Hoping you could save a few bucks over the holidays this year? Here are some gadgets that could help with that.
The holiday period doesn’t have to mean being a big spender, and if you’re after saving a few bucks here and there, there are some tech options for budget buyers.
Cheap phones
Struggling to work out what to get for cheap-as-chips prices? Consider a cheap phone, and not just a “cheap phone”, but a “cheap and decent phone”, because “cheap” and “decent” don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
Motorola E7 Power
Price: $169
If you don’t need Google Pay support and want to buy a big screen, a couple of cameras, and a battery capable of going for longer than a day, you may want to check out Moto’s option in the low-end, the E7 Power.
There’s a fingerprint sensor with a 6.5 inch screen here, plus a battery designed for up to 48 hours, which may well be one of the better battery performances for a phone at this price point.
Realme C21
Price: $199
Realme’s take on Moto’s style of device is similar, but comes with Google Pay support, thanks to the inclusion of NFC.
At $30 more, there’s an extra camera and the ability to turn the phone into a mobile payment gadget thanks to that Near-Field Communication tech, plus a little more storage, as well.
Refurbished iPhone 8
Price: $299
There’s no such thing as a “cheap iPhone”, but if you’re buying for someone and want to keep the price down, you may want to look at a refurbished iPhone.
In Australia, Boost offers refurb iPhones, with the iPhone 8 from $299, a phone that’s similar to the iPhone SE. While it’s technically an old iPhone, it’s still an iPhone, and one of the least expensive iPhone models you can find.
Economical earphones
The word “cheap” can also be applied to earphones, though while some are properly cheap and frugal, others are actually “cheap” and “decent”, getting both words applied at the same time.
Skullcandy Dime
Price: $70
Truly wireless earphones can be truly cheap, but you often get what you pay for when you buy the properly cheap. You’ll know the type we mean, because you can find them at the supermarket and department store checkout. From our experience, they’re not great.
Skullcandy’s Dime is a departure from the usual quality of what “cheap earphones” provide, with a surprisingly decent sound that’s cost effective, even if there’s no app and a less-than-fantastic battery life.
Earfun Air Pro
Price: $120
A little more expensive, Earfun’s Air Pro provides a dose of noise cancellation in an inexpensive earphone that’s hard to ignore.
Like the Skullcandy Dime, there’s no app, but for $50 more, you’ll find a surprisingly warm sound and a hint of water resistance, coming together in a pair of earphones that have extraordinary value.
Sony WF-1000XM3
Price: $179
It’s been a few years since Sony’s top-tier WF-1000XM3 turned up, and they were replaced only this year with the WF-1000XM4, but these are still great earphones.
Sure, there’s no wireless charging and the earphone shape is a little large, but the WF-1000XM3 earphones are so good, they won Pickr’s Best Pick awards for the best earphones in 2019 and again in 2020.
Supported by an app and delivering some of the best sound you can find in a pint-sized format, for under $200, the WF-1000XM3 are a steal.
Smart home speakers with savings
If you’re more keen to spread that music sound around with a budget gift, you may want to consider a cheap speaker in your budget buying, and there are definite selections to help you out there.
Amazon Echo Dot
Price: $19
One of the deals that popped up during Amazon’s 2021 Black Friday sales, it’s hard to beat a $20 smart speaker, and the flat hockey puck-styled approach to a smart speaker is a solid entrance to the world of smart speakers for not much money.
Amazon is basically getting rid of these at a super cheap price, so if you know someone who has a Spotify or Apple Music account already and wants to try a speaker they can talk to, the Echo Dot’s super cheap price point could be a great place to start.
Google Nest Hub 2nd-gen
Price: $79
Typically twice the price — much like how Amazon is selling the Echo Dot for cheap during the holiday sales this year — the Nest Hub 2nd-gen takes the idea a smart display and makes it 7 inches, but also improves the speaker and bundles in sleep tracking.
Built for the bedside, kitchen, desk, or anywhere where you want to show pictures and play music, the Google Nest Hub 2nd-gen is a great option for someone who wants a little more from their smart speaker, particularly if they have photos they want to show off.
