The last installment in our five-part holiday gift guide series this year is tailored for power users—those who know their way around technology and feel uneasy settling for gear that doesn’t provide high performance.
The nine gadgets we’ve rounded up below may be overkill for most of the people in your life, but they should satisfy those who consider themselves enthusiasts in some way. Per usual, we’ve curated these recommendations based on hands-on testing we’ve done over the course of 2019. If none of these items fit your shopping list’s needs, though, take a look at our previous gift guides for the home, the office, the road, and affordable gadgets for additional inspiration. For now, though, let’s indulge a little in the latest and greatest tech.
Note: Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs.
Razer Viper
Beyond that, the Viper’s RGB lighting is limited to subtle changes on the Razer logo, so it doesn’t come off as gaudy the way other gaming mice do. The main right and left buttons feel quick and crisp, due in part to an optical switch design that makes double-clicks rare. They should also keep the Viper more durable over time. (For what it’s worth, we’ve tested the mouse for four months and have encountered no reliability issues thus far.) The scroll wheel is a bit on the slower side but still comes off smooth. The optical sensor has up to a 16,000 DPI resolution, which is overkill, but it tracks smoothly and consistently across surfaces all the same. Razer’s companion software is far from required to get the Viper working, but it’s unobtrusive enough, and it can be used to fine tune DPI presets and adjust more granular settings like lift sensitivity. The cable is exceedingly light and flexible. And the whole design is ambidextrous, so lefties aren’t left out in the dark.
There are things to nitpick about the Viper. The side buttons are consistent but sit fairly flush against the side of the mouse. The hard rubberized texture on those sides isn’t quite as grippy as it could be. And while we like the DPI adjustment button being on the bottom of the device, since it makes accidental presses less likely, others may prefer it being more readily accessible on top. It’s not the cheapest mouse, either. But as a gift, the Viper is highly comfortable and performant for power users of all kinds.
Razer Viper
SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD
While there are plenty of storage solutions for your home or office data, SanDisk's Extreme Portable SSD is a good option for data you need with you wherever you go. The surprisingly small, portable SSD is IP55-rated, so it will withstand water and dust, as well as shock and vibrations. It can even be dropped from up to two meters without suffering any damage.
That's impressive for an SSD that can fit comfortably into the palm of your hand. While it has one USB-C port on it, it comes with both USB-C and USB-A cables so it can be connected to almost any PC. All of this combined makes it one of the easiest SSDs to travel with, and one of the most convenient to use for most people.
Available in 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB options, the SanDisk Extreme SSD is also one of the fastest portable storage solutions that we've tested. It's similar to Samsung's T5 SSD in data read and write speeds, making it one of the fastest you can get that also has a truly portable (and durable) design. Samsung's T5 SSD is more affordable, but SanDisk's Extreme SSD is better for power users because it has that extra layer of protection in its design along with the same ease of use as Samsung's device.
SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD (1TB)
Listing image by Jeff Dunn
Raspberry Pi 4
This latest model comes with a fairly noticeable performance upgrade over the previous Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+. There’s a faster 1.5GHz Cortex A72 CPU and options for 2GB or 4GB of RAM in addition the usual 1GB. There are now two USB 3.0 ports among the four total USB ports. Since the Pi 4 is no longer constrained by a USB 2.0 bridge, its gigabit Ethernet port is now capable of reaching actual gigabit speeds. The whole thing is powered by USB-C instead of the aging microUSB, too.
There are some caveats to note here, most notably that you need a non “e-marked” USB-C cable to power the device. That’s because the Pi 4’s USB-C port technically breaks the USB-C spec. What this means in layman's terms is that you should stick to the official charger. The full-size HDMI port has also been removed; instead, you get two ports that use the less ubiquitous micro HDMI standard but do allow for multi-monitor setups. If your loved one doesn’t have a case, microSD card, or heat sinks, you might be better off paying more for a full “starter kit.” And while the Pi 4 does get closer to a "genuine" desktop PC’s performance, it’s not comfortably there yet. Still, it’s plenty of power for the money, and it remains a wildly versatile tool for the budding engineer in your life.
