Wireless headphones, especially “true wireless earbuds” (a la AirPods) are one of the most popular and plentiful categories on Ben’s. We analyzed the data from our top performing wireless headphones this year so you’ll know what will be the best deals this holiday season.

We broke down wireless headphones into 4 segments:

1. Apple: which is clearly dominating consumer interest in this product category;
2. Active Noise Cancelling: the most sought-after feature in wireless headphones but adds heavily to the price tag;
3. The Rest: including standard-issue in-ear headphones, sports earbuds and over-ear headphones; and
4. Gaming Headsets: which have features like noise-cancelling mics, surround sound and flashing lights of interest to gamers.

This list contains many recognizable brand names. If you’re not interested in brands, you don’t really need a list like this. You can find no-name earbuds for under $20 anytime. They’ve really watered down this product category.

Take note of your favorite models below and set a deal alert on Ben’s to get a jump on the lowest prices of the holidays!

Apple Wireless Headphones

Apple has dominated the market wireless headphones market in recent years with their iconic AirPods.

1. AirPods Pro with MagSafe (2021): Apple’s ultra-popular wireless earbuds with active noise cancelling are currently on sale for $190. The older 2019 version without the MagSafe case (otherwise same) is getting harder to find, but we’ve seen it as low as $180. Walmart is advertising the Airpods Pro for an amazing $159 on Black Friday (actually 11/22). Unclear if it’s the MagSafe version or not. [Best Buy]
2. AirPods 2 with Wired or Wireless Case (2019): The sale price on the wired case model recently hit a super low $89 at Walmart, Amazon and Costco. It’ll probably return to that price at times during the holiday season. The wireless case model briefly hit $99 at Walmart in October, and that’s the price point you want to get close to when looking for sales. [Best Buy]
3. AirPods Max (2020): Apple’s super-deluxe over-ear model with active noise cancellation is truly overpriced, but has been coming down in price in recent months. We’ve seen it as low as $430, and that’s a good low price to aim for during Black Friday, perhaps just under that. [Best Buy]
4. AirPods 3 (2021): The brand-new entry into the AirPods lineup is the wildcard since it’s unlikely to see any major price drop during Black Friday, except possibly an accompanying gift card from Apple or Best Buy. It’s currently $175 ($5 off retail) on Amazon. [Amazon]
5. Beats Solo3 (2016, updated 2019): These popular on-ear headphones have outlasted the recently discontinued Solo Pro (released in 2019) and are very popular on Ben’s. They recently went on sale for $90 at Target and that’s the price to aim for come Black Friday. [Amazon]

Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones

Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) adds a pretty penny to the cost of the headphones but is a much-needed feature for travelers and people in noisy environments.

6. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (2020): The gold standard in ANC earbuds, we’ve seen them for as low as $229 brand-new (and $169 refurbished direct from Bose). Expect them to dip under $230 for Black Friday. [Amazon]
7. Sony WF-1000XM4 Earbuds (2021): These top-notch Sony earbuds are worthy competitors to the Bose and are currently at their all-time low price of $248. They might go down a bit for Black Friday, but unlikely. [Amazon]
8. Samsung Galaxy Buds Live (2020): These popular ANC earbuds are pretty affordable and are currently at their all-time low of $99. [Amazon]
9. Jabra Elite 85t (2020): Now is a good time to buy these top-performing ANC earbuds as they have hit an all-time low of $150. [Amazon]
10. Sony WF-1000XM3 Earbuds (2019): The older but still popular ANC Sony earbuds are where you’re more likely to see deals this Black Friday. They recently went as low as $128, and are likely to hit that fantastic price again around Black Friday. [Amazon]
11. Bose QuietComfort 35 II (2017): These venerable over-ear headphones might be the most popular noise-cancelling headphones ever. They recently hit an all-time low of $179 on Amazon, and that’s the price you want to aim for on Black Friday. [Amazon]
12. Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 (2020): We’ve seen these sleek over-ear headphones go as low as $200 last season and they should hit close to that price point again for Black Friday. [Amazon]

Other Wireless Headphones (The Rest)

Without active noise cancelling, you can find true wireless earbuds or wireless over-ear headphones from top brands for under $100 or even under $50.

13. Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Plus (2020): We’ve seen them as low as $63 on Woot! back in July, but that was quite a fluke. Aside from that, the best sale prices we’ve seen have been in the $85 to $90 range. That’s a good price to aim for during Black Friday. [Amazon]
14. JBL Tune 115TWS (2020): These well-reviewed no-frills budget earbuds can currently be picked up for as low as $30. [Amazon]
15. LG Tone Free HBS-FN6 with UVnano Case (2020): We’ve seen these unique earbuds with the anti-bacterial case go for as low as $45 and expect to see that price again during the Black Friday season. [Amazon]
16. JBL Endurance Peak (1st Gen, 2019): Although discontinued, JBL has been selling these highly rated sports earbuds direct from its store or eBay storefront for as low as $40. [JBL]
17. JBL Endurance Peak II (2nd Gen, 2020): The new version of the popular true wireless sports earbuds has recently been as low as $50 on Amazon. Watch for them to return to that price around Black Friday. [Amazon]
18. Google Pixel Buds A-Series: Google’s new true wireless earbuds ($99 retail) have recently been a freebie with purchase of the new Pixel 6 phone. If they’re getting any kind of decent discount this holiday season, watch for Google’s Black Friday sale starting Nov. 18. [Google]
19. Panasonic RP-HTX80B Retro (Over-Ear): We’ve seen these stylish cans on sale for $30, and they’re currently $35 on Amazon. The “Sangria” (red) color is particularly striking. [Amazon]

Wireless Gaming Headsets

Gaming headsets are very popular these days as they offer an immersive sound stage for gamers, and wireless is a bonus convenience, avoiding the hassle of wires tangling with controllers.

20. Logitech G733 Lightspeed DTS 7.1 RGB (2020): We’ve seen them for as low as $110 at Newegg, and they’re currently around $120 on Amazon. Those are the sale prices you can aim for this holiday. Compatibility: PlayStation/Switch/PC/Mac (no Xbox). [Amazon]
21. Astro Gaming A20 Gen 2 (2020): This lower-priced wireless headset hit the amazing low price of $68 back in August, but the Black Friday price is more likely to be closer to $99. Compatibility: Xbox or PlayStation (2 separate models). [Amazon]

Check Ben’s for the latest Wireless Headphone deals

2021 Gift Guide: Top Wireless Headphones and How Much You Will Pay For Them

Apple held a Spring 2021 event today to roll out several new products including refreshes on the iPad Pro, iMac and Apple TV as well as Bluetooth trackers called AirTags. (And the greatest announcement of all: Season 2 trailer of Ted Lasso!)

Of course, those announcements came with hefty price tags. Here’s a few ways to save money on essentially the same tech.

Apple Announcement: Purple iPhone 12 & 12 Mini

Holding off on any new iPhone news until September 2021, Apple choose to roll out a new color of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini rather than refresh the hardware in first half of 2021. The new color will be available April 30.

Cheaper Alternative: A Purple Case

If you already have an iPhone 12 or an iPhone 12 Mini, it’s just ridiculous to switch phones for a new color. Instead, just pick up a purple case. There’s a plethora of options on Amazon as low as $6, but we do like the Otterbox model with a built-in PopSocket PopGrip (if Popsockets are your thing).

Savings: At least $650

Apple Announcement: Apple TV 4K w/ new remote

The new version of the Apple TV 4K comes with the A12 Bionic chip found in the iPhone XS / XR (hardware last revised in 2017). It can now play HDR and comes with a new remote control that finally includes power / volume buttons for your TV. The price tag hasn’t changed though; $180 for the 32GB model and $200 for the 64GB.

