Technology is becoming more and more important in our lives, so much so that if we wake up without our phone within arms' reach it immediately sparks anxiety. However, all of this gear is getting expensive, and we don't want to see all of your paycheque syphoned off needlessly!
A few years ago you could hardly imagine that they could be charging more than €1,000 for a mobile phone...yet here we are.
Though as flagship tech items are getting more expensive, cheaper alternatives are getting better. So we've decided to take a look at six gadgets you're probably paying too much for and what to buy instead.
Phone
We've already mentioned that the top-of-the-line flagship phones are getting increasingly expensive. The new iPhone is up around the €1,000 mark, as is its biggest competitor, the Samsung Galaxy. We would recommend Huawei phones but the embargo placed on it by the US government has effectively destroyed their ability to compete.
What to buy instead: Oneplus 7 Pro
The Chinese manufacturer is really making waves around the world at the minute, but one thing that's certain is that its products are good. The cheapest of their models come in at under €700 and you will be getting the best display in the business, with an edge to edge 6.67-inch QHD screen with a whopping 90-hertz refresh rate. You will also get warp-charging meaning you can charge your device to 70% in 30 minutes.
Headphones
Headphones went through a period where they almost became a fashion statement, with sound quality coming in second. This is when Beats rose to prominence, thanks to the numerous endorsements from celebrities and athletes alike. But with prices touching €200 for some of the range, they weren't exactly cheap.
Lately, there has been more of a focus on superior sound quality, but then a full swing back towards aesthetics when Apple launched its Airpods. Although decent for sound quality the problem is they cost €179!
What to buy instead: Anker Soundbuds Slim
For a little more than €20 you can pick up these wireless headphones from Anker, which are sweat proof and rain proof. The best aspect of these though is the sound. For what you're paying you'll be hard pushed to find a difference in quality between these and headphones five times the price.
Plus, we once put them through the washing machine and tumble dryer and they came out working perfectly. Though it's not something we'd recommend!
Bluetooth speaker
It’s important to have a nice bluetooth speaker around the house if you want to bump out some Celine Dion in the shower, or if you want to crank up some Celine Dion while washing the dishes, or even just chill out with a glass of wine and listen to some Celine Dion.
You may be attracted to some of the Smart speakers like the Amazon Echo or Google Home. However the sound quality is not the best from these, and Celine deserves the best! If you're looking for good sound quality then the Sonos Play or the UE Boom are worthy options. But coming in around the €150 mark, they're not exactly cheap.
What to buy instead: Anker SoundCore 2
Again another product from Anker, and that’s for a simple reason; they're making some great stuff. Coming in at just over €40 this little speaker packs quite a punch, is reliable and won't break the bank.
Apple TV
The Apple TV looks really cool to be fair, but as is with a lot of Apple products, it's more style than substance we think. The Apple TV 4K is an interesting product but coming in at a whopping €199, we can do better than that.
What to buy instead: Chromecast
This will come as a shock to probably no one, but the Chromecast is still the best value TV streaming device. If you don’t have a smart TV then this can give you all of the functionality of one. If you do have a smart TV then this can still come in handy.
When it comes to 4K, there still isn’t an awful lot of content but if you do want to go for the 4K Chromecast it will set you back just €60-€70.
Smartwatch
We get it - you're far too busy/important to take your phone out of your pocket these days, so let's look at smartwatches.
If you're looking for something to track all of your important business things, as well as your titanic athletic pursuits, you may be inclined to lean towards the Apple watch. But if you're following the trend of this article, you won't be surprised to hear we think it's too expensive at over €400!
What to buy instead: Fitbit Versa
Coming in at less than €200, you can pick up this smartwatch that can monitor your heart rate, sleeping patterns, and step count. Also, it costs less than €200, did we mention that?
Ipad Pro
Apple has not been innovating its tech as much as many of its fans would hope. The rate at which significant changes happen has slowed a lot since the passing of Steve Jobs. So when the new Ipad Pro was announced it raised a lot of eyebrows as it improved its display and integration with the new Apple Pencil. Upon release, it became the most interesting tablet on the market. The problem, predictably, was with its pricing which is just short of €1,000 and that doesn't even include the pencil.
What to buy instead: Samsung Tab S5e
It's hardly surprising that the Korean company has a better alternative when it has been outpacing the Cupertino behemoth for some time on the tech front. Coming in at less than €500 this impressive tablet boasts a great new screen, incredible sound and improved integration with the Stylus (which comes included!) This has been called the best Android tablet of 2019 and will cost you half as much as an Ipad Pro, so do yourself a favour.
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