Here's your ultimate guide to buying gadgets this Christmas

NZ Herald·

7 Dec, 2016 09:00 PM4 mins to read

Gadgets including fitness watches and portable speakers are expected to be all the rage this Christmas. Photo/Getty

Wondering what to buy the tech-obsessed people in your life for Christmas? Look no further - we've got you covered with our ultimate gadget wish-list. (Scroll to the bottom of this story to enter to win an Xbox One console).

Toys

You don't want to attempt riding the A-Bike Electric after a few Christmas Day champagnes, but this could save someone a heck of a lot of travelling costs. At just 12kg, the portable bike travels for 12.5km over 2.5 hours at a time, and folds into a carry-on suitcase. Now you just have to keep drunk Uncle Bazza off it.

The 12kg A-Bike Electric portable bike folds up into a carry-on suitcase.

Playstation's first foray into virtual reality with Playstation VR ($699) doesn't come cheap, with games and a Playstation camera additional purchases. But who doesn't want to see Granny attempting horror rollercoaster Until Dawn: Rush of Blood on Christmas Day?

Playstation VR is fun for most of the family - depending on what games you choose to play.

The bullet-shaped Minipresso lets you make coffee on the go.

Want coffee on the go? The Minipresso ($99) promises to let you make barista-style coffee wherever you are - perfect for bachs, backpackers, hikers or skateboarders - thanks to its "semi-automatic piston" technology. Sounds dangerous. And awesome.

Speaker systems

If there's a rugby fan and a music fan you need to cater for, you can kill two birds with one stone with Logitech's All Blacks UE Boom Bluetooth speaker system (RRP $229). Every time you turn it on, you'll get a snippet of a haka bellowing at you, and these things come with a powerful kick - perfect for playing summer jams at a pool, picnic or the beach.

Logitech's All Blacks UE Boom comes with impressive output thanks to its cylindrical shape.

A little more expensive is the HP Roar Plus ($299), which promises "fuller base and crystal clarity," so if you're looking for something to handle all your Christmas Day Spotify playlists via Bluetooth, this will do the trick nicely.

HP's Roar Plus Bluetooth Black Speaker will easily handle all your Christmas and New Year's music playlists.

Bang & Olufsen's BeoPlay A1 is at the top end at $430, but it comes with a sleeker design and deeper, denser sound more suitable to putting sweet sounds into an office, bedroom or kitchen. There are colour options too - including green, black and deep red. Santa would approve.

BeoPlay A1 from Bang & Olufsen is beautifully designed and comes with good sound and an affordable price tag.

Gaming consoles

Hey big spender - wanting to really impress someone this Christmas? Splash out on one of the three new gaming consoles released in the pastfew months. The Xbox One S (RRP $549) was out first in August with its flashy white design, bigger hard-drive options and 4K resolution providing an eye-catching upgrade of its ugly earlier model.

The Xbox One S comes in classy white with 4K resolution and a bigger hard drive.

Not to be outdone, Playstation released the Pro (RRP $639) in November, a bigger version of its Playstation 4 console, which doesn't look as good but comes with similar 4K capabilities.

The Playstation Pro upgrades the Playstation 4 with better resolution and a bigger hard drive.

The Nintendo Classic Mini comes pre-installed with 30 games designed to invoke nostalgia.

Unsure which to choose? Check with the allegiances of the person you're buying for. And make sure they've got a 4K TV - upgrading to either is pointless if it's not connected to one.

Still unsure? Go for Nintendo's Classic Mini: NES, a nostalgia kick crammed with 30 games such asDonkey Kong and Pac-Man which will provide plenty of Christmas Day fun for the whole family.

Headphones

Got a sports fanatic in your life? They'll need something that won't fall off their face while they're jogging off their Christmas pud. So go for the Jaybird Freedom Wireless In-Ear Headphones (RRP $299), the most comfortable set of earbuds we've ever worn.

Want to really impress with your gift buying? Go for a set of the beautifully designed Beoplay H8 headphones (RRP $879) from Bang & Olufsen. With noise cancellation, Bluetooth and leather headband and earcups, they're worth the price - and they sound great too.

Bang and Olufsen's Beoplay H8 headphones come with noise cancellation, leather cushioning and bluetooth.

And if you've got a gamer in your life, they'll need a Turtle Beach Elite Pro Headset (RRP $349), a high-end option made for those who spend hours glued to first-person shooters. They include special ear moulds that fit around glasses and cooling ear cups. Yes, these won't leave your lobes sweaty after a long gaming session.

Turtle Beach's Elite Pro Headset is designed for those who live to play first-person shooters like Call of Duty and Battlefield 1.

Watches

Fitbit is still the leader when it comes to fitness watches, and they've handily released two new additions in time for Christmas. The Charge 2 updates its very first model with tougher, interchangeable straps and a relaxation mode, while the Flex 2 is a smaller, more discreet and waterproof model that can be worn on the wrist or in a necklace.

The Charge 2 updates Fitbit's first release with tougher straps and new modes.

The Apple Watch Series 2 ($599) promises to right the wrongs of Apple's first attempt at a smart watch, with built-in GPS, step counts, a workout app, and a brighter screen. It comes with strap options and is water resistant too, perfect for any Christmas Day dips. You will, of course, need an iPhone to use it.

The Gear S3 ($599) is Samsung's latest smart-watch release, and it's design to appeal to lovers of classic watch faces, with a full clock and round display. It's not cheap but it too is water resistant, has different strap options and comes with Samsung's rotating bezel, which makes you feel like you're in a Mission: Impossible movie.