Cheaper Alternative: Roku Ultra

Assuming you haven’t already replaced all your streaming set top boxes with smart TV apps (Goodbye switching HDMI ports!), check out the Roku Ultra for streaming at half the price. It has all the same AirPlay functionality for sharing content from your iPhone and includes support for HDR / Dolby Vision. The remote control has a nifty headphones jack as well for silent viewing.

The Roku Ultra is frequently on sale in the $80 to $90 range and can be found under $70 around Black Friday. Check Amazon’s price here.

Savings: At least $80

Apple Announcement: AirTags

Picking up on the popularity of the Tile trackers that help people track their lost keys or luggage, Apple has finally released a version of that tech. Called AirTags, the small disc-like device has Bluetooth LE, an accelerometer, a tiny speaker and a battery that can be replaced. These devices will show up in Apple’s Find My App, basically playing a sound on the tracker to help find it.

Apple is pricing a single AirTag tracker at $29 or $99 for a four-pack. Apple is also creating a variety of accessories like keychain holders and luggage tags.

Cheaper Alternative: Tile Stickers

Basically identical technology for half the price, Tile Stickers have an adhesive back that can be attached to objects like remote controls or wallets. It will emit a chime when within 150 feet of it via your phone’s Tile app. A four-pack retails for $60, but frequently drops into the $45 to $50 range. Check Amazon’s Price here.

Savings: At least $40

Apple Announcement: iPad Pro with M1 Chip

Apple’s refresh of the iPad Pro line now includes the M1 chip that powers devices like the MacBook Pro and Mac Mini. Apple has upgraded the display to mini-LED, using 10,000 of those on the 12.9″ model. There’s a new 12-megapixel camera that includes tracking tech for video calls, very similar to people-tracking on the Facebook Portal.

Of course, Apple is increasing prices again. The 12.9-inch model will start at $1,099 and the 11-inch model starts at is $799.

Cheaper Alternative: Samsung S7+ Tablet

Clocking in at 12.4-inches, the Samsung S7+ doesn’t offer a fancy mini-LED screen, but it does offer a 2800 x 1752 display. It has a microSD port that lets you expand memory up to 1TB (not offered on the iPad Pro) and comes with the S Pen stylus for free ($129 for the Apple Pencil). It also comes with a fingerprint scanner, a 13-megapixel camera, Dolby Atmos quad speakers and a fast Octa-core processor.

The base model of the Samsung S7+ is 128Gb in size and starts at $750 (with sales in the $650 to $700 range). You will also find sales on the 256GB and 512GB models. In addition, Samsung has a S7 11-inch model that starts around $550. Check Prices on Amazon Here.

Savings: At Least $350

Apple Announcement: iMac w/ M1 chip

Easily one of the biggest announcements today, Apple redesigned the iMac with a bit of a throwback to the color scheme of the original iMacs. The new iMac offers a 24-inch screen, a 4.5K resolution display, a new 1080p camera and a form factor that’s roughly 11.5mm thin.

Once again, Apple thinks so highly of their products that their customers get the privilege of paying $1,299 for the base model of the iMac (256GB memory, 8GB RAM, Magic keyboard).

Cheaper Alternative: HP 24 All-in-One Desktop

One of the best advantages of going with an HP 24″ all-in-one is the ability to scale up your specs in a way that Apple doesn’t allow. If you want specs similar to Apple’s iMac, you are looking at a $699 starting price. However, you can scale up the HP all the way to a model with 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD for about $120 less than what Apple will charge for the base model iMac. Check Prices at Amazon.

Savings: Up to $600

Here’s five cheaper alternatives to everything Apple announced today

Shopping for a set of AirPods this year? this Black Friday? We’ve looked through all the Black Friday ads and broken down where you can get the cheapest AirPods with charging case, AirPods with wireless charging case, the brand new AirPods Pro and a replacement charging case.

Best Price on AirPods Pro: $169

Advertised in the Walmart flyer this year, the $169 price on the AirPods Pro will beat the best price we have seen on the Pros all year. The last best price was $190 on Electronics.woot! a few weeks ago.

