From a new pair of headphones to a cutting-edge e-reader, there are plenty of fantastic tech presents to give this holiday season—but how do you know what’s worth your money and what’s not?
That’s the common fear of attempting to buy a new electronic present for someone: how do you separate the best goods of the year from the sea of mediocrity? Fortunately, it’s simple—just look at our suggestions below. This list is jam with of our most beloved devices, including many of those that made our top tech of 2022 roundup, so now is the time to pick up a few fantastic gifts before they all sell out.
1. Roku Ultra
Roku’s high-end Ultra media streaming gadget has long been our favorite, and for good reason. Its processing speed is really fast, and the user interface is extremely welcoming and intuitive, making it simple to settle in for a night of Netflix (or Hulu, or Amazon Prime, or YouTube, Twitch, or anything else). This box also has a wonderful voice control and a pair of headphones that plug directly into it for private listening, as well as an ethernet cable input for simply streaming 4K/HDR material, if that’s your thing..
2. SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Wireless
If you’re shopping for someone who spends a lot of time on their keyboard, whether it’s typing at work or gaming after hours, this is the keyboard to get them. One of the greatest gaming keyboards we tested in 2022 was the SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini. Its conveniently accessible secondary and tertiary functionality, customisable profiles, and superior connection make it a fantastic choice for Mac or PC users.
3. Amazon Kindle 11th Generation
Amazon’s latest Kindle dominated our e-reader tests. It’s simple to use, has a clear display, and costs less than most of the other devices we looked at. It has a battery life of up to three weeks and enough storage to store and read up to 16 GB of books.
4. Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Apple’s AirPods Pro (2nd generation) are among the best true wireless earphones available. The Pro 2 is a significant improvement over the Pros, featuring “vastly improved noise canceling” and “excellent adaptive transparency mode,” according to our reviewer.The ultimate result is an excellent pair of true wireless headphones that we highly recommend.
5. Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony’s WH-1000XM5 noise-cancelling headphones are absolutely amazing—in fact, they’re the greatest over-ear noise-cancelling headphones available right now. They not only sound great, but they also include the most helpful headphone features available: amazing noise cancellation (that automatically listens to and adapts to your surroundings), wireless Bluetooth connectivity, and a plush, comfy design that allows you to wear them for hours. If your recipient is a music fanatic, these pricey cans will brighten their day.
6. iRobot Roomba j7+
Winter is a busy season for social events and holidays, and if the person on your list frequently complains about not having enough time for housework, the iRobot Roomba j7+ could be a fantastic present. The j7+ is our favorite robot vacuum because of its easy storage, excellent cleaning skills, and excellent navigation.
7. Hisense U8K
If you have a giftee on your list who has been wanting to upgrade to a 4K TV with HDR large enough for the living room, the 2023 Hisense U8K is a vibrant screen that can go fiercely bright—and the 65-inch variant is under $1,000. This mini-LED set has it all, including quantum dots, a 144Hz refresh rate for gaming, and outstanding local dimming capabilities. The value impressed our reviewer.
8. Garmin Vivosmart 4
If you’re searching for a gift for a fitness-obsessed buddy, consider the Garmin Vvosmart 4, which is listed as our most affordable fitness tracker. This useful health device can automatically identify and track workouts, monitor stress levels, and includes GPS tracking. It also has a very slim design, so it won’t seem bulky on your recipient’s wrist.
9. Valve Steam Deck
The Valve Steam Deck remains one of the top handheld gaming devices on the market. It not only received a mention from our editors in our best tech of 2022 roundup, but it also wowed Senior Electronics Editor Joanna Nelius with its simple setup, comfy design, and outstanding gaming emulation compatibility.
10. JBL Flip 6
JBL’s Flip line of compact, waterproof Bluetooth speakers consistently ranks at the top of our list of the finest Bluetooth speakers available, and the Flip 6 is the best one yet. These contoured, painstakingly constructed speakers deliver warm sounds with lots of bass and middle. They also have rubber-capped ends and water-sealed inputs, allowing you to take your new speaker on treks, beach visits, or just out to the backyard without worry. If your giftee enjoys taking their music with them everywhere they go, a Bluetooth speaker like the Flip 6 could be the ideal present.
11. Logitech G Cloud Gaming Console
The Logitech G Cloud, another favorite gaming console of 2022, has everything you might desire in a portable console—our editor termed it a “near perfect device” with amazing battery life and a fantastic display and user-experience. It’s Google Play and Xbox Cloud Gaming compatible, and it works well with games ranging from Death Stranding to Stardew Valley.
12. Vizio V-Series 2.1 soundbar
Let’s face it: TV audio is terrible. While we enjoy reviewing TVs, we also enjoy listening to them, which is why we also review soundbars. Vizio’s V-Series, a soundbar and subwoofer combo that produces seriously fantastic audio for the price, is one of our favorites. There’s nothing fancy going on here, but it’s a simple plug-and-play solution for anyone wishing to significantly improve their stock TV audio at a low cost. For an additional $100, you may upgrade the sound from 2.1 to 5.1 channel.
13. Sonos Arc soundbar
There are numerous terrific inexpensive soundbars out there, but if you want cinematic, room-filling sound that competes with the bone-rattling audio you’d hear in a movie theater, the Sonos Arc is a must-have. This is Sonos’ first Dolby Atmos-compatible soundbar, which means it can not only deliver superb stereo sound, but also Dolby’s unique object-oriented and height-channel-based audio solution, which places sound all around you in a room—even overhead. Naturally, a soundbar this amazing isn’t cheap, but if your giftee is a movie buff, this gift will blow them away.
14. Meta Quest 2
If you’re looking for a gift for a gamer who has yet to try VR, the Meta Quest 2 is a terrific place to start. Not only is it still one of the greatest VR headsets we’ve ever tried, but it’s also one of the most affordable. Although the Meta Quest 3 is due out this year, the Quest 2 is still a deal at $299.
15. Logitech Brio
The Logitech Brio was our top webcam of 2022 for a reason: it has exceptional picture and video quality as well as a variety of resolutions (up to 4K) and fields of view. It’s a terrific webcam for any and every circumstance, whether the person you’re shopping for wants to upgrade their work-from-home setup or has just started streaming from their computer.
16. SteelSeries Arctis Pro
If your giftee has a Spotify Wrapped that is entirely made up of game soundtracks, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro gaming headset is an excellent choice for daily listening. It is compatible with PC, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and pretty much all mobile devices, and it has some of the most comfortable, plush cups on the market.
17. Google Nest Mesh System
Maybe you’ve never heard of mesh Wi-Fi systems—but we have, because we’ve tested lots of ’em. A mesh Wi-Fi system is an excellent solution for essentially blanketing your entire home or apartment with high-speed Wi-Fi. If you’ve got a giftee whose place is full of Wi-Fi dead zones or thick walls, a mesh system might be just what they need. The Google Nest system is one of the best we’ve tested and is an excellent solution for anyone who just can’t seem to stay connected
18. Apple MacBook Air M2
A nice laptop is essential whether your giftee is pursuing an online degree, working from home, or working on their next creative endeavor. Because of its lightning-fast processor and considerable upgrades over the M1 model, the Apple MacBook Air M2 was the best MacBook we used all year in 2022.
19. Petcube Cam
You can bet we examined the best smart pet cams to discover the best value, and the Petcube Cam is our top selection. This camera packs a lot of helpful capabilities into a device that fits squarely in your palm. It doesn’t have fancy additions like treat tossing or laser games like other rivals, but it does have everything you need to check in with your pet from anywhere.
20. Apple TV 4K
There are numerous methods for streaming content. If watching hyper-compressed Netflix on your little phone during a 12-hour bus travel is the “blech” end of the spectrum, Apple TV 4K is the “yay” end. This fabulously zippy, impeccably polished streaming box is for the giftee who enjoys binge-watching but prefers to do so in style. It’s especially useful if you already possess an iPhone or iPad, as all Apple gadgets work well together.
21. Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10
If you have someone on your list who enjoys traveling and taking photos and needs something more durable than a smartphone but does not want a large, cumbersome camera, look no further. One of our favorite travel cameras for a long time has been the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10. It’s not cheap, but it’s less expensive than many high-end DSLRs and small enough to carry in a pants pocket.
22. Crosley C6 Turntable
It’s debated if analog vinyl recordings sound “better” or “warmer” than digitally structured audio files, but one thing is certain: listening to a beloved record on a record player the way the musicians and producers intended will always be a unique experience. The Crosley C6 is one of our top suggestions for a record collector who also needs a record player. It combines modern turntable accessories with a classic design and feel.
23. Logitech Harmony
We’ve all met someone whose living room resembles a defunct RadioShack. A remote for the TV, the soundbar, the Blu-ray or DVD player, and so on were strewn about the room. Give your pal a Logitech Harmony, one of the best universal remotes we’ve tried. Sure, they’ll have to perform some programming and tinkering to integrate all of their diverse devices into the Harmony hive-mind, but we promise they’ll appreciate your thoughtfulness.
