Technologies

Beat Price Increases With Woot’s Can’t-Miss Nintendo Switch OLED and Mario Kart 8 Bundle Offer

Nintendo is raising prices among tariff concerns, but this bargain scores you a console at less than $300 — that’s over $100 off the new price.

Many gamers are upgrading to the new Nintendo Switch 2 console, but at $450 — or $500 for the Mario Kart World bundle — it’s an expensive investment. Normally, we’d expect older models to drop in price with a new console hitting shelves, but Nintendo has announced that it’s raising original Switch prices due to market conditions.

Those increases include the Nintendo Switch OLED model rising to $400 from $350. But you can still find rare deals if you shop around, and we’ve spotted an incredible offer from Woot that drops the console/handheld hybrid down to just $289. That’s a $111 discount on the newer price and, better yet, it includes a copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as well as a 12-month subscription to Nintendo Switch Online. That’s the equivalent of $79 in free add-ons. Couple that with the price cut, and that’s nearly $200 in savings.

The catch? This is an international model, which may mean packaging and other materials may vary from the standard US model, but functionally it is the same device, offering the same games and support. The Nintendo Switch OLED also differs from the original Switch console. It has a sleek white design and a larger 7-inch OLED display that enhances any game played on the move. The OLED model also doubles the standard storage from 32GB to 64GB, has an improved adjustable kickstand and adds an Ethernet port to the dock. A lot of the differences are indistinguishable from the 2017 launch console, but if you’re not fussed about the Switch 2, then this is a great way to access some of the best games of the last decade at a price that avoids price increases due to tariffs.

Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.

One of those fabulous games is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. It’s no surprise that the colorful racing game comfortably sits as the best-selling title for the console at more than 68 million sales. And you’ll get it included with your purchase, making this an exceptional offer.

GAMING HEADPHONE DEALS OF THE WEEK

Logitech G535 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Headset (Black):

$99 (save $31)
Logitech G Pro X Wired 7.1 Gaming Headset (2nd Generation):

$70 (save $60)
HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless Gaming Headset:

$143 (save $58)
Razer BlackShark V2 Pro Wireless Gaming Headset (Black):

$180 (save $20)
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless Headset:

$145 (save $36)

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

Why these deals matter

Nintendo fans know all too well that the Japanese game maker rarely discounts its hardware or games, and with prices rising, this is likely the last time we’ll see a Nintendo Switch deal this good for some time. That’s why sales like this one from Woot shouldn’t be overlooked.

Technologies

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 Might Come in 5G and 4G Cellular Models

If the rumor proves true, the 5G Galaxy Watch Ultra would rival the 5G-enabled $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3 that debuted last fall.

Samsung’s next high-end Galaxy Watch could support faster 5G speeds, but if this leak is true, it will depend on where you live. The rumored Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 might come in 5G and 4G cellular models, with availability for each smartwatch depending on the country.

According to the Dutch website Galaxy Club (and spotted by SamMobile), Samsung’s servers may have revealed a series of model numbers that point to 5G, 4G and Wi-Fi-enabled editions of the next Galaxy Watch Ultra, which would succeed the original model that debuted in 2024.

A representative for Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Galaxy Club website speculates that the 5G edition would be sold in the US and Korean markets, while the 4G edition would sell in the rest of the world. In the US, a 5G version of the Galaxy Watch Ultra would rival the 5G-enabled $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3, which debuted last fall. The 4G edition would have broader compatibility worldwide, since the earlier network is far more established.

It will likely be a few months until we hear anything official about the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Samsung typically unveils its new watches in the summer alongside its Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip foldable phones. Last year, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Watch 8 and the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, but otherwise left the prior 2024 Ultra in the lineup for those looking for a larger 47mm smartwatch.

Technologies

2 Cases Show Supreme Court Isn’t Holding ISPs Responsible for Piracy

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for April 8, #1032

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for April 8, No. 1032.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is kind of tough. The purple category is a fun one, once you see the connection. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: In the group.

Green group hint: Appearance details.

Blue group hint: Often found in gyms.

Purple group hint: They help you see.