It’s possible that other retailers (Target, Best Buy, Amazon) will price match as the Walmart sale starts at 7 p.m. ET on November 25. The AirPods Pro offer noise cancellation, adaptive EQ and water resistance.

• Amazon: AirPods Pro
• Best Buy: AirPods Pro
• Target: AirPods Pro

Check Price on Walmart

Best Price on AirPods with charging case: $99

We actually saw this $99 price on AirPods earlier this month at Walmart and Amazon. We believe it’s significantly likely that the sale will repeat starting on Wed night and potentially run through end of day on Black Friday. Possibly even sooner with Amazon & Best Buy starting sales this weekend.

Apple’s standard AirPods typically retail for $159, offer up to five hours of listening time on a single charge and more then 24 hours of time with the charging case.

• Walmart: AirPods with charging case
• Amazon: AirPods with charging case

Best Price on AirPods with wireless case: $130 – $140 prediction

The AirPods with wireless case haven’t seen significant discounts in the last several months due to the popularity of the Pros. We are predicting the version with the wireless case will drop from the current sale price of $160 down to the $130 to $140 range.

The majority of retailers (haven’t even listed this model in flyers this year. It’s possible retailers are keeping that information intentionally vague in the Black Friday advertisements or are simply ignoring this model due to the popularity of the base model & Pros.

• Best Buy: AirPods with wireless case
• Walmart: AirPods with wireless case
• Amazon: AirPods with wireless case

Here’s the cheapest AirPods on Black Friday 2020

Announced at the Apple event today, the tech giant will be releasing a new model of the Apple Watch that’s targeted at consumers looking for a boost over the Series 3, but not as expensive as the new Series 6.

Priced at $279 retail, we predict sales in the $250 range over the next 12 months on the Apple Watch SE. However, if you are interested in picking up one at launch, both the Apple Watch SE and the Series 6 will be available for preorder today and in Apple Stores on September 18.

Regarding features, the Apple Watch SE uses the S5 system in chip, 2 times faster than Series 3. It includes the accelerometer, heart rate meter, compass, gyroscope, motion sensors, and fall detection. There’s also a cellular model, if you want that upgrade.

Beyond the Apple Watch SE, Apple also announced the new Series 6 smartwatch starting at $399. Apple has improved the display, making it 2.5 times brighter in the daylight. It can also show elevation in real time and has a blood oxygen monitor. Apple is debuting a new band for the watch called the Solo Loop, a stretchable silicone band without a clasp.

Both of the new Apple Watches now come with 3 months of Apple Fitness+, a fitness subscription service that costs $10-a-month or $80-per-year. On the topic of subscriptions, Apple is launching the Apple One subscription service.

For $15-per-month, individual users can get access to Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade and iCloud. Family accounts cost $20-per-month for the same services (account sharing up to 5 people). There’s also a Premier tier at $30 per month that includes access to Apple Fitness+ and Apple News+. Apple is also announcing a 30-day free trial of Apple One later in the year, ideal if you want to test before you buy.

Outside of smartwatches, Apple announced an update to the base level iPad as well as a new version of the iPad Air. The new base level iPad has the A12 Bionic chip for a 40% jump in performance & a 2x jump in graphics power. It will be compatible with the Apple pencil and keyboards. It will utilize iOS 14 and will be priced at $329 ($299 for education customers). It’s also available for preorder today and in stores on September 18.

The redesigned, $599 iPad Air features a 10.9-inch liquid retina display offering 3.8 million pixels of resolution. Other features include a new, small Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the power button, the new A14, 5-nanometer chip with 11.8 billion transistors (40% increase in speed, 30% increase in graphics over the last iPad Air), and support for Wi-Fi 6 as well as USB-C. Apple didn’t announce a date for the release beyond an October 2020 release window, more details here.

