Skye Gould / Tech Insider
Holiday shopping season is here.
Tech Insider’s gift guide for tech lovers is chock full of cool gadgets that all make excellent gifts. You’ll find something for just about any tech enthusiast in this list.
iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus are the two best phones you can buy.
For most people, the iPhone 6S is the best smartphone out there. The larger iPhone 6S Plus is the best smartphone if you want a a larger, 5.5-inch screen for reading and watching a lot of videos.
Both of these phones are the perfect blend of good design, ease of use, and powerful hardware. They also have the App Store, which has the best ecosystem of apps on the market.
Check out our full review for more info.
Price: Starts at $649 for the iPhone 6S and $749 for the iPhone 6S Plus. Pricing for Apple’s annual upgrade program start at $32.45 per month for the 6S and $37.45 for the 6S Plus.
Google’s latest Nexus devices are the best Android phones you can buy.
Relatively few people know about Google’s Nexus smartphones, which run the pure version of Android without extra layers, or “skins,” from your phone’s manufacturer.
They’re both top performers with excellent cameras, and they’re relatively inexpensive. The Nexus 5X made by LG has a 5-inch screen, and the Nexus 6P made by Huawei has a 5.5-inch screen.
Check out our full review of the Nexus 5X for more info.
Price: Nexus 5X starting at$379, Nexus 6P starting at $499.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is an ultra-premium Android phone with a stylus.
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5 has a super sharp 5.5-inch display, an excellent camera, and its glass and metal design is premium through and through.
It comes with a stylus that you stow away inside the phone itself, which you can use for taking quick and easy notes without even waking the phone.
Check out our full review for more info.
Price: About $650 for unlocked model.
The Moto X Pure (2015) is premium, inexpensive, and runs near-pure Android.
One of the coolest things about the Moto X Pure is you can customize the way it looks on Motorola’s Moto Maker site when you buy it. You have the choice of wooden, leather, and rubber backs, a white or black front, and you can add bold color accents to make your Moto X unique. It runs a near-pure version of Android, and has a large, sharp 5.7-inch display.
Check out the full review for more info.
Price: Starting at $400.
BlackBerry’s Android phone is the best option if you want a physical keyboard.
If you’ve ever heard friends or family long for a physical keyboard on their smartphones, BlackBerry has made the perfect device. The Priv has a 5.4-inch screen and runs Android. It also has a slide-out keyboard you can use for writing long messages or hide when you don’t need it. The phone is also thin and light enough that you might forget it even has a keyboard tucked underneath it.
Check out the full review for more info.
Price: Starts at $700.
The iPad Air 2 is the best tablet you can buy.
The iPad Air 2 came out last year, but it’s still the best tablet for most people.
Apple managed to make the iPad Air 2 even smaller and lighter than its predecessor, which is an impressive feat. The overall design is nearly identical to the original model, but the processor is faster and the camera is better. This iPad also comes with Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint sensor, which makes it easy to unlock the device and authenticate apps and purchases with Apple Pay.
Price: Starts at $499
The iPad Pro’s giant touchscreen could replace a laptop.
Apple’s newest iPad is designed to be a productivity workhorse and creative machine. It has the potential to replace the laptop for people who like the idea of a larger screen and a stylus.
The iPad Pro’s massive, 12.9-inch display is great for running apps side by side and typing. Apple sells a foldable keyboard case to help the giant tablet feel more like a traditional laptop. You can also buy the Apple Pencil stylus for another $99. The touchscreen and internal specs make it great for games and video watching as well.
Price: Starts at $799. Apple Smart Keyboard costs $169. The Apple Pencil costs $99.
Google’s Pixel C tablet rivals the iPad for less money.
The Pixel C tablet, made by Google itself, runs the pure version of Android. It has a super sharp 10.2-inch display, which is slightly larger than Apple’s iPad Air 2.
It’s also very powerful and uses the new USB-C standard for charging. Pair it with Google’s optional Bluetooth keyboard, and it could be a great travel productivity companion.
Check out the full review for more info.
Price: $499. $169 for optional keyboard.
Amazon’s 7-inch Kindle Fire tablet is extremely cheap.
If all you, your friends, or your family do on a tablet is browse the web, check social media, or stream movies, you don’t need much more than Amazon’s 7-inch Kindle Fire tablet. For $50, it’ll do those things just as well as $500+ iPad. You could even get one for every room in your home.
