‘Tis the season to buy awesome tech for your friends and family, but picking the right gift can prove tricky. That’s why we prepared this list of the tried and tested mobile devices and accessories we loved this year. We have mobile gift options for all budgets that are sure to please the mobile fan in your life. For ideas beyond mobile, check out ourholiday gift guide. Now, grab your cocoa, put your feet up in front of a roaring fire, and let’s shop the civilized way – online.
Smartphones
If you’re feeling flush or buying for your significant other or a close family member, then you might consider splashing out on a smartphone. These constant companions play a big role in our lives, so choose wisely.
Apple iPhone X ($1,000)
In a year of stellar smartphones Apple’s iPhone Xstill stood outas something special. If money is no object and you want the best, then you can’t go wrong with this phone. The gorgeous OLED screen, the fantastic camera, and the lightning fast performance add up to our phone of the year. Read our fulliPhone X review.
AppleVerizon
Google Pixel 2 XL ($850)
For people who prefer Android, there’s no better device than Google’s own Pixel 2 XL. Slick software, a gorgeous design, and one of the best cameras we’ve ever used add up to an easy purchase. Learn more about it in ourGoogle Pixel 2 XL review.
VerizonBest Buy
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 ($930)
You get the same seductive curves in the Note 8 as you’ll find in Samsung’s Galaxy S8, but you also get a bigger screen, an excellent dual-lens camera, and the S Pen stylus with a bunch of dedicated features for note-taking and sketching. Find out more in ourSamsung Galaxy Note 8 review.
Buy NowSamsung
OnePlus 5T ($500)
Top performance, a great design, a 6-inch AMOLED screen, and a capable camera may leave you wondering why you’d pay more than $500 for a new smartphone. The OnePlus 5T is great value. Read our fullOnePlus 5T reviewfor more details.
OnePlusBuy Now
Huawei Honor 7X ($200)
With a big, edge-to-edge screen, a great design, a solid dual-lens camera, and some other bells and whistles you’d expect to find in a phone twice this price, the Honor 7X is very reasonably priced and makes a great gift. Find out more in ourHonor 7X review.
Whether lounging around at home, or watching a movie on a flight or train, sometimes you want a bigger screen than your phone. Tablets are a great gift for young and old, so here are our top picks.
Apple iPad ($330)
The right tablet for most people, Apple’s 2017 iPad has a 9.7-inch display, plenty of power under the hood, and a wide choice of great, fully-optimized, apps and games. Find out all about it in ourApple iPad review.
Apple iPad Pro 10.5-inch ($650)
If you want the best tablet in the world, then this is it. Perfect for kicking back and watching a movie, but also capable of doubling up as a laptop replacement, the iPad Pro 10.5-inch is powerful and beautifully designed. Read our fulliPad Pro 10.5-inch review.
AppleBest Buy
Amazon Fire HD 10 ($150)
For anyone on a tight budget, the Fire HD 10 is a great pick. If you’re a Prime member and you want something to watch movies, browse the web, and play games on, this is ideal. For kids we recommend checking out the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition, which comes with age-appropriate curated content. Read our fullAmazon Fire HD 10 review.
They can help you get fit, listen to music on the go, and stay in touch, so little wonder that wearables are still growing in popularity. They also make great gifts. Here are the wearables we’d love to receive.
Apple Watch Series 3 ($330)
With plenty of personalization options, slick voice controls, and superb fitness tracking capabilities, the Apple Watch Series 3 is the best smartwatch on the market, especially if you own an iPhone. Read ourApple Watch Series 3 reviewfor more details.
AppleBuy Now
Samsung Gear Sport ($300)
If you have an Android phone, then consider Samsung’s Gear Sport smartwatch. It’s slim, stylish, and capable of tracking your fitness activities accurately. Shop around and you should be able to find it discounted. Find out more in ourSamsung Gear Sport review.
Huawei Watch 2 ($300)
This is one of the most feature-packed Android Wear 2.0 smartwatches around with built-in GPS, NFC, heart rate monitor, 4GB of storage, and a lot more. you may also find it highly discounted if you shop around. Read ourHuawei Watch 2 reviewfor more details.
Buy NowB&H
Moov Now ($60)
If you just want a simple fitness tracker that syncs up with your phone, then the waterproof Moov Now can track various activities and boasts a battery that can last up to six months. Read more about theMoov Now.
Buy NowJet
Mobile accessories
If you’re looking for some tempting tech gift ideas that won’t break the bank, then this range of mobile accessories should be right up your street.
Phone cases
Affordable, practical, and fun, phone cases can be great gifts for the smartphone owner in your life.Incipiooffer a great range of phone cases that combine style and protection. If you want something tough, then tryOtterboxorSpeck. For a personalized gift, why not order a customized phone case fromCasetify? We also think the cases atCarvedare a little bit special.
Casetify Custom Case ($40+)
Get a solid protective case with a photo or text of your choice on the back. You can design your ideal case at Casetify and create something personal and unique.
Carved Traveler Case ($24+)
Natural wood grain and a black plastic shell with extra grip is a good combination, but Carved also offers artistic designs, like this Grand Teton case at $39. There are loads of gorgeous designs to choose from.
CarvedBuy Now
We have dedicated round ups that highlight the bestiPhone X cases, bestGalaxy S8 cases, and the best cases for just about every other phone you may name, so take a look at those for more ideas.
Battery packs
We have a big roundup highlighting thebest portable chargers, but to save you some time here are our top two picks. Portable battery chargers are great gifts and perfect for keeping smartphones alive on the go.
Anker PowerCore Speed 20,000 ($56)
This huge capacity portable charger will refill an iPhone 8 six times over and it supports quick charging. If it’s more than you need, then check out theBuy Now. Anker makes our favorite, functional, no-frills portable chargers, so you’re able to’t go wrong with any of its offerings.
iQunix MiniPower Portable Charger ($13)
This will fully charge most smartphones once. It’s durable and very portable, so it’s easy to slip in a bag. It’s also very affordable and makes a nice wee gift.
Wireless chargers
If your loved one has a new iPhone or an Android that supports wireless charging, then you should get them a wireless charging pad. We have a list of thebest wireless chargersif you need more ideas, but here are a couple of our favorites.
RavPower Wireless Fast Charging Pad ($50)
Fast, portable, and good value for money, this Qi-compatible pad is a great pick. When we testedthree wireless charging padswith the iPhone 8 this was the winner.
Anker PowerPort Wireless 5 Stand ($27)
For affordable, quality mobile accessories you can’t beat Anker and this reasonably priced wireless charging stand is ideal for propping up your phone on the desk or nightstand. It works with any phone that supports the Qi standard.
Bluetooth speakers
We have a great round up of the best Bluetooth speakers, but they’re all quite expensive, so we’ve picked out a couple that are ideally priced as gifts.
Divoom Timebox Mini ($60)
A fun gift for kids or adults, this Bluetooth speaker also has a programmable pixel art display. You’ll find a host of unusual features via the companion app forAndroidoriOS.
Anker SoundCore 2 ($40)
The Anker SoundCore outputs 12W, is water resistant, works for phone calls, and has a decent big battery. If you can stretch to $80, then you can buy the even better 20W,Buy Now.
