Image via Complex Original
Company parties, freezing temperatures, and last-minute holiday shopping—yep, winter is officially upon us. With the drastic climate change also comes a shift in consumer electronics, as all the primetime tech players release their crown jewels just in time for Christmas and the New Year. This season’s most wanted products spread across a variety of categories, including home automation and wearable tech. We’re talking 4K TVs, advanced smartphones, hybrid laptops, next-gen gaming peripherals, and ultramodern timepieces. So to calm your purchase anxiety, we suggest kicking back with a silver bullet and looking over our Complete Guide to Winter’s Best Gadgets.
Samsung Galaxy Note 4
Price: $300 (two-year contract)
The most anticipated smartphone of the holidays not manufactured by Apple just so happens to be the season’s best. Samsung equipped its next-gen phablet with killer specs like a jaw-dropping 5.7” Ultra HD screen, speedy quad-core processor, and 16MP camera with optical image stabilization. Run multiple applications at once via Multi Window mode and use the S-Pen’s new multifunction button to enable shortcut gestures for faster input.
Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2
Price: $180
B&W’s revised in-ears match premium aesthetics with a superb sound stage to deliver an unparalleled audio experience. Redesigned drive units bring about improved clarity and tighter bass, not to mention that the signature Secure Loop design guarantees a comfy, tight fit when you’re on the move. Topping off the entire package is a luxury carry case and Apple-friendly inline remote with microphone.
LG G Watch
Price: $320
Circular smartwatches are highly in-demand right now. LG proves that second time is the charm with the G Watch R—carrying over all Android Wear functionality and swapping out the square mold of its predecessor for a stunning round design with angular metal frame. Camera and music controls are enjoyable to engage with the vivid OLED touch display. Also, the selection of watch faces and voice commands add to its chic, hands-free presence.
Fitbit Charge
Price: $130
Fitness fanatics who are still grinding to burn off those Thanksgiving leftovers can use a digital spotter. Besides offering standard biometrics such as calories burned and steps taken, the newest Fitbit device boasts special features like call notifications and automatic synchronization for multiple smartphone platforms. Battery life receives a boost as well, lasting up to 10 days on a full charge.
Apple iPad Air 2
Price: $500 – $700
Apple stuffs a more dynamic processor, enhanced cameras, larger storage capacities, and its Touch ID fingerprint sensor into an even slimmer frame. Refined software in the form of iOS 8 promotes multi-device support with users now able to receive text messages on their iPad screen. The new A8X chip elevates graphics performance, resulting in console-quality visuals. Competition is none.
GoPro HERO4 Black
Price: $500
The latest GoPro comes stacked with all of the native recording features found in the previous models, only this time it features a 1.5-inch touch screen and improved video quality. Accessing options and framing images is easier on the new display, where as the recently introduced QuikCapture mode provides instant recording access, along with the opportunity to shoot time-lapse photos. A faster processor translates to 4K video capture at 30 frames per second. Mounts and waterproof casing are also made available.
Amazon Fire TV Stick
Price: $39
Amazon enters the streaming stick wars with its own HDMI dongle, granting Prime subscribers access to the service’s enormous lineup of movies and shows—free at that. The device is optimized to showcase content at the fastest speeds possible, pulling up suggestions and streaming media instantly on screen. Third-party apps like Hulu Plus, Netflix, Spotify, and Watch ESPN are all onboard.
Monster DNA Pro 2.0
Price: $300
Monster pushes the digital audio envelope with its latest flagship headphone, as the DNA Pro 2.0 features a tantalizing soundscape that balances excellent noise isolation with high-precision sound quality. Dual-port MusicShare inputs enable up to five listeners to share musical tastings—a nice facet for any pair of mid-luxury headphones to posses, though many will find the upcoming Monster app, which allows users to tweak audio settings, to be its most prominent attribute. Listen up!
Google Nexus 6
Price: $250 (two-year contract)
Simply put, the Nexus 6 is a handset developed for the smartphone user who seeks tablet-esque performance. The rear garners an OIS-equipped camera that snaps ultra-clear pictures, while a host of native productivity features sit underneath the attractive UI.An expansive, vibrant 5.9-inch AMOLED display, paired with Qualcomm’s dominant Snapdragon 805 chip and the latest Lollipop OS, culminates in the purest Android experience thus far.
