We're bringing you a tech-focused Christmas gift guide every day up to the big day itself, to help fuel your present buying inspiration.
Day 1: Apple fans | 2: Photographers | 3: Switch gamers | 4: Xbox gamers | 5: PS4 games | 6: Retro gamers | 7: PC gamers | 8: Lego fans | 9: Music lovers | 10: Mobile gamers | 11: Home cinema dreamers | 12: Home cooks | 13: Smart home starter kit | 14: Tech for kids | 15: Fitness fans | 16: Creatives | 17: Runners | 18: Commuters | 19: Pet owners | 20: Those who have everything
If your loved ones are lucky enough to find themselves in the top 1%, thinking up gift ideas can be a challenge at Christmas; what do you get someone that already has everything? In the world of tech there's always something to buy, so we're here to help on that front.
In this Holiday gift guide we've hand-picked high-end products in a bunch of major categories, from phones to sound bars. Of course, just because they're the most expensive doesn't make them the best, but here you're still going to need to pay through the nose for these amazing products.
Yes, we accept that the following gifts aren't for everyone. Far from it, in fact. But if you've got the money to burn and a family or friends with a taste for the finer things in life, we have you covered. If you don't, well, sometimes it's just interesting to see the whopping prices some products can reach.
And with that, let's take a look at a host of high-end gift ideas.
The best VR headset: Valve Index
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Still top of our best VR headset list, but not as accessibly priced or versatile as the standalone, all-in-one Oculus Quest 2, this is the next-gen VR headset that hardcore PC players will likely want to seek out. And this year, the proposition of owning one got even more compelling with the release of Half-Life: Alyx, a long-awaited new entry in Valve's beloved series that makes the most of the headset's high refresh rate and the included 'knuckle' controllers.
It's a comfortable headset to use, and even if it's hard to tell exactly what the future of VR is going to be like on PC, there's plenty to play on Steam right now. You can buy it directly from Steam, and check out our detailed thoughts on the device below.
Read the full review: Valve Index
Sennheiser Ambeo 3D Soundbar
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Sennheiser is usually associated with microphones and headphones, but this home audio offering is an impressive (if expensive) buy – not ranked number one in our best soundbars list, but absolutely making the cut regardless.
It's a pretty beefy soundbar, featuring Dolby Atmos and DTS:X on the surround sound front, not to mention Sennheiser's Ambeo-branded virtual 3D audio. The bar also supports Wi-Fi, making it a good music system as well as ideal for home cinema. And hey, you'd hope for versatility with this eye-watering price.
Still, for the audiophile who has everything, this luxury item could make a good gift.
Read the full review: Sennheiser Ambeo 3D Soundbar review
Samsung Q950TS 8K QLED
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The sequel to the world's first true 8K TV, the Samsung Q900R, the Q950TS builds on the predecessor that ushered in a new era of TV picture quality.
The native 8K pictures are incredible, looking just like the real world – only better. But even more crucially given the dearth of true 8K content for the foreseeable future, the 85Q950TS makes all today’s lower resolution sources look better than they do anywhere else, too.
Whether 8K delivers the same impact on smaller screens remains to be seen, but if you have a big enough room and budget, the Q950TS is a vision of the future that’s spectacularly worth buying.
Read our full review: Samsung Q950TS 8K QLED TV
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
If your giftee needs the best graphics card, and doesn't want to settle, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 is just that. It's such a formidable graphics card that it's even viable as a great-value professional graphics solution. Getting one for the retail price is the challenge right now, because it keeps selling out (here's our guide on where to buy the RTX 3090).
And, now that games such as Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War actually implement the RTX features, there’s never been a better time to jump on the ray tracing bandwagon. Just prepare yourself for that sky-high price.
Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Looking for the best of the best when it comes to phones? Then look no further. The smartphone-lover in your life will be delighted (and probably mildly surprised) if you pick them up a Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra.
The Galaxy S20 Ultra is a smartphone for early adopters who don’t mind paying for the privilege. Samsung's best ever display is great for videos and gaming, and the camera zoom range is impressive, although the quality on these five snappers can be inconsistent for a phone so astronomically priced. This stops it from being the best camera phone on sale now, but it's still a big upgrade on the S10 and S10 Plus.
But for that price your lucky friend could own the most advanced 5G phone around. If your giftee will only tolerate the very best in terms of display, performance, and the fastest 5G speeds, the Ultra is the phone to go for.
Read the full Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra review.
Apple Watch 6
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
This is the best smartwatch you can get if you own an iPhone. It works seamlessly with Apple's phones, and it's well worth considering if you plan to stick with the iPhone range for at least a few years.
There aren't many huge upgrades over the Apple Watch 5, but the main change is it comes with a blood oxygen sensor inside for the first time, plus new color options and a better S6 chip. The design is also similar, so you'll get a larger display than earlier iterations of the device, and it comes in either 40mm or 44mm sizes.
All of the fitness features you'd expect come on this watch, and that includes a variety of top-end features such as the ECG monitor, GPS tracking, impressive heart rate monitoring and more.
If you're looking for the very best Apple Watch, though, the Apple Watch SE is currently top of our best smartwatches list.
Read the full Apple Watch 6 review
Garmin Fenix 6
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Garmin Fenix 6 is perhaps the ultimate multi-sport smartwatch, and certainly the ultimate one offered by Garmin. Or, well, the Garmin Fenix 6X Pro Solar is anyway, but the entire Fenix 6 range is truly top-end as wearables go.
The Garmin Fenix 6 will track almost any outdoor activity you could possibly want, with GPS along with a heart rate monitor that even works underwater.
GPS locks on fast and works reliably in our experience, battery life is impressive, and the watch feels robust – if bulky.
This is a great gift for serious athletes and adventurers, particularly those who don’t stick to just one sport.
Read our full Garmin Fenix 6 review
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An award-winning games journalist, with seven years of experience in games journalism and a degree in journalism from City University, London, Vic brings experience from IGN, Eurogamer, The Telegraph, VG247, Dot Esports and more to the TechRadar table. You may have even heard her on the radio or speaking on a panel, as she’s previously appeared on BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5, BBC Radio Ulster and more. Not only is Vic passionate about games, but she's appeared on both panels and podcasts to discuss mental health awareness. Make sure to follow her on Twitter for more.