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The best smartphones and tablets to give as gifts
Let's be real: Smartphones are pricey and as far as gifts go, they're hard to keep a surprise. But there's also a good chance someone in your life is due for an upgrade, and as the holiday season approaches, you're likely to spot some good deals. For Engadget's 2017 holiday gift guide, we recommend four phones: the iPhone 8/8 Plus, the Google Pixel 2 and 2XL, the older-but-still-good Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, and the Moto G5 Plus, for the budget conscious. We also threw in some tablets for good measure: the basic iPad for Apple fans and the Galaxy Tab S3 for Android users. Certain folks requiring more power might be better served by the 10.5-inch iPad Pro or Microsoft's Surface Pro, but unless your giftee also needs a laptop replacement, you can easily get by with something less expensive.
Moto G5S Plus goes on sale September 29th for $230
We said the Moto G5 and G5 Plus were "still the best budget phones" when we reviewed them earlier this year, and now Motorola is rolling out the upgraded version of its larger device. The G5S Plus improves on its predecessor with a larger screen (5.5-inches compared to 5.2), a rear camera module with dual 13MP sensors instead of just one, a front-facing camera that's 8MP (up from 5MP) and a new all-metal body that replaces the original's plastic frame that had metal tacked on. Unfortunately, other features like NFC or USB-C are still left out, for the price they're still very good phones. That's why it's so good to hear that these upgrades don't change the price, as the G5S Plus launches at the same $230/$300 mark (for 32GB or 64GB of built-in storage) as the G5 Plus. It's currently available for preorder from Motorola, and starting September 29th will go on sale from Best Buy, B&H, Fry's, Motorola.com, New Egg, Ting and Walmart.com.
Moto G5 and G5 Plus review: Still the best budget phones
The year was 2013, the company was Motorola, and the device was the Moto G. It set a new standard for affordable smartphones, offering a user experience that left the existing sea of cheap, crappy Android handsets in the dust. Years later, it seems the Moto G bloodline can do no wrong. As another generation of G emerges, can Motorola do with the G5 and G5 Plus what it does best, striking an ideal balance between hardware and price point? Of course it can.
