Tax refund buying guide: 10 mobile devices from $150 to $17,000

With the average American getting nearly $3,000 of their money back from the government many are looking to treat themselves to a new mobile device. Matthew Miller has ten recommendations for you.

By Matthew Miller, Contributing Writer on March 26, 2015

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10 mobile devices to consider buying with your tax refund

It looks like the average annual federal tax refund will be about $2,800, reported by CNN Money, and if you want to help stimulate the economy you may be thinking about investing some of that back into the US economy.

There are several new and exciting mobile products you may want to consider buying with your tax refund. Matthew listed ten products in order of increasing price, from $150 to $999. Check out our suggestions for mobile purchases this tax refund season and let us know what you plan to do with your refund.

Fitbit Charge HR and Surge

A great way to start the year is to make a plan to stay active. The Fitbit Charge HR and Fitbit Surge are the best Fitbit devices and are priced at $150 and $250.

Pebble Time

The new Pebble Time and Pebble Time Steelsmartwatches can be pre-ordered now, but won't ship until May and July. Priced starting at $199, they are affordable smartwatches that can be used with Android or iPhone devices.

Apple Watch

The Apple Watch goes on sale on 10 April with availability starting on 24 April. Prices start at $349 and go up to $17,000+. You can easily spend your entire refund on one device with this option.

Nokia Lumia 830

Microsoft is currently focused on the affordable flagship line and the Lumia 830 is one of the best. At $399 or less for a full unlocked phone, it's got a lot going for it.

BlackBerry Passport

One of my favorite devices is the BlackBerry Passport and while it has a unique form factor, there is a lot to offer in this package. BlackBerry Blend, the BlackBerry Hub, and installing Android apps make it a nice smartphone priced at $599 with no contract.

HTC One M9

HTC's new flagship will be available in early April and continues improving on the iconic HTC One design. The HTC One M9 feels like a fine piece of jewelry and comes with one year of protection in the US. Full retail price starts at $649.

Apple iPhone 6 and 6 Plus

You can't go wrong with a new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus and it continues to earn Matthew's top smartphone position. There is a lot to like here with prices starting at $649 and $749 for the base models.

Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge

Samsung latest flagship smartphones also launch in April at a higher price than the HTC One M9 and iPhone 6. Early testing shows the camera may be the best on any smartphone today. Prices start at $680 and $780 for the S6 and S6 Edge, respectively.

Microsoft Surface Pro 3

The Surface Pro 3 is my favorite laptop ever and for those who spend time on the road you will appreciate the compact size and form factor. The lowest priced model starts at just $799.

Google Chromebook Pixel

The new Chromebook Pixel is priced lower than the first generation model and offers much better specs. I appreciate fine design and think the $999 is worth having a productive Chrome OS machine.