Price: $50
The Kindle Paperwhite is an excellent e-reader.
For reading e-books, the Kindle Paperwhite is as good as it gets. The no-glare screen is easy to read during the day, and a built-in light aids you in reading at night.
The biggest benefit is the access you get to Amazon’s vast catalog of books. You also get a Kindle Unlimited subscription for free for 30 days.
Price: $119.99
The Sonos Play 1, 3, 5 speakers connect to your Wi-Fi network and sound incredible.
These speakers from Sonos connect to your home’s Wi-Fi connection and play music from apps like Spotify or Pandora. You control the music through your smartphone or tablet.
You can also use the Sonos iOS app to make your Sonos speaker equalize itself automatically to sound better wherever you put it in a room.
Read more about them here.
Price: Play 1 $199, Play 3 $299, Play 5 $499.
Mophie makes the best portable battery packs for keeping your devices charged on the go.
There’s nothing worse than having your phone’s battery die when you’re out and not near a charger.
Luckily, Mophie makes great battery cases and portable charging packs for phones and tablets. It offers several battery cases for the iPhone and certain Samsung phones, but for most people we recommend the Powerstation 5X battery pack. It’s super thin, sleek, and has plenty of juice for at least a couple full chargers over USB.
Price: $129.95
The Xbox One Elite controller controller will make the gamer in your life very happy.
The thumbsticks on the Xbox One Elite controller are magnetic so you can easily swap them out with different thumbsticks that come included. You can even swap out the D-Pad for a classic-feeling version.
The Elite controller also comes with extra metallic buttons that you fit behind the hand grips that can give first-person-shooter players the edge in an intense multiplayer battle. The Elite control isn’t cheap, but it’ll make any hardcore gamer happy.
Read more about it for more info.
Price: $150.
Samsung Gear VR is the best headset to introduce you to the world of virtual reality.
Virtual reality is starting go mainstream with Samsung’s Gear VR headset, the first truly consumer-ready headset to hit the market.
Facebook-owned Oculus VR makes the technology and app store that powers the Gear VR. There are already plenty of games and immersive experiences to try out on the platform (we recommend “Land’s End” to start), and the built-in “Oculus Arcade” comes with 20 classic games to choose from, including “Pac-Man” and “Sonic the Hedgehog.”
Samsung just cut the Gear VR’s price in half, which is perfect timing for the holidays. The catch is that the headset only works with Samsung’s newest, most expensive phones: the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge+, and the Galaxy Note 5.
Price: $99
Google Cardboard is a cheap and easy way to experience virtual reality.
If you subscribe to the Sunday print edition of The New York Times, chances are you may already have a Google Cardboard headset. The newspaper recently published a couple of stories in virtual reality in a partnership with Google. It was the first major push to get Cardboard in front of the eyes of thousands of people.
Because Google Cardboard is literally made out of cardboard, it’s the cheapest VR experience you can get right now (stocking stuffer?). And unlike the Gear VR headset, it works with the iPhone and many other smartphones.
Price: $19.99
The SteelSeries Stratus XL controller is the best physical gamepad for playing games on the iPhone, iPad, and new Apple TV.
If you want a physical game controller for playing games on Apple devices, the SteelSeries Stratus XL is the way to go. It’s part of Apple’s certified accessory program and works seamlessly with just about every iOS device, including the new Apple TV.
Price: $61.90
Nintendo’s new 3DS XL portable console plays games in 3D without goofy glasses.
The New 3DS XL has a 4.18-inch screen that plays games in 3D without the need for silly 3D glasses. It has a secondary touch display on the bottom part that shows you stats and information that would normally crowd the main display.
The New 3DS XL can also connect to the internet so you can play with friends who also have a New 3DS XL.
Read more about it here.
Price: Around $200.
Twelve South’s HiRise stand will prop up and charge the Apple Watch.
There are a lot of Apple Watch stands out there, including one made by Apple that costs $79. The Twelve South HiRise stand is cheaper at $49.99, and it also doubles as a charger.
The stand itself has a sleek, metallic finish and weighted base to keep it from tipping over. You can get one in multiple colors as well to match the color of the Apple Watch.
Price: $49.99
The Phantom 3 is a great but expensive drone.
What would be the holidays without a drone? The Phantom 3 Standard will suit the needs of amateur drone enthusiasts with its intelligent flight system, mounted camera that shoots HD video and hi-res photos, and ability to fly for up to 25 minutes on a single charge.
