45 best tech gifts 2020

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I don’t know about you, but I’ve never gotten a techy or tech-adjacent gift I wasn’t excited about—it’s true. Opening up a gift and getting a new pair of headphones or a fun gadget I wasn’t expecting is almost always fun, even if it isn’t something I thought I wanted.

The one caveat to this rule: getting a techy gift that doesn’t… uh… work. That’s the problem with trying to buy a fun new tech gift for a giftee: How do you single out the small margin of great products from the ocean of sub-par stuff? Easy—you check out our picks below. Reviewed tests tech all year long, and this list is chock full of our favorite gadgets.

1. For the binge-watcher: Roku Ultra

Roku’s fancy “Ultra” media streaming device has been our favorite for a couple years running now, and for good reason. Processing is snappy and the UI is extremely friendly and intuitive, making it easy to settle in for a night of Netflix (or Hulu, or Amazon Prime, or YouTube, or Twitch, or anything else) without a hitch. This box also comes with a very easy-to-use remote and a pair of headphones that plug right into it for private listening, as well an ethernet cable input so you can easily stream 4K/HDR content, if that’s your bag.

Get the Roku Ultra from Amazon for $79.95

2. For the techy type: Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen.)

If you’re shopping for a tech generalist or somebody who just really loves asking Alexa to tell jokes, why not pick up the Echo Dot? This tiny smart speaker integrates with your Amazon account, meaning you can ask it for shopping recommendations, what the weather’s going to be, to play music, or to integrate with your existing smart home fixtures (like turning lights on and off). This isn’t the ideal music-lover’s smart speaker (it’s a bit too small for great sound), but as an all-around device it’s a great addition for any technophile you’re shopping for.

Get the Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen.) from Amazon for $39.99

3. For the book lover: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

Amazon’s latest Kindle Paperwhite, technically the 10th generation model, is the best one yet. Not only does it continue to do what Kindles do best—hold hundreds, perhaps thousands of novels, short stories, poems, comics, and PDFs—it’s also waterproof, and features multiple colors and storage options with a battery that lasts weeks. It’s no wonder the Paperwhite is #1 in our Best Kindles roundup.

Get the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite from Amazon for $99.99

4. For the one who’s sick of wires: Samsung Galaxy Buds+

If your giftee has been pining for the pure wireless freedom of true wireless earbuds, Samsung’s Galaxy Buds+ make a great gift. These are some of our favorite headphones that we reviewed in 2020, and they deliver high-quality sound, excellent features, and a comfortable fit for a price that notably undercuts the competition. In fact, they’re altogether a better choice than Apple AirPods, and they’re cheaper, too.

Get the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ from Amazon for $129.99

5. For the one who loves to game: Nintendo Switch

If you’re shopping for a gamer and they don’t have a Nintendo Switch yet, now’s the time. Nintendo’s latest home console delivers fun for kids of all ages, and doubles as both an on-the-TV device and a handheld device, giving it an unsurpassed amount of flexibility where gaming goes. With award-winning titles like Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey at hand, the surprisingly hard-to-track-down Nintendo Switch is a winning gift for any gamer in 2020.

Get the Nintendo Switch from Amazon for $388.25

6. For the music lover: Sonos One SL

Sonos has been a leading name in home audio solutions for years, and the Sonos One SL is a testament to that legacy. We loved the One for its clean audio presentation, including crispy trebles and booming bass, as well as how easy it is to set up and interface with existing Sonos speakers in the home. While it’s not a take-it-to-the-park speaker, as a home solution it offered better audio than anything we tested, and will definitely impress any music lover you might be shopping for.

Get the Sonos One SL from Amazon for $177

7. For the podcast addict: Apple AirPods Pro

While they’ve been on the market for a couple of years, Apple’s AirPods Pro are still some of the best true wireless earbuds you can buy—especially for iPhone users. While we’ve had some qualms about the comfort and audio quality of the original AirPods, the Pro variant is a major upgrade: much more comfortable, with better audio and great noise canceling.

