There’s no way around it: tech gifts are often the most expensive splurges of the holiday season. While your local Apple Store or Leica boutique can be an opulent source of retail therapy, constantly picking gifts up from them and their ilk in December will prove to be a total wallet buster, no matter how considerate you are. Nevertheless, saving some extra scratch doesn’t mean you can’t gift something just as thoughtful, and we’ve got you covered with fifteen pieces of tech that offer far more than their $50 and under price tags imply.
Rocketbook Smartbook
Apple’s new text-scanning technology has surely made it simple to pull words from paper and turn them digital, but it is far easier with items like this. Rocketbook sits at the helm of crafting these eco-friendly, smart notebooks, leaving writers to do no more than to write, scan, wipe, and repeat.
Subscriptions
With a surfeit of streaming services to our exposal, narrowing down the quintessential ones can be difficult. Luckily, you can make the job easier on anyone looking to sign up for some of the most ideal with any of these reasonably priced gift cards.
Netflix: $30+Spotify: 30+ Nintendo Online: $20
Apple AirTag
The AirTag has arguably topped the Tile as the ideal pocket-sized tracker, and finding an Apple product for a mere $30 is enough of an excuse to pick one up for a friend.
Apple Magsafe Charger
Needless to say, wireless charging is the name of the game. Having been implemented into countless products that we use throughout the day, Apple’s other high-tech offering under $50 also earns a spot on our list.
VOBAGA Wood Grain Mug Warmer
Whether your buddies approve of it or not, working from home is sure to remain a trend in 2022, so you might as well make their shifts a little more comforting with this sleek mug warmer.
Logitech K480 Bluetooth Keyboard
Logitech’s ultra-versatile Bluetooth keyboard has been a fan favorite for years now. Capable of connecting to practically any device you own from a smartphone to an Apple TV, this is an incredibly reasonable buy for those who prefer a traditional mode of typing.
TP-Link AC750 Nano Travel Router
For the jetsetting speed demon in your life, this powerful travel router is capable of connecting and streaming to any of your devices in full HD in a matter of no time.
Native Union Night Cable
Charging your phone in the evening can grow incredibly tiresome without a properly placed power outlet in proximity. In bedroom layouts where this simply isn’t possible, there’s no better group to turn to than Native Union and their sturdy, knotted 10-foot Lightning cable.
Anker Powercore 13000
There are few more defeating feelings than your phone dying when you need it the most. Prevent your loved ones from going through such horrendous situations with the help of Anker’s most powerful wireless charger.
Nintendo Sandisk MicroSD
Going hand-in-hand with whomever you may have decided to buy a Switch Online subscription for, this 256 gig microSD boasts enough space to hold well over 50 games, which will surely be necessary with Breath of the Wild 2 on the horizon.
Phillips Hue White Smart Bulb 4-Pack
While you may have seen the colorful options in dozens of commercials by now, this white smart bulb pack from Phillips serves as a far more practical option for your friend’s apartment that is already too cool for blue lighting.
Amazon Echo Dot
Amazon’s Alexa-enabled speaker has earned quite a following for itself since its first-generation back in 2016, with its latest-and-greatest installment in the Dot series looking to keep things that way for you and yours.
Amazon Fire 7 Tablet
An iPad is great and all, but paying for an Apple product can often feel like donating an arm and a leg. With countless competitors in the circle, Amazon delivers on a wallet-friendly tablet that will satisfy any technophile.
Fitbit Aria Air Scale
While Fitbit is accustomed to appearing on people’s wrists, the San Francisco fitness crew’s thin smart scale makes a great companion for any bathroom floor, as it seamlessly connects to other Fitbit gadgets via Bluetooth.
Google Chromecast with Google TV
While there are countless budget streaming devices to choose from, the Silicon Valley geniuses arguably pull it off better than anyone. With 4K streaming and Google TV, the Chromecast is an ideal companion for anyone living in a home that houses multiple Gmail accounts.