Price: $699
Apple’s Retina iMac features the most gorgeous screen we’ve ever seen.
If you’re looking for the best desktop computer, look no further than the newest iMac’s jaw-dropping 5K Retina display. This year’s model also has the latest specs and works with a new wireless, rechargeable Apple trackpad (sold separately, $129) that has a pressure sensitive surface.
Check out our full review for more info.
Price: Starts at $1,499 for 21.5-inch display and $1,799 for 27-inch
Dell’s XPS 13 is the best Windows laptop.
Dell claims the XPS 13 is the smallest 13-inch laptop in the world, even smaller than the 13-inch MacBook Air. That’s because it has incredibly thin borders around the screen, which goes a long way to make them smaller and look gorgeous.
The XPS 13 is the best Windows laptop for most people.
Read more about it here.
Price: Starting around $700.
Microsoft’s Surface Book is the future of computers.
The Surface Book is the first laptop made by Microsoft itself, and it’s a hit. It can be a full laptop with a great keyboard and trackpad when you want to get some real work done. And when you want to casually browse the web or social media, you can disconnect the keyboard and turn the Surface Book into a tablet.
It also has a taller screen than most laptops, which shows you more content when you’re browsing the web.
Watch this short video for more.
Price: Starts around $1500.
The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is a tablet that thinks it’s a laptop.
The Surface Pro 4 is basically a tablet that runs the full desktop version of Windows 10 and full desktop apps. When you prop it up with its built-in kickstand and connect the optional keyboard/trackpad cover, it works just like any Windows laptop. It’s the most portable productivity machine there is.
Watch this short video for more.
Price: Starts around $900.
The MacBook Air is a gorgeous, thin laptop with great performance.
The MacBook Air remains one of the best laptops you can buy. It’s extremely thin and light, and Apple’s all-metal unibody design makes it durable while also giving it a premium look.
Perhaps the best thing about the MacBook Air is its excellent battery life and performance. If you want something that’s extremely portable and don’t mind a smaller screen, check out the 11-inch model. But if you want a laptop with a screen that’s better-suited for working for longer periods of time, the 13-inch model is probably the way to go.
Price: Starts at $899 for 11-inch display and $999 for 13-inch.
The MacBook Pro with Retina display is a powerful laptop with a first-class screen.
The Retina MacBook Pro isn’t for everyone, but for those who don’t mind paying a little extra for better performance and a stunning, ultra-HD Retina display, it’s the most premium laptop experience you can get.
The Retina MacBook Pro comes with benefits like a dedicated graphics card, more storage, and a dedicated HDMI port. It’s definitely a workhorse designed for people who do a lot of intensive work on a laptop, including using software like Photoshop and the rest of Adobe’s creative suite.
Price: Starts at $1,099 for 13-inch display and $1,999 for the 15-inch.
The Chromebook Pixel is Google’s powerhouse Chromebook.
Google’s Pixel is a beautifully built and powerful Chromebook that runs Chrome OS. It’s designed for people who almost exclusively use the Chrome web browser for pretty much everything. It has an incredible sharp 12.85-inch display with 239 pixels-per-inch (PPI), which is much sharper than other 13-inch 1080p laptop displays.
Check out the full review for more info.
Price: Starts at $999.
The Apple Watch is the best smartwatch you can buy.
The Apple Watch isn’t anywhere near as necessary of a device as a smartphone, but it’s the most well designed and functional smartwatch on the market right now.
Apple still has a lot of work to do with the Watch’s hardware and software — it’s not waterproof, the battery doesn’t last more than a day, and the apps are slow — before it’s going to appeal to most people. But if you’re wanting to buy a smartwatch, it’s definitely worth considering.
Check out our full review for more info.
Price: Starts at $349
Pebble’s Time smartwatch is waterproof and has a week-long battery life.
Pebble’s Time is the most waterproof smartwatch there is. It has a power-efficient e-paper display that helps give it up to seven days of battery life while other last just one. The display isn’t as beautiful as the others, but the Time does a great job notifying you of alerts from your phone.
It works with both iOS and Android devices.
Check out the full review for more info.
Price: Time $199.99, Time Steel $249.99.
Samsung’s Gear S2 is an impressive smartwatch.