Get the Apple AirPods Pro from Amazon for $199

8. For the home theater enthusiast: 55-inch TCL 6 Series TV

If you’ve got a giftee on your list this year who has been hoping to upgrade to a 4K/HDR TV, the 55-inch TCL 6 Series is an awesome pick. You’re not paying nearly as much as you normally would for a bright, colorful, crisp picture bolstered by fancy tech like microLEDs and quantum dots. The 6 Series is HDR compatible, too, meaning it can play the latest and greatest video format. And to sweeten the pot, the built-in Roku platform is still our favorite TV smart platform, both robust and very easy to use.

Get the 55-inch TCL 6 Series from Amazon for $649

9. For the music lover on the go: JBL Flip 5

JBL’s “Flip” line of portable, waterproof Bluetooth speakers continue to top our list of the best Bluetooth speakers you can buy. These rounded, meticulously designed speakers produce warm audio with plenty of bass and midrange, and with their rubber-capped ends and water-sealed inputs can be toted along on hikes, beach trips, or just out to the backyard without fear of damage. If your giftee likes to bring the jam wherever they go, a Bluetooth speaker may be the perfect gift.

Get the JBL Flip 5 from Amazon for $120

10. For the serious cinephile: 55-inch LG CX OLED TV

If you want the best of the best in TVs, it isn’t cheap, but for dedicated, movie-loving, AV-club-attending, home-theater-having cinephiles, price might be no object. LG has been the uncontested leader in OLED TV production for many years now, and the company’s 2020 CX series OLEDs continue the tradition of being one of the best TVs you can buy. OLEDs use emissive display technology that allows each pixel to produce its own light, making for purer colors and truly black shadows. That’s not to mention the CX OLED is kitted out with a fetching design, snappy smart features, and all of the HDR/Dolby Vision/HDMI tech you can shake a stick at.

Get the 55-inch LG CX OLED from Amazon for $1,596.99

11. For the PC gamer who wants to be comfy: HyperX Cloud Alpha S

HyperX’s comfy, gaming-facing line of headsets continue to warrant praise amongst console and PC gamers, and the HyperX Cloud Alpha S is one of our favorite gaming headsets currently. It may not be wireless, but if you’ve got a PC tower or laptop setup to stick by, these comfortable cans deliver excellent audio and microphone support, and feature very effective virtual 7.1 surround sound. They’re also compatible with Sony’s PS4, if you’re more into gaming on the couch.

Get the HyperX Cloud Alpha S from Amazon for $120

12. For the movie lover on a budget: Vizio V-Series 2.1 soundbar

Let’s face it: TV audio tends to suck. While we love reviewing TVs, usually listening to them isn’t amazing: that’s why we also review soundbars. One of our favorite new soundbars is Vizio’s “V-Series,” a new-for-2020 soundbar and subwoofer combo that provides seriously good audio for the price. There’s nothing too fancy going on here, but it’s an easy plug-and-play solution for anyone looking to majorly upgrade their stock TV audio at a reasonable price.

Get the Vizio V-Series 2.1 soundbar from Best Buy for $179.99

13. For the one who wants movie theater sound: Sonos Arc

There’s some great affordable soundbars out there, but if you want cinematic, room-filling sound that actually competes with the bone-rattling audio you’d get at a movie theater, check out the Sonos Arc. This is Sonos’ first-ever Dolby Atmos-compatible soundbar, meaning it’s capable not just of great stereo sound presentation, but of implementing Dolby’s proprietary object-oriented and height-channel based audio solution, placing sound all around you in a room—yep, even overhead. Naturally, a soundbar this awesome doesn’t come cheap, but if your giftee never misses movie night, this gift will blow them away.

