Are you looking for a creative Holiday gift for the techy person on your list? We’ve hand-selected our top picks for this holiday season that are perfect for family, friends, co-workers, or a gift exchange. There are small, inexpensive items and high-priced gear represented, but everything on this list has been tested in one way or another in 2020 and passed the test.
Acer Chromebook Spin 713
The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is our overall top pick for anyone who wants a premium Chromebook. It’s hard to believe that this device, with so many features and a great screen, starts at just $629. There’s no question, this Chromebook is our favorite of the year.
Where to Buy
Lenovo Chromebook Duet
The Duet does something few other Chromebooks can boast, posing as both legit tablet and legit Chromebook when the keyboard is attached. The aesthetic and build quality look more like a $400+ tablet, the 1080p screen looks like it belongs on a device far more expensive, and the included detachable keyboard just creates a value proposition most devices can’t beat.
Where To Buy
CTL Chromebox CBx2
One of the first 10th Gen Comet Lake Chromeboxes to hit the market, CTL’s CBx2 offers up a significant performance boost over its 8th Gen predecessor and adds a second HDMI port for true, dual monitor support.
Buy On CTL
WD My Passport SSD
We truly believe in the power of cloud computing but sometimes you need to move files around so a super fast portable external SSD can be a great Chromebook accessory. With a sleek,
compact metal design and blazing fast speeds powered by NVMe technology, the new palm-sized drive allows home and business users to save, access and protect the content that matters.
Buy on Amazon
Logitech Wireless Keyboard & Mouse
At $49 for the keyboard and $29 for the mouse, the Logitech K580 keyboard and M335 mouse are an incredible value. Robby even went on record and said these are the best Bluetooth accessories for Chrome OS that he had ever used.
Where To Buy
iPlume USI Pen
We’ve been waiting for proper USI pens to hit the market for a while and now we finally have a couple third-party models to choose from, like this one from Plume. After some extensive testing, we can say this pen is legit and worked perfectly on multiple USI-compatible Chromebooks. Also, the all-aluminum casing on this model gives it a more premium feel, which is nice.
Where To Buy
Anker USB C Portable Power Bank
A portable power bank is one of those tech accessories that is a must-have for any tech nerd. With support for Power Delivery and Qualcomm Quick Charge, this travel-friendly portable battery offers high-speed charging to virtually any mobile device, including most Chromebooks.
Buy on Amazon
Anker PowerPort Atom PD 2
Having an extra charger around the house or in your bag is always a good idea for any techy person with multiple devices. This Anker PowerPort Atom with PD and GaN technology can charge one device at high-speeds up to 60W or two devices at the same time up to 30W.
Buy on Amazon
OWC Travel Dock Gen 2
The OWC Travel Dock Gen 2 delivers and offers all the connectivity that most Chromebook users need. The dock can be used on a desktop setup to connect an external display or on the go to plug in an SD card or USB thumb drive.
Buy on Amazon
Nest Hub Max
The perfect smart display for around the house can be used in the kitchen to help with recipes or in the bedroom as a perfect Google Photos digital display and alarm clock. With a great sounding speaker and camera that can be used for video calls and security, this is truly an all-in-one smart display.
Where To Buy
Google Nest Mini
With the new Nest Mini, your music sounds bigger and better than ever. And the Google Assistant is a huge help around the house. Engineered for sound. Designed for your home.
Where to Buy
Chromecast w/Google TV
With the new Chromecast, we finally get a real UI for on-screen navigation and a remote. With these two additions, this new Chromecast is the best one yet and truly the Chromecast for everyone.
Buy at Best Buy
Fitbit Smartwatches
While I haven’t tried out the Fitbit Versa 3 or Fitbit Sense, I can vouch for how great the Versa 2 is. If you are looking for a great fitness tracker and simple smartwatch, it’s hard to go wrong with Fitbit.
Buy on Amazon
Google Nest Audio
The all-new Nest Audio is everything we had hoped for in a successor to the original Google Home. This smart speaker boasts an impressive audio experience in a small package while still carrying all the smarts of the Google Assistant and it retails for $30 less than the original.
Buy at Best Buy
Meross Smart Light Bulb
Spice up any room of the house or your office with color changing smart light bulbs that connect to the Google Assistant. You will need the Meross app to set up these light bulbs but after that you can add them in your Home app so that they can be controlled with the Assistant. Side note, these bulbs are actually powered by a MediaTek chip.
Buy on Amazon
Lenovo Essentials SmartClock
The smallest smart clock Lenovo makes brings a lot to the table in a package that accomplishes much of what you need out of a smart alarm clock and little else while keeping the price insanely low.
Buy at Best Buy
Stadia Premiere Edition
In 2020, the streaming game industry took off. Among the players, Stadia has shown itself to be full-featured, well-executed, and flat-out fun. If you already have a Chromecast Ultra, a laptop or phone, you can start playing now with just the excellent Stadia Controller.
Buy at Best Buy
Golden Tee Arcade
Let’s face it, from time to time you need to blow off some steam. Golden Tee isn’t cutting edge or refined. Instead, it is equal parts nostalgic and fun, giving you a quick, no-frills competitive experience that makes itself at home both in the office or in a gameroom at home.
Buy at Best Buy
Flexispot Standing Desk
As many of us around the world have transitioned to working and learning from home, creating a dedicated workspace can go a long way in helping you to avoid distractions and stay productive. We have tried a couple of standing desks but recommend the FlexiSpot because it was incredibly easy to assemble and the tabletop has not shown much wear.
Buy on Amazon
Fresh Roasted Coffee
Fresh Roasted Coffee has simply been a revelation for our office. With coffee that completely rivals our own in-house roasts at the same price as unroasted green coffee, the move to using Fresh Roasted Coffee has saved us both money and time and we love it.
Get Coffee Here
Porter Ceramic Mug
This mug was a random inclusion in our Google swag box for their fall event, and we all collectively love it. A basic ceramic mug with a silicone wrap and a lid you can use on the go: it’s the best of both worlds.
Buy on Amazon
AirPods Pro
I’ve spent a lot of time and money trying to find a set of wireless earbuds that sound great, fit comfortably, offer noise cancelling, and don’t lag while gaming. I found them in the AirPods Pro and though they are pricey, I have no regrets in purchasing them.
Buy on Amazon
Google Home Max
The Google Home Max represents the best audio experience of any #MadeByGoogle device and quite possibly any Assistant-enabled speaker. With stereo pairing, adaptive audio and all the smarts of the Google Assistant, the Max is our #1 choice when it comes to big, smart audio.
Buy on Best Buy
Pamu Slide Mini
The Pamu Slide Minis strike a beautiful balance between audio quality and budget friendliness. Offering almost lag-free audio when we’re hopping into a PUBG Mobile match, these earphones are lightweight, discrete and offer a fit so comfortable I sometimes forget I even have them in my ears.
Buy on Pamu
TicWatch Pro 3
The first WearOS device on the market to sport Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 4100 platform, the dual-layer gives the TicWatch Pro 3 an easy 2-3 days of battery life. The TicWatch Pro 3 offers a full array of features such as sleep tracking, heart rate monitor, oxygen sensor, and more. The IP68 rating means you can take it to the pool and never give it a second thought.
Buy on Mobvoi
Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle Smartwatch
Fossil’s latest take on a Wear OS smartwatch is surprisingly good. No, it is not perfect but the added RAM and better battery life has made this watch Joe’s go-to through 2020. The watch is slim (for a smartwatch) and they offer multiple models so you can find the style that is right for you.
Buy on Amazon
Google Nest WiFi Router
How many devices do you have connected to your home WiFi network? The number is probably higher than you expect, which means your router is having to do more work. The Google Nest Wifi router is simple but powerful and is a great gift for literally anyone who has internet.
Buy on Amazon
WeMo Smart Plug 3-Pack
These handy smart plugs allow you to connect things like lamps, TVs, or fans to the Google Assistant so you can control them with your voice. We use these around the office to turn off all the lights with one simple voice command.
Buy on Amazon
OnePlus 7T
For Pixel phone fans, 2020 was an oddball year. Because of this, many former Pixel users looked elsewhere for their smartphone for the first time in years. For Robby, the OnePlus 7T stayed in his pocket due to the performance/price ratio, and until further notice, this is his go-to handset.
Buy at BHPhoto
Pixel 4a 5G
For anyone who wants a new Pixel phone in 2020, the Pixel 4a 5G is a great option. For $499, it offers decent performance, a 6.2 inch screen with thin bezels, great battery life, Google camera magic, and that smooth pixel software experience.
Buy at Best Buy
Nest Thermostat
As we are all spending more time at home, a smart and efficient thermostat is more important than ever. Set schedules, save money, and feel more comfortable in your home with the new Nest Thermostat.
Where to Buy
Belkin Sound Form Elite
The smooth sounds of the Belkin Sound Form Elite are nearly enough to recommend it, but we also have to mention the great additions of the Google Assistant and a wireless charging pad right up top. We use this speaker in the office every day and it is just fantastic.
Buy on Amazon