Early $169 AirPods Pro 3 Hijack Prime Day Apple Deals

AirPods Pro 3 have already dropped to $169 before Prime Day Apple deals officially begin, creating the exact shopping dilemma Amazon wants: buy the sharp discount now, or gamble on June 23rd bringing something better.

Amazon’s Prime Day sale starts on June 23rd, but Apple discounts are already live across Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Woot, Costco, and Macy’s, according to The Verge. The strongest early cuts are clustered around earbuds, Apple Watch models, and accessories. Bigger devices like iPads and MacBooks are discounted too, though not always at record-low levels.

XOOMAR analysis: The smart move is selective buying. Grab all-time lows and near-record prices on products you already wanted. Wait on modest discounts unless you need the device now.

Early Prime Day Apple deals put pressure on shoppers to buy before June 23

The early Prime Day Apple deals are strongest where retailers have already crossed a meaningful threshold. AirPods Pro 3 briefly hit a new all-time low at $169 at Walmart, while Apple Watch Series 11 returned to $299, one of its best prices to date.

That doesn’t mean every discount deserves an instant checkout. The source notes that some Apple products could see steeper cuts once Prime Day arrives, but which products and how much is unknown.

That uncertainty is the whole game. If a deal is at or near a record low, buying now limits regret. If the discount is merely decent, waiting has value.

AirPods Pro 3 at $169 make the strongest early Apple audio deal

The headline audio deal is AirPods Pro 3 at $169 at Walmart, though The Verge notes the deal has been volatile and has gone in and out of stock. Amazon and Best Buy are selling them for $179.99, still below the $249 list price.

That pricing puts the newest Pro earbuds unusually close to cheaper AirPods models. The AirPods Pro 3 bring improved noise cancellation, richer bass, and built-in heart sensors that work with Apple’s Fitness app to monitor calories burned across more than 50 workouts.

At $169, this is the cleanest early Apple buy in the roundup. At $179.99, it’s still strong, especially if Walmart stock disappears again.

AirPods 4 deals look less compelling while AirPods Pro 3 stay close in price

AirPods 4 are down to $99 at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy, a $30 discount. They’re the better fit for buyers who want Apple earbuds but dislike a sealed in-ear design.

The harder sell is AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation at $148.99. That’s also $30 off, but the gap to AirPods Pro 3 is only about $20 when the Pro model is available at Walmart’s low price.

Here’s the practical split:

If silicone tips bother you, AirPods 4 still make sense. If not, the Pro deal is the better value.

Beats discounts give Android-friendly Apple audio buyers more choice

The Beats deals matter because they give shoppers Apple-owned audio hardware with broader Android support. The workout split is clear: Powerbeats Fit are $169.95, while Powerbeats Pro 2 are $199.95.

Powerbeats Fit add a redesigned wingtip with built-in silicone fins and ear tips for a secure workout fit. Powerbeats Pro 2 go further with an ear-hook design, Apple’s H2 chip, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, better noise cancellation than Powerbeats Fit, and wireless charging.

The broader Beats lineup is also sharply discounted:

• Beats Studio Pro: as low as $159.99 at Best Buy, versus $169.95 at Amazon and Walmart.
• Beats Solo 4: $118.95 at Macy’s in gray, with other colors at $129.95 at Amazon and Walmart.
• Beats Studio Buds Plus: $99.95, an $80 discount.

Buying cue: Studio Pro for over-ear noise cancellation, Powerbeats Pro 2 for workouts, Studio Buds Plus for lower-cost ANC.

Apple Watch Series 11 returns to $299 as the safest smartwatch buy

Apple Watch Series 11 is back at $299 for the 42mm GPS model at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. That’s $100 off the $399 list price.

This is the mainstream Apple Watch deal to beat. Series 11 has the same size as its predecessor, but adds a display that’s twice as durable, slightly improved battery life, and a 5G modem on cellular models.

The choice is simple. Series 11 is the safest buy for most iPhone owners. Apple Watch SE 3 costs less. Apple Watch Ultra 3 costs more because it targets heavier outdoor and athletic use.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 and SE 3 split the wearable deals between athletes and budget buyers

Apple Watch Ultra 3 with an Ocean Band is $699.99 at Amazon, matching its best price to date. Trail Loop and Alpine Loop versions cost $50 more, with Best Buy matching that price.

Ultra 3 is Apple’s rugged pick. It offers up to 42 hours of battery life, a larger wide-angle OLED display, slimmer bezels, satellite connectivity, and 5G.

At the lower end, Apple Watch SE 3 starts at $219 for the 40mm GPS model. The 40mm LTE version is $249, and the 44mm GPS version is also $249. For current owners, Woot is selling Apple Watch bands starting at $14.99 through June 26th.

iPad deals favor casual buyers at $299 and power users near $559

The entry-level iPad (2025) is $299 at Best Buy for the 128GB Wi-Fi model, while the 256GB Wi-Fi version is $399. That’s the easy casual tablet pick.

The base iPad still works for video, browsing, light games, and basic productivity. It has a high-res screen and an A16 processor, even if Apple’s lineup has moved further ahead.

The step-up option is the 11-inch M4 iPad Air at $559, with the 13-inch M4 iPad Air at $749. Both add the M4 chip, 12GB of RAM, Apple Intelligence features, Apple Pencil Pro support, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 6.

Related XOOMAR reading: Eye Strain Splits E Ink Tablet vs iPad for Students and Stop Zooming with the Best Tablets for Reading Comics.

MacBook Air and AirTag discounts round out Apple’s early Prime Day mix

The 13-inch MacBook Air with M5, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD is $949.99 at Amazon. That’s $149 off, but still $50 above its all-time low.

The 15-inch MacBook Air is $1,149 at Amazon and Best Buy. It’s the better fit for buyers who want a larger screen without moving up to MacBook Pro pricing.

For trackers, second-generation AirTags are $99.99 at Costco in a five-pack. A four-pack of first-generation AirTags is $64.99 at Woot. The newer model has better precision, a louder speaker, and longer Bluetooth range.

The bigger picture: retailers are testing Apple demand before the main event

These early Prime Day Apple deals show retailers pulling demand forward before the sale officially starts. Accessories, earbuds, and wearables have the strongest early prices. MacBooks and iPads are discounted, but some are not sitting at record lows.

The rule is blunt: buy the AirPods Pro 3 if you catch the $169 price, consider Series 11 at $299, and treat weaker discounts as optional. Once June 23rd arrives, the real question is whether retailers deepen prices or simply rotate stock around the deals already live.

Key Takeaways

• AirPods Pro 3 at $169 represent one of the strongest early Apple deals before Prime Day starts on June 23.
• Shoppers may benefit from buying near-record lows now instead of waiting for uncertain deeper discounts.
• Deals are spread across multiple retailers, making price checks important before checkout.