24. Puro Labs PuroQuiet Kids’ Headphones
We think it’s wonderful if your children like listening to music, but younger children must be extra cautious about protecting their ears from excessive loudness. That’s where these fantastic Puro Labs headphones come into play. They are calibrated to avoid damagingly high volumes while providing balanced sound and noise cancellation to create lovely music. The PuroQuiet headphones are the best kids’ headphones we’ve tested, so you can be confident in their quality.
25. Apple Watch Series 8
The Apple Watch Series 8 is our all-time favorite smartwatch, surpassing the Series 7 because to its superb quality, crash-detection features, and amazing incremental upgrades over the previous model. If your giftee enjoys being connected to all of their apps and notifications but has their face buried in their smartphone, this smart accessory is the perfect present.
26. Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2
If you know someone who is especially cautious while driving, the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 is an excellent gift. It’s one of the more affordable dash cams we’ve examined, but it still provides full-HD 1080p video with a 140-degree field of view, which may be useful for an insurance claim.
27. Anker SoundCore 2
Let’s face it: the only thing better than swimming in a pool is swimming while listening to music. If you have someone on your list this year who enjoys swimming but doesn’t want to risk damaging their smartphone, a nice waterproof Bluetooth speaker could be the ideal gift. The Anker SoundCore 2 is one of our favorites, and it’s also reasonably priced.
28. Polaroid Hi-Print
If you’re buying gifts for anyone who loves snapping photos and printing them out in tangible form, the Polaroid Hi-Print is the perfect gift. This is our favorite portable picture printer, and we especially like its sleek, colorful appearance and ability to connect to our iPhones. You also get step-by-step instructions for speedy setup with the Hi-Print’s companion app, as well as rudimentary editing features to nail the perfect shot before you push print.
29. Asus ROG Zephyrus 14-inch Gaming Laptop
Set the gamer on your list up for success. The Asus ROG Zephyrus 2023 is a 14-inch, 120 Hz gaming laptop with an Nvidia RTX 4060, so if someone on your list is looking for a high-powered machine with excellent portability and robust features (that won’t cost your life savings), you can’t go wrong.
30. Linksys EA7500
When we examined the top Wi-Fi routers, the Linksys EA7500 blew us away with its incredible speed for the price. In terms of combined 2.4 and 5 Ghz Wi-Fi channel speeds, this dual-band router outperformed all others we tested.If your giftee’s internet connection needs a boost, this is the router to get them.
31. Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro
If you have someone on your list this year who uses their mouse and keyboard for more than just perusing the web, you should think about getting them a top-tier gaming mouse. Because of its excellent blend of comfort, customizability, performance, and pricing, the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro takes the top spot in our review of the best gaming mouse.
32. LIFX Z LED light strip
The LIFX Z LED smart light strip, our top-rated LED light strip, is a truly fantastic way to liven up a home theater or office. It’s simple to connect these smart LEDs to Alexa or Siri, or to integrate the LIFX into an existing SmartThings or Nest ecosystem—from there, it’s up to the giftee’s creativity whether they have ambient, gentle mood lighting or a demonic red glow lighting up the room.
33. Jall Sunrise Alarm Clock
We were pleasantly delighted by the inexpensive Jall dawn Alarm Clock when testing the finest dawn alarm clocks; it does an excellent job imitating sunrise and sunset and works nicely for the price. A dawn alarm clock can be a terrific way to greet the day in a more pleasant manner, especially during the darker winter months, whether the person you’re buying for is serious about sleep hygiene or simply isn’t much of a morning person.
34. Logitech MX Anywhere 3
Logitech’s MX everywhere 3 wireless mouse is our favorite wireless mouse for good reason: as long as you have the USB dongle, you can use it pretty much everywhere. It tracks reliably on any surface, including glass, and with a battery life of about 70 days, you could take it on a two-month journey without needing a mousepad or USB-C charging cord.
35. Acer Predator XB253Q
The 24.5-inch Acer Predator XB253Q, our top-rated gaming monitor, may appear overkill to non-PC gamers, but it is a must-have for anyone looking to outperform the competition. Testing demonstrated incredibly smooth performance, as well as high refresh rates, fast response times, and a narrow bezel design. You’ve even got an adjustable stand so your gaming buddy can turn it in any direction they choose.
36. Seagate expansion card
Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and Series S consoles were the most anticipated releases a few years ago, and having extra capacity for games is always a plus. Seagate’s patented expansion card allows you to intelligently enhance the storage capacity of the console without having to shuffle games back and forth between an external hard drive and the console in order to play them. While it’s a bit pricey, it’s the kind of thoughtful gift that’s sure to pleasantly surprise the gamer in your life.