Giving gifts to tech lovers can be a struggle. I’m a tech lover and my family struggles to buy me gifts. Gift givers always fear purchasing the wrong thing because sometimes tech choices are complicated. HomeTechHacker has you covered! Here are eight gifts the tech lover in your life will enjoy!
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Editor’s note: Here is a more recent list of great tech gifts!
Table of Contents
A premium streaming device
Many of the best shows and sports aren’t on network TV or traditional cable anymore. There are often shows you want to watch on Disney+, Netflix, Max, Amazon Prime, and dozens of other streaming services. If the tech lovers in your life don’t have a smart TV, or the smart TV is old or doesn’t have an app for a service they like, a streaming device is the answer.
Although there are many budget streaming devices out there, a premium device provides a better experience by running more apps, having a snappier user interface, a more reliable wired connection, and supporting more high-end audio and video formats. I currently own and recommend the Google TV Streamer. But here are a few others you might be interested in:
Home Assistant
Okay, if you’ve been reading my articles for any amount of time, you know I love Home Assistant, and I think it is the perfect smart home hub for me. If you know tech lovers who want to get into smart homes or have been wanting to try Home Assistant and just haven’t had time to learn about getting it up and running, get them a device with Home Assistant already installed.
They can try Home Assistant Green if they want it to work out of the box. They can also try Home Assistant Yellow if they want a little more control of the hardware. They’ll love this gift!
Editor’s note: If they are also into Shelly products, make sure they check out my comprehensive article about integrating Shelly products with Home Assistant.
A new mobile phone
Now, I know people get nervous buying someone else a mobile phone. But during the holiday season, there are so many new and exciting choices at good prices. If you have the money and you want to be sure the tech lovers in your life are happy with the phone, get a flagship. Here are the flagship phones to consider:
- iPhone 16 – If they are an Apple lover this is the only right choice!
- Google Pixel 9 or Google Pixel 9 Pro XL – If they like the Google experience, many years of updates, and Gemini AI these are the right choices. The phones are mostly identical, but if they like their phones bigger, the Pro XL is the right call
- Samsung S24 Ultra – Samsung’s flagship always has top-notch hardware and a great supporting ecosystem.
Foldable phones have come a long way. I recently bought the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and I love it (read my review of it). But another one to consider is the OnePlus Open. It has the same form factor as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but it is lighter and less expensive. It won’t get updates as long as Google’s offering, and it doesn’t have all the fancy AI features. So, decide what is most important to your tech lovers.
A premium set of earbuds
There are plenty of good-performing and reasonably-priced earbuds out there. But, if you want to impress a tech lover, you gotta go with one of the premium offerings. If they have Apple products, you gotta go with the Air Pods Pro 2. And, chances are the new Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 is the right choice for Google Pixel lovers.
You have more premium options, however. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Earbuds are the best at noise canceling. If you are in the Samsung phone ecosystem you should consider the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. The Sony WF-1000XM5 is an excellent all-around performer.
Editor’s note: If the techie in your life needs a new printer, check out my review if this HP Laser Printer All-in-one.
Sci-Fi books
Your tech lovers may also be book lovers. If so, they probably love Sci-Fi. If you want to get them a good Sci-Fi book here are a few recommendations:
- Project Hail Mary — from the same author (Andy Weir) who created The Martian, and it will be made into a movie starring Ryan Gosling. For reasons I can’t explain without giving away parts of the book, I highly recommend the audiobook version.
- Dark Matter — This book by Blake Crouch was recently adapted into a TV Series on Apple TV. I thought the book was better!
- We Are Legion (We Are Bob) (Bobiverse Book 1) — Dennis Taylor created a great series in Bobiverse. This book is the first book in that series, and it is well worth the read. I look forward to the new books in the series and pre-order them whenever they are available.
- Exhalation — Ted Chiang makes great collections of short Sci-fi stories is this one is no exception.
Non-fiction tech books
Sci-Fi books are great, but tech lovers often like to learn something practical in their readings. A couple of books I recommend are:
- Rewired: The McKinsey Guide to Outcompeting in the Age of Digital and AI — AI isn’t just coming, it is here. What does that mean for us in corporate America? This book gives advice and answers.
- Close to the Machine: Technophilia and Its Discontents — Those of us old enough to remember or intrigued by the “dotcom” era and bust will appreciate this recounting of the era with original insight. The revelations in this book are still relevant and likely to be so for some time to come.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my books. Whether your tech lover is interested in protecting themselves and their families from cybercriminals. building a fast and secure home network, or creating a kick-ass smart home, I’ve written the book for them.
Editor’s note: If your online courses are more your tech lover’s thing, be sure to check out HomeTechHacker Academy, where I have courses (some free!) about AI, cybersecurity, smart homes, and home networks.
A premium charging station
Tech lovers often have multiple mobile devices in the same ecosystem. It would not be surprising if an Apple lover has an iPhone, an Apple Watch, and Air Pods. So get them something to keep all three items charged. Here are some options for Apple tech lovers and others.
Tile Mate or Apple Airtags
Techies have so much tech, that sometimes they lose things. These are the best devices to help them find lost tech:
Final thoughts
Gift shopping for tech lovers can be stressful. But, as a tech lover myself, I’m fairly sure one of the gifts above will make them very happy!
What other gifts do tech lovers want? Let me know in the comments or on X/Twitter.
