Tech enthusiasts can be notoriously picky to buy for: they have strong opinions about brands, operating systems, even standards like surround-sound formats. And the tech world moves fast. As a tech reviewer, many products that I pick up to evaluate are put back down simply never used again. Something better comes along.
But there are products that buck the trend and stick around. As someone who is surrounded by tech, I’ve rounded up the gadgets that are so perpetually useful, I find myself reaching for them all the time. So don’t give up on surprising the techie in your life: their next favorite toy may just be on this list.
Baseus Picogo MagSafe battery
When your phone runs out of juice unexpectedly, it can ruin your day. The Baseus Picogo MagSafe battery pack wirelessly snaps to the back of your iPhone to provide another half day or so worth of battery life when you need it. The design is thin and light enough to easily slip into a pocket or a backpack, and it includes a USB-C port for charging non-iPhone devices.
Oh Snap iPhone case
This is the case for your butterfingered friend who has new cracks in their iPhone screen every time you see them. It combines a super-protective case with a pop-socket-style back grip that slides between your fingers. Unlike an add-on pop socket, this one has strong magnets for additional MagSafe accessories, and allows for pass-through MagSafe charging, so you don’t have to take it off to charge your phone.
Airtags
Tile Mates
Location trackers let you “tag” a device like a wallet and keep track of it using your phone. Most of the time, I use them for car keys, but as a frequent traveler, tossing one into a bag brings peace of mind. For Apple users, AirTags are hard to beat since they’re so easy to set up, but for Android users, Tile trackers are the next best thing. They come in a variety of form factors for your keys, your wallet, and even your pooch.
OnePlus Buds 3
Audiophiles will scoff at Bluetooth audio, but for someone who simply enjoys music, it’s hard to beat the OnePlus Buds Pro 3. Dollar for dollar, these are the best earbuds you can buy. You get excellent sound, great active noise cancellation (ANC), intuitive and customizable controls, long battery life, and wireless charging on top of all of that. There are cheaper alternatives, but these bring an incredible amount of features for the price.
Apple AirPods Pro 3
For iPhone owners, the AirPods Pro 3 are worth spending just a bit more than the OnePlus Buds Pro 3. The incredible noise cancellation is like a personal bubble of silence around you, which is both soothing and prevents you from having to crank them too loud. Speaking of hearing health, you can use your AirPods Pro 3 as hearing aids, so they could be a good “gateway” for someone still coming to grips with their need for hearing aids. Battery life is excellent – I carry them daily and I charge the case maybe once every few weeks.
Xiaomi Electric Precision Screwdriver
A quality set of tools can make the difference between a successful repair and ruining a $1,000 laptop. Xiaomi – the same company that makes very popular phones for the international market – offers a refined set of precision tools including a USB-C powered screwdriver and 24 different bits for all the smaller screws and fasteners modern electronics use. It all fits inside a metal case that keeps your tools safe and together waiting for your next fix-it project.
DJI Neo
For the adrenaline junkie or jet setter in your life, a portable drone such as the DJI Neo offers a way to capture adventures from a whole new perspective. The Neo distills a decade of innovations into a palm-sized drone that anyone can fly. You can control it with a dedicated controller, your phone or even just press the button on the front to activate and fly pre-programmed modes like follow, circle, “dronie” and more. For the price, it’s the best drone you can buy.
Clicks keyboard
Remember BlackBerrys? The Clicks case brings physical keyboards back to the bottom of modern phones, including most iPhones and many Android models. This unlocks all sorts of perks I can’t live without anymore. You can set up shortcuts to quickly launch apps, edit movies on your phone without a virtual keyboard taking half the space, and you just get the satisfaction of typing on a real keyboard. It’s sublime.
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ROG XBox Ally X
Mobile gaming used to mean slinging Angry Birds on the subway, but a new generation of PC-powered handhelds is bringing the same games you’d play on a TV or computer on the go. The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X is a palm-sized gaming powerhouse. Technically it’s a full Windows 11 computer in its own right, powered by an AMD Ryzen processor, but a custom interface gives easy access to the same titles you’d play at home, such as Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Overwatch 2, and Gears of War Reloaded.
Amazon Kindle
The readers in your life will love having their entire book library in a small ultra-portable device that lasts for literal weeks on a single charge. That’s the Amazon Kindle. It has one job to do – reading – and it’s phenomenal at it. Yes, you can read on a phone or tablet, but the Kindle more than justifies its presence in your bag. It’s lightweight, so I often don’t even realize it’s there, and it’s simply the best reading experience, short of actually reading a book.
Tapo Color changing bulb
For people who want to dabble in smart homes, smart bulbs make a great entry point. You screw them in like any other light bulb, and then you forget your light switches exist. Coming inside with an arm full of groceries? Turn them on with your voice, or even schedule them to come on when it gets dark. They’re most valuable when you go up to bed and forget to turn off the lights in the living room. One command to Google or Alexa and it’s done – these bulbs work with either system.
Amazon Echo Spot
More than a decade after Amazon introduced the world to smart speakers, Alexa is still the easiest to set up and the quickest assistant to get things done. Echo smart speakers boast a ton of functionality for the price, and the Spot makes a perfect alarm clock thanks to its compact size and highly dimmable screen.
Protoarc seat cushion
For anyone who needs to sit for hours at a time, a seat cushion can be an incredible upgrade they may not even realize they need. After using mine regularly, I cannot live without it, and even bring it with me when I travel to use on flights and with hotel desk chairs, which typically leave something to be desired in ergonomics. Your recipient’s back will thank you, even if they don’t.
A VR headset is a great nudge to get off the couch for some fun and exercise, and they no longer require thousands of dollars to get started. The Meta Quest 3s is a standalone unit, which means you don’t have to connect it to a computer or console, and a wide variety of games ensures there’s always a new experience to try. It’s the best value in VR, and possibly a gateway to a whole new hobby.
STM Dux 30L Backpack
My search for the perfect backpack has brought me to the STM Dux 30L backpack. It’s just small enough to serve as a carry-on, but it’s spacious enough to carry everything I need on a trip, from laptops to XReal glasses to a change of clothes. The main compartment opens from the top, but you can also unzip the sides to access the interior from any direction. That makes it easy to get stuff from the bottom of the backpack without unloading the whole thing.
Backbone One Mobile Gaming Controller
For mobile gamers who crave the feedback of real buttons, Backbone offers this great controller. It connects to your phone using a USB-C port on one side (Lightning versions are available for older iPhones) and your phone clamps in between the two controller handles. You get all the controls you would from an Xbox controller, with your phone in the middle serving as your screen. It’s very compact and lightweight, so you can toss it in a bag when you’re not using it, and there’s no battery or charging required.
