Tech Deals or Marketing Bait? A Brutally Honest Take on the Latest MediaMarkt & El Corte Inglés “Offers”
Hello everyone. Today we’re diving headfirst into the glittery swamp that is retail “deal season,” where MediaMarkt and El Corte Inglés play their annual round of “Look how generous we are!” while secretly checking the clock to see if you’ll grab your wallet before reality kicks in. These are apparently ‘massive savings,’ but let’s peel back the discount stickers and see what’s really inside. Spoiler: sometimes it’s a great pick-up, other times it’s like opening a loot box and getting a common battle-worn spoon.
Google Pixel 9 – The Compact Veteran
The Pixel 9 is – surprise – still a good phone. That’s not sarcasm, that’s just fact. It’s compact at 6.3 inches, has decent cameras, and an actual software update roadmap that doesn’t look like it was scribbled on a napkin. MediaMarkt is doing the register-&-save trick, a tactic that’s essentially the gaming equivalent of “pre-order for exclusive skins.” And yes, you’re paying less than usual, but it’s last year’s hardware dressed up like it’s still prom king. If you’re fine with ‘slightly used armour with six years durability left,’ it’s a sensible buy.
Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE – The Couch Potato’s Dream Slate
This 256 GB tablet is made to do one thing well: consume content. Movies, YouTube rabbit holes, maybe the occasional spreadsheet if you’re feeling masochistic. It’s got a microSD slot, Dolby Atmos with four speakers, and – brace yourself – an honest-to-goodness headphone jack. Yes, the same endangered connectivity species that most manufacturers have hunted to near extinction. For a casual Netflix grind, this is the equivalent of a decent mid-tier weapon – not rare, but reliable against waves of boredom.
Xiaomi TV Box S (2nd Gen) – Resurrect Your Dead TV
This is for anyone stubbornly clinging to a TV older than your Steam library backlog. Plug this in and suddenly your dumb display runs Google TV with 4K, Dolby Vision, and Atmos. It even has shortcut buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube, because apparently pressing “Home” and navigating a menu is too stressful. Still, as upgrades go, it’s cost-effective and doesn’t require you to lob your old screen into a landfill. A solid “support role” gadget in your home entertainment squad.
Sony Ult Wear – Premium Sound Without the Kidney Sale
Finally, a Sony headset deal that doesn’t require a small bank loan. These Bluetooth headphones are comfy enough for long gaming marathons or international flights, with superb active noise cancellation and 30 hours of battery life. That’s enough to survive two full JRPG playthroughs before needing a recharge. If you can grab them while discounted, they’re a genuinely good score – the kind of loot drop that makes grinding the sales worthwhile.
TP-Link Tapo P100 Mini – Smart Plug, Smarter Life
Yes, it’s just an intelligent plug. But if you’ve ever had to crawl under a desk to switch off a surge protector while playing Tetris with wires and dust bunnies, you’ll understand the sheer joy of this device. Works with Alexa, can be synced across multiple units, and lets you shut off those vampire electronics from your phone. This one’s the equivalent of an epic utility item in an MMO – you don’t realise how good it is until you have it, and then you never want to go back.
The Sales Reality Check
MediaMarkt’s deals end August 14, El Corte Inglés wraps theirs on August 10. Translation: hurry while the illusion of urgency lasts. Some of these products are genuinely worth it; others are just the same old gear in a shiny box. Like any loot drop, know what you’re after before you click “buy,” or you might end up with overpriced junk disguised as legendary loot.
Sales events are less about generosity and more about seeing who in the raid party clicks ‘Accept Trade’ without checking the item stats.
Overall, the line-up here is… mixed. A few solid wins for the frugal tech enthusiast, alongside the usual hype-bloated gear. If you’re strategic, you can score well; if not, your wallet’s HP bar will drop faster than in a Dark Souls boss fight. My verdict? Not bad – if you know how to dodge the marketing fireballs.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is entirely my opinion.
Source: Ofertas de verano y Ofertas Límite: cinco chollos de MediaMarkt y El Corte Inglés en tecnología, hoy 9 de agosto, https://www.xataka.com/seleccion/ofertas-verano-ofertas-limite-cinco-chollos-mediamarkt-corte-ingles-tecnologia-hoy-9-agosto
