Amazon Prime Day 2021 is here! Sure, it's a little early, but who can so no to a great bargain?
The only way to maximise your savings during the Prime Day sale is to become a Prime member. Click on the link below to sign up and you'll get a 30-day free trial, plus access to a lot of other Amazon services, including Prime Video, Prime Reading and Prime Gaming (previously called Twitch)
Sign up for Amazon Prime now
It's following hot on the heels of Amazon Australia's Mid-Year sale – that ended only a few weeks ago – but from what we can tell, that was just a teaser.
Amazon has outdone itself, offering some of the lowest prices on its own devices, like the Echo smart speaker range and the Kindle ereaders, with some even cheaper than the prices during Black Friday last year.
That's great news for Aussie shoppers looking to pocket some savings. So whether it's setting up a smart home – speakers, lights, security cameras – or you're after a set of great headphones, they're all going real cheap now. And with some camera companies having set up official shop on Amazon, you can get yourself a new snapper for much less than usual. Gaming laptops, Samsung devices and so much more too!
You can head to Amazon's dedicated Prime Day page for all the offers, or you can stick with us while we handpick the best tech deals from the massive sale. We'll be here from now until the end of the sale at 5pm AEST on Wednesday, June 23.
Best Prime Day 2021 deals
Gaming
Nintendo Switch console | AU$469.95 AU$379 (save AU$90.95)
We were expecting this console to drop to a lower price than we saw during Amazon's Mid-Year Sale, but the 2019 revision of the Nintendo Switch is back to AU$379 for both the Grey and Neon versions. That's 19% off the RRP.
Xbox Series S | AU$499 AU$429 (save AU$70)
The latest generation of consoles are still super fresh on the market (and very rarely in stock), so seeing AU$70 off the Xbox Series S is certainly worth a look. It's not quite as powerful as the Series X, but if you're looking for a more compact and casual entry into the current generation of gaming, you should probably pounce on this opportunity.
Oculus Quest 2 256GB | AU$639 AU$579 (save AU$60)
Despite the fact that it needs a Facebook account to use, the Oculus Quest 2 is one of our favourite VR headsets. It's a brilliant standalone device with great tech specs and a good price. With this Amazon Prime Day discount you can jump into VR at a lower price point, with some nice storage headroom to boot.
Computing
Amazon eero 6 mesh Wi-Fi system (3-pack) | AU$499 AU$299 (save AU$200)
This mesh networking kit promises to eliminate wireless dead zones and spread speedy Wi-Fi 6 access across your entire home – and with a AU$200 discount for Prime Day, it's an absolute steal for this kind system. It also integrates Zigbee smart home hub capabilities, so it can be used to centrally monitor and control a whole range of smart home gear, like lights, sensors, security and more.
Smart home
Amazon Echo Dot (3rd gen) | AU$59 AU$19 (save AU$40)
At this price, this is the cheapest big-brand smart speaker you can get right now! It's a generation old – with a fourth-gen model (listed below) available now – but it's still a great little Alexa speaker. It's the cheapest way to get into setting up a smart home and you can use it to stream to your favourite tunes without it taking up a lot of space in your home. Available in four different colours, all for a very low AU$19 only!
Amazon Echo Dot (4th gen) | AU$79 AU$39 (save AU$40)
Looking like it would fit right into a space-age setting, the all-new Echo Dot has had a complete redesign from its predecessor. But that's about all that's different about it. It's still a great little smart speaker with Alexa on board, and now getting its biggest discount of AU$40 – AU$10 more than the offer during Black Friday last year. Available in Charcoal, a new Glacier White colour option, and a rather pleasing Twilight Blue.
Amazon Echo (4th gen) | AU$149 AU$99 (save AU$50)
Amazon's all-new 2020 Echo smart speaker gets its biggest discount yet since its launch. With a whole new design, it's perfect for any space and brings the usual Alexa smarts with it. And at under a hundred dollary-doos, that's a great bargain on the Echo flagship, available in three different colours.
Amazon Echo Show 5 | AU$129 AU$59 (save AU$70)
It was AU$10 cheaper during Black Friday last year, but if you missed out then and want to get your hands on this little smart display now, AU$59 a pop is not a bad price at all. It's a great stepping stone to setting up a smart home, or for just asking Alexa a few questions, follow recipes, listen to music and watch videos. And, at this price, makes for a pretty good gift too. You have a choice of the Charcoal version or the Sandstone colour, both at the same price.
