Best Microsoft Store Items
Like many of you, I love a new Amex Business Platinum card on a fairly routine basis. The generous no lifetime language welcome offers and useful card benefits often make picking up another one a no-brainer. A significant benefit of the card is a $200 biannual Dell credit. My wife and I are happy maximizing these credits for personal wants and needs. We’ve picked up plenty of useful items at Dell over the years, but we’ve reached the end of our list. Subsequently, we’ve focused on buying XBox gift cards redeemable at the Microsoft Store. Here are some of the best Microsoft Store items I’ve found and a few we purchased.
Xbox Consoles
Let’s start with the obvious. Video game nuts, casual players, and general movie and TV viewers can enjoy something about the Xbox. The powerful Xbox Series X ($499.99) is probably the best decision for gamers with plenty of Xbox gift cards. Everyone else may find that the sub-$300 Xbox Series S will meet their entertainment needs. Remember that all of the major streaming apps are available on these platforms, and each Xbox is capable of playing up to 4k Blu Ray discs.
Xbox Games and Accessories
I’ve been out of touch on the gaming industry for years. In the meantime, prices have skyrocketed. New release games usually start at the familiar ~$60 price point, but more robust versions are easily over $100. However, older games are much cheaper, and many can find worthy buys in the $10-20 range. Regardless, Xbox gift cards are very useful here, whether it’s for yourself or other game-consuming family members.
And stuff like gaming headsets, extra controllers, cables, and memory aren’t cheap, either. But there are worthy finds in the Microsoft Store for many. I’ve noticed the Microsoft Store’s Xbox accessory inventory changes often, so check back regularly.
Laptops
Many of you are probably good here since you already have a Dell laptop or three. But others might welcome the Microsoft Store’s expanded variety of laptops. Consumers can find plenty of Microsoft-branded products here, such as Surface Pros and their more traditional laptops. Also the store holds plenty of other brands like HP, Lenovo, Asus, and Acer. The catch here is lots are out of stock, so again, check back often.
Phones and Accessories
Microsoft’s wacky-but-useful-for-some Surface Duo is available for $1,399.99 (you read that right). Other phone brands, like Samsung, are rarely in stock, as are their Galaxy watches. Earbuds from JBL, Jabra, and Samsung are also available.
Software
Naturally, all of the usual Microsoft software is there. Microsoft 365 Family and Personal are available, at $99.99 and $69.99 annual rates, respectively. Monthly rates are also an option, but at a higher per-day cost. The store also houses a huge variety of Microsoft-compatible apps.
Get Creative
Stay curious. Here, I discovered how to use Xbox gift cards for a bit more “free” which even surprised me.
And also ensure to follow through a rewards portal twice. First, use your preferred portal to buy the Xbox gift cards at Dell. Next, use a portal to make your purchases on the Microsoft Store site. For what it’s worth, I have earned Amex Membership Rewards points via the Rakuten portal on both of these transactions.
Conclusion
As many of you probably know, repeatedly buying Xbox gift cards via Dell is no simple task. Orders are often cancelled, including my own. After my most recent cancelled order, I contacted Dell via chat on the matter. They advised me to call 866.383.4713 to unblock my account. The call only took about three minutes, and I was then immediately able to put an order through which did not get cancelled. And finally, in my experience, the maximum gift card balance a Microsoft account can hold is $1,000. Keep this in mind as you shop.
What have you enjoyed buying from the Microsoft Store?
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Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
Philips Hue stuff is great.
Beside laptops one can buy monitors, keyboard etc. from the Microsoft store too. Ideal to upgrade the WFH set-up.
I would (and have) gotten a Surface Go with LTE and refurbished (great option) it was less way less than 1/2 the price of the Surface Duo
Marc,
Thanks for the great tips!
I currently subscribe directly from the Microsoft website for a Microsoft 365 family annual plan. Do you know if I can buy from the Dell store and have it added onto the end of my subscription term?
Mike,
I have no personal experience here, but I would imagine you’d have more success doing so directly with Microsoft than via Dell.
Just so you know this doesn’t work. Subscription products can’t be paid for with MS account balance/gift cards.
Should also edit the article to indicate that o365 subscriptions won’t work
I knew that you can’t buy MS subscriptions like 365 with Xbox/MS credits, however, you can buy 365 through the Dell website using the Amex cash back credits. So what I was wondering if I buy a 365 subscription through Dell, but I already have an ongoing 365 plan directly with Microsoft can I use that Dell purchase to extend my current Microsoft 365 subscription by one additional year (or more than a year if buying multiple subscriptions)?