The beautiful Gear S2 runs Samsung’s own excellent Tizen OS that you navigate using its intuitive rotating bezel. It makes the S2 easier to use than the Apple Watch and Android Wear smartwatches, and does everything from receiving your phone’s notifications to monitoring your heart rate.
Unfortunately, it’s not compatible with iPhone, but it is compatible with almost all Android phones.
Read more about it here.
Price: Starts at $299.
The latest Moto 360 Android Wear smartwatch has a big, beautiful display.
The Moto 360’s sharp 1.56-inch display makes any watch face you choose shine. It’s also great for showing you notifications, fitness tracking, controlling music, and running the numerous apps available in the Android Wear app store.
It’s compatible with both iOS and Android devices, too. There’s also a smaller model with thinner straps if you have narrow wrists.
Price: Starts at $299.99.
The Fitbit Charge is a sleek fitness tracker.
The Fitbit Charge can track your daily steps, floors climbed, and overall distance you’ve traveled.
Unlike the Apple Watch, it can also track your sleeping cycles and wake you up with a vibrating alarm. And if you want a display to be able to tell you information at a glance, the wearable has a simple, tiny screen to display your stats, the time of day, exercise modes, and even incoming calls and messages from your phone
Price: $115.05
Sony’s PlayStation 4 is an awesome gaming console.
Sony’s video game console delivers stunning graphics and gameplay, and it has some great exclusive games like the “Uncharted” and and “Final Fantasy” series that you won’t find on the Xbox One.
And if you get Sony’ optional PS Vita portable gaming system, you can stream full PS4 games directly to the Vita over Wi-Fi so you can keep gaming if someone else wants to use the TV.
Read more about it here.
Price: Around $350.
Microsoft’s Xbox One is a gaming powerhouse.
The Xbox One also offers next-gen graphics and gameplay, and you can even use its OneGuide app to look through your cable provider’s TV channel lineup. It’s also the home of the outrageously popular exclusive Halo series.
A recent update also makes it possible to play a bunch of games from the previous Xbox 360 console.
Read more about it here.
Price: Around $350.
The Apple TV is the best media streaming box you can buy — and it’s also great for causal games.
The new Apple TV has all of the internet streaming services you would expect, like Netflix, HBO Now, and Hulu, but it also has the App Store, which means app developers can create all kinds of unique experiences on the platform similar to what’s on the iPhone.
That means you can use social media apps like Periscope, shopping apps like Gilt, and even play some of the App Store’s hit games on the big screen. With Siri voice controls, Apple has seriously stepped-up its media box offering this year.
Check out our full review for more info.
Price: Starts at $149
The Sonos Playbar makes your TV sound incredible.
Once you try a soundbar, you’ll never settle for your TV’s built-in speakers again. Like the Sonos Play speakers, the Playbar can connect to music streaming apps like Spotify, which you control through your Android phone or iPhone.
Price: $699.
The Roku 4 is a good streaming box for your TV with plenty of content to choose from.
Roku doesn’t have some of the Apple TV’s fancier features, like Siri integration, but it is slightly cheaper and has plenty of free and paid channels like YouTube, Netflix, HBO Go and Hulu.
The set-top box’s interface is super easy to use, but one of its software’s biggest downsides is that it doesn’t support Apple’s Airplay or Google’s “Cast” streaming technology, which makes it less ideal for beaming video from your smartphone to the big screen.
But if you’re looking for a good streaming box that’s cheaper than the Apple TV, Roku is a great choice.
Price: $129
Nintendo’s Wii U is still a good console for group games and kids.
Nintendo’s three-year-old flagship console may not be nearly as powerful as the PS4 or Xbox One, but it has exclusive games you won’t be able to find anywhere else, including “Mario Kart 8,” “Splatoon,” and the latest “Super Smash Bros.” We’re excited about the long-awaited “Star Fox” and “Zelda” game reboots coming soon.
The controls are different — the Gamepad, the Wii U’s controller, is a tablet with a touchscreen that allows you to view and interact with certain elements from the game on the second screen — but the Wii U remains a solid console for more casual, kid-friendly games and multiplayer games you won’t find elsewhere.
Price: Starts at $299
Google’s Chromecast lets you stream from your favorite apps for just $35.
Google’s Chromecast is a dongle with a built-in HDMI cable to connect to your TV. The newest model has improved Wi-Fi performance, and it can stream video and music from your favorite streaming apps. You control it using your iOS or Android smartphone instead of a remote.
