If you’re interested in the best 2-in-1 laptops, you’ll certainly have heard of Microsoft’s Surface line. They’re pretty powerful, but they do come with a catch — unless you get a great bundle you’re going to have to supply the stylus pen and keyboard separately. Eventually, getting these accessories will feel like an “essential” upgrade to your device. And that’s where Best Buy comes in.
Every day Best Buy has a “Deal of the Day,” which is exactly what it says on the tin, but they also have bonus deals of the day if you look harder. And both the Microsoft Surface Slim Pen 2 and the Surface Pro Flex Keyboard are included in these bonus deals today. You can save $26 on the pen (taking it from $130 to $104) or $70 on the keyboard (taking it from $350 to $280) if you take advantage of these deals before 1:00 a.m. ET. That’s a combined savings of $96. Tap the button below (and scroll down) to see today’s bonus deals or keep reading to see how these accessories are a big bonus for your tablet.
There’s a lot more to like about the Surface Slim Pen 2 than meets the eye. It’s physical design is somewhat like a carpenter’s pencil with a flat edge, making it easier to hold, and there is haptic feedback built-in to the pen to help you get a realistic and natural feel when writing. Then there’s the software. If you’ve got the idea that writing on a tablet with a stylus is a binary experience (pixel white, pixel black, and nowhere in between) then the Surface Slim Pen 2 will be a shocking experience for you — it detects 4,096 points of pressure sensitivity for precision shading. In other words, this stylus is perfect for those wanting to take handwritten notes and do great art alike. The Microsoft Surface Slim Pen 2 is very broadly compatible with Surface devices, but you can tap the button below and tap “Specifications” to double-check your compatibility if you wish.
One thing that makes the Microsoft Surface so interesting is that it is basically just an excellent tablet, but it gets to masquerade as a 2-in-1 with a delightful detachable keyboard. There’s not a ton to say about this keyboard that you can’t figure out by looking at the image above (note that the stylus doesn’t come with it, but you can see an example stylus nestled in the holder above) that can be done in a short time, but do note that this is only compatible with the Microsoft Surface Pro 11th edition, Microsoft Surface Pro 9, and Microsoft Surface Pro 8.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.
Samsung’s scandal over its Game Optimizing Service, or GOS, has returned with a bill attached. South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has tentatively fined the company 20.1 billion won, or about $15.1 million, over gaming claims made for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, and Tab S8.
The regulator says Samsung promoted the devices as gaming powerhouses without disclosing that GOS placed preset CPU and GPU limits on certain demanding games. Samsung disputes that conclusion, calling GOS a legitimate way to manage heat.
Apple's next cheaper iPhone could get a brand-new processor while keeping its most stubborn display compromise. Digital Chat Station tips the iPhone 18e for a 2027 release with a 2nm A20 chip and a 6.12-inch OLED screen still limited to 60Hz.
The rumored camera setup includes a single 48MP rear camera and a possible 24MP selfie camera. There's new hardware to consider, but buyers hoping Apple would extend that upgrade generosity to smoother scrolling could be disappointed.