Best gifts for TV and movie lovers 2015

Best gifts for TV and movie lovers 2015 | Gift Guide

Do you have someone on your gift list that is a techie?  A dork? A gear junkie? Well, it’s that time of year when I sit down and recommend some of the best gifts for TV and movie lovers this year. This list will be focused specifically on gear that enhances the TV and movie watching experience as well as a few picks of just great stuff I have used this year. So without further ado, here is the list!

Gift Guide – Best gifts for TV and movie lovers 2015

Xbox One - Buy Now on Amazon 1. Xbox One Holiday Bundle

It’s really becoming the go-to piece of gear for many cord cutters and TV/movie watchers. If you’re a gamer and also a Netflix addict then look no further. Also, Microsoft is offering some amazing deals on bundles this holiday (including one with Fallout 4 – get ready to kiss 100+ hours of your life away). Seriously though, I love my Xbox One and it is my main streaming box for Netflix, Plex, NHL Gamecenter etc.

Roku 4 - Buy now on Amazon 2. Roku 4 streaming video box

This one is a bit of surprise. I never was a huge fan of Roku boxes in the past.  But this year they killed it. One of the most versatile boxes on the market has been made even better with the addition of true 4K video support. Check this one out if you are in the market for a stand-alone streaming media box.  It kicks some serious ass.

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 - Buy it now on Amazon 3. Microsoft Surface Pro 4

I haven’t gotten around to doing a full review on this sucker yet, but for my money it is probably the best tech release this year. Period. It’s not only a slim and capable tablet, but with the added type cover, this is truly the all in one device that can finally replace your laptop. I’ve had mine for almost 2 months now and it is an amazing piece of gear. If you know someone who needs a new laptop, consider the Surface Pro 4.

Western Digital 4TB External Hard Drive - Buy it on Amazon 4. Western Digital 4TB external hard drive

What are you going to do with all of your digital movies? Well, external drives are now 4 terabytes!  Meaning that you can safely plug this guy into your streaming server or Xbox One and enjoy almost limitless storage (not quite, but it’s about as close as you can get right now).  And right now Amazon is running a sweet deal on this guy.

Chromecast 2 5. Google Chromecast 2

How do you follow-up on a smash hit streaming device?  Well, you make it better. This year’s refresh of the Chromecast offers a much nicer form factor, speedier innards and finally support for your blazing fact Wireless AC router and 5Ghz band. And it’s only $35!  If you don’t one (or a couple) of these then you are really missing out on the best deal in consumer electronics.  Period. See my review here.

Nexus 6P - Buy it on Amazon 6. Nexus 6P smartphone

For when your loved one is wanting to watch some Netflix or surf the web on the go. I’m a huge fan of the Nexus brand of smartphones from Google. This year Huawei has really upped the build quality on probably the best Android phone on the market. It’s unlocked too, so you can take it to any phone provider and just slap in a SIM card.

Moto 360 - Buy it on Amazon 7. Motorola Moto 360 smartwatch

This second edition version of my favourite smartwatch does not disappoint. It was the first out of the gate with a round-faced smartwatch last year. And this year they have amped up the speed of the innards for an even smoother Android Wear experience. The software side from Google has also been beefed up since the first edition and it really is a great experience now.

NVIDIA Shield TV - Buy it on Amazon 8. NVIDIA Shield TV Android TV box

This is my vote for the best overall streaming box launched this year. It is fast, capable and comes with a kickass gaming controller. This is what Android TV should be, and right now you can’t find a better Android TV box. Nothing comes even close to the NVIDIA Shield TV’s quality and speed.

Vizio E Series LED TV - Buy it on Amazon 9. VIZIO E Series 50 inch LED TV

If you know someone who REALLY needs a great new TV, but don’t want to break the bank, this where you want to start looking. VIZIO has been turning heads this year with the best sub-$500 line of TVs this year. They really are a great deal. And for image quality snobs, they have gotten some really great objective reviews this year too. I like the 50″ but they come in sizes going all the way down to 24 inches.

DLink AC1900 router - Buy it on Amazon 10. DLink AC1900 router

What good is all of this great new connected equipment if you don’t have a great router to actually handle all of your web traffic? This is a huge seller on Amazon. Mainly because it is reasonably priced and features dual band and wireless AC. There are certainly better routers on the market, but nothing close to the mix of quality and affordability that the AC1900 brings.


I hope this list helps you wade through the confusing world of consumer electronics this year. I’m a big dork so feel free to send me an email if you have any questions.  Happy Holidays!