Best tech gifts: Laptops, gaming, gadgets, and more

October 28, 2021

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 a laptop, tablet, or activity tracker for a loved one, or you are looking for interesting gadgets as stocking fillers 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.

Buyer’s Guide

Oculus Quest 2 headset

For fans of VR

Best Buy

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.

However, you must have — or open — a Facebook account to use this hardware.

Pros:

Lightweight comfortable
More affordable

Cons:

Facebook account required

Also: Best VR and AR headsets of 2021

Xenvo Pro Lens Kit for mobile devices

For mobile photography enthusiasts

Amazon

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.

Pros:

Compatible with numerous smartphones and tablets
Solid material and image quality

Cons:

May not support dual/quad smartphone cameras

Also: Best camera phones | Best cameras

Sony Alpha 6600 Mirrorless Camera

Explore mirrorless photography

Best Buy

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.

Pros:

Professional quality
4K video capabilities (3840 x 2160)

Cons:

Expensive
Lackadaisical design

Also: Best cameras

Bose QuietComfort 45

Noise cancellation, work in peace

Bose

Bose’s QuietComfort 45 is an excellent option this holiday season if you are looking for quality headphones. These Bluetooth-connected headphones come with active noise-cancellation technology, a ‘quiet’ and ‘aware’ mode to both listen to music and allow environmental noise in simultaneously, and synthetic leather ear cups.

Pros:

Multiple color options are available
Quality sound

Cons:

Some audio adjustments require in-app tweaks

Also: Best noise-canceling headphones

GameSir X2 Gaming Controller

A present for mobile gamers

Amazon

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, connects and is powered by a 500mAh battery.

Pros:

iOS Android compatibility
Comfortable

Cons:

The battery can drain fast
Max device length of 173mm device support

Also:

Microsoft Surface Pro 7

A versatile laptop for work and play

Best Buy

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.

Pros:

Flexible design
User-friendly

Cons:

Low storage space unless upgraded

Also: The best Surface PC: Which is right for you?

Fitbit Charge 5

For gym bunnies and those looking to get fit

Target

Another holiday gift to consider this year is a Fitbit. The vendor is known for its activity trackers, and the Charge range is no exception. The Charge 5 is a Bluetooth-enabled tracker containing activity sensors, heart rate monitor, sleep tracker and also provides a ‘readiness’ score based on your sleeping patterns, heart rate, and exercise records.

See: Fitbit Charge 5 review: Best fitness tracker with color display, GPS, elegant form factor

Pros:

Available in three colors
Sleek design

Cons:

Some features are still rolling out

Also: Best fitness trackers | Best sports watches

DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0

A gift for drone enthusiasts

DJI

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.

Pros:

Advanced flight features
32GB microSD card thrown in

Cons:

Spare batteries cost $185

Also:

ASUS ROG G512 Gaming Laptop

The perfect gift for gamers

Walmart

Not to miss the gamers out, the ASUS ROG G512 gaming laptop is a premium model that will be future-proof for years yet. This powerful Windows machine is equipped with a 15.6-inch 144Hz FHD display, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 graphics, an Intel i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD storage.

Pros:

Powerful graphics
Stunning display

Cons:

Heavy

Also: Best gaming laptop | Best budget gaming laptop

Apple iPad Mini

A top tablet from Apple

Target

The 2021 Apple iPad mini, one of the latest models in Apple’s lineup, has been redesigned to be smaller than previous models but has managed to keep an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, A15 processor, 64/256GB storage, and 4GB RAM. Apple fans looking to upgrade their iPad mini would certainly love this as a present this year.

See: Apple iPad Mini (6th Gen.) review: Unmatched portability and power

Pros:

Quality display
TouchID for authentication, payment security

Cons:

Expensive
No headphone jack

Also: Best tablets | Best budget tablets

Samsung Galaxy Tab A7

An Android tablet alternative for the holidays

Walmart

If you’re on the hunt for a solid Android tablet this holiday season, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 is a great option to consider. This tablet is equipped with a 10.4-inch display, an 8MP rear camera and 5MP front camera, Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 processor, 3GB RAM, and 32GB storage.

Pros:

Three color options available
Additional SD storage support

Cons:

Video recording capabilities could be improved
Low RAM

Also: Best Android tablets | Best tablets | Best budget tablets

StudioCaddy

Stylish office, desk organization

Kensington

If you’re looking for a stylish but also useful gift over the holiday season, you should consider the Kensington StudioCaddy — especially for those working from home. The StudioCaddy is a space-saving setup for Apple devices that utilizes Qi wireless charging to keep iPhones, AirPods, and MacBooks fully juiced.

Pros:

A space saver for home offices
Wireless charging

Cons:

Apple devices only

Also: Best iPad accessories: Docks, hubs, and more

Apple Airpods

The next generation

Apple

A must-have for Apple fans, the iPad and iPhone maker has recently revealed its next-generation Apple Airpods. Now available to purchase, these third-generation earbuds have been redesigned for better battery life, bass, and overall sound quality.

Pros:

Battery performance improvements
Adaptive EQ

Cons:

The design won’t be to everyone’s taste
Expensive

Also: Best wireless earbuds

Unistellar eVscope 2

Looking to the stars

Unistellar

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.

Pros:

7.7Mpx image resolution
Useable in poor conditions

Cons:

Expensive

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.

Alternatives worth considering: