Stimulus Shopping? 10 Best New Devices and Tech Under $1,500

The Mirror Workout Panel | $1,495

Do you have ambitions to create an excellent in-house workout regimen to keep fit and meet your health goals? The Mirror is a panel that provides customized, in-depth training metrics, guidelines, videos, live weekly classes, a library of thousands of video classes, and a ton more. It’s designed so all you really need is a wall to put it on, a Wi-Fi connection, and a mat to sweat on.

With more than 50 types of workouts from yoga to boxing, you’ll find something that fits your needs – and as you get more proficient you can explore more advanced levels. It’s the closest you can get to having a personal trainer inside your home without…well, actually having one.

Apple Watch Series 6 | $399

An Apple Watch is an excellent fitness accessory, health monitor, remote for your other Apple devices, and handy provider of informative, useful apps always available on your wrist. With so many uses in one device, it’s an easy recommendation, and we like the upgrades that Series 6 has added. The Watch Series 6 is available starting at $399, but if you like to get fancy, you may prefer the gold stainless steel case model, which starts at $699.

iPhone 12 | $799

The iPhone 12 makes a number of welcome upgrades from previous models, including compatibility with the new MagSafe chargers (no more struggling with port connections), a boxy new design, a super-fast processor, and it’s the first iPhone to get 5G. In other words, it’s an excellent model to pick if you’ve been waiting for an iPhone upgrade for a few years. Prices start at around $799, but vary depending on the type of store you pick and other factors.

Nikon Z5 DSLR Camera Body | $1,297

Is photography a hobby of yours? Would you like to get serious about it, and maybe even sell some prints? Then it’s a good idea to get a high-grade DSLR camera that’s fit for high-grade work. This Nikon Z5 model offers 24-megapixel images and 4K video, with a 273-point autofocus system and software that can detect eyes or track subject movement.

It’s also designed to connect immediately to your smartphone or computer over Wi-Fi and comes with two SD slots for onboard storage. A wide variety of modes let you do everything from focus shift while shooting to timelapse photography or applying filters.

The big caveat with a DSLR, of course, is that you also need to buy an assortment of lenses, which can be another significant investment. Always make sure that your lenses are compatible with the DSLR body that you purchase. With this pick, you can bundle the body with a lens of your choice or a mount adapter.

DJI Mavic Air 2 | $799

Today’s consumer drones aren’t just playthings. They can also take impressive 4K video, scout out areas for important landmarks, help with land surveys, and much more.

DJI produces some of the most well-rounded drones, and this particular model includes a 48-megapixel camera with a three-axis gimbal for stability, perfect for capturing amazing images and video.

Its battery supports flight for up to 34 minutes, and intelligent software helps you with tracking, locking on subjects, and more.

It’s controlled by a combination of a remote and a mobile device like an iPhone or iPad. But make sure you look up local drone flying laws before you begin.

Dell Ultrasharp U2718Q | $680

We all tend to sit much closer to our computer monitors than our TVs and that’s actually good news for 4K and ultra HD resolutions because we can see all the pixel detail more clearly – basically, you can get more out of it with a smaller screen. If you’ve been wanting to upgrade to a 4K monitor for better visuals, this 27-inch Dell Ultrasharp is one of the best places to start.

It supports HDR, Bluetooth 4.0, and brightness up to 350 nits. It’s also pre-calibrated at 99.9% sRGB for excellent color accuracy out of the box. Ports include HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-A 3.0, and USB-A 3.0 with charging capabilities.

Those specs make this monitor excellent for photo work, watching a movie, or serious content editing where detail is important. If you’re interested in a gaming monitor, we suggest compromising a little on the resolution to get a higher refresh rate (4K refresh rates tend to be low) and look for G-Sync or Freesync technologies to support your GPU – something like this ASUS TUF model.

Acer Predator Helios 300 | $1450

A gaming laptop lets you take gaming on the go without loss of performance, and is an excellent choice for supporting a VR headset.

This particularly powerful laptop boasts a 9^th-gen, 6-core Intel processor, a GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GPU, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. Ports include HDMI and USB-C as well as USB 3.1, and the 15-inch full HD screen supports a 144Hz refresh rate for smooth action. It also supports Wi-Fi 6 if you’re ready to make the Wi-Fi upgrade.

The package also comes with a professional gaming mouse, so you don’t have to worry about that important accessory.

These are some high-end specs, but you can also downgrade them a little to save money that you could spend on VR headsets, or, you know, some actual games.

QSC TouchMix-8 Digital Mixer | $950

Looking to take your music hobby to the next level and start producing impressive music, even on the road? You’ll want a digital mixer like this beauty, an elegant collection of controls and touchscreen for swift adjustment that includes eight XLR mic inputs (which can double as ¼-inch line inputs), and two stereo pair TRS ¼-inch inputs.

Effects like reverb, delay, and chorusing are all built right in, as is a pitch correction processor, notch filters, low-high-cut filters, and a graphic equalizer.

You can also choose from 100 presets designed for specific instruments or venues, and create your own groups for swift control over several inputs at once.

If you want to save your work, you can record up to 14 tracks at once to an external hard drive, too. Plus, it works great with an iPad!

Arlo Ultra 2 Spotlight Cam 4-Pack | $798

DIY security cams come in many different flavors, although most offer motion detections, smartphone alerts, night vision, and two-way audio for communication. The Arlo Ultra 2 is a fine example that pushes video quality all the way to 4K, and includes a spotlight function as well as a siren. In addition to the four battery-powered cams, you get three outdoor wall mounts, a total security mount (which helps with placement), and a SmartHub to manage it all. A subscription is required to save video to the cloud.

Netgear Orbi Mesh Router 2-Pack | $690

A mesh Wi-Fi router is a primary router plus satellite devices that expand coverage and help eliminate dead zones. It’s a great pick for larger spaces, small businesses, and big homes. This excellent version includes one satellite and offers Wi-Fi 6 for the latest Wi-Fi speeds and security (as long as your devices also support Wi-Fi 6 like the laptop we mentioned above).

Now is a great time to upgrade your router and take advantage of the latest standards: This model offers tri-band support, coverage over 5,000 square feet, compatibility with Google Assistant and Alexa, and AX6000 speeds for flawless streaming. It also has gigabit ethernet ports if you want a cable connection to the satellite router for extra reliability.