The holiday season is once again upon us, and for a couple of years, I’ve written up entire holiday gift guides to help you with your buying decisions. But not this year. This year, I thought it’d be cool to enlist the help of some of my tech friends who also happen to be some of your favorite creators.
Their names? Juan Carlos Bagnell (Some Gadget Guy), Hayato Huseman (Android Central), TK Bay, and Max Weinbach (XDA-Developers).
For this collaboration, I asked them to suggest a device from five categories that they think would make a great gift this holiday season. Of course, I also have my own recommendations, and over the next five articles, you’ll get to read them all.
This article will focus on our favorite phones. There’s plenty of diversity in this section, so I hope you’re able to find the perfect phone to get that special someone on your list. I also have descriptions of each gadget from the creators themselves. Enjoy!
Juan Carlos Bagnell: LG G8X ThinQ
If you’re looking for something fresh in a smartphone, it’s difficult to beat LG’s offer here. A premium phone, with top tier internals, excellent camera performance, and an audiophile grade headphone jack. Best of all, that retail price includes a dual screen case. This is the best price around to start playing with a folding phone.
Buy LG G8X ThinQ
- Best Buy (unlocked, works on any carrier): $699.99
- AT&T (locked): Free with a new line or $779.99
- Amazon (unlocked, works on any carrier): $949.99
Hayato Huseman: Google Pixel 3a
I’ve had a Pixel in my pocket for most of the year because I just love the pure Google experience. The Pixel 3a isn’t as fast as the Pixel 4, but it has better battery life and the same incredible camera for half the price. Seriously, this is one of the best values in mobile.
Buy Google Pixel 3a: $399
- Best Buy (unlocked, works on any carrier)
- Amazon (unlocked, works on any carrier)
- Google Store (unlocked, works on any carrier)
- Verizon (unlocked)
- T-Mobile (unlocked)
TK Bay: OnePlus 7T
The OnePlus 7T is the best that OnePlus has to offer in the U.S. at the end of 2019. It is definitely nice to have a device so powerful, so small, yet so affordable.
Buy OnePlus 7T: $599
Max Weinbach: Samsung Galaxy S10e
This phone is an absolute blast to use. It’s small, fast, has a great design, and doesn’t have a curved screen. It comes in at $750 which isn’t cheap, but there is almost always a sale (especially for black Friday) so this would make a great gift for that special someone in your life, whether that be a kid, adult, or pet.
Buy Samsung Galaxy S10e: $749
- Samsung.com (unlocked, works on any carrier)
- Best Buy (unlocked, works on any carrier)
- Amazon (unlocked, works on any carrier)
- AT&T (locked)
- Verizon (locked)
- T-Mobile (locked)
Me: Apple iPhone 11
Full disclosure: I have never tested an iPhone 11 for myself. However, the mix of features it has is not only enough for genral consumers, it’s almost the perfect balance. You get a decent screen, excellent performance, a fantastic camera system (from what I’ve heard), and strong battery life. Plus, it’s only $699. It kind of feels like a no-brainer if a family member needs a new phone and you’re not sure what phone to get them.
Buy Apple iPhone 11: $699
- Apple.com (unlocked, works on any carrier)
- Best Buy (unlocked, works on any carrier)
- AT&T (locked)
- Verizon (locked)
- T-Mobile (locked)
- Sprint (locked)
A special thanks to all the amazing creators who participated in this collab! I greatly appreciate all of your kindness!
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