At the end of the event, Apple announced that iOS 14 will be available for download for free tomorrow to all iPhone and iPad owners. In addition, watchOS 7 will be released for Apple Watch owners.

Apple announces $279 Apple Watch SE, $15 Apple One subscription, & $599 iPad Air

Shopping for a new Apple Watch, iPad or iPhone this year?  We’ve looked through all the Black Friday ads and broken down where you can get the the cheapest Apple Watch, the cheapest Apple iPad and the cheapest Apple iPhone (as well as backup options).

Best Deal on an Apple Watch: $129

Trimming about $40 off Ben’s best price point, Walmart is running a doorbuster sale on the base model Series 3 w/ GPS. The 38mm is being reduced from $199 to $129 and the 42mm is being reduced from $229 to $159. This deal like likely to sell out quickly, both in-store and online. Amazon could also price match early.

As a backup option, Target is running a $170 sale on the Series 3 (but that’s roughly the same online sale price at the moment). Alternatively, if you want a Series 4 model, check out Best Buy’s sale which knocks $50 off the base model. The discount scales up to $300 off with more expensive models like the Nike+ models or the models in the gold stainless steel design.

• Walmart: Apple Watch Series 3
• Target: Apple Watch Series 3
• Best Buy: Apple Watch Series 4

Best Deal on an Apple iPad: $249

All retailers are chopping $80 off the retail price of the 7th generation, base model iPad for Black Friday this year. The 32GB iPad will drop from $329 to $249 at Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Amazon and any other retailer that carries it.

If you are looking for a deal on the iPad Pro, Best Buy is already offering their Black Friday pricing to My Best Buy members (free to join). You can get $150 off the 64GB base model or $200 off the models with more storage space. It’s likely Amazon will price match on black Friday week.

• Walmart: Apple iPad (2019) 32GB
• Target: Apple iPad (2019) 32GB
• Best Buy: Apple iPad (2019) 32GB
• Amazon: Apple iPad (2019) 32GB

Best Deal on an Apple iPhone: Up $700 in Gift Cards

It appears that Walmart is clearing out their inventory of iPhone Xs models, based on the rewards offered with activation on Black Friday. You can receive a $450 digital gift card for Walmart.com for purchasing / activating an iPhone Xs as well as a 2nd gift card up to $250, if you trade in your old phone.

If you are looking for a deal on the iPhone 11 or 11 Pro, head to Best Buy. The retailer is offering up to $500 discount on the price of the phone (not a gift card deal), if you purchase / activate as well as trade in an older phone. Similar to Walmart, Target is also offering a gift card with an iPhone Xs, but it’s only $200.

• Walmart: Apple iPhone Xs
• Best Buy: Apple iPhone 11 Pro

Here’s the cheapest Apple Watch, iPad, iPhone on Black Friday 2019

You’ve probably tried putting yourself on the the Do Not Call list, asking to be taken off call lists and even blocked specific numbers on your phone. Of course, nothing seems to be foolproof. Robocallers and telemarketers ignore what you want and just keep calling. It happens quite a bit when you are shopping around for something, like a new car or a new house. All of a sudden you are inundated with calls about lower interest rates or other special offers.

While Apple has always had Do-Not Disturb mode to keep your phone silent during specific times of day, they company hasn’t invested much time in helping you block robocallers and telemarketers. Previous to iOS 13, you would have to trick your phone into ignoring calls, like creating a “No Caller ID” profile in your phone to force blocked numbers into voicemail.

Available as a free update for iPhone users, iOS 13.1 will help you ignore all those pesky robocallers and telemarketers with a new feature called Silence Unknown Callers. After updating to iOS 13.1, you can find this option under Settings -> scroll down to Phone -> click the “Silence Unknown Callers” toggle.

Any call that’s from an unknown number will be completely silenced, no ringing, no vibrating. Just straight to voicemail. You will get a notification about the call, but your phone won’t vibrate to alert you. The calls that will continue to ring / vibrate when received are calls from your contacts, recently outgoing calls (like calling a repairman, then they call you back) and Siri’s suggestions.

