The Best Christmas Gadgets of 2024
’Tis the season for high-tech holiday magic. The Christmas holidays are here, and it’s time to have fun with family and friends. It’s also time to get your holiday gifting all squared away. Shopping for the tech-savvy person in your life can sometimes seem like an arduous task, but this guide should help you navigate the festive shopping season.
This season, ditch the socks – we have rounded up all the best gadgets to gift this Christmas, and the best deals on tech gifts for the holidays.
Best Smartphones
Santa’s calling with a list (checked twice) of the best smartphone finds for this holiday season. Upgrade your gifting or your personal stash with these sleek, powerful, and top-of-the-range options.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Know a tech geek that is obsessed with their cellphone, or even taking photos, or new developments in AI? Get them the gadget that does it all. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Smartphone is an excellent all-rounder with a few funky features that are sure to impress even the most experienced app-junkies out there. Some of its most notable features include:
- Galaxy AI to assist with live translation, browsing and note-taking, circle to search, and more
- Advanced photo features like optical-quality zoom, Photo Assist editing, and Nightography Zoom
- Scratch-resistant with Corning Gorilla Armor
- Increased battery life (up to 95 hours)
Apple iPhone 16
If you’re searching for the perfect gift for the always-on-trend gadgeteer in your life, the iPhone 16 is definitely the way to go. Apple technology evolves with leaps and bounds every time a new product is released, and this Apple Intelligence-packed new addition is no exception. It features:
- A18 chip for up to 40% faster performance (compared to the iPhone 15)
- Added camera control and customization, with an ultra-wide 48MP Fusion Camera, Audiomix functionality, and even more templates and editing options to choose from
- Increased battery life with up to 22 hours of video playback
- Ceramic shield technology is two times more durable than any other option currently on the market
Google Pixel 8a
Another tech gadget making an appearance on wish lists all around the globe this year is the Google Pixel 8a. Whether you want state-of-the-art photo and video editing capabilities or a built-in virtual assistant in the form of Google AI, this smartphone is definitely worth looking into. Some of the stand-out features include:
- Powered by a G3 chip (same as the Pixel 8 Pro)
- Best-in-class camera with Audio Magic Eraser, Magic Editor, Photo Unblur, and other effects
- All-day battery and durable design
- Chat with Gemini, your new virtual personal assistant
- Call Screen, Clear Calling, Hold for Me, Smart Replies, and more
Motorola Razr 50 Ultra
If you’re still wondering what to get for the nostalgic tech nerd in your life – we understand, and we have the perfect solution. The Motorola Razr, the classic flip-phone that we all remember from the ‘90s has gotten a smartphone upgrade. Although it has kept the dramatic flip design, it now features a whole host of fancy features, including:
- The most intelligent display of any flip phone in its class
- Moto AI gives you access to Magic Canvas, Style Sync, Photo Booth Mode, and other handy editing features
- Hello UX is easy and secure to use
- 9” POLED display with a 165Hz refresh rate
- The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip delivers state-of-the-art performance
An Extra Jingle of Joy – Add to Your Gift This Holiday Season – JBL Tune 720BT
Okay, so maybe we have gone a little overboard – but hey! It’s the giving season. If you’re looking to give a little more this Christmas, round out your present with the perfect smartphone accessory (for under $100). The JBL Tune 720BT wireless headphones boast incredible JBL Pure Bass sound, Bluetooth 5.3 technology, and over 76 hours of battery life.
Best Laptops
This holiday season, upgrade your gifting with a tech-tastic laptop — perfect for work, play, and everything in between! A little more than a stocking-filler, these top picks boast some of the best features on the market.
