Beyond socks, shirts, and chocolates, there is a huge market for tech gifts that are fun to receive and can also be functional for work, entertainment purposes, or study. Whether you’re on the hunt for the best gaming laptop, tablet, or fitness tracker for a loved one, or you are looking for interesting gadgets as stocking stuffers and smaller presents, there is a huge variety of products on offer for the holiday season.
To see out our top recommendations for tech products, gadgets, and accessories over the holiday season, check out our guide below.
Stocking stuffers for under $100
The Xenvo Pro Lens kit is a useful accessory for mobile phones that is likely to appeal as a gift to photography enthusiasts. The kit comes with a TruView 0.45x wide-angle lens, Clarus 15x macro lens, clips, an LED light, cleaning cloth, and case.
Also: Best camera phones | Best cameras
Gifting for someone who just upgraded their phone? If they purchased an iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, or even Google Pixel, chances are, they didn’t get a charger in the box. A majority of smartphone manufacturers have joined the “Go Green” initiative over the past two years, resulting in more plastic-free packaging and less accessories in the box. The Anker Nano Pro can charge up to 20 watts, enough to fast charge iPhones and Android devices, and is as compact as Apple’s own 5 watt charging brick.
See: ZDNet’s Adrian Kingsley-Hughes’ Anker Nano Pro photo tour
The GameSir X2 gaming controller, suitable for iOS & Android devices, transforms smartphones into mobile consoles reminiscent of Nintendo handhelds. Once slotted to your phone, the device, sporting an ABXY layout, can be used to play emulators, mobile games, and more.
The best gifts for a little more ($100 – $300)
Burn calories while having fun
Now available for $299, the Oculus Quest 2 is one of the most affordable virtual reality headsets on the market. There is now a thriving game ecosystem, ranging from horror titles — such as the Resident Evil series — to explorers and puzzles. Or, immerse yourself in a variety of fitness games — like Beat Saber and BOXVR.
Gifts worth splurging for ($500 and up)
We’re halfway through the school year but it’s never too late to give the gift of Apple’s new M1-powered MacBooks — or any of the company’s gadgets that have the chip baked in. The MacBook Air gets my recommendation for its sleek and lightweight design, battery-efficient performance, and robust macOS experience. It’s the perfect laptop for students, workers, anyone.
Also: Best laptops of 2021 | All about Apple’s Silicon M1 chip
Explore mirrorless photography
One of the key features of the Sony Alpha 6600 mirrorless camera is its autofocus capabilities, widely applauded as one of the best in the compact camera market. The camera also sports 24.2MP quality, an APS-C Exmor sensor, ISO capabilities of up to 102,4004, 11fps continuous shooting, and comes with an 18-135mm lens.
If you’re looking for a camera as a gift this holiday season — for someone else, or, perhaps, yourself — then this is an option well worth considering.
Also: Best cameras
A versatile laptop for work and play
The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 would be a valued gift for anyone looking to upgrade their tablet or in need of a versatile device for work, travel, or study this year. At Best Buy, you can pick up a Surface Pro 7 with a 12.3-inch touchscreen display, Intel Core i5 processor, 128GB SSD storage, and 8GB RAM. The tablet-to-laptop operates on Windows 10 Home and, though, not the newest model, the Surface Pro 7 makes for an excellent value offering.
The DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 would make any drone hobbyist’s day if received as a holiday gift. This model, one of the Phantom range — which includes cheaper and more expensive options — features a 1-inch CMOS sensor for shooting 4K/60fps videos, a camera capable of taking 20MP photos (f/2.8 wide-angle lens), sensors for detecting obstacles, and a remote controller.
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For something extra special this year, you could look at the Unistellar eVscope 2. This telescope brings together Nikon technology, automated field detection, and light pollution reduction systems to give the clearest sky possible to hobbyist astronomers.
How we chose these products
Every holiday season, the hottest new technology often appeals no matter the age. It is also a time for many to ask for replacements, such as for a new laptop, phone, or gaming console. When we compiled our list, we considered not only the latest mobile device or PC, but also technology that could prove to be entertaining or valued in the recipients’ daily lives.