Other popular iOS 13 features include a dark mode for higher contrast browsing, mouse support (for iPads), full page screenshot support, a new subscription manager, and a faster way to connect to Bluetooth devices.

iOS 13 helps you ignore robocallers and telemarketers

If want to get six more months out of your old iPhone before the next upgrade cycle, the latest version of iOS is going to make your older device just a bit more responsive. Released today, iOS 12 is a solid improvement for older iPhone devices like the 5S and 6 as well as older iPad models.

According to these tests performed by Arstechnica, there are launch time improvements up to 26% on the iPhone 5S (compared to iOS 11.4.1) and improvements up to 21% on the iPhone 6 Plus. Most of the tests were performed on common apps like Safari, Camera and Mail as well as cold boot tests.

The full list of iOS 12 supported smartphones includes the 5s, SE, 6, 6 Plus, 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, and X (as well as all new models). For iPads, the full list of supported tablets includes:

• iPad mini 2, mini 3 and mini 4
• iPad Air and Air 2
• iPad 5th generation (2017) and 6th generation (2018)
• 9.7-inch iPad Pro, 10.5-inch iPad Pro, 12.9-inch iPad Pro 1st generation and 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2nd generation.

While the update will automatically install at some point, you also have the option of forcing the update. To install the update, go into Settings and select General -> Software Update to download. If you don’t have enough space, Apple will automatically uninstall apps to make space, then reinstall those apps after iOS 12 is installed.

If you are shopping for budget iPhones, pricing is significantly better this week as well. We featured a deal last week for a $240 iPhone 6S (64GB). The MSRP for the base iPhone 7 has dropped to $449 and you can find refurbished models sold by Apple for $379. Check our smartphone deal feed for more options.

If you are looking for information about new features in iOs 12, you can find that here on Apple.com. A review of iOS 12 can be found below:

Money Saver Tip: iOS 12 makes older iPhones a little faster

Since Apple will announce the new iPhone this week, it could be time to start thinking about selling your old smartphone. While Apple has a trade-in program to pay customers for older iPhones, you will likely make more money by selling it through a third-party company or simply unloading it on an auction site.

To help you along with this process, we’ve compiled a set of helpful tips for getting the most green for your old smartphone.

1. Your old iPhone will start dropping in value each week after the new iPhone is announced.

According to research conducted by USell.com, the previous generations of iPhones fall in value by 5 percent the first week after new iPhone model(s) are announced. That figure increases to 12 percent in the second week and up to 20 percent within a month. Selling your phone this week as opposed to next month will allow you to recoup as much money as possible. Selling it prior to the announcement would have brought even greater monetary value.

Basically, this is due to falling demand and increasing supply. As retailers start taking more trade-ins and third-party resellers start paying out for more older iPhone models, the supply significantly increases. Those companies are competing against the supply on auction sites like eBay, as well. The cash value of an iPhone 8 could easily plummet by 33 to 50 percent over the next few months due to massive supply.

2. If your iPhone is unlocked, you will automatically make more money.

If you are currently an AT&T subscriber and you have fulfilled your contract, check out the device unlock page to read how to have your smartphone unlocked. Once the iPhone has been unlocked, you are generally looking at a 40 to 60 percent markup in value when selling it on eBay, Craigslist or another auction site. (Verizon’s policy, Sprint’s policy)

A few years ago, I did this with my iPhone 4 a couple months after getting the iPhone 5 and ended up making $250 on the sale. That’s $50 more than I originally paid for the smartphone in 2010!

Also, don’t forget to check the iOS version of your iPhone and list that in the auction. Anyone that’s interested in jailbreaking the device may want a specific firmware. That’s something that can also increase the value of the device significantly, albeit within a smaller subset of users.

