Everyone has a friend that is a self-professed tech-friend. They will stand in line for hours to get the newest flagship phone. They will scour the internet for news and rumors to get all the details they need on upcoming releases. Their social media feeds are filled with unboxing videos, reviews and recommendations of the hottest gadgets. They are undeniably obsessed.
The one problem that comes with getting a gift for a tech-fiend is that your options are usually pricey. You can’t exactly dish out hundreds of dollars for a single birthday present — especially if there’s a chance that they already bought it for themselves! Here are some ideas for gadgets and gizmos that will be perfect for your friend and your budget.
For the Forgetful Friend:
As much as your friend loves the newest gadgets, they always seem to be losing them. You’ve watched them tear apart their living room in search of their headphones and desperately dig into their bag to find their portable console.
A great gift for your scatterbrained companion is a Tile tracker device to help them find any precious items they’ve misplaced around the house or lost outside of it. All they have to do is place the device on a key ring or attach it to the back of any tech, then download the free app.
The Tile piece will ring if they’re in range, so they can locate their remote or Nintendo Switch stuck in between the couch cushions. If they really lose their expensive item, the Tile app will show where it’s located on a map, for a quick and easy recovery.
For the Style Icon:
Sometimes tech can look strikingly similar. All the sleek designs seem to focus on shades of silver or black. While these shades are classics for a reason, your friend isn’t one to shy away from colors and patterns.
Give their MacBook a makeover with a signature skin. Before you click on one and make your order, see how many customization options there are for your friend’s unique sense of style — you can give them more than one to choose from. For a bold color and texture, choose a carbon fiber skin in a shade like bulletproof banana. For a natural look, get a wood skin in rich mahogany or light bamboo. If you consider your friend to be a stone-cold badass, a camo print could be the right pick.
For the Amateur Photographer:
Your friend has an Instagram account filled to the brim with pictures of restaurant meals, sleeping cats and sunsets. You can encourage their passion by getting them add-on camera lenses for their smartphone. The accessories can turn their simple snaps of latte art and blooming flowers into a professional gallery.
Get them the Amir Phone Camera Lens Kit that offers fisheye, wide angle and macro lenses that can clip onto various iPhone models. It was named one of the best iPhone lenses on the market and the price is easy to swallow — they’re under $20 at Amazon right now.
For the Coffee Connoisseur:
If you could name your friend’s other great love, it would be coffee. You can appeal to their appreciation of tech and caffeinated beverages by getting them a smart travel mug. A smart mug will heat the contents to the desired temperature and maintain it. There will be no need to microwave a cup of coffee once it gets cold.
One of the best smart mugs that you can get is the Puncia Electric Smart Mug with LCD and user-friendly temperature controls. It’s simple, efficient and kinder to the budget than other options out there. If this pick is still out of your budget range, go for a sleek coffee warmer that will safely heat their mug at home or the office.
For the Wayward Traveler:
Your friend is always on the move, which means they need tech that can last them for long flights, train rides or trips on cramped buses. The ideal gift for them is a heavy-duty battery pack to keep their devices running throughout their travels.
One excellent choice is the Anker PowerCore II 10,000mAh because it’s highly effective and it has an extremely portable design. If your friend has their bag filled to capacity, they can easily carry around this power bank in their jacket pocket. It’s compatible with multiple USB-charged devices so that they can give their phone, tablet, laptop and other gadgets enough juice for their journey.
As you can see, there’s no need to empty your entire wallet to make your tech-savvy friend happy. Expensive VR headsets and smartphone upgrades aren’t the only choices out there. You can impress them with something geeky, thoughtful and within your budget.