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October 24, 2025
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carbon fiber is super fucking cool
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TECHNOLOGY: Opt for midrange gear and hand-me-downs! For phones, consider the Google Pixel 9a – at $399 it’s “the best smartphone you can buy for the money,” packing flagship features (Tensor G4 chip, great camera, 7‑year updates) for half the price of a top-tier iPhone . Don’t be afraid of last-year flagships or refurbished models either (for example, Pixel 8 is now ~$400 ). For laptops, Chromebooks rule the budget scene – they handle web browsing and streaming like champs. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i Chromebook (Core i3, 14″) can be found around $400–$500 , with 13+ hour battery life and a bright screen, perfect for students or casual users. And for TV/streaming, skip the pricey set-top box: grab a Roku or Fire Stick. Tom’s Guide raves that the $49 Roku Streaming Stick 4K is the best budget streamer – it’s tiny, simple to use, and supports 4K HDR, saving you big over higher-end players.
take the top off!