3. Compare gift card value against cash value.

When you are upgrading to a new smartphone, check the retailer where you are purchasing the new phone for gift card deals. Retailers are generally more liberal about store credit in order to bring more people into the store. For instance, the gift card value of an iPhone 7 in good condition at Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy and Apple ranges from $225 to $300. Alternatively, cash value from a third party site like Gazelle hovers around $153 to $202 at the moment.

While you have to apply that gift card value to a new smartphone purchase, you can end up coming out ahead. Also, it will save you the hassle of selling the device on an auction site. If you don’t regularly use sites like eBay or Craigslist, jumping right in to sell a high value smartphone can be tricky.

4. When selling on iPhone on an auction site, be as descriptive as possible.

People into Apple devices are notoriously (and perhaps stereotypically) image conscious, particularly about the condition of their Apple gadgets. If you never protected the smartphone with a case over the last two years, you probably ended up with some nicks and scratches on the rear panel, sides or front of the device.

Be sure to include an exact description of every blemish. Also list out the specs. How much memory does it come with? What carrier networks does it work on? Does it come with the original packaging? What’s the condition of the earbuds or charging cable? Does the Home button stick at all when pressed?

5. Leverage social media when selling your iPhone.

Very often, people forget about social media when attempting to sell an iPhone. However, you probably have plenty of friends that are simply in between phones or are looking to replace a smartphone that was smashed or perhaps dropped in the toilet.

Leave off any info about the price you want and just let interested friends contact you over private message or email. If you have posted the phone on Craigslist, you can also just post a link to the ad if you want.

6. Don’t forget to wipe everything, fingerprints included!

This goes double for anyone who’s attempting to sell the iPhone with a specific iOS version intact. If you need to keep the version intact, use the “Erase All Content and Settings” in the Reset section of the General menu and be sure to scour that phone repeatedly to remove all personal information from the device. This includes email account information, text messages, Apple Store account information, etc…

If you don’t need to keep the version of iOS at a specific firmware version, run the factory wipe on the device. It will return the iPhone to the original factory condition as if you never used it.

7. Even if you drove over your iPhone with a monster truck recently, it’s worth something.

If you have a nonworking phone, don’t throw it in a drawer or the trash can. It’s worth something to someone. You may be able to sell it for parts on eBay or you can simply sell it for $15 to $25 to a recycling company. Either way, you can make a small bit of cash on your broken phone.

Also, if you only smashed the glass screen on your iPhone and it still works, consider replacing the glass yourself or having it replaced. If you are a DIY type of person, you can purchase the kits for $10 to $20 on eBay.

You can also pay someone who specializes in those repairs, costing you approximately $60 to $100. Either way, you stand to make a bit of money on the resale of your iPhone after it’s fixed.

Buying the New iPhone? 7 Tips on Selling Your Old iPhone

If you are hanging onto an older iPhone in order to save some money, you might be running into battery problems at this point in the phone’s lifespan. Ideal for anyone that bought iPhones between late- 2014 and mid-2017, the Battery Health (beta) in iOS 11.3 will tell you if your iPhone battery is on its way out or still kicking.

To access this information, update to iOS 11.3, then go to Settings, tap Battery and then tap Battery Health. The Maximum Capacity field will tell you how your battery compares to a brand new battery (in the same phone). We ran the test on an iPhone 6 Plus and found the battery was at 87% compared to a brand new replacement battery.

Anything below 80% and you should consider bringing your iPhone into an Apple Store to get it swapped out. Apple has lowered the cost of those procedure to $29 (from $79) for anyone with an iPhone 6 or newer as a way to apologize for slowing down phones.

In addition, users have the power to flip off the performance throttling in the same menu. Under “Peak Performance Capability,” users will be able to see if throttling has been flipped on and will be able to disable it as necessary.

Of course, this could increase the possibility of an iPhone crash, assuming the battery is having difficulty keeping up. If your phone is still running at peak performance, you won’t see an option to turn on throttling. It only appears after an iPhone has shutdown unexpectedly as a power management precaution.

