Top Electronics Gifts 2018 Christmas Edition
Our Electronics Gifts 2018 Edition is chock full of great audio/video/gadget products to help you find the perfect gifts for your loved ones this Christmas. What’s more—we broke it down into price ranges, so you can shop according to your budget. That lets you still get the best bang for your buck, and grab the hottest electronics gifts of the 2018 holiday season. This is one Christmas gift guide you don’t want to ignore!
Top Electronics Gifts 2018 Christmas Edition – Under $100
We put together these carefully-vetted 2018 best electronics gift ideas for every conceivable budget. As a result, this Top Electronics Gifts Guide works just as well for the man or woman who has anything, as well as your favorite nephew. As always, let us know what you think in the comments below!
OWC USB-C Travel Dock
Price: $39
Why We Like It: The OWC USB-C Travel Dock brings back portable connectivity and up to 60W pass through power to your USB-C MacBook or Thunderbolt 3 equipped Mac or PC. With 5 ports, the OWC USB Travel Dock lets you connect to your notebook, drive an HD display, connect, power or charge up to two USB 3.1 devices and access photos from your camera’s SD card. Add a USB-C power adapter and have a standalone charging station. In addition to USB Type-C connectivity, the OWC USB-C Travel Dock is also fully compatible with Thunderbolt 3 equipped Macs and PCs, and may be connected directly through a Thunderbolt 3 port on a computer or Thunderbolt 3 device.
Hot Wheels 50-Years of Fun Anniversary Book
Price: $40
Why We Like It: Hot Wheels: From 0 to 50 at 1:64 Scale shares the inspiring journey of the die-cast vehicles that started out as a new twist on toy cars and became a worldwide phenomenon. Officially licensed with Mattel, this in-depth retrospective reveals what makes these cars unique, how the models are designed, and all the work that goes into the play to ensure Hot Wheels maintain their position as the greatest toy cars ever made.
MixCder E7 NC Noise Canceling Headphones
Price: $72
Why We Like It: The Mixcder E7 Active Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones include the expected built-in mic. The headphones can also be used without power by simply connecting them via cable. The built-in 400mAh rechargeable lithium battery charges in just two hours and you get about 20-hours of talk time or 20-hours of music playing with noise canceling mode off. Flipping ANC on only pulls about two hours of run-time.
Solo Unbound Backpack
Price: $86.99
Why We Like It: The Checkpoint-friendly design of the Solo Unbound backpack lets you pass through airport security quickly. This backpack not only looks good, but it also features a fully-padded 15.6″ laptop compartment. It also includes an internal iPad/tablet pocket and a front zippered pocket with organizer section. Front quick-pocket and side mesh pockets give you some flexibility to add accessories, and the back panel slides over luggage handles. For added comfort, you get padded back & back straps.
Best Electronic Gifts for 2018 from $100 to $200
Denon Envaya Mini DSB-100BKEM Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Price: $149
Why We Like It: The Denon Envaya Mini DSB100 is a water-resistant portable Bluetooth speaker. It features Bluetooth aptX for CD-quality audio streaming over Bluetooth. Each speaker has been sound engineered to create unmatched musical performance and is equipped with dual 40mm wide range drivers delivering extended range and higher volume with lower distortion. Fully featured, this unit even includes near-instant NFC Bluetooth pairing. The rechargeable battery gives you hours of use. Finally, a built-in, noise-canceling speakerphone rounds out the feature set.
IOGEAR GWMHDKIT22 Wireless HDTV Kit
Price: $169.95
Why We Like It: This dedicated wireless solution sets up quickly and doesn’t require a WiFi network. Connect a source device such as a cable box or satellite receiver, laptop or game console to an HDTV and transmit High Definition video and audio through walls and doors. With support for HD resolutions up to 1080p, you can eliminate your HDMI cables without sacrificing picture or sound quality.
Best Electronic Gifts for 2017 over $200
Nyrius Aries Pro
Price: $249.99
Why We Like It: The Nyrius Aries Pro lets you wirelessly stream HD video to any screen in your home. The Nyrius ARIES Pro Transmitter (NPCS600) is the perfect solution for streaming content to a projector or any other display device. The Nyrius Aries Pro handles video up to uncompressed 1080p 3D video. It’s very much like having an invisible HDMI cable. With plug-and-play setup and less than 1ms latency, this solution even works for speed-intensive gaming applications.
OWC Thunderbolt 3 14-port Dock
Price: $299
Why We Like It: Through a single cable, the OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock brings an unprecedented combination of ports, convenience, and power to your Thunderbolt 3 equipped Windows PC or Mac. Bring functionality back to your notebook. Quickly access all of the displays and peripherals at your desk while minimizing desk clutter. Charge your computer and all of your mobile devices simultaneously. Connect, and make any shared workspace feel like home.
Como Audio Solo “Smart Speaker”
Price: $299
Why We Like It: Start with a half-inch MDF veneered wood enclosure then add a 3/4-inch soft dome tweeter and 3-inch long-throw woofer with an oversized magnet. With 30-watts per channel, the internal Class D digital amplifier of the Como Audio Solo pumps out the tunes. Touch the anodized aluminum front panel and you can immediately stream your favorite content from Spotify Connect, listen to apt X streaming MP3s, or pass-through audio from the Auxiliary port. Bluetooth wireless technology set up is a snap thanks to Near Field Communication (NFC). Artist and song information, as well as album art, is beautifully reproduced on the Solo’s 2.8” TFT color display, and the artwork can even be expanded to fill the entire display.
