Watch CBS News

The Best Tech Gifts For 2017

The following gift guide originally appeared on CNET. For more end-of-year gift ideas, visit CNET's Holiday Gift Guide 2017.

1. TCL S405 series Roku TV

Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET

Sure you can find the non-4K version in smaller sizes for less, but if you want our favorite smart TV that's 49 inches or larger, this is it.

See at Amazon.com

 

2. Vizio M series (2017)

Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET

With Vizio's M series you get excellent image quality at a price that's hundreds less than comparable TVs. What's not to like?

See at Dell Home

 

3. LG OLEDC7P

Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET

If you care enough to give the very best picture quality, only OLED will do. The C7 will have them thanking you for years. (Note that the B7A, which has a bit of a different stand design, slightly different speakers and lacks Dolby Atmos decoding, is otherwise identical and thus equally recommendable.)

See at LG

 

4. Roku Express 2017

Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET

Dirt-cheap, fast enough and crammed with every streaming video app you'll care to name, the Express is the perfect stocking stuffer for Netflix, YouTube and Hulu fans.

See at Amazon.com

 

5. Roku Streaming Stick Plus

Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET

Our favorite all-around streamer for 2017, the tiny Plus makes the perfect home video gift, even if the recipient doesn't yet own a 4K TV.

See at Amazon.com

 

6. Apple TV 4K

Photo by CNET

Maybe the 4K TV owner on your list insists on Dolby Vision, loves Apple or just wants the smoothest streaming experience. This is the box for them.

See at Apple

 

7. Cambridge Soundworks Oontz Angle 3 Plus

Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET

If you're looking for an inexpensive Bluetooth speaker, you'll be hard pressed to find a cheaper one with better sound.

See at Amazon.com

 

8. JBL Flip 4

Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET

JBL's affordable Flip 4 delivers good sound in a compact portable speaker that's fully waterproof. It also offers better battery life than its predecessor.

See at Amazon Marketplace

 

9. Bose SoundLink Micro

Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET

Bose's smallest Bluetooth speaker delivers excellent sound for its tiny size and is fully waterproof. It makes for an excellent travel speaker.

See at Dell Home

 

10. Amazon Echo Dot (2nd generation)

Photo by Taylor Martin/CNET

The Echo Dot is the cheapest and easiest way -- probably less during Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend -- to get someone on the Alexa bandwagon.

See at Amazon.com

 

11. Amazon Echo (2nd generation)

Photo by Tyler Lizenby/CNET

New for 2017, the second-generation Echo offers better sound than the Dot and an affordable price tag.

See at Amazon.com

 

12. Sonos One

Photo by CNET

If you want Alexa voice control with the best sound quality to date, the Sonos One is the way to go. It's already great but future software updates will add better Spotify integration, support for Google Assistant and, in 2018, AirPlay 2.

See at Lowes.com

 

13. UE Blast

Photo by CNET

Need Alexa in the shower or by the pool? The UE Blast delivers stellar sound quality and portability of a rechargeable battery.

See at Amazon.com

 

14. Anker SoundBuds Slim

Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET

Don't want to spend much on a wireless sports headphone? Anker's SoundBuds Slim is one of the best of the cheapy models -- both in terms of sound and fit.

See at Amazon.com

 

15. BeatsX

Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET

The BeatsX are a fresh take on a neckband style headphone that can be used as both a sports and everyday headphone. And now that you can find them discounted, they seem more reasonably priced.

See at Amazon.com

 

16. Apple AirPods

Photo by CNET

Say what you will about the look of Apple's AirPods, but they're extremely portable and among the top totally wireless earphones. Compared to the competition, they're also relatively well priced.

See at Amazon.com

 

17. Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC Wireless Headphones

Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET

The Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC Wireless headphone has effective noise canceling that sounds great and costs significantly less than Bose's QuietComfort 35 II.

See at Walmart

 

18. Bose QuietComfort 35 II

Discover Orange Bowl - Stanford v Virginia Tech

The best overall wireless noise-canceling headphone adds integrated Google Assistant for 2017.

See at Amazon.com

 

19. Sony WH-1000XM2

Photo by CNET

Sony's made some small improvements to its already excellent feature-packed wireless noise cancelling. It's also lowered its price a bit to put the WH-1000XM2 in direct competition with the Bose QC35 II.

See at Amazon.com

 

20. Nintendo 2DS XL

Photo by Luke Lancaster/CNET

The Nintendo 2DS XL is priced perfectly as an entry point to those who want to experience the platform's stellar library. If you don't mind missing 3D, it's the one to buy.