Get the Sonos Arc from Amazon for $799.99

14. For the dedicated listener: Sony WH-1000XM4

Sony’s new WH-1000XM4 are simply amazing headphones—in fact, we think they’re the best you can buy right now. Not only do these sound awesome, they’re packed with the most useful headphone features you can get: awesome noise canceling (that automatically listens and adapts to your environment), wireless/Bluetooth connectivity, and a lightweight, comfortable design that you can wear for hours. If your giftee is serious about listening to music (and nothing else), these pricy cans will make their day.

Get the Sony WH-1000XM4 from Amazon for $348

15. For the one who needs to upgrade their TV: 43-inch TCL 4 Series

To be honest, you don’t need to spend $1,500—or even $500—to upgrade your giftee’s TV situation, especially if they haven’t made the jump to 4K yet. The TCL 4 Series is one of our favorite options in this regard: you can get a solid mid-size 4K HDR TV from this series at a price that feels like a steal (because, honestly, it is).

Get the 43-inch TCL 4 Series from Amazon for $229

16. For the serious mobile gamer: SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless

If your giftee likes playing games wherever they go—on a smartphone, tablet, Nintendo Switch Lite, or whatever—SteelSeries’ Arctis 1 Wireless gaming headset is an awesome choice. It’s compatible with PC, PS4, Nintendo, Xbox, and basically all mobile devices for a very reasonable price, and delivers solid sound, good microphone clarity and plenty of comfort.

Get the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless from Amazon for $99.99

17. For the one whose big house needs better WiFi: Google Nest Mesh System

Maybe you’ve never heard of mesh WiFi systems—but we have, and we’ve tested lots of ’em. A mesh WiFi system is an excellent solution for essentially blanketing your entire home or apartment with high-speed WiFi. If you’ve got a giftee whose place is full of WiFi “dead zones,” a mesh system might be just what they need. The Google Nest system is one of the best we tested, so it doesn’t come cheap, but it’s an excellent solution for anyone who just can’t seem to stay connected.

Get the Google Nest Mesh WiFi System (2-pack) from Amazon for $299

18. For the committed distance learner: HP Envy x360 15.6-inch laptop

Whether your giftee is earning an online degree or simply forced to distance learn due to the global pandemic, a good laptop is a must. Even if you are attending school in person or on campus, HP’s Envy x360 is a solid choice. It’s flexible, powerful, and—for the specs you’re getting in the 15.6-inch version—priced very fairly. If you’ve got a giftee who needs to gear up for school, this laptop is a solid pick.

Get the HP Envy x360 15.6-inch laptop from HP Store, starting at $699

19. For the one upgrading their home office: HP VH240a 23.8-inch monitor

A lot, a lot of people are working remotely now, maybe for the first time, and maybe for the foreseeable future. If one of your giftees is struggling to be productive enough during this new situation, why not gift them with a flexible, affordable computer monitor? Sometimes, a bigger, higher-contrast screen is all you need to get things done.

Get the HP VH240a 23.8-inch computer monitor from HP Store for $109.99

20. For those seeking luxurious streaming: Apple TV 4K

There’s a lot of ways to stream content. If the “blech” end of the spectrum is watching hyper-compressed Netflix on your tiny phone during a 12-hour bus ride, the “yay” end of the spectrum is Apple TV 4K. This marvelously zippy, perfectly polished streaming box is for that giftee who loves binging and wants to do it in style.

Get the Apple TV 4K from Apple for $179

21. For the shutterbug traveler: Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10

If you’ve got a giftee who loves traveling and taking photos, needs something more robust than a smartphone, but doesn’t want a huge, clunky camera, say no more. The longstanding Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10 is one of our very favorite travel cameras. It’s not cheap, but it’s a sight more affordable than many high-end DSLRs, powerful enough to take excellent photos, and compact enough to slide into a pants pocket.

