You can’t be blamed for perusing Amazon or another website, searching for a tech goodie, and leaving utterly confused over what to purchase. There are simply so many options on the market — from smart watches to massage guns to smart lightbulbs — that it has become increasingly difficult to determine which devices will enhance your daily life, and which will prove themselves duds. And, of course, few tech products are cheap, so the decision to choose one device over another is also smart for your budget and bottom line. Tech Expert Md. Tanjil Mahmud Khan, founder of Free Temporary Email, is no stranger to all types of tech products. Here he offers tips on the two tech gadgets you shouldn’t buy because they’re practically useless — and what to invest in instead.
Don’t Buy: A Basic Smartwatch
It’s not that there’s anything inherently wrong with a basic smartwatch — it’s that this market is so saturated that you can get something far more useful for a few dollars more. “The first useless gadget I recommend not buying is a smartwatch with basic features, such as a fitness tracker and the ability to receive notifications from your phone,” Khan said. “Many smartwatches on the market today need to be improved in functionality. They only offer a little beyond basic fitness tracking and notifications, making them not worth the investment.”
Buy This Instead: An Advanced Smartwatch
Instead of buying a basic smartwatch, Khan recommends investing in a more advanced wearable device, such as a smartwatch with additional features such as GPS, music streaming, and voice assistants.
“A device like the Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch would be a much better investment as it offers a wide range of features that make it a much more useful device,” he said.
Don’t Buy: A Virtual Headset
“The second gadget I recommend not buying is a virtual reality headset that only works with your phone and doesn’t have a standalone controller,” Khan said. “Several affordable virtual reality headsets on the market are intended to be used with smartphones. However, they typically need more advanced features, and controls than more expensive options have.”
Buy This Instead: An Oculus Quest
Instead of buying a basic virtual reality headset, Khan recommends a more advanced option, such as the Oculus Quest, a standalone device with a built-in screen and motion controllers.
“This virtual reality headset is designed for gaming,” Khan said. “It offers a much more immersive experience than a headset that only works with your phone.”
Tech shopping can be confusing, but leveling up and buying the best version of a product that’s still within your budget is one way to ensure you’re getting the most for your money — and a gadget or device that won’t become obsolete in a year.
