9 thoughtful gift ideas for home theater fans looking to upgrade their entertainment setup
Great Christmas gift ideas for the movie lover
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Got a home theater lover in your life? It’s undoubtably great to watch movies with them but how about finding a great Christmas gift for making that experience even better for them (and you)? No one is expecting you to buy one of thebest TVsfor them but we have got some great and more affordable options than a huge and expensiveOLEDTV.
We’ve picked out some fantastic choices to entertain your loved one for the holidays. The list below is as varied as great ways of enhancing their aural experience right down to cool movies to watch to show off their home cinema setup, and even a great but affordable TV if you want to go big with your gift giving. Appreciating that we all have different budgets, we’ve made sure there are options for every bank balance. Take a look below at the best Christmas gift ideas for the home theater lover.
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Best TV and streaming device gifts
QLED TV
QLED on a budget
Amazon’s Fire TV range punches above its weight so if you can stretch your budget to a new TV, the 43-inch Omni QLED is a great option. It has support for Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10, HLG, and HDR10+ Adaptive so it looks pretty good. There’s adaptive brightness so it automatically adjusts to the lighting in your room too. Simple to use, Fire TV makes the whole experience easier for all the family to figure out this Christmas.
Streaming device
Easy streaming
Most of us have a smart TV but a dedicated device generally works better. TheRoku Express 4K Plusis inexpensive yet very useful. It has support for pretty much every streaming app you can think of, as well as providing 4K and HDR imagery. Its voice remote is the highlight here meaning you can speak a command instead of tapping away at the remote the old-fashioned way.
Apple TV
The Apple owner’s choice
TheApple TV 4Ksimply just works and works well, much like all other Apple tech. It has support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos, and it works seamlessly with your other Apple devices. You can use it to stream your favorite shows but it also allows you to see photos from your phone, cast other content across, and reap all the benefits of Apple Arcade and Apple Fitness Plus too.
Best Blu-ray player, projector and soundbar gifts
Blu-Ray player
Perfect for physical media
One of thebest 4K Blu-ray players, the Sony UBP-X700 is perfect for physical media lovers. Generally considered to still be better quality than streaming or digital copies, using 4K discs provides you with the best picture contrast and brightness, along with all-round superior picture quality. The Sony UBP-X700 also includes streaming support with built-in Wi-Fi.
Projector
Truly cinematic
TheSamsung Freestyle Projectoris for those who any size TV simply won’t cut it. It works best in dimly lit rooms, allowing you to project to up to 100-inches high in full HD. Simple to use, it does all the hard work for you like auto-focusing and picking the best screen size. It’ll work outdoors too with support for voice assistants, streaming apps, and music playback.
Soundbar
Exceptional surround sound
TheSonos Beam Gen 2provides vibrant bass and crystal clear dialogue with whatever you’re watching. It has a wide soundstage that feels cinematic in nature with Dolby Atmos adding to the surround sound effect. Besides being perfect for movies, it also allows for streaming music, podcasts, and more, so it blends into your living space well. Easy setup sweetens the deal.
Best earbuds and Blu-ray discs gifts
Earbuds
Best for solo watching
If the person you’re buying for is often watching movies late at night when everyone else has gone to bed, theApple AirPods Pro 2will ensure they can enjoy their time without missing out on great sound quality. Dolby Atmos support along with spatial audio all provide an immersive experience while there’s fantastic ANC for cancelling out the surrounding world while you watch.
Blu-ray
The best movie of 2023
Considered to be the best movie of 2023 by many reputable sources,Oppenheimertells the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, responsible for the Manhattan Project which led to the first atomic bomb. A gripping story, it looks fantastic too with spectacular visual effects and HDR10 support to offer more vivid and lifelike color. It’s a long watch but a gripping one, whether you’re a history buff or just adore compelling cinema.
Blu-ray
Spectacular set pieces
Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part Oneshowcases just how impressive stunts can be with Tom Cruise throwing himself at buildings and performing some exceptional stunts that’ll make you wonder how he was ever allowed to do them himself. Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support bring the experience to your home well and it’s the kind of movie the whole family can enjoy.
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Jennifer is a roving tech freelancer with over 10 years experience. Having graduated from Swansea University with a degree in Media and Communication Studies, and later with a diploma from Staffordshire University with a post graduate diploma in Computer Games Design, she’s written for a huge number of publications, including T3, FitandWell, Top Ten Reviews, Eurogamer, NME and many more.
Her main areas of interest are all things B2B, smart technology, wearables, speakers, headphones, and anything gaming related, and you’ll find her writing everything from product reviews to buying guides and hunting down the latest coupon codes to save you money. In her spare time, she enjoys the cinema, walking, and attempting to train her pet guinea pigs. She is yet to succeed.
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