Watch a short video for more.
Price:$35.
The Chromecast Audio brings your dumb old speakers into the smart age.
If you already have a great set of speakers but they don’t stream music over Wi-Fi, the Chromecast Audio will solve that for you. You can connect it to any speakers with an RCA, AUX, or optical cable and stream from services like Spotify that you control with your iOS or Android phone.
It’s a lot cheaper than buying a whole new set of connected speakers. Note that it’s not compatible with iTunes, Apple Music, or Amazon Music.
Check out the full review for more info.
Price: $35.
A Spotify subscription gets you ad-free, unlimited music streaming on just about any device.
If you want to stream music on-demand from just about any device, a Spotify subscription is your best bet. The app works across iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, and even the web. You get complete access to over 30 million tracks and well-loved features like Discover Weekly, a personalized playlist of new music that’s recommended based on your tastes.
Price: $9.99 per month, $15 for families, or $4.99 for students
A Netflix subscription gets you access to great shows like “House of Cards” and “Orange is the New Black.”
Netflix keeps getting better at producing original content, which makes its $10 price tag ideal for cord cutters. You’ll get access to shows like “Narcos,” critically acclaimed movies like “Beasts of No Nation,” and even older shows like AMC’s “Breaking Bad.”
The service works on just about any device, and it has native apps on most streaming boxes like the Apple TV and Roku.
Price: Starts at $10 per month
A subscription to Hulu Plus is another great way to cut cable.
Another service to aid in ditching cable is Hulu because unlike Netflix, it has many current season TV shows available to stream the day after they air on TV.
It also recently acquired the streaming rights to “Seinfeld,” so you can watch any of the show’s 180 episodes anytime.
Price: Starts at $7.99 per month
Gift cards to the iTunes and Google Play Stores make great stocking stuffers.
If you’re unsure about exactly what to get someone, gift cards to Apple’s iTunes Store and the Google Play Store on Android area good way to go. They can be used to redeem paid apps, music, and movies on a range of devices.
Help someone up their cooking game with a subscription to Blue Apron.
Blue Apron ships fresh ingredients to your door once a week that are specifically measured for easy meal recipes to cook yourself. The subscription is ideal for families and is a great way to start cooking more at home.
Make sure the service delivers in your desired area before you buy.
Price: 2-person plan is $59.94 per week (or $9.99 per meal) while the family plan is $139.84 per week (or $8.74 per meal)
“Star Wars: Battlefront” is the game for “Star Wars” fans.
“Star Wars: Battlefront” is a first-person-shooter where you side with either the Rebels or the Empire and battle it out for domination. You can play the campaign missions or blast your friends online in the multiplayer mode. You can even play as Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader and dominate with their lightsabers. It’s available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Read more about it here.
Price: $59.99
“Fallout 4″ is one of the best games of the year.
The irradiated sky is the limit in “Fallout 4.” There isn’t much you can’t do in this game and you choose your own path to complete quests. You can be a gun-toting maniac, or weasel your way through with wit and intelligence.
Don’t worry, you don’t need to have played the previous “Fallout” games to enjoy this year’s release.
Check out the full review for more info.
Price: $59.99.
“Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain” is fantastic.
Tech Insider’s video games editor, Ben Gilbert, loves this game, which means you’ll probably love it, too. “Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain” encourages you to use stealth to eliminate your enemies. It has a compelling story, mixing sci-fi with realism for an amazing experience.
Read more about it here.
Price: $59.99.
“Destiny: The Taken King ” is the ultimate expansion for “Destiny.”
The latest expansion for the popular “Destiny” game is a welcome addition. It adds more storyline with cinematic cut-scenes, which the original game lacked. You’ll also get new weapons that look, sound, and feel better, as well as powers for your titan to fight off new enemies.
Price: $59.99.
Nintendo’s Mario game, “Super Mario Maker,” is a delight.
“Super Mario Maker” lets you design and build your own levels to play, using elements like weapons and obstacles from classic Mario games. You can even play on levels built by other people around the world. Of course, you’ll get to play on Nintendo’s own levels, which are incredibly challenging.
Price: $59.99.
“Halo 5: Guardians” is a must-have for Xbox One.
The insane popularity of the “Halo” series helped make the Xbox the console it is today. “Halo 5: Guardians” has all the fun from the previous “Halo” games, but with gorgeous improved visuals and super smooth game