Christmas is closing in and there is no time for messing around. So if you need a single source for the best and budget picks in every consumer technology category you have come to the right place. Let's get straight into it.
SmartphonesBest: Apple iPhone 5S (~ $649 unlocked) Apple continues to get stick for not evolving the iPhone range, but in truth its smaller 4-inch screen size blinds skeptics from a phone which is truly cutting edge. Speed, camera performance, call quality and build quality are all among the best in the sector and its new Touch ID fingerprint scanner is the first truly useful implementation of biometric security on any phone. Unless you want a bigger screen, the 5S is the complete package and while the design of iOS7 is polarizing it closes the gap on Android's greater functionality. It remains the most polished handset on the market.
Bargain: Google / LG Nexus 5 (~ $349 unlocked) Of course Android fans will be shaking their heads, but they shouldn't because my favorite handset in 2013 is actually my budget pick: the Nexus 5. Blazing performance, a gorgeous 5-inch Full HD screen, tasteful design and staggeringly cheap price tag mean it stands head and shoulders above the competition, including the excellent HTC One. Battery life could be better, but camera and loudspeaker concerns were largely fixed with Android 4.4.2, an update which maintains Android's position as the best mobile OS available.
Honorable mention: Motorola Moto G (~ $179 unlocked) A rare additional category, in this case because acclaim must also go to the exceptional Motorola Moto G. If your budget is very tight this is the best handset priced below a Nexus 5... and yet it costs half the price. Nippy, well made, a sharp 4.5-inch screen and all day battery life to embarrass most cutting edge smartphones, the Moto G is a gem.
PhabletBest: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (~ $649) Samsung gets a lot of abuse for the changes it makes to stock Android and the bloated software it adds. This is deserved, but the Note 3 is fast enough to handle it all and still perform like a champ. It has a glorious 5.7-inch Full HD screen, a class leading camera and enough battery life to last a few days between charges. The integrated S Pen stylus is also supported by smart software, reminding you that fingers are not the only way to effortlessly control a device.
Bargain: Samsung Galaxy Mega (~ $360) It is a clean sweep for the Korean giant with this outrageous, affordable 6.3-inch phablet. The Mega is likely to be challenged by a budget version of the Note 3 next year, but for Christmas it is a great wallet friendly option with a surprisingly sharp 720-pixel screen, snappy performance, expandable storage and even support for 4G. There's also great battery life, something which is fast becoming a key selling point of the larger phablet form factor.
TabletBest: Apple iPad Air (from ~$499) This iPad Air is Apple perfecting its large screen 9.7in tablet form factor. Somehow it slices nearly 30 per cent off the weight of its predecessor yet gets even faster and lasts just as long. It isn't so much a new iPad as a big screen, super powered iPad mini, which is far more desirable. The absence of Touch ID as seen on the iPhone 5S is a disappointment, but the unparalleled variety and quality of iOS tablet apps means it still stands head and shoulders above similarly sized competition. That said we expect strong competition from a new Nexus 10 in early 2014.
Budget: Google Nexus 7 (from ~$199) 2013 was the year small form-factor tablets fulfilled their promise. While the iPad mini got a significant upgrade, the 2nd generation Nexus 7 is the more impressive device. It has a better (if smaller) screen, is faster and much cheaper than Apple's offering and while the dedicated tablet apps in Android aren't as comprehensive as Apple's they are growing fast. A poor camera shouldn't put off buyers from what is an absolute bargain.
FitnessBest: Fitbit Force (~$129.99) It has been a breakthrough year for Fitbit as the Force takes on the might of Nike and Jawbone and comes out on top. An AMOLED screen displays your steps as they are counted and it cleverly doubles as a smartwatch by receiving notifications from your phone (though app support is limited at present). Battery life lasts nearly a week, it is water resistant and can even operate as a vibrating wrist alarm so you won't wake up a partner in the morning. The icing on the cake is a superb user dashboard with adjustable goals and the ability to compete with Fitbit-owning friends.
Budget: Fitbit One (~$99) Fitbit also takes the budget price with the wonderfully fully featured One. Like the Force it can measure steps, distance, calories burned, stairs climbed and sleep patterns and even operate as a silent alarm. It can't double as a smartwatch and it doesn't wrap around your wrist, but some argue this makes it a more accurate tracker as it isn't influenced by hand movements. The Fitbit Zip is even cheaper at under $60, but less fully featured and for an extra $20 or $30 the extra outlay is well worth it.
SmartwatchBest: Pebble (~$150) It has been an unusual year for smartwatches. The expensive options, headlined by the awful Samsung Galaxy Gear, have all been a letdown and simple Kickstarter sensation the Pebble continues to lead the way. This affordable, e-ink monochrome smartwatch works how a smartwatch should. It displays handset notifications rather than trying to be its own device. This leads to week-long battery life, affordable pricing and an intuitive user experience. It is also waterproof and works with any smartphone operating system. Until the likes of Apple, Google or Samsung make a breakthrough with a fully independent smartwatch, this is the model to get.
Bargain: MetaWatch Strata (~$129) Another Kickstarter sensation, the Strata has lived in the shadow of the Pebble but it offers all the same functionality and costs about the same. This means the Strata is also used primarily to display smartphone notifications rather than operate independently and its design is more rugged than the Pebble while the battery life still lasts a week. The downside is the Strata is less intuitive than the Pebble with a confusing button layout and quirky menus. Personally speaking it is also uglier.
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