Amazon Echo Show 8 | AU$229 AU$109 (save AU$120)
Another whopper discount on an Echo device – there's 52% off on theEcho Show 8 smart display. That's the best price yet on this Alexa-powered 8-inch display. Not only do you get a decent-sized screen, you get a better, higher resolution one too, with a speaker that boasts bigger sound as well. It's the perfect middle ground if you don't want to spend the premium price for the new Echo Show 10 and want something a bit bigger than the Echo Show 5.
Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd gen) | AU$399 AU$269 (save AU$130)
If you want the best smart display Amazon has to offer, this is it. The latest iteration of the Echo Show 10 not only gets you a large 10-inch touchscreen, but also a 13MP camera that will follow you around if you move while on a video call, keeping you front and centre the entire time. If you want some privacy, there's a camera shutter that will also disable the mic. Good sound, all the Alexa smarts you need – all for 32% off right now.
Fire TV Stick 4K | AU$99 AU$59 (save AU$40)
They were discounted in the lead up to Prime Day, but we've not seen the all-new Fire TV Stick 4K this cheap. Only released earlier in 2021, you can save 40% on the latest version of this neat streaming device. With impressive 4K Ultra HD quality and new Alexa Voice remote with TV controls, it'll transform your viewing experience. And if you've got other Amazon devices, you can link them to your Fire TV to let Alexa take the reins.
You'll also get 40% off last year's Lite version of the Fire TV Stick, with the price dropped to just AU$35. But if you want the best picture quality, splash a bit more for the 4K option.
Philips Hue smart lights | from AU$24.90 (up to 34% off)
Whether you want to get started with a smart lighting system or already have one that you'd like to expand, there's up to 34% off on Philips Hue. Some of the older bulbs need a Hue Bridge to work while the latest ones have Bluetooth, so you can just plug and play so to speak. There's Hue lights for indoor, outdoor, different fittings, strips and so much more. Take a gander and save on some of the most expensive smart lights currently available.
Ring Video Doorbell | AU$149 AU$115 (save AU$34)
Amazon's slicing 32% off many of its popular Ring home security devices for Prime Day, which brings the price of the entry-level Ring Video Doorbell down to just AU$105. With simple installation, 1080p video capture including motion detection and night vision, and the ability to hook up with Amazon Echo Show devices to display video and accept voice commands, this offers a great way to add low-cost smart security to your home.
Tablets & ereaders
Amazon Kindle | AU$139 AU$89 (save AU$60)
Amazon has outdone itself – this is the best price we've seen on the basic Kindle yet. A no-frills ereader for just AU$89 is a book lover's dream bargain. The 6-inch display is plenty sharp and this latest iteration even has an adjustable front light so you can read – for days at a stretch if you wish – any time and anywhere. The Kindle is available in a black chassis, or in a white body if you're tired of seeing the darker colour.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite | from AU$199 from AU$149 (save up to AU$80)
It's the most popular ereader in the world and rightly so – it's got a great screen, is pretty responsive, features an adjustable front light, waterproofing and an easy-to-use interface. And it's also quite affordable, more so now that you can snag a new 8GB Kindle Paperwhite for just AU$149, saving AU$50.
If 8GB storage isn't enough, the 32GB model is also discounted by AU$60 to AU$189 while you can score the 32GB LTE version for a very low AU$289 and save AU$80.
Amazon Kindle Oasis | from AU$399 from AU$299 (save up to AU$110)
It's the best ereader money can buy, with a premium-looking metal chassis and page-turn buttons that are perfect for one-handed use. That luxurious reading experience also comes with a hefty price tag, but thanks to Prime Day, you can now grab the Kindle Oasis in the 8GB flavour or the 32GB storage option for a lot less.
Audio
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 | AU$599 AU$330 (save AU$269)
Boses's premium and elegant flagship ANC cans are discounted by almost half price on Amazon at the moment, in Black and Silver with Soapstone being a touch more expensive at AU$377. Designed for comfort and style, these headphones provide the best ANC the company has to offer, solid call quality, and a well-balanced, clear audio.
Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones | AU$499 AU$330 (save AU$169)
Sony's latest WH-1000XM4 headphones are the company's best when it comes to both ANC and audio, offering intelligent adaptive noise-cancelling and a pleasing, warm audio profile – the combo of which makes for a cosy audio blanket. While it's not the biggest discount we've seen on these cans, it's close, so save yourself over AU$169 at Amazon now.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 | AU$499 AU$240 (save AU$260)
These true wireless buds from Sennheiser are a favourite here at TechRadar because of their refined sound paired with a lightweight, comfortable design. One of the few areas we marked them down in was their price, but with Amazon's discount of over half price, now is the perfect time to pick up a pair of these premium, noise-cancelling buds in either Black or White.
Bose QuietComfort true wireless earbuds | AU$399 AU$299 on Amazon (save AU$100)
Bose has taken its expertise in noise-cancelling to the true wireless format with the QuietComfort Earbuds, taking on the likes of Sony with its WF-1000XM3.We loved their superbly balanced and exciting sound, along with their impressive ANC capabilities. Available in Black or Soapstone for AU$299 at Amazon.
Bose QuietComfort 35 II | AU$399 AU$285 on Amazon (save AU$114)
If the Sony and other Bose cans above seem a little too expensive, it wasn't so long ago that the QuietComfort 35 II was the king of the wireless ANC headphone market. While regularly discounted at this stage, this is still an exceptional price on quality audio and noise-cancelling. You’ll save AU$114 when you buy from Amazon in black or silver.
Cameras
Nikon Z50 twin lens kit + ML-L7 remote + EN-EL25 battery | AU$2,092.18 AU$1,549 (save AU$543.18)
One of the more advanced 'entry-level' APS-C format mirrorless cameras is actually one of the more expensive models. However, Amazon's Mid-year sale discount makes this kit – with two lenses and a remote – much better priced at AU$1,549. That's about AU$400 less than what you'd pay at most Aussie retailers for the twin lens kit alone, and this coms with an additional battery to keep you click-happy all day long.
Don't need the lenses or the remote? Then you can pick up the Z50 body, the FTZ adaptor and an extra battery for just AU$1,399 – saving you AU$500.
Nikon Z6 + MB-N10 battery grip + EN-EL15b battery + 64GB XQD card | AU$2,999 AU$2,459 (save AU$540)
Amazon's Mid-year Sale had this exact same bundle discounted by a mere AU$200, but a much better AU$540 off – aka 23% discount – makes this a very enticing purchase if you're looking to go full frame mirrorless. This discounted price is actually the RRP of the body alone, so getting a battery grip and the additional battery thrown in is a right bargain! Not to mention the memory card too.
Nikon CoolPix P1000 + DF-M1 Dot Sight | AU$1,562 AU$1,279 (save AU$283)
If you're not too keen on a fancy new interchangeable lens camera (ILC) but would like the feel of one with the reach of a telephoto zoom lens, then a bridge camera is what you need. There aren't new bridge cameras being made but this Nikon is a good choice if you really want to get close to the action, thanks to its record-breaking 125x optical zoom. That means you can capture close-ups of the moon! It's all in the one package that also comes with some savings and a sighter to help you target distant subjects.
Wearables
Fitbit Sense | AU$449 AU$299 (save AU$220)
The Fitbit Sense is the brand’s most advanced smartwatch to date. What makes the Sense standout is its emphasis on mental wellbeing, with mindfulness and meditation tools as well as physical workout tracking. It comes with GPS onboard and it’s incredibly comfortable to wear. Prime members pay a very low AU$299 for the Sense in black or white.
If you're not a Prime member, you can still get a discount. It's not much but both colour options are available at AU$348 apiece for non-Prime members.
Prime Day sales are the perfect opportunity to save a packet on whatever you might need. It's a great source for picking up laptops, cameras, smart home devices and so much more on the cheap, even if it's an item that anyway costs under AU$10 at full price. However, to shop during Prime Day, you'll need to be a Prime member.
Being a Prime member not only gets you access to the Amazon Prime Day shopping, it gets you free shipping on all Prime-eligible items, no matter how little or how much they cost.
