Trusted Reviews’ Christmas Gift Guide 2020: The perfect tech gifts to buy
Christmas Gift Guide 2020: In a quandary over what to buy for friends and family this Christmas? Not to worry, we’ve gone through the hassle for you, highlighting the very best Christmas presents that any tech-fan would be happy to receive in 2020.
With 2020 being a highly unusual year, there’s a lot of riding on the end of year celebrations that people have planned, particularly in the gift giving department. The whole thing becomes even harder if you’re buying for a self-professed tech fanatic, as they have a tendency to just go ahead and buy anything they’re remotely interested in (guilty as charged).
To give you a fighting chance, we’ve brought together a load of different gift ideas from multiple tech disciplines, so there’s bound to be something here that the person you’re buying for doesn’t already have. So with that in mind, let’s dive in.
Jump through our Christmas gift guide:
Gifts under £50 | Gifts under £150 | Gifts over £150
Tech Gifts Under £50
Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros
Resurrecting the iconic handheld games from the 1980s, Game & Watch adds a modern flare by bringing the original Super Mario Bros into the mix. As the perfect coffee-table game, you can dive into some classic Mario action at a moment’s notice, or – when it’s not in use – have the device display the time in a very Mario-esque fashion.
LEGO Super Mario
Another one for the Mario fans out there. The pesky plumber has finally made the jump into LEGO form with this Super Mario range. Going beyond your average LEGO set, the experience is gamified, giving you a genuine level of challenge that can be appreciated by kids and adults alike. Use the accompanying app to share creations online and see what other master builders have made.
Belkin Valet (for iPhone & Apple Watch)
Sometimes it’s not a case of getting someone a new device, but rather something that can finesse the experience of the gadgets they already own. If the person you’re buying for happens to have an iPhone and an Apple Watch, they can use the Belkin Valet either as bedside storage for both devices, or a place to put them on their desk.
Lenovo Smart Clock Essential
No-one wants a boring old digital clock anymore, so why not bag one that has several smart features? Similar to the Echo Dot with Clock, the Lenovo Smart Clock Essential is a smart speaker that can tell the time and weather at a moment’s notice. Running Google Assistant, you can ask the clock for all sorts of things, including a quick update on the news, if there are any delays to your daily commute, or just to hear your favourite Spotify playlist.
Tech Gifts Under £150
HomePod Mini
Apple has finally unveiled its follow-up to the original HomePod, and as it turns out, it’s not anywhere near as pricey as we expected. You’d be hard pushed to find a smart speaker around the same size that could match the HomePod Mini for sound quality. Be warned however, the HomePod Mini is far better suited for iPhone users, so Android followers should probably look elsewhere.
Roku Streambar
A soundbar that’s also a streaming device? It sounds like a match made in heaven – and it is. If you want to add a bit more flare to movie night this Christmas, the Roku Streambar has you covered. Compact and convenient, the Streambar offers clear audio quality for dialogue, all while giving you the chance to play for your favourite films and shows with nothing but your voice.
DJI OM 4
Here’s one for the budding filmmakers. Most smartphones are more than capable of recording quality video, but the DJI OM 4 mobile gimbal takes things up a notch. Giving your video recordings gimbal-level stabilisation, you can shoot stable footage in an instant, and even use the OM 4’s face-tracking features to shoot vlogs without fuss.
Fujifilm Instax SQ1
One that’s probably better suited for the generations that still remember the heyday of instant photos, the Fujifilm Instax SQ1 lets you recapture that rush of getting your hands on a physical photo. Throw in a photo album or maybe a board for you to hang photos from, and you’re looking at the dream gift set for any budding photographer.
Tech Gifts Over £150
Withings ScanWatch
The problem with most smartwatches is that they’re usually surpassed by newer models in no time – but you won’t have that issue with the Withings ScanWatch. This timepiece is far more concerned with being timeless, offering a traditional interface that never goes out of style. The ScanWatch uses a smaller screen on the watch face to reveal its smart features, including notifications from your phone, workout tracking and even an ECG sensor for keeping track of your heart.
DJI Pocket 2
If you know someone who is eager to get into vlogging but doesn’t know where to start, then look no further than the DJI Pocket 2. This portable device packs everything you’d need to get things going, including the ability to record in up to 4K and a physical gimbal for silky smooth video playback. It also works in tandem with the DJI Mimo app to let you edit footage on your smartphone.
Sonos Beam
It might not be cheap, but you can guarantee that whoever receives a Sonos Beam for Christmas, won’t be disappointed. As one of our favourite soundbars, there’s very little to fault Sonos’ compact bar. Adding bombastic sound quality that’ll make you wonder how you ever got by without it, the Sonos Beam also works as a smart speaker, with Alexa and Google Assistant integration.
Pixel 4a
Buying a top tier smartphone for a loved one no longer means emptying your bank balance. At under half the price of most high-end handsets, the Pixel 4a still boasts an incredible camera system that can go toe-to-toe with the best of them, using Google’s unique photo processing to render jaw-dropping colour and detail. With a Pixel 4a in your pocket, your Instagram following won’t know what him them.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
