Looking for the most must-have tech gifts this holiday season? You are in the right place. Whether you’re looking for that tech-obsessed lover or maybe even for yourself, there’s no shortage of cool cutting-edge gadgets this year that you might want to check out.
From portable gaming systems to portable smart projectors, here are some of my personal picks below:
Steam deck
How the Steam Deck, a portable PC, can play console heavyweights like God of war and Cyberpunk 2077, albeit on lower settings, continues to amaze me. That’s perhaps a testament to how impressive the device is, boasting just enough performance and graphics power to meet your on-the-go gaming needs, while maintaining a portable and lightweight frame that fits comfortably in your hand.
Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo
Technically, the Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo was first announced in 2021, but it didn’t hit the global market until early 2022. This hybrid instant camera combines modern technology with vintage design sensibilities, combining a 5MP sensor with an Instax printer. It also features 10 lens modes and 10 movie effects to give you that Instagram-worthy retro look for your holiday party photos.
Nothing ear stick
Leave it to Nothing to grab your attention with an eye-catching design. The latest pair of wireless earbuds from the tech startup, the Ear Stick, have an unconventional half-in-ear form factor and come in a lipstick-sized cylindrical body. The buds themselves also make good use of the trademark clear plastic aesthetic that the brand is known for. If the looks don’t do it, the Ear Stick at least still offers good sound quality at a relatively affordable price.
Apple Watch Ultra
The Apple Watch Ultra is the biggest, brightest and, dare I say, boldest smartwatch the Cupertino tech giant has released to date. While it’s primarily aimed at endurance athletes and extreme athletes, there’s plenty to love about the new wearable even if you’re not the adventurous type, including the longer battery life, LTE connectivity, and the action button that lets you access your favorite functions in an instant. Perhaps the only thing holding it back is the high price.
Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony continues to knock it out of the park with its noise-canceling headphones. This year’s WH-1000XM5 follows in the footsteps of its predecessors, combining great audio performance with best-in-class noise reduction capabilities. It’s not a major upgrade from the XM4, but you’ll probably be hard-pressed to find a better-sounding pair of earbuds than these in this price point.
Razer Stream controller
If you’re considering starting a career in streaming, the Razer Stream Controller might be for you. This handy touchscreen device serves as an all-in-one controller for your stream, with customizable buttons and dials that you can use to map out the software and settings you want to access quickly. Outside of streaming, you can also connect it to applications like Adobe Premiere Pro and Photoshop and create shortcuts for tools you use most.
Apple MacBook Air M2
If you’re in the market for a laptop, you can never go wrong with the MacBook Air, provided you’re willing to spend quite a bit. This year, Apple released what is arguably its best laptop yet, the MacBook Air M2. It has a new design, a brighter display, a 1080p webcam and, of course, an M2 chip that more than delivers on the performance front.
ASUS Zenbook 17 fold OLED
While the first foldable PC is the 2020 Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Fold, ASUS has also claimed a first with the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED, the first foldable PC to use an OLED display. The laptop, winner of Time Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2022, has a 17.3-inch display that folds to create two seamless 12.5-inch displays. It offers a variety of configurations, namely the desktop, laptop (with Bluetooth keyboard), laptop (with virtual keyboard), tablet, reader, and extended. It’s pricey at P219,995, but it’s definitely something for the early adopters who get excited about new shapes for devices like this.
Samsung Freestyle smart projector
If there’s one gadget on this list that is likely to impress your friends, it’s the Samsung Freestyle. This cute smart projector can be easily placed on just about any surface, not to mention that the barrel can rotate 180 degrees, so you can bring the whole home theater experience to practically every corner of your house. Sure, there are more affordable options, but the inventiveness and practicality of the Freestyle’s design makes it hard to overlook.
Logitech Litra Beam
While quarantine measures have since been eased, remote meetings are likely to remain for the foreseeable future. If you want to look your best on camera, you need good lighting. For that, you might want to check out the Logitech Litra Beam, a compact lighting solution that can get bright enough for just about any camera. It’s also very versatile, fitting well into a variety of workstation setups. Oh, Litra Beam is also perfect for streamers.
iPhone 14 Pro
The iPhone 14 Pro (and Pro Max) marks one of the biggest design leaps yet for Apple’s best-selling product, abandoning the divisive notch in favor of the new Dynamic Island cutout. It also has a beautiful display, incredible camera capabilities, and an astonishingly fast processor. Put all those things together and you get an iPhone that is, in my opinion, as perfect as humanly possible. – Rappler.com
