Rather than get everyone a different gift they’ll sort of enjoy, get a single gift everyone in the household can enjoy. Whether you’re getting something for your family, maybe pooling money with siblings to get a gift for mom and dad, you can splurge on fantastic home entertainment gifts. Don’t worry, there are some affordable options in this guide, too: you’ll find everything from a premium movie player for the basement theatre to a new big-screen TV or an affordable streaming stick.
Note: pricing is subject to change.
Top Picks (sponsored & Editor’s Picks)
Kaleidescape Strato K Movie Player
Looking for the ultimate way to watch movies at home? The new Kaleidescape Strato K high-fidelity movie player offers a 4K cinematic experience from your own home theatre so all you need to add is the guests and the popcorn. It can play content in both 4K Cinematic as well as 8K with compatible movies and a display. “It brings movie lovers closer to the filmmaker’s intent, with cleaner detail, true-to-life colour, and a more natural presentation that dramatically improves the viewing experience of any display,” says Kaleidescape Chairman and CEO Taylor Stansbury.
What is 4K Cinematic? It’s full chroma (up to 4:4:4) with higher bitrates so you get more engaging, immersive images that truly pull you into the story. Whether it’s an action movie or a nature documentary, you’ll feel like you’re right there in the action while watching. While there isn’t a ton of 8K content available just yet, the Strato K is future-proofed, ready for more 8K content as it continues to be released. In fact, it’s also certified by the 8K Association, confirming that it meets the performance and interoperability requirements developed by the Association’s Technical Working Group.
Strato K works on its own or as part of a larger Kaleidescape system. When operating standalone, Strato K stores a handful of 8K, 4K Cinematic, or 4K movies on its internal one terabyte solid-state drive. It can also be grouped with one or more Kaleidescape Terra movie servers to add movie storage and provide whole-home entertainment.
Download movies from the Kaleidescape movie store, which provides content with lossless audio and full reference video quality. The movie store offers thousands of titles, including not only movies but also TV series and concerts. Movies are available in 8K, 4K Cinematic, 4K, and 2K with lossless multichannel and object-based audio, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
While we haven’t reviewed this model yet, WiFi HiFi‘s John Thomson not only reviewed the Kaleidescape Strato V movie player last year but also named it one of his favourite products of the year. He loved features like the option to go into a deep dive about the movies, actors, and more within the library, and use your phone as a remote. He found that model easy to set up and intuitive to navigate. “Kaleidescape products offer the very best viewing experience in the highest definition with no lag or latency,” he says.
The Kaleidescape Strato K sells in Canada for about $7,095. If this is too rich for your blood, check out the more affordable Strato E, which sells for $4,295. The entry-level 4K movie player provides a single playback zone, can hold six movies in its internal SSD, and works with Terra Prime movie servers as well.
Other Gift Ideas
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Streaming Stick
A good Goldilocks model if you don’t need the Fire TV Plus or Max models (think for the cottage, kids’ bedroom, or to use in hotel rooms), the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K has direct power, which means you can plug it right into the TV’s USB-C port instead of pulling a cable all the way to the nearest power outlet. It turns on and launches apps faster than the previous-gen model and comes with the updated Fire TV Remote with tactile buttons. Access all your favourite streaming apps at home and on the go: all you need is a Wi-Fi signal.
Buy the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K in Canada for $79.99 and in the U.S. for $59.99.
Samsung R85H Micro RGB TV
The Samsung R85H Micro RGB is a stunning TV that will make a worthwhile upgrade for the living room. And if you’re going to upgrade, you might as well really upgrade with this massive 75-incher (it is available in smaller sizes, too). You get a lovely, crisp, vibrant picture, smooth motion with the 144Hz refresh rate, 4K upscaling of lower-resolution content, access to the Gaming Hub, and built-in AI smarts. With good viewing angles and minimal glare, you can place this in your well-lit living room or the basement “man cave” or games room. Everyone can enjoy it, whether it’s dad watching the game, mom her reality show, the kids their anime, and the family together watching a Sunday night movie.
Buy the 75-inch Samsung R85H Micro RGB TV for $3,998.
