This story is part of Father's Day Gift Guide 2020, featuring our top picks for dads who love tech.
Father's Day is Sunday, June 21, and if you're fortunate enough to be able to spend between $100 and $250 on dear old Dad, we've got a bunch of CNET-approved choices below, all of which have been fully reviewed or anecdotally tested by our editors.
Samsung's Buds Plus look essentially the same as the original Galaxy Buds, but their battery life is rated at 11 hours for music playback (up from 6), and they pack dual drivers for better sound and an additional microphone in each bud to help with external noise reduction while making calls.
I was impressed with the sound. It's detailed and smooth, with deep, well-defined bass. The sound is richer and more spacious than that of the original Galaxy Buds. Well-respected Austrian audio company AKG, which Samsung acquired when it bought Harman, is behind the audio. While the original Buds were also "tuned" by AKG, these are a nice upgrade over the originals -- and right there with what you get with the Jabra Elite 75t, if not even a touch better. They use Bluetooth 5.0 and support for AAC (there's now an app for iOS users) and Samsung's scalable codec, which is similar to aptX but is proprietary to Samsung Galaxy phones.
Water-resistant: Yes (IPX4 rating -- splash-proof). Read our Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus review.
The Activ5 is billed as, "A tiny gym in your pocket." About the size of a hockey puck, the Activ5 is more sophisticated than it looks. It's designed to create an isometric workout as you apply pressure to either side of the device -- essentially squeezing it -- using various parts of your body.
You connect your iOS or Android phone to the device and a free companion app (pictured) tracks the amount of pressure you apply to it. With a little gamification, the app guides you through short workouts that you can do anywhere. It seems a little expensive at $140, but it gives you more of a workout than you'd think given its tiny size and simplistic shape. Watch the CNET video.
Sony's WF-1000XM3 is considered one of the best set of true wireless noise-canceling earbuds. But to the dismay of some people, it lacked any sort of water resistance, making it unsuitable for sports. It took a while, but now we finally have a new true wireless noise-canceling sports model from Sony: the WF-SP800N.
This isn't quite the WF-1000XM3 with a water-resistant body. It's missing Sony's QN1e processor, but there's still a lot to like about it, including very good sound, solid noise canceling and good call quality. It's definitely a nice upgrade over the WF-SP700N, which came out in 2018, and its "arcs" (sports fins) lock the buds in your ears. Just make sure you get a tight seal from one of the included ear tips or else both the sound and noise canceling will be lackluster.
Water-resistant: Yes (IP55 splashproof). Read our Sony WF-SP800N review.
This gift is sure to please any dad: His very own mini percussive therapy device. New for 2020, the 1.5-pound Theragun Mini massager is designed to be portable, easily fitting in a backpack or purse. While it doesn't have quite the power of one of Theragun's full-size devices, it's surprisingly powerful considering how small it is. I've tried larger massage guns in this price range, and it's just as powerful but half the size.The rechargeable battery is rated to last two-and-a-half hours, and a neoprene protective case is included.
When you hear Razer -- best known for its gaming laptops and accessories -- is releasing a new noise-canceling headphone, the first thing you probably ask yourself is whether it's a gaming headphone. Surprisingly, when it comes to the new $200 Opus, the answer is no. It's an everyday noise-canceling headphone that Razer hopes its gaming-oriented customers will buy instead of more expensive models from Bose, Sony and others. While the Opus doesn't have the most distinguishing external design, it does sound pretty darn good and overall performed quite well in my tests.
With a full-fledged 4K HDR Roku streamer built in and a single voice remote controlling everything, this bar offers a simple all-in-one audio/video solution. This soundbar setup is a breeze; just add to a TV with a simple HDMI connection. Sound quality is very good for a single bar, and you can add Roku's optional wireless subwoofer for more punch. It also comes with a much-loved Roku remote control. Read our Roku Smart Soundbar review.
With all the video streaming, multiplayer gaming and Zoom meetings going on, your dad will benefit from a new router. But why not go for the whole-home coverage of a mesh network system to boot? The three-piece Eero system is currently on sale, and Amazon is even throwing in a free Echo Dot, too. Read our Eero (2019) review.
If you want to give your dad the gift of improved sound quality, or the ability to ask for tunes out loud, there can be only One. It works with Alexa or Google Assistant, and it's compatible with AirPlay 2 streaming. Read our Sonos One review.
The AirPods Pro aren't necessarily the best-sounding true wireless headphones out there, but they integrate seamlessly with Apple devices, their noise-canceling is excellent, and the transparency mode is great for listening without shutting out the world around you. Any iPhone-owning dad will dig these. Read our Apple AirPods Pro review.
How many sunglasses with integrated audio does your dad already have? Does it number less than one? The Bose Frames sets itself apart from other devices in that nothing goes either in or on your ear; instead the audio is projected from the frames. These Bluetooth sunglasses sound surprisingly good, and include a feature called Audio Augmented Reality, making it a gift for the dad who wants to stay on the cutting edge. Read CNET's review.
This 50-inch 4K TV doesn't have the best picture quality we've seen. But at this price, who cares? What it does have is the best-in-class Roku smart TV operating system, which means that every worthwhile streaming app from Netflix to Hulu and nearly everything in between is built right in. It's a great starter TV that can migrate to the bedroom or game room to eventually make way for a bigger, better set. If you need to stay under $250, go for the 43-inch model -- but spending just $30 more gets your dad this 50-incher instead. Read our Roku S425 TV review.
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May 30, 2020 at 06:18AM
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Best Father's Day gifts under $250 - CNET
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