The holidays are upon us and it's time to start thinking about gifts for friends, family, and why not, yourself as it's often the case those closer to you like to ask what you're wishing for the most. Particularly when it comes to computing and electronics, many will try to grab a good deal during Black Friday which sees a huge number of discounts on tech products.

However, in-between doorbusters and not-so-great yet deeply discounted products, it's easy to forget that it's better to spend wisely on a solid well-reviewed item. We've built a shortlist of some of our favorite and most recommended tech gear in various categories covering PC hardware, to electronics and gaming.

PC Hardware and Components

CPUs

AMD Ryzen 5 1600

The Ryzen 5 1600 is an exceptional value. On productivity workloads that can take advantage of multiple threads the Ryzen 1600 is great and it holds its own when gaming, too. How can you not love a 6-core/12-thread CPU that can be overclocked to 4 GHz using the stock cooler for under $200.

As reviewed by TechSpot

Intel Core i5-8400

Intel Core i5-8400 Review: The Core i5-8400 puts Ryzen (1st Gen) in an awkward position when it comes to gaming and perhaps even the new Core i7 range for that matter. Six high speed cores are going to be more than enough for the vast majority of gamers to play all the latest games without any frame hitches, while those seeking extreme frame rates for high refresh rate gaming shouldn't have any problem with these new Coffee Lake Core i5s either.

As reviewed by TechSpot

Intel Core i7-8700K

Intel's new mainstream flagship Core i7 processor is a beast. For gamers seeking the ultimate solution there is simply nothing better than the Core i7-8700K. Out of the box performance is incredible, overclocking is even more incredible, power consumption is impressive for a CPU running at over 4 GHz by default and needless to say, this chip is going to find its way into my new gaming rig.

As reviewed by TechSpot

Motherboards

ASRock AB350 Pro4

Price:

The ASRock AB350 Pro4 is an excellent motherboard with exceptional value with regards to functionality, practicality and affordability. The motherboard looks great and comes with many impressive surprises that you would not expect to see at this level. Despite the few minor improvements that could be made, I would definitely say that the AB350 Pro4 is worth getting regardless of whether you are on a budget or not.

As reviewed by Vuugo

MSI Z370-A Pro

Price:

There is little doubt that the Intel Core 8th Gen processors and Z370 motherboards make for an ideal performance base in late 2017. Able to house up to six cores yet without the extra cost associated with a truly high-end desktop platform. The MSI Z370 PC Pro is that board. Priced from $135 and even housing lighting on the underside, if that's your thing, we see it as an ideal companion to a Core i5-8400 or, when overclocked to a reasonable degree, the top-of-the-line 8700K.

As reviewed by Hexus

ASRock X370 Taichi

From the minimal onboard LEDs, Intel controllers for both LAN and WiFi, USB 3.1 Type-C and Type-A, dual M.2 ports, a huge compliment of SATA ports and fan headers, decent audio, highly capable power design, and the included HB Bridge for GTX 1070 and GTX 1080 SLI users, the ASRock X370 Taichi is the first product I have ever given a perfect score, and if you get one, I am sure you will quickly understand why I like this board so much. Need I mention it has it all and only costs $200?

As reviewed by techPowerUp!

Graphics Cards

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti

Should you even bother with the GTX 1050 when the faster Ti is available? While we were impressed with the performance of the standard 1050 at $110, the 1050 Ti managed to be around 20% faster and although it's almost 30% more expensive, we're only talking about $30 here. For that extra money you get twice the VRAM capacity and that looks as though it could be important going forward, especially if you really care about image quality.

As reviewed by TechSpot

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 3GB

The GTX 1060 3GB is a good value option for those gaming at 1080p and right now at $210 it’s also very affordable. Meanwhile the 6GB model is currently retailing for $280 and it's only marginally faster. It seems for the vast majority of games the 3GB model is less than 10% slower, which should produce highly playable performance for folks targeting 1080p in today's latest titles.

As reviewed by TechSpot

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070

The GTX 1070 is an exceptional upper-tier offering that delivers previous-gen flagship performance at a serious discount. It's every bit as good as the 1080 - in fact, you could argue that the 1070 is a better product thanks to its superior cost per frame ratio. This is the perfect option for those gaming at 1440p. With Maxwell Titan X-like performance who can complain.