Anker Nebula X1 3-Laser Portable Projector
David Susilo calls the Anker Soundcore Nebula X1 in his review the best portable projector he has ever used. For someone with Susilo’s credentials and experience, that’s a huge statement to make and a glowing personal and professional endorsement. You can enjoy it both indoors and out without sacrificing picture quality, he says. It can project an image at 3,840 x 2,160 and 3,500 ANSI lumens, making it ultra-bright. Easy to set up, create a 4.1.2 soundstage leveraging the FlexWave sound technology. From short to long-throw set-ups, it comes with Google TV built-in for access to all your favourite streaming apps. If outdoor movie nights are a common thing in your household during the summer, this is a gift worth getting. And yes you can use it indoors, too, of course! Read our review.
Buy the Anker Soundcore Nebula X1 in Canada for $3,999.99 and in the U.S. for $2,499.
Yaber T1 Pro Compact Smart Projector
Looking for an affordable projector for fun movie nights with the kids, as a massive second screen when working from home, your special occasion outdoor display, or on the go presentations and viewing? The Yaber T1 Pro is ultra-compact and comes with built-in streaming access, an 8W speaker powered by TurboSonic acoustic technology, and a 180° rotating gimbal stand. Weighing just 1.25 kg, it employs a cylindrical unibody design and comes with a military-grade orange nylon strap and silicone grips for comfort and slip-resistant handling for both indoor and outdoor use. Thanks to the built-in stand, you can orient it for displaying video on a wall or even the ceiling without the need for a separate mount. Ambient mood lighting options, including warm, cool, and nightlight, add a fun twist.
Buy the Yaber T1 in the U.S. for $189.99.
Kanto PMX700 Pro TV Mount
If you plan to mount your new TV on a wall, you’ll need a good mount. The Kanto PMX700 Pro, distributed in Canada by Gemsen, is a full-motion TV mount that not only secures the display to the wall but also makes it easy to adjust its position based on where you are in the room. It can support TVs as large as 100 inches and up to 150 lbs. in weight and comes with a pair of articulating arms with tilt and swivel functionality. With 31.3 inches of extension, it can also sit 2.6 inches from the wall when you aren’t watching, then pulled out when you’re ready to enjoy a movie, TV show, sporting event, and more. Cable management clips ensure a neat and tidy installation.
Buy the Kanto PMX700 TV mount in Canada for $249.99 and in the U.S. for $249.99.
Roku Streaming Stick 4K
You probably already have a smart TV with its own interface. But some prefer using a streaming stick, especially one from Roku that delivers an incredibly intuitive UI and included remote or the option to control it from the mobile app. The advantage in having a device like the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is that you can bring it with you to the cottage, friend’s house, or even a hotel to access your accounts virtually anywhere. You cam stream content at up to 4K quality with Dolby Vision and HDR10+, and even access Roku’s own 200+ free channels with live news, weather, sports, and originals.
Buy the Roku Streaming Stick 4K in Canada for $99.99 and in the U.S. for $59.99.
LG evo C6 Series OLED TV
The LG C6 OLED TV uses the new Alpha 11 AI processor Gen3, Hyper Radiant Colour Technology, Brightness Booster Ultimate, and the next generation webOS 26 platform. It’s Bright Room Ready and delivers Perfect Black and Perfect Colour. Hyper Radiant Colour Technology is available exclusively on the 77-inch and 83-inch models. AI-assisted deep learning analyzes your preferences to choose the best picture and sound setting for content. This series also supports Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and Filmmaker Mode. Gamers will appreciate features like a 0.1ms response time, native 120Hz refresh rate, with VRR up to 165hz for PC gaming, and four HDMI 2.1 inputs.
Buy the 55-inch LG evo C6 OLED TV in Canada for $1,797.98 and in the U.S. for $1,399.99.
Sony Bravia 6 OLED 4K TV
A serious upgrade for the living room, this TV offers deep blacks and vibrant colours, comes with the Google TV OS with Gemini, and supports Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and DTS:X 2. Each TV has four HDMI 2.1 ports and supports 4K at 120 frames-per-second (fps). There’s variable refresh rate and auto low latency mode, making them ideal for gaming as well as watching TV. It comes in five sizes ranging from 48 inches up to an 83-incher that will make the hockey games this season look epic.
