Best tech gifts for Christmas
We’ve got everything from the very best phones, tablets, laptops, consoles and games, to wearable tech, headphones, speakers and accessories – read on to find a present to suit everyone you need to buy for.
You’ll get lots of inspiration here, but we’d also recommend checking out thebest tech deals– especially during theBlack FridayandCyber Monday sales.
Smartphones – Our choice: Poco X3 Pro
Who wouldn’t love a new phone for Christmas? Especially now that you can get solid discounts on premium handsets that launched at the beginning of the year or late last year.
You don’t have to be Scrooge to be put off by the £500-plus price of some of the flagship phones. The phone shown here is theXiaomi Poco X3 Pro, which is our top budget buy at £229.
There are plenty of other incrediblemid-rangeandbudget phonesthat could make anyone envious thanks to top-notch performance and features.
(And if your recipient isn’t picky, you can findfabulous discounts on refurbished phonesin top condition too!)
Follow the links below to find a phone to suit your budget and your recipient:
If you’re buying a new phone, consider also apower bank,wireless chargeror otheraccessoriessuch as a case.
Tablets – Our choice: iPad Air (4th gen, 2020)
A tablet makes a great Christmas present for your nearest and dearest, as always-on devices that let you work and play.
We’ve found that tablets can be a big hit with the over-50s, as well as teenagers and commuters. At the top of our tablets chart right now is theiPad Air (4th gen), which you can buy from£579/$599 from Apple.
There are plenty of other excellent options too –click here to see our favourite tablets for Christmas, and thebest tablet deals. And if you’re looking for a tablet for a younger users, you cancheck out our round-up of the best kids tablets here.
If that’s out of your budget, check out our round up of thebest budget tablets, which leads with the 2021Amazon Fire HD 10currently reduced to£79.99/$74.99 on Amazon.
Smartwatches – Our choice: Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic
The Apple Watch and Fitbit lines have popularised wearable tech for all, and will feature high up on plenty of Christmas wish lists this year.
The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic (pictured) tops our list of thebest smartwatches of the yearwith prices starting at£349/$349.99.See our full review of the Watch 4.
If you’re on a strict budget, check out theAmazfit GTS 2 Mini, which offers an AMOLED display and costs just£49.99 at Argos.
Click here for the best smartwatches, and thebest smartwatch deals.
Activity trackers – Our choice: Fitbit Charge 5
With so many of us pledging to lose weight or get fit for the new year, a fitness- or activity tracker is an ideal Christmas gift.Fitbitis one of the biggest players in this market, but there are plenty of alternatives to choose from too, especially given all the recent releases.
Our pick of the year is theCharge 5(£169.99/$179.95) but you can find last year’s still excellent Fitbit Charge 4 (RRP £129.99/$149.95) for just £89.99 atAmazon. Seeother excellent best Fitbit deals here.
We’re comparing all Fitbit models heretoo to help you decide.
Want to see options outside Fitbit?See our favourite activity trackers.
Gifts for kids – Our choice: Osmo Coding
Kids increasingly want – and expect – high-tech presents, but few people can afford to give their children iPads for Christmas.
There are many cheaper options when it comes to tablets and other techy gifts for kids, as demonstrated in our round-up,which you can read here, along with our separate guides to thebest robot toysandcoding gamesfor kids.
In addition to being lots of fun, these gifts are often educational too – a lesson in disguise like theOsmo Coding games(£99.99/$129.99, which teach children (ages 5-12) how to code using physical blocks.
Headphones – Our Choice: Sony WH-1000XM4
Our list of the best headphones to gift this Christmas has something for everyone, whether you’re looking for the best audio quality or the best price.
If you’ve got cash to splash on the very best, you’ll want to pick up theSony WH-1000XM4(£350/$349.99). See our overall round-up of thebest headphonesfor other excellent options.
For cheaper headphones that still offer impressive quality for the priceclick here.
These days it’s wireless earbuds such as the newApple AirPods 3(£169/$179) which thatreally impress– however, check out thebest Bluetooth earbuds(as well as some cheaper options).
Bluetooth speaker – Our choice: EarFun Uboom
The best speakers can cost hundreds of pounds, but getting better (or simply louder) audio from your phone, tablet or laptop is easily achievable without spending a fortune.