Get the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10 digital camera from Amazon for $497.99

22. For the aspiring vinyl record collector: Crosley C6 turntable

It’s a big debate about whether analog vinyl recordings actually sound “better” or “warmer” than digitally formatted audio files, but one thing’s for sure: the ritual of laying a well-loved record on a vinyl player and listening to it as the musicians and producer intended will always be a special experience. If you’ve got a giftee who might be eager to collect records but needs a viable turntable, the Crosley C6 is one of our top picks. It delivers modern turntable fixin’s with a classic look and feel.

Get the Crosley C6 turntable from Amazon for $136.99

23. For the one with too many remotes: Logitech Harmony Companion

We all know that one giftee whose living room feels like a defunct Radio Shack. A remote for the TV, the soundbar, the Blu-ray or DVD player, etc., scattered haphazardly about the room. Enough’s enough—gift that friend a Logitech Harmony Companion, one of the best universal remotes we’ve tested. Sure, they might have to do a bit of programming and tinkering to bring all their disparate devices into the Harmony hive-mind, but we promise they’ll thank you for being so thoughtful.

Get the Logitech Harmony Companion from Amazon for $99

24. For youngsters who love to listen: Puro Labs PuroQuiet Kids’ Headphones

If you’ve got kids, or know some kids, who love listening close to music, we think that’s marvelous—but, especially for younger kids, they need to be extra careful about protecting their ears from excessive noise. That’s where these awesome Puro Labs headphones come in: they’re tuned not to exceed volumes that would cause damage, while ensuring balanced sound and noise canceling to also deliver beautiful music to those young ears.

Get the Puro Labs PuroQuiet Kids’ headphones for $99.99

25. For the one who always needs more power: Jackery Supercharge

If you’ve got a giftee who always seems to chronically suffer from poorly-charged devices—a laptop, smartphone, or tablet, for example—a portable battery pack like the Jackery Supercharge might be just what they need. While it doesn’t have as many charging ports as some of the other power banks we tested, we loved it for its sheer charging power and sturdy materials.

Get the Jackery Supercharge from Amazon for $69.99

26. For the careful driver: Crosstour CR300 dash cam

If you’ve got a giftee who likes to be extra cautious while out on the road, the Crosstour CR300 dash cam is an awesome gift. It’s one of the more affordable dash cams we tested during our roundup, so while your giftee won’t be getting high-fidelity 1080p video recording, they’re still getting the kind of footage they could use for something like an insurance claim.

Get the Crosstour CR300 from Amazon for $29.99

27. For those looking to rock out poolside: Anker SoundCore 2

Let’s face it: the only thing better than swimming in a pool is doing so while sweet tunes fill the air. If you’ve got a giftee this year who loves hanging in the pool but doesn’t want to risk dousing their smartphone just to listen to music, a good waterproof Bluetooth speaker might be the perfect gift.

Get the Anker SoundCore 2 from Amazon for $39.99

28. For the one who loves photo albums: Prynt Pocket

If you’re buying gifts for anyone who loves snapping photos and printing them out in tangible form, the Kickstarter-backed Prynt Pocket is the perfect gift. This accessory snaps onto a smartphone, allowing it to directly print full color or black and white photos as soon as you snap ’em. The Print Pocket’s speed and portability might just make your giftee’s holiday season.

Get the Prynt Pocket from Amazon for $84.99

29. For the musician who loves listening on the go: Marshall Stockwell II

If you’re buying a gift for a musician this year—especially a guitarist—Marshall’s Stockwell II portable Bluetooth speaker is an undeniably fun gift. Modeled to look like a miniature version of one of Marshall’s iconic amplifiers, the Stockwell II features a guitar-style carrying strap, full on-set EQ control via bass and treble knobs, and enough sound to fill up a backyard—or garage, if that’s your jam space—with aplomb.

Get the Marshall Stockwell II from Amazon for $185.52

30. For the one whose WiFi is always too slow: D-Link DIR-878

When we tested the best WiFi routers, the D-Link DIR-878 really blew us away with its sheer speediness. This dual-band router outed all the others we tested in terms of combined 2.4 and 5 Ghz WiFi channel speeds. Naturally, performance like this doesn’t come cheap, but if your giftee really needs a boost to their internet juice, this is the router to get them.

