Skip to main content

Filed under:

The Verge Holiday Gift Guide 2011

Welcome to The Verge Holiday Gift Guide 2011. Holiday shopping season officially begins on Black Friday, and since Thanksgiving is in our rear-view mirror, you're probably desperately hunting for the best gift ideas right about now. We're arranging our gift guide by price, because our scientists have discovered through months of testing that price is the criteria which most humans utilize to figure out what to buy friends, family, and co-workers. We've also tried to keep the recommendations to products relatively specific, so you don't have to sort through 20 different versions of one type of product to figure out which is best for you. Finally, we're making suggestions based on gear that we'd actually buy for ourselves, so you can be sure we mean it when we tell you to swipe your credit card.

  • Ross Miller

    Nov 25, 2011

    Ross Miller

    Holiday Gift Guide: Gaming

    Gaming Holiday Gift Guide
    Gaming Holiday Gift Guide

    We can recommend game consoles and other for-play gadgetry all we want, but after you have the hardware... then what? Because not every console is just a Netflix box with an analog remote control, we thought it'd be best to delve a bit into the software titles you could pick for would-be gamers, for the guy or girl that already owns everything, and heck, even just for yourself.

    It's been a very good year for multiplatform titles. Sure, there's been a number of great exclusives, but by and large, whether you own an Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, or decently-spec'd Windows PC, the choices have been pretty consistent and consistently good. Here are a few suggestions:

    Read Article >
  • Paul Miller

    Nov 25, 2011

    Paul Miller

    Holiday Gift Guide: $1000+

    Gift guide 1000
    Gift guide 1000

    Over $1,000: This is as good as it gets, folks. You've reached the end of our holiday gift guide, and the apex of gift-giving. All of these suggestions will run you more than $1,000 and the eternal admiration of whoever you buy them for. Just remember to save a little something for next year.

    Read Article >
  • Paul Miller

    Nov 25, 2011

    Paul Miller

    Holiday Gift Guide: $500 - $1000

    Gift Guide 500 - 1000
    Gift Guide 500 - 1000

    $500 to $1,000 Okay. If you're going to spend somewhere between $500 to $1,000 on someone, they must be like the greatest person ever, so first off, congratulations on knowing the greatest person ever. We don't know that person ourselves. We're just here to recommend gifts for that person, since you know them.

    Read Article >
  • Paul Miller

    Nov 25, 2011

    Paul Miller

    Holiday Gift Guide: $250 - $500

    Gift Guid 250 - 500
    Gift Guid 250 - 500

    Now we're talking. For a truly special person in your life, we've pulled together a truly spectacular list of the latest and greatest in the $250 to $500 range. We can't guarantee that whoever you buy one of the items below for will want to hang out with you forever because of it, but they'll probably at least stop talking about you behind your back.

    Read Article >
  • Paul Miller

    Nov 25, 2011

    Paul Miller

    Holiday Gift Guide: $100 - $250

    Gift Guide 100 - 250
    Gift Guide 100 - 250

    We're almost halfway through the Gift Guide, and the $100 to $250 range is where you really start getting serious. Below you'll find some of the year's best and brightest -- gadgets which are sure to bring a smile to your giftee's face. This year has the special distinction of including the first good tablet under $200, so congratulations to you!

    Read Article >
  • Paul Miller

    Nov 25, 2011

    Paul Miller

    Holiday Gift Guide: $50 - $100

    $50 - $100
    $50 - $100

    Spending anywhere between $50 to $100 on someone's holiday gift probably means you don't hate the person you're buying for, so we've tried our best to recommend some pretty decent gear in the guide below. Who knows, you might've just found this year's gift-giving sweet spot!

    Read Article >
  • Paul Miller

    Nov 25, 2011

    Paul Miller

    Holiday Gift Guide: under $50

    Gift Guide $50
    Gift Guide $50

    Not everybody can afford to blow hundreds of gadget dollars on everybody on their list: you've got to save some for yourself, after all! Still, you can get some seriously nice gear for less money than a nice meal, and we're not just talking iPhone cases and replacement headphone tips.

    Read Article >