The best holiday gifts for tech lovers in 2022

Once relegated to the realm of science fiction, smartwatches are all the rage these days, and they’re designed to be the perfect companion for your smartphone, delivering notifications, fitness data and more right to your wrist. Just enough luxury to make the perfect holiday gift. Although it may be hard for some to accept, there simply isn’t a better smartwatch on the market than it Apple Watch Series 8 ($399+). But for those who remain proud Samsung Galaxy users, Galaxy Watch5 ($64.99+) is a close contender.

Apple Watch Series 8 comes with a variety of features to help you stay on top of your health. It tracks your activities and can even alert you when it detects something unusual. It also monitors heart rate, blood oxygen levels and sleep cycles. And it’s compatible with the Apple Health app, so you can easily keep track of your daily activity and goals.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy Watch5 includes the same features and syncs with Samsung Health, where you can also get personalized fitness workouts. It runs on a customized version of Google’s Wear OS platform, but with the almost comical array of extra features that Samsung is known for. Both watches accept calls, have messaging capabilities and run a variety of apps from music services like Spotify to fitness apps like Strava.

Importantly, keep in mind when purchasing that both watches are limited by the ecosystem. Someone with an iPhone won’t get much out of the Galaxy Watch, nor will an Android user from the Apple Watch. A great alternative if your gift recipient doesn’t even own a Samsung or Apple phone, this is it Pixel Clock ($349.99+), Google’s watch device designed to work on all Android devices.