Get the D-Link DIR-878 from Amazon for $193.07

31. For the gamer on the move: Nintendo Switch Lite

Video game consoles are always a hot item during the holiday season, and it can be almost impossible to find the Nintendo Switch in stock at times. However, for a lot of gamers, the handheld-only version of the Switch—called the Nintendo Switch Lite—might be a better choice. The Switch Lite plays all the same games and gives you access to all the same features as the pricier Switch, you just can’t hook it up to a TV.

Get the Nintendo Switch Lite from Amazon for $199.99

32. For the one whose phone is always dying: Yootech wireless charger

A wireless charger can be the perfect gift for that giftee whose phone is always at critical battery levels. For most newer phones, you just set your phone down on the charging base, and it gets charged back up without needing to be plugged in. In our roundup of the best wireless chargers, this Yootech model took the #1 spot, which is great news considering how utterly affordable it is.

Get the Yootech wireless charger from Amazon for $12.99

33. For the kid who loves screen time: Amazon Fire 8 Kids Edition

Some kids just can’t get enough screen time, and if one such youngster is a giftee of yours this year, you should consider the Amazon Fire 8 Kids Edition tablet. This tablet took our #1 spot in our Best Tablets for Kids roundup for its great durability features and wide range of built-in kid-friendly content, making it an awesome choice for the screenophile youngster on your gift list.

Get the Amazon Fire 8 Kids Edition from Amazon for $89.99

34. For the one who’s always misplacing things: Tile Mate

We’ve loved Tile’s products for years thanks to their high degree of reliability and functionality. These little Bluetooth trackers are a huge boon for any giftee who tends to misplace their keys, bags, or smartphone, and the Tile Mate can be had for a very giftable price.

Get the Tile Mate (2020) 1-pack from Amazon for $24.99

35. For the pro PC gamer: Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro

If you’ve got a giftee on your list this year who uses their mouse and keyboard for a lot more than browsing the web, you might want to consider gifting them a top-end gaming mouse. The Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro recently swept the Best Overall spot for our roundup of the Best Gaming Mice of 2020 thanks to its perfect balance of comfort, customizability, performance, and price.

Get the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro from Amazon for $79.99

36. For the one who needs to glow up an office: LIFX Z LED light strip

Our #1-rated LED light strip this year, the LIFX Z LED smart light strip is a seriously cool way to spruce up a home theater or office. It’s a snap to sync these smart LEDs up with assistants like Alexa or Siri, or integrate the LIFX into an existing SmartThings or Nest ecosystem—from there, it’s really up to your giftee’s imagination whether they have ambient, soft mood lighting or a demonic red glow lighting up the room.

Get the LIFX Z LED smart light strip from Amazon for $69.99

37. For the one who needs a better alarm clock: Echo Show 5

We loved the Echo Show 5 when we reviewed it: it’s a great gift for anyone who needs a low-key screen or a better alarm clock. It’s a great way to keep in touch with relatives via video chat or to catch up on Hulu or Prime Video content in the background while you’re working. It’s also perfectly sized for smaller spaces like bedrooms or apartment kitchens, especially if you don’t want to spend a couple hundred on a small TV or monitor screen.

Get the Amazon Echo Show 5 from Amazon for $84.99

38. For the one who needs more space: SanDisk 250GB External SSD

If you’ve got a tech-savvy giftee (or even one who struggles a bit) who keeps running out of space under the duress of too many photos, videos, or the neverending updates to Windows 10, a portable, sizable external SSD could be the perfect gift. Our editors swear by the SanDisk Extreme external SSD for its light weight, durable build quality, and ample 250 GB of room.

