When it comes to holiday wishlists, some people expect the moon. Others consider macaroni glued on a piece of construction paper to be a heartfelt holiday (non-edible) treat. We love those high-ticket impulse buys and a little homemade love as much as the next holiday reveler. That said, there is a middle ground when it comes to picking out gifts -- and it's where you'll find some of the best options of the season.
It's easy to seek out bargains around Black Friday, as well as throughout the holiday shopping season. However, there are always special people on our list; the ones that have been extra good throughout the calendar year. They certainly deserve some additional thought and maybe even a few extra Benjamins.
There's no need rack you brain or your bank account to find the perfect gift for that special someone. There are plenty of high performance high-tech gifts that are also affordable. Read on to see some of our favorite High Performance High-Tech Gifts That Don't Require a Second Mortgage.
Plasma TV - Still the King of Picture Performance
We see and encourage people to buy all sorts of HDTVs every day. However, we'd practically choke on our Christmas morning candy canes if we ever saw a plasma HDTV under the tree. If you're lost in the sea of TV sales, we can narrow it down a bit to two of the top performing TVs today: Panasonic's 65-inch VIERA TC-P65VT30 1080p 3D Plasma HDTV and the Samsung PN64D8000 64-inch 3D Plasma HDTV. We believe these two models are currently the best on the market (and they're not the most expensive).
Panasonic's TC-P65VT30 uses active 3D technology, promising an eye-popping 1080p resolution for each eye. As a nice little stocking stuffer, it also comes boxed with a pair of 3D glasses. With an MSRP of $3999.95, it's also a pretty sweet 2D TV, with a full 1080p HD image in 2D mode as well, THX 3D certification, Panasonic's Infinite Black Pro 2 panel, 600Hz sub-field motion drive technology, three USB ports, and four HDMI inputs. But what sets it apart is its amazing black levels, contrast and color saturation. Even in 2D mode, the picture has a depth and definition that is hard to beat.
If all of that isn't worthy of Santa's sleigh, the 65-inch VT30 also packs in VIERA Connect features. That way, the family can gather around the TV to enjoy Netflix, VUDU, YouTube, web access, and so much more. You can even squeeze the entire family into one video call, using the Skype (and an add-on camera) feature included on this sweet set. We've seen the bvest deal on this set on Amazon (currently $1000 below list). Here's the link:
With an MSRP of $3799.99, Samsung's PN64D8000 is another nifty option. It also uses active 3D technology and has a 1080p resolution. Other features include 600Hz subfield motion drive technology for crystal clear moving images, Samsung's Plasma Plus One bezel design, two USB ports and four HDMI inputs. It also has plenty of web features, including Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Pandora, and much more. Like the Panasonic VT30, the Samsung D8000 offers excellent black levels and contrast as well as accurate color reproduction and saturation. Also, like the Panasonic, it uses active 3D technology to give you full HD 1080p performance in 3D mode. Here's a link to buy it on Amazon at a huge discount off list (you will need to put it in your shopping cart in order to see the price - currently around $2400):
Both sets ranked extremely high in the annual Value Electronics HDTV shootout: the Panasonic in its 65-inch size, the Samsung in its 59-inch size. In fact our editor in chief, Chris Boylan ranked them a close first and second. Some viewers preferred the Elite LED set, but even so it is much more expensive than the Samsung and Panasonic plasmas. Read more here:
B&W Zeppelin Air
B&W has made the Zeppelin a work of modern art by adding in Apple's AirPlay technology. With an MSRP of $599.95, the Zeppelin Air allows users to stream content directly from iTunes, as well as an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. This slick tabletop speaker dock does play well alone or you can stick little Zeppelins all over the house and call it a whole-house supergroup. Other features include updated driver units, B&W's Flowport technology, and the latest in Digital Signal Processing. Read Chris Chiarella's review of the original Zeppelin or check out the updated Zeppelin Air version on Amazon:
The MartinLogan brand used to be exclusive to audiophiles with money problems (too much of it!). If you're still in that group, we have a pair of CLX Art speakers to sell you, at the bargain price of $25,495 per pair. However, MartinLogan also recently introduced the more affordable Motion Series, which boasts that same great sound experience, at a fraction of the price. Even if your recipient isn't hardcore about audio, they will be once they get a gander of (and a listen to) this system. This is a seriously sweet system that our own Ian White called "worth every single cent of its asking price." The speakers are sold separately, but putting together a package actually shows some thought. It's also not too expensive, with a full 7.1 system coming in with a combined MSRP of $4294.65 (available for less online).
We know that you probably don't go around giving out gifts valued at $4449 every day. However, when we say that the JVC DLA-X3 3D Home Theater Projector is a bargain, we mean it! This D-ILA front projector may actually have superpowers. One of them is affordability (relatively speaking of course). It also has a gorgeous 1080p high-def image in 2D and 3D mode with excellent black levels and richly saturated colors, a 50,000:1 native contrast ratio, three D-ILA imaging devices, a 2x motorized zoom lens with motorized focus, an HQV Reon-VX video processor, and on-screen gamma control. It can also do 3D, if you're willing to throw in the PK-EM1 3D emitter and a few pairs of active shutter glasses. What's a few accessories between friends? Perhaps the highest praise? This is BPBS movie review editor and co-founder Joe Lozito's home theater reference projector (in fact, it's the only TV he owns!). Check it out:
We don't typically condone facewear unless it's a pair of Foster Grants, prescription glasses or those super nifty (not!) glasses required to watch 3D TV. However, we'd be willing to make an exception if someone was gifting us a pair of these fancy 3D goggles. The Sony HMZ-T1 has two 0.7-inch (diagonal) Ultra-Small High Definition Color OLED Panels to deliver a 720p (1280 x 720) HD image to each eye. Promising an experience similar to watching a 150-inch screen from 12 feet away, the device also includes audio and a processor that can connect to all of your favorite HDMI-enabled devices. At $799, it ain't cheap, but it makes a unique gift for your favorite gadget freak or gamer who has everything.
This device is as pretty as a peach and just as sweet. Not content to be just another iPod speaker dock, the musicBox packs in a Pure Digital iPod dock, a digital-to-analog converter, a vacuum tube preamp, and a high-current MOSFET power amp. It also rocks that audio signal to the 24-bit/96kHz Crystal Semiconductor DAC, for some audiophile-worthy output.
If you don't have a tabletop, the musicBox is a nice computer companion. It also works well in the bedroom, kitchen, or any other area where you want good audio. It even boasts a ton of connection options, including that iPod dock, a USB port, coaxial and optical inputs, one analog input, a component video output, and preamp/subwoofer outputs. At $719 online, it isn't necessary an impulse buy, but it will be well appreciated by any forward-thinking 2-channel audio aficionado.