TheEarFun Uboomis a great affordable option and currently tops ourbest budget Bluetooth speakers list. It costs £59.99/$79.99 on but you can get it for a lot cheaper fromAmazon.
If you’ve got more money to spend on a speaker (perhaps this is a Christmas gift for yourself!) then check out our overallbest speakers chart here.
Of course, it’s also worth considering a smart speaker, and Amazon has someincredible deals on Echoright now.
E-Readers – Our Choice: Kindle Paperwhite (2018 model)
The ideal gift for a book worm, an e-reader lets you hundreds of books into a single slim and light digital device. E-readers are cheaper than tablets, optimised for reading, and with much better and battery life.
Our pick of the best is the newKindle Paperwhite (2021), but the previous generation is still an excellent option, now at a fraction of the original price onAmazon. In fact, we’ve crowned it the best value e-reader in thelist of our favourite e-readers this year.
Drones – Our choice: Ryze Tello
Drones are the new remote control car, and they don’t have to cost the world.
Click here to see the absolute best dronesthat may well cost you a small fortune, but we’ve also got around-up of the best cheap drones here.
Check out the DJI Ryze Tello for just £99 onAmazonand $99 onBest Buy.
Games consoles – Our choice: Nintendo Switch
A new games console is one of the most exciting gifts you can open on Christmas morning, because the endless entertainment that follows can last all the way until next Christmas (and you’ll know just what to get them next time – a game or two!)
Oculus Quest 2and the new PlayStation 5 seem to be the big-hitters this year, butPS5at least is also as easy to find as gold dust. The stock situation for the updated XboxSeries XandSeries Sis better, and don’t forget theNintendo Switchwhich is now £20 cheaper thanks to the arrival of theSwitch OLED Model.
We’re rounding up all thebest Nintendo Switch dealsand taking a look athow to get the Switch/Switch OLED for for free with a phone contract(two presents for the price of one? Why not!).
We also have thebest Switch games in this handy round up.
See the best games consoles available in our chart here.
Instant cameras – Our choice: Instax Mini 11
You’d think instant cameras would be consigned to the past, but nostalgia has dragged them kicking and screaming into the 21st Century, and surprisingly enough they’re actually a welcome presence.
In an age of instant filters and digital backups, there’s something to be said for a camera that doesn’t let you pick the perfect photo out of ten options, and that immediately gives you a physical print to hang onto.
We’ve tested a selection for our guide to thebest instant cameras, but for gift giving one of our favourites us the affordableInstax mini 11(£69.99/$69.95).
Gaming keyboards – Our choice: Logitech G915
Another option for gamers, this time the PC-loving variety, is a new gaming keyboard.
We’ve picked out 10 of the best gaming keyboards available to buy in the UK,so take a look here.
Among the best is theLogitech G915gaming keyboard (£209.99/$249.99) which isavailable direct from Logitech.
Gaming mice – Our choice: Razer Naga Trinity
Alternatively, how about a gaming mouse? You’ll find 10 of the best gaming mice to buy for Christmasin our round-up by clicking here.
The Razer Naga Trinity (£99.99/$99.99) is one of the most user-friendly mice we’ve tested, and could make the perfect gift for PC gamers. It’scurrently on offer at £48.99 at Amazon.
Laptops – Our choice: Huawei Matebook 14s (2021)
A laptop could make an amazing present this Christmas, and it doesn’t necessarily have to break Santa’s bank.
See our favourite laptops to gift this year, andhere to go to our favourite budget laptops. You’ll also find some greatlaptop deals this time of year.
Top of our overall best laptops chart right now is theHuawei Matebook 14s (2021), available fromAmazonwith £250 off!
Laptop bags – Our choice: Ogio Alpha Convoy
If your gift’s recipient already has a laptop, how about a laptop bag? We’ve reviewed our favourite cases, rucksacks and messenger bags for style, comfort and practicality.
The Ogio Alpha Convoy 525r backpack sits at the top of our best laptop bag list for being strong yet lightleight.See our favouite laptop bags for Christmas.
Author: Somrata Sarkar, Contributor
Previously a Tech Advisor Senior Staff Writer, Somrata researches and writes about the best tech deals to help readers make smart, informed buying decisions. She’s an expert on accessories and also reviews laptops, phones, audio and other devices.
