Tech Guide’s 2019 12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas – Day 2: Smartphones

Can you believe it is just three weeks till Christmas? If you haven’t started your Christmas shopping – don’t panic, we’ve got your back with the Tech Guide 2019 12 Days of Christas Gift Ideas.

Today it’s all about smartphones and there are plenty of choices.

Christmas is a popular time of year to gift smartphones especially for teens who might be hoping Santa delivers their very first device.

Here are Tech Guide’s 12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas:

Day 1: Cameras (Dec 3)

Day 2: Smartphones (Dec 4)

Day 3: Wearables/smartwatches (Dec 5)

Day 4: Headphones/speakers (Dec 6)

DAY 5: Gaming (Dec 9)

DAY 6: Tablets/e-readers (Dec 10)

DAY 7: Drones/Gadgets (Dec 11)

DAY 8: Smart/IoT devices (Dec 12)

DAY 9: In-car gadgets (Dec 13)

DAY 10: TVs/Blu-Ray/4K (Dec 16)

DAY 11: Appliances (Dec 17)

DAY 12: Computers (Dec 18)

DAY 2: SMARTPHONES

iPHONE 11 – From $1,199

iPhone 11 is the most affordable new iPhone but it packs in a host of new and upgraded features to make it one of the better value devices Apple has offered.

The iPhone 11 is the replacement for the iPhone XR – the model that sits just below the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max in price but also between them in screen size.

And it is actually slightly cheaper than the iPhone XR as well.

iPhone 11 has a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina display while the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max have 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch Super Retina displays respectively.

READ TECH GUIDE’S COMPLETE REVIEW OF THE iPHONE 11

ALCATEL 3X – $299

The Alcatel 3X has a generous 6.5-inch display with high definition resolution of 1600 x 720 to enjoy your photos, streaming movies, apps, games and browsing the web.

The triple camera system, an impressive inclusion at this price point, is made up of a 16-megapixel, 8-megapixel and 5-megapixel which work together to provide a 102-degree wide angle and stunning bokeh that can be adjusted in real time.

The camera also has smart scene detection so it can choose the right shooting mode, recognise up to 21 different subjects and optimise the image. All you have to do is point and shoot.

READ TECH GUIDE’S FULL REPORT ABOUT THE ALCTEL 3X

TCL PLEX – $499

The TCL Plex is one of many mid-tier smartphones but the device manages to stand out from the crowd thanks to a vibrant display, a programmable smart key and an impressive camera system.

TCL is best known for producing high quality and yet great value televisions.

But it is actually the company behind popular smartphone brand Alcatel so it’s not coming into the market without any experience.

In fact, TCL has taken its advanced NXTVISION TV display technology and shrunk it down to the 6.53-inch screen you’ll find on the TCL Plex.

The smartphone actually has a dedicated display engine, an advanced processor and six axis colour enhancement.

So what you get is one of the finest looking displays on a smartphone – not a bad thing considering how much content like video, pictures, apps and websites on the move.

READ TECH GUIDE’S COMPLETE REVIEW OF THE TCL PLEX

GOOGLE PIXEL 4 – $1049 (Pixel 4), $1,279 (Pixel 4 XL)

There’s a lot to like about the new Pixel 4 which offers users a fresh approach to the smartphone and their first look at the all-new Android 10 operating system.

Google normally reserves some new features for its own Pixel devices and this year is no different with a proximity sensor which can tell when you’re near and gesture controls that allow users to wave their hands to navigate their content,

And then there’s the camera which has gone to the next level with the addition of another telephoto lens and even more smarts.

Once again there are two sizes – the Pixel 4 (5.7-inch) and the Pixel 4 XL (6.3-inch).

But Google has added some new features including Motion Sense and a Recorder that can not only capture audio but also transcribe speech at the same time.

READ TECH GUIDE’S COMPLETE REVIEW OF THE GOOGLE PIXEL 4

SAMSUNG A70 – $649

The A70 has a 6.7-inch Infinity-U display –  the largest in the Galaxy A range –  with a 20:9 display aspect ratio and thin bezels so the screen appears to go edge to edge.

On the camera side, the A70 has 32-megapixel front and rear lenses and includes a depth lens to create depth of field focus shots which can be adjusted after they’ve been taken.

Also on board is an 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens and a scene optimizer to enhance every shot you take.

The device also has a 4,500mAh battery with superfast charging at 25W.

READ TECH GUIDE’S FULL REPORT ABOUT THE SAMSUNG GALAXY A SERIES

OPPO RENO 5G – $1,499 (seen for $1,299)

Oppo has come up with an intriguing 5G smartphone in the shape of the Reno 5G which are done away with the notch and maximised screen size thanks to an innovative selfie camera system.

The device has a 6.6-inch AMOLED display that is not marred by a notch or a hole punch to accommodate a front-facing camera.

Instead, Oppo has included a nifty pop-up camera system which appears elegantly from the top edge of the device whenever you need to take a selfie.

So you’re getting the best of both worlds. An excellent front facing camera and a screen that takes up 93.1 per cent of the front of the device.

The widest bezel is at the bottom at just 3.5mm.

This makes the screen even more immersive and inviting. It has a resolution of 2340 x 1080 at 387ppi (pixels per inch).

It was refreshing to be able to view videos and images in true full-screen format.

READ TECH GUIDE’S COMPLETE REVIEW OF THE OPPO RENO 5G

ASPERA F40 – $99

Remember the old flip phones? For many it was their first phone on the old 2G network. Well, it’s back – and this time it has wi-fi and even 4G network connectivity. Meet the Aspera F40.

Here’s a product for customers who want a device that is easy-to-use but still has the features and connectivity of a modern smartphone.

The Aspera F40, priced at just $99, has a 2.8-inch display with a large and easy to read numerical and navigation keys.

On the outside are three symbols – a battery, telephone and an envelope – so you can tell at a glance if you are low on battery, receiving a call or a text message.

It has 4G connectivity for those who want peace of mind even though the 3G shutdown is still years away.

4G also makes it faster as well.

But also on board is wi-fi – something we’d never had before on a flip phone.

The Aspera F40 is available now for $99 from Big W, Harvey Norman, BP, Retravision and MobileCiti.

READ TECH GUIDE’S FULL REPORT ABOUT THE ASPERA F40

iPHONE 7 (32GB) – $499

If you can’t afford the latest iPhone 11 there are still cheaper options like the iPhone 7 which has a 4.6-inch display, a 12-megapixel camera for great low-light photos and 4K video

The Retina HD display also has wide colour and 3D Touch.

Under the hood is the A10 Fusion chip for up to two times faster performance than iPhone 6.

NOKIA 4.2 – $299

Nokia has a rich history of making quality funds and the Nokia 4.2 is another great example of a device that offers features and value.

It has a 5.71-inch HD+ screen with a 19:9 aspect ratio and is just 8.4 mm thick with slick curved edges and impressive design.

It has a 13-megapixel and 2-megapixel rear camera system and an 8-megapixel  front camera.

ALCATEL 1S – $199

This device offers a lot of bang for your buck starting with the 5.5-inch Full View 18:9 HD+ display which has an impressive 81 per cent screen-to-body ratio.

The Alcatel 1S has a dual new camera (13-megapixel and 2-megapixel) and  front 5-megapixel camera.

It also has 32 GB of internal memory and 3 GB RAM and is powered by an octa-core processor to offer unrivalled performance at this price point.

The Alcatel 1S also has Face Key and a rear fingerprint reader.

It is available now at JB Hi-Fi.