What is Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon Prime Day began in the US in 2015 as a celebration of the company’s 20th anniversary, with more deals on offer than Black Friday back then. Prime Day then quickly transformed into Amazon’s mid-year sales event where members of Amazon Prime get exclusive discounts on a wide range of items.
While it began as a one-day sale, by 2018 it has expanded to two days, and that meant that in Australia we could shop for 36 hours – i.e. until the sale ended in the US. In 2019, however, it got even bigger and Aussie shoppers were treated to a whopping 65 hours of discounts. 2020 brought 66 hours of shopping spree only because of daylight savings in October.
Why does Amazon have Prime Day? It's presented as a neat ‘thank you’ to its paying members, but one that involves giving Amazon more money and shifting a lot of stock at the same time.
Prime Day isn’t just about selling Amazon-branded products – many other brands and third-party sellers also save their best deals for Prime Day, completely aware that thousands of extra shoppers will be hitting the online store.
To make the most of Prime Day you’ll need to get yourself an Amazon Prime membership which, in Australia, will set you back just AU$6.99 a month or AU$59 a year – half the cost of the US subscription.
While you’re paying for the privilege of free, swift delivery, signing up for Prime means you’ll also have free access to Amazon’s streaming services, including Prime Video, Prime Music and Twitch. Members also get free access to Prime Reading and Prime Photos for all their ebook and storage needs.
If you'd like to know more about how a Prime membership can benefit you, head to our dedicated page on Amazon Prime in Australia where we explain it all.
When is Amazon Prime Day 2021?
It's official! Amazon Australia has announced that Prime Day 2021 will begin at 12am AEST on Monday, June 21 and carry on until 11:59pm AEST on Tuesday, June 22. That's not all, though. As with last year, Aussie shoppers will be regaled with deals from the US and the UK until 5pm on Wednesday, June 23 – a whopping 65 hours of deals!
June isn't the usual time for Prime Day. It's normally held mid-July, starting off on a Monday. However, last year was unusual, with the global pandemic causing serious issues with stock and delivery. So Amazon moved to pretty late in the calendar year, kicking off on October 13, which was a Tuesday.
Despite being a little earlier than usual, it does seem like Prime Day will gradually go back to its usual timetable. In the meantime, Amazon continues to offer some excellent discounts each day if you're looking for a quick bargain.
What to expect from Prime Day 2021
We’re not expecting shopping trends during Amazon Prime Day 2021 to change very much. The Nintendo Switch is still going to disappear within minutes of being discounted, and this could happen to the Switch Lite too if you aren’t quick enough. And given the stock issues plaguing the next-gen game consoles from Sony and Microsoft, we're not sure you'll be able to score a PS5 or an Xbox Series X – although we can hope.
Of course, Amazon’s Echo devices will likely be flying off the shelves like before, and we’ll still see the Paperwhite beating out the other Kindle ereaders in terms of sales. You can even expect to pocket some decent savings on Ring’s range of security devices, including the Doorbells and the cameras.
Premium headphones have been very popular on Amazon over the last couple of years and 2021 will likely see that continue, particularly for Sony and Bose headphones. With the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 one of the more expensive ANC cans on the market, Prime Day will be a great time to get a set for less, especially if Amazon offers a bigger discount than last year's AU$200 off.
With more TVs available on Amazon Australia now, we think Prime Day 2021 would be an ideal time to upgrade your home entertainment system, especially if you’re in the market for a good 4K smart telly – we've already seen Sony's TVs discounted on the site on a regular basis. It's also a great time to snap up that soundbar you've probably been eyeing.
It will also be a good time to get yourself a new fitness wearable, be it from Garmin’s very premium GPS sports watch range or more affordable options from Fitbit. Likewise, cameras and drones will see a price drop, too, so keep that credit card handy.
What happened during Prime Day last year?
Despite last year's Amazon Prime Day deals event being pushed back to mid-October and concerns over stock and shipping during the pandemic – particularly international shipping from the US and UK – Amazon says it surpassed the previous year, selling an extra AU$3.2bn-worth of goods.
According to the retail giant, it was the biggest ever sale for third-party sellers, particularly small and medium businesses.