Buy the 48-inch Sony Bravia 6 4K TV for $1,498 and in the U.S. for $998.
Bluesound Pulse Sub
Get the bass pumping in your home theatre or for your music with the Bluesound Pulse Sub, which has a 350W amplifier, dual-opposing 6.5-inch woofers, and offers wireless integration via BluOS. Built for the BluOS ecosystem, it connects wirelessly to compatible Bluesound products and pairs through the BluOS Controller app. It’s compact to fit in modern living spaces with integrated cable management that keeps wiring out of sight.
Buy the Bluesound Pulse Sub for $1,299.
Govee TV Backlight 3
Adds some ambiance to the living room and TV experience with this backlight. Powered by a hybrid glass-plastic dual-camera lens, you get warm tones to complement what’s on screen. When a sunset fades to twilight in a documentary, for example, the light behind your TV follows every nuance in real time. It works by dividing the screen into 24 independent zones and reproducing backlighting for each corresponding section for a layered, natural ambient glow. Use the Govee app to unlock preset scenes as well.
Buy the Govee TV Backlight 3 in Canada for $159.99 and $139.99. in the U.S.
Denon AVR-S980H 7.2-Channel AV Receiver
Add this receiver to your set-up to enhance audio thanks to the 90W per channel and open, spacious sound. It works with the HEOS multiroom audio platform and offers support for 1440p pass-through and AMD FreeSync for smoother visuals and more responsive gameplay. It’s easy to set up, too, and supports Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, and Spotify Connect.
Buy the Denon AVR-S980H in the U.S. for $949.
SVS 3000 Micro R Evolution Subwoofer
This subwoofer delivers deep bass in a small cabinet size. At the heart of the 3000 Micro R Evolution is a pair of dual opposing active 9” drivers configured to maximize output while minimizing cabinet vibration. The subwoofer provides 1,200W continuous amplification with 4,000W peak. The 11” cabinet is constructed from premium MDF with internal bracing, providing stability and resonance control. Advanced 295MHz Analog DSP technology monitors power delivery, thermal management and driver excursion to optimize performance and tailor the bass response to any room, with precise adjustments available via the SVS app.
Buy the SVS 3000 Micro R Evolution Subwoofer in Canada for $1,513.13 and in the U.S. for $999.
Sennheiser RS 275 TV Headphones
If you know someone who loves to watch TV late at night when everyone else is sleeping, is hard of hearing, or likes the volume louder than others, these headphones are the perfect solution. The bundle includes the headphones, a stand, and the BTA1 TV transmitter. Connect the transmitter to your TV, mount the headphones on the stand, then put them on whenever you want to listen privately. Choose from various sound modes for a more enhanced experience versus just connecting a pair of Bluetooth headphones to your TV. With Auracast, everyone can connect their own Auracast-enabled headphones to the same transmitter and listen to the same source at the volume of their choice. Read my review.
Buy the Sennheiser RS 275 TV Headphones Bundle in Canada for $299.95 and in the U.S. for $219.95.
Apple TV 4K Media Streaming Box
Finally, Apple has updated its Apple TV player, and you can pick up a new one for your living room or bedroom. The upgraded box adds Siri AI with built-in far-field mics, and pairs seamlessly with four HomePod mini 2s or HomePod 2nd-gen speakers to provide an immersive experience. Control your compatible smart home devices from the TV using Apple TV as your home hub. Stream content from your favorite sources, play games, do workouts from Fitness+, enjoy big-screen FaceTime calls, and more.
You’ll have to wait until November 13 to pick up a new Apple TV 4K for $429.
Panasonic Z85C OLED TV
Looking for an alternative TV brand? Panasonic is back in Canada through a partnership with Skyworth, so while it isn’t a “new” brand, per se, it’s one you haven’t seen in stores in a while. The Z85C OLED TV comes in either a 55- or 65-inch size, and promises precise blacks, and “rich, cinematic contrast.” As a Google TV, you get that familiar operating system and access to Google apps. Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, HDR10+, HLG, and Surround Sound Pro are all supported. There’s also Game Mode Extreme with up to 120Hz refresh rates along with HDMI 2.1 connectivity, VRR, low-latency operation, and AMD FreeSync Premium.