2016 Holiday Gift Guide
Looking for the best gifts for the best people in your life? We can help! We've spent the year testing a lot of great (and some not-so-great) products to figuring out our absolute favorite tech of 2016. And we've brought it all here, together, in one easy wish list, just for you!
Google Pixel
The Google Pixel is the best Android Phone you can buy today. Whether it's the straight-from-Google Android software, top-notch performance or best-in-class camera, the Pixel — in either size — does it all. Buy unlocked from Google or from .
from $649
Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
With the Note 7 out of the picture, the Galaxy S7 edge is Samsung's top-end offering. It gives you gorgeous hardware, a great camera, long battery life and piles of features you can't find anywhere else.
$769
OnePlus 3T
The OnePlus 3T gives you almost everything you expect in a flagship phone, but does it at a dramatically lower price. You get all of the top-end specs, great features and slick software for just $439 — that's a fantastic combination.
$439
Moto Z Play
The cheapest of the Moto Z line is no slouch, with a big, vibrant screen, ample performance and support for Motorola's excellent Moto Mods line. But the real selling feature for this $450 phone is its two-day battery life!
$450
Pixel C
A tablet that covers every need. The Pixel C does everything you would want a tablet to do. YouTube or anything else on the web is great on the gorgeous screen, and all the apps you love work well, especially on Android Nougat.
$499
Lenovo Yoga Book
An innovative take on the traditional Android tablet, its incredibly versatile hinge allows for its rear touch panel to double as a keyboard or a pen-friendly writing surface, while Lenovo's software makes Android feel more like a desktop OS.
$499
ASUS Chromebook Flip
One of the best Android tablets is actually this small ASUS Chromebook convertible. The same apps that run on a proper tablet run very well on the Chromebook Flip, and the laptop-grade internals have more than enough power to run multiple things at once, each in their own window.
$259
Chromecast Audio
Plug it into any pair of speakers on an audio receiver and you can cast your music from most any source using your phone, Chromebook or any computer using the Chrome browser. The Chromecast Audio is easy to use and sounds great.
$35
UE Boom 2
A tough and compact Bluetooth speaker that's even waterproof. The UE Boom 2 also has excellent battery life and delivers incredible sound. You can also pair two of them together to fill an entire room with music.
$155
Sonos Play:1
Sonos products deliver premium sound and are easy to set up. The Sonos Play:1 is no exception. Use it by itself or with a bridge as part of a whole-house audio system and you'll love how great it sounds and how easy it is to get started.
$199
Ricoh Theta S
The Ricoh Theta S is not only a delightful device, it's also a great introduction into 360-degree content-making. The Theta S is compact, stylish, easy to use, and it produces some worthy panoramic photo and video you can share across social media.
$346
Moto Z Hasselblad Moto Mod
The Hasselblad True Zoom Moto Mod snaps on to the back of any Moto Z, Z Play, or Z Force and turns either of those devices into a point-and-shoot camera with 10x optical zoom. It's extremely useful if you're into shooting landscape shots with your smartphone.
$300
ROCK LED Selfie Light
Selfie takers, don't let nightfall stop you from your front-facing camera game. The ROCK LED ring light slides on to any Android phone of any size so that you don't have to buy a particular case to tack on extra lighting. Best of all, the ring light is adjustable so that you're not blasting your face with LEDs.
$20
Aukey Ora Lenses
With an Aukey Ora Lens, you can tack on a 140-degree wide-angle lens or a 10X macro lens. it's the easiest, cheapest way to get a little more out of your smartphone photography. It's also universal, so you can hold on to it until your next phone purchase!
$25
Chromecast Ultra
If using with a TV that has a 4K display or can playback HDR content and want to stream media at UHD, the Chromecast Ultra is for you.
$70
Roku Premiere+
The Roku Premiere+ is compatible with 4K televisions and includes a lot of really awesome features, such as an included Wi-Fi remote control with a headphone jack, so you can watch your favorite shows without disturbing anyone else in the room.
$99
Xiaomi Mi Box
The Xiaomi Mi Box is the best Android TV box you can buy right now, which gives you access to a great Google ecosystem experience on your TV. It's also got plenty of power to play the Android games adapted for the big screen.
$69
Google Home
For a Google/Android fan, Google Home is a no-brainer. It's got all the makings of Alexa, in the proper ecosystem, with the full force of Google behind it.
