It’s that time of the year where everyone is racing to buy the best gifts. Whether those gifts are for you, a loved one or friend; it’s always hard to narrow down the choices. The devices on my list are gadgets I’ve reviewed and loved so much that I purchased them. Whether you’re on a budget or looking to splurge this holiday season, there’s something on this list.
Most of these gadgets will have some holiday sales, which means the prices will often appear higher on this page and lower at whichever store is running a promotion. Happy holiday shopping!
TicWatch E
The newest addition to my life is the TicWatch E, but it’s already become a must-have for me. The battery last for well two solid days, especially if you’re only using the watch for notifications and to check the time. The watch is running the latest version of Android Wear, and is one of the cheapest Android Wear watches around.
The “E” stands for express which is more of an everyday watch; there is a Sports version for slightly more on Amazon. Either one you go for, you’ll have one of the best Android Wear experiences around.
Google Home Mini
Buy Now: $49The Google Home Mini is the best update for Google Assistant so far this year. The Mini is loud enough to hear in a semi-large room, and at only $49 you can get one for every room. If you’re buying smart lights this holiday, you’ll need to grab one of these little guys to control your lights better. I picked the Google Home over the Echo for a couple of reasons, but it boils down to my use of Android. If you use everything Google, Google Assistant will be able to help you better.
Google Assistant is getting better every day, with new features and support for new smart home platforms. While there aren’t as many commands as Alexa has Google has a lot of other cool controls and functions.
BenQ Curved Monitor
I wanted a computer monitor to edit videos on and to watch videos and opted for a curved monitor. When you’re sitting at a desk, a curved screen looks it’s best because you’re only at one viewing angle. This monitor is only 1080p so you should consider that when you’re buying, but the refresh rate is perfect for gaming. At 144hz you’ll have a tremendous curved monitor for gaming.
The monitor is on the expensive side, but it’s well worth your money. I don’t game that often on my PC, but when I do, I have one of the best viewing experinces. I just wish it was a 4K display, but those are much more expensive.
Anker Soundbuds
For a world, without headphones, you’ll need Bluetooth earbuds. I didn’t want to spend $200 on headphones, instead opting for a cheaper but still functional option. The Soundbuds are only $25, but they sound like a $100 pair and have a battery life of almost 8 hours. They’re a great alternative to beat headphones or some Jaybird ones.
I use the headphones every day for 6 or 7 hours, and I’ve yet to have any problems with them. I love them because they’re not neck buds and instead have the small light wire between the buds.
Eero Home System
I have a three bedroom home with Wifi dead spots. The front of the house doesn’t get the signal, and the back is spotty. It was a pain, which is why I need the Eero home system. The new beacons plug straight into the wall, and only one central router plugs into a modem or looks out of place in a bedroom or office. With a primary router and two beacons, I was able to cover my whole home with wifi which lets my Nest cameras furthest away from the router still stream without any hiccups.
Wrap Up
2017 has been a big year for gadget announcements, while most of them are iterative updates they are some of the best gadgets around. Everything works without much hassle and prices for 4K TVs are coming down while voice assistants are a bigger trend. The “smart home” is getting more useful, and our Wifi is getting faster, and we’re getting rid of those pesky dead spots in the home.
Everything from the Eero to the TicWatch S makes my life better. The Google Home Mini lets me have a voice assistant in every room and the Soundbuds let me not worry about the lack of a headphone jack on the iPhone X or Pixel 2 XL.
Tell me in the comments below what gadgets you’re gifting or hoping you get this holiday season!