It’s always fun to invest in new tech, and what better time to do so than the start of the new year? From having fun with virtual reality to adding smart technology to your home, there’s a lot of cool tech on the market right now. Here’s some of what you should consider investing in this year.

Have Fun with VR Gaming

Now is a great time to get into VR gaming. There are plenty of incredible headsets on the market right now, from more affordable ones like Google Cardboard, which works with most smartphones, to stand-alone headsets like PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, and Oculus Quest. Most of these headsets cost anywhere from $200 to $400. If you really want to get serious about your gaming, you can also invest in haptic gloves and suits to enhance your gameplay experience.

Once you get your new VR headset, there are all kinds of cool VR games to play, no matter your interests. For fans of Guitar Hero and similar games, you can slash beats with Beat Saber or play a trippier version of Tetris with Tetris Effect. If you love casino gaming, PokerStars’ PokerStars VR lets you play poker in a virtual casino with people from all over the world. And then there are action-packed shooter games like Robo Recall and Pistol Whip to make you feel like an action movie star.

Make Your Home Smarter

If you’re behind on the smart home trend, now is the time to remedy that. There are all types of smart tech to choose from, like smart kitchen appliances, light bulbs, thermostats, security cameras, door locks, speakers, assistants, TVs, and so on. A lot of smart tech is pretty affordable too, and you can find many items for under $100 depending on what you want.

One of the best aspects about smart home technology is that you can control it all remotely. If you have a smart thermostat, for example, you can keep it on an energy-saving setting until you’re on your way home from work, and then you can adjust the heat or air so it’s the temperature you prefer. With smart light bulbs, you can turn the lights off and on even when you’re not home, or you can change them to fun colors to set the mood for a party.

Smart security cameras and locks are another good investment because they add an extra layer of protection to your home for an affordable price. You can often find smart security cameras for under $50 now, and have instant access to the feed on your smartphone. Smart locks, on the other hand, are typically around $200.

Bump Up the Wi-Fi

There’s no reason you should have to put up with spotty Wi-Fi or dead zones in your home or business. As a solution to these issues, get a Wi-Fi mesh network to make sure you get reliable, good-quality Wi-Fi from wherever you are in your home. Basically, a mesh network includes several linked devices that are scattered about your home. They’re all connected to the main router and they ensure that you’ll get a solid Wi-Fi connection.

There are all types of mesh networks on the market. Which kind you should get really depends on your needs, such as whether you need it for your home or a small business. Still, for either one, you can usually find a good mesh system for around $150 to $400. Sure, it’s quite an investment, but it’s not much more than a typical router ($50 to $150), and if you’re having Wi-Fi problems, it’s definitely worth getting it.

Adding new technology to your home can make your home run more efficiently — and make it a whole lot more fun. If you’ve been waiting to take the plunge on some of this tech, now is a great time to invest in it because the tech has been much improved and is now much more affordable.

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