Orbi RBK50 WiFi System
Price: $329
Why We Like It: Forget WiFi extenders, the Orbi RBK50 is a whole-home Mesh WiFi system that covers large homes up to 5,000 sq. ft. This system includes a WiFi router and one satellite to deliver fast Internet speeds for all devices. The dedicated WiFi connection gives you the fastest and most consistent Internet speeds available, even as more devices connect. The Orbi system gives you up to 3 Gbps combined WiFi speeds. It also works with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant so you can use voice commands to control your home WiFi network.
Viotek GN27D 27″ Curved Gaming Monitor w/Built-in Speakers
Price: $349
Why We Like It: The 27-inch Viotek GN27D has 2560x1440p (QHD) resolution. It features 4.8ms response time, a 144Hz refresh rate, and anti-glare treated screen. There’s also a Low Blue Light mode and built-in PBP and PIP—perfect for YouTube or Twitch game streaming. We plan to use the 75×75 VESA mounts to mount it on a VESA-compatible stand. Finally, it connects almost universally to any gaming console or computer using either the DisplayPort 1.2 or HDMI 2.0 ports. It’s also available in Black or White.
Epson WorkForce ET-3750 EcoTank All-in-One Supertank Printer
Price: $349
Why We Like It: One of the biggest hassles with inkjet printers has to be constantly changing out ink cartridges. The WorkForce ET-3750 EcoTank all-in-one offers cartridge-free printing with easy-to-fill, supersized ink tanks. Plus, the printer ships with up to 2 years worth of ink already in the box! That’s enough to print more than 11,000 pages—or about 30 ink cartridge sets. It also features auto-stop ink bottles with each color uniquely keyed for easy filling. Other features aren’t lacking either. The Epson ET-3750 includes a 30-sheet auto-document feeder (ADF), fast auto 2-sided printing, borderless printing up to 8.5″ x 11″, a 2.4-inch color LCD, and wireless printing from tablets and smartphones.
Soundcast VG5 Bluetooth Outdoor Speaker
Price: $449
Why We Like It: The VG5 represents a real performance-for-the-price solution in the Soundcast line. It has many of the features of other models including a capacitive touch interface, fuel-gauge LED array and a weather-resistant exterior. Expanding on that, however, it presents an even richer soundstage. The outdoor speaker is powered by a long-throw, down-firing 6″ woofer, and two 3” full range drivers. As a result, you get an excellent low-end that lets the VG5 deliver rich sound with plenty of bass. Once fully charged, it will run for up to 10 hours before having to be plugged in. It’s perfect for a day at the beach or evening at the pool.
Ultimate Ears UE 6 PRO Custom In-ear Monitors
Price: $699
Why We Like It: UE’s patented hybrid design delivers rich, textured low-end response with clear, distortion-free highs. They designed the UE Pro series from the ground up to deliver a musical response that we find both accurate and pleasing. These truly are unique in-ear monitors that require a mold so they fit your ear canal perfectly—blocking out the noise and locking in the sound. Each in-ear monitor is made individually via digital modeling and then 3D printed for a perfect fit. They are extremely comfortable to wear (we wore them for hours on end to test them in a “live” scenario). They’re also extremely durable and well-built.
Since you can remove the cables (there’s even an optional Bluetooth band), UE overdesigned the connection system. On top of that, the cables are waterproof, sweatproof, and field-replaceable in just seconds. UE even backs up their products with 24/7 tour support. If you want to gift someone (or even yourself) with a profoundly satisfying pair of in-ear monitors, these will fit the bill.
ZVox Soundbase 670 TV Speaker
Price: $399.99
Why We Like It: If you can’t entertain a full 5.1 system with surround speakers and a sub, then the ZVOX SoundBase 670 will allow you to produce rich, room-filling home theater sound in a highly-reduced form factor. The Soundable 670 is just 3.5” high, but it contains five full range speakers (including three center speakers). When placed under your flat panel television, it virtually disappears. Connection is simple, and you get both analogue and digital options for receiving Dolby Digital audio from your TV. The ZVOX PhaseCue virtual surround system even creates a DSP-based surround experience that has to be heard to appreciate. This model also includes Bluetooth with aptX, so you can stream audio from any smartphone or tablet wirelessly. For under $500 you get a lot of sound that will even blow away most sounders we’ve heard.
Denon AVR-X2500H AV Receiver
Price: $799
Why We Like It: The AVR-X2500H features Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, the latest video technologies; 4K Ultra HD, Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG; and 8 HDMI in/2 out with HDCP 2.2 support on all ports. Stream Spotify, Pandora, Tidal, and more with HEOS built-in. unparalleled music playback options, thanks to our built-in HEOS technology, Apple AirPlay 2, and Amazon Alexa voice compatibility for seamless control.
Epson Pro Cinema 4050 Projector
Price: $2399
Why We Like It: The Epson Pro Cinema 4050 features 4K Enhancement, supporting 4K streaming devices and Ultra HD Blu-ray content. It’s also compatible with High Dynamic Range (HDR) content, displaying an extraordinary range of brightness levels with deep, dramatic blacks. Offering 2,400 lumens of color brightness and 2,400 lumens of white brightness, it’s also ideal for dedicated theater rooms. Plus, its expansive color gamut displays the entire DCI color space. The projector also features a 200,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, plus a 15-element glass lens for excellent uniformity and clarity.
Read our review of the Epson Pro Cinema 4040 Projector
We hopefully made shopping little easier with our Electronics Gifts 2017 Edition. Hey, getting the right present can be tough, hopefully, our list is full of great products to help you find the perfect gifts for the one you love.