Get the SanDisk 250GB external SSD from Amazon for $72.99

39. For the dedicated keyboard warrior: SteelSeries Apex Pro

If you’ve got a giftee who is a dedicated gamer and loves their keyboards to be covered in radical RGB lights, the SteelSeries Apex Pro is our favorite gaming keyboard for that very reason. Despite being a full, numpad-including ‘board, the Apex Pro takes up a marginal tabletop footprint and is outfitted with great clicky keys and, of course, customizable lighting.

Get the SteelSeries Apex Pro from Amazon for $199.99

40. For the one who needs a little more WiFi coverage: Linksys RE9000

This WiFi extender recently took our tip-top spot for our roundup of the Best WiFi Extenders, thanks to its combination of full-figured features and pure speed. You might mistake the RE9000 for a full router (since it also doubles as one), but in fact it’s simply one of the most powerful and effective extenders on the market, working seamlessly with another powerful router to blanket a hard-to-reach area with speedy WiFi coverage.

Get the Linksys RE9000 from Amazon for $129.99

41. For the one who needs more freedom: Logitech MX Anywhere 2S

Logitech’s MX Anywhere 2S wireless mouse is our favorite wireless mouse, and for good reason: as long as you’ve got the USB dongle in tow, you really can use it basically anywhere. It tracks reliably on any surface, even glass, and with a roughly 70-day battery life, you could basically take it on a two month journey without needing to seek out a mousepad or AC adapter (though we doubt your laptop will last as long).

Get the Logitech MX Anywhere 2S from Amazon for $59.99

42. For the one who needs a sharper picture: AmazonBasics HDMI Cable

If you’ve got a giftee who likes to watch DVDs or cable but is still dealing with AV/component cables (the red, yellow, etc. ones), an upgrade to HDMI cables is a very affordable way to make their viewing experience a heck of a lot better. As long as their TV is semi-new (i.e. they got it in the last 10 years or so), it should be equipped with an HDMI in port; likewise with cable boxes and disc players. This 2-pack from AmazonBasics is super cheap, but in our testing it was just as capable as HDMI cables that were dozens of dollars pricier, making them a great choice for that giftee who needs an upgrade.

Get the AmazonBasics HDMI cable (2-pack) from Amazon for $11.99

43. For the one who wants a smarter wrist: Apple Watch Series 5

Apple may have just unveiled the new Apple Watch Series 6, but it’s too new and untested for us to make a call on just yet. On the other wrist (er, hand), we love the Series 5. In fact, it’s our favorite smart watch right now. If your giftee loves staying connected to all their apps and notifications but is always busy with their face buried in their smartphone, one of the best smart watches around might be the perfect gift.

Get the Apple Watch Series 5 (44mm) from Amazon for $429.99

44. For the gamer who needs a visual upgrade: Asus ROG Strix XG32VQ

Our top-rated gaming monitor may seem like a huge indulgence for the non-PC-gamer crowd, but for anyone hoping to trounce the competition, the 32-inch, curved Asus ROG Strix is a necessary tool. Testing revealed an excellent amount of flexibility in terms of use cases, not to mention high refresh rates, excellent response time, and smart design features. While you’re not getting a top-notch gaming monitor like this for cheap, it’s a massive upgrade from a built-in laptop display both in terms of size and features, and would be a stellar gift for any aspiring competitive gamer on your shopping list.

Get the Asus ROG Strix 32-inch curved gaming monitor from Amazon for $537.35

45. For the one who needs basic portable computing: Acer Aspire

If you’ve got a giftee who is stuck with an old PC tower or a laptop that was a little too cheap when they bought it, a marginal upgrade to their portable computing might be just the ticket. The Acer Aspire is our favorite laptop under $500, and not just for its price point: this 15.6-inch laptop has enough computing power and storage for a wide range of functionalities, and all at a price that’s pretty hard to beat.

Get the Acer Aspire from Amazon for $369

The product experts at Reviewed have all your holiday shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest deals, reviews, and more.

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

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