About US$10.4 billion-worth of products were sold globally, but what exactly did shoppers buy? According to Amazon – and our own data confirms this – the top selling items were Amazon's own devices: the Echo smart speakers and Kindle ereaders.
Other bestselling products included robot vacuum cleaners, noise-cancelling headphones from Bose, and Fitbit smartwatches and fitness trackers.
Want to know more? Here are a few of the best tech offers we saw during the most recent Prime Day deals event.
Amazon Echo Show 8 | AU$229 AU$159 on Amazon
As the middle child of the Amazon's smart displays, the Echo Show 8 proved to be a hot seller last year, thanks to a really good saving of AU$70. That made it a pretty affordable smart device that would fit into any home. Its retail price has now dropped on Amazon to AU$179, so expect it to be cheaper still this Prime Day.
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 | AU$599 AU$399 on Amazon
While its lowest price ever was in December 2020 at AU$359 a set, the AU$399 discount during Prime Day last year was the best we'd seen until then. So here's hoping we see an even bigger discount this time round.
Nintendo Switch + Minecraft | AU$509 AU$409 on Amazon
This was a pretty good offer during Prime Day 2020, which saw you save AU$100 when you added Minecraft and the Switch console to your shopping cart. Considering the Switch usually retails for AU$447 (but can be had for AU$399), and Minecraft normally going for AU$40, this wasn't a bad buy.
Samsung T5 2TB portable SSD | AU$615 AU$363.66 on Amazon
Storage solutions don't get better than this portable SSD. And while the T7 could be this year's hot buy, a 2TB storage flavour of the T5 has always been an expensive proposition... until Prime Day 2020, when the price dropped by some AU$250.
Acer Swift 3 14-inch ultrabook | AU$1,100 AU$899 on Amazon
We've been big fans of the Acer Swift 3 for a couple of years and it's usually quite affordable, making it the ideal "ultrabook for the masses". With a 25% discount on Amazon during the last Prime Day, it became even more affordable.
Are Prime Day deals competitive?
Amazon has a plethora of offers on its site each day and those are usually some of the best prices you can find on consumer tech. Whether you’re after a Samsung Galaxy S21 or a Philips Hue smart lighting system, chances are you’ll get them cheaper on Amazon than any other Aussie retailer. It’s even more the case with Prime Day deals.
Leading the raft of deals during Prime Day 2021 will be Amazon’s own products, including all the Echo and Kindle products, not to mention Ring security devices. Amazon is also one of the most convenient places to score a discount on the Oculus VR headsets and, now, lay your hands on official stock of Samsung devices, Xiaomi phones, Instant Pots and Nikon photography gear.
You can easily score about 35% off on Amazon’s own devices during Prime Day which, for the rest of the year probably don’t drop more than 28% or thereabouts. If you’ve managed to score a AU$500 discount on Samsung or Huawei devices during one of Amazon’s regular deals, then it’s highly likely that the discount will be much deeper come Prime Day. It’s the perfect time to snag a Nintendo Switch or find the lowest prices on the best premium headphones – cheaper than any other retailer who will likely be scrambling to price-match.
How to shop on Prime Day in 2021
1. Check out our deals predictions and, eventually our Prime Day deals list
There are too many deals available on Prime Day. It's never a problem finding discounts, it's always an issue of figuring out what deals are worth your money. That's why we always set up a curated list during the sales marathon.
We spent some good time last Black Friday thinking about smart ways to shop on Amazon – they're still some great Prime Day tips and tricks.
2. Amazon Prime Day has historically required being a Prime member, so be sure to have a subscription on Prime Day
Amazon started Prime Day as a clever way to drive up its Prime subscription count, and this online shopping marathon – conveniently opposite Black Friday – accomplished just that.
You'll need to sign up for Prime (you can get a free 30-day trial), which comes with free shipping and Prime Video access, among other smaller perks.
3. Create a wish list to curate what you want, as there will be loads of deals
You're also going to want to create a wish list ahead of time, which will let you sort out what you want and how much everything costs. This will give you a head start. You'll be able to see which deals dropped in price and which did not.
4. Snap up the best Prime Day 2021 deals before they're gone
We often find the best deals to go in a matter of minutes, at which time Amazon rolls out a waitlist for those who were just behind the curve.
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