See at Dell Home

 

21. Nintendo Switch

Photo by Óscar Gutiérrez/CNET

The Switch was already pretty great, but must-have titles like Super Mario Odyssey and Zelda: Breath of the Wild make it a better deal than ever. On your big screen TV or on the road, prepare to be amazed.

See at Amazon.com

 

22. Microsoft Xbox One S

Photo by CNET

The affordable S is a solid choice for a half-step upgrade if you own a 4K TV but aren't ready to splurge on an Xbox One X.

See at Amazon.com

 

23. Microsoft Xbox One X

Photo by CNET

Early adopters take note: The Xbox One X is the most powerful (at least on paper) home console available today.

See at Dell Home

 

24. Sony PlayStation 4 Slim

Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET

If you've never owned a PS4 and a 4K TV isn't in your near future, the slim version is the one to buy.

See at Amazon.com

 

25. Sony PlayStation 4 Pro

Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET

The PlayStation 4 Pro is an impressive console that improves the looks and performance of a lot of PS4 games. You don't need a 4K TV to enjoy those features, but we recommend getting one for it.

See at Amazon.com

 

26. Motorola Moto G5 Plus

Photo by CNET

The G5 Plus is the clear choice for a budget phone. In fact, it's hard to find a better deal on a phone that gives you as much as it does for such a slim price.

See prices

 

27. Apple iPhone SE

Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET

The iPhone SE is small enough for a child or a front pants pocket, and the lines hearken back to iPhones of old. And it's more affordable than ever.

See prices

 

28. Google Pixel 2

Photo by Josh Miller/CNET

Fans of "pure" Android, this phone's for you. You'll find one of the best cameras on any phone, and a clean, spare version of the OS that's guaranteed to get security and OS updates as soon as they're ready.

See prices

 

29. Samsung Galaxy S8

Photo by CNET

Scoring high marks across the board, this everyday Android phone has it all: a great screen, top-notch camera, strong battery life and extras like waterproofing and wireless charging. The only thing it doesn't have is portrait mode.

See prices

 

30. Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Photo by Josh Miller/CNET

Samsung's first dual-camera handset tops the S8 and S8 Plus with portrait mode and a digital stylus you can use for everything from handwriting notes to creating GIFs.

See prices

 

31. Apple iPhone 8 Plus

Photo by Óscar Gutiérrez/CNET

It's on the big side, but Apple's latest "Plus" is the perfect option if you aren't ready to quit the home button, but still capture excellent Portrait photos with its two cameras and dramatic new lighting modes.

See prices

 

32. Apple iPhone X

Photo by CNET

Cutting edge facial recognition technology and a larger screen-to-body ratio make this Apple's priciest, most ambitious iPhone yet.

See prices

 

33. Google Chromecast Audio

Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET

The Chromecast Audio is the ultimate stocking-stuffer for the music lover. It offers the ability to stream music over Wi-Fi from a phone or Chrome browser at a much higher quality than Bluetooth is capable of.

See at Dell Home

 

34. Vizio SB3621

Photo by CNET

Looking to get your parents something they can hook up to the TV and hear their shows better? The Vizio SB3621 sounds much more expensive than it is, and it's great with music as well.

See at Amazon.com

 

35. Yamaha YAS-203

Photo by CNET

A significant step up from the Vizio, the Yamaha YAS-207 offers excellent faux-surround, and the ability to hook it up via HDMI simplifies setup immensely.

See at Amazon.com

 

36. Sonos Playbase

Photo by Sonos

We thought sound bases were pretty much dead and gone, but the Sonos Playbase has single-handedly revived the category and it also sounds better than anything that has come before it.

See at Amazon.com

 

37. Sony Alpha A6000

Photo by Lori Grunin/CNET

This one's been around for a while for good reason: It's a really good mirrorless camera that just keeps getting cheaper. That makes it a great gift for someone who wants to improve their photography and it won't cost you a lot (for a camera).

See at Amazon.com

 

38. Canon EOS Rebel T7i/800D

Photo by CNET

A solid all-around camera, Canon's cheapest enthusiast dSLR line has been a crowd-pleaser for years. If you know someone who's beginning to take photography seriously, this model is a reliable choice to get them started.

See at 42nd Street Photo

 

39. Nikon D7500

Photo by CNET

One of our favorite dSLRs of 2017, the D7500 delivers the performance and photo quality of more expensive cameras. It's not a cheap gift, but if you have a favorite action or wildlife photographer who's stuck with a slow or old camera, this will make their year.

See at Amazon.com

 

40. GoPro Hero6 Black

Photo by CNET

The Hero6 Black has everything we liked about its predecessor -- a waterproof body, excellent video quality, electronic image stabilization, voice commands -- but with a new custom-made processor performance it kicks up a notch. This adds up to faster frame rates for smoother 4K, slower slow-motion video and impressive stabilization.

