? Maybe you have a device that lacks Bluetooth -- like, say, a Nintendo Switch. Maybe you don't want to worry about dead earbud batteries interrupting your listening. Maybe you just want the most hassle-free possible listening experience. Bam: wired.

The Clamors have inline volume/playback controls and a microphone. They come with the usual three sizes of silicone ear tips, but you also get a set of memory-foam tips, which some folks love. Either way, same drill as with true wireless earbuds: You need to get a good in-ear seal for the best sound quality.

Speaking of that, don't expect miracles from $6 earbuds. I haven't tried these myself, but there are over 15,000 (!) user ratings that average out to 4.3 stars. Certainly I've listened to some cheap 'buds that sounded way better than their price would suggest; maybe that's the case here as well, maybe not.

Worth $6 to find out?

Get an unlocked OnePlus 7T for $370

oneplus-7t-8
Angela Lang/CNET

In recent months the popular OnePlus 7T phone has been on sale several times, but always for $400. Today, you have a chance to get it for a little less: For a limited time, and while supplies last, Woot has the unlocked OnePlus 7T T-Mobile + GSM for $370. It's new, not refurbished.

Worth noting: Today only, OnePlus proper has the 7T for $349, but it appears that's the T-Mobile-only version.

This phone isn't even a year old. It's notable for its lightning-fast processor, three rear cameras, smooth 90Hz screen and in-screen fingerprint reader. It comes with Android 10 right out of the box. Alas, there's no wireless charging, which is probably a deal-breaker for some.

I learned all that and more from reading CNET's OnePlus 7T review, which you'll want to read as well. At the time, $600 seemed like a pretty good deal for a phone with such high-end specs. Now it's considerably less.  


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