9 thoughtful gift ideas for home theater fans looking to upgrade their entertainment setup

QLED on a budget

Amazon’s Fire TV range punches above its weight so if you can stretch your budget to a new TV, the 43-inch Omni QLED is a great option. It has support for Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10, HLG, and HDR10+ Adaptive so it looks pretty good. There’s adaptive brightness so it automatically adjusts to the lighting in your room too. Simple to use, Fire TV makes the whole experience easier for all the family to figure out this Christmas. 

Easy streaming

Most of us have a smart TV but a dedicated device generally works better. The Roku Express 4K Plus is inexpensive yet very useful. It has support for pretty much every streaming app you can think of, as well as providing 4K and HDR imagery. Its voice remote is the highlight here meaning you can speak a command instead of tapping away at the remote the old-fashioned way.

The Apple owner’s choice

The Apple TV 4K simply just works and works well, much like all other Apple tech. It has support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos, and it works seamlessly with your other Apple devices. You can use it to stream your favorite shows but it also allows you to see photos from your phone, cast other content across, and reap all the benefits of Apple Arcade and Apple Fitness Plus too.

Perfect for physical media

One of the best 4K Blu-ray players, the Sony UBP-X700 is perfect for physical media lovers. Generally considered to still be better quality than streaming or digital copies, using 4K discs provides you with the best picture contrast and brightness, along with all-round superior picture quality. The Sony UBP-X700 also includes streaming support with built-in Wi-Fi.

Truly cinematic

The Samsung Freestyle Projector is for those who any size TV simply won’t cut it. It works best in dimly lit rooms, allowing you to project to up to 100-inches high in full HD. Simple to use, it does all the hard work for you like auto-focusing and picking the best screen size. It’ll work outdoors too with support for voice assistants, streaming apps, and music playback.

Exceptional surround sound

The Sonos Beam Gen 2 provides vibrant bass and crystal clear dialogue with whatever you’re watching. It has a wide soundstage that feels cinematic in nature with Dolby Atmos adding to the surround sound effect. Besides being perfect for movies, it also allows for streaming music, podcasts, and more, so it blends into your living space well. Easy setup sweetens the deal.

Best for solo watching

If the person you’re buying for is often watching movies late at night when everyone else has gone to bed, the Apple AirPods Pro 2 will ensure they can enjoy their time without missing out on great sound quality. Dolby Atmos support along with spatial audio all provide an immersive experience while there’s fantastic ANC for cancelling out the surrounding world while you watch.

The best movie of 2023

Considered to be the best movie of 2023 by many reputable sources, Oppenheimer tells the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, responsible for the Manhattan Project which led to the first atomic bomb. A gripping story, it looks fantastic too with spectacular visual effects and HDR10 support to offer more vivid and lifelike color. It’s a long watch but a gripping one, whether you’re a history buff or just adore compelling cinema.

Spectacular set pieces

Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One showcases just how impressive stunts can be with Tom Cruise throwing himself at buildings and performing some exceptional stunts that’ll make you wonder how he was ever allowed to do them himself. Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support bring the experience to your home well and it’s the kind of movie the whole family can enjoy.