$120
Amazon Echo Dot
A smaller Echo, the Dot is easy to set up around the house — and because they're significantly cheaper, you can get a few and pepper them around the house. A great gift, in packs of one, or six!
$49
Philips Hue Starter Kit
Philips is the leader in connected light bulbs for a good reason: everything just works. The Android app is great, and lets you control the lights from anywhere, and the Starter Kit is affordable enough to be a great gift.
$179
Nest Outdoor Cam
The best way to keep tabs on what's going on outside your house, the Nest Outdoor Cam not only captures great video, but Nest's improved Nest Aware feature makes it super easy to scroll through the last few hours to see what's interesting going on outside.
$186
Huawei Watch
If you want all of Android Wear with some style, you want a Huawei Watch. It looks nice, performs well, and comes in Stainless Steel, Black Stainless Steel, Gold, and Rose Gold.
$246
Moto 360 (2015)
This is a great watch, but the killer feature is personalization. There is no other experience like MotoMaker for building a smartwatch based on your personal look and feel.
From $349
Pebble 2
The latest in watches that don't offer a ton of flash and color, but offer battery life for days and a solid fitness feature set and great notification handling. Pebble's upgrades here are significant, and proof that you don't need a chrome bezel to make a watch great.
$350
Samsung Gear S3
Samsung's new smartwatch comes in two distinct styles, offering longer battery life, new software features and a distinctive rotating bezel. There isn't deep app integration like on Android Wear, but as a notification mirror and standalone device the Gear S3 is great.
$350
DJI Phantom 3 Advanced
Take to the skies with the DJI Phantom 3 Advanced. Sure this isn't the latest and greatest professional drone from DJI, the Phantom 4, but it's still a fantastic, fun option that lets you control the camera and record HD video to your phone — all for well under $1000.
$698
Sphero Star Wars BB-8 Droid
Bring BB-8 home with this super cool rolling drone that you can control with your phone. It's the perfect gift for the Star Wars fans in your life.
$130
Acer Chromebook R13
The Acer Chromebook R13 is the best $399 computer you can buy. It's well-built, has a great screen and can run over 1 million Android apps on top of all the things Chrome can do. When you want to step up from an entry-level laptop but don't want to break the bank, the Acer Chromebook R13 is where you should look first.
$399
Dell Chromebook 13
The Dell Chromebook 13 is the best premium pick when it comes to Chromebooks. It's not cheap — configurations start at over $450 — but it's rugged and beautiful. You also get the same hardware as a high-end Windows Laptop at that price. The Dell Chromebook 13 is the Chromebook for folks who use a Chromebook as their main computing platform and want the best.
$450
ASUS Chromebook Flip
Ultra-protable, the ASUS Chromebook Flip is a great convertible for students or anyone else who is on the move every day. This 10-inch Chromebook is speedy and inexpensive, and support for Google Play make it one of the best Android tablets you can buy, too.
$259
Aukey 16000 mAh Power Bank
This beastly powerbank will should get you at least three full recharges, even on the most demanding high-end Android phones. Meanwhile, support for both regular 5V/2.4A output and Qualcomm QuickCharge 2.0 via dual-port setup gives you plenty of options for both phones and tablets. And if you get stuck in the dark, there's even an LED torch built in.
$27
Anker PowerCore Speed 10000 QC
This Anker battery pack is one of the most compact 10,000mAh power banks around. Not only does it support Quick Charge 3.0 for phones that support it, but it comes with a travel pouch if you want to stick it in your bag for emergencies. An awesome deal for $25.
From $24
SanDisk 256GB microSD
A microSD card is one of the easiest ways to add extra storage for photos, music or videos, and SanDisk's high-capacity offering gives you an enormous amount of space. Even better, it's incredibly speedy, with data transfer speeds of up to 90MB/s. The card is bundled with a full-sized SD card adapter for easy use with a PC or camera.
$70
Sennheiser PCX550
Sennheiser's wireless noise-cancelling over-ear headphones are a fabulous Bluetooth option in their own right, but it's the 30-hour battery life, smart song pausing, and multitouch controls which elevate these headphones into an excellent holiday gift for the wireless audio geek in your life.
$400
LG Tone Platinum
LG's high-end Bluetooth earbuds pack around 10 hours of playback into a sleek, slimline aluminum body. LG G5 owners can also benefit from 24-bit high-resolution audio from these earbuds. But even if you're using them with a non-LG phone, you'll get exceptionally clear sound quality and booming bass — along with a microphone for taking calls.
