Christmas is just one week away, and we have you covered with our holiday gift guide focusing mostly on tech items like televisions and the best box sets to own.
LG OLED
By far the highest priced item on the list, but totally worth it if you can swing it, LG OLED televisions deliver perfect black levels and a realistic picture that is the best offered on the market. For those that might be confused about the particulars for LG OLEDs, here’s a quick breakdown:
The C9, E9, and W9 all offer the same exact picture quality, and the only difference between them is the look of the physical unit. The C9 is basically a standard television but still looks pleasing. The E9 is a picture-on-glass look. And the W9 is a wallpaper television that stunningly goes right onto the wall (so you cannot use it if you are putting your TV in the corner of a room).
The numbers associated with the LG OLEDs are with the corresponding year. So for example, there’s also a C6 (from 2016), E8 (from 2018), and so on. Right now, the 2018 models are so close to the 2019 models that it might be worth saving money on them, but keep in mind more OLEDs should be out in the coming months.
Also, there is a B series with a slightly worse processor, so the picture quality is not supposed to be quite as good; but it is not very noticeable at all and still delivers an amazing picture.
The bottom line is that other televisions can get the job done, but OLED (specifically from LG, though Sony is also on the high end) is the way to go for the best picture for a home theater.
Everyday Electronics
Televisions of course fall into the electronics category, but this is a step down in terms of price and is typically more for one person, while a television might be for a few people in a house. We’re talking smartphones, tablets, laptops, and smartwatches here.
For smartphones, the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro (and the iPhone 11 Pro Max, which is bigger) are the latest from Apple. However, those looking for a physical home button might want to go with the iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus. Just keep in mind that the iPhone 11 Pro has the best camera of the bunch, though the iPhone 8 Plus is still high quality camera despite the fact that it was released in 2017.
Basically, if you are not worried about iMessage and the Apple ecosystem, the Samsung Galaxy Note10 might be top product in the smartphone market. There’s no headphone jack or fingerprint reader unfortunately (the iPhone does not have them either), which is a step back from previous Galaxy phones, but the Note has been a trailblazing line for years.
For tablets, iPads remain top of class due in part to their simplicity and speed. However, frequent readers may be interested in an Amazon Kindle.
You’ll probably want to keep any smartwatch paired with your smartphone, so an Apple Watch is a good purchase for an iPhone user, while it’s more open for Android users (the Galaxy Watch is an ideal complement for Galaxy phones).
Video Games
For parents out there, this section is mostly to note that a new Xbox and PlayStation console will be out next year, so you might want to wait it out (though the price tag could reach $500 or more at launch for Holiday 2020). However, the Nintendo Switch is currently a fun purchase—particularly for younger kids—with games like Mario Kart and Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield.
In terms of current video games available for the current Xbox One and PlayStation 4, the top games available are Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (just a single player game not to be played with friends), Star Wars Battlefront II: Celebration Edition (a Star Wars game that can be played online with friends) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and sports titles like NBA 2K20 and Madden 20 are probably the safest purchases.
Streaming Subscriptions
Streaming is getting a bit overwhelming with so many services available, so giving a year of a subscription as a gift might not be a bad idea this holiday season. HBO Max will not launch until May 2020 and might ultimately be the best of the bunch, but here is the overview of the prices for the main streaming services (per month):
-Netflix: $15.99 (for 4K and multiple screens)
-HBO Max: $14.99
-Amazon Prime Video: $8.99 (or included with annual $119 Prime membership)
-Hulu: $11.99 with no ads ($5.99 with ads)
-Disney+: $6.99
-Apple TV+: $4.99
TV/Movie Box Set
From Rocky to Lord of the Rings to The Sopranos to Toy Story, there are plenty of box sets to purchase for superfans of a television series or movie franchise. However, the Game of Thrones: The Complete Collection might be the best box set ever made. The wooden box and the individual panels by artist Robert Ball for each season is all finely crafted, and the entire set is truly massive (and pretty heavy); so fans of the epic HBO series would likely be thrilled and surprised with that as a gift this Christmas after the show concluded earlier this year. Unfortunately, Game of Thrones is not available in 4K, and HBO currently has no plans to release it in the format, so it’s not quite the perfect box set, but it’s close.
Special editions of classic movies are also worth looking into as a potential purchase, like the Terminator 2: Judgement Day Collector’s Edition in 4K UHD, which is pricey but comes with an awesome Endoarm.
There are rumors of a Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (the nine movies from the three main trilogies) box set in 4K Ultra HD being released in March, so that’s something to keep in mind into the spring as well.
Subscription is a good idea. HBO Max looks good.
The GoT set is amazing. So right about it being massive.
Useful.