Technologies

Best Game Pass and Xbox Live Deals

The best places to get an Xbox gaming subscription at a bargain price.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re hanging onto your Xbox One, have a powerful PC gaming rig or have managed to get your hands on an elusive Xbox Series X, one of the most affordable ways to enjoy Xbox games is with one of Microsoft’s gaming subscriptions. However, with three different options to choose from, it’s not always easy to tell which plan will work best for you. Each offers its own benefits and drawbacks, with some overlap between the different options. But don’t worry, CNET is here to help you find the best plan for your needs so you can make the most of your Xbox console on a budget.

We’ve broken down the major differences between the three different gaming memberships Microsoft offers: Xbox Gold, Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate. We’ve also rounded up some of the best deals available so you can get signed up for less. We’ll continue to update this page as deals come and go, so be sure to check back often for the best prices available.

Gold vs. Game Pass vs. Ultimate

There are not one but three different services that you can subscribe to to beef up your gaming experience on the Xbox, so which should you get? It really depends on what type of gamer you are. You can check out our detailed breakdown of Game Pass versus Live Gold here, but these are the major differences so you can pick the plan that’s right for you.

Get the best price with CNET Shopping.

Love shopping online but don’t have time to compare prices or search for promo codes? Our CNET Shopping extension does that for you, so you always get the best price.

Gold

If you delight in the multiplayer mayhem of online gaming, a Gold membership is pretty much a necessity. To play nearly any Xbox game online, whether it’s running and gunning in the latest competitive shooter or mowing down hordes of zombies with your buddies on the other side of the country, you’ll need to have an Xbox Live Gold membership to do it — except that, as of last April, free-to-play games like Fortnite and Warzone will no longer require one. Gold costs $10 per month, or you can sign up for a three-month subscription for $25 and save a few bucks each month.

See at Xbox

Game Pass

If you prefer a single-player experience, Game Pass is a great bargain. Signing up gives you access to more than 400 games from the Xbox catalog. There’s a huge array of games available, from major titles like Batman: Arkham Knight and Back 4 Blood, to small charming indies like Hades and Firewatch. Plus classics from the Xbox 360 era like Mass Effect and Fallout: New Vegas.

There are two versions of this subscription, one for console users, and one for PC users, but they both cost $10 per month. The only major difference is that the PC plan includes a subscription to EA Play, which adds a few more titles to your library, and provides some exclusive rewards and content for select EA games. There’s also an ongoing promotion for the PC subscription that allows new subscribers to get their first month for just $1.

See at Xbox

Game Pass Ultimate

Game Pass Ultimate is the best of both worlds. At $15 per month, an Ultimate subscription bundles both Gold and Game Pass for $5 less than it would cost to sign up separately. You’ll get access to the entire Game Pass library on your console, PC and mobile device, as well as a Gold membership so you can play games online too. You’ll also get perks like exclusive offers and in-game content, and it includes the EA Play subscription. For all-around gamers who don’t want to compromise, this is your best bet. And new users signing up now can get their first month for just $1.

See at Xbox

Best subscription deals available right now

Unlike the comparable subscriptions for PlayStation, there’s no annual membership plan for either Gold or Game Pass, which makes it a little bit harder to consistently find them at a good value. While deals directly from Xbox turn up occasionally, they’re usually just for new subscribers. However, other retailers and third parties do occasionally have deals on digital codes to help you save some cash each month. Here are the best ones we’ve found that are available right now.

Get the best price with CNET Shopping.

Love shopping online but don’t have time to compare prices or search for promo codes? Our CNET Shopping extension does that for you, so you always get the best price.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for April 8, #401

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 401 for April 8.

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

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle could be fun for movie buffs, depending on your favorite genre. Some answers were easier to find than others, but when is that not true when it comes to Strands? If you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: Out of this world.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Futuristic films.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints, but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

GONE, FRAT, GEMS, NOIR, TART, NUDE, PONE, GOAL, LOPS, SLOP, VINO, TARRY, MIEN

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you’ve got all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

DUNE, ALIEN, ARRIVAL, GRAVITY, MEGALOPOLIS

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is SCIENCEFICTION. To find it, start with the S that’s four letters down on the far left row, and wind across and up.

Technologies

Some Third-Party Switch 2 Accessories Are Already Available

Ready for Nintendo’s new console? You can buy these handy gaming accessories right now.

Nintendo remains one of the most popular video game makers of all time, and the first generation of its Switch handheld hybrid continues to be a fan favorite. That’s why it’s no surprise that the recently announced Nintendo Switch 2 is getting tons of attention, with the Switch 2’s launch date set for June 5.

Nintendo Switch 2 preorders are already live in some countries, but have been delayed in the US due to tariff uncertainty. Even so, we’ve found some third-party Switch 2 accessories that are already available. We’ve gathered them below and will continue adding to this roundup as new options emerge, so check back soon.

Read more: Nintendo Switch 2 vs. Switch 1: Every Detail Compared

We’ll continue to bring you Nintendo Switch 2 coverage as new details emerge about preorders, accessories and more.

Technologies

ChatGPT Screenless Phone Coming? OpenAI Reportedly Eyes Jony Ive’s AI Startup

The iPhone designer’s venture, io Products, is reportedly developing a range of AI-powered devices.

OpenAI is reportedly exploring a potential acquisition of an AI startup co-founded by Apple design chief Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The deal could exceed $500 million, according to The Information.

The publication said the venture, called io Products, is developing a range of AI-powered technologies, including a screenless phone concept and smart home devices. However, the company has denied that a phone is in development.

The closely guarded AI hardware initiative was first reported by the New York Times in September. Ive — who is renowned for designing the iPhone, iPad and other iconic Apple products — said he was partnering with Altman to create a new AI-driven computing device aimed at being «less socially disruptive than the iPhone.»

Although few specifics have emerged about the device, Ive and Altman have reportedly secured early-stage backing from investors, including Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Funding was expected to reach $1 billion by the end of last year, according to the New York Times.

In addition to acquisition talks, ChatGPT maker OpenAI is said to be exploring strategic partnerships with the venture. If a deal materializes, OpenAI would gain access to both the underlying technology and the core engineering team.

OpenAI didn’t respond to a request for comment. The report arrives as the AI voice assistant landscape grows, with OpenAI, Google, Meta and others racing to advance their chatbot offerings. A deal could also tighten OpenAI’s integration with a hardware player.

Ive’s design firm, LoveFrom — founded after his departure from Apple five years ago — is spearheading the device’s development. The company, co-founded by renowned luxury designer Marc Newson, a key contributor to the Apple Watch, includes former Apple executives such as Tang Tan, who led iPhone hardware design. LoveFrom’s client list includes brands like Airbnb and Ferrari.

‘Maintain its lead’

Jitesh Ubrani, a manager at market research firm IDC, told CNET the move would enable OpenAI to continue expanding across various platforms and make a stronger push into more environments.

«By partnering with a hardware startup, OpenAI can help maintain its lead across these other device types and usage scenarios,» Ubrani said. «Until the launch of AI, smart home hardware innovation [started] to plateau and by combining forces, the two companies could also benefit from growth in this space by injecting AI into the home.»