See at Amazon.com

 

41. DJI Spark

Photo by Josh Goldman/CNET

The littlest and least expensive camera drone from the category leader, the Spark has many of the shooting and safety features of DJI's pricier models. Out of the box you can fly it with your phone or simple hand gestures for quick aerial selfies just about anywhere, while an optional controller lets you fly it farther and faster.

See at Dell Home

 

42. Apple MacBook (2017)

Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET

This ultrathin, ultralight laptop went from a cult favorite to a great all-around computer for almost everyone, now that it's a little faster and has a better keyboard. For a little extra status symbol appeal, get it in gold or rose gold.

See at Amazon.com

 

43. HP Spectre x360

Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET

With mainstream power in a slim hybrid body that folds back into a tablet, the Spectre x360 covers pretty much all the bases for movie watching, working or drawing and sketching. You can also get it with a 4K screen, or stick to regular HD for better battery life.

See at Amazon.com

 

44. Samsung Notebook 9 Pro

Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET

For the same price as a lot of less-interesting mainstream 15-inch laptops, the Notebook 9 Pro packs in extra graphics power, a 360-degree hinge and a stylus, making a very well-rounded package.

See at Amazon.com

 

45. Alienware 13 R3 (OLED)

Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET

It's not the slickest-looking or more powerful gaming laptop, but it's probably the most impressive. This compact 13-inch has VR-ready graphics, plus one of the only OLED displays you'll find on any laptop. Its screen may be small, but it'll blow you away.

See at Amazon.com

 

46. Amazon Fire HD 8 (2017)

Photo by Amazon

Budget tablets can easily disappoint as a holiday gift, but Amazon's done the right thing this time around by boosting the performance and cutting the price. If you (or your giftee) has Amazon Prime, it's even more useful.

See at Amazon.com

 

47. Apple iPad (9.7-inch, 2017)

"The Trump Card: Playing To Win In Work And Life" Book Launch Celebration
Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images

Apple's entry level iPad does almost everything the fancier (and more expensive) Pro models do, at a fraction of the price. Unless premium stylus support is a must-have, this is the iPad to get.

See at Amazon.com

 

48. Microsoft Surface Pro (2017)

Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET

There are a ton of Windows hybrids that try to walk the line between laptop and tablet, but Microsoft's Surface Pro is still the king of that specialized hill. The clip-on keyboard (unfortunately sold separately) is an engineering marvel, and the latest versions are thinner with better battery life.

See at Amazon.com

 

49. Kindle Paperwhite (2015)

Photo by Sarah Tew / CNET

The Paperwhite remains Amazon's best-bang-for-your-buck E-ink e-reader. It hasn't been updated for 2017, so look for it to go on sale during the holidays -- it will.

See at Amazon.com

 

50. Amazon Kindle Oasis

Photo by David Carnoy/CNET

The "all-new" Kindle Oasis features a larger 7-inch screen and is the first full waterproof Kindle. It's no bargain, but it's currently the ultimate E-ink e-reader.

See at Amazon.com

 

51. Google Wifi

Photo by Josh Miller/CNET

Google WiFi is the best of new class of "mesh" Wi-Fi routers that make it easy to blanket your home in a wireless network via multiple hardware units. You can buy one for great Wi-Fi in a central area, or multiples to extend the network to every corner of your home.

See at Amazon.com

 

52. August Smart Lock Pro

Photo by Tyler Lizenby/CNET

August's smart lock is one of our favorites for its easy installation, the ability to assign and schedule an unlimited number of virtual guest keys for free, and the fact that it fits on your existing lock hardware. A new door close sensor in this Pro model lets you know whether or not the door itself is open.

See at Amazon.com

 

53. Ecobee4

Photo by CNET

Ecobee surpassed Nest's smart thermostats this year thanks to this model that has Amazon's Alexa voice assistant built directly into the unit. The included remote sensor and the ability to work with every major smart home platform seal the deal.

See at Amazon.com

 

54. Fitbit Alta HR

Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET

Fitbit's best basic all-around fitness tracker does heart rate and tracks everything automatically. Good battery life and a compact design make it the best Fitbit this year.

See at Dell Home

 

55. Apple Watch Series 3

Photo by James Martin/CNET

Apple's next-generation smartwatch feels faster, has improved heart rate and fitness tracking, and works better as an on-the-go iPod. Go with the version without cellular, unless you need to make calls on the go or stream music wirelessly.

See at Apple

CBS may collect a commission if you purchase products through the links above.

 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.