Raspberry Pi 4 Model B (1GB RAM)
iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit
All of this should be enough to, say, repair a cracked iPhone screen or mod a better d-pad onto a Nintendo Switch. Naturally, it also pairs well with the various repair guides on iFixit’s site. All told, it should be comprehensive enough to assist those who’d rather not pay a repair shop to get their tech fixed.
iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit
Apple Pencil
Plenty of Apple's products have become ubiquitous, including some iPad models. But power-users, particularly those in creative fields or those that are especially tactile people, will want to invest in the second-generation Apple Pencil. It works with all the newest iPad Pro models and takes what was great about the first-generation Pencil and adds more to it.
First and foremost, the responsiveness and lack of latency of the first-generation device is present in the second-gen Apple Pencil. It's, without a doubt, the smoothest writing tool for the new iPad Pros. There's little to no lag when drawing or taking notes, and its pressure sensitivity and tilt functions make it a superb artist's tool.
Second, the new features added to the second-gen model are quite useful. The Apple Pencil now pairs automatically with your iPad Pro (no need to stick it into the tablet's port), and it magnetically attaches to the edge of the iPad Pros as well. That makes it much easier to take with you without worrying you'll lose it. While it sits attached to your iPad Pro, it can also wireless charge using the tablet's power supply so you won't have to worry about your Pencil running out of juice before you even get to use it.
There's nothing wrong with the original Apple Pencil—if you have one and it works with your current iPad, you don't need to upgrade. However, the updates and new benefits of the second -generation Apple Pencil make it a must-have for those who rely on their iPad Pros for daily productivity.
Apple Pencil (2nd gen)
Cooler Master MH751
This is a decidedly no-frills headset—there’s no virtual surround sound, for one—but it excels at the fundamentals. It should become a staple for your loved one’s long gaming sessions.
Cooler Master MH751
Lenovo ThinkVision M14
Once you go dual-monitor, it's hard to go back to just one screen. But if you decide to change things up and work from a new location, that new place probably won't have an external monitor lying around for you to use. Lenovo's $249 ThinkVision M14 portable USB-C monitor can fix that problem. It's exactly what it sounds like—a portable 14-inch monitor that you can take with you anywhere to add that second screen you crave into your traveling work station.
The ThinkVision M14 excels at being truly portable. Measuring just 0.5-inches thick at its widest point and weighing 1.13 pounds, it doesn't add much in the way of weight or space to your bag. The thickest point on the monitor is where the hinge, which folds up flat against the back of the monitor when not in use.
Imagine the ThinkVision M14 like a laptop but without a keyboard—only a small bit of hinge remains to act as a stand for the 14-inch, FHD IPS screen. It can be adjusted too, allowing you to choose your preferred viewing angle. On the slim edges of the hinge are two USB-C ports and a lock slot, along with a few buttons to change the screen brightness and blue-light levels.
Just connect the ThinkVision M14 to your laptop with the included USB-C cable and starting working with two screens. The M14 receives power from your laptop by default, but it also supports USB power delivery. That means you can connect your USB-C cable and power adapter to one of the ThinkVision M14's ports to charge the display along with your laptop at the same time.
Admittedly, most people won't need or want a second display like this. But for power users who want to work as efficiently while in an unfamiliar place as they do in their regular office will get a lot of use out of the ThinkVision M14 portable monitor.
Lenovo ThinkVision M14
Topre Realforce R2 PFU
If you want to give them something truly high-end, though, the Realforce is a tremendous piece of hardware. It has downsides, namely its lack of backlighting and its non-removable cable. But its Topre switches, which fall somewhere between a mechanical switch and a premium rubber dome, are supremely comfortable. They don’t take much force to “bottom out,” but they have a uniquely springy quality that keeps them from wearing out your fingers over longer stretches of typing. It’s an exceedingly smooth feel that comes off as even and consistent with each key press.