$130
Samsung LevelOn
Samsung's wired (or wireless) earphones balance aesthetics, comfort and sound quality masterfully. They support NFC paring, and boast 11 hours of playback with noise cancellation turned on. Samsung's Level app for Android phones also lets you control and customize these headphones.
$130
Google Daydream View
Perfect for on-the-go VR with your Google Pixel, and a huge step forward in smartphone-based VR. Google has big plans for this new virtual world, but even as it is right now the headset is pretty great.
$79
Gear VR
If you have a Samsung Galaxy S6, S7, or Note 5, this VR headset is like taking your whole entertinament center with you when you leave the house.
$99
HTC Vive
Hands down the best VR system you can buy today, but it requires a lot of space and a really great PC to power the experience. If you what what it required, the end result is pretty special.
$799
Anki Cozmo
Cozmo learns from you as you play with it, developing a unique personality that can start a series of games with you. Connect your phone to Cozmo for new games and new AI experiences, or just to drive it around.
$180
View Master VR
Kid-friendly VR is about offering a safe experience and making sure the games and apps are fun for every age. View-Master VR includes discovery apps for space and the headset itself offers the classic View-Finder look and feel.
$30
Samsung Gear Fit2
Samsung made a great product better with its Tizen-powered Gear Fit2. A high-resolution AMOLED display pairs with a GPS and plenty of smarts to deliver notifications from your Android phone. Battery is an excellent two days, too.
$148
UE Healthbox
Under Armour paired with HTC for the UE Healthbox, a collection of fitness focused tools that include a connected wrist tracker, smart scale, and optional chest strap. Together they work to help meet fitness goals, and paired to the UE Record app, there are plenty of smarts — and synergy.
From $350
Fitbit Charge 2
The best Fitbit ever is also one of the most well-rounded fitness trackers on the market. Though it lacks GPS, it has almost everything else, including phone notifications, and one of the best social networks for people wanting to stay accountable.
$150
Samsung Gear IconX
Samsung's Gear IconX are smart earbuds or smart fitness gear, but whatever they are, they're pretty darn good. Each bud goes separately in the ear, and use a heart rate monitor to keep track of workouts, while an external microphone picks up ambient noise if you want to keep track of what's going on.
$185
Looking for the best gifts for the best people in your life? We can help! We've spent the year testing a lot of great (and some not-so-great) products to figuring out our absolute favorite tech of 2016. And we've brought it all here, together, in one easy wish list, just for you!
Google Pixel
The Google Pixel is the best Android Phone you can buy today. Whether it's the straight-from-Google Android software, top-notch performance or best-in-class camera, the Pixel — in either size — does it all. Buy unlocked from Google or from .
from $649
Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
With the Note 7 out of the picture, the Galaxy S7 edge is Samsung's top-end offering. It gives you gorgeous hardware, a great camera, long battery life and piles of features you can't find anywhere else.
$769
OnePlus 3T
The OnePlus 3T gives you almost everything you expect in a flagship phone, but does it at a dramatically lower price. You get all of the top-end specs, great features and slick software for just $439 — that's a fantastic combination.
$439
Moto Z Play
The cheapest of the Moto Z line is no slouch, with a big, vibrant screen, ample performance and support for Motorola's excellent Moto Mods line. But the real selling feature for this $450 phone is its two-day battery life!
$450
Pixel C
A tablet that covers every need. The Pixel C does everything you would want a tablet to do. YouTube or anything else on the web is great on the gorgeous screen, and all the apps you love work well, especially on Android Nougat.
$499
Lenovo Yoga Book
An innovative take on the traditional Android tablet, its incredibly versatile hinge allows for its rear touch panel to double as a keyboard or a pen-friendly writing surface, while Lenovo's software makes Android feel more like a desktop OS.
$499
ASUS Chromebook Flip
One of the best Android tablets is actually this small ASUS Chromebook convertible. The same apps that run on a proper tablet run very well on the Chromebook Flip, and the laptop-grade internals have more than enough power to run multiple things at once, each in their own window.
$259
Chromecast Audio
Plug it into any pair of speakers on an audio receiver and you can cast your music from most any source using your phone, Chromebook or any computer using the Chrome browser. The Chromecast Audio is easy to use and sounds great.
$35
UE Boom 2
A tough and compact Bluetooth speaker that's even waterproof. The UE Boom 2 also has excellent battery life and delivers incredible sound. You can also pair two of them together to fill an entire room with music.
