Top 15 Gifts for Tech
1A colour e-reader with page-turn buttons and stylus support, named by CNN Underscored as a gift for serious readers (for book-gift-ideas, section 1: book light,
$259.99Rakuten Kobo
3Backbone Pro Wireless Mobile Gaming Controller | Backbone
A CNN Underscored brother pick; a pro-grade phone controller for gaming on the go.
$169.99Backbone
5NEW Camp Snap 2 (Screen-Free Digital Camera)
CNN Underscored recommends Camp Snap in both its boyfriend and girlfriend guides as a screen-free, disposable-camera-style option that saves photos to an includ
$69.99Camp Snap
7XGIMI Horizon S Max 4K IMAX Enhanced Projector
The first IMAX Enhanced 4K projector you can carry room to room; The Shortcut praised its huge brightness boost and IMAX picture quality. A big home cinema gift.
$1,429XGIMI
2Puffy Laptop Sleeve 16" Strawberry - Baggu
CNN Underscored's pick for students; a padded, playful laptop sleeve that protects her laptop on the way to class.
$34.00Baggu
4CNN Underscored's wife gift guide picks this stand for turning into a sturdy tripod with no assembly, handy for recipe videos, makeup tutorials or filming.
$39.99MOFT
6The plant pet that tells you when it's thirsty.
$98.99Plantsio
HintDrop perk: 8% off
Start with what they already own
Look at what they use every day and ask what is slightly annoying about it. A phone that lives on a tangle of cables suits a 3 in 1 wireless charging stand, like the Belkin BoostCharge Pro. A laptop bag, a decent case or a second set of earbuds for the gym are the same kind of idea. Accessories rarely get bought by the person who owns the main item, so they land as a pleasant surprise rather than a duplicate.
Audio is the safest big upgrade
If they listen to music, podcasts or take a lot of calls, a proper pair of headphones is one of the few tech gifts that nearly always lands. Noise cancelling is the feature people notice most, so look at the Bose QuietComfort range or the Sennheiser Accentum Plus if they already have a basic pair.
For a home listener, a Roberts Revival DAB radio is the opposite of a gadget pile: one object that looks lovely on a shelf and gets used every morning.
Tech for a hobby beats tech for its own sake
A gadget aimed at something they already love will always beat a random one. A Backbone Pro controller turns a phone into a handheld console for a gamer. A Bird Buddy camera feeder suits anyone who watches the garden. An Apple Watch SE suits the person who has been saying they might start running. Pair the gadget with the interest, not the other way round.
For the bigger upgrade, let a few people cover it together
The tech people really want but will not buy themselves is usually the expensive kind: a good pair of headphones, a smartwatch, a new console. That is where a group pot works well, because a few of you can put towards one proper upgrade instead of each buying a smaller thing they will not use. On HintDrop everyone can see what has been claimed, so nobody doubles up.
What to skip
Skip anything that needs a long setup, an account or constant updates unless they have asked for it. Avoid novelty gadgets that look clever on a gift guide and end up in a drawer by February. And do not buy the same category they own, such as another smart speaker, unless you know theirs is old or broken.
Frequently asked questions
What tech gift is good for someone who has everything?
An accessory or upgrade for something they already use: a wireless charging stand, noise cancelling headphones, a better case or a gadget for a hobby. These fill gaps they have not bothered to fill themselves.
What are good non gadget gifts for tech lovers?
Things that make their space nicer, such as a DAB radio, a good desk lamp, a cable organiser or a stand for their laptop. They suit people who are tired of screens but still care about quality.
What are good tech gifts for grandparents?
Choose simple, always ready devices: a digital radio with proper dials, a photo frame the family can send pictures to, or a pair of headphones for the TV. Avoid anything that needs lots of setting up or regular updates.
How do I choose a tech gift if I do not know much about tech?
Ask what they use most, then pick a better version or an accessory for it. Reading what they have already saved on their list is even safer, because it is the thing they have actually looked at.
Is it better to buy one big tech gift or several small ones?
One good upgrade usually beats several small accessories, especially if the cost is shared. Add a small extra, like a cable or a case, to make it feel complete.
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