If you have a child, a relative or maybe even a friend away at school for the first time, their adjustment to a new living situation might be smoothed by a bit of technology, and you don’t need to break the bank to accomplish that. Here are four of CNET’s favorite gadgets for the dorm or apartment that can be had for less than $50.
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Chromecast Audio
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/reviews/chromecast-audio-review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 (Outstanding)
The good: Google’s ultra-affordable Wi-Fi music dongle streams anything from an Android device and many top iOS apps as well. It supports multiroom audio, digital and analog outputs and — with Google Home — voice control.
The bad: Some notable music services, including iTunes, Apple Music and Amazon Music, are not supported on iPhone and iPad. You need to supply the speakers.
The cost: $35.00
The bottom line: The phenomenal Google Chromecast Audio should be your starting point if you’re looking into multiroom wireless audio.
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Roku Streaming Stick 2017
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/reviews/roku-streaming-stick-2017-review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4.0 stars out of 5 (Excellent)
The good: The Roku Streaming Stick streams Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and the rest in an ultra-compact design for an affordable price. Its remote can control your TV’s volume and power. Responses are lightning-fast. The simple menus put every streaming service on a level playing field and offer more apps and better search than competitors.
The bad: The menus can seem dated compared to rivals, and some apps use old-school layouts. Voice search and control is worse than Fire TV.
The cost: $48.24 to $49.99
The bottom line: For buyers who don’t care about 4K or HDR streaming, the Roku Streaming Stick is the best player on the market.
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Google Home Mini
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/reviews/google-home-mini-review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4.0 stars out of 5 (Excellent)
The good: The Google Home Mini puts all of the smarts of Google Assistant into a small and affordable package. The Mini sounds surprisingly good for its size and features a colorful design that can blend into your home’s decor.
The bad: The Mini’s touch controls aren’t intuitive, it doesn’t have a line-out jack like the Amazon Echo Dot, and the built-in Google Assistant still doesn’t have quite as many features as the Dot’s built-in assistant, Alexa.
The cost: $49.00 to $49.99
The bottom line: The Google Home Mini stands tall as one of the best affordable smart speakers out there, along with the Amazon Echo Dot, but it doesn’t do enough to supplant the Dot at the top of the list.
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Tribit XFree Tune Bluetooth Headphones
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/reviews/tribit-xfree-tune-bluetooth-headphones-review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4.0 stars out of 5 (Excellent)
The good: The Tribit XFree Tune sounds terrific for the money. It’s comfortable to wear and seems relatively well built. The headphones fold up to fit into an optional carrying case and battery life is rated at a healthy 24 hours at moderate volume levels.
The bad: The carrying case boosts the price by $5. The Tribit logo could be less prominent. Amazon product page touts noise-canceling technology but it’s only for voice calls, not true active noise-canceling.
The cost: $44.99
The bottom line: You won’t find better full-sized wireless headphones for under $50 than the Tribit XFree Tune.
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The following CNET staff contributed to this story: Executive Editor David Carnoy, Senior Associate Editor Ry Crist, Associate Editor Andrew Gebhart, Section Editor David Katzmaier, Senior Associate Editor Ty Pendlebury and Senior Editor Laura K. Cucullu. For more reviews of personal technology products, please visit www.cnet.com.
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