The Best Tech Gifts Under $50
Gadgets make fun gifts, but it can be daunting to find a gift for someone who loves to have the latest tech if you’re on a budget. But as the resident tech expert, I take note of all the great inexpensive finds when I come across them. These gifts aren’t always easy to spot — I’ve found some of my favorite electronics and accessories by perusing forums and getting recommendations from tech-savvy folks. A good strategy here, too, is to consider what kind of devices your recipient already owns and to get them an accessory to go with it. Many of the recommendations below will help them make better use of the tech in their life. And if you’re looking for something a little less tech focused, my colleagues have rounded up plenty of other gifts under $50 and gifts under $25 worth checking out.
But no matter what you’re buying, take note: Ordering deadlines for pre-Christmas arrival are fast-approaching (if they haven’t passed already), even at mega-retailers like Amazon. While we’re regularly updating all of our guides to reflect these timelines, at this point you should you should definitely confirm arrival dates before placing any order. You can also check our brand-by-brand holiday shipping breakdown for more info about many of our most popular sellers.
Updated on December 18, 2025
I’ve added a few more gifts to this guide, checked prices and availability, and noted which items may not arrive in time for Christmas.
For the gamer who just got a Switch 2
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A case that’ll keep their shiny new console safe from the rough and tumble of their commute or travels.
For the gamer whose phone is their console
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8Bitdo Zero 2
Any controller is better than tapping on glass, and this pocket-friendly one comes in three fun colors.
For the husband who reads in bed
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This case will prevent him from dropping it on his face.
For the friend who’s always scrolling TikTok
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This phone grip makes it easier to hold for long periods of time, and it doubles as a kickstand for watching movies hands-free. It also supports MagSafe, so they can use it with all their other accessories.
For the budding content creator …
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A ring light to make their setup look more legit.
For the music lover with a playlist for every occasion
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JBL Go 4
A tiny speaker that’ll travel with them.
[Editor’s note: Orders from Bloomingdale’s may not arrive by Christmas.]
For the co-worker who listens while they work
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JBL Tune 520BT
These headphones are regularly on sale for under $50, and they sound great for the price. They also come in this eye-catching purple that’s sure to stand out among a sea of black headphones.
For the father-in-law who still uses their TV’s built-in apps
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You don’t need to lecture them on the personal data they’re giving away, but you can give them a better streaming experience with less-laggy apps, third-party options for things like Spotify or Plex, and Bluetooth pairing.
For the brother who’s always losing his wallet…
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He can drop this card in it and — since it has Apple Find My — always keep an eye on it.
For the brother who wants a smaller wallet
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This MagSafe-friendly wallet only holds three cards; perfect for the essentials on a night out.
For the friend who likes to carry as little on their person as possible
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Our favorite slim charger for phones usually costs just over $50, but right now it’s on sale.
For the mom who likes to stream a show in the background while she cooks
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With this charger, she won’t even need a cable. It plugs directly into a wall and has MagSafe support so she can slap her iPhone right onto it.
For the sister whose phone is always at 10 percent
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This portable charger is small enough to fit in a jeans pocket, and it has a built-in USB-C cable.
[Editor’s note: This gift may not arrive before the holidays.]
For the frequent flier with a bagful of gadgets
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They’ll love this sleek bag that can keep all their cords and small gadgets tidy so they always grab the right thing.
For the co-worker who constantly finds themselves in a tangle
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Anker Magnetic Cord Keeper Cable Holder
These magnetic clips wrap around charging cables so they can pop them right into the tray when they’re done, rather than letting them dangle across their desk.
For the nephew whose morning routine includes TikTok
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Now they can pop their phone on a mirror and scroll while they brush their teeth.
For the driver who always needs directions
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A magnetic car mount that will keep their directions at eye level; it even has a built-in wireless charger.
For the person with only one charging cord
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They can stop fiddling to get their charger into the port and plop their phone right on this puck.
For the mom who’s always in search of a cable
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They can keep this tiny, retractable one in their bag. It even comes in a few vibrant colors.
[Editor’s note: Nordstrom holiday-shipping deadlines can be found here.]
For the world traveler …
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Get them this tiny brick. It can charge up to three devices at once (two via USB-C and one via USB-A), and it comes with two extra attachments for outlets in the E.U. and the U.K.
… Who watches every in-flight movie
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They’ll appreciate being able to use their personal earbuds or headphones instead of the cruddy airline ones.
For the smart-home enthusiast
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Wyze Plug
Even their old electronics can turn into smart-home gadgets.
For the social butterfly who’s always posting
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Let them stick their phone anywhere and start recording.
For the co-worker who’s always peeping their phone from their desk
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Now they won’t strain their neck as much when they do it. And paired with a good wireless keyboard — like the one below — it makes a decent writing station.
For the wife who still types on her laptop
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A colorful keyboard she’ll love typing on.
For the Mac enthusiast
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This nifty Apple Watch charger looks like a classic iMac and comes in all the same fun, transparent colors.
For the mom who’s always leaving things behind
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A tracker for their most-lost item.
For the note taker who’s trying to go paperless
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No more trips to the stationery store for a new notebook; they can just wipe this notebook’s pages clean and start over.
For the friend who wants to curb their screen time
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The Brick
This will help them get their focus back. Every time they tap their phone on it, the Brick will block all their most distracting apps. (It’s usually more than $50, but is currently on sale for less.)
For the photographer who prefers film
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A camera that gets them twice the number of shots on the same roll.
For the brother who wants to spend less time looking at screens
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A classic way to tell the time.
[Editor’s note: This gift may not arrive before the holidays.]
For the Nintendo aficionado
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In addition to getting to play games online, they’ll get 12 months of access to Nintendo’s library of retro games from consoles like the SNES and original Game Boy.
For the online gamer …
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Let them play all the Fortnite they can handle.
… On every console
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PlayStation Store Gift Card
This card is good for either a PlayStation online subscription or picking up a game they’ve been eyeing.
More Christmas Gift Ideas
- The Best Gifts for Teenage Girls, According to Teenage Girls
- 37 Last-Minute Gifts for Achy People
- Iced Coffee and Sephora Hauls: The Best Advent Calendars for Gen Z (So Far)
- 54 Gifts for Moms (at Every Price Point)
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
