Don't look now, but the holidays are almost upon us. And while it's easy to come up with a cheap last-minute gift, you'll want to take some time to decide on the perfect tech gadget when you're feeling generous. And by generous, we mean something in the $250 to $500 range.
For the record, we're skipping the PS5 ($400 to $500) and Xbox Series X ($500) and Series S ($300) here, only because we expect them to be impossible to find this fall.
Facebook's Oculus Quest 2, arriving Oct. 13, could be the device that makes virtual reality mainstream. It's not only better than the original but also less expensive, starting at $300 for the 64GB version (the 256GB version is $400).
CNET editor Scott Stein praised it for being for being lighter and faster with revised controllers that longer battery life battery life. The display resolution is notably crisper and remarkably easy to read text on. The only downside: you now have to have a Facebook login in to use it. Read our Oculus Quest 2 review.
Nintendo's massively popular platform may have a newer, cheaper entry in the Switch Lite at $200, but the original also got a minor improvement last year in the V2 version with improved battery life. The big difference between the two? The Switch Lite has a smaller screen and is strictly portable, without the big-screen TV dockability and detachable controllers that make the V2 so unique. We break down the differences here; the main thing to know is we still consider the bigger Switch to the be the better choice.
The new version of Apple's entry-level iPad just came out September with an updated A12 Bionic chip processor that gives it a nice performance boost (a keyboard or case is not included). Otherwise it's pretty much the same as last year's entry-level iPad, which remains the best value in Apple's iPad line. While prices start at $329 for the 32GB model (and $429 for the 128GB version), look for sales as this iPad often gets the flash-deal treatment. Hold out for $250 for the 32GB model. Read more.
The Theragun Prime is a new Theragun included in the company's rebrand and launch of four new massage guns. Its prior equivalent was the Theragun Liv, which is reviewed in-depth here.
Like the high-end Theragun Pro G4 ($599), the Theragun Prime's main impressive feature is that it's much quieter than its now-defunct counterpart. In fact, the Prime rivals the famously quiet Hypervolt Plus in terms of volume level -- that's a massive improvement from the Liv.
The improvements don't stop there, though: Where the Theragun Liv only had two preprogrammed speeds and came with two closed-cell foam attachments, the new Theragun Prime has five built-in speeds (from 1,750 rpm to 2,400 rpm) and comes with five closed-cell foam attachments.
No, you can't get a truly high-performance TV for less than $500, but with TCL's 55-inch 55S525 you can get one with a nice-size screen, very solid 4K picture quality and the best streaming system available (Roku) for $450. If you want to spend a little less, TCL is updating its 2020 4-series 4K line with an additional HDMI port in models larger than 50 inches (it goes from 3 to 4 HDMI ports), but that isn't out quite yet. Read the TCL 55S425 review.
The Hypervolt Plus is the second-generation Hyperice percussive massager, and rivals the slightly better-known Theragun in effectiveness. Despite being quite forceful thanks to a 90-watt high-torque motor, it's notably quiet, so it's not annoying to use -- to yourself or others. It's cordless, of course, and the lithium-ion battery gives you about two hours per charge. It comes with three head attachments and has five speed and power settings. Normally $450, Best Buy currently has it on sale for $100 off as it gets ready to release a Bluetooth-enabled version of the same device.
So maybe your gift recipients already have a nice TV, but they're stuck listening to its terrible built-in speakers. A soundbar is the easiest way to fix that problem, and this $350 Yamaha is one our favorites in this price range. As a bonus it also works with Alexa, so you can ask Amazon's voice assistant to play your tunes even when the TV is turned off. Read our Yamaha YAS-209 review.
Sure, you could get that lucky giftee one of Arcade1Up's classic stand-up machines, but nothing beats the nostalgia of sitting in a chair, drink comfortably in place, while you chase the latest high score. Two sets of controls face one another across a 17-inch screen that lets you play any one of eight games. In addition to the original Ms. Pac-Man, you get Pac-Mania, Super Pac-Man and Pac-Land, along with Galaga, Galaxian, Dig Dug and Dig Dug II.
October 04, 2020 at 06:00PM
https://ift.tt/30wtziC
Best holiday gifts under $500 for 2020 - CNET
https://ift.tt/2QoXNjh
Holiday
No comments:
Post a Comment