The countdown has well and truly begun! Amazon Prime Day 2021 is just days away, with the deals bonanza set to kick off at midnight on Monday, June 21. While that's not quite the usual wintry timetable for Prime Day, it definitely feels like things are ready to go back to pre-Covid times.
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 in the lead up to Prime Day 2021 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 does seem a little early because Amazon has just finished its annual Mid-Year Sale, and now we're already geared up for the online retailer's biggest sale of the year. However, we found that the offers during the May/June sale weren't as good as what we usually see during Prime Day, so that was just a teaser.
And that means we can expect some seriously good bargains next week on all sorts of items – from clothes, pantry essentials and tech, just to name a few categories. Of course, here at TechRadar, we'll be concentrating on all the consumer electronics on Amazon Australia, hunting down the best Prime Day tech deals for you.
And, like the previous years, Australia gets a whopper of a Prime Day, lasting a full 65 hours, while it's only 48 hours in other markets. That's because we can shop till the US West Coast drops, thanks to all the international deals we get on the Amazon Global Store, with deals from both the US and the UK.
With just a few days to go before Prime Day deals land, it's time to get your shopping list ready. Keep an eye on Amazon's dedicated Prime Day page for all the latest information and details on how to prepare for the shopping bonanza.
Or you can stick with us, particularly since we'll be sorting through all the tech on the shopping website and cherry-picking only the best bargains.
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.
Early Prime Day 2021 deals
Nintendo Switch | AU$469.95 AU$379 on Amazon (save AU$90.95)
The Nintendo Switch Pro is rumoured to be releasing later this year, but if you don't want to wait, you can pick up the always-popular Nintendo Switch for less. The hybrid console is now AU$90 off on Amazon, available in both neon and the more reserved grey version.
Xbox Series S | AU$499 AU$429 on Amazon (save AU$70)
It may not be as powerful as the Xbox Series X – which is hard to come by – but it can still comfortably play next-gen games with clarity, speed and high frame rates. While it's a digital-only device, it's ideal for those who want to get stuck into Xbox Game Pass.
Sony WH-1000XM4 | AU$499 AU$330 on Amazon (save AU$169)
We think Sony's WH-1000XM4 headphones are the best you can buy, with stellar sound quality and adaptive noise-cancelling capabilities. And you can now get it for a price lower than what it was during the Mid-Year sale just weeks ago. Whether this will drop further during Prime Day is yet to be seen.
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 | AU$599 AU$376 on Amazon (save AU$223)
Boses's premium noise-cancelling headphones are discounted by almost 40% on Amazon at the moment. These headphones look good, sound great and are comfortable to wear. The active noise cancellation works whether you're listening to music or taking calls too, so you can cut out the distractions. Discounted on Amazon in black, silver and white.
Sennheiser CX 400BT True Wireless Earbuds | AU$299 AU$145.90 on Amazon (save AU$153.10)
Sennheiser’s CX 400BT earbuds get it right where it counts: they sound wide and detailed, are comfortable to wear and offer good touch control. These true wireless earbuds have been discounted fairly regularly, but this is one of the lowest prices we've seen. Available in black or white on Amazon.
Jabra Elite 65t | AU$119 from AU$78 on Amazon (save AU$41)
There's no active noise cancellation here, but the Elite 65t 'buds offer ample passive noise cancellation so you can more or less drown out the outside world. They're easy to use, offer great sound quality and even have an equaliser in the app if you want to tweak the sound. Better yet, Amazon has dropped the price to an all-time low on both the Titanium Black option and the Gold Beige set.
If you're after something you can go running, cycling or hiking with, the Elite Active 65t is sweat-resistant and also down to its lowest price on Amazon – AU$98 for the Copper Blue option and AU$99 for the colourful Copper Red edition.
Jabra Elite 75t | AU$219 AU$148 on Amazon (save AU$71)
There's active noise cancellation here, but we found that the Elite 75t could be overwhelmingly bassy for some. However, there is an equaliser in the companion app that can take care of that for you, making this one of the more affordable ANC true wireless 'buds on the market. Only one colour option is discounted to its lowest price yet though.
If you'd prefer the sweat-resistant versions, then the Jabra Elite Active 75t in the more colourful Navy, Copper Black, Sienna and Mint are down to just AU$198. Add another dollar more and you can score the more classy looking Copper Black edition for AU$199.
Fitbit Versa 3 (Thistle) | AU$399 AU$288 on Amazon (save AU$111)
This item ships from the US and is a colour that isn't usually available in Australia. However, it will work just fine here if you import it, and it also saves you over a hundred dollary-doos if you purchase now. That's not a bad price and something akin to what we'd expect during Prime Day. But if you'd like to wait and get local stock, we're quite sure the Versa 3 will be discounted next week.
[Ships and sold by Amazon US]
Jabra Elite 85h | AU$379 AU$229 on Amazon (save AU$150)
These headphones pair excellent noise cancellation with class-leading battery life, and bring it together in a rather stylish package. While they lack support for high-end codecs such as aptX, it’s hard to complain given the value for money. Amazon has discounted this set in all colour options including black, gold/black and navy, knocking AU$150 off the RRP.
Lenovo Tab M8 | AU$199 AU$139 on Amazon (save AU$60)
Need a no-frills tablet that won't cost an arm and a leg? This 8-inch device from Lenovo might fit the bill. There's 32GB of internal storage, expandable to 128GB, and 2GB system memory, so you can stream videos easily enough. A 5,000mAh battery promises up to 10 hours battery life and there are both rear and front-facing cameras that will suffice for video calls. And it's just AU$139 on Amazon right now.
[PRIME EXCLUSIVE]
Instant Vortex Mini Air Fryer (2L) | AU$149 AU$99 on Amazon (save AU$50)
This offer is specifically for Prime members and will see you get a 2L air fryer from the company that brought you the Instant Pot. There are three colours to choose from and they'll all be discounted by the same 33%. Note that you will see the discounted price only at checkout, so don't panic if your cart shows the listed price.
Kindle ebooks | up to 70% off select titles
Whether you're into politics or reading fantasy and sci-fi, there might be a good ebook for you here. There's up to 70% off select ebooks, including Yuval Noah Harari's Homo Deus and Mary Trump's tell-all on her uncle. So if you want to stock up on your Kindle library, now is a good chance to find your next read.
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.
- In the meantime, take a gander at our curated list of the best Amazon tech deals in Australia
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