JBL Cinema SB350 Home Theater System
Price: $400
A high-performance sound system on the cheap, JBL’s soundbar and wireless subwoofer combo works in unison to blast monstrous audio. Transform your living room into a home theater with booming noise that takes advantage of Dolby Digital decoding and Harman’s volume balancing technology to level output. Its single-cord HDMI arc setup also simplifies the HDTV connection setup.
Sony PlayStation 4 "Grand Theft Auto V" Bundle
Price: $400
Gamers are stuck with the tough decision of selecting a game console bundle every holiday season. Sony makes the strongest case this year with its exclusive GTA V holiday pack. A 500GB PS4 model with a free camera and two games—Grand Theft Auto V and The Last of Us Remastered—snatch one while supplies last. #GreatnessAwaits
Mophie Powerstation Plus
Price: $80 - $150
Ever traveled in the cold with no portable power? Don’t get caught up again. Keep a Mophie pack on you at all times, preferably the latest one since it flaunts the company’s Charge Vault Technology to power devices at “two-to-four times faster than typical smartphone chargers.” Achieve 100 percent vitality in close to six hours, and then store all cables underneath the aluminum-hinged top cover and keep it moving.
Samsung HU8550 4K UHD Series TV
Price: $1,300 - $9,000
The centerpiece for any man cave is a television. Samsung’s latest 4K display blends beautifully into any entertainment center with an attractive, minimalist design that compliments the set’s gorgeous UHD picture quality. The HU8550 comes stacked with features like 3D, multi-screen mode, screen mirroring, motion and voice control, and tons more. Give the bros a reason to stop by your crib religiously as Super Bowl XLIX approaches.
Phorus PR5 Receiver
Price: $150
Audiophiles have long searched for a feasible way to convert their classic stereo system into a wireless-enabled setup. Phorus creates a solution that streams high-quality audio from any PC, smartphone, or tablet onto retro speakers. Lossless audio ensures crystal-clear and detailed resonance over Wi-Fi, keeping intact the prime output of your old stereo furnishings.
Lenovo YOGA Pro 3
Price: $1,375
The convertible hybrid laptop introduces a striking design fitted with a watchband-inspired hinge that lets the machine flex more than a Cirque du Solei performer. Adding to its multi-purpose aura is Lenovo’s smart software, which suggests specific apps based on the notebook’s different modes. As one of the first notebooks to sport the latest Core M CPU, owners can anticipate hyper-efficient performance and sharp visuals from the 13.3 Quad HD display.
Logitech Harmony Ultimate Home
Price: $350
Couch mongers want to stay connected to every gadget in their living rooms. As always, Logitech thinks head. Control anything from home automation devices to wireless speakers thanks to the Harmony Home Hub, plus set up special commands to execute multiple actions at once directly from the accompanying app. The era of the smart remote is upon us.
Harman Kardon Esquire Mini
Price: $150
Elegantly sound in both form and function, the Esquire Mini is a dapper portable speaker designed for business travelers with acquired musical tastes. The two 27mm, 4-watt drivers housed behind the metallic grille produce crisp vocals and precise clarity that’s detailed beautifully through acoustic-heavy tracks. Speakerphone time is just as effective with the receiver doing a quality job blocking ambient noise.
Astro Gaming A50 Wireless Headset
Price: $300
Next-gen console: Check. Online subscription service: Check. Gaming headset: Look no further. Now available on the PS4 and Xbox One, the A50 remains the gamer’s choice of peripheral courtesy of its fine-tuned audio output, multiple EQ presets, and snug fit. Dolby Digital 7.1 surround sound immerses players into any virtual environment with the ability to hear every detail from bullet ricochets to footsteps.
Toshiba Chromebook 2
Price: $329
Lightweight form factors, solid spec sheets, and an inexpensive price tag—seems pretty evident why Chromebooks are catching on with the consumer public. Toshiba’s second-gen machine is a noteworthy option that dons a vibrant 1080p IPS display and monstrous speakers powered by bass-booming specialists Skullcandy. Seamless Chrome OS performance and solid battery life complete this prized package.
Motorola Hint
Price: $150
Like it or not, Bluetooth headsets are making a comeback. The Hint works in unison with the Moto X’s Voice and Assist features to perform actions like unlocking the phone and screening calls from up to 150 feet away. Whether exposed in the wind or tucked underneath the skully, Moto’s receiver sits comfortably in your earlobe without compromising audio feedback.