Other updates in iOS 11.3 include a few new animoji characters for iPhone X users, a chat function within the Messages app that connects you directly with businesses, new augmented reality capabilities and the ability to view your medical records on your phone (assuming your health system participates).

iPhone battery problems? Latest iOS will tell you to replace or not

Looking for the best smartwatches to give as gifts this holiday season? We’ve collected our top favorites this year, the majority of which have nothing to do with that popular fruit company in Cupertino. Check out our picks below:

Huawei Watch

Gaining a 4.5 out of 5 star review rating on Amazon, the Huawei Watch has quickly become one of the more popular smartwatches on the market due to high-end design. The watch offers a 1.4″ full circle AMOLED display (42 millimeter) as well as a quad-core 1.2GHz processor, 4GB of storage and roughly two days of battery life.

• Compatibility: Android and iOS
• MSRP: $299
• Best Recent Price: $200 (refurb)

Check Price on Amazon

Samsung Gear S2 Smartwatch

Stepping up with a beautiful display at 360 by 360 resolution, the Samsung Gear S2 smartwatch is Samsung direct response to the Apple Watch. The stylish watch includes a 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage. In addition to providing notifications from your Android smartphone, it also include a built-in fitness tracker. The watch will offer a 3-day battery life.

• Compatibility: Android Only (for now)
• MSRP: $299 to $349
• Last-Gen Alternative: Samsung Galaxy Gear S for $150

Check Price on Amazon

Pebble Time Steel Smartwatch

Rolling out the company’s first color display on a smartwatch, the Pebble Time Steel is a platform agnostic smartwatch that’s roughly the same size as the 42mm Apple Watch. While the display is notably more muted and less advanced than other smartwatches, the advantage to that display is a 10-day battery life. Also, the screen always stays on, compared to other smartwatches that require user interaction all the time.

• Compatibility: Android and iOS
• MSRP: $249
• Last-Gen Alternative: Original Pebble Steel at $100

Check Price on Amazon

LG Watch Urbane Smartwatch

Offering up a gorgeous design in both gold and silver, the Urbane from LG is another style-oriented design that’s meant to tackle the Apple Watch head on. It’s one of the first Android watches to offer compatibility with iPhones and is outfitted with a speedy quad core 1.2GHz processor, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage.

• Compatibility: Android and iOS
• MSRP: $349 / Ben’s Best Price: $204
• Last-Gen Alternative: LG G Smartwatch R for $140

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Moto 360 Smartwatch (2015 revision)

Available in a 42mm and 46mm version, the Moto 360 revision for 2015 sports a speedy 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage and an on-board GPU. Features include on a heart rate sensor on the back of the smartwatch as well as an ambient light sensor, which auto-adjusts the display brightness depending on light in the area. Battery life rated between 1.5 to 2 days, depending on model.

• Compatibility: Android (and iOS soon)
• MSRP: $299
• Last-Gen Alternative: Original Moto 360 for $115

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ASUS ZenWatch 2 Smartwatch

Easily mistaken for an Apple Watch, the ASUS ZenWatch 2 is a stylish follow-up to the original ZenWatch. Complete with a snappy 1.2GHz processor, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage, the ZenWatch 2 is available as a 1.63-inch version with a 400mAh battery pack (3-days) and a smaller 1.45-inch version with a 300mAh battery pack (2-days). Also, the price is amazing, basically half the MSRP of most competitors.

• Compatibility: Android Only
• MSRP: $149
• Last-Gen Alternative: ASUS ZenWatch for $130

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Apple Watch Series 7

Rounding out the bottom of our list specifically due to the exorbitant price, the Apple Watch 7 is only compatible with iOS. Reviewers love the design of the product, but battery life is still short at roughly 18 hours. It includes activity tracking as well as GPS, NFC and a heart rate monitor.

• Compatibility: iOS Only
• MSRP: $399 to $1,759
• Cheaper Alternative:

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2016 Tech Gift Guide: Best Smartwatches