Each key here looks as crisp as it feels, since the Realforce uses matte PBT key caps that don't smudge or attract grease the way more common ABS caps might. The Topre switches on the R2 PFU are noticeably quieter than a typical Cherry MX design, too, so you get that satisfying responsiveness without totally annoying anyone else in your vicinity. It’s more of a muffled “thock” sound than the clickier tone you might hear on other mechanical boards. (A cheaper model is available without the quieter switches.)
The downwardly sloped design helps the keyboard rest in a natural position for typing, and the keys themselves are comfortably sized and spaced out. They don’t make any audible “pinging” noise when pressed, either. There’s a full number pad, and those who want to get granular can customize the actuation point of the keys from 1.5mm to 3mm. We also like the professional Model M-style aesthetic of the R2 PFU, though tastes can differ and some might find it a bit plain.
Settling for a plastic frame on a keyboard this expensive is somewhat annoying, and Topre keyboards are generally less open to keycap customizations than traditional mechanical boards. But if the price premium doesn’t scare you off, the Realforce R2 PFU should add some delight to those who spend much of their day on the computer.
Topre Realforce R2 PFU
Garmin Fenix 6 Pro
Fitness watches don't get much better than Garmin's Fenix line. The new Fenix 6 Pro takes everything we loved about the Fenix 5 and makes it even better. The smartwatch, which comes in 42mm, 47mm, and 51mm case sizes, tracks all day activity and sleep, continuous heart rate, and pulse ox, and it has a built-in altimeter, GPS, NFC for Gamin Pay, storage for music, and a battery big enough to last 14 days on a single charge.
Those are just the highlights—the Fenix 6 Pro watches do a lot more than most of Garmin's other wearables, and rightly so since the Fenix 6 Pro costs $699. The color touchscreen shows workout animations, topo and ski maps, golf course maps, turn-by-turn navigations, and additional fitness metrics like ClimbPro's ascent planner, PacePro insights, respiration data, VO2 max, and more. Like all of Garmin's newest wearables, it also has incident detection, which allows the watch to sense when you've fallen or been in an accident so it can then immediately send your location to emergency personnel.
We know that $699 is a lot to spend on a smartwatch, but Garmin's Fenix watches are designed for the most outdoorsy fitness enthusiasts there are. You cannot find a lot of the high-end features present in the Fenix family in other smartwatches (certainly not any device lower than $300), and that's what makes them indispensable tools for the right people. The Fenix 6 Pro also manages to look nice on your wrist even when you're not hiking a desolate mountain, which is a perk we appreciate.
Garmin Fenix 6 Pro
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiSGh0dHBzOi8vYXJzdGVjaG5pY2EuY29tL2dhZGdldHMvMjAxOS8xMi9iZXN0LWdpZnQtaWRlYXMtZm9yLXRlY2gtbG92ZXJzL9IBAA?oc=5
2019-12-13 12:30:00Z
CBMiSGh0dHBzOi8vYXJzdGVjaG5pY2EuY29tL2dhZGdldHMvMjAxOS8xMi9iZXN0LWdpZnQtaWRlYXMtZm9yLXRlY2gtbG92ZXJzL9IBAA
Bagikan Berita Ini
Related Posts :
High school basketball: AJ Casey, Grant Newell help Young hold off Mount Carmel - Chicago Sun-Times- Bulls big man Wendell Carter Jr. shouldn’t expect help anytime soon - Chicago Sun-Times
- Texans rally to help neighbors amid big freeze as officials are caught cold - The Guardian
- AOC Flies to Texas to Help at a Food Bank – Mother Jones - Mother Jones
- It takes a village: How Texas A&M used its arena to help warm residents - San Antonio Express-News
0 Response to "Guidemaster: Nine gift ideas for the tech enthusiast in your life - Ars Technica"
Post a Comment