As reviewed by TechSpot

Cases

NZXT S340 Elite

The NZXT S340 Elite's steel construction and minimalist looks give it the appearance of a much more expensive product. That full-sized TG window displays your rig's hardware perfectly, and the integrated PSU shroud keeps everything looking nice and clean. The Elite excels when it comes to cable management. It uses bars instead of grommets, and there are clamps along the rear to hold everything in place. Moreover, this compact mid-tower is one the easiest cases to work in and is recommended for both new builders and experienced PC enthusiasts.

Phanteks Enthoo Luxe Tempered Glass Edition

While the Luxe TG is quite similar to the Enthoo Pro and original Luxe, this costlier model comes with a few more features, including those extra fans, sandblasted aluminum panels, an integrated LED lighting setup, and that beautiful tempered glass. Not only do you now get that gorgeous, hinged side panel, but there are also a total of four 140mm fans, 2.5-inch mounts in the main compartment for showing off your SSDs, and a whole new color option: grey.

be quiet! Dark Base Pro 900

When it comes to picking a case with a breathtaking number of features, customization options, and storage setups, as well as loads of internal space and gorgeous looks, we feel that the be quiet! Dark Base Pro 900 sits at the top of the pile. Now that it's available starting at around the $220 mark, it’s a case that you can show off with pride without breaking the bank. From the modular inverted design and wireless charging pad to the tempered glass panel and sound dampening materials, Be Quiet! has outdone itself.

As reviewed by TechSpot

Storage

Crucial MX300 SSD

(Starts at 275GB) If all you are after is zero-millisecond access times for super snappy responsiveness, then we recommend the very wallet friendly Crucial MX300 series. Available in either 2.5" SATA or M.2 (2280) interfaces not much can match the M300 series in terms of bang for your buck. The 275GB model currently costs $95 which is a low cost per gigabyte of just 35 cents. There are also 525GB, 1TB and 2TB models as well selling for just $150, $280 and $550, respectively.

Samsung SSD 960 Pro

(Starts at 512GB) The Samsung SSD 960 Pro is hands down the best consumer grade SSD money can buy. Speaking of money, at a cost of at least $0.60 per gigabyte the 960 Pro series isn't cheap. It is however blistering fast and moves data at a rate we had not previously seen in our tests before. Frankly right now there is no worthwhile alternative to the Samsung SSD 960 Pro for those seeking maximum performance.

As reviewed by TechSpot

Seagate Backup Plus Hub

For those after something big to backup or transfer data, and don't need the performance of an SSD – or don't want to pay the premium – Seagate's Backup Plus Hub delivers ample storage at a great value. The drive comes in massive 4 TB, 6 TB, and 8 TB capacities, and must be plugged into a wall outlet. The design is sleek and compact for a full fledged external HDD, while the front-facing USB 3.0 hub is quite useful for charging mobile devices or plugging in flash drives on your desktop.

WD My Passport Portable

(Starts at 1TB) The 4TB Western Digital My Passport is a solid portable hard drive that combines capacity and value with funky design and good performance. Offering oodles of storage, good performance, password encryption, and a splash of color for an overall good value.

As reviewed by PCMag

Samsung T5 Portable SSD

(Starts at 250GB) The Samsung Portable SSD T5 sets an industry standard for others to follow. Pricing is right there for the T5, a three year warranty, security software that is a snap to set up, performance that simply cannot be beat in a medium of this size, and a device so compact that it fits in the palm of your hand and can be thrown in your pocket. The Samsung Portable SSD T5 is a step forward in today’s storage realm.

As reviewed by The SSD Review

Keyboards

Logitech G413 Carbon

The Logitech G413 is a great entry-level mechanical keyboard for those wishing to upgrade their typing experience. It’s aggressively priced, undercutting similar keyboards from competitors, while providing a solid feature set and the same tactile feedback as Logitech’s premium offerings. You won’t be blown away by the G413’s functionality, though it’s a decent entry point into the world of mechanical gaming keyboards at a more affordable price.

As reviewed by TechSpot

Unicomp Ultra Classic

You wouldn’t use a 30-year-old monitor to play World of Warcraft. You couldn’t load Windows 10 on a hard drive made three decades ago. Remember mice with little balls in the bottom? Computer mice. Stop that. In the Unicomp Ultra Classic we have a mechanical keyboard that’s essentially the same as one crafted in 1984, and it’s just as satisfying today as it was way back then.

As reviewed by TechSpot

Das Keyboard 4 Professional

The Das Keyboard 4 stays true to its roots in terms of aesthetics and its 104-key layout. The latest Das offers a new oversized volume knob and dedicated media controls on the top right side just above the number pad. Media controls include buttons to play, rewind and fast-forward as well as a mute button and another to put the computer to sleep.