For those of you who are looking to treat yourself or your loved one with a gift this holiday season, and a budget is quite high, this is the article for you. We’ve covered various price brackets thus far, starting with the under $50 bracket. This is the highest price tier that we’ll curate products for. In this article, you’ll find techie products that range between $500 and $1,000 in terms of prices (except for one that is slightly below the $500 level). We’ll list products from the cheapest to the most expensive in that price bracket, just to give you some options. We also did our best to avoid placing products of the same type on the list. Read on if you need some ideas for your upcoming shopping spree.

Best vacuum cleaner: roborock Q5 Max+

The Roborock Q5 Max+ is the cheapest product on this list. It actually costs less than $500, and is the only product on the list below that price level. I wanted to include one robot vacuum here, and this was the perfect choice to kick off the list. Many people like this robot vacuum as it does have a lot to offer. First and foremost, it’s a self-emptying vacuum. It can go to its dock and empty the dirt it vacuums around the house.

This robot vacuum offers a 5,500 Pa suction and has the Duo Roller brush too. LiDAR navigation is also a part of the package, and you can even control this vacuum with your voice. There is an app that Roborock offers that gives you a ton of additional functionality and tweaks. The company also says that you can go up to 7 weeks without manual trash disposal thanks to this robot’s self-emptying feature.

The aforementioned DuoRoller brush is great for gathering pet hair, as that can be a huge headache for pet owners, myself included. All in all, if you’re looking for a robot vacuum to clean up pet hair, and your budget is around $450-$500, this is the robot vacuum for you. There are other options out there, of course, but this is one of the best ones. This vacuum cleaner will cost you $449.99.

roborock Q5 Max+ (Amazon) – $449.99

Best drone: DJI Mini 4 Pro

If a drone is what you’re looking for in the $500-$1,000 price range, we have just the thing for you. The DJI Mini 4 Pro is a truly great drone. This thing weighs only 249 grams and can fly for over half an hour before it’ll need to be charged. That’s plenty of time for you to get all the landscape shots, or whatever you’re shooting. It also has a 20km max video transmitting distance, which is… a considerable distance.

Do note that its 249-gram weight means that it doesn’t need to be registered when you’re flying. Well, at least in the US, you’ll need to check elsewhere. This drone can also record 4K footage at 60 fps, in HDR, and the footage itself looks great. It’s an ideal drone for getting video footage of sunsets or something of the sort. It also has omnidirectional obstacle sensing, just so it makes sure it doesn’t crash into anything.

If you’re wondering if intelligent tracking is included in the package, the answer is… yes. ActiveTrack 360 will take care of that. So, even if you’re a beginner flyer, you have nothing to worry about. This drone may not be the cheapest out there, but it’s great for beginners, that’s for sure. If you’d like to get it for yourself or a loved one, the price tag at the moment is $759.

DJI Mini 4 Pro (Amazon) – $759

Best portable projector: Samsung Freestyle 2nd gen

Not everyone knows, but Samsung does make portable projectors. The Samsung Freestyle 2nd gen is one of them, and it’s a really capable projector that has a simple design. As its name says, this is a portable projector, not one of those that you mount to a wall or a ceiling. This is a 2023 model, and it actually has plenty to offer. You’ll notice a lot of speaker holes on it, along with some ports on the side, including an HDMI one, of course.

This projector comes with auto leveling, autofocus, and auto keystone tech, so setting it up is as easy as turning it on, basically. A ‘360 Sound’ offers immersive sound with 360-degree audio, while the Gaming Hub will make sure you have something to play… always. This projector can project an image that ranges in size from 30 to 100 inches. So regardless of what you need, it has you covered.

The Samsung Freestyle 2nd gen is also compatible with external batteries if that’s what you need. If you run out of juice, you can easily hook up an external battery to it via the USB-C port. Regardless of whether you need something for the bedroom, or for camping, this projector has you covered. The price tag on the Samsung Freestyle 2nd gen is $797.99.

Best large smartwatch: Apple Watch Ultra 2

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is one of the most popular smartwatches these days. It looks like its predecessor, but it does come with some improvements, of course. If you do have a large wrist, or know someone how does, then this is a smartwatch worth considering… presuming you want to spend as much for a smartwatch, of course. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 may be a compelling product, but it’s also immensely expensive at $819.

In any case, this smartwatch comes with a frame made out of aluminum and has two buttons on the right side. An action button is located below the rotating crown key. A rectangular display is once again included, as Apple doesn’t make watches with circular displays, unfortunately. This watch comes with various features for runners, cyclists, swimmers, hikers, divers, and so on.

It has a rather capable GPS setup on the inside, and its battery life can hold up to 36 hours of ‘normal use’. Your mileage may vary, though, of course. This watch is MIL-STD-810H certified for ruggedness, and it has proper water resistance and it’s swim-proof. There is a heart rate sensor included here, of course, while the Apple Watch Ultra 2 can track various other health metrics and your sleep patterns too.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 (Amazon) – $799

Best ultrawide gaming monitor: Samsung Odyssey G9

If you’re in need of an extremely wide monitor, we have a treat for you. Samsung’s 49-inch Odyssey G9 series monitor (DQHD 1000R) with a curved display is now considerably more affordable than usual. It costs $899.99 (at the time of publishing this article), which is a $500 discount. This monitor is outstanding regardless of whether you’re a gamer or not, but it’s made for gamers.

The aspect ratio you’re getting here is 32:9, and this is a QHD ultrawide monitor. It offers a 240Hz refresh rate and a 1ms response time. Its peak brightness is 1,000 nits, and it has a great contrast ratio too. This monitor utilizes the CoreSync technology to make the on-screen colors projected properly, while the Core Lighting+ adds some flare to the colors as well. Your games will look outstanding on this monitor.

You can also adjust it to your liking thanks to its adjustable stand. You can swivel, tilt, and adjust its height the way you see fit. It is also VESA-compatible if you want to mount it on a different stand or something of the sort. If this monitor is in your budget at its price tag, and you’re in need of a great ultrawide monitor, this is a great choice. You’re getting a dual QHD setup here, basically. Kind of like two monitors in one.

Samsung Odyssey G9 (Amazon) – $899.99

Best smartphone: Google Pixel 9 Pro

Let’s wrap up the list with a smartphone, shall we? The Google Pixel 9 Pro is the device in question, and it rounds up this price category beautifully. Its price tag is $999, so a full dollar below the limit. This is also one of Google’s two new flagship smartphones. It offers exactly the same experience as its larger sibling but in a smaller package. This phone is plenty big with its 6.3-inch display, but still not too big. In other words, it will be a sweet spot for many people.

The Pixel 9 Pro comes with a new modem, which based on our experience not only fixed some signal issues, but the battery life is a lot better this time around. The Pixel 9 Pro also has a brand new design, Google went with a flatter look this time around. So, even if you used an iPhone up until now, you’ll be right and home when it comes to an in-hand feel too. The phone looks very premium all around and has thin bezels around the display.

This handset also comes with a capable triple camera setup on the back. That camera setup has you covered regardless of whether you need to wider field of view, or a close-up of someone. It can also shoot far-away objects easily, it does a great job in that regard. Wireless charging is also supported, and even though the phone comes with Android 14 out of the box, Android 15 has been released and it’s available for the phone. You can also check out our review if you’d like to know more.

Google Pixel 9 Pro (Amazon) – $999