20 Great Tech Gifts to Give This Year

Perfect for someone who recently got addicted to Balatro on their phone, or otherwise plays tons of games on their mobile device instead of a console or another handheld, the Backbone One is one of our favorite phone controllers. It was one of the first expandable controllers for phones and remains one of the best to ever do it. It's compatible with iOS and Android devices.

This Fujifilm printer spits out Instax photos straight from your phone's camera roll via Bluetooth, which is ideal if someone is into the vibe of instant cameras but isn't great about remembering to bring theirs when they go out. This Pikachu bundle that prints mini film is very cute, but if that sells out, there are plenty of other sizes (I'm especially partial to the wide film).

Give the gift of ending the Switch scourge that is stick drift by investing in a Hori Split Pad. It's great for those with bigger hands or simply want something with more real estate to grab onto when playing Switch as a handheld. (You can also find the Hori Split Pad Pro on our list of the best gifts under $50).

This RayCue docking station is both extremely practical – with 13 different ports – and far nicer to look at than your typical USB/HDMI/etc. hub. The screen is actually functional and can display preset visualizations, the time, or a slideshow of photos that you've uploaded.

For the runners and cyclists in your life who are constantly on the hunt for the best workout headphones, the Shokz OpenRun Pro are the ones that will put their search to an end. They might look goofy but their functionality is legit: Even though these are open-ear headphones, Shokz' bone-conduction technology means that it still delivers clear audio while letting you stay aware of your surroundings.

If someone on your list is adamant that handhelds peaked with the Game Boy Color – and who can blame them? – then the Analogue Pocket Console is a no-brainer. It's compatible with Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges (though it can handle more niche handhelds of the era with an adapter), and as a fun little bonus, it's also a tiny synthesizer to make chiptune dreams come true.

Trifold iPad cases don't hold a candle to this stand. This Twelve South stand might seem like overkill at first brush, but IGN staff swears this is game-changing for iPad havers.

The Kobo Libra is as close as you can get to the experience of marking up an actual book outside of the Kindle Scribe (which is double the price).

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise: String lights are great any time of the year, not just the holidays, and if someone on your list is already a Philips Hue user, these are a great fun addition to that suite.

For those who have been on the hunt for a new handheld, the ROG Ally X is your best bet. It's our top pick for portable gaming PC, and for good reason. In IGN's 9/10 review, Jacqueline Thomas said that "compared to other handheld gaming PCs out there, the Asus ROG Ally is the best positioned to play the latest AAA games at high settings," and praised the longevity of its battery life.

Portable speakers are a great little investment, and JBL's Go 4 is extra-portable (and comes in fun colorways) while still maintaining robust sound quality.

There's never been a better time to give the gift of mixed reality now that the Meta Quest 3S has released a cost-effective headset. In our 9/10 review, Gabriel Moss wrote "the Meta Quest 3S is the perfect entry-level VR headset, finally bridging the price gap between the relatively shiny new Meta Quest 3 and the now four-year-old Meta Quest 2."

A truly essential gift for any tech tinkerer that includes 16 4mm screwdriver bits, angled tweezers, and other specialized tools. As an upgrade, throw in an electric screwdriver, especially if they're obsessed with keyboard modding.

Airpods are insanely popular for good reasons, including active noise cancellation plus other adaptive audio hearthrough modes. Convert a holdout today by gifting them a pair of the Pros, which we still think still stand as the best model of Airpods to-date (and will definitely go on sale for Black Friday).

Wireless charging is a beautiful convenience to add to a friend or family member's life. Just be sure they have an iPhone 12 or newer for this MagSafe charger to work.

This Genki dock doesn't seem like much, but that would be like judging an incredible book by its lackluster cover. It's super useful for owners of gaming handhelds – like the Switch Lite, ROG Ally, or Steam Deck – who would like it very much if they could play those games on a TV or monitor.

"Thanks for the power bank........." is how an uninitated giftee might react. Everyone else in the know about how reliable and good these Anker plug-in/portable chargers are for pretty much any device that needs power will be delighted.

USB drives are certainly not glamorous gifts, but man, if they aren't extremely handy to have around when you desperately need one. This Samsung 512GB one is especially great and compatible with loads of devices since it's USB-C. It's time to upgrade from the old 8GB USB thumb drive you got as a random freebie 10 years ago.

One of the best consumer portable cameras on the market right now. The Insta360 X4 can take 8K video in 360º and has helpful settings to stabilize movement and reframe shots that came out a little off-kilter.

For the nostalgia hounds in your life who wish that the tactile clickity-clack of Blackberry keyboards never gave way to touch screens. The Clicks case adds a bit more length to iPhones, but that also saves a good amount of precious screen real estate from the Apple keyboard.