$155
Sonos Play:1
Sonos products deliver premium sound and are easy to set up. The Sonos Play:1 is no exception. Use it by itself or with a bridge as part of a whole-house audio system and you'll love how great it sounds and how easy it is to get started.
$199
Ricoh Theta S
The Ricoh Theta S is not only a delightful device, it's also a great introduction into 360-degree content-making. The Theta S is compact, stylish, easy to use, and it produces some worthy panoramic photo and video you can share across social media.
$346
Moto Z Hasselblad Moto Mod
The Hasselblad True Zoom Moto Mod snaps on to the back of any Moto Z, Z Play, or Z Force and turns either of those devices into a point-and-shoot camera with 10x optical zoom. It's extremely useful if you're into shooting landscape shots with your smartphone.
$300
ROCK LED Selfie Light
Selfie takers, don't let nightfall stop you from your front-facing camera game. The ROCK LED ring light slides on to any Android phone of any size so that you don't have to buy a particular case to tack on extra lighting. Best of all, the ring light is adjustable so that you're not blasting your face with LEDs.
$20
Aukey Ora Lenses
With an Aukey Ora Lens, you can tack on a 140-degree wide-angle lens or a 10X macro lens. it's the easiest, cheapest way to get a little more out of your smartphone photography. It's also universal, so you can hold on to it until your next phone purchase!
$25
Chromecast Ultra
If using with a TV that has a 4K display or can playback HDR content and want to stream media at UHD, the Chromecast Ultra is for you.
$70
Roku Premiere+
The Roku Premiere+ is compatible with 4K televisions and includes a lot of really awesome features, such as an included Wi-Fi remote control with a headphone jack, so you can watch your favorite shows without disturbing anyone else in the room.
$99
Xiaomi Mi Box
The Xiaomi Mi Box is the best Android TV box you can buy right now, which gives you access to a great Google ecosystem experience on your TV. It's also got plenty of power to play the Android games adapted for the big screen.
$69
Google Home
For a Google/Android fan, Google Home is a no-brainer. It's got all the makings of Alexa, in the proper ecosystem, with the full force of Google behind it.
$120
Amazon Echo Dot
A smaller Echo, the Dot is easy to set up around the house — and because they're significantly cheaper, you can get a few and pepper them around the house. A great gift, in packs of one, or six!
$49
Philips Hue Starter Kit
Philips is the leader in connected light bulbs for a good reason: everything just works. The Android app is great, and lets you control the lights from anywhere, and the Starter Kit is affordable enough to be a great gift.
$179
Nest Outdoor Cam
The best way to keep tabs on what's going on outside your house, the Nest Outdoor Cam not only captures great video, but Nest's improved Nest Aware feature makes it super easy to scroll through the last few hours to see what's interesting going on outside.
$186
Huawei Watch
If you want all of Android Wear with some style, you want a Huawei Watch. It looks nice, performs well, and comes in Stainless Steel, Black Stainless Steel, Gold, and Rose Gold.
$246
Moto 360 (2015)
This is a great watch, but the killer feature is personalization. There is no other experience like MotoMaker for building a smartwatch based on your personal look and feel.
From $349
Pebble 2
The latest in watches that don't offer a ton of flash and color, but offer battery life for days and a solid fitness feature set and great notification handling. Pebble's upgrades here are significant, and proof that you don't need a chrome bezel to make a watch great.
$350
Samsung Gear S3
Samsung's new smartwatch comes in two distinct styles, offering longer battery life, new software features and a distinctive rotating bezel. There isn't deep app integration like on Android Wear, but as a notification mirror and standalone device the Gear S3 is great.
$350
DJI Phantom 3 Advanced
Take to the skies with the DJI Phantom 3 Advanced. Sure this isn't the latest and greatest professional drone from DJI, the Phantom 4, but it's still a fantastic, fun option that lets you control the camera and record HD video to your phone — all for well under $1000.
$698
Sphero Star Wars BB-8 Droid
Bring BB-8 home with this super cool rolling drone that you can control with your phone. It's the perfect gift for the Star Wars fans in your life.
$130
Acer Chromebook R13
The Acer Chromebook R13 is the best $399 computer you can buy. It's well-built, has a great screen and can run over 1 million Android apps on top of all the things Chrome can do. When you want to step up from an entry-level laptop but don't want to break the bank, the Acer Chromebook R13 is where you should look first.
$399
Dell Chromebook 13
The Dell Chromebook 13 is the best premium pick when it comes to Chromebooks. It's not cheap — configurations start at over $450 — but it's rugged and beautiful. You also get the same hardware as a high-end Windows Laptop at that price. The Dell Chromebook 13 is the Chromebook for folks who use a Chromebook as their main computing platform and want the best.
$450
ASUS Chromebook Flip
Ultra-protable, the ASUS Chromebook Flip is a great convertible for students or anyone else who is on the move every day. This 10-inch Chromebook is speedy and inexpensive, and support for Google Play make it one of the best Android tablets you can buy, too.
$259
Aukey 16000 mAh Power Bank
This beastly powerbank will should get you at least three full recharges, even on the most demanding high-end Android phones. Meanwhile, support for both regular 5V/2.4A output and Qualcomm QuickCharge 2.0 via dual-port setup gives you plenty of options for both phones and tablets. And if you get stuck in the dark, there's even an LED torch built in.
$27
Anker PowerCore Speed 10000 QC
This Anker battery pack is one of the most compact 10,000mAh power banks around. Not only does it support Quick Charge 3.0 for phones that support it, but it comes with a travel pouch if you want to stick it in your bag for emergencies. An awesome deal for $25.
From $24
SanDisk 256GB microSD
A microSD card is one of the easiest ways to add extra storage for photos, music or videos, and SanDisk's high-capacity offering gives you an enormous amount of space. Even better, it's incredibly speedy, with data transfer speeds of up to 90MB/s. The card is bundled with a full-sized SD card adapter for easy use with a PC or camera.
$70
Sennheiser PCX550
Sennheiser's wireless noise-cancelling over-ear headphones are a fabulous Bluetooth option in their own right, but it's the 30-hour battery life, smart song pausing, and multitouch controls which elevate these headphones into an excellent holiday gift for the wireless audio geek in your life.
$400
LG Tone Platinum
LG's high-end Bluetooth earbuds pack around 10 hours of playback into a sleek, slimline aluminum body. LG G5 owners can also benefit from 24-bit high-resolution audio from these earbuds. But even if you're using them with a non-LG phone, you'll get exceptionally clear sound quality and booming bass — along with a microphone for taking calls.
$130
Samsung LevelOn
Samsung's wired (or wireless) earphones balance aesthetics, comfort and sound quality masterfully. They support NFC paring, and boast 11 hours of playback with noise cancellation turned on. Samsung's Level app for Android phones also lets you control and customize these headphones.
$130
Google Daydream View
Perfect for on-the-go VR with your Google Pixel, and a huge step forward in smartphone-based VR. Google has big plans for this new virtual world, but even as it is right now the headset is pretty great.
$79
Gear VR
If you have a Samsung Galaxy S6, S7, or Note 5, this VR headset is like taking your whole entertinament center with you when you leave the house.
$99
HTC Vive
Hands down the best VR system you can buy today, but it requires a lot of space and a really great PC to power the experience. If you what what it required, the end result is pretty special.
$799
Anki Cozmo
Cozmo learns from you as you play with it, developing a unique personality that can start a series of games with you. Connect your phone to Cozmo for new games and new AI experiences, or just to drive it around.
$180
View Master VR
Kid-friendly VR is about offering a safe experience and making sure the games and apps are fun for every age. View-Master VR includes discovery apps for space and the headset itself offers the classic View-Finder look and feel.
$30
Samsung Gear Fit2
Samsung made a great product better with its Tizen-powered Gear Fit2. A high-resolution AMOLED display pairs with a GPS and plenty of smarts to deliver notifications from your Android phone. Battery is an excellent two days, too.
$148
UE Healthbox
Under Armour paired with HTC for the UE Healthbox, a collection of fitness focused tools that include a connected wrist tracker, smart scale, and optional chest strap. Together they work to help meet fitness goals, and paired to the UE Record app, there are plenty of smarts — and synergy.
From $350
Fitbit Charge 2
The best Fitbit ever is also one of the most well-rounded fitness trackers on the market. Though it lacks GPS, it has almost everything else, including phone notifications, and one of the best social networks for people wanting to stay accountable.
$150
Samsung Gear IconX
Samsung's Gear IconX are smart earbuds or smart fitness gear, but whatever they are, they're pretty darn good. Each bud goes separately in the ear, and use a heart rate monitor to keep track of workouts, while an external microphone picks up ambient noise if you want to keep track of what's going on.
$185