Christmas gift ideas: top Christmas gifts for 2014

Do you know someone in your life who really needs to get rid of their half broken phone? You know, the one with the cracked screen, shoddy battery life and missing on/off button?

With all the great choices available on the market, maybe it's time you help them out and choose a phone from our holiday gift guide.

iPhone 5S - $869

iPhone 5S

The iPhone 5S is probably the hottest phone out there (or in the top five at least) and would make a great gift for the Apple fanatic in your life.

Unlike the iPhone 4S, it actually feels like you're getting a brand new phone thanks to the addition of Touch ID, new camera, better battery life and faster guts all around.

Boasting new color choices - black, space grey, gold - the iPhone 5S sales start at $869 outright.

iPhone 5C - $739

iPhone 5C

If you're looking for something a bit more flashy, Apple's neon array of iPhone 5Cs is your best bet.

Hate it or love it, we think its still has a spot on our holiday gift guide. Some feel the phone is a bit childish and cheap because of the colors and its polycarbonate exterior.

But if you know someone desperate for an iPhone 5 but can't afford it, you really can't go wrong picking up the 5C since they're essentially the same phone with a few upgraded tweaks here and there.

Nexus 5 - $399

Nexus 5

Let's face it: the iPhone 5S is one expensive bit of tech. Thank goodness for the Nexus 5 then!

It's a clean Android smartphone from LG and Google with enough grunt and power to stand up well against other Android devices - and all for a sub-$500 price.

It sports a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 chipset and 2GB RAM, as well as a 2,300mAh battery and a 5-inch 1080p display. It also features the latest version of Android - 4.4 KitKat.

You can pick it up unlocked from Google's Play store, or head into Telstra, the only Aussie telco stocking the device.

HTC One - $689

HTC One

The HTC One released earlier this year, but definitely remains a top dog in the phone arena.

It's full HD screen crammed into 4.7-inches, which brings a 468ppi - making everything you're looking at crisp, clean and swoon worthy. On top of that there's a CPU and RAM combo that is barely bettered, a more-than-enough 32GB of storage and top-end Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and 3G/4G LTE connections.

The HTC One is without a doubt the best phone from the Taiwanese firm. It is still available from most telcos, and we've spotted the handset as part of online sales between $550-$700.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 - $999

Samsung Galaxy Note 3

The latest and greatest from Samsung, the Galaxy Note 3 is a fantastic device, but decidedly not for everyone thanks in part to its hugeness.

It's not going to have the broad appeal of the Galaxy S4, nor catch the eye of the fashion-conscious iPhone 5S purchaser.

But for those with Apple-fatigue and actually would prefer a larger screen (maybe the business types you know?), the 5.7-inches of full HD, 1080 x 1920 Super AMOLED display makes the Galaxy Note 3 is the perfect choice. Just be wary that the big phone means it'll cost you big bucks - around $999 to be exact.

The TechRadar hive mind. The Megazord. The Voltron. When our powers combine, we become 'TECHRADAR STAFF'. You'll usually see this author name when the entire team has collaborated on a project or an article, whether that's a run-down ranking of our favorite Marvel films, or a round-up of all the coolest things we've collectively seen at annual tech shows like CES and MWC. We are one.

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