M3 MacBook Air (13-inch, 2024)
Searching for a work or personal laptop that can handle it all? The M3 MacBook Air boasts great performance and excellent graphics that are a vast improvement over the old M1- and Intel-based MacBook Airs (not to mention some of its other direct competitors). Some of its most notable features include:
- 6-inch Liquid Retina LED-backlit display
- Apple M3 chip 8-core CPU (and the Apple 10-core GPU for graphics)
- Memory capacity of up to 2TB
- 1080p FaceTime camera, and so much more
HP Pavilion 16 Laptop
This one is a great pick for the practical techy-tinkerer in your life. The HP Pavilion 16 Laptop is a real jack-of-all-trades that can handle most home- and work-responsibilities effortlessly. It has:
- A great, 16-inch display and large keyboard size for easy navigation
- Intel Ultra Processor, 16GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD
- Intel Arc Graphics
- HP True Vision 1080p FHD camera
- 3-cell, 59 Wh Lithium-ion Battery
- Microsoft Windows 11 Home
Dell G15 Gaming Laptop
Gamers are notoriously difficult to shop for, but this Dell G15 Gaming Laptop is sure to knock even the toughest sharp-shooters, mages, and virtual survivalists’ striped socks off. The retro-modern design is already enough to grab attention, but the built-in features are where this device really shines:
- The Alienware Command Center allows you to customize your lighting, performance pre-sets, overlays, and other features
- The Game Shift macro key and Dynamic Performance-enhanced CPU allow you to take your game to the next level
- Intel Core processors and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX Laptop GPU run intensive games with ease
- The 32GB of DDR5 memory and up to 2TB of internal storage allow you to play virtually lag-free
Acer Aspire Go 14
The Acer Aspire Go 14 is a somewhat underrated option (which means you are likely to find one in stock, even as the holiday shopping season ramps up) that delivers incredible value for money. It is perhaps a little less flashy than some of the other options on our list, but it has some incredible features for its budget-friendly price point:
- AMD Ryzen 3 7320U processor Quad-core 2.40 GHz, with AMD Radeon Graphics
- 128GB SSD, with 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSDGB
- Excellent battery life with a runtime of well over 15 hours
- Comes with Windows 11 Home in S Mode
An Extra Spark of Magic – Add to Your Gift This Holiday Season – MNN Portable Monitor
Whether you are shopping for yourself or someone else, the MNN Portable Monitor is a great add-on for any laptop you choose to buy. It’s fully portable, 15.6 inches, with high-definition 1080p resolution, making it the perfect addition to any working-, gaming-, or simple home setup.
Other Smart Gadgets
Why stop at smartphones and laptops when there is a veritable Santa’s workshop-full of exciting tech gadgets and gizmos at your disposal? We have rounded up the best out-of-the-box smart devices and electronics to place under your tree.
Meta Quest 3S
If you, or someone you know, are/is into fitness, gaming, or entertainment, the Meta Quest 3S promises to take it all to the next level with mixed reality. The 3s version improves on the Quest 2 in a number of ways. This includes twice the processing power and 4.5 times better resolution. Some of its most notable attributes are:
- A 96° by 90° field of view (with about 773 pixels per inch)
- Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset for faster loading times, smoother performance, and excellent graphics
- Improved tracking capabilities with two Touch Plus precision controllers
- Access a wide catalog of games through the MetaQuest+ subscription
MEATER Pro
These days, there are smart gadgets for just about everything. This includes your next barbecue. Know a foodie who also dabbles in the newest tech? We have the perfect idea for a gift that involves both hobbies. The MEATER Pro is a Wireless Smart Thermometer that aims to deliver perfectly cooked steaks, chicken, burgers, and just about anything else, every time. It features:
- Safe to use in temperatures up to 1022°F/ 550°C, with lab-tested accuracy
- Smart Temp Multisensor technology for the perfect char
- Waterproof
- Fast-charging (lasts up to two hours after charging for just 5 minutes)
- Bluetooth 5.2 Coded PHY long range, with app for added control
DJI Osmo Pocket 3
If you are looking to film smooth, high-quality video footage while on-the-go, there really is no better option than a gimbal camera. The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is a 1-inch CMOS Pocket Gimbal Camera that packs a big punch in a small package. Some of the features you will notice right away, can be summarized as follows:
- 2-inch rotatable touchscreen monitor for better control
- 4K/120fps filming, with excellent highlight and shadow details
- Three-axis mechanical stabilization
- Enhanced optimization for low-light environments, along with 10-bit D-Log M and 10-bit HLG color modes for shooting while you are out and about
- Compact and flexible design
Blink Mini 2
Having a smart house is so “last year”. This year, upgrade the outside of your home with the Blink Mini 2 smart security camera. It’s a handy little plug-and-play camera that lets you monitor your home remotely, and this second iteration boasts some incredible upgrades, including:
- The Blink App features 1080p HD live video, night view, a built-in spotlight, and crisp two-way audio
- Innovative person detection technology
- New expanded field of view of up to 143 degrees
- Optional subscription plan adds additional features like 90-minute continuous live streaming, cloud services, ad more
Steam Deck OLED
Give the gift of versatile gaming this festive season with the Steam Deck OLED. This handy-dandy portable game console has a bigger, crisper screen with better battery life, faster Wi-Fi, and better UI. It delivers an almost unrivaled gaming experience, with:
- HDR OLED display boasts excellent clarity, vibrant contrast, and clean motion rendition
- Improved battery life, delivering up to 12 hours of continuous gameplay
- Wi-Fi 6E technology for faster download speeds and lower latency
- Intuitive playing features like full-size controls, trackpads for added precision, an IMU and capacitive touch thumb sticks, assignable buttons, stereo speakers, and more
An Extra Ho-Ho-Holiday Surprise – Add to Your Gift This Holiday Season – Govee RGBIC
Staying on top of the newest tech can get expensive, but these Govee RGBIC Gaming Light Bars are sure to bring a jolly smile to most avid gamers’ faces. The best part? They’re under $100 and make a great add-on or stocking stuffer for the gamer in your life. Choose from 16.8 million colors to customize even the most advanced gaming setups, or pick from more than 60 scenic modes for a truly immersive experience.
FAQ
How do I choose the right tech gift for someone who loves gadgets?
The world of gadgets and all-things-techy can feel quite intimidating. However, as with all gifts, the only thing that really matters is that the gift is thoughtful and given with love. If you get stuck shopping for the tech-savvy savant in your life, follow these handy tips:
- Consider their specific tech hobby: Do they enjoy photography, gaming, music, home automation, or all of the above?
- Keep their current setup in mind: Are there any gaps in their collection that you could fill, or have they mentioned something that they really want to add?
- Consider usability: Trends are fun, but gadgets that genuinely add value will surely stand the test of time.
- Read the reviews: Ensure the gadgets you are investing in are of a high quality.
- Follow the gifting guides: There’s a reason why we chose the gadgets we did for this festive gifting guide – they offer incredible value for money and are a sure-fire way to impress all the tech-crazy people in your life. We recommend shopping for smartphones, laptops, and other high-demand gadgets, as they are always a shoo-in with the techy folks.
What is the return policy for tech gifts bought during the holiday season?
Return policies typically vary from store to store. So, you might want to confirm the exact details before you complete your shopping for the holidays. For example, Amazon offers a 30-day return policy (from the day of delivery) on most of their items.
How much should I spend on Christmas presents?
There really is no set budget when it comes to festive gifting. In fact, while Americans tend to spend about $1,000 on their festive celebrations and gifts each year, Canadians typically spend about double that, according to the National Research Foundation.
Your gifting budget should be determined by your personal finances, your relationship with the recipient, and the general quality of the gift in question.
What is the most popular Christmas gift?
Again, festive gifting is highly personal. And trending gifts vary greatly by year, region, age, and other demographic factors. However, tech gadgets (like the ones we have so kindly discussed in this gifting guide), toys and games, gift cards, fashion items, and beauty items are always near the top of the list.