The Buying Game

The Buying Game (Issue 9)

This week's picks in wireless gear, a smartwatch, vacuums, and more.

Tyler H

01 Aug 2025 — 4 min read

TL;DR: The Buying Game consists of me selecting three products worth buying at different price points. Each product is given a Value Score—based on price and function—and then one is crowned the winner at the end. Affiliate links may be used.

How I’d spend $500: Netgear Orbi 370 Mesh Routers

A good wireless network is the backbone of homes all home now. The Orbi 370 brings a more affordable Wi-Fi 7 option, compared to past models. You can read some of the differences between Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7, but it has faster wireless throughput, and compatible devices can use multiple frequency bands (2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz) at once, rather than individually, one at a time.

Price: $349.99 (3-pack)/$249.99 (2-pack) (link)
Value Score: Good

Despite what it may seem like, there aren’t many consumer mesh routers on the market. Netgear’s Orbi line is one of the good ones, but its previous Wi-Fi 7 models were upwards of $700+. Be aware that this new one only supports 70 connected devices, but otherwise is well-suited to a lot of people’s needs.

How I’d spend $150: Pebble Core 2 Duo

Early adopters of smartwatches should remember Pebble. The company is back and selling a refreshed version of its e-paper watch. It now has a microphone and speaker to complement its 1.2-inch black and white e-paper screen. It's IPX8 water-resistant and has step and sleep tracking. Its biggest appeal, however, might be its 30-day battery life.

Price: $149.99 (link)
Value Score: Fair

Evaluating the value of the Core 2 Duo is tricky. On one hand, it's $150 and has a super long battery life. On the other hand, it's not a good fitness watch and won't have great connection support to iPhones. It's fun, though. This one is shipping soon. If you want a color version, that will cost $225 and hopefully ship around December 2025.

How I’d spend $50: Sharge 3-in-1 Retractable

This is a power adapter and power bank in one with a built-in (2.3-foot) retractable USB-C cable. It’s perfect for travel or just keeping around the house. While a device’s design isn’t technically a feature, this one’s slick, clear design is hard to beat.

Price: $44.99 (link)
Value Score: Good

This product was only released this week, but it’s already on sale for $5 off. If there’s a downside, it’s that there are only 30W of total power, but for charging phones and tablets, it should be plenty.

The winning pick: Netgear Orbi 370

I think there's a case for each of these products to win this week. But if you're looking for a home Wi-Fi system, it's just hard to beat the new Orbi 370. People in smaller homes should be able to make the two-pack work just fine, which makes it even less of a financial commitment.

Are you looking for even more picks this week? Here are a few things worth considering.

An expensive pick: LG StandbyMe 2

At its core, the LG StandByMe 2 is a TV, but its list of features makes it much more versatile than just a TV. For example, it comes with a stand that can it be detached from and carried around. Why would you want to carry it around? For one thing, it has a built-in battery and can be used anywhere. It’s also a touchscreen and comes with games like chess that can be used on a tabletop like a digital board game. You can plug something into its HDMI or USB-C ports, like a computer. And if none of those things appeal to you, it can also hang on the wall as a digital sign.

Price: $1,299.99 (link)

Media pick: Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical

I'm a sucker for Peanuts movies, so of course this one looks good. It will debut on Apple TV+, free for subscribers, on August 15. Not only is it a musical, but Ben Folds penned the original songs for it.

This week's other interesting deals and product news

Mario Paint is now on the Nintendo Switch 2 as part of Nintendo Online.
If you've heard anything about TP-Link routers or equipment being compromised, then this PCMag piece is a good overview of why it's continuing to recommend TP-Link routers.
Anker is no longer selling its Anker Make 3D printers.
Pluribus is the new show coming to Apple TV+ from the creator of Breaking Bad.
DJI has a new 360-degree camera—its first, actually. The Osmo 360 looks slick, but it also costs $549.
Nintendo announced it will be raising the prices of its original Switch, Switch Lite, and OLED Switch. (The Switch 2 price remains the same for now.)
Apple announced its quarterly results, if you're into that kind of thing.